People who know about Virginia Baptists’ investments in ministry to college students through Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) understand the many powerful points of impact. They know that through BCM, collegians can develop an ownership of and commitment to a personal faith in Jesus. They know that these students develop patterns of loving and serving others well. They know that church, workplace, and communities are strengthened by student leaders trained by BCM. But one storyline of impact that many do not realize is how BCMs can be on the leading edge of wisely and intentionally helping launch strong marriages.

That intentionality was on display again this winter as the BCMs at James Madison University and Virginia Tech partnered for an annual Engaged Couples Weekend. Four resource couples spent the weekend investing in 11 engaged couples who are preparing to enjoy their weddings and launch Christ-centered marriages in 2025.

Chelsea Anderson is a campus minister at JMU’s BCM. Since 2018, she and her husband, Scott, have served as a resource couple each time ECW is offered. “We're planting seeds in these young couples of communication, conflict resolution, financial management and generosity, forgiving and forbearing with one another, and applying Kingdom principles to how they treat their spouses,” said Chelsea. “We are helping them see that the gospel of Jesus really is the answer to every question. We are teaching them to bring the gospel's redemption power to one another's stories of wounding and pain for the future thriving of their family and marriage. We're teaching them to see one another as God sees us.”

Darrell and Laura Cook have been serving BSU/BCM at VT since 1998 and leading ECW since 2005. Darrell’s predecessor, Roland “R.B.” Byrd, led an Engaged Couples Seminar throughout his 26 years ministering at the BSU in Blacksburg, so Darrell knew they weren’t inventing anything new. “We were simply restarting an area that under R.B. had already powerfully impacted dozens and dozens of marriages. And the unique placement of Kairos Initiative’s BCM ministry to invest in young couples serves as a great extension to the ministry of the local church.”

“One pastor friend told me that he would much rather do a funeral than a wedding. His statement shocked me at first,” said Cook. “But as he explained the context, I understood that often he did not know the couples well when asked to do a wedding. But for the funerals in his church, he knew the story of their lives and was able to lean in and walk well with the people who were grieving.”

“But in my context,” Cook continued, “I usually know at least one of them well, and quite often I know both of them really well. So seeing them mature and grow across four years and later launch a meaningful and intentional marriage—it’s really beautiful to watch it all.”

The impact of providing this ministry to young couples is also especially clear to Chelsea, as she and Scott got to experience the weekend as part of their own pre-marital preparation. “As someone who received the gift of ECW in my own marriage, it is an honor and a privilege to keep passing the torch to these future marriages who are going to walk the same roads we walked. It's even more of an honor to do it alongside other seasoned couples who have set their minds on Christ and honor him and his plan for marriage above all other cultural temptations and untruths.”

To learn more about BCM and other Kairos Initiative ministries with young adults, visit www.kairosinitiative.org.