The Grace Marriage Podcast

The Boundaries Every Pastor’s Marriage Needs

Ministry can be meaningful, demanding, and deeply rewarding, but it should never come at the cost of your marriage. In this episode, Brad Rhoads talks with Jeff Lorg about the unique marriage challenges ministry leaders face and why pastors are not exempt from the same marriage practices they teach others. Jeff shares from decades of ministry leadership, church planting, and seminary experience about setting boundaries, prioritizing time with your spouse, and learning to say no. They discuss why ministry leaders often confuse availability with value, how to protect priority time with your spouse, and why a healthy marriage requires intentional rhythms even in demanding seasons. In This Episode: * Why ministry leaders face unique marriage pressures * Why pastors should practice what they teach couples * The difference between priority and time allocation * How to protect daily, weekly, and seasonal connection * Why learning to say no is essential * How availability can become an unhealthy measure of value * Why marriage health requires intentional boundaries 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Ministry leaders are not exempt from basic marriage practices * Priority does not always mean the most time—it means protected time * Pastors must set their own boundaries because others will not set them * Saying no to people can be saying yes to your marriage * Constant availability is not the same as faithful ministry * A healthy marriage gives ministry leaders strength for their calling * Crisis should motivate change, not create despair LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

More Money Doesn’t Fix Money Problems

Having more money doesn’t automatically solve financial stress; it just changes the name of the problems. In this episode, Brad and Joe Sangl continue their conversation on money, marriage, and biblical stewardship. Joe explains why couples still need a plan even when they move from financial struggle to financial surplus, and why the goal isn’t just having more, but instead managing what God has entrusted to you well. They discuss budgeting, credit cards, financial advisors, wise counsel, helping adult children, and how couples can steward resources with clarity, generosity, and purpose. In This Episode: * Why surplus creates different kinds of money problems * Why every couple still needs a budget * How to build a team of trusted financial advisors * Why credit cards aren’t the problem  * How to manage impulsive spending categories * The difference between helping and enabling adult children * Why stewardship matters at every income level 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * More money does not eliminate the need for wisdom * Surplus requires stewardship, not laziness * Every couple needs a clear financial plan * Credit cards can be useful when used with discipline * Spending money categories help prevent impulse overspending * Parents need healthy financial boundaries with adult children * Wise counsel helps couples manage resources well LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Money Wounds: Why You and Your Spouse See Money So Differently

Money problems in marriage usually aren’t just about money. In this episode, Brad and Marilyn Rhodes sit down with financial coach and stewardship expert Joe Sangl to talk about one of the biggest stressors couples face: finances. Joe shares why financial conflict is often rooted in fear, lack of communication, different backgrounds, and what he calls “money wounds.” The conversation dives into practical budgeting advice, emotional differences between spenders and savers, and how couples can begin working together instead of fighting each other financially. In This Episode: * Why couples fight about money so often * How “money wounds” shape financial behavior * Why budgeting feels emotionally difficult * The difference between struggle, stability, and surplus * How to start having healthy money conversations * Why budgeting is a skill that takes practice * How AI tools can actually help couples budget * Why financial tension is something to manage, not solve 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Financial conflict is often rooted in fear and lack of communication * Couples bring different financial backgrounds into marriage * A budget creates clarity and reduces stress * Money conversations become healthier when focused on shared dreams * Budgeting is a learned skill, not a personality trait * Financial stewardship involves time, talent, and treasure * Even financially successful couples still experience money tension LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Your First Ministry Is Your Marriage

What happens when ministry becomes more important than marriage? In this episode, Brad Rhoads sits down again with Pastor Jamus Edwards of Pleasant Valley Community Church to talk honestly about the danger of sacrificing your marriage on the altar of ministry. Jamus shares how early ministry success masked unhealthy priorities at home, how his wife Annie felt lonely and neglected, and how God used conviction, repentance, and intentional marriage investment to reorder his life. This conversation is especially important for pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone whose work or calling has quietly become more important than their spouse. In This Episode: * Why ministry can quietly become an idol * How pastors can unintentionally neglect their spouse * Why saying “no” is essential for a healthy marriage * The danger of fearing people more than fearing God * Why your home reveals more than your platform * How marriage health affects ministry health * Why churches need leaders who model marriage investment 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Your spouse should never be sacrificed for your calling * Ministry success does not excuse marriage neglect * Pastors must learn to say no for the sake of their families * A healthy marriage gives credibility to spiritual leadership * The church should encourage leaders toward their spouse, not away from them * Working on your marriage is hard, but neglecting it is harder LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Why Every Church Needs Marriage Ministry

What happens when churches prioritize children and youth ministry, but neglect marriage? In this episode, Brad Rhoads sits down with Pastor Jamus Edwards of Pleasant Valley Community Church, the founding church of Grace Marriage, to discuss why marriage ministry is essential to healthy churches and thriving families. Jamus shares how poor ministry priorities damaged his own marriage early in pastoral ministry, how ongoing marriage coaching transformed his relationship with his wife Annie, and why discipling marriages strengthens every other area of church life. They discuss pastoral burnout, proactive marriage investment, gospel-centered marriage coaching, and why churches must stop treating marriage ministry like an afterthought. In This Episode: * Why many churches unintentionally neglect marriage ministry * How ministry can quietly damage a pastor’s marriage * The difference between crisis counseling and proactive marriage discipleship * How Grace Marriage groups work in a local church * Why healthy marriages strengthen children, youth, and the entire church * The role of grace, vulnerability, and gospel-centered coaching in marriage growth 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Healthy churches are built on healthy marriages * Marriage ministry should be a core part of family discipleship * Pastors must prioritize their own marriages before leading others well * Ongoing marriage investment prevents many future crises * Gospel-centered coaching creates safe spaces for honesty and growth * Intentional marriage rhythms leave lasting legacies for children LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage