How did Couples for Christ begin? Couples for Christ (CFC) began in 1981 when a Christian Community tried a new approach in evangelizing married couples. The method used consisted of bringing together a small group of prospective couples in a private home. There they were brought to a living relationship with Jesus Christ and to a renewal of the power of the Holy Spirit through a series of weekly informal discussions of the gospel in a social setting. Soon, CFC became a Christian family life renewal program made available to parishes and groups of married couples who wished to live out their Christian life in an active and a supportive relationship with one another. Through the succeeding years, CFC has blossomed into a worldwide ministry, becoming a major force for the renewal of Christian family life and also of the Church.   Why is such a ministry necessary? It is God's plan that the family be the basic unit of society, such that the condition of families determines the condition of society. However, there are many forces in the world today that would, wittingly or unwittingly, destroy the very foundation of the family. CFC wants to rise in defense of the family, which is God's work. CFC wants to bring God's strength and God's light to those who are struggling to be truly Christian families in the modern world. How does Couples for Christ intend to work for Catholic Christian family renewal? Couples for Christ intends to carry out its work and its mission by focusing on three specific objectives: A. Individual renewal. Before one can even consider the whole family, the husband and wife first need to renew their commitment to God. CFC takes the basic message of Christianity and proclaims it anew so that those who hear it can make a renewed commitment to God in a way which will allow them to receive a fuller experience of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. B. Family renewal. As couples renew their commitment to God, they also renew their commitment to one another and to their Christian family life. Gradually, the new life that  they find in the Lord filters down to all their family relationships. C. Church renewal. As individual families are renewed, they form a network of equally committed Christian families who not only support one another but also strengthen the Church of which they are members. Who can become members of Couples for Christ? Any validly married Christian couple can become members of Couples for Christ. CFC is mainly a Catholic organization, but is open for membership to all Christians of other denominations. The couple participants need not have any specific religious and/or spiritual background to become members. Couples for Christ draws its membership from all sectors of society - - young and old, rich and poor, etc. CFC transcends all cultural, economic, educational, social and other distinctions. CFC is equally adaptable to all local or foreign settings. How does a couple become members of Couples for Christ ? Those who want to become members of Couples for Christ go through a seminar which is called a Christian Life Program (CLP). The CLP commences with an Orientation session, then goes through 12 talks. The talks are usually held in the afternoons or evenings and usually last about 2 1/2 hours per session. What is the nature of the Christian Life Program ? The CLP is an integrated course leading into a renewed understanding of God's call to Christian couples. It is divided into 3 modules of 4 talks each. Most sessions consist of a talk, a group discussion, and some time for fellowship. The different topics discussed in the talks are as follows:  1. God's Love  2. Who is Jesus Christ?  3. What it means to be a Christian  4. Repentance and Faith  5. The Christian Ideal: Loving God  6. Loving your Neighbor  7. The Christian Family  8. Life in the Holy Spirit  9. Receiving the Power of the Holy Spirit  10. Growing in the Spirit  11. The Life & Mission of the Couples for Christ  12. Transformation in Christ (and dedication) The first module (first 4 talks) presents the absolute basics of the Christian life, with emphasis or accent on our hearing it with an adult perspective. The second module (next 4 talks) presents the kind of life that God calls us to. It spells out the personal response involved in receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour and helps the couple make a reorientation of their lives around Jesus Christ. The third module (last 4 talks) helps the couple commit their lives in a serious way to Jesus. It helps them appropriate for their lives the power of the Holy Spirit. It provides the basis for continuing spiritual growth. Is there any cost involved ? There are no fees or monetary expenses required of participants to attend. The only investment required from them is their time and their openness.	What happens after the Christian Life Program ? After the CLP, those who finish are invited to join Couples for Christ. When they do, they are then made part of a small cell group called a Household. The household is composed of about 4 up to 6 couples who meet weekly for encouragement and mutual support in the Christian life, under the direction of a household leader. What is the nature of this household ? The purpose of the household group is to build an environment for the support of the Christian life of couples and to provide a means of encouraging and hastening spiritual growth. It promotes brotherhood and friendship. It helps people overcome obstacles to growth and maturity in their Christian life. The household meeting is held at the homes of the group members on a rotation basis. A typical meeting would involve some time for prayer, a time for sharing or discussion and finally some time for fellowship. It would normally last about 2 1/2 hours per meeting. How about Christian formation ? Finishing the CLP is just the beginning of a long process of growth and transformation in Christ. As such, Couples for Christ provides a continuing program of formation which includes Catholic Christian teachings, recollections, and retreats. How is Couples for Christ different from other movements and organizations ? CFC differs in a number of ways but the most significant are the following : 1. It fosters deep spiritual renewal which involves personal conversion, developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit. 2. It focuses on the couple, with emphasis on husband and wife growing together in their Christian life and the strengthening and developing of the Domestic Church, which is the family. 3. It provides continuing formation and support, recognizing that programs can only plant seeds and then a process begins for growth. 4. It concentrates on evangelization, reaching out to more couples, in response to the Church's call for lay people to participate actively in the building of God's kingdom on earth. Where did Couples for Christ Start ? CFC started in the Philippines, in June 1981. Today, CFC is present and operates in parishes and dioceses throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and the West Indies. Is Couples for Christ recognized by the Catholic Church ? Yes. CFC is a servant and lay arm of the Roman Catholic Church in the work of family renewal & evangelization and has a number of bishops as its Spiritual Directors. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has granted Couples for Christ recognition as a PRIVATE ASSOCIATION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL in accordance with Canons 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law. Furthermore, CFC operates under the auspices of the Family Life and/or Evangelization Offices of parishes and dioceses throughout the world. What benefits can a parish derive in having Couples for Christ ? There are a number of benefits : 1. Couples are renewed and strengthened in their Christian lives. Strong Couples make for strong families, which make for strong parishes. 2. A basic CFC objective is to be relevant to the life of the Church, specifically in the parish. CFC members are expected to support their parish priest and be available for parish service. 3. CFC can be effectively used in the strategic evangelization of parishioners who are potentially strong servants and workers for the parish. 4. CFC has proven to be an effective tool for fostering unity among the other parish groups and organizations by redirecting leaders to focus on the Lord rather than on their service. 5. One of CFC's major services in the parish is Pre-marriage Counselling for people about to get married. CFC employs a personalized couple-to-couple method. 6. CFC has renewal programs that reach out to different members of the family :  CFC Kids for Christ. for children of CFC members ages 4 - 11.  CFC Youth for Christ. for children of CFC and non-CFC members ages 12-21.  CFC Singles for Christ. for single men and women ages 22 - 40.  CFC Handmaids of the Lord. for widows, mature single women, divorced women and single mothers.  CFC Servants of the Lord. for widowers, mature single men, divorced men and single fathers. 7. CFC is a working model for the development of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) and can hasten the formation of a strong and vibrant parish community.