Welcome to the CMBA Newsletter!
In this issue of our monthly newsletter, we would like to share our plans for the future of CMBA. We hope you are excited about the ways we hope to grow.
Growing Forward
When the CMBA Core Team met in May for a planning retreat, we all brought ideas to the table—and God showed us how we could connect these ideas and build something amazing.
Although we are still in the process of laying groundwork and many of our plans will take quite a while to build, we want to give you a glimpse into what is coming.
CMBA began as a way to connect, equip, and advocate for Christian marriage bloggers. As new avenues for marriage ministry continue to emerge, we want to be able to come alongside those who travel these new pathways, just as we’ve come alongside bloggers.
Our growth will include doing more of what we’ve been doing as well as expanding our reach into new areas.
You can expect to see several things:
- Our expanded mission will include three major areas: 1) nurturing and supporting those who do online marriage ministry (the heart of what CMBA has already been doing), 2) providing online marriage coaching directly to couples, and 3) serving as a resource for those who do in-person marriage ministry.
- We will change our name to better reflect our expanded mission.
- Because some of our new direction will involve finances, our plan is to form a corporation (eventually non-profit).
- Most of what you’ve gotten used to as CMBA members will continue at no charge: our private Facebook community, the newsletter, resources on our website, and a listing on the member directory on our website. We also will explore other opportunities to connect and support our members. It is important to us that those answering God’s call to support marriage not have to pay for community and support.
- We will add a paid premium membership that allows access to social media promotion (including the Twitter feed!), an enhanced directory listing, and more.
- All members will have access to online writing coaching and workshops specifically for those doing marriage ministry online. These things will be more extensive and interactive than the resources available on our website and will involve a fee.
- Marriage coaching will be carefully and prayerfully developed in consultation with marriage counselors and pastors. We want to be thoughtful about ethics, standards, security, and procedures in order to provide confidential support for couples who are unable to access support in their own churches.
- We will develop a resource repository for those who do provide face-to-face marriage ministry. This will be a carefully curated list of articles, books, and videos that earn a stamp of approval.
The first changes you are likely to see are a new name and changes in our membership structure, maybe as early as this fall.
We will provide more information about these areas as we move forward. Meanwhile, if you have questions or would like to discuss some of these changes, we can chat in our Facebook group. Feel free to contact individual Core Team members as well. You can find links to contact members on this page.
Core Team Members
- Brad and Kate Aldrich, One Flesh Marriage
- Paul and Lori Byerly, The Generous Husband, The Generous Wife, The Marriage Bed, and The XY Code
- Scott Means, Heaven Made Marriage
- Julie Sibert, Intimacy in Marriage
- Chris Taylor, The Forgiven Wife
- Tom and Debi Walter, The Romantic Vineyard
New Members
The following blogs have joined CMBA since our last issue. Do visit their sites and share an encouraging word.
Alex, Grace Upon Grace Today
Daren T. Dilts, Active Manhood
David Hutchens, True Marriage Law
E, My Beloved
Jeff Murphy and Bruce McCracken,
Katherine Shorter, Yoked
Ken & Cheryl Reynolds, Families of Influence
Oliver & Denise Marcelle, Marriage Is Our Ministry
Please check your listing on the member’s page to make sure that it is accurate and up to date. If it needs to be changed, send an email to Chris at chris@forgivenwife.com.
How Do I . . . ?
Make Pinterest Work for You
Confused by Pinterest? You’re not alone. Several CMBA bloggers have figured out how to use Pinterest in powerful ways. One of them is Gaye Christmus, of Calm.Healthy.Sexy. Gaye has written a really helpful article on her own blog, 7 Basic Pinterest Tips for Bloggers and Small Business Owners.
Here are her seven tips:
- Understand what Pinterest is and how it works.
- Create vertical pins.
- Use a photo with a text overlay.
- Use keywords in your pin description.
- Write a conversational pin description that offers a solution to a problem.
- Pin to your own boards and group boards.
- Pin regularly and consistently.
To find out more, visit her blog to read the whole post.
Social Media
Are you on social media? Follow CMBA!
- Pinterest (If you would like to be added to CMBA’s collaborative Christian Marriage and Sex board, email Bonny at pearlmail3@gmail.com.)
I am so grateful for the wisdom and dedication of our core team. I look forward to CMBA (or whatever it will be called) growing and helping to support marriages and marriage ministries for years to come. Thanks for all y’all do!
J. Parker recently posted…How God Answers My Prayers