Our Mission

To demonstrate the love of Christ by encouraging, teaching, and equipping marriages to not merely survive, but thrive.

Doctrinal Statement & Guiding Principles

A) We believe the term "marriage" has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:21-24)

B) We believe God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (Mark 10:6-9)

C) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. (1 Corinthians 6: 12-20)

D) We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one's sex, or disagreement with one's biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. (Genesis 1:27, Eph 5:3a, Col 3:5)

E) We believe that to preserve the function and integrity of Designed to Thrive as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to volunteers and the community, it is imperative that all persons serving as board members, or who serve as volunteers in any capacity, should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.

F) We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, Eph 1:7, John 1:8-9)

G) We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. (Romans 12:10-18, 1 Peter 3:8-9)

H) Life is a gift of God and therefore precious. (Det 30:19, Psalm 127:3)

I) We are commissioned to share Christ with others. (Matt 28:19, 1 Tim 2:4)

J) God wants to bless us. (Jeremiah 29:11, Phil 4:19)

K) God calls us to love others. (1 Tim 1:5, Romans 12:9-13)

Volunteers will be prayerfully considered and based on the individual’s:

o Demonstrated faith in Christ and integrity in personal life

o Commitment to biblical marriage and family principles

o Alignment with the mission and values of Designed 2 Thrive

o Willingness to actively participate in all D2T work

Venue Beliefs & Ministry Disclaimer

Designed 2 Thrive is a Christ-centered marriage ministry committed to encouraging, teaching, and equipping marriages to not merely survive but thrive through the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. To fulfill this mission, we schedule retreats at a variety of beautiful venues throughout Michigan.

While every Designed 2 Thrive retreat is led according to our core doctrinal convictions, including the biblical understanding of marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman and the call for sexual purity and Christ-like conduct, the venues where we host our retreats are independent entities and may have their own beliefs, values, or traditions that differ from or are broader than those of Designed 2 Thrive.

Attendance at a retreat or event does not signal endorsement by Designed2Thrive of any particular venue’s religious views, practices, or affiliations. Similarly, the presence or participation of venue staff or volunteers who are not part of Designed2Thrive’s ministry team should not be interpreted as agreement with or representation of our doctrinal positions.

Our focus remains on providing a welcoming, respectful, and spiritually enriching environment where all couples, regardless of their personal background or level of spiritual maturity, can experience encouragement, biblical teaching, and tools to strengthen their marriage in alignment with the teachings of Scripture.

If you have questions about a specific retreat location or how it relates to Designed 2 Thrive’s ministry values, please contact us directly.