Making Love Last a Lifetime: Biblical Perspectives on Love, Marriage and Sex

by Adam Hamilton

This small-group study is more than a small-group study. It provides the components to create a powerful small-group experience, including video presentations, a leader's guide with activities for class sessions and home use, and a thoughtful, inspiring participant's book written by Adam Hamilton, the dynamic young pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. But it is more than that. A Pastor's Guide with CD-ROM provides the information and tools needed to create a congregation-wide event that will reach beyond the classroom, beyond the sanctuary, and into the community, bringing young people and families into the church who ordinarily might only stop by on Christmas or Easter. "Making Love Last a Lifetime is a comprehensive program for reaching new people, creating excitement, launching new small groups, and strengthening existing classes. It includes sermon starters and illustrations, marketing materials, and outreach tools built around an eight-week study on a topic that holds great interest for singles and married persons, both inside and outside the church. Designed for use in 60-90-minute sessions. For group or individual study, the book can be used by class participants during the study group meeting or at home for additional reflection. Includes detailed content for the eight session topics.

For more information about Adam Hamilton's studies, go to www.adamhamilton.cokesbury.com.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Theology, Relationships, Marriage

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Rev. Adam Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. He grew up in the Kansas City area. He earned a B.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has grown from four people in 1990 to more than 16,000 adult members with an average weekly worship attendance of more than 8,600 in 2011. The church was listed as the most influential mainline church in America in a 2005 survey of American pastors.

Adam has been married 30 years to LaVon. They have two grown daughters.

Reviews

[Trenton Arnone · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK. Would not read again. 5 love languages is much better and hits on many of the same points.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some value to it. It said a lot of obvious things (that, growing up in church, I'd heard plenty of) that would be good to hear, if you'd not already heard it. It does have some drawbacks in that it relies, occasionally, on some stereotypical views of men and women and in that it relies heavily on self-selected surveys drawn from the author's congregation. Those surveys offer, to say the least, a limited perspective. That said, I was pleased with Hamilton's view of Ephesians 4 and of the simple common sense often present in the book.

[Rick Matson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hamilton weaves good advice into a harmonized book there are few surprises: faith, integrity, selfless love, Loyalty, and good boundaries win out. I like his concept that marriage is a calling that needs to be answered daily. A great book for those who take their faith and marriage seriously. I might recommend that if you want good information as well as being entertained, go online and watch Andy Stanley's sermon series "The new rules for love, sex, and dating. " Good stuff.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much of what Hamilton writes is fairly obvious relationship advice, but I did like how he handled the "wives shall submit to their husbands" passage from the Bible. Rather than directing women to be submissive and obedient, Hamilton urges women to honor their husbands as the church honors Christ. Alternatively, husbands should honor their wives as Christ honored others.

[Little Ghost · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like this book too heavily relied on stereotypes for it to be useful in most aspects.

However, there are a few bits that would be helpful for someone to keep stored in the back of their mind. Nothing that common sense would not provide, but sometimes seeing it in writing is better.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great points to ponder and take in to explore your marriage. If not married, what to look for in a mate.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing new, same old advice I've heard everywhere else, though with less Gospel than usual.