OWENSBORO, Ky. — Grace Marriage founders Brad and Marilyn Rhoads, along with the organization’s chief content officer, Brittany Cragg, recently received an award for their book titled “The Grace Marriage: How the Gospel and Intentionality Transform Your Relationship.”
The evangelical Christian media magazine Christianity Today (CT) awarded the trio the 2024 Book of the Year Award. Billy Graham founded the magazine in 1956 and it is considered a flagship magazine by many in the industry.
“A lot of people get married, but then they’re disappointed in the marriage, and we attribute that to not having the tools they need. That’s what inspired the book,” said Brad Rhoads, lay pastor at Pleasant Valley Community Church in Owensboro. “This award is a true honor. Christianity Today is a highly respected organization and several books have been honored.
Rhoads said their ultimate goal is to teach couples how to thrive in marriage and have it be a source of joy rather than disappointment. He added that a successful marriage requires strategy, but if left on autopilot, it can drift, often leading to losses.
“We want to exalt the name of Jesus and help people marry better,” he said. “This book has helped us reach more people, hopefully catapulting them onto a path of intentional marriage. Simply reading a book will rarely transform your life. Our goal is for this book to transform the way you live your life, so over time it is transformative.
The Rhoads formed Grace Marriage in 2012 to equip churches with an ongoing strategy for marriage ministry and to help couples build marriages that showcase God’s grace. Rhoads said adding Cragg to the team helped them expand their mission.
“It was a real joy to collaborate with Brittany on this book,” he said. “His combination of theologically sound genius and writing skills is incredible. We are grateful that the Lord brought us together on this project.
Cragg said she has always respected CT for the way she remains a faithful and thoughtful Christian voice, engaging the culture with wisdom and seduction in an age of radical politics and knee-jerk outrage.
“Winning this award is very meaningful to me. It’s a great compliment from a great organization,” Cragg said. “I am truly humbled that the book won this award and am so grateful to Brad, Marilyn and the rest of the Grace Marriage team who helped make this book come to fruition.”
This award comes full circle for Cragg, whose first job out of college was as an editor in CT’s Preaching Resources department nearly two decades ago.
Grace Marriage advocates grace in a marriage that thrives in connection, intimacy and pleasure.
“When a couple understands and receives God’s grace toward them, and then extends that grace to one another, that’s when they are free to enjoy and be enjoyed,” Cragg said. “My prayer is that this book will help couples do just that in all areas of their relationship.”
Beyond all that, Cragg said her favorite thing about the book was its practicality.
“I think readers will be encouraged to love their spouse in a way that pleases God, but it is much more than a theoretical or theological exploration of the impact of grace on a marriage,” he said. she declared. “Each chapter provides several ideas for how the application of grace might actually play out in the real world, whether in times of crisis, conflict, finances, or any other given topic. I really love how encouraging and helpful the content of the whole book is.
To order the book or to learn more about Grace Marriage, click here.
