Pastor Matters Cultivating a Healthy Marriage with Tate and Wendy Cockrell - EP226
Feb 2, 2026
Wendy Cockrell, marriage conference speaker who shares vulnerable, practical counsel. Tate Cockrell, counseling professor and director who teaches scripture-centered marriage help. They tell their early marriage story and recovery, discuss ministry pressures, the danger of prioritizing work over marriage, daily 20-minute check-ins, and a structured weekly talk to strengthen communication and intimacy.
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A Wedding Week That Broke Them Open
- Tate traveled 11 weekends in a row leading up to their daughter's wedding and they had their biggest fight the Monday after.
- That blowup led them to six months of counseling and ultimately renewed clarity and a joint conference ministry.
Ministry Can't Replace Marriage Priority
- Prioritizing ministry or kids over your spouse often creates resentment and erodes marital credibility.
- Sacrificing family for ministry can be mistaken for devotion but is a disqualifier for godly leadership if family is neglected.
Daily Check-In And Weekly Talk Time
- Do a 20-minute daily check-in asking, "Tell me about your day," to force listening and reconnection.
- Do a scheduled weekly hour 'talk time' covering five things to prevent unresolved conflict from piling up.
