Why Your Marriage Needs Community with Jeff and Alyssa Bethke

Is your marriage missing the crucial element of community? In this heartfelt conversation, Gabe and I welcome Jeff and Alyssa Bethke to talk about how inviting others into your relationship can transform your marriage from isolated to thriving. The Bethkes, who recently moved from Hawaii to Franklin, Tennessee, share their journey of building community in each new season of life—and the vulnerability it takes to make those connections meaningful.

Jeff shares three research-backed elements that create strong relational bonds: proximity, unplanned interactions, and vulnerability. Throughout our conversation, we all share personal stories about how having trusted friends to process challenges with has been pivotal in our marriages. We talk about the courage it takes to initiate relationships, the healing that happens when others help you gain perspective on your conflicts, and practical ways to build community even when you feel isolated.

Whether you're in a thriving marriage looking to pour into others, feeling stuck in marital drift, or desperately needing support through a difficult season, this episode offers hope and practical guidance for fighting for your marriage by building relationships that can help carry you through the challenges all couples face.