a lifestyle course for those who want to lose a bit of weight and/or live a healthier lifestyle.

• How about a weekly session learning to cook healthy food? You could use something like Rosemary Conley’s Step By Step Low Fat Cookbook or check out more health and fitness ideas at www.rosemary-conley.co.uk.
• Walking is a great way to start exercising; it has many health benefits while allowing people to go at their own pace and is great for building relationships. If you’d like to start a weekend walking club visit www.whi.org.uk to find out about walks in your area plus lots of useful information including training for walk leaders.
• For youth groups, a sports initiative could be a great way to get active and to bring new people into the group. You could try Youth for Christ’s ‘Kick Academy’ courses; ten-week programmes teaching the gospel and life skills through football. For more information go to www.yfc.co.uk/kickacademy.
• Start a weight loss programme at your church such as WeightWatchers
• If you’re using the New Year as an opportunity to get sporty, you could benefit from the Christians in Sport resources. Find out more and check out the free study guides, talks and other resources.

a lifestyle course for those who want to do something about their work or the way they work.

• ‘The Heart of Success’ is a DVD and workbook by Rob Parsons which will enable individuals to explore the best way to find that illusive balance between life and work. Visit Care for the Family.
• Love Work Live Life – a book by David Oliver about how to discover your work and career as your God-given vocation. Available from Care For the Family, as above.

a lifestyle course for those who want to build better relationships with family and friends.

• ‘21st Century Marriage’ and ‘21st Century Parents’ DVDs. Popular speaker and author Rob Parsons explores the joys and challenges of family life in easy-to-view sections – designed to encourage thought and discussion through accompanying workbooks – from Care for the Family, details as before.
• Connect 2 – a six-part course for newly married couples that has been used across the UK and abroad, which helps those in the early years of marriage address issues of communication, conflict, expectations and intimacy. It also includes marriage preparation for those seeking to make this lifelong commitment – visit Care for the Family, details as before.
• Family Time is a ten-session course on parenting and family life for those with young children. The course covers areas like the impact of marriage on family life, communication, how to handle other things that influence children. All the material you need to run a course is available in the Family Time book and you can buy additional resources at www.new-wine.org, 020 8799 3778 or info@new-wine.org. New Wine also run regular training courses for those wishing to run the course. Five DVD set with leader’s guide is £75.
• Family Ministry Manual: A practical guide for every church seeking to address the needs of families in their surrounding communities. Written for church leaders by church leaders it addresses the common issues and challenges that leaders might experience as they seek to impact their communities from Care for the Family, details as before.
• Parentplay is a fun seven-week parenting course by Rachel Bright and Rachel Murrill which includes small group discussions, followed by a messy-play time with the children. It focuses on the needs of children and is committed to seeing family relationships develop. Its core value is that healthy relationships are key to children’s healthy growth and development. This parenting course both encourages and challenges parents and has a large emphasis on play, hence making it a lot of fun. It is accessible to the abilities and needs of all parents with children under five. Available as a book for £19.99 from Authentic Media.
• Parentalk Parenting Course is suitable for all ages including those who are expecting children. The course is split into eight sections of 20-minute videos which are flexible in terms of how much or little you choose to use. Suitable for expectant parents through to those with teenage children, the videos feature Rob Parsons, Steve Chalke and Dr Caroline Dickinson. Available with a video, leader’s guide, activity sheet and magazines to aid completion of the course for £49.95 (plus £2.50 p&p) from www.parentalk.org.uk.
• Romance Academy is a sex and relationship education programme (as seen on BBC 2) run specifically for teens that has an excellent format and content that could be ideal for your youth group and their friends. See www.romanceacademy.org for more details.
• The Marriage Preparation Course (for engaged couples) and The Marriage Course (for couples who have been married for any length of time) by Holy Trinity Brompton are for any couple that wants to develop or build strong foundations for a healthy marriage that will last a lifetime. Full information and resources for running a course are available from http://themarriagecourse.org and http://themarriagecourse.org/preparation.
• ‘The Sixty Minute Marriage’ and ‘The Sixty Minute Parent’ are available as DVDs and videos with accompanying workbook and books addressing the big questions in marriage and parenthood – from Care for the Family, details as before.
• Marriage God’s Way is a course that can be used by individuals, groups and couples interested in exploring the biblical view of marriage and addressing the biggest challenges relationships face. The pack features two DVDs, audiocassette and one workbook from Selwyn Hughes. £39.95 from www.cwrstore.org.uk. Further reading:
  - The Highway Code for Marriage, Michael and Hilary Perrott. This best-selling book is for anyone who is about to get married, thinking of giving up on their marriage or wanting to make their marriage even better. £6.99 from www.cwrstore.org.uk.
  - The Highway Code for Parenting, Michael and Hilary Perrott. This guide for parents deals with the big picture: love and self-esteem, discipline, character development and equipping children for life. It’s suitable for Christian and non-Christian alike, and will be welcomed by anyone about to become a parent, feeling overwhelmed, or wanting to enjoy family life more. £6.99 from www.cwrstore.org.uk.
  - Look before you leap and Till death us do part both by J John are two key books about making marriage work. £6.99 each or £9.98 for both. www.philotrust.com
  - Marriage as God Intended, Selwyn Hughes. Drawing on his many years of experience as a counsellor and husband, Selwyn blends biblical principles with practical suggestions on how to let God keep your marriage at its best. £6.99 from www.cwrstore.org.uk.

a lifestyle course for those who would like financial freedom from shopping, debt and the desire for more.

• The Money Secret Adult Education Course – designed to provide realistic and grounded advice about finance and debt which will not only improve the lives of many families, but will also proactively reduce relationship, marriage and family break-ups. Available as a book, CD and a workbook from www.careforthefamily.org.uk/hope.
• Useful reading: Your Money and Your Life, Keith Tondeur. Published by Triangle.
  An in-depth look at all biblical teaching on money issues and their practical outworking. This is also available as a course looking at money and possessions, budgeting, giving, saving, debt, work and family and ethical considerations.
• Credit Action – has self-help guides, money saving tips and information sheets. Money Basics is also a useful website produced in partnership with Credit Action, Consumer Credit Counselling Service and GE Money which contains useful information on handling money and dealing with debt.

a lifestyle course for those with a habit that they want to get rid of, perhaps smoking, gossiping, being negative or placing too much emphasis on material goods.

• Local secular organisations may be able to help you find good ways of supporting people in kicking these habits; for example try your Primary Care Trust (or Local Health board in Wales) for information about giving up smoking.

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