MERCI

MERCI - Marriage Education Resource Center of Indiana is a Christian based marriage ministry founded in 2014 by Bob and Carol Esham. The first 15 years of their marriage were awful with numerous people telling them they should get divorced. Over time the Holy Spirit began to change their hearts towards one another. September 19, 1999 changed their marriage and lives forever when the boat they were on blew up (picture below). Needless to say, the Lord got their attention! From that point forward they began to draw closer to Jesus and intentionally invest in their marriage which eventually led to the creation of MERCI. MERCI was able to purchase and renovate a beautiful old barn (picture below) a few years ago. This is now the main location for all workshops, events, and mentoring. (To hear their story, watch their interview with 700 Club below)

MERCI’s mission is to offer encouragement, support, and mentoring to help couples discover and embrace God’s design for marriage through monthly workshops, 6-week bible study sessions, 6–8-week marital curriculum sessions, 6-8 week 1:1 mentoring, and fun date nights/fellowship opportunities.
Over the past 10 years…

• More than 150 couples have been mentored, most having gone through an intense 8-week mentoring program.
• Many of these couples chose to remain in and intentionally follow a God-honoring marriage, raising their children together.
• We estimate over 3300+ people have come through the MERCI Barn for our marriage-enrichment programs.

Strong, Christ-centered marriages ripple outward shaping children’s futures, strengthening communities, and blessing schools and society for generations. We’re humbled and overjoyed to see how God continues to use MERCI to nurture these marriages, and by His grace, this ministry has flourished.

Ryan and Brittany Naville are a little over a year into the role of Executive Directors. With fresh vision, technical expertise, a deep love for Jesus, and a passionate commitment to supporting God-honoring marriages, the Naville’s are leading MERCI into its next chapter. Their journey with MERCI began at our very first workshop in 2014. Since then, they’ve attended numerous events and began mentoring premarital couples in 2020. They’ve seen firsthand how MERCI strengthens marriages and creates lasting impact—one that echoes through families and generations.

As we grow, MERCI remains committed to removing financial barriers for couples seeking mentoring and support. Funds raised through this campaign will help with the partial salary of the Naville’s, support programming and facility costs, and contribute to the development of the dedicated mentoring and office space expansion.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who has partnered with us in this journey. Your prayers and support mean the world as we step forward in faith to bring MERCI to this generation and the generations to come!

MarriageAtMerci.org