Episode 180- Should We Cut Them Off? A Biblical Look at the "No Contact" Trend

Going no contact with family is trending — but is it biblical? In this episode the MTR team walk through the counsel of Scripture — from leaving and cleaving to the ministry of reconciliation — to help couples navigate in-law conflict with honesty, boundaries, and biblical wisdom. They dig into what Scripture actually says about honoring parents, setting boundaries, and pursuing reconciliation even when it's hard.

Discussion Questions

- Have there been moments in our marriage where you felt we weren't on the same team when navigating conflict with family or in-laws? What did that feel like, and how can we get more aligned?

- Is there any relationship in our family system — parents, siblings, in-laws — where we've been avoiding a hard conversation? What has kept us from having it?

- Where do we land on the spectrum between full contact and no contact in difficult relationships? Are we erring too far in either direction?

- John mentioned keeping a shared note about how he and Laura want to be grandparents and in-laws one day. What values do we want to write down about how we hope to show up for our kids when they're married?

- Romans 12:18 says, "As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." What is one practical thing that depends on you right now in a strained relationship that you could own?

Resources

Holidays and In Laws

Challenging Relationships with In Laws