In 1991, Rick Porter-field and his wife, Rebekah, were on the verge of divorce. They were living in Mississippi and searched out the best marriage counselor they could find.

"She said in her 14 years she had never told anyone to get a divorce; she told us to," said Mrs. Porterfield, who, with her husband, wrote Marriage by the Book.

They will have a book-signing from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Borders Books Music & Cafe in Augusta.

The couple, who are pastors of Faith Family Church in North Augusta, decided to find a way to solve their problems, and so they worked in marriage ministry for more than a decade before launching the church during the summer.

"Our first year or two (of marriage), I was an atheist and an alcoholic," he said. "The book contains the things God taught us."

Chapters focus on issues such as forgiveness, sex and intimacy, and marriage roles. The final chapter contains the Porterfields' personal experiences.

Mrs. Porterfield said she and her husband were surprised when God called them into marriage ministry in the mid-1990s.

They thought that if the principles they applied to their marriage worked for them, however, they would work for anyone.

About a year ago, the couple felt that God was calling them to lead a church.

The Porterfields started the church in their Johnston, S.C., home. They moved into a building on Old Edgefield Road about three weeks ago.

"It was a poker house," Mrs. Porterfield said.

The space has undergone extensive renovations to transform it from an open space with only a couple of interior walls to a meeting place with nursery and children's church area in addition to a sanctuary.

Faith Family Church is at 1224 Edgefield Road and has services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Wednesday.

For more information, visit www.yourfaithfamily.com or call (803) 334-8611.