Gary Chapman (author)

Gary Chapman is a minister, relationship counselor, and author of the "Five Love Languages" series. He is the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. He also has a radio program on marriage that airs on over 100 stations.

He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Wheaton College and Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in anthropology from Wake Forest University. He also received Master of Religious Education (M.R.E.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. [http://www.garychapman.org/bio.htm Gary Chapman biographical information] ]

Chapman is also the senior associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He joined the staff in 1971 and shares the responsibilities of teaching and family care. Dr. Chapman regularly speaks during the Sunday morning worship services. He is an intellectual Bible teacher who uses a singular wit and dry humor in his teaching style.

He is perhaps best known for his concept of "love languages," which posits that every person feels most loved when love is expressed through one of five modes: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. Chapman argues that while each of these modes is enjoyed to some degree by all people, a person will usually prioritize one mode (sometimes two) over the others and will not feel as loved if the loving they receive is not expressed in that specific "language." For example, a woman who strongly prefers Quality Time should feel more loved by spending time with her husband at a dinner out than she will by the ruby pendant he gives her while there.

The first of many books promoting the above concept was "The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate", first published in 1992. The book has sold over 4.2 million copies in English — having been translated into 35 other languages [http://www.garychapman.org/bio.htm Gary Chapman biography] ] — and the 1996 edition consistently ranks in the top 100 sellers on Amazon.com, ranking in the top 50 as of February, 2007. The "Men's Edition" came out in 2004.

Since then, Chapman has gone on to apply the concept in additional books focusing on children, singles, men, and teenagers, and the topics of God and apology.

Chapman also contends that God created sex, and that, therefore, "his guidelines are best" (see "Now You're Speaking My Language", Introduction).

elected bibliography

*cite book|author=Gary Chapman|title=The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate (new edition)|publisher=Northfield Press|year=2004|id=ISBN 1-881273-10-5
*cite book|author=Gary Chapman, Ross Campbell, M.D.|title=The Five Love Languages of Children|publisher=Moody|year=1997|id=ISBN 1-881273-65-2
*Gary Chapman, Jennifer Thomas (2006). "The Five Languages of Apology". Moody. ISBN 1881273571

Notes

Gary Chapman, Jennifer Thomas (2006). The Five Languages of Apology. Moody. ISBN-10: 1881273571Gary Chapman (2007). Now You're Speaking My Language. B&H. ISBN-978-0-8054-4460-5

External links

* [http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/ Five Love Languages official site]
* [http://www.lifeway.com/tagm/ Toward A Growing Marriage conference website]
* [http://www.marriagevine.com/Resource_Pages/Gary_Chapman.php resource website]