Gary Chapman (author)
Encyclopedia
Gary Demonte Chapman is a relationship counselor
and author of the The 5 Love Languages series. He is the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. He also has a radio
program on marriage and relationships that airs on over 100 stations and can be heard via the internet
.
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
.
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. He is recognized nationally and internationally as a trusted intellectual Biblical teacher and relationship expert.
He is perhaps best known for his concept of "Five Love Languages," helping people speak and understand emotional love when it is expressed through one of five languages: words of affirmation
, quality time
, receiving gifts
, acts of service
, or physical touch
. Chapman argues that while each of these languages is enjoyed to some degree by all people, a person will usually speak one primary language, but all are important and can be ranked after taking the love language profile that is included in the book for both husbands and wives. He has also authored the Five Love Language concept for parents of children and teenagers, single adults, and a special version for men. He has co-authored The Five Languages of Apology with Dr. Jennifer Thomas, that helps people understand how to give and receive an apology. Additionally, the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, co-authored with Dr. Paul white, applies the concepts to work-based relationships.
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 6 million copies in English; having been translated into 38 other languages — and the 1996 edition consistently ranks in the top 100 sellers on Amazon.com
, ranking in the top 50 as of February, 2007. It also consistently ranks in the top 5 books on the New York Times Bestsellers List, claiming the #1 spot at times.
He is married to Karolyn J. Chapman (born 1939). They have two adult children, Shelley and Derek.
Relationship counseling
Relationship counseling is the process of counseling the parties of a relationship in an effort to recognize and to better manage or reconcile troublesome differences and repeating patterns of distress...
and author of the The 5 Love Languages series. He is the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. He also has a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
program on marriage and relationships that airs on over 100 stations and can be heard via the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute
Moody Bible Institute
Moody Bible Institute is a Christian institution of higher education and related ministries that was founded by evangelist and businessman Dwight Lyman Moody in 1886. Since its founding, MBI's main campus has been located in the Near North Side of Chicago. MBI's primary ministries are education,...
and holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) degree from Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(M.A.) degree in anthropology from Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
. He also received Master of Religious Education
Master of Religious Education
The Master of Religious Education is a terminal academic degree in preparation for professional teaching ministry, usually offered by Christian institutions. The curriculum includes two years of theological study and sometimes a thesis....
(M.R.E.) and Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(Ph.D.) degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
.
Chapman is also the senior associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. He joined the staff in 1971 and shares the responsibilities of teaching and family care. He is recognized nationally and internationally as a trusted intellectual Biblical teacher and relationship expert.
He is perhaps best known for his concept of "Five Love Languages," helping people speak and understand emotional love when it is expressed through one of five languages: words of affirmation
Praise
Praise is the act of making positive statements about a person, object or idea, either in public or privately. Praise is typically, but not exclusively, earned relative to achievement and accomplishment...
, quality time
Quality time
Quality time is an informal reference to time spent with loved ones which is in some way important, special, productive or profitable. It is time that is set aside for paying full and undivided attention to the person or matter at hand...
, receiving gifts
Gift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
, acts of service
Selfless Service
Selfless service is a commonly used term to denote a service which is performed without any expectation of result or award for the person performing it.-Religious significance:...
, or physical touch
Haptic communication
Haptic communication is the means by which people and other animals communicate via touching. Touch, or the haptic sense, is extremely important for humans; as well as providing information about surfaces and textures it is a component of nonverbal communication in interpersonal relationships, and...
. Chapman argues that while each of these languages is enjoyed to some degree by all people, a person will usually speak one primary language, but all are important and can be ranked after taking the love language profile that is included in the book for both husbands and wives. He has also authored the Five Love Language concept for parents of children and teenagers, single adults, and a special version for men. He has co-authored The Five Languages of Apology with Dr. Jennifer Thomas, that helps people understand how to give and receive an apology. Additionally, the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, co-authored with Dr. Paul white, applies the concepts to work-based relationships.
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 6 million copies in English; having been translated into 38 other languages — and the 1996 edition consistently ranks in the top 100 sellers on Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, ranking in the top 50 as of February, 2007. It also consistently ranks in the top 5 books on the New York Times Bestsellers List, claiming the #1 spot at times.
He is married to Karolyn J. Chapman (born 1939). They have two adult children, Shelley and Derek.
Selected bibliography
- Gary Chapman, Jennifer Thomas (2006). The Five Languages of Apology. Moody. ISBN 1881273571
- Gary Chapman, Paul White (2011). The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. Northfield Press. ISBN 0802461980