Today at any one time, more than 100,000 take one of the Ezzos' courses, which are now offered as multi-week sessions on videotape, according to Florida GFI regional director David Goode of Sarasota, Florida.

Classes meet in local churches and home groups and participants use a three-ring bound text to study and answer questions, while the Ezzos explain on the videotape.

Students pay about $15 to 25 to cover the cost of the book, while facilitators pay $149 for the entire tape series. The most popular course is by far "Growing Kids God's Way" which is designed to train children ages 15 months to preteens, Goode said.

"The reason it's so popular is because it works" Goode said. "I was sold when I saw a family with six kids ... I saw beautiful and sensitive kids ... kids that have submissiveness, but they have that spark of joy."

The course nurtures the husband-wife relationship by putting it first and provides stability to the home, proponents say.

Goode said the course is not designed to be the only way to parent.