Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams and fiance Pastor Chad Johnson say key to marriage is: 'pray before you speak'

Michelle Williams, of Destiny's Child, with her fiance Pastor Chad Johnson on Fox 5 Atlanta(Photo: Fox5Atlanta)

Michelle Williams, one third of Destiny's Child, has just debuted her new reality show with fiance Pastor Chad Johnson on Oprah Winfrey's OWN network.

'Chad Loves Michelle' spans eight episodes, with each one covering a different pre-marriage counselling session taken by the couple before they tie the knot.

In an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta, they said they wanted to do the show as a different kind of ministry because they were surprised by how many people do not go to counselling prior to getting married.

'We even went to pre-engagement counselling,' Williams said.

They are hoping that viewers of the show will pick up some advice that can benefit their own relationships and get people talking more about the issues that arise in marriage.

'Hey, why don't you talk about these things before marriage and prayerfully. There'd be better success rates in marriage,' Williams said.

She said one of the ways she had benefited from pre-marriage counselling was being able to improve her communication in order to deal with feelings of being misunderstood.

'He is such a great communicator,' she said of her fiance. 'I admit I am not the best communicator in intimate relationships. I shut down or I lash out.'

She said she had also learned the importance of apologising quickly.

'Think before you speak, don't assume, maybe pray before you speak, before you say something that might be forgiven but not forgotten,' she said.

As an interrace couple, Pastor Johnson said he hoped their union would play a part in healing racial divisions in America.

'Hopefully our demonstration of coming together, our families embracing one another, is a little bit of medicine and healing for the soul of America right now,' he said.

Johnson was quick to add 'obviously I'm not perfect' but he joked that he had figured out the two magic words every husband should say to their wife - 'Yes, dear.'