Dating Allowed During Marriage Separation

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Whether Christian or not, some have asked us, “Is dating allowed during marriage separation?” Of course, I always tell them it’s none of my business. However, I also realize the issue of dating during a marriage separation is a hot button issue,  and so needs to be talked about in the church in an honest, biblical and open way. As both a family court mediator and minister, I’m just gonna shoot from the heart and let it fly.

What the Bible Says About Dating During a Marriage Separation

Nothing.  That’s right, the Bible has zilch to say about dating during separation. Of course, the Bible has absolutely nothing to say about dating at all because dating is really a 20th Century phenomenon.

The closest Scripture we can find that’s even remotely related to dating while separated occurs in 1 Corinthians 7:10-19: “A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.”

The above Scripture is pretty clear here that separation is allowed but not desired.  God also appears to teach by implication that if the person who leaves is to remain single, he or she  should not be in a romantic relationship (ie: dating) with any other person other than their spouse. And in the 21st Century, the purpose of Christian dating should expressly be to find a Christian wife or husband, right?

Let’s face it, separation is a sad but sometimes necessary action needed to protect the physical/emotional well being of the person who leaves and/or the children involved. For example, if a husband is physically violent against his wife or kids, the person in this abusive relationship should seek assistance and remove themselves from that dangerous situation.

Putting whatever the Scriptures have to say on the subject aside for a moment, in Family Court we teach there are many other practical reasons and pitfalls why “singles to be” should avoid dating  marital separation. Many of these are similar to those going through the process of dating after divorce, or being a single again person dating with kids.

So where do you stand on the issue? How would you answer the question of “Should dating be allowed during marriage separation?”

Christian Singles Home

Christian Singles Complaints

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I’ve been ministering to Christian singles for a number of years, and have heard quite a number of complaints from singles over, well, being single.

Top 5 Christian Singles Complaints

The following Christian Singles complaints
were compiled through a worldwide survey of 1000 singles conducted
by Christian Dating Service Plus:

1. Churches look down on singles, and cater mostly to married people.
2. Difficulty finding  Christian singles who are normal and available in the local area.
3. Nagging relatives who badger, especially at holiday gatherings, why we are still still single.
4. Loneliness gets to be difficult to handle as a single person.
5. Single Parenting is a difficult job.

Do any of the above Christian singles complaints resonate with you?

Christian Dating Home

Missionary Dating Singles

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Missionary dating is on the rise in evangelical churches. What is missionary dating you may ask? Missionary dating is basically the practice of dating a non Christian boyfriend or girlfriend in the hopes that he or she may become a Christian over time, and so become fairgame for a future marriage partner.
Missionary Dating Statistics

This weekend I was talking to a girl who practiced missionary dating with guy, and it worked out famously. The dude become a Christian and the two are now enjoying a blissful marriage, ministering together in a local church. Although I have no real scientific data on missionary dating, I would definitely say that for every missionary dating success story, I have probably heard of 9 others that have failed miserably.

I for one certainly understand and empathize with the reasons single Christians practice missionary dating. Most will say dating an unbeliever or thinking of “unequally yoked” dating because there are simply not enough decent Christian prospects out there, or they are afraid or tired of going through life single and alone. This case is most especially true for singe Christian women due to the dearth of men attending church nowadays.

So, where do we go from here? If missionary dating is not a viable or biblical option, what are the alternatives for finding a dating match in your local area? Our concern for singles dealing with this issue is actaully one of the main reasons we created Christian Dating Service PLUS.

Our advice for those tempted with missionary dating includes the following:

* Understand and redefine your role as you wait on God for a soul-mate
* Increase the pool of potential Christian single prospects by at least trying some of the premier and well known Christian dating site out there today. Here is a good start on understanding how to use christian dating sites.

Overall, missionary dating is a difficualt area, fraught with controversy. However, if you are a Christian, you have a Saviour who promises blessing and a future hope for you…including your dating life.

Want to add your thoughts about missionary dating?

Christian Dating Service Home

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