I'm a 27-year-old single female who has never been married; however, a Christ-centered marriage is most definitely something I desire.I've had a couple of serious dating relationships in the past but have never been one to casually date (e.g., a date with one guy on Friday, another guy on Saturday and so on).I have a feeling they would never feel comfortable taking on a bigger role in that respect.
We've come together on this piece to hopefully bless, edify and implore other believers to assess their current courtships, implement principles prior to entering into one, and lastly, to move from desiring to fit into the ideals of men and look to what is taught in the Word of God.
Roxanne: What is your definition of biblical courtship?
I don't necessarily regret dating these men; however, I definitely made mistakes in both relationships and feel convicted about not making those same mistakes again.
I recently finished Candice Watters' book , which was a definite eye opener and showed me some areas in my life in which I want to prayerfully improve and grow.
However, among Christians, you still hear “courtship” and “dating” used interchangeably; indicating that many single people find the terms to mean the same thing.
Why would anyone use the term “courtship” when they are simply “dating”? Some Christians find the word “dating” to be a negative term due to their secular counterparts using the term excessively.What is the difference between a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship involving two Christians and courting? I think one of the key differences can be summed up by a single word: ‘BELONGING’. When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.(Eph -32) Based on this understanding, when being courted, a girl will not see herself as being in a “new category” of relationship.What is the difference between courtship and dating?Is the only difference that dating is casual and courtship is exclusive with movement towards engagement?hit the bestseller list in 1997, Christian singles have talked differently about dating. That's not to say everyone traded the practice of recreational coupling for parent-directed matchmaking, but that many believing singles gave more thought to the of getting married.