Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
Online dating doesn’t have the stigma it once did, and there are some important tips for Christians to keep in mind when dating online.
Key Points:
- Watch out for these mistakes regarding online dating:
- Dating in isolation can become a problem. Give others permission to keep you accountable and ask tough questions from time to time to give you a heart check.
- “Grass is always greener syndrome.” It’s the idea that we can custom-make a person to our tastes, and that if one person doesn’t work, we can find someone better. We shop for people like we are shopping for a product online.
- There aren’t as many fish in the sea as you think. There is not a limitless supply of matches, though online dating platforms and apps make it seem so.
- Social media addiction and dating addiction. Social media itself is addicting, and the thrill of meeting a stranger for a date can become more important than the end goal.
- The pitfall of perpetual dating. We get caught up in a lifestyle of dating and lose sight of the goal of dating. Christians are not supposed to be dating just for dating’s sake, but to find a spouse.
Quote This:
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (ESV) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever tried online dating? What happened?
- What are/were some of your reservations about online dating?
- What are the good possibilities of online dating? The bad?
- In what ways do you think “dating in isolation” can be problematic for Christians? Have you ever seen this firsthand in yourself or someone else?
- How can “grass is always greener syndrome” be a problem? Have you ever felt like you can “do better,” or has someone made you feel this way?
- How can online dating make you feel like you have more options than you actually do? How might this affect the way you view your prospects?
- What is the “pitfall of perpetual dating”? How can you avoid it?
- Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-15. What does this passage say about dating? Why is it important to date like-minded people?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
See the articles How to Avoid an Online Dating Disaster and 12 Tips for Doing Online Dating Right by Daniel Martin and Enoch Haven.
