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Youth Ministry Dating Resource

By chrisbowditch
youth ministry resources, dating, relationships, love, advice

This resource starts with a brief biblical look at the ideas of Love and Purity which should govern the way we date.  It then covers issues such as:

  • How do I know if I'm ready to go out with someone?
  • How do I get someone to go out with me?
  • What kind of person should I go out with?
  • How should we behave if we are going out?
  • Setting boundaries (around purity issues, social and spiritual areas)

It concludes with this advice:

"Dating is not an ungodly thing to do. But I want to encourage all of us to be mature and sensible bout it. It is not ok to say, “Oh I'm just 15 or 20, I'm allowed to make a few mistakes”.  1 Tim 4:12 – Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and  conduct, in love, in faith in purity.  If you are a sold out follower of Jesus. Then you ought to take seriously how you conduct yourself  in your romantic relationships no matter how old you are.   When all is said and done, dating and getting married are not an end. They are just a  continuation of the journey that all of us who believe and trust in Jesus are on of becoming  more like him. If dating makes you less like Jesus, don't do it. If it helps you and your  partner grow in Godliness, go for it!"

Full notes and audio of talk available here:

http://www.youthministryandme.com/2008/07/just-going-out-issues-of-dating.html

Following Jesus in Australia

Chris Bowditch is the Youth Minister at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Doncaster, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Hi is also studying for a Masters of Divinity at Ridley Melbourne Ministry and Mission College, also in Australia.  He has a Bachelor of Arts with a majors in Sociology and Public Policy and enjoys thinking about how Christians can engage their culture, which he does frequently on his blog Youth Ministry and Me.  He was born in 1984 and has been a Christian since 2001.  He got his start in Youth Ministry in 2002 as a junior leader on a week long junior high summer camp and he has been in some form of 'professional' Youth Ministry since 2006.  In January 2010 Chris got married to the love of his life, Ellisa.


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