Christian Dating: How long to wait between ‘Hi’ and ‘I Do’?

When looking for a guide to faith-based dating, you will find a lot of information regarding dating tips for Christian women, dating tips for Christian men, or what you should know when dating Catholic men. Most of these guides will give a definitive timeline between saying “Hi” and saying “I Do”. Some may recommend that you date for exactly a year before taking a call on marriage, while some may tell you that a year is the minimal amount of time to give. You can be advised to date a bunch of people before getting serious, or not date anyone until you are ready to get hitched. The list of dos and don’ts of Christian dating can go on and on.

But we all know, dating is not as simple as following a rulebook. Moreover, marriage is far more complex since multiple other factors come into play and it is more permanent than dating! A lot of people consider dating as a stepping stone to marriage. The process is to know each other better and the goal is to find out if you want to be with each other for the rest of your lives. Here are a few tips that might help you along the way as you try to reach this goal.

Date for as long as you need to accomplish the goal of Christian dating
A dating relationship should not be stagnant for a long time. When it comes to Christian dating, it is believed that the two people involved in the relationship must feel led by God to be husband and wife. This is said to be the ultimate goal of Christian dating. While dating, the two persons involved should pay attention to learning whether they want or don’t want to get married. The goal is to figure out if marriage is on the cards at the end of the road of dating and it is important to take as much time as needed to be sure. Once they are definite that marriage might not be a possibility, it is best to break up and move on.

Date for sufficient time to answer these questions
The “sufficient time” for dating until you decide to get married is quite subjective. It is different for different couples. For Christian dating, it is generally believed that the two persons involved should date for as long as they need to answer some biblical questions such as if you are both Christians and if you both are ready to fulfill the biblical roles of a husband and wife. Finally, in the process of answering these questions, it is essential to figure out whether you both enjoy each other’s company and whether you have similar goals in life, from personal, professional, to spiritual.

See each other anywhere between six months and two years
If you are looking for concrete answers as to how long should you date in Christian dating, many usually recommend any time between six months to two years. Ideally, 1 to 2 years is the best way to play safe. However, it depends on how well you have known one another. For instance, if a couple has been friends for a long time and has been going to the same church for years, a shorter dating period is reasonable. However, if two people have just started knowing one another and no one from their trusted circle knows the other person, it is wiser to date for a longer period, if only because it will have taken longer to get to know them properly. It is important to take enough time to really get to know someone as truthfully as possible.

Once you have decided to start dating, there are various ways you can pursue to find the right date. One of the best ways to find someone special is through online dating, especially if your local dating pool is extremely limited. Among the three best Christian dating websites to know about are Christian Mingle, Zoosk, and Match. Before you hop onto the online dating bandwagon, make sure that you know all about how to protect yourself on Christian dating sites.

5 popular online dating sites for Christian singles

• Zoosk: With nearly 3.8 million visits per month, Zoosk is one of the leading dating websites. The website is available in nearly 80 countries and has been translated into 25 languages. Whether you are looking for fun dates or serious relationships, Zoosk gives a personalized dating experience to anyone looking for the right partner. Its special algorithm acquires data based on the actions of its members so that Zoosk can deliver the perfect matches on a real-time basis.
• Match: One of the oldest dating websites, Match has been helping people find the right match for themselves and is considered as one of the more popular options. The website is available in over 24 countries and in over 15 different languages. Match.com is an open dating service, so there are no limits to who you can connect with or how and when you connect with someone. It is one of the largest online dating websites with millions of memberships from around the world.
• eHarmony: Launched in 2000, eHarmony is steadily becoming one of the most popular online dating websites. The website’s main focus is on long-term, serious relationships. The website is known to use scientific approaches for matchmaking and successful connection of compatible singles. Their Compatibility Matching System includes in-depth questionnaires and collection of data. All this is used for making statistical decisions by its algorithms to decide which matches are likely to be successful in the long term.
• Christian Mingle: A faith-based dating site, Christian Mingle was started in 2001. This Christian dating website is known for its easy-to-use interface, affordability, and effectiveness in bringing together two individuals who share the same faith. One can sign-up to this website for free and enjoy the advanced features at a premium.
• OurTime: One of the leading senior dating sites, OurTime has carved a niche for itself in the online dating field. It gives seniors a second shot at friendship, romance, and more. For seniors over 50 years or older, OurTime is the right place to find a platonic companion or someone to walk down the aisle with.