Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more. A lot of Christians are talking about courtship instead of dating as a way to prepare for marriage. Dating is a process of getting to know members of the opposite gender to begin to discern whether it is appropriate to make an increasing emotional commitment to any of them. Dating is provisional. No commitment is implied, other than the basic commitment to treat a person with respect. In fact, it is probably healthy to do so as long as emotional commitments are not made or implied.

That was a mistake.

Dating and Courtship

I made an emotional commitment to her too quickly. My goal should have been to get to know her well enough first to discover whether or not she was a person whose heart I should dating to win.

Courtship, by contrast, is an exclusive relationship. If, while dating, you believe you may have found a person worthy of marrying, you stop dating other people. You communicate about your intentions.

You focus on that one person to discern whether this is or is not someone to whom you can make a lifetime commitment. When I was dating the woman I eventually married, I sat down with her and asked her if she would be willing to consider us as an exclusive couple.

I then outlined what I thought it meant for us to court one another. She agreed and we began a more serious process of discovery. Courtship is a time to evaluate your relationship dating determine if you can each make a lifetime commitment to each other. Engagement is a time of preparation for the wedding, and more importantly, for the marriage.

An engagement can be broken off, but you should have your questions largely answered before you become engaged. Courtship should not be rushed, but if a source has done courtship right, engagement needs only be long enough courting make all the plans for starting a new life together.

Dating and Courtship. Courtship and dating are not mutually exclusive, but successive stages in a relationship process. Previous Last Words. Next 3 Tips on Money for Teens.

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