Make Your Christian Date Fun, Friendly

It's Saturday night and you are excited about your new Christian date. Congratulations! You can set the tone as you meet single Christians who are looking to connect with other Christians in a respectful way. The truth is that dating today is tough. Christians want to honor God in their relationships and society often plays tug-of-war with your values. So, what can you do to ensure that your date time is fun and meaningful, while taking a forward step in building a good Christian dating relationship?

On your first date with a Christian single person, put away fantasies of romance for right now. Focus on starting out as a friend. Friendship is the vital part of a lasting relationship. Couples who have long-term marriages call each other their best friends. So, don't be afraid to start off developing a friendship in dating Christians.

A first date can be a nervous and anxious time. You want your date to think well of you. You want to be safe. You want to have fun. Know what your expectations and emotional state are before you pick up the phone to talk. To become friends, both of you need a to keep a relaxed attitude and schedule a fun activity helps break the tension. There are lots of fun things to do, but especially try to pick an activity that gives you and your date the chance to talk and learn about each other.

If your outing has been "arranged" by a friend, you may need to go with the program and participate in a planned activity. If you can to pick the activity, share what you like to do, find out what your date likes to do, and then compromise where possible. That is what friends do; they respect each other's desires. For example, you might think of attending a public event as a spectator such as a baseball game, a concert, or an art exhibition. Make sure to pay attention to your date's interest in that the event. Find time to talk about what you and your date are experiencing. Smile a lot and listen -- two more attributes of being a friend.

If you don't want to "go solo," you can go to Christian activities, like a church service, a mission project or community picnic. These qualify as a "soft date" which allows you to see your new friend in the light of your Christian faith.

If both of you like playing sports, for go bowling, play golf, croquet, co-ed volleyball or softball, yard games, among others. Team sports allow you to have fun with more people; individual sports give you more time to talk and spend one-on-one time with your Christian date.

Pay attention to the time and seasons of the year. You can plan unique and fun things to do together. During a cold winter day, you may enjoy skiing, ice skating, tobogganing or sledding together. New gardens and flowers appear in Spring. If you love nature, view new gardens and marvel at the Spring flowers. During summer, attend the celebrations and festivals that many cities and villages organize. In autumn, walk through forest preserves and collect or kick leaves together.

Eating out is a common date activity. Share a meal together, be it a carryout pizza or eating Chinese at an upscale restaurant. A meal gives you the time and setting to connect and converse with your date.

Remember, make friendship your first goal during a Christian date. Be patient, kind and more than anything else, be yourself.