A Study on Relationships

[Hediru]

A question for all of the youth pastors. I am looking for a resource that teaches youth about dating relationships that we can do sometime in February. All I can find are resources talking about sexual purity or the materials covering dating is geared to an older age group. The reason why I am avoiding the sexual purity topic is because they are already going to get it on a retreat that they are going on right before Valentine's Day. The teens in my youth group have questions about dating, and they want more than the "don't have sex" lecture. Any recommendations?

 

[KagomeShuko]

I don't know of any resources, but I had a great speaker at an FCAS meeting one time. He just let us talk. If you are going to date, date somebody that respects your boundaries. Think of how great it would be to date a guy who would sit and pray with you at the end of your date rather than pressuring you to kiss or go further. Look for faith with the other things that you like.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[Hediru]

Hey! I found something! (Would you believe that I found it through Google?) Anyway, for anyone else who is interested, "Dating Q&A" is a great resource for talking with youth about dating and love. It's a 12 week long study and includes looking at the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of a romantic relationship. The leader's guide, student handout, and powerpoints are downloadable at http://www.teenlifeministries.com/factory/dating.htm Hope this helps everyone!

 

[DirkRapier]

Sometimes I go crazy and think for myself when it comes to matters of the heart.

 

[jeriko]

I kissed dating goodbye
written by josh ???????????

 

[weezerwannabe]

I kissed dating goodbye really isnt the best resource out there. personally I found that the best resource on any subject is the Bible. Looking at things that Paul and Jesus said are more than worth it. Personnally the sexual purity is a major issue in dating so my advise would be to barely hit it but hit it none the less.

 

[Hediru]

Let me clarify. The main reason that I don't want to talk about the sexual purity aspect is because I am still single. I have a very steady boyfriend, but nevertheless I'm still single, and a virgin. So how am I supposed to talk about sex in detail when I'm as clueless about it as the youth are? All I can do is teach abstinence by example, which I am doing. Even though I don't know much about sex, I do know plenty about the other details in romantic relationships such as trust, love, lust, loyalty, and sacrifices that may need to be made for the other. The Dating Q & A resources that I found is perfect for that. It starts out with a discussion on why people date in the first place, and then has 3 larger sections on how relationships should grow spiritually first, then emotionally, and finally physically - all with scripture and real life examples to back up the points. There is a small section on sex and abstinence (the physical section), but I am leaving that for another time. My youth are going to a Valentine's lock-in that is hosted by another church where they will have the sex and abstinence discussion led by a married couple. I feel much more comfortable with them leading the discussion instead of me.

 

[ahk114007]

...personally I found that the best resource on any subject is the Bible. Looking at things that Paul and Jesus said are more than worth it...

amen to that, I believe what God says about anything is better than any book, program, or lesson that man can make. so, not to be overly-axhaustive, but here are all(well not all, but most) of the verses in the Bible pertaining to relationships. although some may seem like they have nothing to do with relationships at all, they all do.
so here goes:

Genesis 2:18-25
Genesis 29:20
Exodus 20:4, 17
Exodus 22:16
Leviticus 18:19-22
Leviticus 20:10
Deuteronomy 5:18
Psalm 37:5
Proverbs 5:15-23
Proverbs 6:32
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Ecclesiastes 9:8-9
Joel 2:13
Matthew 5:27-32
Matthew 6:21
Matthew 10:37
Matthew 19:3-12
Mark 10:2-12
Luke 16:18
John 15:13
1 Corinthians 7:1-40
1 Corinthians 14:34-35
Colossians 3:17-19
Ephesians 5:22-33
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
2 Thessalonians 3:5-6
1 Timothy 2:8-15
1 Timothy 3:4-5, 11-12
2 Timothy 2:19-26
Titus 2:1-10
Hebrews 13:4
James 4:7-8
1 Peter 3:1-7
1 John 4:8, 18

so there u go, have fun. i have an actual, typed out form with all of those verses, plus reorganized into a presentation form, so just PM me if u want it. so anyways, hope this helps, if not, sry for wastin ur time, lol.
p.s.to sum it all up in one verse:

1 Thessalonians 4:7 - For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

so anyways, God bless.

 

[KrazyPhish]

My ex-youth pastor was so opposed to the idea of people dating each other in our youth group that he made the rule that no one in his youth group were allowed to date each other -if people did it any way and he found out, we would ring their parents.

He walked out on his wife a kids a year ago. He's certainly not my role model for that sort of thing -or anything really, any more.

I'd say be realistic, not extreme and be a good role model.

 

[Greythanis]

recently, i've known this girl and her parents are totally opposed to dating. and i mean BIG TIME. she's a really good friend of mine and i heard that she wasn't allowed to date before sixteen, and that excludes physical contact (i'm not talking about making out, i'm talking about hugging and holding hands, which i think really good friends are allowed to do, even if they're not Boyfriend-girlfriend) and for that she has to wait till she's twenty. making out (not sex, making out) is not allowed till marriage, which i suspect with their kind of rules has to be approved by them and after mid twenties.

personnaly my parents (who are born again christians) are totally cool. the thing i believe is that we should pray for the right behaviour, and adapt to circumstances, not make outrageous laws for things of this sort. but the real reason i'm sharing this with you is just coz, as her best friend, i want to advise her on how to cope with it.

cheers,
grey

 

[DirkRapier]

adapt to circumstances, not make outrageous laws for things of this sort.

Wow. That was one of the most anti-Christian, yet intelligent things I've seen on this web site. I must warn you it is dangerous to think in such a way.

 

[nyyster]

Dating is important, divorces are created from people who do not learn to adapt and understand people. Dating is about relationship building. Sex should be taught in a realistic manner. There are many choices. Be that leader who is different at the same time firm with his message and realistic.