Web Resources

• The Contentment Club, a courtship focused chat and message base club, with some a little list of relevant links, see also Meeky's Contentment Ministries webpage
• Courtship and Betrothal - A Synthesis by Eric Blievernicht
• Archetype or Actuality? by Eric Blievernicht
• The Dating Dilemma Home Page provides a number of resources including an article on Emotional Purity, books and CDs.
• Jonathan Lindvall, of Bold Christian Living runs seminars on relationships and the family, including betrothal. Read Comparisons of Dating, Courtship, and Scriptural Betrothal for a brief outline of the terms used by many of the articles on this page. The following four articles constitue the basis of his new book, God's Design for Youthful Romance:
  • Youthful Romance: Scriptural Patterns
  • The Dangers of Dating: Scriptural Romance--Part 1
  • Dating? Courtship? Betrothal ?: Scriptural Romance--Part 2
  • A True Romantic Betrothal Example
• Joshua Harris has written an number of articles on courtship, as published in New Attitude magazine, including:
  • The 700 Club has an interview with Josh and Shannon (his wife). See also Courting Romance by Kelly McElveen. entitled The Dating Scene: Josh Harris on Christians, Dating, and Finding the Girl of His Dreams
  • Principled Romance, as published in The Voice.
  • Josh Harris Gets Married
  • Young man 'kissed dating goodbye' as published in Religion Today.
  • Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder as published in Religion Today.
• Brian Shilhavy has a bunch of links at courtship and betrothal in his site on The American Family.
• Pastor Brian Watts of The King's Centre has provided the notes on-line for his seminar on Dating vs. Courtship
• Avoiding Courtship Horror Stories by Douglas Wilson
• Training Suitors by Douglas Wilson
• Wake Up, Little Suzy by Douglas Wilson, as published in Credenda/Agenda. This is basically the introduction to his book Her Hand in Marriage, see below.
• Courtship Link
• Courtship: A Love Story by Jennie Ethell Chancey
• Delay Dating Until 20s by by Michael Farris
• Fairfax Covenant Church (Fairfax, VA) have some guidelines in an article entitled What is courtship and when am i ready for it?
• Another success story of courtship, Jennifer's Story
• Patriarch magazine published an article on The Dangers of Dating in issue #24.
• The Balaam's Ass Speaks journal has published three articles, Why Not Dating?, Courtship and marriage of your kids and The Virtue Of Waiting. A new series is under development Finding A Spouse God's Way by Mary VanNattan.
• Eric J. Blievernicht's Guide to Christian Courtship, including The Modern Courtship Process
• Kimberly Hahn has a 4-tapes series on Dating and Courtship: A Catholic Perspective, #5244 (4 audio tapes).
• Michael Farris has a series of articles on courtship as broadcast on Home School Heartbeat:
  • Five Lessons on Courtship: Avoiding the Romantic Trap
  • Delay Dating Until 20s
  • Dating Trap Avoided Through Emotional Abstinence
  • The dangers of children playing with romance
  • Protecting our children from destructive emotional entanglements
  • Delaying romantic relationships until ready for marriage
  • Casual dating is out; friendship is in
  • Courtship & Parental Involvement
• The Chalcedon Report has a whole issue devoted to courtship, May 1998, including the following articles:
  • Preparing Sons and Daughters for Marriage by William Einwechter
  • Leapfrogging "Courtship V1.0" by Walter Lindsay
  • Are Recreational One-On-One Relationships Biblical? by Jim West
  • An Account of My Covenant Courtship by Daja Lynne Abdelaziz
  • Courtship, or Betrothal? by Ingrid Dahl
  • When Happily Ever After Isn't by Susan Burns
  • Daddy's Girl: Courtship and a Father's Rights by Sarah Faith Schlissel
• Patriarch magazine has published several articles on 'Courtship, Betrothal, Marriage & Babies', including:
  • Daughters and Marriage by James Sherman
  • God's Design for Scriptural Romance; Part 1: Rediscovering the Timeless Truths by John W. Thompson
  • God's Design for Scriptural Romance; Part 2: Dealing With the Dating Dilemma by John W. Thompson
  • The Dangers of Dating
• Adam Holz has an article in Discipleship Journal issue 115 entitled On the Home Front: Should Christians date?
• *AGAPE* Christian Singles have a Dating vs. Courtship forum.
• New Christian Take on the Old Dating Ritual
• Dr Johnny Pope's Christian Courtship mini-series
• Anthony and Kimberly Padgett's Courtship In The Covenant
• Jesse and Crystal Paine's Courtship Story
• Relationships and Dating in the Bible by Rev. Ron Jones, D.D.

Printed Resources

• Reb Bradley of Family Ministries has a number of his own resources, including a booklet Dating: Is it Worth the Risk?, excerpted from his book, Effective Parenting of Teens. It develops concepts of courtship from the dating perspective. Family Ministries also distributes some of the other resources on this page.
• Dating vs. Courtship by Paul Jehle is the most complete, principle-based and Biblical book I have seen on this subject so far. I highly recommend it. This is the textbook for Pastor Lon's CLST course outline below.
• Pastor Craig Lotze has a tape series on Courtship and another Restoring The Foundation of Purity Its available through Victory Faith Fellowship.
• Lon Stokes (based in Othello, WA) has extensively studied biblical courtship, and from his findings has prepared a class on Christian Courtship. It is a 10-hour course organized in the CLST format. Mail Columbia Christian Center for more details.
• Craig Hill has written a number of excellent books on relationships, as well as several series of tapes. His resources are available from Australia, the USA and the UK. Start out with His Perfect Faithfulness: The Story of Our Courtship, by Eric and Leslie Ludy -- it's a great introduction to courtship. Follow up with Romance God's Way the book form of their now well-known seminar (also available on video).
• Her Hand in Marriage by Douglas Wilson is worth buying if only for the superb analogy/story he tells in it's last few pages. His early chapters also provide a great explaination to the roots of dating and courtship, and God's plan for relationships.
• Leave Dating Behind: A Road Map To Marriage by Christina Rogers (available from amazon.com)
• Joshua Harris has several books on courtship, the best-selling I Kissed Dating Goodbye (published by Multinomah Press and Boy Meets Girl. I think his second book Boy Meets Girl is a very succinct and clear explaination of practical courtship.
• Canon Press and Book Service (based in Moscow, ID) have several books and a tape series on biblical courtship in their catalogue, including Her Hand in Marriage and Christian Courtship vs. The Dating Game.
• Developing Proper Relationships is a tape series by Tim Robinson on biblical relationships. I haven't heard it yet, but I have heard other messages by Pastor Tim which were excellent! :)
• The Courtship Connection sell most of the books on this page as well as a number of tapes and other courtship materials. Their catalogue includes:
  • God's Plan for Finding a Mate - Dating? Courting? Betrothing? by Dr. S. M. Davis
  • Courtship and Dating: A Biblical Analysis by Angela Hanson
  • Of Knights and Fair Maidens by Jeff and Danielle Myers
  • (Audio) How Betrothing Worked for Us: Testimony of Dennis and Lisa Moravek with Dr. S. M. Davis, subtitled: How God clearly led their parents to help them find their mates!
  • (Fiction) The Courtship of Sarah McLean by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Castleberry
  • (Fiction) Waiting for Her Isaac by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Castleberry
  • (Fiction) The Master's Weaving by Karen Wilt
  
  

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  Resources listed below this line have not yet been reviewed by me in detail, but I will be researching them soon:

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• Pastor Jim West has written a booklet, Christian Courtship vs. The Dating Game (available through amazon.com) .
• In Basic Digest--Relating Without Dating Newletter RR. 1, Box 58, Hillsboro. IL 62409 (Christian/teen courting)
• The Institute in Basic Life Principles is a well-known organization with excellent seminars on building character and authentic relationships. The Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar contains some teaching about the negative aspects of the of dating, and IBLP also have a 10-page booklet on courtship, Establishing Biblical Standards of Courtship, by Bill Gothard and associates published by ATIA, Box One, Oak Brook, Illinois 60522-3001, phone (630) 323 9610 -- now online at http://store.iblp.org/. See also Bill's article What Is Courtship?
• Guidelines for Courtship and Preparation for Marriage by Jeff Barth. Includes experiences of his children who have gone through courtship/betrothal/marriage. Parable Publishing House, RD2, Box 2002, Middleburg, Vermont 05753
• Families, Dating and the Bible by Earl and Diane Rodd, 6044 Pine Creek Street, N.W., N. Canton, Ohio 44720
• Greg Price has a video, Dating or Courtship: Which is Biblical? and a book Christian Education in the Home: Help! My Daughter Wants to Date available from S??? [Note: From these pages, I probably don't agree with Price on a couple of "key" (but quite unessential to salvation) theological issues regarding worship (the psalter and instruments)] Kevin Takenaka has written a review, and Andrew Haylett has written another one. Help! My Daughter Wants to Date by Greg Price, bound photocopy. Still Water Revival Books, 4710-37A Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6L-3T5, phone (403) 450-3730, fax (403) 465-0237

  Other assorted resources and articles:

• ChristianFilms.com produced Pamela's Prayer, a non-dating movie.
• Passion4 Purity, a group of teens who have committed to remain sexually pure throughout their life.
• Ruth is by far the greatest example of courtship in the Bible. This article looks promising: Ruth, The Story of Right Woman
• Sexual Purity: Beyond Legalism is an excellent article on the general principles we should follow in relationships, instead of legalistic rules.
• ADSoeurt's Courtship: Growing Up God's Way
• Young Women Stepping Heavenward provides resources for young Christian women who want to pursue God.
• God's design for scriptural romance, part 1 and part 2 by John Thompson
• Ballet, Butterflies, and B Chords
• Hope's Love Page
• Still Waters Revival Books have some sermons on cassette
• The Future of Love -- Utne cover section provides a brief historical overview of courtship and dating through history from a secular point of view.
• Another wordly perspective -- but it might make a good start for dads! :) Dating Application
• Even though Boundaries in Dating decries courtship, Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend describe many good principles (e.g. accountability structures) that I believe are important elements of pre-marriage romantic relationships/courtship.

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