Eric Demeter - How Should a Christian Date?: Its Not as Complicated as You Think

Ive known Eric for a lot of years, and, as his pastor, Ive walked with him through the ups and downs of his own dating experiences. His stories will make you laugh, cry, and at times, even wince. These pages are full of clear insight and practical wisdom. I hope that the lessons hes learned and the scars hes earned can become a source of wisdom and healing for you wherever you are on your journey.

GLENN PACKIAM

Associate Senior Pastor, New Life Church Author, Blessed Broken Given

This is a very current, relevant, and practical look at Christian dating. Reading this book has been a great delight as Eric has written in a very open and vulnerable gritty and genuine way. There is no pretentiousness here, no judgment, or criticism, or a list of dos and donts! It is like having a good coach coming alongside to encourage and hopefully advise, but always with your success and very best at heart. Wisdom learned from lifes experiences, not just from reading a book. Eric gives wise guidelines of how to live and love by celebrating singleness, cultivating friendships, and building good foundations and character before finding a future good mate. Becoming emotionally healthy is key to marrying out of want, not out of need.

MARK PARKER

YWAM NZ DTS training leader, teacher, elder

Eric Demeter writes passionately and practically to Christ followers who are seeking to do the dating thing well. He doesnt try to prescribe a template for the way to date, but rather offers helpful prompts for those wishing to pursue healthy dating relationships. If youve been around the dating block or are new to the process, I recommend you give this book a read!

SHAWN HOLTGREN

Vice President for Student Development, Bethel University

An immensely readable and practical guide for developing healthy habits in dating. Eric gives us biblically sound advice for growing ourselves, respecting others, and honoring God in a culture that says anything goes.

LISA ANDERSON

Director of Boundless.org, author of The Dating Manifesto

2021 by ERIC DEMETER

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible and CSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLV are taken from the Tree of Life Translation of the Bible. Copyright 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.

Names and details of some stories have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Some material originally appeared at ericdemeter.com.

Edited by Ginger Kolbaba

Cover design: Kelsey Fehlberg

Interior design: Ragont Design

Cover illustration of man with glasses #1 copyright 2019 by D-sign Studio 10 / Shutterstock (1767125222). All rights reserved.

Cover illustration of man with glasses #2 copyright 2019 by D-sign Studio 10 / Shutterstock (1759304480). All rights reserved.

Author photo credit: Sarah Wheway

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Demeter, Eric, author.

Title: How should a Christian date? : its not as complicated as you think / Eric Demeter.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: God didnt mandate one way to date. Instead, He laid out principles for wise and healthy relationships among believers. Eric Demeter-a single guy who has given this subject much thought-thinks daters dont need artificial rules, they need wisdom about how to apply the relevant principles in Gods Word-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021017854 (print) | LCCN 2021017855 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802420848 | ISBN 9780802499196 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Man-woman relationships--Religious aspects--Christianity. | Dating (Social customs)--Religious aspects--Christianity. | BISAC: RELIGION / Christian Living / Family & Relationships | RELIGION / Christian Living / Love & Marriage

Classification: LCC BV4597.53.M36 D46 2021 (print) | LCC BV4597.53.M36 (ebook) | DDC 241/.6765--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021017854

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021017855

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