DOCTRINES
& POSITIONS
Christian Dating
While the Bible does not specifically describe modern dating, Scripture provides clear principles that guide how believers should pursue romantic relationships. Christian dating should be approached with intentionality, purity, and the goal of discerning a potential covenant marriage.
Romantic relationships should honor God, respect personal boundaries, and seek wisdom, accountability, and spiritual alignment. Relationships that move toward marriage should reflect Christlike character, mutual respect, and shared commitment to faith.
Biblical courtship emphasizes intentionality, purity, accountability, and honor, whereas unbiblical dating often encourages physical and emotional intimacy long before readiness for lifelong commitment.
Modern dating culture often operates independently of biblical principles and frequently promotes sexual experimentation without accountability or commitment. Rather than preparing individuals for covenant marriage, such practices often cultivate promiscuity, emotional attachment without permanence, and repeated relational fracture.
Scripture warns that sexual sin uniquely affects the individual, leaving deep emotional and spiritual wounds (1 Corinthians 6:18). Many people carry unresolved trauma, confusion, and mistrust into future relationships because intimacy was given prematurely and repeatedly without covenantal safety.
While each person remains free to make their own personal decisions regarding relationships, our church does not encourage casual dating or “try-before-you-buy” relationship models. Instead, members are encouraged to pursue relationships with the intention of discerning a potential future marriage.
For this reason, our church emphasizes becoming the right person more than merely finding the right person. Healthy covenant relationships are built by individuals who pursue personal maturity, spiritual growth, and Christlike character before seeking lifelong commitment.
We also acknowledge that God may, at times, reveal or highlight potential future spouses through spiritual discernment. However, such impressions do not authorize individuals to run ahead of God’s timing. Believers are encouraged to focus on personal development, spiritual maturity, and trusting the Lord to establish relationships in His proper timing.
Marriage should arise not from the need to fill emotional voids or from searching for validation, but from two individuals who are secure in Christ and who live from love rather than seeking love to complete them.
Our church does not seek to control or restrict the personal relationship decisions of individuals. Each person remains responsible before God for their own choices and conduct.
However, when individuals voluntarily invite pastoral guidance and oversight into their relationship decisions, the leadership of the church is willing to offer biblical counsel, wisdom, and accountability to assist them in making healthy and God-honoring decisions.
Ultimately, each person remains responsible for their actions and must own their choices, whether those decisions align with or contradict the counsel that has been provided.
In situations where a courtship progresses toward marriage and the couple desires TORCC leadership to oversee the pre-marital process, both individuals agree to submit to the guidance, preparation, and oversight of the TORCC pastoral team throughout the premarital counseling process.
Additional information regarding these processes can be found in the church’s policies on Pre-Marital Counseling and Officiating Marriage Ceremonies.