In February, I’m sharing resources to help you preach on relationships.
It’s easy to focus on marriage, especially if you’re married, but you have singles, divorcees, and widows in your church.
Dating today feels harder, messier, and more complicated than ever.
Most singles in your church are doing their best but feel uncertain about what’s wise, what’s healthy, and what honors God.
Today I’m giving you 1 stat, 1 quote, and 1 story to help you preach on dating.
65 % of U.S. adults either strongly or somewhat agree that living with a significant other before marriage is a good idea—compared to 35 % who disagree.
Source: Barna: https://www.barna.com/research/trends-redefining-romance-today/
“Become the kind of person the person you’re looking for is looking for.” – Andy Stanley
Source: The New Rules for Love, Sex & Dating by Andy Stanley
If you’ve ever been on an airplane, you know the safety speech by heart. Before the flight takes off, the attendant points to the oxygen masks and says the same line every time: “Put on your own mask before helping someone else.”
The FAA has learned something through decades of emergencies: if you lose oxygen at high altitude, you become confused and disoriented in seconds. If you try to help someone else before securing your own oxygen, you’ll both pass out. The only way to save the person beside you is to make sure you can breathe first.
Takeaway: Healthy relationships require healthy people. Take care of yourself first before trying to save someone
4 Reasons Not to Move in with Your Partner
This article argues that couples should resist moving in together before marriage because cohabitation often undermines commitment, increases relationship instability, and statistically leads to poorer long-term outcomes than marriage.
When love first blooms, fun matters more than money, but that changes (USA Today)
This article explains how when love first blooms, couples place fun and shared experiences over financial stability—but over time, their priorities shift toward security and finances.
I send emails just like this one to pastors every Monday. The goal is to help lighten the load of weekly preaching. I would love to add you to the list.
