Pure Church

At least that's the take of one journalist after a recently-released Child Trends study (HT: Challies). Truth in advertising: when I worked in the think tank world, Child Trends was an organization that I worked closely with. It's a good shop full of folks with research integrity.

According to the study, dating is passe. Apparently young people now lack the skills to simply ask someone out on a date. If the hook ups go well, then maybe a relationship develops. But not usually. Surprise, surprise; the guys aren't interested in a relationship.

This is the kind of thinking that creates opportunity for the church to give counter-cultural witness and display the wholeness of the good life in Christ. Jan. 4th we're starting up our Friendship, Courtship and Marriage class at FBC, patterned after some of the material from CHBC. What a joy it is to teach this class and to see light bulbs go off among the young and the old. If your church doesn't offer a Sunday school, small group, or Bible study focused on this topic, perhaps suggesting it to the leaders would be a good idea. Our people need it.