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C
Go find someone in China or something. They're willing to relocate a lot of times. Seriously I just don't want that. Eeeww. Lot of guys here when they get 40+ and still didn't find someone because they have demands from here to Tokyo, just find one in China, Russia or Brazil. It's tricky though. A lot of those are also after your money, but if God's in it.. I know some great couples who did that.
The problem with claiming that some particular method of pre-marriage connecting is "biblical" is that there are many methods described which are indeed "biblical" but which are inappropriate, immoral, or even illegal. There are also as many "methods" as there are marriages (okay, not quite, but you get the idea). I think the key is to look at what is encouraged or commended in scripture as a whole (not merely described), and what is commanded in the NT.
When it comes to developing a relationship, and then to formalizing it in marriage, there are very few guidelines in scripture. So how do we determine what is the "right" way to date/court? It's largely cultural. In some cultures, the parents decide on behalf of their children. In some, courting (old-fashioned Southern courting, that is) is done. In some, modern dating (guided by input from trusted fellow believers, ideally) is the most culturally-acceptable method. None of these is wrong, none can claim to be more "right" than others, because there is no single method prescribed in scripture.
Many years back, I was briefly engaged to a gal who still lived with her parents. One evening we were all discussing ideas for the wedding, and her dad (a church elder) said something like, "The biblical pattern is that the bride's parents host and direct the wedding day." I can't think offhand of a single biblical example of such, but I didn't know enough at the time to call it hogwash. They wanted to do things their way, regardless of what I thought, and didn't appreciate being called on it.
I think it's perfectly legitimate for single individuals to have their preferences regarding methods of connecting. I also think those preferences can lead to unnecessary arguments when we try to claim that a certain method is the (only) "biblical" way.
When it comes to developing a relationship, and then to formalizing it in marriage, there are very few guidelines in scripture. So how do we determine what is the "right" way to date/court? It's largely cultural. In some cultures, the parents decide on behalf of their children. In some, courting (old-fashioned Southern courting, that is) is done. In some, modern dating (guided by input from trusted fellow believers, ideally) is the most culturally-acceptable method. None of these is wrong, none can claim to be more "right" than others, because there is no single method prescribed in scripture.
Many years back, I was briefly engaged to a gal who still lived with her parents. One evening we were all discussing ideas for the wedding, and her dad (a church elder) said something like, "The biblical pattern is that the bride's parents host and direct the wedding day." I can't think offhand of a single biblical example of such, but I didn't know enough at the time to call it hogwash. They wanted to do things their way, regardless of what I thought, and didn't appreciate being called on it.
I think it's perfectly legitimate for single individuals to have their preferences regarding methods of connecting. I also think those preferences can lead to unnecessary arguments when we try to claim that a certain method is the (only) "biblical" way.