Should Christians Date Online

Online Dating

Should Christians Date Online? From an Expert (2024)

Amber Brooks

Written by: Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com.

See full bio »

Edited by: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of journalism experience to ensure DatingAdvice articles have been edited for overall clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gwinnett Daily News, and The Gainesville Sun covering lifestyle topics.

Discuss This! Discuss This!
Advertiser Disclosure

In college, my conservative Christian friend convinced herself that online dating wasn’t for her. She said she didn’t want to cheapen her relationships. She didn’t feel comfortable posting her picture. She didn’t think dating platforms had anything to offer her.

She was wrong, though. When she finally caved and created a profile on a Christian dating site, she found out that online dating isn’t all Tinder hookups. On a Christian-friendly dating site, you can find thousands of honest, devout, and moralistic singles who are looking for genuine romantic connections.

Some may doubt that a dating site fits within a traditional, marriage-oriented framework, but Christian dating sites definitely do. These sites are often founded by Christians who understand the unique concerns of daters of faith. When they’re on the right site, Christians enjoy a safe, fun, and values-driven dating experience surrounded by people like them.

Yes, Christians Should Definitely Date Online

I’m a fan of online dating. No, it’s not perfect, but it is a reliable way to meet a lot of single people and get experience in the dating arena. With so many different niche platforms out there, you’re bound to find one that satisfies your particular needs and standards. By joining a dating site (or more than one), you give yourself options and opportunities for romance.

You don’t have to take my word on faith though. Our dating experts have come up with five convincing and encouraging reasons why single Christians should log in to find love.

1. You Can Use a Christian-Only Dating Site

Shared values are important to singles. In one survey, 64% of online daters said they’re looking for someone they have something in common with. Many Christians crave connection on a spiritual level, but don’t know where to find it.

A Christian-only dating site can feel like a safe haven for Christian singles of all denominations. No more worrying about dating nonbelievers or having awkward discussions about religion. By creating a profile on a Christian-only dating site, singles indicate that they want to date and marry within the faith.

ChristianMingle is the world’s most popular Christian-only dating site with a strong faith-based following. But you can also search for matches by religion on general dating sites known for introducing high-quality members. Check out our reviews on three of the best sites for Christian singles:

★★★★★
4.8/5.0

Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships

Match System: Personality test suggests matches

Our Experts Say: “eharmony's unique matching system is based on what it calls "Christian-based principles" and leads to 2% of all U.S. marriages annually...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

★★★★★
4.8/5.0

Relationships: Serious Relationships

Match System: Search, Receive Partner Suggestions

Our Experts Say: “We suggest professional, single Christians give EliteSingles a try because it's free, it's safe, and it'll help you narrow down the playing field...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

★★★★★
4.9/5.0

Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships

Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more

Our Experts Say: “You'll find more Christian singles on Match than on any other dating site, and the site is responsible for the most dates, relationships, and marriages in the online dating industry...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

These platforms cater to relationship-oriented singles and have helped millions of men and women find friendship and love online. If you’re a Christian dater, we highly recommend joining such upscale dating sites where members share your values.

2. Millions of People Within the Faith Are Online

Meeting people in person is just too slow. Even if you’re in an active church, you can only talk to so many people at an event, and who’s to say they’re even single? If you limit yourself to only those in your immediate vicinity, you could be missing out on someone special in another church or another town. Maybe someone you could only cross paths with and get to know on a dating site.

“He was looking for a Christian woman, and I was looking for a Christian man. Our profiles were almost identical.”Cathy, a Zoosk member who met her husband online

Millions of eligible men and women have used online dating to find a long-term match. Popular dating sites allow users to browse for dates by age, location, religion, appearance, interests, and other important factors to compatibility. That way you don’t waste time in your search for a relationship grounded by faith.

3. Most of the Time, It’s Free

The rule of thumb for most dating sites is to allow free members to mix and mingle online. Dating site administrators want singles to feel comfortable with the site’s features and functionality before making a serious investment. New members often enjoy a free trial or free limited communication.

Match.com, for instance, allows member to chat for free with its premium members, and it offers unlimited likes and matches as well.

★★★★★
4.9/5.0

Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships

Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more

Our Experts Say: “You'll find more Christian singles on Match than on any other dating site, and the site is responsible for the most dates, relationships, and marriages in the online dating industry...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

Online dating is as cheap as you want it to be. Just as you decide whether you want to spring for a date at a fancy restaurant or stay frugal at a coffee shop — you can choose to upgrade your membership or stay a free member indefinitely. It’s totally up to you to decide if it’s worth it.

4. With Blocking Features & 24/7 Customer Support, You’ll Be Safe

Security is a top priority for dating sites with a reputation to uphold. You can read the site’s safety tips and security policies to feel more confident when you’re online. Almost every site these days empowers singles to police the membership and report inappropriate or false profiles.

Leading the way in online security, Christian Mingle proactively reviews every profile and photo submitted by members and provides responsive customer service support seven days a week.

Screenshot of Christian Mingle's homepage

Legit dating sites, such as Christian Mingle, give online daters many tools to stay safe.

If someone is bothering you on a dating site, you can always block that person (meaning they can’t contact you anymore) and flag the behavior to the site’s administrators. Dating sites generally have a no-tolerance policy about spammers and scammers, removing any profiles that pose a threat to other members.

Online dating isn’t the Wild West — there are time-tested systems in place to keep members happy and safe every step of the way. If you’re having an issue and want to talk to someone, you can get in touch with the dating site’s customer care team by phone or email.

5. Numbers Don’t Lie! Online Dating Works

In 2017, the Pew Research Center found that about 15% of all U.S. adults have used a dating site or app. The stigma is rapidly disappearing as more and more young people use technology to fill their social calendars and meet compatible dates. The poll found that the percentage of young adults (ages 18 to 24) who use dating sites and apps has almost tripled in the past three years. All in all, online dating accounts for 5% of American marriages and long-term relationships — and that number will only grow with time.

Plus, online dating can significantly reduce the amount of time between you and your wedding day. According to StatisticBrain, the average length of pre-marriage courtship for online daters is 18.5 months, and the average length for couples who met offline is 42 months.

Take Our Advice & Join a Dating Site!

Of course, it’s natural to worry about joining a dating site when you don’t know what you’re getting into or how it works, but, as my friend discovered, online dating is a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds. It’s not just for the superficial dater, as some might think. On a Christian-friendly dating site, relationship-minded singles can start conversations that lead to deep spiritual connections.

If you have high standards for your future partner, a Christian dating platform empowers you to search for and meet that diamond in the rough. In that way, these sites are ideal for highly selective singles who know what they want. Online dating gives you a chance to vet your dates more carefully and become familiar with their personal values before even going on a date.

As anthropologist Jenell Williams Paris said in Christianity Today, “Christians can use online dating in ways that express discernment, modesty, and self-control, not only  in sexual boundaries, but also in the very process of getting to know another person gradually.”

Advertiser Disclosure

DatingAdvice.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingAdvice.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.

Our Editorial Review Policy

Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.