WHAT SHOULD "DATING" LOOK LIKE?

The term "dating" is used in many ways in America. Two kids in middle school who have decided they like each other (but whose parents would never let them go anywhere together) may say they are dating. Two drunken strangers who end up in bed together may call the practice dating. Many Americans’ only close up views of dating have come from watching movies. Unfortunately, most of the things that make a romantic movie dramatic are bad for the development of a healthy relationship.
The first thing you want to do before getting serious with anyone is get to know them. This is why meeting a friend of a friend at a church function is better than finding a match through an internet dating service. If you meet someone in a natural setting you can get to know them before you think of them as a possible match. If you meet someone through an internet dating service, you are considering romantic possibilities before you have gotten to know the person, and you will both be tempted to put on a false front. The importance of getting to know another person makes bowling with a group of friends a better "date" than the two of you going to a movie.
You should not allow a relationship to get serious without lots of communication. Talk about your intentions and expectations. We live in a culture steeped in shallow short-lived relationships. If you want to build a deep, lasting relationship, you are going to have to explain your expectations.
Honor God’s plan for marriage before you are married. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4) Physical intimacy and complete commitment must be reserved for marriage. A couple who becomes sexually involved before marriage will damage their communication, their trust for each other, and their ability to hear from God when they need Him most.