A Biblical Framework for Dating | Stages, Communication & What the Church Gets Wrong

A Biblical Framework for Dating | Stages, Communication & What the Church Gets Wrong

From Dial In with Jonny Ardavanis by Jonny Ardavanis

June 9, 2026 · 33 min

About this episode

This episode explores a biblical framework for dating with insights from Greg Gifford.

What does the Bible actually say about dating? And why does the church barely talk about it? This episode is sponsored by The Master's University. To learn more about how you can invest in a college education devoted to Christ & Scripture, visit https://www.masters.edu We brought in Greg Gifford — biblical counselor, professor, and author — to give us a theology of dating that applies whether you're 22 or 45. This is one of the most practical and honest conversations we've had on the show. Topics covered: • Acquaintance → Friend → Best Friend: the 3 stages of a dating relationship • How to communicate at each stage (and what oversharing too early costs you) • How to define the relationship (DTR) without being weird about it • Online dating: sin or Christian liberty? • Evaluating spiritual maturity — and why it's not about reading John Calvin • Why technology since 2007 has made relationships harder If you've ever felt like no one's giving you real, biblical guidance on dating — this episode is for you. 📍 Find Greg: The Force Institute Podcast

People in this episode

Host: Jonny Ardavanis

Guest: Greg Gifford

Topics covered

  • biblical guidance on dating
  • stages of dating relationships
  • communication in dating
  • defining relationships
  • online dating
  • spiritual maturity
  • impact of technology on relationships

Keywords

  • dating
  • Christianity
  • biblical counseling
  • relationship stages
  • communication
  • spiritual maturity
  • online dating
  • technology
  • church guidance

Sponsors

The Master's University

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Force Institute Podcast

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