Going Out, Getting Dumped, and
Playing Mini Golf on the First Date
by Tim Pauls
Reviewed by Martha Robinson
Purchase details: Going Out, Getting Dumped, and Playing Mini Golf on the First Date by Tim Pauls. Paperback, 127 pages, $7.99. Published by Concordia Publishing House. Please support HomeschoolChristian.com by buying this book using our Amazon affiliate link.
Tim Pauls, a Lutheran minister, discusses dating from a Christian perspective in Going Out, Getting Dumped, and Playing Mini Golf on the First Date. He points out that in Biblical times, parents arranged marriages. Dating simply did not occur, and our foremost reference, the Bible, has nothing directly to say about it. However, the Bible has plenty to say on related topics, so he applies the Word to modern dating situations.
Rev. Pauls begins with a discussion of marriage, because that should be the goal of dating. Using Adam and Eve as examples, along with passages from the New Testament, the author shows how a successful marriage is built on servanthood and leaving behind selfishness.
Throughout the rest of the book, Tim Pauls covers many aspects of dating that families may not have considered. These include how young adults should continue to respect and obey parents, what role compatibility has in a relationship, and whether one should date someone not of the same faith. Using an insightful analogy, he fully addresses the difficult topic of intimate premarital relations. The author also refutes many of the lies about activities that the world claims are acceptable regarding relations outside marriage. All of these sensitive topics are addressed from a Biblical perspective in a thoughtful but firm manner, and purity is stressed. Rev. Pauls ends this discussion with a message of hope for those who may have already sinned in this area: forgiveness through Christ.
Recommendation: Going Out, Getting Dumped, and Playing Mini Golf on the First Date offers straight talk about tough subjects and will be valuable for Christian families who choose to let their children date rather than doing a courtship. The book would be good for parents to read so that they can have positive conversations with their teens. Older teens could read this book on their own, preferably with a follow-up talk from an adult whom they respect.
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HomeschoolChristian.com's Home and Life Management Section
Review of Raising Maidens of Virtue
Review of Lies Young Women Believe
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