Christian Dating Websites Growing in Popularity?
Christian dating websites, which have recently seen a surge in new members, are believed to be "the best way to narrow your search" when looking for love, according to some relationship experts.
ChristianMingle.com, a dating website for Christian singles, happens to be one them. It has recently experienced an increase in new users with 2 million more members.
For the year 2011, the dating site garnered over 5 million registered members. ChristianMingle is now deemed the largest and fastest growing online community for Christian singles.
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Online dating through ChristianMingle targets its users through a self-selecting experience. This premise is based on the belief that Christianity is central to whom a person is and, therefore, the driving force behind what Christians look for in a potential mate.
Interested individuals can sign up on the website for free. The website's staff takes great strides to make sure its online community is safe while using its features.
In addition to manually reviewing all profile text and photos submitted by members, ChristianMingle has created other methods to ensure the website remains safe. It identifies flagged profiles with concerning material and eliminates fraudulent activity.
Ashley Reccord, the Christian community manager of ChristianMingle, provided some details on the website in press release. "Gone are the days when online dating was considered taboo -- even in the Christian community," she said. "One of the amazing gifts of our age is that the Internet can virtually erase many of the barriers to finding new relationships with people who share your interests and values."
Another dating website for Christian singles is currently growing at an incredible pace. ChristianDatingForFree.com (CDFF) is also one of the fastest growing sites for Christian singles in the market today.
The website reached a milestone of 200,000 active members this past August. "High quality free online communities can be built without spending any money on acquisition marketing," said David Perez, CEO of e Dating For Free, Inc. "Just look at the success Facebook has had by offering a free online community. Successful free community sites are almost always built via free marketing vehicles such as word of mouth and viral marketing."
Some relationship experts have formed their own opinion on Christian singles, Christian dating websites and its sudden growth.
Transformational dating relationship coach Lisa Shield spoke to The Christian Post about websites geared towards Christian singles. "I am a huge fan of Internet dating and love niche sites," she said. "I think that it is the best way to narrow your search. If you know you want a Christian partner, I think you should join at least one niche site."
"In my upcoming book, Naked Dating, I talk about this at great length. Having common values is the foundation for a lasting relationship. I encourage all my clients to look for partners who have the same cultural and spiritual/religious background. Niche sites are the best way to do this."
Shield also detailed her Christian single encounters with CP. “I have coached several Christian singles who have actually met people through Christian sites. I hope this doesn't sound crazy, but they are more lit from within than some other clients.”
She added, “They have a spiritual connection that lights them up from within, they are much more conscious about other people's feelings and following through with their online communications, and they are often more serious about partnership and family building."
For those who are single and believe there is no hope of finding a partner, all is not lost. Shield has offered some words of encouragement to these individuals.
"DON'T GIVE UP!!!," she proclaimed. "Finding the right life partner is the most beautiful gift you will ever give yourself in this lifetime. If you are stuck, call a professional dating coach to teach you some new tricks. You might think you're ‘doing it right’ but you would be amazed at what a difference it can make to have an impartial, experienced professional look over your shoulder to see if you are getting in your own way."
"It can take time, but slow and steady wins the race," she continued. "God (and His right-hand woman, Mother Nature) want us to have partners. We were designed mentally, physically, and emotionally for partnership. I have seen people meet someone on their first Internet date and I have seen it take other people 10 years. It can take as long as it takes but, if you give up, it will never happen."
