Heart of Dating

S16 Ep273: Pacing and Boundaries: How Fast is Too Fast?

Sep 3, 2025
Join Pastor Stephen Chandler, a relationship expert and author of "Relationship Roadmap," as he dives into the pitfalls of fast-paced Christian dating. He discusses how rushing into relationships often leads to burnout and shares insights on the importance of building true friendship first. Stephen warns against early spiritual intimacy and encourages couples to date ethically, take time before commitment, and observe spiritual character. With practical advice on recognizing red flags, he emphasizes pacing and boundaries in the quest for meaningful connections.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ADVICE

Delay Deep Future Talks

  • Pace early conversations: avoid sharing deep future plans or family-size dreams on first dates.
  • Protect your emotions by keeping initial talks top-line until friendship forms.
ANECDOTE

Six-Hour First Date That Stuck

  • Stephen Chandler's first date with his wife lasted six hours and seemed risky.
  • That quick start still led to 12 years of marriage and three children.
ADVICE

Let Context Determine Speed

  • Use context to judge timeline: meeting parents after two weeks depends on prior friendship.
  • Don't fast-forward public church involvement until the relationship is stable.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app