Single, Dating, Engaged, Married: Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age

by Ben Stuart

Overview

God gives us purpose in each relational season we experience: singleness, dating, engagement, and marriage. Discover how to thrive in each one in the updated edition of the bestselling Single, Dating, Engaged, Married, now with a new chapter.

In a society where everyone is supposedly more connected, why do more people than ever feel so lonely? Even as marriage rates decline, studies show that most single adults still hope to get married. But how can we navigate life and love in this disconnected culture? Has social media eroded the institutions that brought us together—and the deeper emotional intimacy they provided?

Pastor and author Ben Stuart guides you in navigating the four stages of a relational life and embracing the intentions and truths God has established for each one. This updated edition includes an additional chapter on how to end dating relationships well.

As you embark on this journey, you will discover how to:

• Leverage singleness to make an impact for the kingdom of God
• Pursue dating with clarity and purity
• Break up in a healthy and respectful way
• Use the season of engagement wisely to prepare for marriage
• Maximize your life as a married couple for shared mission
• Continually seek God and His will throughout each stage

Discover how to embrace God's design, invest your life in what matters most, and find meaning in whatever season of life you're in.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400345922
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	01/14/2025
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288

About the Author

Ben Stuart is the Pastor of Passion City Church, Washington D.C. He previously served as the executive director of Breakaway Ministries, a weekly Bible study attended by thousands of college students on the campus of Texas A&M, for eleven years.

Ben earned a master’s degree in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Donna, live to inspire and equip people to walk with God for a lifetime. They currently reside in the Washington, D.C. area with their three kids, Hannah, Sparrow, and Owen.

Ben is the author of Rest & War: Rhythms of a Well Fought Life, Single, Dating, Engaged, Married: Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age, and the Bible study, This Changes Everything.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

First things first

1 God, guys, & girls 3

Single: devotion

2 The purpose of singleness 19

3 A singleness case study // the apostle paul 41

Dating: evaluation

4 Who to date 57

5 How to date 84

6 Sex 113

7 A dating case study // isaac receives rebekah 131

Engaged: union

8 How to know that you know 153

9 Becoming one 170

10 An engagement case study // solomon + the shulammite 184

Married: mission

11 Marriage as a picture 203

12 Marriage as a pursuit: a case study // priscilla + aquila 224

Conclusion 241

Acknowledgments 245

Notes 247