jeaucamon #fundie rr-bb.com
Our church practices courtship and this is how we do it:
Prior to 18 the girls and boys are NEVER alone together. They do everything in group activities... group means 7 or more.. not an even number for pairing off and there must be an adult present as chaperone.
At 18, if two people are interested in each other, they stand before the congregation and announce their intention to court. The whole body is responsible for keeping them accountable. They can now go out alone but the girls parents must okay each session. No later than 6 months later, they must either begin a 6 months counseling session for premarriage or they must separate (no harm, no foul). After the 6 months if they so desire, they may marry at any time provided the pastor who does all the counseling and the two sets of parents agree and give their blessing.
Our girls and boys have a 99% rate for total purity at marriage... meaning their first kiss was at the alter. We have a next to 0 divorce rate and the kids totally buy into this, they are not being forced.