Starting a Christian relationship? 10 tips for a strong relationship with God as the foundation

Starting a relationship is special. You get to know someone, discover what you have in common and slowly build trust and connection.

As a Christian, something important can be added to that: you do not only want to build a relationship with each other, but also make room for God.

Maybe you are getting to know someone, or you hope to meet a Christian partner soon. How do you make sure your relationship gets a strong foundation?

In this article we share ten tips for starting and building a Christian relationship.

What makes a relationship Christian?

A Christian relationship is more than a relationship between two people who go to church.

Faith plays an important role in the way you treat each other, make choices and look at the future.

In a Christian relationship, themes like love, faithfulness, forgiveness, respect and faith can take an important place.

The Bible, for example, describes love as patient and kind in 1 Corinthians 13. Those are qualities that mean a lot within a relationship too.

A Christian relationship does not mean you never have problems. It does mean you want to look together for ways to treat each other with love, respect and faith.

10 tips for a healthy Christian relationship

1. Put God at the centre of your relationship

When faith is important to you both, it can be beautiful to consciously give God a place in your relationship.

That does not have to be complicated. You can pray together, read the Bible or talk about what is on your mind in your faith.

Most important is that faith is not a topic that only comes up at special moments, but is part of your daily life.

2. Really get to know each other

At the start of a relationship everything is often new and exciting. You discover each other's interests, habits and personality.

Take the time to discuss the deeper topics too.

Ask, for example:

• What does your faith mean to you?
• What role does God play in your daily life?
• What do you find important in a relationship?
• How do you feel about marriage?
• What dreams do you have for the future?

By having open conversations, you find out whether you are a good match.

3. Be honest with each other

Honesty is an important foundation for trust.

Say what you think, feel and find important. Do not keep saying what the other person wants to hear.

Even when you see something differently, it is important to be able to talk about it respectfully.

A strong relationship grows when both partners can be themselves.

4. Respect each other's faith experience

Not every Christian experiences faith in the same way.

Maybe you come from different church backgrounds or have different habits around faith.

That does not have to be a problem. It is important, though, to stay curious about each other and take each other's beliefs seriously.

Try to understand why something matters to your partner.

5. Learn to pray together

Praying together can be a beautiful way to share your faith.

You can pray for each other, for your relationship or for situations on your mind.

Do you find praying together exciting at first? Then start small. A short prayer does not have to be complicated or perfect.

It is about sincerity.

6. Give each other enough space

A relationship does not mean you have to do everything together.

It is healthy to also have time for friends, family, hobbies and personal growth.

Give each other room to stay yourselves and keep your own relationship with God.

It is exactly when both partners can be themselves that there is room for a healthy relationship.

7. Talk about expectations

Everyone has certain expectations of a relationship.

Maybe going to church every Sunday is important to you, while your partner sees that differently.

Or maybe you look differently at marriage, children or the future.

Discuss these topics in time. Not to convince each other, but to understand each other better.

8. Practise forgiveness

No relationship is perfect. You will sometimes make mistakes, misunderstand each other or hurt each other unintentionally.

That is why forgiveness matters.

It does not mean accepting unhealthy behaviour or ignoring your own boundaries. It means being willing to deal with mistakes and conflicts respectfully.

9. Keep investing in each other

A good relationship does not happen by itself.

Keep making time for each other, show interest and surprise each other now and then with something small.

That could be a walk, a good conversation or trying a new activity together.

Love is often found in the small everyday moments.

10. Build a future together

When a relationship becomes more serious, it is important to find out whether you want to go in the same direction.

Think of questions like:

• Do we want to get married eventually?
• How do we see a family?
• What role will church have in our lives?
• Which values do we want to pass on to our children?
• How do we want to grow together in faith?

You do not need to have an answer to everything right away. What matters most is that you can discuss these topics together.

How do you find someone to build a Christian relationship with?

Before you can build a Christian relationship, you first need to meet someone. In our article on how to meet Christian singles you will find seven ways to do that.

For some Christian singles that happens through church, friends or Christian activities. For others, online dating is a pleasant way to get to know new people.

A Christian dating app can help you connect with singles who find faith important. Also read how to choose the best Christian dating app.

Faith Dating was developed for Christian singles who are open to new encounters and a possible relationship.

That way you can discover, without pressure, whether there is someone with whom you can build a beautiful future.

A Christian relationship does not have to be perfect

Maybe you have a certain image of what a Christian relationship should look like.

Still, it is important to remember that every relationship is different.

You do not have to get everything right straight away. You will have to learn, grow and sometimes go through difficult moments together.

What counts is that you treat each other with love and respect and want to build a relationship together in which faith has an important place.

Meet someone who shares your faith on Faith Dating

Are you single and would you love to meet someone you can share your faith with?

Then Faith Dating can be a great first step.

Get to know other Christian singles and find out whether there is someone with whom you not only click, but also share a foundation in faith and values.

Maybe your future relationship starts with one simple conversation.

Discover Faith Dating and take the first step towards a new encounter. →

Frequently asked questions about a Christian relationship

What is important in a Christian relationship?

Important elements are love, faithfulness, honesty, respect, trust and a shared foundation in faith.

Do you have to pray together in a Christian relationship?

It is not mandatory, but praying together can be a beautiful way to deepen your faith and connection.

How do you know if someone is right for a Christian relationship?

Look at shared values, mutual respect, open communication and the way you both live out your faith.

Can you have a relationship with someone from a different church background?

Certainly. It is important, though, to discuss each other's beliefs and find out how you deal with any differences.

When do you talk about faith while dating?

You can ask questions about faith early on. As you get to know each other better, deeper topics can come up too. Read more in our article on Christian dating.