A recent survey conducted by Christian Mingle, a popular Christian dating organization, revealed that a majority of Christians who attend church and believe in God in fact go through premarital sex. Only around 10 percent of the participants stated that they are waiting until marriage, while the rest said that they either have intercourse before marriage or even if they are not in a relationship.

Heather Lindsey, a resident of New York City shared her experience in an interview with the Christian Post (CP). When she was young, Lindsey’s mother advised her to use birth control whenever she became sexually excited, even though she and her family attended church. She noted that her church at the time did not put too much emphasis on things such as personal ministry or reading the Bible. As a result she began having relationships and slept with many of the men she dated.

However, when Lindsey accepted Christ into her life she came to realize that her current sexual life cannot be pleasing to God, and decided to not have intercourse until after marriage. Despite her initial resolution, she came to realize it was easier said than done. She continued to meet and have intercourse with many men.

Lisa Anderson, the director of Boundless explained that churches are not showing a good example of what it means to have a biblical relationship. She explained how there is almost no difference between a Christian relationship and a secular one. She had this to say, concerning the issue:

“For the Christian culture it’s extremely frustrating, because they are trying to go after something lasting but they’re using the same formula to get something that’s just not going to get then there.”

With Valentine’s Day coming up, perhaps it is time for the churches and its leaders to insure that they’re congregations know what kind of relationship is both eternal and pleasing to God.