Modern western culture places many obstacles in the path of young people who wish to serve Jesus. But one of the greatest traps is undoubtedly dating. Not that we use that word very much in Australia, but everyone understands what it means; going out with members of the opposite sex. The expectation on young people is that they will experiment with their relationships until, hopefully, with a bit of luck, they might find the right partner. As Joshua Harris explains so well in this book, this whole approach is fraught with danger.

His solution? Not to fix up dating so it will work better, but to dump the whole ethos. Get off the merry-go-round. Kiss dating goodbye.

The thing that impressed me most about this book was its vision for discipleship. Singleness is not a curse but an opportunity to serve God. Life is not about getting everything we want right now, but about serving others, especially the partner that God has for us. This vision of a life lived for the Lord in purity and unselfishness is unlikely to inspire non-Christians or lukewarm, carnal Christians, but those who know the glorious call of God and the Cross of Jesus Christ will surely see its value.

The method by which men and women get together for marriage and procreation is a fundamental aspect of any culture. A truly distinct Christian subculture must not "conform to the world" at this point but must have a biblical approach that genuinely honours God and preserves the sanctity of marriage. Joshua Harris has presented such an approach, a new attitude which is really not so new. It's a common-sense return to biblical values and a deliberate rejection of an ungodly, unhealthy cultural system.

The book is written for young people (very well written, I must add!) and includes a wealth of great advice. The author is trying to persuade young and single people to break up with dating and to live according to a new way. If enough Christians bought into this, we would see the beginnings of a new Christian youth subculture. If a large segment of the Christian Church eventually adopted the kind of cultural mentality that I am proposing in these pages, I sincerely hope that this alternative to dating will be a significant component.

This is a brilliant book. Thank you, Joshua!