At registration, all members on the site must commit to abiding by these principles of conduct.
Code of Conduct for Participation in DT Heart & Soul
I commit to building spiritual community and family
How would Jesus conduct himself online? He would have us remember one of his saints is on the other end of that click! Through DTHS, you are exercising a unique opportunity to build friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. As you seek a lifelong mate, keep in mind that the many friendships you will form along the way are just as precious to God as the one that you are pursuing.
I commit to an encouraging and courteous tone in my online interactions
Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today", so that none of you may
be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. ‑‑Hebrews 3:13
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing. ‑‑1 Thess 5:11
We generally acknowledge face-to-face greetings, even if not interested in a conversation. Although not face-to-face, an online DTHS greeting also carries an expectation of acknowledgment.
The sheer quantity of online contacts can be overwhelming, making it difficult to compose a brief response without seeming rude. Even so, any response is better than no response at all. See Examples of Responses for the online equivalent of a friendly wave or a "hi" in passing.
I commit to seeking ongoing godly counsel in my relationships
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed. ‑‑Proverbs 15:22
Any relationship benefits from godly counsel, and this is especially true of
relationships with possibilities for marriage. Relationships on DT Heart & Soul are
likely to carry additional challenges, such as distance. The average distance
between home cities of a married couple who met on DTHS is 2,940 miles! Culture can
be another challenge: DT Heart & Soul is a global membership, with more than eighty
nations represented since it began in 2009. Nearly half of DTHS marriages are
international. All that is to say, you are embarking on a great adventure, and you
are going to need some wise advisors for the best chances of success! Finally, your
seeking of wise counsel protects not only you but also your brothers and sisters
from needless spiritual injury.
I commit to pursuing godly conflict resolution as necessary
"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If
they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or
two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two
or three witnesses.’ ..." ‑‑Matthew 18:15-16
By the grace of God, DT Heart & Soul has seen only a handful of cases of
conflict between members. Jesus calls us to do our best to bring our grievances
first to the directly involved party, and bring others in if we are unable to
resolve it between ourselves.
If resolution is not forthcoming between the two parties, the next step is to reach
out to someone who knows you (for instance, the person who verified you), so that
they may help facilitate reconciliation.
We are also not to let issues remain unresolved, but to leave our offering at the
altar (Matthew 5:23-24) and make things right with our brother or sister, as far as
it is possible with us, before we approach God to worship.