What is the Size of MatchWise? We do not
make it a practice to reveal our membership numbers, but I
can say that we're growing by the hundreds every day and we
equal or exceed the size of most other Christian dating
services, including Equally Yoked®. We're certainly in the
top 5 as far as the size of Christian dating sites.
How Long Have You Been Online? We first started
designing the system in 2003. Our programmers spent nearly
a year getting the systems right. We then completely revamped
the system and released a final version in April, 2005.
Why Do You Not Allow Foreigners in this Dating Service? We
learned early on that foreigners that join such dating sites
are mostly joining for all the wrong reasons. We want
our members to avoid all of that.
Is There a Trial Period? We allow people
to register and remain our guests for free for as long as
they wish. They can take a look around, Wave at other members
and see if it is really something they want to do before they
subscribe. Subscribers are given various exclusive benefits.
What Are the Ages of Those Who Join MatchWise?
Our single membership's median age is 38, though our members
range in age from 18-89.
What is Your Matching Success Rate? Every
day we receive notes from members saying they've found
their true love though our community. See testimonials.
You Call MatchWise a "Community," Not a
Dating Service? Yes, because our goal is to help
singles of all ages, not just match them up. We provide biblical
and relational instruction, various singles events, and resources.
More than a dating site, we see our members as an extended
family and we aim to have fun together.
How does MatchWise Compare to the Other Services that
Have Been Around Longer? Well, first, we are the
only one that limits its members to just Americans (for
the reasons given above). Secondly, we require our members
to be Christians, so they must make a short statement of
their faith. We built some powerful matching tools into
MatchWise. Our site is easy to use, our members
have pictures, and registration is free.
What Should People Look Out For in Dating Sites? A
majority (not just a few) of the sites that say they are "Christian" are
simply doorways to non-Christian sites where anything
goes. I call them "meat markets." These are the sites
that give a bad name to Internet dating. They'll do anything
they can to lure in unsuspecting Christian singles, get their
email address, and then bombard them with every kind of filth
by email, even if the person cancels their membership. We even
found that some of the most popular advertised sites that appear
to be Christian have no Christian content or morality
whatsoever.
The rule, as with anything on the Internet, is to BE CAREFUL!
As for our dating community, we take extra care to monitor
everything that goes on and will immediately dump anyone who
misbehaves. We also don't sell our former member email addresses
to spammers or other dating sites, though we could make a lot
of money doing that.
Does MatchWise Prevent Some People From Joining? Yes,
and not just some. Our profile reviewers weed out nearly 40%
of those attempting to join. Our membership rules are very
clear up front when they register, but some try to get through
anyway and are blocked by our trained screeners. We accept
members from all ethnic origins, but our service is for those
who are Christian, single, U.S. citizens and at least 18 years
old. If any of these requirements are not met, the person's
profile is not activated. We also review the photos before
posting them. We reject any sexually suggestive
photos and the person who submitted them. Our reviewers also
review each registrant's IP address (gives their location in
the world) to determine if they are foreign, since some foreigners
have tried to get in by using American email providers and
lying about their citizenship status.
What's the Bottom Line for MatchWise in Regard to
What It is Trying to Accomplish? The bottom
line is to see couples match up for all the right reasons
and not have to go to bars to meet other singles. Dating
is a difficult task, especially for older singles and single
parents. We aim to bring single Christian people together
from all parts of the country, so they get to know each other
and lead to a satisfying and happy marriage. That's what
this is all about. Those who have gone through divorce have
obviously made mistakes of one kind or another. Sadly, most
dive right back into the same problematic relationships because
they are following their feelings, not good relationship
reasoning. Our goal is to help them think about their relationships
and totally avoid them if it is a bad fit, before the emotions
take over. Part of that is helping our older members to think
better about themselves and put behind them their past relationship
mistakes, which may be hindering them from moving forward.
So, encouragement is also a big factor in what we do.
