Stand alone stags

For a while I'm been thinking about guys living away from their parents home.

It first arose at last year's young adults conference at Katoomba. Mark Driscoll, the speaker, was a HUGE advocate of guys standing on their own two feet and moving out. He used the Biblical teaching about marriage and leaving your mother and father and cleaving to your wife. Now, I'm ok with that in terms of marriage, but before then?

When asked this very question, Mark just went on this married guys rant and didn't answer the question. I also would want to ask Mark when does the "get out of your parents home" time frame kick in? 18? 21? When you've got a full time job? Post study? How does it work if you live in a place that costs a fortune to live in and wish to stay local?

Lately, the topic has poped up again as I've heard guys talk/plan on moving out of home.

I'm not against it. But i am wary.

When i think of guys moving out of home i see a dirty, smelly, run-down ghetto. Sure, they may not start that way, but that's how they end up. And, depending on the room-mates, i see parties and plenty of potentially compromising situation you just don't encounter at home.

If you don't have a believer as a roomie, i can't see how this could be avoided easily.

For starters, if they pick up chicks (or have a girlfriend) the issue of sex and relationships come on the agenda. Add this to you having your own bed (which is probably a double/queen) you have then new temptation to have a girlfriend over.

I avoided this by purposely having a single bed and staying at home (not that i think my folks would have minded overly). With no space and less privacy, the potential for late night rendezvous was greatly reduced.

With maturity, can a shared bachelor pad be beneficial? Sure. Can the experience help build maturity and enable you to be a better partner in the future? Definitely. Should a single chap live with his folks forever? NO WAY!

But can it be a slippery slope of new temptation? Maybe...