Christian Singles Information-exchange

The Christian Singles Information-exchange (CSI) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the likelihood of successful marriages and decreasing the likelihood of divorce and troubled marriages by application of the sociological "rules of homogamy" or rules of companionability. It has been in continuous business since 1989 and is based on members applying their own standards of compatibility in their search for a suitable partner for marriage.

The system, which was developed as part of a Wichita State University Sociology Class revolutionized the early and mostly unsuccessful computer-dating systems of the 1970s and 1980s, which attempted to use computer code to match various members of a computer database. By the mid-1990s not one of the early computer-dating systems remained in business, and virtually all new start-up singles organizations had gone to a companionability orientated system like CSI.

The CSI system has been copied, in part or in whole, by thousands of computer-based singles organizations, either directly, or indirectly, that started-up in the 1990s and beyond, including both commercial and religious groups.

The 1996 Directory of US Singles Organizations, published in the book: "How to Find Your True Love Now" by Diane Mordecai, published by Diamondworks Publishing; ISBN 0-9654685-4-2, listed The Christian Singles Information Exchange under its short title, "Christian Singles, Inc." It also indexed CSI the same abbreviated way, but used the long title in its article and description.

Partly due to the publication of the above book, the use of, the name "Christian Singles" was challenged in Federal Court.

On March 30, 1998, The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, owners of a magazine titled: "Christian Single" filed a civil action against the Christian Singles Information Exchange, under Federal Case No: 3-98 0286.

In that case, CSI successfully defended its claim to use the name "Christian Singles" in its primary title, as well as in the title of each of its 50 State Subchapters, and in the names of the international and territorial subchapters. Arguments were presented and heard in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.

After about a year of litigation, The case was settled on February 9, 1999 by an Agreed Order signed by United States magistrate judge Juliet Griffin.

Membership in any subchapter of The Christian Singles Info-exchange gives that person full access to member information in all of the subchapters listed.

In 1991, The Office of National Service nominated CSI for a Presidential Point-of-Light Award. Upon receiving the nomination, CSI received a letter from then president George H. W. Bush, which included the following: "Thank you for your commitment to Community Service. Through your generosity and hard work, you have shown that the tradition of neighbor helping neighbor is alive and well in our country. Your efforts profoundly influence the life of your community and are a shining example for us all. Barbara joins me in saluting you and sending you our best wishes. God bless you." George Bush, President of the United States of America.

In 1996, Governor Bill Graves, (Governor of Kansas 1995-2003) said in a statement: "The information system administered by the Christian Singles Info-exchange provides us with hope for a better tomorrow. For far too long, our country has ignored its 50% divorce rate and our society is now feeling the negative results. Every divorce or troubled marriage is, of course, a tragedy for the families involved, but its effects go beyond the family. Welfare dependent numbers, educational problems, and juvenile crime are just a few areas negatively affected. I applaud the efforts of The Christian Singles Info-exchange, as they work toward lowering our nation's rate of divorce and troubled marriages."