Pastor and author Josh Harris says that he no longer feels his bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye is helpful. In fact, he says, he now realizes it may have caused damage or hurt for some of its readers. 

Harris released a statement on his website on Monday announcing that his publisher has agreed to discontinue printing new copies of the book after a two-year process of "re-evaluating the book." 

He says that process included "inviting people to share their stories with me on my website, personal phone calls with readers, an in-depth study of issues surrounding my book overseen by one of my graduate school professors, and finally, creating a documentary film that captured the conversations with people who were reshaping my thinking."

Harris said in the statement, "While I stand by my book’s call to sincerely love others, my thinking has changed significantly in the past twenty years. I no longer agree with its central idea that dating should be avoided." He wrote that he now believes dating can be a healthy choice for people in "learning the qualities that matter most in a partner."

He admitted that the book had what he called weaknesses:

In an effort to set a high standard, the book emphasized practices (not dating, not kissing before marriage) and concepts (giving your heart away) that are not in the Bible. In trying to warn people of the potential pitfalls of dating, it instilled fear for some—fear of making mistakes or having their heart broken. The book also gave some the impression that a certain methodology of relationships would deliver a happy-ever-after ending—a great marriage, a great sex life—even though this is not promised by Scripture.

Harris said that he is "sincerely sorry" to anybody that read the book and was "misdirected or unhelpfully influenced by it.

"In light of the flaws I now see in I Kissed Dating Goodbye, I think it’s best to discontinue its publication, as well other supplemental resources tied to it."