One of the most amazing things Jesus ever said was that we are his friends.
If we are sons and daughters of the King, that makes us brothers and sisters of one another. And if we all friends of Jesus, that makes us friends of one another. The apostle John closed a letter by saying, “The friends greet you.” That’s how he described the church.
In contemporary western church culture, the idea of friendship is in need of massive revival.
As far as church goes in our culture, administratively we are members, functionally we are co-delivers of services, spiritually we are (all too often) consumers of those services, theologically we are co-believers in certain doctrinal teachings, but relationally…..
Relationally we don’t what we are. The truth is we hardly understand the idea of Biblical relationship.
And that’s where Jesus’ idea of friendship fits in. Or should. The sad truth is that people may be in church on Sunday morning but frequently have more friends at work, on the sports field or out in the community.
The church should be the best place on earth for real lifelong friendships to flourish. The church was designed to be the best relational network on the planet.
Part of our problem is we buy into the lie that churches should be slick ministry-producing machines. Pastors are hired and fired and move from one job to the next, just like bank managers. It’s hardly any wonder that members follow suit. We are so focussed on producing results we have lost sight of something absolutely central to Christianity.
Let me explain.
Jesus called us into the intimate love-relationship he had with the Father. He called us to be one with him and with each other just as he is one with the Father. Jesus designed the church so that the fellowship of the Trinity would overflow into it. And as that happened, the incredible manifestation of the love of God that resulted would itself serve as the foundation for all evangelism and growth. Seeing God’s love manifested within the church is the strongest reason of all to believe that God is real.
Church commitment grows out of relationship. Working together on church teams or projects grows out of relationship. What we believe comes out of the Word as it is taught in the context of relationship. Pastoral care is birthed out of relationship. And most successful evangelism also comes out of relationship.
All of this came home to me recently. Over a period of several weeks, and without really planning it, we had meetings with five sets of friends, all of whom we have known for between 25 and (in my case) 45 years, all people we love and could call on if we needed them. When you sow in friendship, you reap a very rich harvest.
You can’t be friends with everyone, even in a church. But if each of us builds a small network of friends, that network will soon be the greatest strength of our local church. It will enable the church to survive internal tensions, and to grow. And it will never become inward looking, because we will always be out there looking for new friends.
If you’re short of friends, don’t sit around and pout. Go out and make some. Before Jesus called you to any responsibility, duty or office, he called you to be friends. And you cannot be friends of his without being friends of his people. You receive God’s love in order to give it away.
But remember this: what you get back will amaze you.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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