friends

Everyone knows in their heads that friendships are important. But the experience of many is that we’re in a pronounced decline when it comes to experiencing friendships.

Don’t get me wrong; most people in the church are friendly. Most people treat pastors with respect. But it can be hard to find true friends among those you’re charged to shepherd.

When it comes to sharing examples of bad friends, I always point to a night I remember so clearly. I was driving down a dark, narrow two-lane road with the gas pedal to the floor. Intoxicated. It was the night my life hit rock bottom.

Barna Research discovered that 61% of pastors are lonely and have few close friends. The loneliest people in churches are often pastors. 

Then I read this Proverb and thought about Twitter as an angry friend. If this “friend” is fueling this type of negativity in my life then it’s not a friend. An angry friend probably has a few redeeming qualities, but this proverb calls us to not befriend a person given to anger. Never. Ever. Period.

If you want to help a wayward friend be restored to Jesus, be ready to bring Jesus' Word to your friend. Study the Scriptures, learn the gospel backward and forward, memorize helpful passages, plan what Bible stories you might read with them, and be bold.

The difference between churches that are growing and those that aren’t is prevailing churches enable their people to invite friends to church. Growing churches are...

I've personally been burned several times by trusting the wrong people with information. It’s wonderful to think a pastor can be totally transparent with everyone, but honestly, especially in some churches, complete transparency will cause you to lose your ministry.