What does this mean?

Rich friendships are an incredible blessing in and of themselves, as we all search for a place to belong. They are also the primary context in which spiritual growth occurs. Friendships take hard work to form and maintain. We aim to see people striving to form the kind of friendships that are long lasting, transparent, and supportive; friendships where each person can feel safe to let their guard down and show their real selves.

One Minute Intro

Explore

These resources will help you explore what it would look like to develop this characteristic in your life as a disciple:

• READ “6 Costs of Real Friendships” by Jen Thorn (5 mins)
• WATCH “Cultivating Deeper Friendships” by Scott Sauls (2 mins). (EMBEDDED)

Pray and Reflect

1. How has friendship played a role thus far in your growth as a disciple?
2. What are the top two or three barriers in your life to forming deep, meaningful and honest friendships?
3. Pray that God would give you an increasing desire to open up your life to others, and an increasing grace to embrace the “costs” of true friendships.

Dive Deeper

Check out these books and videos for a “deep dive” into the theology and practice of how to intentionally lead others to live as gospel-centered disciples.

• “Friendship” Sermon from Tim Keller in Proverbs:  True Wisdom For Living Series A great sermon on the unique necessity of friendship, the forging of true friendship, and how the power that comes from Christ helps us form true friendships.
• Befriend by Scott Sauls:  Create Belonging In an Age of Judgment, Isolation, and Fear This book makes “a case for friendship” by sketching a deep picture of real, biblical friendship and through a series of twenty essays illustrating what it looks like to truly befriend all types of people.
• Caring for One Another: 8 Ways To Cultivate Meaningful Relationships by Ed Welch This book explores practical ways that we can “care for each other’s souls” in the context of meaningful friendships.
• Brene Brown, TED Talk on The Power of Vulnerability This talk explores the connection between vulnerability and real human connection.

Get Connected

Growing as a disciple is a group project.  Here’s how you can grow in this characteristic with others: 

• I’d like to join a small group where I can discover with others how to lead others to live as gospel-centered disciples.
• I’d like to get coffee with a staff member and consider how I can either begin or continue to lead others to live as gospel-centered disciples. Email Richard to set this up.
• I’d like to attend a Connect I or Connect II gathering at the church and find out how I can more intentionally “belong” to the church, and form friendships.