By
Shelby G. Floyd
Credit: Google Images
One proven method of growing the church is by being a friend to man. Solomon taught in the book of Ecclesiastes that positive action brings about positive results: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again” (Ecclesiastes 11:1)
Jesus Christ was a friend to the individual as well as to a large group of people. When Jesus met the woman at the well in Samaria, he was kind to her and became a friend to her and this resulted in her having faith in the Son of God (John 4). Like Christ, we can take a lead in being a friend:
Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.
—Albert Camus
When a stranger visits the congregation, be kind to that person and become a friend to that person. People are not only interested in a congregation being friendly, but they are also interested in developing personal friendships. Many people desire to be an intimate part of a community of believers in Christ who follow God’s Word. To be a friend means that we must get involved in the everyday joys and sorrows of people just like us. A friend wants to be known and appreciated as well as to know and appreciate you:
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat
Nor hurl the cynic’s ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
—Sam Walter Foss
It is said that 7% of the people who do not even go to any church plan to attend some church, and 33% of those who do not attend any church are at least open to attending some church. And that means the church can be the Heartland congregation, if we will be a friend to man. The apostle John declared: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:11).
One way we can do this is when we have a social gathering with our friends, we can also invite one outsider to be with us and share the joy that we have in Christ (Philippians 4:4).
Copyright © 2015 Shelby Floyd All Rights Reserved
Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
shelby@thefloyds.net