Why Christian friendship is important for your life

Christian friendship is one of the most underrated weapons in the Christian arsenal. Recently, I was experiencing a lot of anxiety and discouragement over specific issues within my family and ministry. On my own, I tried praying, reading my word, and listening to a fantastic podcast, but none of it helped. After several distressing days, I contacted some of my mature Christian friends, seeking their prayers as I went through spiritual warfare. One of my friends even called me and let me confide in her about my struggles. She prayed for me, and soon after, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. It is crucial to remember that our Christian journey was not designed for us to undertake on our own. The Bible says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).

Why you need Christian Friends: 

1. Breakthrough happens in community.

Paul may have been the most extraordinary Christian ever to live, and even he needed friends to pray and care for him.  After teaching the Ephesian church about spiritual warfare, he asked them, “Pray also for me” (Ephesians 6:19).  Despite being deserted by many friends, Paul refused to give up on Christian friendship. He persevered and developed new relationships, as evidenced by the blessings he received from them – as described in Romans chapter 16. This illustrates the importance of Christian friendship for personal growth and furthering kingdom work. Like Paul, we, too, need Christian friends to support us on our journey toward righteousness.

2. Accountability happens in the community.

In my opinion, it would be advantageous for the Church to reintroduce accountability partners. In the late 90s, when I got saved, we did not depend on the church staff to keep us accountable. Instead, we were encouraged to make trusted friends. We learned about accountability through our friendships. However, nowadays, we tend to replace accountability partners with social media followers. We have become proficient in pretending and putting up a façade yet have not achieved genuine success. It is crucial to relearn the art of confessing our mistakes and shortcomings to one another to find healing. It is not advisable to attempt to navigate life alone. If you are going through a rough patch, it is essential to open up and share your struggles with others, as advised in the Bible. 

Here are some helpful tips on finding an accountability partner. If you’re seeking an accountability partner, consider starting your search at your local church. When seeking an accountability partner, consider finding someone of a similar age and gender. Additionally, it may be helpful to pray and ask for divine guidance. Then take the step of faith and reach out to a safe, trusted, and respectable peer and ask them to be your accountability partner. Most people would be honored to be asked. One significant aspect of an accountability partnership is that it involves a mutually interdependent relationship. Arrange a regular weekly schedule for communication and prayer with each other. You can meet in person, over the phone, or through Zoom. Cultivating accountability between you both is a priceless investment of time and effort and will be invaluable in your spiritual growth!

3. Together, we are the Church.

It is a common misconception that one can be a Christian without being a part of the Church. I even used to claim that I was the Church and did not need to attend services. And while it is true that the Church is more than the buildings and programs we have built, we should not be so arrogant to think that we are the Church by ourselves. The people who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ are the Church. Life presents various challenges, and being a Christian in our current culture can be challenging. However, we must realize that we cannot overcome these challenges by ourselves and must rely on one another for support. I leave you with this Scripture as encouragement, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25)

Here are some helpful tips on growing in your faith with others. You can attend a local church regularly, join a Bible study or a small group where you can build meaningful friendships, and contribute your time and resources to serve your local church community. These are all excellent ways to strengthen your connection with God and others.

Christian friends are instrumental in personal growth and advancing God’s kingdom. Like Paul, we need friends for accountability, confession, and healing. The Church is not merely a concept but a community of believers who support and encourage one another. Engaging in activities such as being an active local church member, joining Bible studies or small groups, and serving the community can strengthen your bond with God and other believers. This can lead to spiritual development and the opportunity to form genuine Christian friendships. If you are struggling in this area, keep pressing forward. Christian friendship is a gift from God that must be cultivated.