Non Believing Friends
One of the things I've slacked off lately is forming new friendships w/ NBFs. My excuse is that I am involved w/ so much @ church. How can I be salt and light w/o building relationships w/ those who do not know Christ? It is very easy for us just to hang w/ our Christian friends b/c we do not want to be challenged. One thing I admire about my pastor is that he constantly challenges us to form relationships with NBFs b/c he does it himself like being involved in the local little league and going to the same restaurant and getting to know the workers there. Anyway, I started attending this spin class 3x a week and am getting to know some people. It's so good to form new friendships whether the person is NBF or not. So if you don't have any NBFs, then it's time to start looking to make new friends like finding a new hairstylist, a new laundry place, a club of your interest, and go consistently so that you can build relationships with them. Otherwise, can you be salt and light just doing "church" things and hanging out w/ your Christian friends?
posted by Mercy Now @ 8:19 AM
3 Comments:
I don't think we should label people as NBF but to make a distinction. If not, we are like Z88 (a local Christian station that I can't stand, partly due to the imitation music but mostly due to the hosts). It's a Christian bubble to the nth degree.
I say NBF as a challenge, otherwise, we don't make an effort to get out of our bubble and become just like any other clubs. The gospel is that we don't only accept people who are like us but that people who are unlike us. We are not out to convert like the jihadists but to show them life in Christ. Whether they believe or not is up to the Holy Spirit.
We should make a distinction just as an employer would with its employees. This is to know where they are and train some to become managers and managers to become directors. It is to improve their lives if they so desire. If not, they are still employees (in our discussion people created in God's image). We are commanded to spread the Word to every tribe and make disciples. If no distinction, then how can we go about this? Was Jim Elliot not to ID the tribes in Ecuador? Was Calvin not to send missionaries from Geneva back to France where he knew many were lost?
On a side note: two things I can't stand are passing out tracks and EE. These are the two most insulting things we can do. It's basically a sales pitch and when we are done, we say that we have done our part in reaching out to the world. The other thing I can't stand are friends of mine who moved to other "safer" places to live since certain cities were not a good places to raise a family. If we all move to our own safe cities, then who's left to show the gospel to the lost? Who's there to show mercy and stand up for justice?
my thoughts are sort of in the middle of what you are both saying. we SHOULD be intentional to be "in" the world we live in and invest in the people in our surroundings. HOWEVER, I do not believe that i am a salesperson for Jesus and have to build relationships for the purpose of sharing Christ. The Holy Spirit sells - I'm just a follower in a t-shirt.
This is why I appreciate Michael a lot b/c he will challenge me. It's like iron sharpens iron except I'm always the sharper one. Did I say 'always', yes I did:o)
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