Biblical Essays
SIX GOOD FRIENDS OR JESUS
A modern-day preacher for a large church wrote in his bulletin: “Special people are a ‘must.’ Jesus had them. Those who study church growth tell us that in order for a new member to have a good chance of remaining faithful, he needs to establish six good friends in the local congregation. Do you have 6 close friends at church?”
No one questions the importance of friends. Life would be bleak indeed without them. A friend’s loyalty, trust, and love helps to make life meaningful and worthwhile. Rocket science is not required to understand and appreciate that a special and close friend is truly a blessing – a cherished treasure.
However, something is missing in any preacher who presents the concept that to be faithful one needs six close friends at church. Is the preacher suggesting that Jesus was faithful to God because He had special friends? If six close friends at church are required to remain faithful, how did Jesus survive toward the bitter end? His small group of close friends deserted Him. He was alone. Nevertheless He stayed the course. But, based on the thinking of this so-called preacher, how could our Lord do that without the support of six good friends? Jesus remained faithful because He loved His Father in heaven. Having six good friends at church keeps one about as faithful as having six good Bibles at home.
Believing in, walking with, and loving Jesus builds strong and enduring faith. We need lessons on church growth and faithfulness, but which one do you think God considers most important? We become spiritually weak and faithless when we follow man’s wisdom, six good friends; instead of believing in and following the eternal wisdom of God – Jesus Christ. A true gospel preacher would never imply; hint; or publicly write that to remain faithful we need more that Jesus Christ? Perhaps this preacher was overtaken by and consumed with society’s emphasis on numbers, budgets, and self-promotion. Why have some preachers apparently signed on to the materialistic search for and seeking of new and more modern schemes for church growth? While carelessly or perhaps unknowingly storing God’s power – Jesus Christ – away somewhere out of view, back in the shadows of heart and mind? What turns spiritual weakness into spiritual strength – Six good friends or Jesus?
Did Patrick Henry say, “Give me liberty or give me death” because six good friends were supportive? Suffering from palsy and with shaky hand, Stephen Hopkins signed the Declaration of Independence saying, “My hand trembles, but my heart does not.” Did he need six good friends to remain fearlessly faithful to freedom? In 1776 a small group of 56 brave men signed freedom’s declaration, forming a union that would grow into a mighty nation. Backed up by the power of the Gospel, how many faithful Christians do we need in our group to cover the world with the Good News? Does the number 12 ring a bell? Even a cornbread understanding of Fox’s Book of Martyrs provides a clear vision of God fearing dedication, loyalty, and faithfulness. Did those faithful Christian martyrs face hungry lions because they had six good friends or Jesus?
It’s not six good friends we need, but one Friend of Friends – Jesus Christ. Only in and through Jesus is there hope of eternal life. Does God want numbers? Yes, of course. He wants the whole world to believe and be faithful, and it grieves Him that the majority will never do so. Here’s the reality: “Many are called, but few chosen.” (Matt. 20:16, NKJV). Jesus also said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt. 10:37-38; NKJV). It will always be true that “the laborers are few,” so why are we so concerned about numbers and budgets? Is it because of Prestige; Power; Self-promotion? Doesn’t it make sense to spend what limited time we have preaching the Gospel? Converting people to Jesus rather than to a system or form of religion? We desperately need preachers who are spiritually strong; who simply preach the Gospel, letting the chips fall where they may.
Satan unceasingly works to move mankind further away from dependence on Jesus Christ. Attempts to switch our focus and attention from Jesus to six good friends may not seem like much on the surface, but in spiritual reality it’s the difference between crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land and going back into the wilderness; between speaking to and striking the rock; between believing in Jesus and crucifying Him.
The concept of needing six good friends to remain faithful is like Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking half a century ago. It has so much about it that is true that one feels guilty raising a point of caution, yet it has too little depth or balance to make it the foundation of a faith strong enough to withstand the rigors of life in a fallen and hostile world.” What keeps faith strong; six good friends or Jesus?
