My go to book on Friendship
I was incredibly surprised how much was packed into this tiny little book! It covered a lot of ground really helpfully, and it is my go-to recommendation out of all the books on friendship that I've read.
Hazel
True Friendship
I cannot recommend this book more highly. I read it every year to help me think in a godly way about the friendships I enjoy (and the ones I don’t!). It helped me realise that to have good friends I need to be a good friend. Sometimes that means more intentionality in particular friendships, and sometimes that means being less overbearing and having more realistic expectations on my friends. Roberts points to Jesus al the way through, drawing on biblical wisdom and human experience to produce an excellent short read on a crucial topic for Christians and others.
Ed Tulloch
True Friendship
“True Friendship” is a brief but highly practical exploration of what true friendship looks like and should be in every sense. Roberts explores not just how to identify and start deep friendships, but he also offers many helpful and practical tips on how to maintain, grow and protect these friendships, especially from idolatry. Roberts keeps Christ and the biblical pattern for friendship at its core whilst offering numerous points of reflection and examination along the way. For those without close friendships, Roberts provides plenty of starting points; and for those with close Christ centred friendships he offers much to be thankful and to praise God for.
Kelly Tomlinson
True Friendship
This little book is one of the best books I’ve read on church fellowship. It may not be radically ground–breaking or filled with new ideas, but it is simple, practical, Spirit–filled and persuasive. Vaughan Roberts begins from the key premise that our salvation should “restore our relationships with each other as well as with God”, and proceeds from there to explore what that should mean and look like for the church today. This book is an ode to the importance of friendship, and a closely–packed handbook of its challenges and beauties. Friendships inside the church, as much as outside, require hard work, sensitivity, honesty and love. Sometimes this can be easy, but often it is not.
Remarkably for such a short book, Roberts touches on many of the key issues in church fellowship, including gender, marriage, intentionality and forgiveness. He provides encouragement, but also forces clear–eyed self–reflection. Most importantly of all, he also emphasises the truth that only Christ can provide perfect friendship, and that only out of a secure and meaningful relationship with Him can we be a true friend to others. One for any church member, but also winsome enough to give to someone who is seeking.
Miriam Montgomery, Free Church Books
True Friendship
Friendship is a topic that is rarely tackled. This book is an excellent introduction to Christian friendship.
I particularly liked the concept of the "idolatry of Eros" in our culture: married people withdrawing from other friends, and single people feeling left out.
Christians are often too busy and neglect friendship. This is a timely call to a better way.
Stephen Ayre
Rare book on friendship
Friendship is a topic that is rarely tackled. This book is an excellent introduction to Christian friendship.
I particularly liked the concept of the "idolatry of Eros" in our culture: married people withdrawing from other friends, and single people feeling left out.
Christians are often too busy and neglect friendship. This is a timely call to a better way.
Stephen Ayre
True Friendship
A super little book – really, really helpful.
Christopher Ash
Super
A super little book – really, really helpful.
Christopher Ash
True Friendship
Three hours. That’s the time it took me to read this book, skim the reflection questions, work out which areas I needed to pray about more and send some texts to key friends who have been dropping off my radar recently. That was three hours well spent!
In this winsome and wise text, Vaughan Roberts explores a subject that is dear to our hearts but often poorly understood in a biblical framework – friendship. In a few short pages he shows that friendship is integral to what it means to be human – necessary if we are to live wisely as children of God and a great opportunity to give, receive and grow.
Throughout the book, Vaughan is careful to walk the line – never encouraging us to become a stoic, looking soley to the needs of others nor advocating unhealthy dependency where our hope rests in other people. Instead, this bite–sized resource is a great spur to do friendship Jesus’ way – aspiring to be children of God who give and receive love, nurture and encouragement to change.
It’s a great read… and a great spur to do friendship better. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off for a cuppa with a mate now…
Helen Thorne
A great spur to do friendship better
Three hours. That’s the time it took me to read this book, skim the reflection questions, work out which areas I needed to pray about more and send some texts to key friends who have been dropping off my radar recently. That was three hours well spent!
In this winsome and wise text, Vaughan Roberts explores a subject that is dear to our hearts but often poorly understood in a biblical framework – friendship. In a few short pages he shows that friendship is integral to what it means to be human – necessary if we are to live wisely as children of God and a great opportunity to give, receive and grow.
Throughout the book, Vaughan is careful to walk the line – never encouraging us to become a stoic, looking soley to the needs of others nor advocating unhealthy dependency where our hope rests in other people. Instead, this bite–sized resource is a great spur to do friendship Jesus’ way – aspiring to be children of God who give and receive love, nurture and encouragement to change.
It’s a great read… and a great spur to do friendship better. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off for a cuppa with a mate now…
Helen Thorne
