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
True Friendship
‘True Friendship’ is a very short book (less than 100 pages). There are only six chapters (and they are all alliterated for those Baptists reading this). Chapter one is a call to friendship, after that Roberts begins to lay out the characteristics of friendship – it should be close, constant, candid and careful. He then finishes with a chapter on the importance of Christ in friendships.
There are several things which are excellent about ‘True Friendship’:
1) Roberts has his finger on the pulse of modern society. In the introduction Roberts talks about the phenomenal success of the American sit–com ‘Friends’. He quotes one of the actors from the show who says ‘It’s a fantasy for a lot of people – having a group of friends who become like family’ (pg. 11). In this technological age we can contact whoever we want in an instant from the comfort of our own sofa, yet instead of strengthening friendships, more often than not, this has only weakened them. Friendship is one element of modern life that is missing and Roberts has identified that.
2) Roberts is straight forward in how he talks about the topic. Often books on practical topics like this allow us wiggle room to pinpoint faults in those around. However, Roberts does not allow this self–righteousness to settle in our hearts – he gives us a summons to consider our own failings on this front. We are encouraged to think about our actions, confess our sins, receive forgiveness and try again – ‘Pray, Trust, Obey. Ad infinitum’ (see What’s in a resolution? By Nathan Blair). Roberts does not let you off the hook easily and that’s a good thing.
3) For those who have not read Roberts before, be reassured this is not a self–help book. Roberts writes with great theological awareness and a good handling of Scripture. Of particular benefit is his use of Proverbs.
4) Nonetheless, this is not a dry theological treatise on friendship. Throughout the book Roberts applies the lessons of his chapters and gives very practical advice. For example, in the middle of the book Roberts gives four pointers to building friendships. He says be selective, be open, be interested and be committed (pgs. 47–50) and under each heading he takes time to explain why and how these are to be carried out. In addition to the practical content there are also questions at the end of each chapter for personal reflection or group discussion.
5) This book is short, with small pages, large font and is therefore very readable (Roberts is a particularly readable author). Because of this it makes this resource accessible to everyone – it can be read by everyone; teenagers to seniors, enjoyed by the reader and non–reader alike.
There are some things which I think we miss out on though:
1) While having a short book is of benefit, I am also left wanting more from Roberts. It is like eating small portions at a posh restaurant – what you get is great, but you always want more. This is heightened by the belief that Roberts would certainly have more to say on the topic, and the more would be just as good as what’s in the book.
2) Probably connected to the brevity of the book I also felt I would like more clarification on the distinctions in friendship for married and single people, as well as some more guidance on friendships with Christians and non–Christians. At times Roberts did mention these things briefly, but very often it was only a passing comment. I am left with questions like ‘Do I have to get a new best friend if I become a Christian?’, ‘Can my spouse be my best friend? Or do I need someone who can speak into my marriage?’, ‘What bearing does this have on friendship evangelism?’, ‘Should I have any truly close friends who are not believers?’.
On the whole Vaughan Roberts’ book ‘True Friendship’ is a great read. It is a timely book that offers page after page of wisdom on an aspect of life at which many of us today are notoriously bad.
So, if you are in a book club, have a group of friends you’d like to grow closer to, or are just lonely, get this book, read it and then put its principles into practice – our churches need members who have true friendships.
DAVY ELLISON
