The MyFriends Lifestyle
Many followers of Jesus long to see their friends come to know Him, but they are not always sure where to begin.
The MyFriends Lifestyle will give you a simple way to live with love, prayer, care, and Gospel purpose among the people God has already placed in your life.
It is not built around special events or religious programs. It begins with your own friends, family, neighbours, workmates, and community. As you love them, pray for them, care for them, and share what God is doing in your life, you help create natural opportunities for them to experience Jesus and discover God’s story for themselves.
Three things you can always do
The MyFriends Lifestyle begins with three simple practices that every follower of Jesus can grow in.
- Respond to God’s love. God loved us first. As we respond to His love, we begin to align our hearts with His purpose to bring salvation to our friends, our families, and to people who are still far from Him.
- Pray for your friends. Prayer is not a small thing. When we pray, we come before the God who created the universe and ask Him to work in the lives of people we care about. Many of the changes we long to see are too deep for us to produce ourselves. We need God to open hearts, change circumstances, and draw people to Jesus.
- Care for your friends. Care means paying attention to what is really happening in your friend’s life. It means moving beyond “How are you?” and learning to ask, “How are you really?” It may be as simple as remembering a birthday, offering practical help, listening well, or introducing someone to a person who can help them.
Helping your friends experience Jesus
As you love, pray, and care, God will often open doors for deeper spiritual conversations. When that happens, there are several simple things you can do.
- Share what God is doing in your life. Be specific. Share real stories that connect with your friend’s experience. Tell them not only what happened, but how you felt and how Jesus helped you. Simple, honest stories are often easier for friends to understand than a formal presentation.
- Let your friends experience God. When a friend shares a need, ask if you can pray for them. Use everyday words they can understand. Pray naturally in Jesus’ name. If appropriate, invite them to pray too. Afterwards, ask what they noticed or whether they sensed God doing anything in response to the prayer.
- Connect your friend to Jesus. Help your friend understand that God is not far away. He is ready to forgive, restore, and welcome them through Jesus. You may want to share how you became a follower of Jesus. If your friend wants to know how they can begin a relationship with God, you may find this Gospel outline helpful.
- Release your friend to reach others. Encourage your friend to share what they are discovering with their own friends and family. From the beginning, help them see that following Jesus is not only personal. It is something they can pass on to others.
Forming discovery groups
When two or more of your friends want to discover God’s story together, you can help them begin meeting as a simple group.
- Form a group. Ask your friends if they would like to meet regularly to talk about God and discover what the Bible says. You might meet weekly, fortnightly, or around special opportunities. The Life Principles studies are a helpful place to begin.
- Talk about the Basics. Once you have a group of three to seven people who want to walk through God’s story together, you can begin using The Basics .
- Celebrate new life in Jesus. Important decisions are often celebrated with the people who matter to us. The decision to follow Jesus is celebrated in baptism. Here are some ideas for organising a baptism party where family, friends, and community can share in the celebration.
- Live as a community. Faith is best lived out with others who are learning to follow Jesus together. After your group has completed the first journey, you can use this simple community outline with any Bible passage.
Start with the people God has already placed around you
You do not need to wait for a special event. You can begin this week with the people already in your life.
Respond to God’s love. Pray for your friends. Care for them in practical ways. Share what Jesus is doing in your life. Invite them to discover God’s story with others.
This is the MyFriends Lifestyle.