We’re doing Introducing God at church this term. We just did week seven tonight. We’ve got an odd mix of people where probably 75% of the regulars are Christians who are hoping their irregular non-Christian friends will turn up, or are just there in lieu of small groups.
I’ve been sitting with a couple of guys – one of whom is a new Christian from a very non-Christian background (the guy I’m cooking with), the other is his housemate who has grown up in a staunchly Christian home who is not a Christian. Tonight was good. We’re at the stage where a relationship exists and some pressure can be comfortably exerted.
Having a relationship with someone is pretty important if you’re going to understand where they’re coming from in order to offer an alternative or a critique on their life.
Mikey Lynch is an AFES worker in Tassie who has handed out tasks to his student leaders to make sure they have relationships with non-Christians. These relationships are important. And his challenges look fun.
The challenges are things like:
- Catch up with an old school friend,
- Be chatty to everyone you interact with,
- Catch public transport and chat to the people you sit next to,
- Go to the pub and talk to people at the bar,
- Piggy back on someone else’ hobby.
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And I just thought I’d mention in an encouraging sort of way that chating to people on public transport is not impossible, if you’re willing to push yourself – even for a hopeless introvert like me. And by willing to push yourself I don’t mean that you have to strike up conversations, even – just be willing to have a conversation struck up with you.
I find this topic difficult. Mostly because I’m tired of being made to feel guilty for not having enough non-Christian friends. I have two. I’m meeting up with both of them tomorrow. One I see every few months, the other I see every week or two. It was a LOT of effort for me to make those two friends, and I’m stuck for how to make more friends, and still be able to maintain my friendship with my Christian friends. I’m not making excuses, it’s just the way it is.