How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Romans 10:14

Notice what’s missing? There’s no mention of friendship. The modern translation of Romans 14 reads, “How can they believe unless you grab coffee with them and listen to their story?”

The church is CONVINCED that the first step toward Jesus is a relationship with church people. We have made ourselves the middle man between God and sinners. We’ve taken Jesus words upon ourselves, “Nobody comes to the Father, except by me.”

How many times have you kept your mouth shut about sin because you didn’t want to “hurt your relationship” with the sinner? Nowhere in the Bible will you find a scripture that says, “Speak the truth unless it will cost you a friend.” However, if you look, you’ll find a bunch of scripture that suggest following Christ will END some “friendships.”

You aren’t “leading” anyone unless you’re out front. Following orders is not leadership. Meeting the demands of secular “friendship” makes you a follower, not a leader. The leader is the sinner who tells you what you must do in order to “win them to The Lord.”

• Pay my bills.
• Feed me.
• Listen to my story.
• Don’t judge.
• Serve me.
• Tolerate my poor choices.

You’ve never noticed that the requirements for friendship with sinners are THE EXACT THINGS Jesus requires everyone to turn over to Him. Your “loving relationship with the lost” is keeping them from having a loving relationship with their Creator.

If you really want to be a friend, skip the coffee and just preach the truth to people.