Friends

John 1:45 'Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses wrote, Jesus of Nazareth..."

Friends talk. Friends spend time together, share fun and concerns. Friends have no ulterior motive. They simply enjoy their companionship and grow as a result of it. When we have friends who have a marginal relationship with God, or less, it's important that those friendships not be manipulated toward the Christian evangelist's agenda. At the same time, it would be strange, in a genuine friendship, not to share something that is as meaningful to us as our relationship with Christ. The way that is done, though, is the key to any future possibility of deepening the relationship and expanding the dialog.

"When it comes to our interaction with outsiders, we have to realize that our relationships, our interactions with people, comprise the picture of Jesus that people retain. God has wired human beings so that spiritual influence occurs most commonly through relationships. One of the clear implications of our research is that the negative image of Christians can be overcome, and this almost always happens in the context of meaningful, trusting relationships. The goal of overcoming their negative baggage is not just to make outsiders think pleasant things about us, but to point them to life in Christ. We do not "spin" the Christian message; we live it. We do not need to exaggerate or hype faith; we embrace and describe all the potency, depth, complexity, and realism of following Christ."
-- David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian, Baker Books, 2007.