John is my oldest friend who is still a friend in AZ. Although he moved last year he was back for a visit. The minus 15 degrees in Iowa was a good reason, and business, and...friendship.
John and I met through a relative over 18 years ago, a fellow Christian who asked John to come hear me preach and try to figure out what was wrong with me and my teaching. John told his cousin he was listening to a Calvinist, and he was right, and most of those who were in that church thought something was wrong as well.
The church tolerated me for seven years, and John and I became friends and we each taught things to each other about our faith and our belief systems.
We both reached places that have brought us closer to each other but farther from the classic belief systems of the organized church.
John has never been a regular church attender since we met, I have never missed a Sunday in decades. Yet we have great fellowship and friendship.
Mike is also a friend and we all met for breakfast and conversation today. Iron sharpened iron, and it was a good time together.
I like it when Jesus told the disciples that he would now call them friends, friends can be honest, friends can complain and not be rejected, friends can encourage when you are downhearted.
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