About

Friendship: it's one of the simplest of human relationships in comparison to marriage or family relationships, yet it's one of the least understood and practiced. For all of our progress in making connections through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, people are consistently experiencing loneliness and growing disenchanted with the whole notion of friendship. Could it be that our understanding of friendship has been more informed by pop culture and social media, and less informed by the vision of friendship offered in Scripture? Is it possible that friendship exists for a greater purpose than merely our enjoyment and comfort? Does real friendship involve more than just hanging out on a weekend, participating in a book club, or hitting the golf course together? These questions and more are answered in this book. Broader and deeper than simple fellowship, biblical friendship is first and foremost about a relationship with Jesus Christ. As you are brought into friendship and relationship with the Father, Jesus Christ calls you a friend! It is out of this friendship that our human friendships find their beginning and their purpose. Aelred, a Cistercian monk who wrote a profound treatise on friendship, said, "And so in friendship are joined honor and charm, truth and joy, sweetness and good-will, affection and action. And all these take their beginning from Christ, advance through Christ, and are perfected in Christ." This is the core of biblical friendship, and what sets it apart from what the world is offering: it all flows from Jesus Christ. Friendship finds its origin, purpose, and power in Jesus. Our human friendships then must be shaped by this life-changing truth. Biblical friendship is deep, honest, pure, transparent, and liberating. It is also attainable. Dig into this book, and learn how your friendships can embody this amazing and wonderful reality.

Reviews

'Jonathan Holmes has the enviable ability to say a great deal in a few words. Here is a wonderful primer on the nature of biblical friendship - what it means and why it matters' - Alistair Begg - Truth for Life.

'Jonathan's four marks of biblical friendship - constancy, candor, carefulness, and counsel - provide a robust and relevant GPS for intentional and vulnerable gospel-centered friendships...a great book not only for individuals, but also for groups...a significant contribution to the Kingdom.' - Robert W. Kellemen; Executive director, Biblical Counseling Coalitiion.

'Short. Thoughtful. Biblical. Practical. I'm planning on getting my friends to read this book so we can transform our friendships into something more biblical.' Deepak Reju - Pastor of Biblical Counseling & Families, Capitol Hill Baptist.

About the author

Jonathan Holmes is the Founder and Executive Director of Fieldstone Counseling. He also serves as the Pastor of Counseling for Parkside Church Bainbridge and Green. Jonathan graduated from The Master’s University with degrees in Biblical Counseling and History and his MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of The Company We Keep and Counsel for Couples and the forthcoming books, Rescue Skills & Rescue Plan (P&R Publishing, 2021).

Jonathan has written for a number of sites and organizations including Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Biblical Counseling Coalition, the ERLC, and the Journal for Biblical Counseling. Jonathan serves on the Board of Directors for CCEF (Christian Counseling Educational Foundation) and the Council Board for the BCC (Biblical Counseling Coalition). He is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats. He and his wife, Jennifer, have four daughters, Ava, Riley, Ruby, and Emma.