This little book is one of the best books I’ve read on church fellowship. It may not be radically ground-breaking or filled with new ideas, but it is simple, practical, Spirit-filled and persuasive. Vaughan Roberts begins from the key premise that our salvation should "restore our relationships with each other as well as with God", and proceeds from there to explore what that should mean and look like for the church today. This book is an ode to the importance of friendship, and a closely-packed handbook of its challenges and beauties. Friendships inside the church, as much as outside, require hard work, sensitivity, honesty and love. Sometimes this can be easy, but often it is not.

Remarkably for such a short book, Roberts touches on many of the key issues in church fellowship, including gender, marriage, intentionality and forgiveness. He provides encouragement, but also forces clear-eyed self-reflection. Most importantly of all, he also emphasises the truth that only Christ can provide perfect friendship, and that only out of a secure and meaningful relationship with Him can we be a true friend to others. One for any church member, but also winsome enough to give to someone who is seeking.


Miriam Montgomery, Free Church Books