I need to introduce my friend to God?

Question

She's sort of a hippie, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. She believes more in the world being random chances and feels greater about animals than people. She said once that she would rather have an abortion than kill an animal. This girl is my best friend though, and last week at Camp they challenged us to bring up God into one of our friends lifes. I felt like I needed to help her. A year ago I tried to save her, (dedicate her life to God) but it was more of a forcing effort and she didn't understand anything she was doing and I feel bad about that. Now, I want to show her what awesome things God can do but I don't know how to start. At camp they told us steps and everything, but I feel like she is going to be harder to talk to. I'm not an any way trying to force her into a relationship with God, because I dislike people who stand on the side of the road and scream at you that your going to Hell if you don't follow Christ. Please do NOT comment this if you don't agree with me. I'm only a kid, but I strongly believe in God and I want whats best for my friend. She is a christian, but I don't think she cares about anything.


I'm serious, no rude comments. Don't post if you don't have
anything helpful to say.

Answer 1

Firstly, let me say that I commend you for sharing you faith. It's clear that you sincerely want your friend to have a deep relationship with God, but the only things you can do is live the life, share with her the gospel and pray for her. You cannot save her, Jesus has to do that. And she has to let him. She'll come to know Jesus through you sharing with her the word of God and the word of your personal testimony.



You have a relationship with God, just take some time to share with her your testimony. How have you changed since you let God into your life? How great is God's love for you? How has your relationship with Him made your life more meaningful? These are the things you should share.



She can't believe in what she doesn't understand. So you need to share with her the truth of the gospel.

Paul warns us that Satan blinds the minds of the lost so they would not believe the gospel in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4;



3.But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4.In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.



So when you pray for you friend in your spare time, it is your job to pray against the blindness and pray that God will open up the mind of her understand so she can see, understand, know, and desire the good and perfect will that he has for her. Be patient and continue to love her.



Also if you want more in depth information on this Andrew Wommack does a powerful and simple to understand teaching on your authority as a believer and he explains how we are to share to gospel and how to pray for lost loved ones.



Here is the link: http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1045

It is completely free to listen on download, so listen to "With Authority Comes Responsibility - Part 1" and if you can try to listen to the entire series you will be blessed and it can give you a firm foundation on how to introduce God to the world. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Explain what you mean when you say she believes the world is random chances. If she's explicitly stated that she believes the world is random chances, then whatever, no problem. On the other hand, if you mean that she accepts the scientific explanation for the age of the universe, the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and the origin of various species, then you need to get a better education. There is nothing random about the universe, or the scientific explanations for everything; everything is guided by natural laws, and as such CAN be predicted ahead of time. Chaos exists, randomness does not.



If you are trying to push a variety of Christianity that includes Young Earth Creationism and other anti-scientific claims, kindly refrain from trying to minister to your friend. In fact, if you're trying to push Young Earth Creationism, kindly get your head examined.



The most effective way to get someone to believe in a god is to show irrefutable evidence for the existence of that god. You claim that you know for a fact that God exists. If you know it, then you must have some evidence that you can present to your friend, thereby making it impossible for her to doubt it. If you don't have the evidence, kindly leave her alone on this count.

Answer 3

I know you many not find this useful because it doesn't fit in with your agenda, but I think it needs to be said. What is wrong with your friend living her own life and finding her own path? If your friend is led to god on her own terms it will mean more to her, anyway.



Think about this. In school we've all had those teachers that stand in the front of class and just lecture on and on. We usually don't get much out of it. But then we've also had those teachers that have labs and are interactive and make the material come alive by letting us make discoveries about things. Which of these have you retained more?



Keep being an example by living your life. Let your friend do the same and if at some point your beliefs hit the same road then all the better. Otherwise your just pushing yourself on someone else and they'll resent you for it.

Answer 4

Do you want to keep her as a friend? Then leave her alone. I have walked away from some very good friendships because my "friends" decided I "needed" their god and kept bringing it into every single conversation. It's rude. It's annoying. You say she's a Christian - so what's the problem? She's not the kind of Christian you approve of? That's not up to you. Let her believe and worship the way she feels is best.



You don't THINK she cares about anything? Who gives you the right to judge? You don't want rude comments, but you seem like a pretty rude person.

Answer 5

I'm sorry, I know you said not to answer if you don't agree, but I felt I needed to caution you. When I was a young teen, I was your hippie friend and well-meaning friend of mine did what you plan to do. The first time didn't go well, as it didn't for you. But neither did the next. Or the next. It killed the friendship. With a year after she starting talking to me about Jesus, we didn't even talk on the phone anymore.



If you want to show your friend the joy your faith has brought you, show it! Be an example, but don't pressure her, not even a little. Religion is a private thing and many people are sensitive about it. Experience tells me she will come to resent you for your conversion attempts and I don't think that's what you want. Maybe you could invite her to church with you? Just be ready to accept a 'no' and love her anyway.

Answer 6

stacy



the reason it didnt work before, and the reson she ws su unhappy before

is because this is ahorrible disrespec tof her rights and life and her as both a personadn your friend



and



beacuse to try to force soemone to belevie in soemthing you do will never lead them to the same happines and spiritual knowledge you have



whether you belive it or not, what your doing is trying to force her into a reliationshiop with god

your justt beign nice about it, polite, freindly and caring instead of sayign she wil go to hell if she doesnt

that is the 2 different ways to force soemone

angrily with fear

or caringly with love



if youronly a kid, you know yoursel fthen you dont understand a lot yet about life, and about people

but as an adult and soemoen whos seen and knows a lot about both

i can tell you what your doign, will NOT help your friend, and it will not help you and will probably ruin yoru friendship with her





why cant you jsut accept her for who she is?

the same way she acepts you for who youare











Additional



" I'm fully aged enough to understand everything going on in the world, religion or not"



no your not

you may believe you are, but not one of us are,not even us grown adults

if that was so, the world would be a better place and we woudl be happier in our lives



NO-ONE understand all that goes on in this world



thts the first thing you have to understand and accept



if you pity peopel for them being who they are, then you will not make many friends in life and will be quite angry and uhhappy

you need to understand peopel not be mean to them because they are trying to be hoenst to you

Answer 7

Really what you need to do is just pray for your friend. Pray for her everyday and pray that the Holy Spirit will prompt her to reflect on her life and her purpose, etc. God is the one who is saving people... God is the one who is convicting people in their hearts... God will bring about opportunities for you to talk to others about your faith.



When you talk about your faith - don't get defensive, try to understand other's points of view. Just listen and understand them, if they ask for your opinion, then go ahead and let them know what you think and believe. If they don't like it - don't take offense.



I have been apart of Christian Camps and Vacation Bible Schools as a camper and counselor - the leaders frequently would lead us to "evangelize" and go out and save others with our bibles marked with the "Romans Road" - as an early Christian I attempted this, but as I have grown in my faith and in maturity I have realized that this is not how it should be. You need to love your friend and show her you care about her. She needs to be able to trust you and be able to talk to you about her thoughts and feelings without being judged. You shouldn't be preachy all the time because you will come across as thinking you are superior to others. If you live according to your beliefs you will naturally stand out of a crowd... those who want to know why you do what you do will ask and you can tell.... but if you look like a "goodie two shoes" and then start telling everyone else they need to live like you - you are getting yourself and Christianity no-where.



I hope you don't take my answer as rude or offensive - just trying to give you advice which I learned through personal experience. Wish you the best! And I'll pray for your friend too!

Answer 8

If you try to force your beliefs on her she will stop being your friend. The way you described her sounds a lot like me, and if one of my friends tried to convert me to their religion, i don't know if i would wanna hang out with them any more. How would you feel if she started trying to convince you to follow her beliefs? What you believe spiritually is your own decision, you won't be helping her by forcing your beliefs on her. If she wanted to convert to your religion, she would ask you about it, if she doesn't ask you about it, it means she's not interested.

Answer 9

Speaking from an non-believer point of view...



When people try to "help" me by attempting to convert me into their way of thinking I find it insulting. And very arrogant, egocentric and self righteous.



Leave her be. Be friends with her. She is perfectly capable of finding her own way.



Edit to add: People are giving you advice... and you are freaking out. You are a child afterall. You know I once thought I knew it all as a kid too... then I actually grew up. Looking back... I didn't know it all.



Does your friend know about your beliefs? If yes... if she is interested she will come to you.



It is a huge indication of your motivation and your maturity that you're freaking out over a question that you asked and that you are doing this just because somebody at Bible camp told you to.

Answer 10

If your friend needs God, she'll try to find him on her own. Seriously. Maybe you should focus on strengthening your friendship with her by just being a friend instead of trying to destroy it by shoving your religion in her face?



She sounds like she's fine with her world view and you openly admit that. Having said that, I can't comprehend why you felt the need to "save" her. There's nothing wrong with her!



Let it go.

Answer 11

Don't bother. It starts to get really annoying after a while when someone pushes their beliefs onto you. If she is interested then by all means talk to her, but chances are she doesn't want to hear. Also it could ruin your friendship because she will get tired of you lecturing her about God, and you will bore her, trust me.

Answer 12

your last line gives me a problem as you state she is a "Christian"... I feel you may have some confusion about your own position with God... so that may be where you are having problems... Why do you consider yourself a Christian?... who told you that you were?... I can not know based upon what you have posted... but you need to be right with God before you attempt to offer The Good News to others....



Your life is your witness... are you as good an example of The Church you can be/... at least trying to be?... don't force any thing... share what God has done for you when ever it is appropriate to bring up in conversation... try to relate it to what is going on in your lives right now... don't preach... just talk about it casually as it relates to your activities and family and school and such... be a good friend in all things... so long as you can do so with out going against God's Word and Will for your life...



I invite you to visit my site at: http://www.mikesfaith.com



If you have any questions you think I might be able to help with feel free to contact me from the site

Answer 13

Please leave her alone. I find it creepy that your camp actually teaches you how to convert other children. It sounds very cult-like.



If you were a good friend, you would accept her beliefs, just as she accepts yours. When you get older, you'll realize that different people believe different things. There are over 4000 religions currently being practiced, what makes yours the right one? What gives you the right telling people what they believe is wrong and you are right?

Answer 14

If your own belief in God is real and has any depth, you don't have to make a formal introduction. Simply let your fried see God through your bahavior. That's what Jesus taught by example.

Answer 15

Jesus never existed and you shouldn't force your beliefs on others. You are the one being rude.



Edit: If you are only a kid, please look to see that you'll eventually realize people have different beliefs. Just be her friend and NEVER try to change this person.

Answer 16

I'm not being rude but you can't convince someone to believe something that's already set in their mind. She may have her own ways of communicating with God.

Answer 17

Your friend is happier without god. Let her be.

This is why I hate religion- brainwashing kids into thinking they have the right to poke their noses into lives that aren't their own.

Answer 18

this is a serious comment. leave her alone. dont inflict your beliefs on her. that is so pushy. you dont agree with her. ever thought that she might think your beliefs are bull?? she is obviously happy as she is. and i agree with her abortion statement

Answer 19

Tell her about the Beatles and probably she's find Krishna to be a lot cooler than Jesus. God is God so your mission will still be accomplished.

Answer 20

You do not need to introduce your friend (or anyone else) to god.



Do you welcome someone who wants to introduce you to their god?



Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself (Confucius, 500 BCE). Your Jesus Christ said something to this effect some 500 years later.

Answer 21

Let her have her own beliefs. It isn't as if she doesn't know about religion. I'm sure if she wanted to follow it, she would.

Answer 22

I cannot understand a God who NEEDS introduction from you for her to be saved

Answer 23

I am about to give you very, very helpful advice.

Ready?















Leave her alone. Especially if you are a child.

Answer 24

The easiest way is to lead by example. Show her through your life and actions how you feel about God.



You have already tried forcing it on her, if you do it again, you will probably lose her as a friend.



Be kind and respectful. If she does not want to be part of your faith, then let it be. It is her choice to follow the path she thinks is best.

Answer 25

If you push your beliefs on her, then you're not really her friend to begin with.



How about trying acceptance first?

Answer 26

Good -- throw a dinner party, and invite both your friend and God.

Answer 27

If you really must try to convert her, then why not just give her a Bible? If she believes what is says, fine, and if she doesn't then respect her decision and move on.

Answer 28

You're too lost in Christianity to help anyone. Your friend should be helping you.

Answer 29

leave your friend alone your going to hell dont take here with you.

Answer 30

This should be helpful;

Stay away from those bible camps.

And don't drink the Kool-Aid.

Answer 31

ask her to smoke you up, if she is a hippy, she will know what to do, trust me, that will be an eye opener

Answer 32

God knows your friend.

Answer 33

All you have to do is let your light shine, tell her what God has done in your life -- and give it al little time before you bring it up again. or invite her to Church -- God Bless !

Answer 34

no you don't.

Answer 35

just see if she would like to go to church but if she doesnt, then drop it..