All Things New | Friendship with Others

You can attend church regularly and still miss out on the fullness of God’s love.

According to John, God’s love reaches its full expression not when we simply receive it, but when we share it.

John reminds us that love doesn’t originate with us. God loved us first. He showed that love by sending Jesus into the world so that we could have life through Him. And when we receive that love, something happens—it compels us outward. Love begins to move toward people.

This is why John connects loving God so closely with loving others. He even goes as far as to say that if we claim to love God but refuse to love our brothers and sisters, something is deeply out of alignment. Our love for people becomes visible evidence of our faith in God.

John also points to another important truth: God’s love drives out fear. When we live in loving community, we are reminded again and again that we belong—that we are known, accepted, and secure in Christ. But isolation often does the opposite. When we pull away from others, fear and doubt have room to grow.

That’s why community matters so much. Sunday gatherings are powerful, but they are not enough on their own. Love is practiced in proximity—in shared life, honest conversations, forgiveness, and care for one another. Community groups are where faith moves from something we talk about to something we live.

At Friends Church, we believe community isn’t an add-on to the Christian life—it’s essential. If you want to grow in your faith and become a more loving person, the next step may not be learning more, but loving more.

And the most consistent place we learn to love is in community.

If you’re looking for a place to belong, to be known, and to experience God’s love in real relationships, we invite you to join a group. God’s love doesn’t end with us—it is completed through us.