NOTE: This section addresses a wide variety of people. It includes more distant relatives (i.e. cousins, aunts, uncles) and a range of friendships (i.e. neighbor, co-worker, even acquaintances like people at the gym, etc.). It assumes you have not had many, if any, substantial spiritual conversations with them.

If you have had such conversations and your relationship is now strained, the material under understanding your immediate family could be a better fit.

Defining Your Relationship with Them

• How long have you known them?
• How often do you talk with them?
• Have you had any sort of spiritual conversations with them?  (Many people haven’t because they struggle to introduce spiritual topics. Next, we’ll explore numerous suggestions for getting into these conversations.)
• Do they know you are a Christian?
• What opportunities do you have to further the relationship?

In many cases, you will need to consciously work at strengthening the relationship. Usually, it won’t happen automatically. Going out of your way to better your relationship is part of becoming all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Here are examples of things you could consider. The list is not exhaustive.

• Going out for lunch. This might work well, for example, with a co-worker because having spiritual conversations in the workplace often is not wise or permitted.
• Inviting them to your house for a social evening. This depends on your comfort with having them over and their comfort in coming over. Much depends on the state of your current relationship.
• Participating in a common interest. If, for example, you both like to fish, plan a fishing day. Or take in a play together.
• Offering to give them a helping hand on a home project they are doing.
• Communicating more often with distant relatives.