How to make friends…

Wondering how to stay in contact with the world? Or reconnect with people outside your church circles?

Too often we find ourselves without friends who aren’t of faith and we limit the opportunites God might have for us to preach the gospel.
Here are 5 tips to help you maintain contact or reconnect:

1. Spend more time around people.

If you want to make friends with people outside of church and work, you first need to put yourself out there somehow in order to meet people. Friends seldom come knocking on your door while you sit at home watching TV or surfing the net.

2. Join a sports team.

You don’t have to be an elite athlete to join a sports team, but not all teams are so competitive, rather social fitness. As long as you enjoy the sport and support your teammates, joining a local team with a laid-back attitude could be a great way to develop new relationships or to help strenthen exisiting relationships. Why not join a team with a work colle

3. Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way for people of all ages to meet others. Working alongside people who are passionate about helping others or changing things you develop strong bonds.

4. Talk to people.

You can join a club, go to community art school or join a sports group but you still won’t make friends if you don’t actually talk to people. You can talk to anybody: the postman, the person sitting in the sun on a part bench, the person next to you on the bus, or the person in front of you on the lunch line. Don’t be too picky. Most conversations will stop short and not necessarily end up anywhere and you may not ever talk again to the person but who knows maybe once in a while you might actually make a friend.

5. Make eye contact and show your pearly whites: smile.

Check your body language and develop a personable and friendly presence. If you appear unfriendly to people they will be less likely to be friends with you. It is one thing that helps in building report. Try not to frown, squint, fold your arms, stare, or make disinterested looks. Open yourself up to opportunities.