"How to Be Friends" by Hiram Kemp and Neal Pollard

March 15, 2026 - Sunday AM Sermon In this episode we confront what the U.S. Surgeon General calls an epidemic—not of disease but of loneliness—and trace its devastating physical and spiritual effects. Using vivid contemporary examples (including a viral McDonald’s CEO moment) and classic cultural references, the speaker frames loneliness as a public-health crisis and explains why the Bible insists companionship is essential: "It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). The conversation digs into Scripture to explain what true, biblical friendship looks like. Drawing on passages from Genesis, Leviticus, Matthew, John, Paul, James, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and many others, the episode lays out three core practices for Christian friendship: 1) Love one another sacrificially (love, not mere liking), 2) Lead one another toward Jesus (evangelism and spiritual accountability), and 3) Do life together (mutual sharpening, service, confession and rejoicing). Listeners will hear memorable biblical examples—Jonathan and David, Jesus and his disciples, Paul and Onesimus, Abraham, Moses—and contemporary vignettes like Bride of Frankenstein’s blind hermit and Tad Lincoln’s access to the president to illustrate how friendship meets deep human needs. The speaker also cautions against two modern errors: withdrawing from others and indiscriminately accepting every relationship without biblical standards. The episode then turns inward to our relationship with God, exploring what it means to be God’s friend. Practical steps are explained: be transparent with God, spend time with Him (the episode cites research on hours required to deepen relationships to underline the need for investment), and share God’s values—faith, obedience, truth, mercy and humility. Key texts cited include John 15, Hebrews, Psalms, and the lives of Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Moses. Guests and people referenced in this episode include Neil Aubrey, Gregory Gwynn, Scotty Toodle, Jason Moon, Keith Kasarjan, Joe Ketchum, Mike Inge, Johnson Kale, Michael Height, Wes Autry, Mike Ripperton and Dean Murphy, along with numerous biblical figures and cultural examples woven throughout the message. Key takeaways: loneliness is dangerous but biblical friendship is both a remedy and a calling; friendship must be rooted in love, aimed at drawing others to Christ, and expressed by doing life together; and the greatest friendship is with God—cultivated through honesty, time, and shared values. The episode closes with a pastoral challenge: put doctrine into practice, move beyond surface-level relationships, and respond to Jesus’ invitation to be friends with Him. Handout: How to Be Friends with Each Other— Hiram Kemp (part 1)    1. ________________ each other (Leviticus 19:18)    2. ________________ each other (John 1:40-41)    3. ________________ Together (Proverbs 27:17)    HOW TO BE FRIENDS WITH GOD— Neal Pollard (part 2)    I. BE ____________________________ WITH HIM    II. SPEND ______________ WITH _______________    III. HAVE _________________ __________________       A. Think About What God __________________    Conclusion    A. It Is ________ To Be ________ With God!    Duration 39:09