The Gift of Friendship: Building the Kingdom Together

When people ask what makes ministry truly beautiful, I often think of: friendship.

Not just the casual kind, but the kind of friendship that has roots deep in love, sacrifice, and the desire to see others walk fully in their God-given identity.

Friendship is one of the most overlooked forms of ministry—and one of the most powerful.

More Than Acquaintances

The world offers a shallow kind of connection: “I’ll be here when it’s easy.”
But God calls us to something deeper: “I’m here for you. Period.”

Proverbs 18:24 (NLT):

“There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”

That’s the kind of friend we see in Jesus—faithful, loyal, never abandoning, always seeking our good. Jesus assures us, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Now that’s a friend.

Friendship as Ministry

Friendship isn’t secondary to ministry—it is ministry.

When you walk with someone in their struggles, celebrate their victories, encourage or remind them of who they are in Christ, you’re doing Kingdom work.

Serving without expecting in return
Listening to understand, to hear your friend's heart
Reminding your friend of who they are in Christ
Pointing them towards our Father’s heart through His Word

A friend asks himself:

“How can I serve my friends today? How can I encourage them? How can I add value to their life and remind them of who they are in Christ?”

John 15:15 (NIV):

“I no longer call you servants... Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Fighting Self-Centeredness with Friend-Centeredness

So much of our grief is rooted in self-centeredness.
But friendship calls us to look outward.

Galatians 6:2 encourages us to:

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (NLT)

Our Heart at Burillo Ministries

This is what we want to model in all we do:
Real friendship
Real service
Building one another up in Christ

When you partner with us, you’re joining a family of friends on mission together to build people up and introduce them to their friend Jesus.

Your partnership helps us:

• Encourage pastors and leaders

• Teach believers their true identity in Christ

• Serve communities in Mexico and beyond

• Equip disciples to carry the Gospel with compassion and truth
  
  Let’s Be Friends Who Build the Kingdom

  My prayer is that we would all take time to ask:
  “How can I serve my friends today?”
  “How can I remind people they are loved and have purpose today?”
  “How can I encourage someone to keep going, knowing their Friend walks with them?”

Because friendship is a powerful tool God has given us to share His love.

Thank you for being our friends in the Gospel.
Thank you for partnering with us.
Together, let’s be friends who build the Kingdom.

If this message encourages you, share it with a friend. Let’s keep building one another up in Him.