It seems audacious, but Jesus, in this passage, calls us his friends. I’ll ask the question of why we should develop friends. Here are some of the reasons: 1) Christ commands us to love one another; 2) Christ models friendship; 3) God has friends chosen for us; 4) Friendship precedes fruitfulness. The next leaders for our ministries and our church will emerge from the ranks of our friends – who share our passions and burdens for people.