We’ve all got incredible, close and loyal friends that have stood by our sides through thick and thin, but there’s something different about being part of a good Christian friendship group. When it works well, it’s kind of like an orchestra made up of a lot of different instruments that God is conducting, making the greatest sounding melodies. So… here are 7 Types of Friends You’ll Find in a Every Church Group.

1. The Responsible One

They’re practically the parent of the group; they’re always the ones to start tidying any mess the group’s made in public places or after your youth meeting. You already know their mental age is at least 5 years ahead of yours and you look at them in hope that one day you’ll get your life together like them…just not now cos ain’t nobody got time fo dat. They’re the ones you call up when you’re in serious mess because they’ll obviously know how to save you through all their years experience and wisdom… even though they’re the same age as you. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20

2. The One That Just Can’t Hold It In

The joy of the group; this friend’s most likely a massive extrovert with a very recognisable laugh that you probably heard ten blocks away from the restaurant where you’re meeting the group. This is the friend that brings life to the group and their zeal for God can motivate you to have a prayer meeting any time and in any place! Even though they may be the source of constant background noise, it’s almost painfully noticeable when they’re not around and you love them just the hyper way they are. “Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; those who fear God will find them.” Wisdom of Sirach 6:16

3. The Future Abouna/ Tasoni

Everyone basically knows it apart from them! It’s just a waiting game to see when the day will finally come… but first they just need to get married. You’ve already assessed in your mind how comfortable you would be, on a scale of 0-10, to confess to them in the future and they’ve passed with an excellent 9.5! They most likely have an incredible singing voice, know the psalmody inside out and read a minimum of 3 spiritual books a week. “Those who fear the Lord enjoy stable friendship, for as they are, so will their neighbors be.” Wisdom of Sirach 6:17

4. The Blunt One

They’ll set you straight when everyone else around you is too embarrassed to say anything, and you’ve learned to appreciate that because you know it’s out of love. Their compliments always tend to mean that much more than other people’s because you know they tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And when you want an honest opinion on how your first sunday school lesson went, you know they’re your friend of choice. You know you can count on this friend to give you the spiritual wake-up call you’re in need of to get back up on your feet and start doing your Quiet Time properly again. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Proverbs 27:5-6

5. The Quiet Pillar

This is the friend that doesn’t talk much or vocalise themselves as often as the rest of the group; but when they’re about to speak you know pure words of wisdom are about to be unleashed! They think before they speak and you admire that about them. They may not have the voice but you know they have the heart; this is the friend you love sharing from the Bible with and you know that when you leave them, you’re always going to be full of peace. “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.” Psalm 37:37

6. The Polar Opposite

You could have never even seen yourself befriending this person if they weren’t in the same big friendship group as you! But through them you’ve grown to appreciate people’s differences and individuality. Being their friend has taught you that being different isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all! Over time you’ve both actually grown to appreciate eachother’s strengths and that’s a special bond you hold on to. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12

and last but not least… 7.The Encourager

You know this friend’s got your back no matter what. They’ve always got the right words to tell you when you’re in need of support and they push you to be the best version of yourself that you can be, because they believe in you! “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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I hope you enjoyed this lighthearted blog post! May we always surround ourselves with positive Christian friendships that influence us and mold us into the best versions of ourselves that we can be. And may we learn to be good friends to the special people around us that deserve the best from us.

So without further ado, here are 6 Questions Every PK Gets Asked (and my answers!):

1. “Erm…..so I don’t want to embarrass you or anything….and it’s TOTALLY cool if you don’t want to answer but I’ve always wondered about this…and seriously you don’t have to answer if you’re not allowed…. but…. does Abouna wear pyjamas?”

Yes. Priest’s sleep in normal p-jays just like everyone else. In the summer he might even….wait for it….wear a T-Shirt at home! #wild

2. “Is your dad allowed to go swimming?”

Priests can swim, play football, run a marathon and jump on a trampoline. The Church recognises that he’s a husband and a father… so yes he’s allowed to have fun! Some priests might prefer not to swim, some might not like swimming and others might prefer swimming in a private setting (….and maybe some are scared of sharks… you never know, the possibilities are endless!)

3. “Does Abouna get stared at on the street?”

Yep. I’ve lived in Egypt and in the UK and I definitely feel that in the West, dad gets stared at alot more. Simply because people are very unfamiliar and confused by his look. The remarkable thing is the confidence, peace and strength God grants to Abounas in order to witness to His name and preach His existence so bluntly and openly..

4. “What presents can you buy Abouna?”

This is honestly one of the greatest mysteries of the world. As we all know, the clothing side of presents is just a bit restricted and generally Abounas have a multitude of every kind of spiritual book you can imagine … so PKs have to learn to be very creative! For some reason I feel that the older I get the harder this is becoming!

5. “Do you confess to your dad?”

Personally, I don’t – I don’t like the idea of telling my dad everything I’ve ever done wrong… For so many years I assumed that every single PK had the same mentality but I met an incredible PK in 2012 who told me that he loved confessing to his dad because he really wanted to do everything in his power to view God as his Father – and confessing to his own dad made him really feel the shame of his sin before both his biological and his Heavenly father, and motivated him to stop repeating the same sins… I’m still in awe of this person and I admire and respect them for that choice immensely.

6. “What’s it like having your dad as a priest?”

Honestly, it’s the best! I believe that my family is so blessed because of the man in our lives that has decided to forsake all to serve The Lord. Of-course sometimes it’s a bit difficult because you’re exposed to a lot of stuff that other church kids might not be exposed to… but it’s always the coolest thing to know that your dad is God’s messenger and a representative of Our Lord Jesus in the Church.

I hope you enjoyed this little fun post! The main message I want you to remember is that Abouna is an ordinary human like you and I. There’s no reason to be scared of him, be super shy around him or feel that you can’t be yourself in his presence. He jokes, gets nervous, laughs, cries and loves – just like all of us.

So pray for your Abouna and spend time getting to know the real man behind that beautiful voice in your Sunday Liturgy!

I’ll leave you with my favourite PK question to date… you can come up with the answer yourself for this one…

7*: “You know how you’re Abouna’s son…. are you allowed to wear shorts?”