How to Impact Your Neighborhood with God's Love
God has a purpose when He places us in the neighborhood where we live or the workplace where we work. Jesus was asked the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The word “neighbor” is a compound word: “neigh” means someone who is “near” and the second half of the word is the old English word for a “boor,” an ill-mannered and difficult person. Thankfully, not all neighbors are “boors,” but some may be and they are certainly included in, “Who is my neighbor?” A neighbor may be someone who is related to you, lives near you, works near you or irritates you. They are within the sphere of your influence and contact.
There are 3 keys to having an effective impact in your neighborhood and work place:
1) Pray for your neighbors (Col. 4:2-4);
2) Do deeds of kindness (Col. 4:5; Mt. 5:16; Rom. 12:21; 1 Pet. 3:13); and
3) Look for opportunities to communicate your faith (1 Pet. 3:15).
The tendency is to overlook one of the steps as being unimportant or perhaps too fearful. Begin with prayer. The Holy Spirit leads the way in preparing hearts. Deeds of kindness often prepare the soil for receptivity to the gospel.
Ideas to Prepare the Soil for the Gospel
There are 3 keys to having an effective impact in your neighborhood and work place:
1) Pray for your neighbors (Col. 4:2-4);
2) Do deeds of kindness (Col. 4:5; Mt. 5:16; Rom. 12:21; 1 Pet. 3:13); and
3) Look for opportunities to communicate your faith (1 Pet. 3:15).
The tendency is to overlook one of the steps as being unimportant or perhaps too fearful. Begin with prayer. The Holy Spirit leads the way in preparing hearts. Deeds of kindness often prepare the soil for receptivity to the gospel.
Ideas to Prepare the Soil for the Gospel
- Bake bread, cookies or a pie and take it to neighbors
- Host a block party
- Offer childcare for a couple with young children or a single parent
- Offer to paint the curb numbers for your neighbors
- Host a Christmas Gathering
- Take dinner over on the day a new family moves in
- Offer to clean the rain gutters for your neighbors
- Host a “move-in welcoming” party
- Have a “bike fix-up” clinic
- Invite the neighbors for a shared “soup and salad evening”
- Assist the elderly or single moms with household repairs
- Offer to mow the lawn
- Take some fresh-cut flowers
- Celebrate their birthday or anniversary
- Develop a neighborhood volleyball or softball team
- Host a “neighborhood watch” evening to discuss home security issues (invite a police officer to address preventative measures)
- Offer to wash your neighbors car or host a neighborhood car wash party
- Buy extra strawberries and share some with the neighbors
- Give a copy of the movie seen by more people in all of history, "Jesus"
- Develop a neighborhood walking or biking club