This Simple Step Will Help You Reach Your Neighbors

Your Neighborhood Matters to God

In the book of Acts, Jesus tells his disciples that they will be hit witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). And while Christians are often willing and ready to focus on the “end of the earth” portion of Jesus’ commandment to us, we often overlook the “Jerusalem” part. When Jesus said his disciples would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, he meant they would make disciples in their own backyard in addition to across their nation and ultimately the world.

As Christians, we need to have a holistic vision of doing missions and making disciples, and it starts in our own neighborhoods and, literally, our own yards.

“…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

But if we’re honest, making disciples in our own neighborhoods can often feel more daunting than going to another country or to people we don’t see every day in order to share the Gospel. And while the task in our own neighborhoods is slightly different than the one abroad, I want to share a simple and effective strategy for how you can use your own front yard to build relationships with neighbors, share the Gospel with them, and eventually start an outreach or Bible study in your neighborhood.

Tom and Angela’s Story

Tom and Angela had lived in their neighborhood for about twelve years. It was your typical, cozy American suburb, complete with car garages, backyards, front yards, and lots of friendly waves from neighbors but nothing deeper than that. One day, Tom and Angela were reflecting on their time in the neighborhood, how fast twelve years had gone by, and that, even though they were Christians, they realized in all of their time there they’d never really reached out to the community around them to get to know people. They had simply lived in their own little world with no impact on their neighbors; furthermore, everyone in their community did the same – isolating themselves, content with playing in their backyards, and never venturing across lawns and front doors to get to know each other.

Even though they were Christians, they realized in all of their time there they’d never really reached out to the community around them to get to know people.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Tom and Angela decided to change things. They realized that if they did not start living intentionally right where they were, they were being disobedient to God’s call on their lives and missing a huge opportunity to make a Kingdom impact among their neighbors. The only question was: how?

They decided to keep things simple. And instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, they chose to use the things that were already around them in order to connect with their neighbors. They started by taking all of the toys and sports equipment from their backyard and put it all in the front yard. Everything from frisbees and toy trucks to sandboxes and lawn chairs, it all ended up in the front yard. They’d spend the evening with their kids in the front yard playing wiffle ball or throwing frisbees, and before they knew it, other kids began joining. As neighborhood kids came over to play with their kids, the parents came too. And soon, they were engaging with their neighbors like never before.

They had desired an opportunity to engage with their neighbors on a deeper level and minister to them, and God provided. All it took was being prayerful and thoughtful about the things that were already around them.

Want to Engage Your Neighborhood for the Gospel? Start with These Steps…

Tom and Angela’s story provides us with a good framework for what is possible when we’re willing to step out on faith and be used by God, and we can each be used in similar ways. If you want to be used by God in your neighborhood, here are three steps I recommend.

#1 — Pray

Start with prayer. Ask God to give you a heart of compassion and ministry to your neighborhood. Ask Him how He wants to accomplish this. And then be ready to act as he puts ideas and vision into your heart.

#2 — Start with What You Have

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to connecting with your neighbors. Your strategy could be as simple as moving your family play time to the front yard, organizing a block party around holidays and sporting events, or hosting an outdoor cookout.

#3 — Go Deeper

Finally, be ready for God to take you and your neighbors deeper as you start engaging with them. As relationships grow and you are able to discern spiritual needs and ways of connecting, ask God to provide opportunities for the gatherings to include prayer, or morph into Bible studies or outreach events. God is willing and able to go before you, but it requires the first step.

If Acts 1:8 shows us anything, it’s that God has a heart for the nations, as well as our neighborhoods. Pray and ask God to use you in your “Jerusalem” and then watch as he opens the way.