About book Art Of Neighboring, The: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door (2012)
We used this book for a study in our church. We really enjoyed it and it prompted many conversations about how to be a better neighbor to those around us. Some of it is basic, while other parts are very helpful and insightful. We enjoyed the stories and how it transformed the culture in their community. Very thankful for how it has made us think about our neighbors more often and really know how to care for them, share life with them, and be in their lives. Highly recommended for those looking to make a difference in their community and live the great commandment (love god and love people). I was eager to read this book. I became familiar with Jay Pathak recently through his church podcast, and I'd seen this book mentioned in several other books and websites. The book has one central idea: be intentional in getting to know your neighbors and build friendships with them. That's it. Take Jesus' words literally to love your neighbor. The christian reader will expect the book to then tell you how to evangelize your neighbors. But it doesn't. That's not the point of neighboring. The idea is that God calls us to love and serve others, regardless of whether they are seeking Him or not. Don't make your neighbors a project. Just be a normal friend. It is likely that, if you are a good friend, they will notice that some things in your life are different. And maybe they'll ask you why. But maybe they won't :), and that's fine. About half of the book is spent on building the case for neighboring and how to do it. There are a lot of good practical examples given through first person story accounts. The second half of the book is more about how to be a friend and how to relate socially to people in a natural, normal way. I found this material to be very "common sense" stuff and kind of humorous, but I suppose there are many people who just aren't good at relationships. Some of the topics covered in these chapters are humility, listening skills, forgiveness, and boundaries. I think this book would be a great primer for someone who just doesn't know how to relate to other people well. Overall, I highly recommend this book. I plan on being more intentional with my neighborhood. Hint: Start with finding out your neighbor's names :)
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Convicting, practical, helpful for introverts like me.
—kat
