NEIGHBORING YOUR FOUR
"Neighboring Your Four" is a long term strategy designed to develop the congregation of Edmond's First Baptist Church into intentional Disciples who are committed to showing hospitality to their neighbors.
The term "neighbor" is not necessarily the people who live next door to you (even though it does include them), but the people in your sphere of influence. It's better to think about the term 'neighbor' utilizing two categories: metamorphic and actual.
- Metaphoric neighbors refer to those everywhere in need.
- Actual neighbors represent those who live in a neighborhood, especially those closes to your home.
B. L. E. S. S. Your Neighbor
BE INTENTIONAL
- Pray for your neighbor
- Give grace to people
- Learn their names
- Choose to see their potential
- Meet them where they are
LISTEN
- Ask normal questions
- Learn their story
- Be truly interested
EAT
- Do things with them
- Develop meaningful relationships naturally, over time
- Relax and don't pressure yourself
SERVE
- Learn their needs
- Plan early to meet their needs
- Be wise and generous with your budget
- If needed enlist others to help
- Implement
SHARE
- Talk to them about the Gospel
- Bring them to a point of decision
- Be willing to disciple them
Be Intentional
- Ask their name
- Smile and wave
- Have the neighborhood kids over for dinner
- Make your home the place for neighborhood kids to hangout
- Go to the pool when it's inconvenient and everyone is there to intentionally build relationships
- Prayer walk your neighborhood
- Walk your neighborhood often and take time to visit with people
- Be in your front yard in the evening when people are walking their dogs; offer the dogs a treat
- Remember your neighbors during the holidays with a card or small homemade gift and don't expect anything in return
- Learn and remember their names
Listen
- Ask their story
- Ask about their goals and passions
- Learn about their family
- Learn about their past struggles and successes
- Take coffee and tea to neighbors as a way to introduce yourself and start a conversation
- Stop and listen when neighbors are around
- Attend Homeowners Association Meetings or neighborhood meetings
- Ask neighbors questions about themselves and listen to their answers
- Follow up on past conversations
- Walk over just to say hi when you see them outside
Eat
- Invite them over to watch a game
- Invite them over for dinner
- Invite them over for coffee or tea
- Invite them over for a ballgame
- Celebrate a holiday together
- Invite a neighbor(s) for a meal
- Neighborhood potluck
- Meal prep parties
- "How to" opportunities such as how to barbecue ribs, smoke a turkey, or build your own closet shelving
- Have a block party once a year to get to know all the new neighbors
- Host a game night
- Invite your neighbor to lunch
- Have a regular Saturday brunch
- Invite someone to go running or walking with you
- Start a neighborhood running or work out club that meets at a neighborhood park
- Have a themed potluck dinner
- Have a movie night
- Have an unplugged (no looking at phones) dinner
- Invite them to shoot hoops with you
- Provide snacks for the neighborhood kids
Serve
- "Chalk Your Walk" and add a scripture to the end of your driveway
- Grab groceries or household item and a note to be left at your neighbors doorstep
- Offer to mow their yard
- Offer to baby sit (if you have children as well)
- Help a new neighbor move into their home
- Help a neighbor work on their vehicle or change their oil
- Be there for a single parent needing help with baby sitting or taking the kids to a ball game
- Pick up tree limbs or debris
- House sit
- Clean up trash out of your neighbors yard
- Offer to rake their leaves when you are raking yours
- Offer to walk their dog(s) when you walk yours
- Take them a random dessert just because
- Offer to fix a shared fence
- Plan a park day for moms and kids
- Bring their trash cans in when you get yours
- Offer to help put up or take down Christmas lights
