Weekly Resources

The Art of Neighboring Study Notes

What comes to mind when you think about your neighbors? Maybe you don’t know them very well or, if you’re honest, maybe you think the lady across the street is a bit weird. For many of us, it can be tempting to keep our distance and mind our own business in our neighborhood. But is that really how God wants us to live?

As followers of Jesus, we’ve been called to love both God and our neighbors. It’s easier said than done, but if we push past the fear, time barriers, and pride that can keep us from engaging with others, we can build deep connections with the people in our neighborhood and, most importantly, please God.

In this four-session series based on their book The Art of Neighboring, Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon help us focus on the people within our neighborhood and learn what it means to be a good neighbor. They discuss the importance of pushing through the uncomfortable feelings that come with communicating, investing in, and caring for the people who live near us. What would our communities look like if we took Jesus’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves seriously?

How to Run the Study

• Each of the two weeks you will have a video to discuss in your group meeting. Many groups find it easiest to have group members pre-watch the video and come prepared to discuss it during their group time.

Weekly Timeline

5 Days Ahead of Time

• • Email the group welcoming them and providing links to that week's content.

1 Day Ahead of Time

• • Send a reminder message including the time and location of the group

During the Group

• • Use Session 4 Storytelling Icebreakers.

  • Discuss Rediscovering the Art of Neighboring

Additional Resources