The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door

From the Back CoverWhat if Jesus meant that we should love our actual neighbors?When Jesus was asked to sum up everything into one command, he said to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Most of us have turned this simple idea of loving our neighbors into a nice saying, putting it on bumper stickers and refrigerator magnets and then going on with our lives without actually putting it into practice.What would happen if every follower of Jesus took the Great Commandment literally? Is it possible that the solution to our society's biggest issues has been right under our noses for the past two thousand years?"Building relationships with our neighbors leads to better communities, better cities, and ultimately . . . a better world. I encourage you to read this book and to step outside your front door and start making a difference."--Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus"Our church spent a month studying and applying the principles found in The Art of Neighboring. It's simple yet powerful. I love this book and the impact it's had on our church."--John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church"At the end of the day, community transformation is all about strategic neighboring. The Art of Neighboring is a great book and a useful tool that will help you engage your neighborhood in a meaningful way."--Bob Lupton, author of Toxic Charity"The Art of Neighboring is a tool that is helping government and faith-based leaders work together to serve their communities."--Reggie McNeal, missional leadership specialist for Leadership Network"Jay and Dave hold readers accountable to live out the Great Commandment in literal and creative ways. The Art of Neighboring is a unique and necessary addition to any serious Christian's missional library."--Ed Stetzer, author of The Subversive Kingdom"Thought-provoking yet practical. The truths in the book have the potential to transform not only your life but also your entire community."--Margaret Feinberg, author of Scouting the Divine and The Sacred Echo"The Art of Neighboring has united many of the churches in Duluth and has helped us to launch a neighboring movement. I'm excited about the influence it is having in my city and its potential to impact other cities around the country."--Don Ness, mayor of Duluth, Minnesota"The Art of Neighboring is at the forefront of a national movement to renew local communities. This book reminds us all of the value of pursuing relationships with the people who live around us."--John McKnight, co-director of the Asset Based Community Development Institute, Northwestern UniversityOnce upon a time, people knew their neighbors. They talked to them, had cook-outs with them, and went to church with them. In our time of unprecedented mobility and increasing isolationism, it's hard to make lasting connections with those who live right outside our front door. We have hundreds of "friends" through online social networking, but we often don't even know the full name of the person who lives right next door.This unique and inspiring book asks the question: What is the most loving thing I can do for the people who live on my street or in my apartment building? Through compelling true stories of lives impacted, the authors show readers how to create genuine friendships with the people who live in closest proximity to them. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter make this book perfect for small groups or individual study.About the AuthorJay Pathak is the senior pastor of the Mile High Vineyard, located in a suburb northwest of Denver, Colorado. Prior to planting this church in 2001, he served at the Columbus Vineyard as a leader in its young-adult ministry, Joshua House, and as an intern to the senior pastor, Rich Nathan. Jay is a graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in philosophy and a graduate of the Vineyard Leadership Institute. He has