Neighboring Practices
- Praying - Seeking Insight
- Slowing Down-Increasing Awareness
- Listening Conversations- Gaining Understanding
- Out & About Adventures- Building Curiosity
Overview
There are basic practices and best practices for neighboring. There are actions that we take and do again and again over the course of time. None of these lessons are one and done. We don’t do them as a way to check them off of a to do list. This is a way of life. This is what we do to build trust, to see others as God sees them, to be aware of what is happening around us, be intentional with our time and the choices we make. We want to build rhythms into our life that soon become second nature.Â
Who is the course for?
This course is for any household or individual that wants to become more intentional on taking action as you practice neighboring. Whether you have heard all of these ideas once before or for the first time, you can be reminded of where to start and what to try. You can pray for someone you just recently met and haven’t been praying for before. You sharpen your listening skills as you listen to someone else’s story that you have rushed past before. You can slow down so you don’t miss what God is doing. And you can go deeper with those people you have already met.Â
Course Overview
Sometimes neighboring requires perspective that is beyond our natural intuition. Gaining an outside perspective can help us see opportunities and glean insights that can help us better connect in meaningful ways with our neighbors.
Video 15 Min To Complete
The first place to start is with prayer. Talking to God about our own attitudes, and motives and asking Him to help us see our neighbors like he sees them. We don’t enter into this neighboring alone, Jesus goes with us. We want to start and continue asking God to help us listen well, to help us love well, to get ourselves out of the way and show up like Jesus would.Â
Â
Video 4 Min + Reflection To Complete
We have the privilege to pray for others. As we talk to God about our neighbors we begin to see them like he sees them. When we learn what our neighbors names are we can pray for them by name. When we learn of a concern they have or a need they have we can take that to God in prayer. We can ask God for opportunities to connect with our neighbors. We can pray for them specifically as we learn more about their stories. And once again we can use God’s Word as we pray for them, placing their name into the scripture passage. Â
Video 5 Min + Action to complete
When we walk through our neighborhoods we slow down and become more aware of what is happening around us and who is there. We can begin to let what we see guide how we pray. We can thank God for what we see and what he has provided. We can ask him to protect our neighbors, to provide for them and to bring peace into our communities. This can be done by yourself or with a friend or your family. Talk to God as you walk along. And if you happen to meet someone along the way, go ahead and ask them if there is someway you can pray for them.Â
Video 4 Min + Action to complete
Writing out your prayers to God is another way to pray. Try keeping a notebook to write your prayers in, or at least who you are praying for. It is exciting to look back over those prayers and see the ways that God has been faithful to answer your prayers. Try something new in your prayer time if you are in a rut or if you get distracted while praying. Coloring while you pray is a way to help you stay focussed. Give it a try!
Video 3 Min + 2 Actions to complete
Slowing down helps to increase your awareness. One of the best ways to slow down is to walk instead of drive. What do you notice? What do you see? What do you hear? Look with new eyes at what you see, and search for Shalom – wholeness, completeness, as God designed it to be. Slow down so you don’t miss it!
Video 5 Min +Â Action to complete
The best way to gain understanding is by listening. We can all become better listeners. The best way to get to know someone and show you genuinely are interested in them is to listen. The best way to become a better listener is to practice.Â
Video 8 min + Action to Complete
Â
Building curiosity happens by getting out of our comfort zones. We can get stuck in a rut and find ourselves around people who look like us, talk like us and believe like us. One of the best ways to stretch ourselves is to try something new. This is where the fun really ramps up! Get out there! Try a new restaurant, go to another part of town, practice generosity and buy someones meal, turn to wonder instead of judgement. Give it a try and let us know what you discover.
Video 3 min + Action to Complete
Course Content
About Instructor
+13
enrolled
Course Includes
- 8 Lessons
