One of the most adventurous, faith-building, and impactful things you can do in your life is learn a lifestyle of blessing your neighborhood or apartment complex. This will add awareness to the people around you and their stories. It will grow your prayer life. It will inspire you to walk closer to God. And it will lead you to the joy of working with the Holy Spirit to see someone’s life completely transformed - an experience you will never forget and that will make you hungry for more!
And it’s a very simple process. So simple a caveman could do it!
First, practice focused prayer over your neighbors. Walk the property or the neighborhood and pray specifically for the people who live there. Notice their yard, look for birth announcements, pray for the kids if there are bikes or toys around, pray for hearts to become aware of God’s drawing them to Himself. It all begins with extraordinary prayer. Oh, and pray two things for yourself: Ask God to create opportunities for you to meet new people and connect to their lives, and ask Him to lead you to what many call a “person of peace” among the neighbors.
A person of peace is someone who does not know God yet, but whose heart is drawn to the quest, they are open to the conversation and they have favor and influence among the other neighbors.
Be courageously kind and gracious toward all your neighbors, always watching for the person of peace to appear. When they do, and there may very well be more than one, take the next four steps in whatever order opens up to you.
Listen to their stories. Watch for signs, both verbal and non-verbal, that give you a window into their story. Show great curiosity and empathy as you seek no other goal than to know and love them. This is not a scalp for your wall, this is a friend to welcome into your life.
Eat with them. Invite them to a meal in your home and feed them. Meals are a powerful way to connect with one another. Walls fall down, more stories are shared, relationships are built and hearts open up.
Serve them. Look for needs in their life and meet those needs. I had a new friend in my life years ago who did this for me. We played a round of golf together, at his invite and expense, and he just got to know me. On the drive home I mentioned that it was one of my son’s birthday the next day and I could not find the video game that he badly wanted. Within 15 minutes of dropping me at home, he called to tell me that he had found the game at a store about 40 minutes away and that he would have it to my house within two hours. I was blown away!
Share your stories with them. Tell them what makes you who you are. Weave the journey of your faith formation into those stories when appropriate. Be vulnerable and welcome them into your life.
Then, when the Holy Spirit reveals the perfect moment, share Jesus with them and invite them to explore a relationship with Him too. You don’t need to be a Bible scholar. All you need to be is a person who “was blind but now I see”. All you know about Jesus is what you know about Jesus - and that is enough to share with a friend.
Then, when and if it is ever a good idea, bring them to your faith community. That could be a Sunday gathering at the church you attend or it could be your Oikos, small group, or other friends who love Jesus. Connect them to the larger Body of Christ so they can develop a support system for their faith journey.
See how easy that is? Just B.L.E.S.S. them!
Believe for them in prayer
Listen to their stories
Eat with them
Serve them
Share your story with them
And watch the Holy Spirit empower you, speak through you, and deepen your community of faith while transforming a new friend and their Oikos, too.