It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

How well do your neighbors know you?

Wherever in the world that you do ministry - do your residential and commercial neighbors know who you are and what you do?

Do the people who live on the same street as you, or in the same apartment building as you - do they know about you and your ministry?

Do they know you at the local supermarket?

Or at the local restaurants and cafes?

How about at the local gas station?

Or the local laundromat?

Or pharmacy?

Or bookstore?

Or at the local schools and universities?

How well do they know you - wherever you are?

Have you made a footprint in your community?

Have you ever walked your neighborhood or community or city?

Too many international ministries want to have an impact in foreign lands, but then adopt a circle-the-wagons mindset once they get there, hanging out with like-minded foreigners and ministry partners, and never getting a feel for the place where they are.

Walk your neighborhood. Say hello to your neighbors.

Frequent local shops, restaurants, and cafes. Chat with the employees. They're always interested to know why a foreigner has arrived in their country. Also be a generous tipper.

By doing this, you will become more embedded in the local community, and the word will spread about your ministry, and you'll make more friends and contacts, and eventually you'll bear more fruit which, as Jesus tells us in John 15:8, is really what it's all about.

Get out there, neighbor!