With the busyness of the holiday season behind us, I want to encourage us to stop and reflect. Many of us move at light speed with our New Year’s resolutions. So, do this reflection in order to not lose sight of the implications of the Christmas story. In particular, let’s reflect on the advent of Jesus, as recorded in John’s gospel 1:14 where it says “he came to dwell among us”. Jesus intentionally enters human history and re-introduces the concept of shalom. Shalom can best be described as the idea of justice and peace. It is justice and peace which encompasses the reality of restoration and reconciliation of humanity. Underpinning this radical theory of shalom is love, which binds all these together for true transformation.

Another key concept related to this idea of shalom is the theology of place. Jesus’ life best illustrated this. For example, before He shared this global vision of shalom, He was a practitioner of this truth. He was regionally present. Think Geography for a moment: Jesus lived out this radical calling in Galilee, Jerusalem, Samaria, and other local, smaller provinces. His model for kingdom building was centered on two things: being relational and ministering in proximity.

Recognizing the “what,” “why” and “how” of the church’s role in the local community is the first step to follow this model. In Fresno alone, there over 400 churches, 92 neighborhoods, with 59 languages spoken. Fresno is the 5th largest city in California with an estimated population of 522,053 residents. So, before the church can develop strategies to reach the people in the community, we first need to understand some of the dynamics and barriers that exist in the community and church today.

For example, the average church in North America is in decline. Trends estimate about 10% of people are actively engaged in a church on any given Sunday. The rise of commuter churches can create a sense of an open market for families to choose from. Yet the over-saturation of local churches in any given region may also be factors to this phenomenon of decline. This creates a dilemma for many local neighborhoods today that lack an incarnational witness to the transforming gospel of Jesus. It is essential that churches and ministries recapture the idea of the local parish if they want to see real community transformation. To engage in this process is to develop a renewed understanding of the importance of place from a theological perspective. In other words, thrive where you live because where you live matters.

Here are some suggestions for neighboring like Jesus:

1. Recognize that every person in the community deserves to be engaged in their context. Like an onion, this work has many layers. Simply understanding the cultural and social-economics of a neighborhood is a good initial step for engagement. Community transformation happens though relationships, not through transactions. Without relationships you have a transaction. 
2. Become aware of your neighborhood boundaries. Research the city. Learn about the demographics of the city. Discover the felt needs by listening to the community.

To learn more about practical ways of neighboring, join us for “love our neighbor training event” Monday, January 22nd at Riverpark Bible Church at 6:30 pm.