Jay Pathak

This book looks at what it would be like to take Jesus's command to "love thy neighbor" seriously. Chock full of practical ideas on how to engage with your neighbors, this book is an excellent resource for anyone who is looking to engage with their neighbors and neighborhood on a deeper level. The authors share many personal stories of how they have lived this out and how it has transformed their communities. There is a discussion guide at the end of the book that would be perfect for small show more groups or just personal reflection. show less

A lot to reflect on and think about in this book. The thesis is the question "who is my neighbor?" and what did Jesus mean when he called us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We do well loving neighbors across the country and around the world, but how do we do with the people next door? Perhaps when Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself, he meant the actual neighbor who lives next door. What would change if we, as Christians, took up the challenge to get to know, befriend, and love the show more people who lived right there on our blocks? Lots of fodder for sermons here as well as practical challenges for all of us to embrace. show less

I am not sure that this is what Jesus meant by loving your neighbor. I do believe that we need to know and love those that live in our area, but in many areas, this is just not a practical application of Jesus' words. Many areas are rural, with few neighbors. It is great if you live in suburban America, but a lot of people do not. The commandment to love your neighbors must extend past the people with similar backgrounds, jobs, and resources.

3.5-4 stars. I really appreciated the practicality included here (love me some action items, lol!).

The read is definitely longer than it needs to be, imho, so can be skimmed through at times for the truly solid-gold nuggets.