Why Not?

February 6 started out as any other day. I sat on the yellow loveseat beside a picture window having my morning devotions. I’m sure it was a typical wintery day in central Ohio. While I don’t remember the exact weather, I will never forget the revelation.

Even today, as I look back over my journal from that time, I remember the clarity and certainty of God’s voice as He laid out ideas for teaching His word. Eighteen different topics materialized on my paper as I compiled in one list the concepts, precepts and challenges He and I had explored together over the past four years.

God had given me a glimpse inside His word – in fact, for four solid years I had been reading it from cover to cover while attending numerous Bible studies. My husband and I were enrolled together in ministry school and would soon to receive a Bachelor Degree in Practical Ministry. I attended She Speaks, a powerful conference for women in ministry.

The Lord had given me a gift for teaching and a desire to share the revelations He had given me. In a single morning, He gave me the outline for a year’s worth of teaching material and a vision for The Rosewood Café, a neighborhood Bible study to be held in our home on Rosewood Drive. But I did not offer any of this education or impartation back to Him.

I had a head full of ideas

& a heart full of resistance.

I had a spirit of poverty about my time. I was as unwilling to give Him “my” time as I had once been unwilling to give Him “my” money. I stingily reasoned that I just didn’t have time to start a Bible study or prepare a lesson, especially since God was blessing our company with so much work. I had never worked so hard or so long, and it was taking a toll on me. So I delayed, and I disobeyed. My time was gone, each minute sprouted wings and flew off to the sky like an eagle (Prov. 23:5).

What is your excuse for not starting

a neighborhood Bible study?

I Don’t Have Time “I don’t have time to invite my neighbors, prepare my home, plan a teaching, prepare my heart, or form new relationships.”
I’m Not Smart Enough “I won’t be able to answer all their questions. I’m not a Bible scholar. I’m still figuring this out, too!”
My House Isn’t Nice Enough “My furniture is worn, my dog isn’t behaved, my room is too small. I’ve been meaning to paint the living room for years.”
I’m Afraid “What if no one comes – or what if everyone comes? What if I embarrass myself? What if? What if? What if?”
Religion Is A Private Matter “We just don’t talk about personal things in my circles. I save that for church.”

Yes, a neighborhood Bible study takes a great deal of time. Yes, your neighbors will all look to you as their leader. Yes, women will actually see some of your dirty laundry, dirty floors or dirty dishes. Yes, you might make mistakes. Yes, it might be shocking to bring God home from church.

But consider yourself warned, dear friend. If God has placed in your heart a desire to reach out to the women in your neighborhood, and you quench the Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19) with logical excuses, rational defenses and stubborn resistance, you are placing yourself in a precarious position and inviting His painful punishment and loving discipline (Heb. 12:5-6). Do not “Sshhh!” His soft whisper and force Him to shout.

If He has called you to a season of neighborhood ministry, I urge you to respond.

That fall, while sitting in ministry school, I realized what my resistance was costing me. My devotions were dry, my worship was rote. I wrote in my notebook, “Faith without works is dead. My desire for the Word of God has been removed because I didn’t pour it out. I won’t be productive at work until I’m productive with the Word. My diligence is directly related to my obedience. Whatever happened to my home Bible study plans?”

That afternoon, I invited 79 of my closest neighbors over for coffee.

Would you consider doing the same?

No way, lady! Are you crazy?

You may be right. I may be crazy! But please don’t stop reading. While a Neighborhood Café may not be your cup of tea, loving your neighbor is a command you can’t ignore.

Please, I implore you, pray about ways you can use your one-of-a kind personality, your distinct passions, and your God-given gifts to connect with your neighbors and meet their unique needs.

The purpose is to love your neighbors. The thing is, it’s hard to really love people you don’t know. Jesus didn’t love us from afar. He didn’t just pray for people as He walked past their homes; He went in and ate with them. He didn’t just wish He could meet His neighbors; He stepped down from heaven and became like us.

Your neighborhood might be more into Bunco than Bible study. They might be gung ho about a book club but not the Good Book. That’s wonderful! Pay attention to their particular practices, and pick a way to engage and interact with your neighbors that’s familiar, appealing and interesting to them and to you. Some activities you might consider:

A walking club
A book club
A gardening club
A cooking class
Scrapbooking
Neighborhood Watch programs
A neighborhood block party
Games such as bridge or Bunco
Family game nights
Holiday events (Christmas cookie decorating, Easter egg hunts, 4^th of July parade, Memorial Day picnics)

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “…I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” With your neighbors, you don’t have very far to go! Your neighbors may reflect your education, income, family status, hobbies, interests, taste and values even more than your extended family. “Birds of a feather flock together” isn’t a Biblical directive, but it is a proven demographic fact.

The important thing is to go. Get out there and flock together.

Become all things.