Christian Neighbors

Today I would like to share some thoughts about our neighbors. Probably most of you have neighbors nearby. In our case, our closest permanent neighbor is an elderly goatherd who lives about a 15 minute walk away. If our neighbors are Christians, no, let me restate that, if our neighbors say they are Christians, then we have a special responsibility to them, and they to us. Even if they don’t attend "our church". I really would like some feedback on the following statement: if your neighbor is a Christian then he is a child of God and is your brother and therefore you need to help each other to grow spiritually even if you don’t attend the same church. You also need to serve God together in your neighborhood.

Yesterday Sharon (who is American) went into town to shop, and after having coffee with two Spanish ladies, María and Vicenta, met with Kelly (Brazilian), the only (?) Christian lady in town. While praying with Kelly, Sharon mentioned the Argentinian neighbor upstairs. As she was praying for Eloisa, there was a knock on the door, and there was Eloisa. She knew that they were meeting, and wanted to join. So a Brazilian Pentecostal and an American rather conservative Evangelical can work together to evangelize an Argentinian neighbor in Spain.

We have seen where Christians of different backgrounds are willing to work together until there are enough of each kind, so they can form separate groups. Why? The question I am trying to raise here is, what right do we have to fellowship mainly in our comfort zone? Isn’t God calling us to serve him together with his children that he has placed alongside us? In the case of Israel in the Old Testament, God protected people by placing boundaries. My own Mennonite people have sometimes chosen or been forced to establish colonies within certain boundaries: in the Ukraine, Latin America, etc. But this is 2008. Most of us know Christians of different persuasions who, unless we happen to be together in some type of "parachurch" ministry, say to each other, "Hi, how ya doin’" and continue on our way.

The reason I changed my phrasing earlier to include those who say they are Christians, is because of what we learn from Paul. Certain actions are to be taken when someone claims to be our brother. In determining whom to separate from, we are told that in the case of "anyone who bears the name of brother" (1 Corinthians 5:11) their personal conduct has to be dealt with. We’re talking about neighbors in this discussion, people whom we see on a regular basis. Maybe we’ve already decided that they aren’t Christians because they belong to a certain group. Maybe we shouldn’t judge that quickly. Maybe we should take time to get to know them. Maybe we should continue this blog some other time.