Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth”
Acts 13:47
Every follower of Christ has been called by God to be salt and light beyond the walls of their everyday lives. We are called to live distinctive lives, lives that influence people to desire knowing the God whom we love and serve. We are to be beacons of hope, shining the light of His grace and goodness into the darkness that many of those who live around us walk in daily.
And one of the best places to be that salt and light is in the very neighborhood where you live. Whether you live in a subdivision or an apartment complex, God has placed you in an amazing mission field! We are literally surrounded daily by individuals and families who need to be lifted up in prayer and cared for as we become an extension of God’s grace into their lives. Some of them do not yet know Christ and need to hear the Gospel. Others know Christ and need to be discipled. And all of them need to be loved.
But in order for us to do that, we have to move beyond the walls of our homes. Unfortunately, we have succumbed to the mindset of our culture, making our homes places we retreat to after a day of work instead of becoming a place into which we invite our neighbors and from which we engage our neighborhood. And I am as guilty as anyone of giving into that silo mentality that is keeping us from joining Jesus in what He is doing in the lives of our neighbors.
I am working on changing that in my life and I challenge you to do so as well if you find yourself living in a silo in the midst of other silos. But that leads to a critical question: “Where do I begin?”
Answer: BlessEveryHome.com. Bless Every Home is a powerful tool that will help you to know your neighbors by name and develop a missional strategy to pray for them, care for them, share the Gospel with them, and disciple them. And it’s free! All you have to do is go to their website and sign up. Once you sign up, you will be able to choose how many of your neighbors you want to adopt to pray for and begin building relationships with.
After signing up and choosing your “mission field”, you will see a Google map showing you where each neighbor lives in relation to your home. You will also have access to a list you can print out and each day you will receive an email with the names of five neighbors to specifically pray for by name.
In addition, you will have access to a library of great resources to help you develop a strategy in connecting with your neighbors through their Train and Grow link.
So what are you waiting for? It is time to move beyond the walls! Sign up this week and begin praying for each of your neighbors by name. And as you pray, begin asking God to show you ways to connect with them.
For the Fame of His Name!
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US
Bless Every Home Introduction:
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