Do you want to love your neighbor as yourself but don’t know where to start? This practical, accessible guide to bridging the dividing lines of politics, race, and economics, both individually and as the church, will help you amplify Jesus in your community and build God’s kingdom. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus gave a two-part answer: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and also “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love God. Love others. Jesus’ simple command to love your neighbor can feel overwhelming when your neighbor looks, lives, and votes differently than you do. Racial and economic tensions across the country have resulted in deep dividing lines that seem really intimidating to cross. Docusen breaks down these lines in approachable chapters, including topics like these: how to actively seek out people you can benefit and encourage, what it means to find a diverse and supportive community that fulfills needs, examples of real-life experiences, including highlights and missteps of Docusen’s ongoing journey, and how churches can teach on difficult topics with grace and truth. Neighborliness is a practical guide to bridging those dividing lines and learning to recognize and amplify the beauty of God in our communities. Backed by David’s speaking and training through the Neighborliness Center, this book will help individuals and churches reach out to their neighbors, love them through Christ, and build God’s kingdom.

The communities in the Southern Philippines are wounded and scarred by the never-ending atrocities between the Philippine Government and Muslim rebel groups who are fighting for their land, their identity and their autonomy. The neighborhood communities between Muslims and Christians are the most affected in the atrocities. It affects the way they live, move and act as neighbors to one another. The neighborliness in the region changes as the landscape of the political and social arena changes. Thus, it is but proper that the healing and reconciliation begins in the same scarred and wounded neighborhoods. This study identifies three narratives of neighborliness in the region; (1) the intentional communities established during the American regime, (2) the neighborliness introduced by the Bishops and the Ulama in response to the document Nostra Aetate, and (3) the proposed neighborliness anchored in the document A Common Word Between Us and You. The Basic Ecclesial Communities and the Ummah are the communities at the frontier of this new neighborliness. These are the communities who are challenged to live the spirituality of reconciliation as they live this new neighborliness.

Draws on three national surveys on religion, as well as research conducted by congregations across the United States, to examine the profound impact it has had on American life and how religious attitudes have changed in recent decades.