Who is My Neighbor?
Who is my Neighbor?
In Mark 12, Jesus is asked which commandment matters most. He responds:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Then in Luke 10 comes the follow-up question:
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answers with the story of the Good Samaritan, reminding us that neighboring is not just an idea. It is a way of living with compassion, presence, and responsibility toward one another.
Neighboring ·
Listening ·
Hospitality ·
Mutual Care ·
Presence ·
Belonging ·
Neighboring · Listening · Hospitality · Mutual Care · Presence · Belonging ·
Big Questions,
Real Impact.
At Abundant Ground, the question “Who is our neighbor?” has become increasingly important through our work helping congregations explore affordable housing and community development on their land. Many congregations are realizing that the work does not end once a building is complete. In many ways, it is just the beginning. A new initiative is emerging through Abundant Ground focused on helping churches deepen relationships with the neighbors and communities around them through practices of hospitality, belonging, listening, and community connection as they explore what it means to faithfully love and serve their neighbors.
Asking BIG Questions
Through this initiative, we help guide congregations through practices of neighboring, hospitality, listening, discernment, and community engagement. We provide tools, reflection exercises, community listening practices, charrettes, mini-grants for neighboring activities, and practical resources that help churches deepen relationships with the communities they serve. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all model, we help congregations ask:
How do we truly know our neighbors and neighborhoods?
How do we create belonging, not just buildings?
What does good neighboring look like in a time of loneliness, displacement, and division?
How do we become long-term neighbors, not just landowners?
What practices help build trust, belonging, and mutual care?
What gifts, wisdom, and strengths do our neighbors already bring to this community?
LET’S GET STARTED
We believe neighboring is about building relationships, strengthening social connections, and cultivating communities where people experience belonging, dignity, and mutual care.
This initiative welcomes participation across backgrounds and focuses on community-building practices that support healthier, more connected neighborhoods.