We Are Neighbors

  A recent commercial for a pizza chain reprises a classic TV scene where a man walks into an establishment. In the classic version, he is recognized, and everyone calls out "Norm."   In the contemporary version, no one knows his name because he hasn't created an online profile tracked on his phone. In the old neighborhood bar, "everybody knows your name." Now belonging is increasingly mediated through a screen. Eric O. Jacobsen did not anticipate the commercial, which underscores the theme of belonging represented by Norm that runs through his book: "Three Pieces of Glass." Jacobsen contends that the windshield of the automobile, screen of the television, and screen of our smartphones, tablets, and computers, have fundamentally influenced our experience of belonging in society. Jacobsen begins his discussion by exploring the nature of belonging as levels from intimate and personal to social and public and how intimate and personal are not enou...

Several people have recently mentioned their desire to retain the "small town feel" in their city. Sometimes that phrase is used because the town population has grown. Sometimes it is because of increased crime, new faces in the stores, or even proposals for more taxes. The idea of a "small town feel" is sought after, especially in the Midwest. Relators love to talk about the small town feel of a town where they are selling homes. Many communities love to brag about having a small-town feel. One research study had 80% of respondents saying the number one goal of their city should be to "preserve the small town feel." Google helped me find 7,900 United States towns online, saying, "our city has a small town feel." A simple search on Google finds over 518 million posts with the phrase: city has small town feel. The phrase "small town feel" evokes a quiet, laid-back lifestyle in a close-knit community where people know each other, where na...

G. K. Chesterton said: “We make our friends, we make our enemies, but God makes our next-door neighbor.” We are living where we are for a reason because God placed us there to be a light to those around us. That means it is important to know what people consider the most important neighborly traits. I t is important to be respectful and courteous, many people say good neighbors will watch each other’s property and safety and help out with unexpected needs. According to the state farm study (done in 2016), these are the top neighborly traits. In the category they called basic courtesy traits: respect my privacy 80%. Is quiet and does not make excessive noise 72%. Practices good pet etiquette 67%. Takes care of their property 67%. Practices good parking etiquette 59%. Among proactive traits, the top items were as follows. Watches out for neighbors' property 77%. Watches out for their fellow neighbor's personal safety 69%. Helps out a neighbor if there’s an unexpected need 61%. He...

  In most parts of the United States, the days of drawing men to a church for a special event or speaker have waned. Schedules are too busy. Many have resistance to coming to an event at a church. Women often set their husband's social schedules. And in some areas, you need a large budget to produce something that draws people in.  It can also be a daunting task for a group of men to organize events. It is also vital to have an approach that is flexible depending on your number of volunteers, time and budget. We are finding that i n order to have a bigger impact, we have to think smaller. We have to think local. We have to think of neighborhoods. After all, it was Jesus who said the second half of the greatest commandment is to love our neighbors. But we have to know our neighbors' names and actually interact with them before we can love them! In addition, research is showing that younger men do not want more speakers, more meetings or more events but they are excited abo...

My wife and I recently traveled to Tennessee to see your daughter who is working there all summer. On Sunday morning we ventured to downtown Nashville and Broadway Street -- a bucket list destination for our daughter-- to celebrate her 20th birthday.  None of us realized that Broadway never sleeps, or how wild it is when it is awake! Even on Sunday morning the bars were wide open and the music was going full blast. And so was the crowd. It was a reminder -- a stark reminder -- that we live in a lost and fallen world.  People are angry and unforgiving and hurting and searching and lonely and even drunk because they lack a savior and a purpose. People need Jesus. And many times they need a friend first.  That is why I am so committed to a relationship-first approach to neighboring.  God has opened doors to be a gospel light with ministry and each of us can be a light to just our eight most immediate households.  That might not change Broadway Street in Nashville b...

My state Representative Bishop Davidson asked me to testify before the House Committee on Tourism on Feb. 7, 2022. His invitation was the first time I learned that a conversation he and I had several months earlier at a Republic Chamber of Commerce meeting had resulted in him introducing a bill for Missouri Good Neighbor Week. At that Chamber meeting, I explained to him what University of Missouri Extension was doing to encourage action on National Good Neighbor Day (Sept. 28). President Jimmy Carter signed This national holiday into federal law in 1978. Even though National Good Neighbor Day is an actual national holiday, not much has been done with it recently. Other groups like USA Today and Nextdoor have created and marketed their own "neighbor" days at different times of the year, but I felt this September date held a unique opportunity. When Rep. Davidson heard that I had documented nearly 6,000 acts of neighboring in and around Greene County during 2021 (in celeb...