I'm reading a book now called the The Tangible Kingdom, a book about creating in-carnational community centered around Jesus' Kingdom. Here are some ideas from a chapter called "Leaving," dealing with leaving the confines of your comfort zone to build bridges with non-believers, or as these writers call them: Sojourners. I guess because everyone is somewhere on a spiritual journey.
1.) Letting people live with you in your home for extended periods of time.....giving up space, time, comfort for the sake of connecting with Sojourners. "In the five years that we've lived in Denver, we've had people living with us more than four hundred of those days."
2.) Having dinners or doing dinners out with Sojourners. As a church planter he commits one night a week, but what about one night or meal a month?
3.) Doing what you love with others (hobbies).
4.) Going out of your way to build relationships. "I look to see whose car is in the parking lot at our Starbucks. If it's a Sojourner I've been trying to include in my life, I'll pull over, go in, buy a quick coffee, try to make some good conversation, and then on my way out, throw my coffee away without even taking a sip (if he's already had 8 cups that day)."
5.) Looking for chances to talk. "When I have seen a neighbor outside our street, I've specifically gone out to 'get my mail,' just so I could converse a bit more with him or her."
Letting others live with you would definitely be the hardest, and perhaps more appropriate at some times than others. However that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it. The rest of these ways are simply common sense ways of INTENTIONALLY "leaving" for the sake of others. Simple but intentional.
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