S’more Neighboring

by Pastor Justin Waples

It’s that time of year again!

Fall is here, and as the temperatures begin to drop, I am eager to break out my hoodie and sweatshirt for the after-dinner outdoor adventures. The kids play in the yard collecting sticks and await the leaves to come down from the trees. We bring out the half-rusted fire pit my in-laws gave us new a few years ago and begin splitting some logs. It is nothing fancy, but for a low-budget activity, it does the job remarkably well!

I reach for a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, and any chocolate my children haven’t eaten yet… okay, maybe whatever chocolate I haven’t eaten yet! The summer heat has settled down, and these cool evenings have been longed for. This is my favorite season to get outside and get the fire going.

We set up right in our front yard and text a few neighbors for a spur-of-the-moment marshmallow roast, offering all the goodies they need. What a good way to engage with those the Lord has placed around us to show them the pray-care-share lifestyle we seek to live. Let us use this season to grow strong in God’s Word, acknowledge the call to love our neighbors, and work towards having Gospel-motivated conversations.

We now have the wonderful opportunity to head into our front yards again and bring the Gospel with us! That’s right… it’s time for S’more Neighboring! Get it? Connect with a neighbor this fall through a S’more party or a Fall-themed get-together. Check out the Outreach website for more details and many other Outreach ideas! And stop by the Gospel Resource display to pick up information on hosting a wonderful S’more party. Find many other Gospel Resources designed for the season at the church’s Gospel Resource display.

Get to Know your Neighbor “S’more”!

We are excited to encourage get to know your neighbor s’more this year and pray it becomes a tradition in your family to invite your neighbors into your life. Identify a neighboring family to invite over, gather some simple items from the grocery store, grab your firepit and roasting sticks, and show love and compassion to those closest to you. We pray this will kick off new and deeper relationships with your neighbors.

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-38, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The general flow of today’s culture drifts towards isolation, and we must resist that idea. Inviting neighbors to your home opens the door to new or deeper relationships that can lead to spiritual conversations. Do you feel intimidated reaching out in your neighborhood? Consider inviting another family from your Bible Fellowship or Small Group to host the evening with you.

The interactive nature of making the s’more—roasting the marshmallow, choosing some fillings, and building the finished treat—gives people something to do with their hands and an activity to keep them from getting too nervous or feeling awkward. It’s a perfect way to combine something to eat and something to do at your home.

Make it a fun evening by setting a few fall decorations on a table, and arranging the graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow on trays or plates, so people feel comfortable grabbing what they want. Set up small tables and a few camp chairs and enjoy the company and fun! Be sure to pick up some themed Gospel Resources!

The Outreach Team at East White Oak is praying for you and your Gospel witness to your neighbors this fall.

Read the “Stories About Neighboring” at the end of this article. Each story tells about a different way people from East White Oak have been seeking to boost their neighborhood community engagement. Ask the Lord, “How might you use me to share the Gospel with those in my neighborhood, apartment complex, dorm, or country road?”

Be encouraged to build environments where you can have Gospel-motivated conversations with your neighbors this fall. We will be praying for you!

As you pray and prepare for your neighboring event, read, reflect, and pray through Matthew 22:36-40, Psalm 51:10-13, and John 17:11-21.

1. Pray for boldness for the church to reach out to families.
2. Pray for the open hearts of neighbors.
3. Pray that the Gospel can be shared clearly.
4. Pray that every Christ follower would make it a point to know and even befriend their literal neighbors.
5. Thank God that the people who live around us are not accidents but providential appointments.
6. Pray for God’s design in these neighborhoods.
7. Pray for the church to live at a pace that allows folks to be available to those around them.
8. Pray that the church would reflect personally on life goals that we make more important than taking the Great Commandment literally.
9. Pray that the church would commit to taking the next step with our immediate neighbors this year.
10. Pray that people would find two or three households in their neighborhoods with whom they are already connected and could be a potential partner in this venture.