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A photo of three book covers

Summer is a great time to intentionally connect with your neighbors. Here are three books to help.

What’s on your summer reading list? Summer is a great time to intentionally connect with your neighbors, and there are many books and other resources on the importance of being present in our neighborhoods and loving our neighbors! Here are three suggestions to add to your summer reading list:

Cover of Alan J. Roxburgh's book "Joining God, Remaking Church, Changing the World"

Joining God, Remaking Church, Changing the World: The New Shape of the Church in Our Time by Alan J. Roxburgh

In this book, Roxburgh invites us to “to follow the Spirit into our neighborhoods, re-engage with the mission of God, and re-imagine the whole enterprise of church.” It provides a helpful overview of the foundational posture and parameters of our Go Local initiatives.  

Preston Pouteaux's Book Cover "The Bees of Rainbow Falls"

The Bees of Rainbow Falls: Finding Faith, Imagination, and Delight in Your neighborhood  by Preston Pouteaux

This book “reminds us that we matter to our community, that goodness is found all around us, and that new life emerges out of the small and sublime.” As a pastor and a beekeeper, Pouteaux inspires and challenges us to step out our front doors and join God in our neighborhoods.

Karen Wilk's book cover "Don't Invite Them to Church"

Don't Invite Them to Church: Moving from a Come and See to a Go and Be Church by Karen Wilk

This guidebook is designed to “help you, your small group, or your church get started in neighborhood ministry and missional living. It includes ideas for group meetings, practices to help you develop a better spiritual life, and real-life ideas for reaching out to your neighborhood. If you really want to know your neighbors and love them like Jesus would, don't invite them to church. BE the church.”

Karen Wilk is Resonate Global Mission’s Go Local Catalyzer