City On A Hill

The Neighborhood Challenge

Submitted by Neighborhood Groups on May 4, 2008 - 4:11pm.

What do you think the biggest challenge is for City on a Hill Neighborhoods to be successful? As I have talked to Neighborhood leaders over the last 2-3 weeks, I have heard the many challenges they face – lack of a clearly defined mission, lack of unity in the Neighborhood regarding purpose, lack of solid commitment from those who are participating in the Neighborhood, struggles to find the right time to meet, …These are real challenges, real obstacles to success, but I don’t believe any one of these is the greatest obstacle. Here’s my case.

The Neighborhood concept is really quite simple – meet in small groups to grow together as we serve the community together. Serving the community can take many forms: hotdogs and a willingness to take prayer requests from the down and out on Thursday evenings, stocking the food pantry at Monte Vista Elementary School, showing support and compassion for those with AIDS, befriending international students. Serving demonstrates that we care for those in our community and can open a door to share the gospel. Through our love of each other and of those in our community we believe God will provide opportunities to talk about Jesus.

So if the concept is simple, and if the concept is gospel based, why is it hard? And if its not lack of clear mission, lack of unity, lack of commitment and time, what is it that’s the greatest challenge. I believe the answer is that Neighborhoods can really work, they can be effective. And if we know that, then you can be sure that Satan knows that as well. So now we get to what I believe is our biggest obstacle – recognizing we are in a spiritual battle and that our biggest need is a commitment to prayer - individually and in our Neighborhoods, because Satan does not want Neighborhoods to prosper.

So will you join me in diligently and consistently praying that God would provide clear vision for mission, unity of purpose, time and commitment for our Neighborhoods? It’s a spiritual challenge and our effectiveness depends on it!

Written by Bob Paulsen