When Jesus said, “Love your neighbor,” he didn’t put limits on it. He welcomed all. Faith-based gatherings should welcome all, too, especially from their own community. Learn how to include others.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor” (Matthew 22:39). He didn’t say “Love those who believe the same thing as you” or “Only love the people you know.” He opened it up and instructed us to love our community regardless of who they are or what they believe. This means that he intended us to treat everyone around us with kindness and respect, and to share love with them as we are able. Churches and other faith-based organizations can forget that there are people right outside their gathering space who are not a part of their congregation. There is love and faith in reaching out to invite those neighbors in, or even heading out to participate in celebrations that our neighbors are putting on. We can often learn a lot about ourselves and our faith by experiencing other faith-based opportunities.

Open the Doors

Think back to when you were in elementary school and you got an invitation to a classmate’s birthday party. Sometimes when you got to the party, there were a small number of people who were already friends there. Sometimes, though, it was a larger group, and there were people from extracurriculars, family, and other classmates invited. Regardless of who was there, it felt good to be invited. Religious organizations extend invitations, like a birthday party, all the time. At the end of a service, we are often invited to the next gathering. There are bulletins, websites, call chains, etc., that invite the congregation to participate in the next faith-based opportunity. Quite often, though, these invites are only found once you are already involved in the group.

Invitations

Religious organizations can extend their invitations to a larger crowd within their community by doing physical invitations and canvassing the neighborhood. One thing my youth group did each year was a challenge to trade up to the largest thing we could. We started with a paperclip or a penny, and each had a set of streets we could go to. Our trade-ins got huge sometimes, and there was a group that got a piano to donate from this challenge! As we knocked on doors to try and trade up, we explained where we were from and what group we were with. It almost always led to inviting the person to the next service. It was a great way to get out in the community and engage the youth in spreading love and faith.

Summer Inclusion

Another inclusive option that faith-based groups offer is Vacation Bible School, camp, or other summer fun opportunities. I was hugely into my church’s camp growing up and would go as often as possible. After members were allowed to sign up, community members would wait in line to get into the remaining slots. Instead of a staggered approach like that, organizations can offer sign-up to all and encourage community members to participate as a way to spread the faith! There are larger camp organizations that host churches for specific weeks of the summer, some offering overlap with hosting multiple church groups at a time.

Attending this style of summer camp with my friend’s church introduced me to people I would not have otherwise met and created bonds that extended past the week of camp. While, at the core, all the churches attending were Christian, there was a variety in worship style or where emphasis was placed in certain teachings. These invitations provided opportunities for growth in personal faith and in connections between organizations.

Branching Out

Growing up, I attended my Lutheran church every Sunday. As I teenager, I was there every Wednesday, twice on Sundays, and probably a day or two extra depending on the activities being offered. I also attended my fair share of Catholic mass, funerals, and activities with my grandmother. For holidays, I attended both churches, as well as the Greek Orthodox church with my godparents. Church is a familiar place to me, and I never really felt out of place there.

Then, in high school, I had the opportunity to attend services while traveling and went to a few services that were eye-opening to me. Not all churches sat and listened quietly to a lesson from an old white person in a robe. Some of the leaders wore jeans and man-buns and walked around the room as they talked. Other churches had different music, and some had guitars that were used for the hymns! Everyone there still knew the words, but they weren’t written on a bulletin for us to follow along. While these experiences were with Christian congregations, they were the first eye openers in how to engage with faith in ways outside of my familiarity. These experiences led to my comfortability in experiencing other religions as my travel expanded or joining friends in their worship spaces.

Expand Your Comfort Zone

It can be uncomfortable heading into a space that is outside of your cultural or religious realm without someone by your side. At first, I was really shy in these situations and asked about topics that felt safe. Work, family, hobbies—the things that are hard to disagree with or be controversial. Soon, though, it feels as if you have so many things in common with people that you can start asking questions. “Why do you celebrate by fasting?”, “What is the purpose of separating by gender?”, “How do you know when to get up, bend over, or kneel?”.

Each answer, no matter how niche the question, tends to come with a response that makes complete sense based on their beliefs, and most lead to a conversation including a comparison with your own beliefs and practices. By the end of each visit, I leave with more knowledge than I know what to do with, and a whole lot of new connections with people that I am likely to see again.

Joining a New Group

At my workplace, I am the licensed staff member in charge of prayer for our Muslim students. It is my favorite time of day. From this, I have been invited to graduation parties, Quran competitions, and even invited to Eid celebrations by my students and their families. My students know that their blonde, pale staff member isn’t Muslim. But that doesn’t stop them from feeling supported in a safe place and feeling a connection.

The invites tell me that I am creating an environment where everyone feels safe to have their own beliefs and share them with others. The consistency of me showing up, asking questions about customs, and protecting the space allows students to feel comfortable enough to engage in dialogue about our differing beliefs to learn more and share their own experiences. By being open to learning, both the kids and I have embodied the idea of loving our neighbors.

Faith-based Options

Partner with another faith-based organization to do an “exchange” program. Hosting a group from a different religious organization for a specific service, and bringing their own group to a service at their organization. This could be paired with a social gathering before or after the service to encourage mingling and conversation. Some groups have taken this a step further to shared outings or joint youth groups, making the “love your neighbor” idea a realistic achievement

Use service projects that cross community or cultural boundaries. A community-advertised trip to Feed My Starving Children or a local food pantry can expose your congregation members to people they may not be around on a regular basis. Hosting a booth or participating in a neighborhood fair/market can do the same thing! Canvassing with invites to your organization can increase community reach by using face-to-face connections, too. The first step in loving your neighbor is learning who they are.

Host a celebration for holidays that aren’t observed in your religion. Showing love is often done by putting effort into shared experiences that are for another person. On a larger scale, consider partnering with an organization with different beliefs to host a celebration like the Chinese New Year, Purim, or Eid (or any other holiday) can show your community neighbors that you support them and open the door for dialogue about other religions in an educational way!

Accept invites when they are extended. When a community organization other than your own invites you to participate in their activity, try to accept it. Another organization is doing the brave work to love their neighbor; try to be there to show the support you would want if the roles were reversed. It is what Jesus would probably do!

Conclusion

Whether you are welcoming community members into your celebration or venturing out to new experiences, Jesus is with you. Jesus loved everyone and welcomed them to hear his teachings. He put himself in unfamiliar situations as a way of reaching more people. We can follow the teachings of Jesus by doing similar. You never know, you might meet some lifelong friends along the way. 

Warmly,

Elaine Seekon

About the Writer:

Elaine is an educator by trade and passion, licensed in Special Education areas of Emotional Behavior Disorders, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as Secondary Communicative Arts. Education-driven, she has previously completed a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Social Psychology. She is currently working as a Behavior Specialist in a high school setting. With Spirit & Truth Publishing, Elaine is happily employed as a writer and editor.

This blog post is part of a monthly series of practical advice for faith formation leaders by faith formation and education professionals. Summaries of these posts are sent in a monthly email to email subscribers. Subscribe today!