From the back cover

What if God lived next door?  Would it make any difference to your neighbourhood?  Would it make any difference to your role as a neighbour?  Jesus summed up the essence of life as loving God with heart, soul, mind and strength and loving our neighbour as ourselves.  God and neighbour are intimately linked and the call to loving our neighbours is high on the Christian agenda.  So what does this mean for the way we live with the people next door?

Simon Carey Holt has listened to the experiences of numerous men and women of faith living in a variety of urban and suburban neighbourhoods.  By drawing these experiences into conversation with biblical an cultural perspectives on residential life, he uncovers the spiritual possibilities of our neigbourhoods.  The result is an inspiring new agenda for local mission in the 21st century.

“... a quiet plea for churches to rediscover neighborhood not as objects of outreach programs or social service good deeds but as the real, flesh-and-bone place were God takes up residence and meets us all. ... Great book – hope it comes to North America very soon.”

Alan Roxburgh, Allelon

“... refreshing, timely and challenging ... an important book.”

David Jeans, Colloquium

“... a gentle reminder that God is at work on your door step and around the corner. Mission doesn’t happen elsewhere: it happens everywhere.”

Peter MacPherson, CMS Resources

“The book is a gem and every parish should have at least have one copy to share around.”

Tony Gray, Parish Connect 09

“A thought-provoking book that requires an immediate and practical response. ... Mission isn’t just something for the sandal-and-socks-wearing missionaries that traipse halfway across the globe to take the gospel to the remote tribes of Africa. We are all called to be Christ’s hands and feet where we live. Read it with your friends, and challenge each other to act!”

Soul Survivor

“ ... a very welcome contribution to a topic which deserves much greater attention by Christians in a country where this is such a deep attachment to and investment in the places we live.” 

   Lorraine Mitchell, Zadok Perspectives

“In an era of neighbourhood dislocation and neglect, Holt’s invitation to take our locality seriously is a challenge. ... I am grateful for the reminder that a commitment to love my neighbour implies a commitment to love my neighbourhood, which, in turn, requires a commitment to being ‘home’ in a certain kind of way.”

   Neil Miller, St Mark’s Review

What others have said ...

“Beautifully written, easily read and full of real stories, God Next Door reminds us of how the local neighbourhood can be a place of ministry and of God’s presence.”

Brian Edgar, Australian Evangelical Alliance

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