This past Sunday, the Immanuel Baptist Church launched its Good Neighbor Initiative, which aims to recognize those in our local community who exhibit the qualities of a good neighbor. The Good Neighbor Initiative enables members of the Immanuel Baptist Church to nominate someone as a “good neighbor,” whether it be a business that provides good customer service or an individual that shows kindness. To nominate someone, the church member informs the business or person that they are nominated for this distinction. They will explain the attributes of the nominee that prompted them to do so—good service, a kind act, a pleasant attitude, helpfulness, etc. The nominee’s name and information will be collected, and our church will send a letter and a gift to thank them for being a good neighbor. At the end of each month, all good neighbor nominees will be entered to win the distinction of “Good Neighbor of the Month.” This neighbor will be invited to a service, where they will be presented a plaque acknowledging this accolade. I believe the Good Neighbor Initiative will accomplish several things:

To look for the positive and not focus on the negative

No one likes waiting in a place of business. It is hard to be cordial toward a rude person. By looking for a good neighbor, we are looking for the positive person in a negative situation. This shifts our focus to others.

To engage people in our community

Instead of just having the minimum engagement with others, this provides the opportunity to start a conversation with someone that perhaps we otherwise would not approach. The Good Neighbor Initiative gives a reason to engage with others.

To acknowledge those who go the extra mile or preserve a pleasant spirit while conducting daily business

People like for someone to notice them and compliment the job they perform. A simple “thank you” can go a long way. However, the nomination for an award and the receipt of a letter of appreciation with a gift are certainly unique. The truth of the matter is, there are people we encounter whom we can encourage by taking the time to nominate them.

To communicate appreciation for those who serve us and our community

In other words, we want to be good neighbors by acknowledging good neighbors. As Christians, we should show appreciation and respect others’ kindness. We help our community in this way.

To facilitate an invitation and relationship with our church

The Good Neighbor Initiative is an avenue to connect people with the Immanuel Baptist Church. An invitation, whether given verbally or physically through printed material, might just be “one more church invitation” to that person. However, a nomination for being a good neighbor sets our church apart in the mind of others:

“That’s the church that nominated me for my kindness, work, or attitude.”

Whether the nominee attends our church or not, we have at least extended the hand of friendship into the community around us.

In His teachings, Jesus reminds us that everyone is our neighbor. Let us decide to be kind, appreciative, and friendly to those who cross our path today.