BLESS

5 everyday ways to love your neighbor and change the world!

“Jesus commanded us to be a blessing to the world around us when He said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”–Mark 12:31

The most effective way for us to help people who don’t know Jesus to come to Jesus is by becoming their genuine friend. At North, we are committed to being that genuine friend! One way we are doing that is through the strategy called BLESS.

The BLESS strategy is not a program, but a way to organize intentional relationships. Beginning with prayer, listening, eating together, serving, and sharing your story, we can show the love of Jesus to our neighbors.

Who is your neighbor?

Your neighbors are the people who live on your street, but they are also the people God has placed around you. To identify your neighbors, ask yourself “Who are the eight people in closest proximity to me?” These may be the people who are literally in your neighborhood. They may also be people at work, people at the gym, or people you see regularly at your kid’s ball games.

BLESS Strategy

B: BEGIN with Prayer for my neighbors.

My example is Jesus, who started His earthly mission with prayer (Luke 6:12–16). Prayer is both how I discover my mission and how I do the mission of Jesus.

L: LISTEN to my neighbors.

My example is Jesus, who loved others by asking questions and then listening to them (Luke 18:40–42). Listening is how I give dignity to others, and it is a gracious expression of love.

E: EAT with my neighbors.

My example is Jesus, who consistently shared meals with the “sinners” (Matthew 9:9–13). Eating with others is how I move a relationship from an acquaintance to a friendship.

S: SERVE my neighbors.

My example is Jesus, who did not come to be served, but to serve others (Matthew 20:28). Serving others is a tangible way I can demonstrate the love of God to others.

S: Share my STORY with my neighbors.

My example is Jesus, who shared the good news of His own story with others (John 3:1–17). Sharing my story gives others a clear understanding of how God’s love and the life of Jesus can change their lives.

A Personal bless Experience…

"We have a neighbor we rarely saw. The church had just begun its BLESS evangelism model. We used that model, although not necessarily in the order designed. Little by little, he began to emerge from his shell. Easter Sunday he agreed to go to church with us. He has missed just a handful of Sundays since then. None of this was our doing. BLESS is the vehicle God used when our neighbor was ready."–Church member experience

BLESS Tools

Neighbor Chart

As you identify your neighbors, download the chart below, add your neighbor’s name in the boxes, and then begin praying for them. As you learn more about them over time, add info to each box to better focus your prayers.

Meal Calendar

“As people who scarf down fast food on the go while steering with our knees, I’m not sure we really grasp how big a deal eating was in Jesus’ culture. It was a statement of friendship. It was an affirmation of that person’s value, dignity, and worth. Who you ate with indicated who you loved and considered to be part of your social class.” – Dave & Jon Ferguson

Sharing Your Story

Sharing your story is important! Click on the link below for a simple tool for learning how to tell our own story in three parts.

*adapted from B.L.E.S.S. by Dave & Jon Ferguson