Summer is, for many, a time of moving. Like many other American families this year, ours will pull up stakes and relocate. This won’t be our first big move. In fact, crossing state lines should be simple compared to taking our family halfway around the world.
But I’m finding that the way we moved overseas is influencing our current plans for putting a roof over our heads.
Here are a few suggestions for how Christians can be missional in any move.
1. Leave room in your budget for giving.
We’ve all seen the HGTV shows where house hunters list their budget and stand firm for a while, only to cave to the desires for their dream home. Their max budget—that imaginary red line—gets crossed with no apparent consequence. Or perhaps they stay within budget but push it to the brink, leaving no wiggle room for unforeseen expenditures or charitable giving.
In my experience as a support-raising missionary, one of the saddest conversations is with a family who’d like to give to missions but can’t due to debt. Sometimes it’s school loans, maybe it’s irrational spending, but often they’re simply individuals (and churches) cash-strapped under the burden of a heavy mortgage. So whether you rent or buy, find your max budget then aim to stay well below it, because living below your means is the first step to generous giving.
2. Look for a neighborhood where you can serve.
This upcoming move has introduced our family to the online world of real estate. When looking for a home, sites like Zillow and Craigslist become invaluable tools. But the temptation when perusing listings is to see a house as mere amenities and features. The industry feeds on buyers identifying and demanding their “must-haves.” A home then becomes nothing more than a space to meet our desires.
Instead of just looking for a home that serves our family, we’re striving to look for a home and neighborhood where we can serve others. This doesn’t negate the fact that we’d like a certain number of bedrooms to fit our family. However, finding a house that will be a means of serving others should be a priority—and that involves more than looking for an open-concept home with room for entertaining.
Look for a home that can be a place of service by finding a neighborhood where you can live among and minister to the community.
3. Live close to the church you’ll join.
Church should be central to mission. Therefore, we’re convinced that it’s ideal if possible to live in close proximity to the church we’ll belong to. This takes some work on the front end, especially when moving 500 miles away. We’re not simply looking for a home; we’re also searching for a community and a church. That said, narrowing down neighborhoods based on nearby prospective churches can actually be a practical way of simplifying a housing search.
Narrowing down neighborhoods based on nearby prospective churches can be a practical way of simplifying a housing search.
For in-town moves, I’d encourage Christians to consider moving closer to their current church. A long commute to work can be tiresome, but living farther from your church is potentially more damaging. You’ll be less likely to attend when you don’t feel like it. You’ll also have a more difficult time missionally whenever you encourage neighbors to attend with you. If your move takes you farther away from your church, perhaps consider linking arms with a congregation nearer your new home.
4. Meet your neighbors right away.
Moving is no fun. I’ve done it enough to dread it. On top of all the boxes is a mountain of logistics. In my case, I’ll be stepping into a new job and new responsibilities. I’ll need to learn a new city and its public transportation. There will be utilities to set up, groceries to find, bills to pay. But I must remind my task-oriented self that the most important part of any move is being present in your new place. It’s being a good neighbor.
The most important part of any move is being present in your new place. It’s being a good neighbor.
If we’re not careful, the endless list of responsibilities will crowd out opportunities to meet our neighbors, and when we finally get around to it we’ll have to overcome the awkwardness of a welcome months after our arrival. It’s critical in any move to learn who your neighbors are right away. Take time the first week to meet as many as possible. Don’t wait for them. Go to their door proactively with the expectation that God has brought you to this neighborhood for such a time as this.
5. Love the place you live.
I’m not so ignorant as to assume moving is always upward. Some don’t relocate out of choice but necessity. Some aren’t going to their dream home or dream job. Even if they are, it may not be in a city or country they naturally love. Almost inevitably, every move comes with cost—with unpleasant goodbyes and bitter tears.
But I can’t overemphasize the importance of this last suggestion. Learn to love the place you live. Again, this takes faith that God has brought you here for a purpose. It also flows from a perspective that his grace can be found anywhere—in dangerous and debauched neighborhoods of urban America or among the unending cornfields of the Midwest. You can live anywhere and love it. In fact, you need to. Loving the place you live may be the most important step of being on mission where you’re planted.
Kingdom-Minded Reset
As missionaries, my family always moved with purpose. Although many Christians may not be pondering missions when they think about a potential mortgage, relocating is actually the perfect time to do so.
Moving is a way of engaging new people in a new area with the gospel. It also allows us to hit the reset button on more than just relationships. Whether it’s taking on a lease or financing a home, these decisions are the perfect opportunity to restructure our priorities in light of eternity.
Editors’ note: A version of this article appeared at IMB (International Mission Board).
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In an age of faith deconstruction and skepticism about the Bible’s authority, it’s common to hear claims that the Gospels are unreliable propaganda. And if the Gospels are shown to be historically unreliable, the whole foundation of Christianity begins to crumble.
