The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door is a thrilling and insightful book written in 2012 by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon. Its main purpose is to guide individuals, whether Christians or not, on how to create good relationships with their neighbors. On the other hand, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected is an awe-inspiring book based on real-life events written in 2013 by Nik Ripken and Gregg Lewis. The authors aim to illuminate the persecution of Christians in different parts of the world, especially in Islamic nations and other nations where Christianity forms the minority religion. In addition, Ripken and Lewis intend to give hope to Christians experiencing oppression that their faith can continue thriving despite the hardships. The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door focuses on fostering community unity through positive relations, while The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected highlights Christian persecutions.
In The Art of Neighboring, Pathak and Runyon argue that good neighborly relationships are the key solutions to various social problems affecting the communities. The authors observe that in today’s society, individuals have hectic schedules to the extent that they do not interact with their neighbors. As a result, most people hardly know the names of their neighbors (Pathak & Runyon, 2012). The alienated relationship between neighbors may lead to isolation, misunderstanding, and fear. Nevertheless, if individuals establish caring relations with people living close to them, they will share their problems and find effective solutions. Through this, Christians implement God’s greatest commandment to love their neighbors as they love themselves. Alternatively, in The Insanity of God, Ripken’s own emotional and spiritual odyssey combined with the accounts of persecuted believers emphasize the importance of faith in Jesus Christ. The book narrates Ripken’s personal journey as he attempts to provide relief aid and spread the gospel in some of the harshest regions in the world (Ripken & Lewis, 2013). Additionally, the authors depict how some believers maintain strong faith in God despite the immense suffering and cruelties they experience, including imprisonment.
The major themes portrayed in Pathak and Runyon’s book include friendship, compassion, forgiveness, and reconciliation. The authors emphasize that loving one’s neighbor is not a mere feeling but should be demonstrated through creating friendships. For example, after the pastors in Denver teach their congregants about becoming good neighbors, the Christians establish close ties with those around them to the extent that some hold block parties (Pathak & Runyon, 2012). The theme of compassion is demonstrated through the authors’ emphasis on the need for individuals to help those in need within their proximity. The subjects of forgiveness and reconciliation enlighten individuals about pardoning those who wrong them and restoring broken ties. On the other hand, Ripken and Lewis’ book highlights the issues of persecution and perseverance. The theme of persecution is portrayed through narrations of some Christians’ imprisonment, torture, and execution due to their faith in God (Ripken & Lewis, 2013). The topic of perseverance is also illustrated throughout the book. For instance, the three-year imprisonment of lay people in China allowed them to effectively learn how to minister to other Christians.
In The Art of Neighboring, the authors use simple language that readers can easily understand. In addition, the book’s title is appropriate because it gives the audience an idea of what the publication entails. Similarly, the authors support their main arguments with real-life examples to help the readers identify with the discussions. For instance, Pathak’s narration of how he felt his space was being invaded by the neighbors his wife invited is an issue that most individuals can relate to (Pathak & Runyon, 2012). Therefore, reading this book can help people with similar struggles learn how to overcome them. Alternatively, in The Insanity of God, Ripken and Lewis use a captivating title that raises readers’ curiosity, attracting them to the book. The authors also employ descriptive and creative language that makes the reader feel connected to the characters. For instance, when Ripken describes the dilapidated condition of a hospital in Mogadishu and the presence of an emaciated 3-year-old girl who sat unresponsively, the audience can envisage the scenario and feel the girl’s pain (Ripken & Lewis, 2013). Such expressive language significantly draws the audience’s attention to the book.
The key strength of Pathak and Runyon’s manuscript is that the main arguments are effectively intertwined with the scripture to produce a compelling message to Christians. In this case, the authors stress that the need to be good neighbors is not about social support, peace, or freedom but fulfilling God’s greatest commandment. For example, they quote the books of Matthew 22: 37-40 and Galatians 5:14 to emphasize God’s message of loving one’s neighbor (Pathak & Runyon, 2012). Another strength of this publication is that it provides detailed steps on becoming good neighbors, including giving invitations, overcoming fear, setting boundaries, and restoring broken ties. Alternatively, the main strength of Ripken and Lewis’ book is that it is based on a true story that appeals to many readers, especially Christians. The authors’ depiction of spiritual persecution inspires other believers worldwide. For instance, a narrative is given about a Ukrainian pastor who told his family that he would be proud knowing his wife and children were executed rather than denying Jesus (Ripken & Lewis, 2013). This case demonstrates the sacrifices that Christians should be willing to make for their faith.
The primary weakness linked to The Art of Neighboring is that the authors constantly restate their points, making the book lengthy. This may encourage readers to skim over large sections of the publication. Therefore, a shorter version of the book would have been more suitable. In addition, using the first person in the book is challenging because it has two authors; hence, a reader must regularly refer to previous sections to confirm whose narration it is. On the other hand, the weakness linked to The Insanity of God is in regard to its title. Although the first part of the title is provocative, the theme is not demonstrated in the book and is only mentioned on the last page. Even though the manuscript contains many unexpected and miraculous occurrences, none depicts the ‘insanity of God.’ Additionally, the second part of the title may also be inappropriate because, despite the spiritual hardships encountered by Ripken and other believers facing persecution, none of them gave up their faith. Hence, incorporating “faith resurrected” in the topic seems unjustified and unsuitable.
Generally, The Art of Neighboring is a must-read for all individuals, whether Christians or not. This is because it provides great insights into creating positive ties with one’s neighbor, thus boosting community unity. The significance of the book cannot be ignored because all individuals globally live within communities, and therefore it is crucial to know how to best interact with others to build healthy societies. This book can be recommended to all readers, especially individuals who frequently move from one community to another due to the nature of their jobs or other factors. Alternatively, The Insanity of God is an incredible and profoundly inspiring manuscript for all Christians. Its importance to believers cannot be undermined because it challenges the amount of sacrifice they would be willing to make for their faith in God. It also stresses the theme of hope for all Christians because if faith can thrive in areas where believers are critically oppressed, it can survive anywhere in the world. The book can be recommended to all Christians, particularly those involved in missionary work in diverse parts of the world.
In conclusion, both The Art of Neighboring and The Insanity of God are interesting and insightful books. The use of real-life examples in both books makes the content more applicable in the actual world. Although they contain different messages, they both highlight critical social issues that affect many individuals in the world today, making them relatable to diverse audiences. Therefore, the knowledge they provide can be instrumental in solving different problems and in shaping people’s relationships with one another. Equally important, both books provide a foundation upon which other researchers may base their work. Nevertheless, the authors should avoid unnecessary repetitions of the main arguments and ensure that titles effectively match the book contents to shun ambiguity.
References
Pathak, J., & Runyon, D. (2012). The Art of neighboring: Building genuine relationships right outside your door. Baker Books.
Ripken, N., & Lewis, G. (2013). The insanity of God: A true story of faith resurrected. B&H Publishing Group.