Jesus never intended us to follow Him—or love our neighbors—alone. In John 17, Jesus prays that His followers would be united so that the world might see and believe. Our unity isn’t just good for the church; it’s part of our witness.

In this final message from The Art of Neighboring, we explore how ordinary acts of neighboring become something powerful when practiced by an entire church. We may have different personalities, gifts, backgrounds, and stories, but we’re united around the same Savior and sent into our neighborhoods with the same mission.

We can love our neighbors individually, but we show them Jesus together.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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Neighboring can get messy.

Loving our neighbors sounds simple - until our neighbors frustrate us, disappoint us, or hurt us. Jesus calls His followers not merely to desire peace, but to become peacemakers.

In this message from The Art of Neighboring, we explore what it looks like to pursue peace when relationships get messy: praying before reacting, taking the first step toward reconciliation, and caring more about winning a neighbor than winning an argument. Ultimately, we discover that our pursuit of peace is rooted in the gospel - Jesus moved toward us first and made peace through the cross.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” — Matthew 5:9

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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We often think loving our neighbors means looking for ways to serve, help, and give. But healthy relationships require something else too: the humility to receive.

In John 13, Peter is eager to follow Jesus, but uncomfortable allowing Jesus to wash his feet. His response reveals something many of us experience—giving can feel easier than receiving because receiving requires vulnerability and dependence.

In this message from The Art of Neighboring, we explore how the Gospel begins not with what we do for God, but with receiving what Christ has done for us. And when we learn to receive—from Jesus and from others—we make room for deeper relationships and genuine community.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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What motivates the way we love our neighbors? In Week 4 of The Art of Neighboring, we explore the difference between having an ulterior motive and an ultimate motive. As followers of Jesus, we genuinely desire for others to know Christ—but our neighbors should never feel like projects or spiritual checkboxes.

Looking at Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1–10, we see a Savior who moved toward people with grace, built relationship before calling for repentance, and loved without manipulation while never compromising the truth. Jesus noticed the overlooked, learned their stories, and trusted God with the results.

This message challenges us to examine our hearts, embrace authentic friendships, and remember that we don't love people so they'll become Christians—we love people because we are Christians. As God's story, your story, and your neighbor's story begin to intersect, the gospel comes alive in powerful ways.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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In Week 3 of our The Art of Neighboring series, we explore one of the biggest barriers to loving our neighbors well: Fear. Most of us aren't afraid to wave or learn a name... we're afraid of what comes next. What if the simple act of sharing a meal or opening our home could become one of God's primary ways of changing lives? Looking at Jesus' interaction with Levi in Luke 5:27–32, we discover that neighboring isn't about having all the answers - it's about creating space for relationships where people can encounter the grace of Christ. Join us as we learn how ordinary hospitality can become an extraordinary part of God's mission. 

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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Why is it so hard to know our neighbors? For many of us, the biggest obstacle isn't a lack of desire - it's a lack of margin.

In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus' interaction with Mary and Martha reminds us that hurry and distraction can crowd out what matters most. Before we can love our neighbors well, we must first learn to slow down, be present with Jesus, and make room for the people He's placed around us.

Neighboring isn't about adding another activity to your schedule. It's about becoming the kind of person who notices others—because love moves at the speed of presence.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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What if one of the greatest opportunities to follow Jesus is waiting just outside your front door?

In the opening message of our new series, The Art of Neighboring, we explore Jesus' words in Luke 10 and discover that loving our neighbors isn't just a nice idea—it's central to what it means to apprentice ourselves to Jesus. Through the Great Commandment, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and a practical challenge to know the people God has already placed around us, we're reminded that following Jesus happens not only in church, but in the ordinary rhythms of everyday life.

Whether you live on a busy street, a quiet dirt road, or in an apartment complex, God has intentionally placed you where you are. What if your neighborhood is one of your greatest mission fields?

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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What does it mean to be invited into the Kingdom of God?

In this guest message, Steve Aldrich unpacks Jesus' parable of the Great Feast from Luke 14, revealing the incredible invitation God extends to all who will come. Through this powerful story, we're reminded that the Kingdom of God is not reserved for the deserving, but is a gracious invitation offered to the overlooked, the broken, and anyone willing to respond in faith.

Whether you've followed Jesus for years or are simply curious about His invitation, this message points us to the heart of the gospel: God has prepared a place at His table, and He invites us to come.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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After twenty weeks in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves us with one final question: What will you do with His words? In the closing message of A Different Way, we explore Jesus' powerful illustration of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–29). While two houses may look identical from the outside, only one survives the storm because of what lies beneath the surface.

This message is a call to move beyond simply hearing Jesus and begin building our lives on Him. Storms don't create our foundation—they reveal it. Will Christ be your authority, your centerline, and your Rock? As we conclude this journey through the Sermon on the Mount, we're reminded that the mountain of Jesus' teaching ultimately points us to the mountain of Calvary, where our only true foundation was secured through His life, death, and resurrection. 

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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This week in A Different Way, we come to one of the most unsettling passages in the entire Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven..." These are people who know the right words, have strong emotions, and are active in religious activity—yet Jesus says, "I never knew you."

What does authentic faith actually look like? How can someone be close to Jesus and still miss Him? And where does grace fit into all of this?

In this message from Matthew 7:21-23, we examine the difference between empty religion and genuine surrender, expose the danger of trusting in our spiritual résumé, and discover the invitation Jesus still offers today: not to work harder, but to know Him—and be known by Him.

This is a warning passage. But it's also a gracious invitation.

✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
"Practicing the Way of Jesus Together."

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