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The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action
We can see evidence of injustice all around us, whether in continuing incidents of racial inequality or in the systemic forces that disenfranchise people and perpetuate poverty. It's important to learn about the world's inequities and to be a voice for the voiceless any way we can. But in an age of hashtag and armchair activism, merely raising awareness about injustice is not enough. Michelle Warren knows what is needed. She and her family have chosen to live in communities where they are "proximate to the pain of the poor." This makes all the difference in facing and overcoming injustice. When we build relationships where we live, we discover the complexities of standing with the vulnerable and the commitment needed for long-term change. Proximity changes our perspective, compels our response, and keeps us committed to the journey of pursuing justice for all. Move beyond awareness and experience the power of proximity.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2017
28 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Ferrigno Warren
3 books6 followersMichelle Ferrigno Warren is the advocacy and strategic engagement director for the Christian Community Development Association. She is an immigration, education, and human service policy specialist and is an adjunct faculty member at Denver Seminary.
With over twenty years’ experience working in Christian community development, Michelle is a part of the national Evangelical Immigration Table and helps consult for the National Immigration Forum. She is a founding staff member of Open Door Ministries, a large community development corporation. Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University and later earned her master’s in public administration from the University of Colorado.
Michelle, her husband, David, and their three children live in an immigrant neighborhood in Denver, Colorado.
With over twenty years’ experience working in Christian community development, Michelle is a part of the national Evangelical Immigration Table and helps consult for the National Immigration Forum. She is a founding staff member of Open Door Ministries, a large community development corporation. Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University and later earned her master’s in public administration from the University of Colorado.
Michelle, her husband, David, and their three children live in an immigrant neighborhood in Denver, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 10, 2022
i cannot type out all of what this book made me feel, because it’s a lot & i was quite challenged. i’ll simply leave some quotes/ideas that stuck with me.
1. “engaging the pain of another’s struggle is not some noble decision but a natural result of sincere relationships.”
2. by bringing our different perspectives to the table, we are not watering down our own beliefs, we’re making the table bigger.
3. “finding common ground does not mean endorsing every goal or every value of to whom we draw near. but it does mean drawing near.”
4. justice is not paying back for wrongdoing, but seeking out redemption & restoration. Jesus sets the example.
1. “engaging the pain of another’s struggle is not some noble decision but a natural result of sincere relationships.”
2. by bringing our different perspectives to the table, we are not watering down our own beliefs, we’re making the table bigger.
3. “finding common ground does not mean endorsing every goal or every value of to whom we draw near. but it does mean drawing near.”
4. justice is not paying back for wrongdoing, but seeking out redemption & restoration. Jesus sets the example.
November 8, 2022
This book recognizes a deep and important need: for people coming from privilege to come alongside those who are underprivileged to address issues of systemic injustice.
The topics of this book deserve to be pondered and discussed by all. However, the writing itself felt caught half way between memoir and "how to" and didn't flow easily to me as a reader. Warren's discussion of proximity stayed close to her personal experience throughout the book, without exploring other avenues that proximity may take for others.
The topics of this book deserve to be pondered and discussed by all. However, the writing itself felt caught half way between memoir and "how to" and didn't flow easily to me as a reader. Warren's discussion of proximity stayed close to her personal experience throughout the book, without exploring other avenues that proximity may take for others.
June 16, 2020
I so appreciate Warren’s choice to be vulnerable with her thoughts, feelings and struggles throughout this book. She speaks to how she is following the call for proximity and what it has taught her. Her openness made this much more relatable than if she had just said “this is why”. She posed a lot of questions and challenges that I intend to spend more time on as we make decisions in the future, such as where to buy a house and where to send our daughter for school. Just so much stuff to think about and challenge myself not to take the easy, comfortable way forward.
September 3, 2018
Worth it for the chapter on (mostly white) privilege alone. Michelle Warren is the real deal - otherwise glad to read her thoughts.
April 9, 2023
This book was an amazing resource for Project Term 2023. ere are some key highlights.
“We can see evidence of injustice all around us, whether in continuing incidents of racial inequality or in the systemic forces that disenfranchise people and perpetuate poverty. It's important to learn about the world's inequities and to be a voice for the voiceless any way we can. But in an age of hashtag and armchair activism, merely raising awareness about injustice is not enough.
Michelle Warren knows what is needed. She and her family have chosen to live in communities where they are "proximate to the pain of the poor." This makes all the difference in facing and overcoming injustice. When we build relationships where we live, we discover the complexities of standing with the vulnerable and the commitment needed for long-term change.
Proximity changes our perspective, compels our response, and keeps us committed to the journey of pursuing justice for all. Move beyond awareness and experience the power of proximity.”
Part I: Proximity Transforms Us (3/20/23)
p.14 My first transformation was to begin to see neighbors and not neighborhoods. Up until our decision to become proximate to the poor, I had always thought I would choose where I lived…. Proximity to the poor was a radically different way of thinking. We were choosing to live alongside the poor and learn how to be good neighbors.
p.16 Throughout our world, all kinds of half-dead beaten-up people are lying on the side of the road in need of a Good Samaritan willing to help them find healing and safety.
p.16 As Christians we must not simply settle for awareness of the broken people on roads far away. Instead, we as the church must move together toward a proximate, informed response that moves toward the alleviation of injustice.
p.17 Awareness also keeps us from getting stuck in our rut of privilege and gives us a cause around which we can redirect our self-absorbed lives for a moment.
p.25 A commitment to proximate living means striving to be a good neighbor, t be deeply engaged from a personal place, to be willing to remain rooted and learn from the people around us, to glean from their strength, to admit the sobering reality that ours is a chosen place in contrast to their pain. Being proximate is necessary to engage brokenness because it transforms our lens.
p.28 The Hebrew word for “justice” is mishpat, and we see in Psalm 89:14 that it forms God’s very throne: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”
p.37 [Individual Response and Restoration] When we are broken, we either get help for ourselves or pray that it finds us. If we continue to personally help ourselves and those individuals we meet, we are loving our neighbor as well. Helping neighbors is literal and is limited to individuals.
p.38 [Social Justice] We realize that beaten people should not be seen and helped only on an individual basis but that there are enormous societal issues that need addressing to help the hurting.
p.39 [Engaging Systemic Injustice] This brings us to engaging systemic injustice as an act of loving our neighbor. We live in the twenty-first century in the most resourced country in the world. We drive on highways and avoid the Jericho road or assume it cannot be changed. But the truth is that there should be no Jericho roads where the overprivileged don’t have to walk and where the underprivileged cannot be safe or leave. We cannot pretend that insufficient , broken roads alongside amazing highways do not share a bridge to the heart of Christ and his love for justice.
p.41 Systemic injustice does not simply change. It starts with an awareness of brokenness and the commitment to repair or restore what is broken.
p.42 Gentrification is not restoration of the people on life’s Jericho road or a solution to systemic injustice. It is a push-pull factor of the economic principle of supply and demand. It is recognizing that a broken place has the potential to be desirable to those who are fast enough, smart enough, and well-positioned enough to take it without feeling badly.
p.42 Gentrification does not clean up the road, but it does not help the beaten-up people lying along the side of it. They do not enter the new safe place but instead are pushed out so that the Levite and the priest don’t have to worry about encountering them.
p.45 As a Christian justice advocate, I tell you that you cannot journey alongside broken people if you don’t recognize your own brokenness. The reality is that all people are broken. Brokenness has a way of revealing brokenness.
p.47 Broken people are able to help broken people. If we are unwilling to see ourselves as among the broken, we miss the chance to travel together toward restoration.
p.49 [Fears and inadequacies] We become proximate to make a difference. If people have problems I can’t fix, then I am not making a difference and all my sacrifices are worthless. And then all those people who told me I shouldn’t live in proximity to the poor were right. I should have stayed home in my homogenous silo.
p.53 [Wounded Healers] Henri Nouwen says that community is birthed when pain is shared, “not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as recognition of God’s saving promises.” He also stresses that we must be willing to search for as authentic a posture as possible, not as a person watching someone’s pain from the sideline, not taking a position or even as an impartial observer, but as an articulate witness of Christ, who puts his own search at the disposal of others.”
p.54 [Bryan Stevenson witness] Those of us who choose proximity to the poor are faced with a choice when we see what’s really in the world and in our own hearts: “We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion and as a result deny our own humanity.”
P.57 Those of us who have chosen proximity to the poor have a different lens when we view how the world works. When we begin to learn about how others are impacted by injustice, it’s hard not to jump in quickly. It’s also hard to wait and learn about the people and the deeper stories behind what is happening. The reality is the more we know alongside people, the better we can respond collectively. We cannot fix a problem we don’t understand. Much systemic injustice is housed in racist systems
P.59 Mass incarceration is a reality people in our communities deal with every day. Mothers watch their sons go to prison; children grow up without parents. Our friends have all either been behind bars or are related to those who have been or are. The need to change mandatory minimum sentences, drug scheduling, overpolicing of schools, and other issues related to mass incarceration is dire. People’s lives are impacted greatly by these policies. We need to do something.
P.60 Deep systemic problems do not get fixed with a single solution. Systemic injustice is layered in such deep ways that changing it requires careful, sustained observation and a calculated response for the long haul.
P.61 Moving fast might make us feel like we are “doing” something to engage injustice, but studying and learning allow for a deeper awareness. Wanting quick action can come from a good place. We all want to eradicate injustice. Winning the “war” would be a great victory. And we want the pain to stop– everyone’s pain, including ours. Nobody should hurt, not those who are directly suffering nor those who have to bear witness to it. Nobody should have to cry or be in pai, but they do and they are. And while we wait for God’s restoration, we need to sit in the pain and practice lament.
P.62 We see lament practiced in the psalms and the books of prophecy, yet we as Christians in America–especially privileged America– are not taught this discipline. We have been taught that we should celebrate God’s goodness and all sufficient grace. We don’t want to cry, weep, or suffer for long if at all; it’s as if we think this is not part of God’s story for us.
The Power of Proximity with Bryan Stevenson
https://youtu.be/sMKIpycFaOg
The Power of Proximity Exercise Part II (3/21/23)
Part Two: Proximity Compels Response
P.70 In essence, we are responsible for what we have. The more we have, the more we have, the more we are responsible for; those of us from the privileged church cannot just build our lives, learn about pain, and hope Jesus comes back soon. We need to invest in his kingdom with our time here on earth before he comes back, knowing we will be held responsible for what we do with what we know.
P.78 The process of learning to love sincerely is also a process that we never master completely. All of our actions can be considered a form of love. We act out of sincere love that cares for the other person, or narcissism, a self-love that asks for something in return. It’s easy for Christian stewards to get trapped into thinking we’re doing the former when actually what we’re doing has the latter all wrapped up inside it. Love of reputation is dangerous but easy to fall into when we are sacrificing personal gain, writing statistics, outcomes, and support letters, talking to volunteers, and so on….
If we are going to demonstrate love in a sincere way, we need to better understand the heart of Christ and his perfect, sacrificial love.
P.79 Loving sincerely with great investment takes a miracle, which is why it is solely a result of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22)
P.83 Loving the broken people we meet on our journey in proximity will always bring us to a point of questioning how much we have to sacrifice . The very nature of pure, sincere, sacrificial love that Jesus both demonstrated and calls us to follow is a daily process calling us deeper.
P.85 The fact is, journeys change the traveler. The longer the journey the greater the change. And while it’s true we cannot predict how or when the changes will occur or the outcome of the journey, we are given the opportunity to see God and his body in new ways. We are invited to follow his lead, to lean into love by turning our talk of loving and rescuing the world into redemptive action.We journey with Jesus on his mission to rescue a broken world.
P.94 [Compensating eye] This illustration began to make me think about the racially siloed body of Christ and the reason we need to work toward reconciliation. We are incomplete without each other. We need each voice, each unique perspective to strengthen the entire body. Unfortunately, in our churches we are so limited by comfort and familiarity that we don’t even realize we aren’t complete. We aren’t willing to do the work to see what it would be like not to have to compensate for what we don’t have
P.95 When looking at race and cultural divisions in the body of Christ, we must look through the lens of truth that God who created us equally is not a respecter of persons. God does not think people who are white, black, brown or people who are rich or poor or somewhere in between have varying levels of value. All human beings share the same value in the kingdom of God. We see this clearly in Genesis
The Power of Proximity Exercise Part III (3/22/23)
P.104 [Cesar Chavez Prayer]
Show me the suffering of the most miserable;
So I will know my people’s plight
Free me to pray for others;
For you are present in every person
Help me take responsibility for my own life;
So that I can be free at last.
Grant me courage to serve others
For in service there is true life.
Give me honesty and patience;
So that I can work with other workers.
Bring forth song and celebration;
So that his Spirit will be alive among us
Let the Spirit flourish and grow;
So that we will never tire of the struggle.
Let us remember those who have died for justice
For they have given us life.
Help us love even those who hate us;
So we can change the world.
Amen.
P.108 Proximity compels a response. Its transformative lens turns what we see and begin to understand into action. The action may not even be something we consider a choice because we are so intimately connected with those affected. We share their pain and are compelled to do something with what we have.
P.111 We see from the prophet Isaiah that lip service to God is not enough. The people of God cannot simply go through the motions of following God in prayer, sacrifices, and fasting but instead must worship him both individually and collectively through action. Isaiah describes how tired God is of acts of worship that do not lead to internal and external change.
P.113 I do not believe that staying in the middle of a justice issue to “keep both sides happy” is noble. Standing in the middle may help you feel like you can hear both sides, but in reality it breathes life into the lie that injustice does ont exist and that oppression does not need to be rebuked. There are not two sides to justice….
Engaging the pain of another’s struggle is not some noble decision but a natural result of sincere relationships. Valuing people enables us to see that we cannot shrink back from love that manifests itself through standing alongside them in their need to be fully restored.
P.123 Proximity is powerful because we are unable to claim absolute misunderstanding. We are present to the pain of those in oppression. We must be willing to speak up and out. Or else we too “will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but fir the appalling silence of the good people.”
P.125 [Elie Wiesel]
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant… Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, political views, that place must– at that moment– become the center of the universe.
P.130 Whatever the challenges that face us, my takeaway is this: we are stronger than we think we are.
We need to be willing to push ourselves farther than we can imagine, not to wear ourselves out but to flex our small spiritual muscles so they grow big and help us tackle the seemingly insurmountable work God is doing in this world. We join this work because this is what we are created to do.
P.131 Proximity is powerful because it makes us stronger. It enables us to have strength perfected in weakness. In this we allow God’s grace to bring us to unimaginable places, for his kingdom and to his credit. Strong people are made because of strong decisions to move forward in weakness.
P.132 If you are afraid– and at some level everyone is afraid– you can choose to move past it. I call it choosing courage. Choosing courage is doing the next hard thing in front of you, not worrying about the consequences or what others are doing. It’s not looking to the left or to the right but walking the path set out for you.
P.138 Fear is a trap that keeps us in a broken place. When leaders allow fear to keep them from leading, they miss an opportunity not only to help release people from broken systems but to help those they lead to take part in the restoration process.
P.140 Once we begin to practice courage, those impacted by injustice see us in a different light. When we move from awareness to action and stand alongside people affected by injustice , they start to trust us in new ways. Vulnerable people are often skeptical of the motivations of outsiders and typically think of our presence as temporary. . Maybe we are there because it looks edgy or we want to be viewed in a certain light. Whatever our reasons, they have seen the likes of us before, and when the going gets tough, the temporary get going out of the difficulty and the pain.
P.145 [St. Augustine Prayer]
Loving God, who has created humankind in Your own image; grant us grace to fearlessly and boldly contend against injustice, and to make no peace with oppression; and that we may reverently use our freedom , help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice for all people and nations, to the glory of Your Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen.
“We can see evidence of injustice all around us, whether in continuing incidents of racial inequality or in the systemic forces that disenfranchise people and perpetuate poverty. It's important to learn about the world's inequities and to be a voice for the voiceless any way we can. But in an age of hashtag and armchair activism, merely raising awareness about injustice is not enough.
Michelle Warren knows what is needed. She and her family have chosen to live in communities where they are "proximate to the pain of the poor." This makes all the difference in facing and overcoming injustice. When we build relationships where we live, we discover the complexities of standing with the vulnerable and the commitment needed for long-term change.
Proximity changes our perspective, compels our response, and keeps us committed to the journey of pursuing justice for all. Move beyond awareness and experience the power of proximity.”
Part I: Proximity Transforms Us (3/20/23)
p.14 My first transformation was to begin to see neighbors and not neighborhoods. Up until our decision to become proximate to the poor, I had always thought I would choose where I lived…. Proximity to the poor was a radically different way of thinking. We were choosing to live alongside the poor and learn how to be good neighbors.
p.16 Throughout our world, all kinds of half-dead beaten-up people are lying on the side of the road in need of a Good Samaritan willing to help them find healing and safety.
p.16 As Christians we must not simply settle for awareness of the broken people on roads far away. Instead, we as the church must move together toward a proximate, informed response that moves toward the alleviation of injustice.
p.17 Awareness also keeps us from getting stuck in our rut of privilege and gives us a cause around which we can redirect our self-absorbed lives for a moment.
p.25 A commitment to proximate living means striving to be a good neighbor, t be deeply engaged from a personal place, to be willing to remain rooted and learn from the people around us, to glean from their strength, to admit the sobering reality that ours is a chosen place in contrast to their pain. Being proximate is necessary to engage brokenness because it transforms our lens.
p.28 The Hebrew word for “justice” is mishpat, and we see in Psalm 89:14 that it forms God’s very throne: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”
p.37 [Individual Response and Restoration] When we are broken, we either get help for ourselves or pray that it finds us. If we continue to personally help ourselves and those individuals we meet, we are loving our neighbor as well. Helping neighbors is literal and is limited to individuals.
p.38 [Social Justice] We realize that beaten people should not be seen and helped only on an individual basis but that there are enormous societal issues that need addressing to help the hurting.
p.39 [Engaging Systemic Injustice] This brings us to engaging systemic injustice as an act of loving our neighbor. We live in the twenty-first century in the most resourced country in the world. We drive on highways and avoid the Jericho road or assume it cannot be changed. But the truth is that there should be no Jericho roads where the overprivileged don’t have to walk and where the underprivileged cannot be safe or leave. We cannot pretend that insufficient , broken roads alongside amazing highways do not share a bridge to the heart of Christ and his love for justice.
p.41 Systemic injustice does not simply change. It starts with an awareness of brokenness and the commitment to repair or restore what is broken.
p.42 Gentrification is not restoration of the people on life’s Jericho road or a solution to systemic injustice. It is a push-pull factor of the economic principle of supply and demand. It is recognizing that a broken place has the potential to be desirable to those who are fast enough, smart enough, and well-positioned enough to take it without feeling badly.
p.42 Gentrification does not clean up the road, but it does not help the beaten-up people lying along the side of it. They do not enter the new safe place but instead are pushed out so that the Levite and the priest don’t have to worry about encountering them.
p.45 As a Christian justice advocate, I tell you that you cannot journey alongside broken people if you don’t recognize your own brokenness. The reality is that all people are broken. Brokenness has a way of revealing brokenness.
p.47 Broken people are able to help broken people. If we are unwilling to see ourselves as among the broken, we miss the chance to travel together toward restoration.
p.49 [Fears and inadequacies] We become proximate to make a difference. If people have problems I can’t fix, then I am not making a difference and all my sacrifices are worthless. And then all those people who told me I shouldn’t live in proximity to the poor were right. I should have stayed home in my homogenous silo.
p.53 [Wounded Healers] Henri Nouwen says that community is birthed when pain is shared, “not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as recognition of God’s saving promises.” He also stresses that we must be willing to search for as authentic a posture as possible, not as a person watching someone’s pain from the sideline, not taking a position or even as an impartial observer, but as an articulate witness of Christ, who puts his own search at the disposal of others.”
p.54 [Bryan Stevenson witness] Those of us who choose proximity to the poor are faced with a choice when we see what’s really in the world and in our own hearts: “We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion and as a result deny our own humanity.”
P.57 Those of us who have chosen proximity to the poor have a different lens when we view how the world works. When we begin to learn about how others are impacted by injustice, it’s hard not to jump in quickly. It’s also hard to wait and learn about the people and the deeper stories behind what is happening. The reality is the more we know alongside people, the better we can respond collectively. We cannot fix a problem we don’t understand. Much systemic injustice is housed in racist systems
P.59 Mass incarceration is a reality people in our communities deal with every day. Mothers watch their sons go to prison; children grow up without parents. Our friends have all either been behind bars or are related to those who have been or are. The need to change mandatory minimum sentences, drug scheduling, overpolicing of schools, and other issues related to mass incarceration is dire. People’s lives are impacted greatly by these policies. We need to do something.
P.60 Deep systemic problems do not get fixed with a single solution. Systemic injustice is layered in such deep ways that changing it requires careful, sustained observation and a calculated response for the long haul.
P.61 Moving fast might make us feel like we are “doing” something to engage injustice, but studying and learning allow for a deeper awareness. Wanting quick action can come from a good place. We all want to eradicate injustice. Winning the “war” would be a great victory. And we want the pain to stop– everyone’s pain, including ours. Nobody should hurt, not those who are directly suffering nor those who have to bear witness to it. Nobody should have to cry or be in pai, but they do and they are. And while we wait for God’s restoration, we need to sit in the pain and practice lament.
P.62 We see lament practiced in the psalms and the books of prophecy, yet we as Christians in America–especially privileged America– are not taught this discipline. We have been taught that we should celebrate God’s goodness and all sufficient grace. We don’t want to cry, weep, or suffer for long if at all; it’s as if we think this is not part of God’s story for us.
The Power of Proximity with Bryan Stevenson
https://youtu.be/sMKIpycFaOg
The Power of Proximity Exercise Part II (3/21/23)
Part Two: Proximity Compels Response
P.70 In essence, we are responsible for what we have. The more we have, the more we have, the more we are responsible for; those of us from the privileged church cannot just build our lives, learn about pain, and hope Jesus comes back soon. We need to invest in his kingdom with our time here on earth before he comes back, knowing we will be held responsible for what we do with what we know.
P.78 The process of learning to love sincerely is also a process that we never master completely. All of our actions can be considered a form of love. We act out of sincere love that cares for the other person, or narcissism, a self-love that asks for something in return. It’s easy for Christian stewards to get trapped into thinking we’re doing the former when actually what we’re doing has the latter all wrapped up inside it. Love of reputation is dangerous but easy to fall into when we are sacrificing personal gain, writing statistics, outcomes, and support letters, talking to volunteers, and so on….
If we are going to demonstrate love in a sincere way, we need to better understand the heart of Christ and his perfect, sacrificial love.
P.79 Loving sincerely with great investment takes a miracle, which is why it is solely a result of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22)
P.83 Loving the broken people we meet on our journey in proximity will always bring us to a point of questioning how much we have to sacrifice . The very nature of pure, sincere, sacrificial love that Jesus both demonstrated and calls us to follow is a daily process calling us deeper.
P.85 The fact is, journeys change the traveler. The longer the journey the greater the change. And while it’s true we cannot predict how or when the changes will occur or the outcome of the journey, we are given the opportunity to see God and his body in new ways. We are invited to follow his lead, to lean into love by turning our talk of loving and rescuing the world into redemptive action.We journey with Jesus on his mission to rescue a broken world.
P.94 [Compensating eye] This illustration began to make me think about the racially siloed body of Christ and the reason we need to work toward reconciliation. We are incomplete without each other. We need each voice, each unique perspective to strengthen the entire body. Unfortunately, in our churches we are so limited by comfort and familiarity that we don’t even realize we aren’t complete. We aren’t willing to do the work to see what it would be like not to have to compensate for what we don’t have
P.95 When looking at race and cultural divisions in the body of Christ, we must look through the lens of truth that God who created us equally is not a respecter of persons. God does not think people who are white, black, brown or people who are rich or poor or somewhere in between have varying levels of value. All human beings share the same value in the kingdom of God. We see this clearly in Genesis
The Power of Proximity Exercise Part III (3/22/23)
P.104 [Cesar Chavez Prayer]
Show me the suffering of the most miserable;
So I will know my people’s plight
Free me to pray for others;
For you are present in every person
Help me take responsibility for my own life;
So that I can be free at last.
Grant me courage to serve others
For in service there is true life.
Give me honesty and patience;
So that I can work with other workers.
Bring forth song and celebration;
So that his Spirit will be alive among us
Let the Spirit flourish and grow;
So that we will never tire of the struggle.
Let us remember those who have died for justice
For they have given us life.
Help us love even those who hate us;
So we can change the world.
Amen.
P.108 Proximity compels a response. Its transformative lens turns what we see and begin to understand into action. The action may not even be something we consider a choice because we are so intimately connected with those affected. We share their pain and are compelled to do something with what we have.
P.111 We see from the prophet Isaiah that lip service to God is not enough. The people of God cannot simply go through the motions of following God in prayer, sacrifices, and fasting but instead must worship him both individually and collectively through action. Isaiah describes how tired God is of acts of worship that do not lead to internal and external change.
P.113 I do not believe that staying in the middle of a justice issue to “keep both sides happy” is noble. Standing in the middle may help you feel like you can hear both sides, but in reality it breathes life into the lie that injustice does ont exist and that oppression does not need to be rebuked. There are not two sides to justice….
Engaging the pain of another’s struggle is not some noble decision but a natural result of sincere relationships. Valuing people enables us to see that we cannot shrink back from love that manifests itself through standing alongside them in their need to be fully restored.
P.123 Proximity is powerful because we are unable to claim absolute misunderstanding. We are present to the pain of those in oppression. We must be willing to speak up and out. Or else we too “will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but fir the appalling silence of the good people.”
P.125 [Elie Wiesel]
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant… Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, political views, that place must– at that moment– become the center of the universe.
P.130 Whatever the challenges that face us, my takeaway is this: we are stronger than we think we are.
We need to be willing to push ourselves farther than we can imagine, not to wear ourselves out but to flex our small spiritual muscles so they grow big and help us tackle the seemingly insurmountable work God is doing in this world. We join this work because this is what we are created to do.
P.131 Proximity is powerful because it makes us stronger. It enables us to have strength perfected in weakness. In this we allow God’s grace to bring us to unimaginable places, for his kingdom and to his credit. Strong people are made because of strong decisions to move forward in weakness.
P.132 If you are afraid– and at some level everyone is afraid– you can choose to move past it. I call it choosing courage. Choosing courage is doing the next hard thing in front of you, not worrying about the consequences or what others are doing. It’s not looking to the left or to the right but walking the path set out for you.
P.138 Fear is a trap that keeps us in a broken place. When leaders allow fear to keep them from leading, they miss an opportunity not only to help release people from broken systems but to help those they lead to take part in the restoration process.
P.140 Once we begin to practice courage, those impacted by injustice see us in a different light. When we move from awareness to action and stand alongside people affected by injustice , they start to trust us in new ways. Vulnerable people are often skeptical of the motivations of outsiders and typically think of our presence as temporary. . Maybe we are there because it looks edgy or we want to be viewed in a certain light. Whatever our reasons, they have seen the likes of us before, and when the going gets tough, the temporary get going out of the difficulty and the pain.
P.145 [St. Augustine Prayer]
Loving God, who has created humankind in Your own image; grant us grace to fearlessly and boldly contend against injustice, and to make no peace with oppression; and that we may reverently use our freedom , help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice for all people and nations, to the glory of Your Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen.
June 1, 2018
I would have loved more details about their actual journey. Overall an interesting read
August 13, 2019
This was a challenging book. Churches give lip service to helping the poor, but how far will we go? Will we move into their neighbourhoods and experience life together? An important book for all church leaders to read.
January 13, 2018
We’ve all been in situations where we’re in close proximity to someone who doesn’t look like us. Some of the situations are temporary, and some much longer lasting. Some people are forced into situations, and some make a conscious decision to experience life at a different pace than they might otherwise be used to. Immediately missionaries come to mind. They leave family, friends and home to go to a faraway place.
And then there are people like Michelle Warren. Michelle and her husband made the decision to exchange lifestyles, but they didn’t go to a different continent to do so. Instead they settled in an area of Colorado. The only thing is, Michelle and her husband don’t look like most of their neighbors, and if they weren’t willing to study another language, they wouldn’t even be able to communicate with some of them. Their journey to proximity is detailed in The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action, (IVP Books, July 2017)
I did more underlining in this book than I have in a long time, and have already used some of what I learned as part of a message for a chapel service at the local Rescue Mission. Justice is a primary theme, and reading this book helps us see that we have a part to play in seeing justice come about. Biblical, not legal justice, restoration of people, not just punishment for wrongs (p 28). Life among people who are struggling helps us to identify that need for restoration.
So, what is the deal with proximity? The simple answer is that it gets us close to the pain of an issue, changes our perspective, and most importantly requires a response. And as you can tell, from that 3 part answer, the simple answer is anything but simple.
Take a look at the communities that frame the lenses through which you see things. Do you live in one and work in another? Do you truly experience what others created in the image of God are living on a daily basis, or do you just brush shoulders with it during the short periods of time that you are in the vicinity, and then forget about it as you drive away? Michelle is truly experiencing it.
Part I “Proximity Transforms Us” helps the reader understand what is meant by proximity, including the fact that to truly understand a different culture, we need to do more than attend some conferences or read a few books. It enables us to look beyond the surface for the underlying causes, and the possible solutions to some of the issues. And as we are confronted with the brokenness of others, we are also confronted with our own brokenness, which tends to help us understand even better what others are living through.
Part II “Proximity Compels Response” is a little bit harder to read, simply because it forces the reader to decide “what am I going to do about it?” It’s one thing to read about an issue, to see it from a distance, and perhaps send a check, or ‘like’ on social media platforms. But when it becomes part of who you are, then a response is required. When proximity to the poor is a choice, you are privileged (108), and with privilege comes responsibility.
And with Part III “Proximity for the Long Haul” there are some pointers. We can choose to move past fear, we can recognize and pray for healing for our churches, we can continue with our choice to be proximate, even when it is more difficult than we expected. We can live by faith, and stand with those who are already boldly making a stand, making the statement that enough is enough. In God's Kingdom we are all created in His image, and as such we should be willing to stand by our brothers and sisters.
Earlier this year I was indirectly asked by a friend to choose a word for the year, a word which might shape and frame my actions and attitudes. The word I chose was justice, and this book is helping me with that effort. Michelle wears several different hats, but whichever one she is wearing at any given time is a reminder that proximity shapes us and has not only the potential to make our world a better place, but also the potential to mold us more closely to the Imago Dei in which we were created.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
And then there are people like Michelle Warren. Michelle and her husband made the decision to exchange lifestyles, but they didn’t go to a different continent to do so. Instead they settled in an area of Colorado. The only thing is, Michelle and her husband don’t look like most of their neighbors, and if they weren’t willing to study another language, they wouldn’t even be able to communicate with some of them. Their journey to proximity is detailed in The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action, (IVP Books, July 2017)
I did more underlining in this book than I have in a long time, and have already used some of what I learned as part of a message for a chapel service at the local Rescue Mission. Justice is a primary theme, and reading this book helps us see that we have a part to play in seeing justice come about. Biblical, not legal justice, restoration of people, not just punishment for wrongs (p 28). Life among people who are struggling helps us to identify that need for restoration.
So, what is the deal with proximity? The simple answer is that it gets us close to the pain of an issue, changes our perspective, and most importantly requires a response. And as you can tell, from that 3 part answer, the simple answer is anything but simple.
Take a look at the communities that frame the lenses through which you see things. Do you live in one and work in another? Do you truly experience what others created in the image of God are living on a daily basis, or do you just brush shoulders with it during the short periods of time that you are in the vicinity, and then forget about it as you drive away? Michelle is truly experiencing it.
Part I “Proximity Transforms Us” helps the reader understand what is meant by proximity, including the fact that to truly understand a different culture, we need to do more than attend some conferences or read a few books. It enables us to look beyond the surface for the underlying causes, and the possible solutions to some of the issues. And as we are confronted with the brokenness of others, we are also confronted with our own brokenness, which tends to help us understand even better what others are living through.
Part II “Proximity Compels Response” is a little bit harder to read, simply because it forces the reader to decide “what am I going to do about it?” It’s one thing to read about an issue, to see it from a distance, and perhaps send a check, or ‘like’ on social media platforms. But when it becomes part of who you are, then a response is required. When proximity to the poor is a choice, you are privileged (108), and with privilege comes responsibility.
And with Part III “Proximity for the Long Haul” there are some pointers. We can choose to move past fear, we can recognize and pray for healing for our churches, we can continue with our choice to be proximate, even when it is more difficult than we expected. We can live by faith, and stand with those who are already boldly making a stand, making the statement that enough is enough. In God's Kingdom we are all created in His image, and as such we should be willing to stand by our brothers and sisters.
Earlier this year I was indirectly asked by a friend to choose a word for the year, a word which might shape and frame my actions and attitudes. The word I chose was justice, and this book is helping me with that effort. Michelle wears several different hats, but whichever one she is wearing at any given time is a reminder that proximity shapes us and has not only the potential to make our world a better place, but also the potential to mold us more closely to the Imago Dei in which we were created.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
August 22, 2017
All staff and incoming team members for the program I work for were asked to read this book in preparation for the coming program year, and I especially appreciated it within that context. It's a really relevant and helpful introduction to both the challenges and joys that come with living in proximity to those most heavily burdened and impacted by systemic injustice. This is full of gems of insight and wisdom and I would gladly encourage anyone considering pursuing a lifestyle of proximity to check it out. What really stood out to me was the critical and welcome emphasis on practice over talk/lip-service, the reality that living in proximity to external brokenness often exposes our own internal brokenness, and the push for enduring commitment to the long-haul as a pushback against more naive notions of impactful justice work.
I did find elements of the book to get a bit repetitive or circular by the end, and at first I was somewhat surprised by the way that Ferrigno Warren frames the community that she enters into. By and large, I found that she highlighted the wounds, dangers, and downfalls that existed there and at times felt as though that was a perpetuation of the one-sided narratives that likely plague it. While this helps us to clearly recognize it as a place negatively impacted by injustice and a part of me definitely appreciated her honesty towards those devastating realities, my own inclination is always to try to hold those elements with as much tension as possible with the positive strengths of such communities. I also think that some of her phrasing could invite some interesting conversations around "need," and a less generous reader could possibly interpret some instances as being patronizing, although I feel confident that's far from her intention. With that said, there's no doubt that Ferrigno Warren does indeed love, admire, and deeply value her community, and there is no greater testament to that than the longstanding commitment she's made to remain there for so long and continue to seek its good alongside her friends there. I certainly respect her a great deal for this and am ultimately very appreciative to have read this book myself and be able to suggest it to others.
I did find elements of the book to get a bit repetitive or circular by the end, and at first I was somewhat surprised by the way that Ferrigno Warren frames the community that she enters into. By and large, I found that she highlighted the wounds, dangers, and downfalls that existed there and at times felt as though that was a perpetuation of the one-sided narratives that likely plague it. While this helps us to clearly recognize it as a place negatively impacted by injustice and a part of me definitely appreciated her honesty towards those devastating realities, my own inclination is always to try to hold those elements with as much tension as possible with the positive strengths of such communities. I also think that some of her phrasing could invite some interesting conversations around "need," and a less generous reader could possibly interpret some instances as being patronizing, although I feel confident that's far from her intention. With that said, there's no doubt that Ferrigno Warren does indeed love, admire, and deeply value her community, and there is no greater testament to that than the longstanding commitment she's made to remain there for so long and continue to seek its good alongside her friends there. I certainly respect her a great deal for this and am ultimately very appreciative to have read this book myself and be able to suggest it to others.
March 13, 2021
This book has such a simple premise, but a powerfully convicting read because of its implication of our life. Simply, if we serve Jesus, we must consider how Jesus is calling us to serve, advocate for, and stand with the marginalized. And to do that work of justice, we must consider how God is inviting us to live proximate to those communities. Michelle Warren does a great job speaking through her experience in choosing proximity, the challenges it comes with, and the ways it has transformed her life.
If you are someone who has any level of privilege in your community (race, socioeconomic, gender, ability, etc) this book is an important read for your discipleship.
I do wish Michelle spent some time unpacking more thoroughly the types of privilege we operate under and how proximity can challenge all of our privileges for the sake of looking more like Jesus. She mentioned this point succinctly, i think having more time in it would have been helpful.
If you are someone who has any level of privilege in your community (race, socioeconomic, gender, ability, etc) this book is an important read for your discipleship.
I do wish Michelle spent some time unpacking more thoroughly the types of privilege we operate under and how proximity can challenge all of our privileges for the sake of looking more like Jesus. She mentioned this point succinctly, i think having more time in it would have been helpful.
August 28, 2019
The idea of living and working in proximity to the broken is a beautiful and powerful idea. Warren has lived this out in Denver for quite some time. Warren is a white, evangelical woman writing about caring for the marginalized in your community. She has gotten involved in what many would consider political issues not because they are political but because they are issues directly affecting her friends and neighbors. I deeply admire Warren's life and impact, but I was most encouraged by her honesty about the difficulty of walking the path she is walking with her family. She recognizes that walking with the hurting won't always end in victory. There will always be more brokenness to engage. She pointed to the day by day walk this path in weakness asking Jesus for strength to continue. This book was challenging, convicting and encouraging- 5 stars for me dawg!
August 15, 2017
Helpful for preparing to move
I am reading this book in preparation for moving into a low income community. This book opened my eyes to some challenges I didn't think about but that I am now sure I will face. I had a very idealistic view of moving into a community to do social justice work. This book brought me to more if a realistic expects ion, acknowledging the difficulties, yet sustaining hope. I think there is a hard balance between being genuine about how we aren't going to see injustice wiped out and being hopeful and encouraged to continue in the work regardless. This book keeps that balance. I recommend if you are thinking about living in a place of proximity in any capacity.
I am reading this book in preparation for moving into a low income community. This book opened my eyes to some challenges I didn't think about but that I am now sure I will face. I had a very idealistic view of moving into a community to do social justice work. This book brought me to more if a realistic expects ion, acknowledging the difficulties, yet sustaining hope. I think there is a hard balance between being genuine about how we aren't going to see injustice wiped out and being hopeful and encouraged to continue in the work regardless. This book keeps that balance. I recommend if you are thinking about living in a place of proximity in any capacity.
February 20, 2020
The author challenges the reader to reconsider his/her views of racism and to take steps to address racial discrimination. I appreciated the author's humility and one can see how she changed from a sense of fear to boldness over the course of the book. The book got a little repetitive in later chapters and could have used more voices from those she works with. Specifically, I would have preferred more of a dialogue with those she has worked with. Since the book is from the author's point of view, one is to assume that the author has been successful in her efforts.
April 1, 2020
I almost didn’t pick up this book. I wrestle with the concept of relocation and was unsure if Proximity would promote a “white-savior moving into the hood complex.” I’m so glad I stuck with it. It does not. While proximity to the poor is not everyone’s path it is for some. And the trials and pain it unveils is unparalleled. Michelle Warren is a phenomenal writer and weaves together personal story and life praxis in an eloquent manner. Ministering to pain simply brings up more of your own. Living among brokenness only reflect the truth of your brokenness. And it’s worth it. So so so worth it.
August 17, 2017
It's solved by walking
Excellent life story of living the gospel in marginalized community by moving in! So appreciative of the simple message of putting into action your heart for Biblical Justice! It's all about seeing one life changed! Thanks so much for writing your story Michelle!!
Excellent life story of living the gospel in marginalized community by moving in! So appreciative of the simple message of putting into action your heart for Biblical Justice! It's all about seeing one life changed! Thanks so much for writing your story Michelle!!
August 27, 2018
Heartfelt and real. Encouraging look into the heart of CCDA and related organizations and founders.
February 21, 2019
I bought this book after hearing Michelle speak. The topic is tremendously important.
Read
September 24, 2019This book would have made a pretty good article.
November 2, 2021
A useful introduction to taking action against injustice. Warren demonstrates how proximity to the people affected by the issues we care about can change our perspectives and spur us to action.
May 29, 2024
Easy read, really helpful and applicable!
December 6, 2024
Book content: important, convicting, necessary... 4 stars
Writing quality: very poor... 1 star
Writing quality: very poor... 1 star
February 1, 2022
"The most profound move you can make to address pain and injustice is to become proximate to it. "Proximity to anything gives you a front-row seat to what is happening. Not everyone has a front-row seat. The front row is a privilege, and opportunity to see whats really going on and to allow those factors to penetrate your heart and mind, brining you to a place where you can participate in the transformation."
"Awareness of injustice is never enough. The true justice Christians say they seek is justice that sits as the foundation of God's throne and demands that we move beyond learning about injustice. It unearths the rules of our social construct and levels the playing field enough that we are able to journey with those impacted by injustice in deeply shared ways."
'Where we live and invest our lives shapes the way we do everything, and our attitudes toward the Bible and God are no different."
Overall really enjoyed reading this book and learning from the lessons she has learned over the years. If you have no concept of this topic it is a great intro book. I believe that this topic is not talked about enough within the church. The view in church culture as a whole can lead towards viewing a few hours of service at a local food bank as being proximate to people different than us while the rest of our time in the week we live in our comfortable lives. What would it look like if everyone adopted the mentality of doing life proximate to the poor, suffering, forgotten in society, the people the most different from you? How would the world look different? How would the church look different? Grateful for her sharing her experiences and challenging the reader to see what their role is in fighting for justice and restoration in the lives of others.
"Awareness of injustice is never enough. The true justice Christians say they seek is justice that sits as the foundation of God's throne and demands that we move beyond learning about injustice. It unearths the rules of our social construct and levels the playing field enough that we are able to journey with those impacted by injustice in deeply shared ways."
'Where we live and invest our lives shapes the way we do everything, and our attitudes toward the Bible and God are no different."
Overall really enjoyed reading this book and learning from the lessons she has learned over the years. If you have no concept of this topic it is a great intro book. I believe that this topic is not talked about enough within the church. The view in church culture as a whole can lead towards viewing a few hours of service at a local food bank as being proximate to people different than us while the rest of our time in the week we live in our comfortable lives. What would it look like if everyone adopted the mentality of doing life proximate to the poor, suffering, forgotten in society, the people the most different from you? How would the world look different? How would the church look different? Grateful for her sharing her experiences and challenging the reader to see what their role is in fighting for justice and restoration in the lives of others.
August 19, 2018
Michelle Warren practices what she preaches. She and her family have chosen to live as dominant culture minorities in their neighborhood. They have chosen to take seriously the command to love our neighbors by living and working alongside the predominantly immigrant and underpaid of the city. Warren reflects on her years living out the gospel message with stories, reflections, and the truth that we are all called to live proximately to the very people Jesus said would inherit God's kingdom. This book is truly life changing. Read this if you're ready to be confronted with the hard-but-holy work of taking the gospel seriously.
July 7, 2024
Some chapters seemed a bit draggy and repetitive, but towards the end I definitely felt the call to reflect on hard-hitting questions about rooting and drawing near. The most powerful message I've heard about proximity to the marginalized (in fact the first time I heard it) was through Bryan Stevenson when he spoke in Coray. This book speaks at length into that, and is sort of an extension of HNGResque reading as well.
November 22, 2020
Powerful and real, made me cry and laugh. Such an important book for those who live out the call of biblical justice.
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August 18, 2017Appreciate the life story that Michelle Warren unfolds as she describes the essence of doing inner city neighborhood work. It explains the risks and challenges of working in an at risk context. It's a must read for anyone interested in doing CCD work who hasn't been exposed to CCDA or John Perkins.
September 14, 2018
"Not everyone has a front row seat. The front row is a privilege."
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February 5, 2018I found this book to be highly informative and challengig to my beliefs about immigration, racism and justice. Having chosen to live in community with the poorer members of American society longterm, Michelle Ferigno Warren is able to articulate well how her beliefs have been formed by her experiences. She has developed from interested onlooker to activist as she became involved with immigrants and minorities who were and are her friends and neighbors. She addresses the difficult question of what is justice in light of systemic dysfunction without providing a simplistic answer. I deeply appreciated her frontline perspective.
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