Michelle Ferrigno Warren was raised in white suburban communities and private Christian schools—but she didn’t stay there. With the conviction that awareness isn’t enough, she moved into a poor urban neighbourhood.

Being proximate is necessary to engage brokenness because it transforms our lens. We cannot learn from a distance. We need a deeper, more informed perspective into ourselves, our communities, and the restoration we all seek. (25)

The Power of Proximity recounts the process Warren went through as she lived her life among the poor. She describes the importance of meeting immediate needs, but also working against systemic injustice. She tells stories about the challenge of racial injustice and the need for the privileged to not stand by (like the priest and Levite in Luke 10:29–37).

This book is both easy and difficult to read. From a literary perspective, Warren’s writing is direct and compelling. You can read this book in an evening. The difficulty lies in absorbing such a radical and vital message. This would be an excellent book for small group discussion, especially if people from across the socio-economic scale came together to share their experiences.

Warren, Michelle Ferrigno. The Power of Proximity: Moving from Awareness to Action. Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2017.