The Listening Road
One Man's Ride Across America to Start Conversations About God
- Evangelism & Missions
- Publisher: Nelson Books (Thomas Nelson)
- Published: 2021
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Publisher's Description
Do you wish you knew how to talk to people about life’s deepest and most sensitive topics? In The Listening Road, you’ll ride along on one man's remarkable 33-day journey cycling 3,000 miles across the United States on a mission to engage with people from all walks of life in real conversations about things that matter most. As a pastor, Neil Tomba noticed a disturbing trend among people in church: they were finding it increasingly difficult to talk about God to those outside of the church. Neil wanted to practice what he preached, so he set out to bike across the United States, talking—and, more importantly, listening—to strangers from all walks of life about faith, their stories, and matters of the heart. The Listening Road takes you on Neil’s remarkable journey across the country and straight into its soul—from Route 66 motels to state parks, a lake house, and a railway car; from conversations with Amish farmers to chats with truckers, cowboys, mechanics, and a descendant of Daniel Boone. From one city, farm, and highway to the next, we discover practical, actionable ways to change our posture toward others to foster conversation, why curiosity, kindness, and respect open up communication about God, and how even in a culture of division and antagonism, real connection is possible. In our polarizing time, Neil models with compassion and curiosity that genuine connection happens only if we are willing to listen in love.
Endorsements (5)
“Neil Tomba’s work The Listening Road will take you on a unique spiritual journey designed to encourage you to open up your ears and your heart to people who need to know about and respond to our great God and the good news of the gospel. This fine work will eradicate our excuses for not using every natural opportunity to share our faith.”
Dr. Tony Evans
“The Listening Road is a soul-searching journey into the heart of American faith practices. Neil’s conversations are gritty, real, authentic, and worshipful. You’ll be challenged and encouraged on every page.”
“A wise man named Denver once told me God gave us two ears and one mouth and that should be enough to convince us what is the most important. In The Listening Road, from coast to coast across America, with unrelenting determination, Pastor Neil perfected the art of listening without preaching. As you turn the pages of this wonderful journey, breathe the air and feel the wind and rain as you bike every mile, fix every flat, and listen on this ride of a lifetime. This remarkable tale of connecting with real people, total strangers, on a deep level may seem strange, but it is something we should all learn on our personal ‘listening roads’ as we quietly share the good news of Christ. If we are honest, most of us live in communities that are miles wide and only inches deep. People all around us, even strangers, are dying to share their stories. Pastor Neil found the time to listen without judging. Only then did he earn the right to tell them about the hope that lies within all believers. Now, let’s ride.”
“Pastor Neil Tomba and his bike trekked across America to have kind, curious, and respectful conversations about God. This book offers us amazing stories that open up the heart of the nation as Neil prompts people to ask—and answer—big questions about their faith. Read this book, then pass it along to your friends. You won’t be disappointed.”
Dr. Wayne Cordeiro
“Our lives are so rushed we often have too little time to ask core questions of people and listen. Neil Tomba’s The Listening Road does that while detailing a challenging cross-country bike ride. People of all stripes appear with their reflections on the possibilities of faith. It is putting an ear to the ground of our country and searching for its soul beat. I think you will find these conversations as fascinating as I did, learning in the process how questions sometimes open up doors to the hearts of people.”
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