Quotes about Hospitality

1

Opening our home to others is a wonderful gift and a neglected discipline in the church. But we easily forget the whole point of hospitality. Think of it this way: Good hospital-ity is making your home a hospital. The idea is that friends and family and the wounded and weary people come to your home and leave helped and refreshed. And yet, too often hospitality is a nerve-wracking experience for hosts and guests alike. Instead of setting our guests at ease, we set them on edge by telling them how bad the food will be, and what a mess the house is, and how sorry we are for the kids’ behavior. We get worked up and crazy busy in all the wrong ways because we are more concerned about looking good than with doing good. So instead of our encouraging those we host, they feel compelled to encourage us with constant reassurances that everything is just fine. Opening our homes takes time, but it doesn’t have to take over our lives. Christian hospitality has much more to do with good relationships than with good food. There is a fine line between care and cumber. In many instances, less ado would serve better.

2

Hospitality pictures aspects of God’s generous love in the Gospel.

3

If you are afraid of hospitality – that you don’t have much personal strength or personal wealth – good. Then you won’t intimidate anybody. You will depend all the more on God’s grace. You will look all the more to the work of Christ and not your own work. And what a blessing people will get in your simple home or little apartment.

4

Hospitality is making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish there were.

5

Because we often associate hospitality with our homes, here are some ways in which we can use those homes for the good of others. We can offer our homes for:

1. Home Bible Studies.

2. Home Cell Groups.

3. A place for traveling evangelists or conference speakers.

4. A place for visiting missionaries.

5. Sunday School parties.

6. Hosting singles’ groups.

7. Hosting youth activities.

8. Hosting dinners for the staff or pastors.

9. Providing dinners for international students.

10. Hosting Christian singing groups who may be traveling in our area.

11. A temporary place to stay for those families who move into our area.

12. Hosting dinners for the senior members of the church (golden agers).

13. A place for various church committees to meet.

14. A place where children can be provided for when their mothers need a day out.

15. By taking in people who do not have a home.

Recommended Books

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

Ken Sande

Loving the Way Jesus Loves

Philip Graham Ryken

The Four Loves

C.S. Lewis

Alive in Him: How Being Embraced by the Love of Christ Changes Everything

Gloria Furman