Offering hospitality to family, friends and complete strangers was an ordinary part of life for people in the ancient Middle East. This concept of hospitality became a practice of the early church. We can see this in the hospitality Jesus and the apostles received and in the hospitality that the early disciples offered. The practice of hospitality was central to the transmission of the gospel in the early Church. Offering hospitality is therefore a sign of our discipleship and a means by which we can show the love of Jesus. In 1 Peter 4:9 it says, “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
As a church we are called to offer hospitality to guests who come to our church. Very regularly we receive guests in our worship services. They come for many different reasons, all of them though are fellow pilgrims searching for a deeper walk with God and a closer relationship with him.
Our purpose as a church is Growing Disciples who Exalt, Explore, Embody, Engage. We know that this commits us as individuals and a church to journey deeper into our relationship with God. When people visit our worship services, we have an opportunity to help them in the growth as disciples of Jesus. We do this by offering them hospitality that helps them feel welcomed and included in this congregation.
A number of us have been here for many years and we are comfortable in our church environment, that’s great. We might not be as aware of the anxieties that new people feel as they enter a church community. Many of us are uncomfortable talking to people we don’t know. We say that we don’t know what to say and are fearful of saying the wrong thing. This is equally true for the guests who come into the church for the first time. In addition they have the added weight of unfamiliar surrounds and being identified as the new person.
As people who are comfortable in this church environment I encourage us to reach out and offer hospitality to guests. Simply saying hello and introducing yourself is appreciated by our guests. Without interrogating the new person, we can ask questions that allow them to speak about themselves. Questions can be about family, where they live, what they do, what hobbies, sports and interests they have and what they are looking for in the church. Relaxed and inviting questions provide the space to get to know each other.
Going on from questions we can help guests know their way around the building and the activities of our congregation. We can introduce them to other people and invite them to join us in our groups.
It doesn’t take much to help a guest receive a warm welcome. The reward of doing this is knowing that we have helped someone journey a little bit closer to God.
Grace and peace
David Fender
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