Hospitality is a marker for a Healthy Church.
What’s a Healthy church?
Good question! We should start defining what a healthy church may mean.
Of course, the concept of “healthy churches” is found nowhere in the Bible.
The only place, however, and where we can get an idea of how a Healthy should operate is in Acts 1 and 2. There you find the foundation on a Healthy Church: The Holy Spirit (see Acts 2).
Also, what this Healthy Church should look like to society, locally or globally: A community of witnesses (see Acts 1: 8).
[bctt tweet=”The Holy Spirit, together with the power to witness about Christ, enables us to show hospitality.” username=””]
So how should I define hospitality, such an overused word today, in the Church?
Let’s use Matthew 5: 14-16,
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ESV.
Hospitality means that you and I are the light of the world!
Yes, there are two reasons why Jesus is using the concept of light.
Before laying those two reasons down, let me say that there is no life if we don’t have light. It’s a scientific and natural fact.
Also, when you read Genesis 1 and 2, and John 1, you see that light is a creature God made at the beginning of everything.
If we say, therefore, that hospitality means we are the light of the world, we’re pretty much implying the life effects that also come with biblical hospitality.
[bctt tweet=”Hospitality, not only changes lives, but it also gives life.” username=””]
Now, back to the reasons why God wants to be hospitable.
Hospitality helps others see our good works.
Those aren’t my words, but Jesus’:
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds. (Matthew 5: 16. ESV).
A lot of Churches today have fallen into the trap of confusing Church programs and activities with “good deeds.”
Remember that hospitality should change and give life. Displaying your busy daily, weekly, and monthly schedules isn’t enough to claim that you’re there when it comes to hospitality.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you should stop doing what you do.
That’s not my point.
What I mean is that your priority should be how to make sure whatever you do (feature) changes lives.
[bctt tweet=”Biblical hospitality shifts your focus from what you do to how what you do gives new life to people, especially your guests.” username=””]
Hospitality helps people give glory to our Father in heaven.
Yes, the ultimate goal of anything you do at your Church should be about drawing people to God.
So, what you want them to see only has one goal: to give praise to our heavenly Father!
Also, notice that both reasons why God wants us to be hospital do not have to do with us, but “others” and “God.”
[bctt tweet=”Whatever, you, therefore, show to people, don’t do it so that they know you’re different from the Church down the street.” username=””]
Nor should you do it because it’s the way you’ve done it for years since when your great grandfather moved to the community over a hundred years.
The reasons why you should show your good deeds:
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- Do it because people (other than your family members and lifelong friends) have to see your good deeds.
- Do it for the ones that aren’t yet in your Church.
- Do it so that all people who see your good deeds can now give glory to God, our Father who is in heaven.
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How do we train ourselves to show Biblical hospitality?
There could be many opinions on how you could become more hospitable and train others in your Church.
For the sake of this article, let me mention two ways, which I also discuss in my book, “5 Attitudes Every Christian Should Have.” You can get your own copy from Amazon.com.
In this book, I discuss biblical hospitality in more depth.
Hospitality is a response to God’s grace
God’s grace is all that we need to be more hospitable. Yes, God’s grace is sufficient.
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- It welcomes us into God’s family by faith through Jesus Christ.
- It gives us strength in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12: 9).
- It propels us to share God’s grace with others.
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[bctt tweet=”Hospitality isn’t something we do for our sake. We do it because of and through God’s grace.” username=””]
Hospitality is a mark of Christian leadership
Hospitality comes out of growing as a Christian leader. In other words, you become, as a result of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ:
- An encourager.
- Someone who inspires hope.
- A servant
- A role model.
Read more on these four marks of Christian leadership here.
In conclusion
Hospitality is who God has called us all, Christians, to be. That’s the only way to be God’s witnesses. And, you don’t only show hospitality at your Church. Be hospitable everywhere you are during the week. Usher and invite people, through your good deeds, into God’s presence. That’s who you should thrive to be every single day of your life.
