Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Recovering the vanishing practice of Christian hospitality

  • August 12, 2021
  • Denise George
  • Featured, Latest News, Spiritual Disciplines, Top Stories
(Unsplash.com)

Recovering the vanishing practice of Christian hospitality

Christian hospitality is an overlooked spiritual discipline, George Barna writes in a recent daily Barna Highlight. As a set-apart people, Christians are called to practice gracious, generous hospitality.

“We practice hospitality by sharing our resources and our needs,” author and pastor’s wife Rosaria Butterfield writes, “as Jesus did when He walked this earth.”

Butterfield believes “hospitality works on the same principle as tithing. You are either giving, or you are receiving. You are either building up the body, or you need the body to build you up. All of us have a stake in hospitality because Jesus does.”

Hospitality is a two-way street. Devoted Christians not only show it by giving to others; they accept with gratitude and humility another Christian’s kind acts of hospitable compassion.

What is hospitality?

After more than a year of pandemic-related isolation from church, friends and even family, the spiritual gift of hospitality could quickly become a practice of the past. With many Christians still living in semi-lockdown for fear of contracting or spreading dangerous germs, showing Christian love to others has been greatly restricted.

Hospitality comes from a deep place in a Christian’s heart and soul, instinctively reaching out to offer the gift of verb-love (actionable love) to another person. The Apostle Peter encouraged Christians to “show hospitality to one another” (1 Pet. 4:9), and to do so kindly, eagerly, wholeheartedly and “without grumbling.”

Hospitable love is not merely a feeling, but a purposeful action. As C.S. Lewis writes: “Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.”

Followers of Christ are encouraged by Scripture to actively and joyfully reach out and touch hearts for Christ, a practice that helps unify Christian relationships and families, blesses and strengthens the church, teaches children to practice love toward others, and leads lost souls to know Christ. Christians who practice the spiritual gift of hospitality serve the church and the Body of Christ as they show Christ’s love to a hurting, lost, confused world.

Jesus showed compassionate hospitality

Jesus is our best model of showing hospitality. When He faced hungry people, He felt compassion and fed them (Matt. 14:18–21).

When His disciples feared a violent storm, Jesus calmed the waves and protected them (Mark 4:39).

On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped in a village and healed 10 society-shunned lepers (Luke 17:11–19).

While He showed compassion and healing hospitality to the crowds, Jesus also focused on individuals who had verb-love needs that cried for intentional attention:

  • He went into Peter’s house and healed his feverish mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14–15).
  • He showed compassion and healing for a man born blind (John 9:1–7).
  • He healed a paralyzed man and made him walk (Matt. 9:2–7).
  • He “awoke” His deceased friend, Lazarus, as he lay in the grave (John 11:43–44).

Jesus accepted loving hospitality

Not only did Jesus show hospitable love, He accepted kind hospitality from others:

  • Accepting expensive anointing oil poured on His feet from a disreputable woman (Matt. 26:7).
  • Offering to have supper with a societal outcast perched in a sycamore tree (Luke 19:4–6).
  • Eating at the home of Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters (Luke 10:38).

Ways to show Christian hospitality

During these days when people fear new and potentially more dangerous strains of COVID-19, Christians still can show hospitality in numerous ways:

  • Writing Letters: Personal letter-writing, a show of hospitality from the past can be revived. Letters written and sent to family, friends, church members, neighbors and others show an investment of time and thought lovingly given to someone who needs encouragement, friendship and hope.
  • Calling: A quick chat to say, “I love you, I’m thinking about you, I’m praying for you,” takes only a few minutes and shows another that he is loved, thought about and prayed for.
  • Social Distancing and Germ-Safe Etiquette: When meeting in person, Christians can show love and compassion by being aware and thoughtful of another person’s susceptibility to illness, as well as his or her personal fears about contracting disease.
  • Supplying Essential Needs: It has never been easier to help supply needs — whether food, medicine or other things. Hospitality through food and gift deliveries is as simple as making a phone call or clicking an Internet link.
  • Helping Financially: Gifts of money for financially needy families present numerous opportunities for Christian hospitality these days, as people may be recovering from sickness, lost jobs and income, or drained savings accounts.

Still in the grasp of COVID-19, Christians may feel somewhat limited in fully practicing their spiritual gift of person-to-person hospitality. But we still can show love and kindness in so many creative ways, even in the midst of virus threats, therefore practicing the words in Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.”

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 12
    Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 12
    February 6, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Suspected herdsmen kill 12 Christians in Benue State, Nigeria
    Suspected herdsmen kill 12 Christians in Benue State, Nigeria
    February 6, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 12
    Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 12
    February 6, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 12

Does It Align with God’s Character? Exodus 34:1–9 God is Holy. He desires His people to be holy. Holiness has the connotation of separateness. Believers

Suspected herdsmen kill 12 Christians in Benue State, Nigeria

After authorities in Nigeria ignored warnings that thousands of cattlemen were arriving in Benue state, suspected herdsmen on Saturday (Jan. 28) attacked two villages there

Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 12

YOU HAVE SEEN HIM John 9:24–38 “It’s a miracle!” squealed 8-year-old Denise when first outfitted with glasses. Everything came into focus, and she delighted in

person in black long sleeve shirt

First Person: Your prayers make a difference

My dad did the grocery shopping for our family. For him, it was a social thing. He loved running into friends and visiting in the

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel