Hospitality has always been part of our family’s DNA, but I can look back and see how I shifted my focus at times, making it more about an experience than an encounter.
For years I put an expectation on myself to keep a pristine home. Before anyone came into our home, everything needed to be perfectly in place and the experience needed to be as close to exceptional as possible. It’s more of a running joke now, but there was a day when I would sweep and mop before everyone came over, and then sweep and mop again once everyone left.
If you walked into my house right now, you would probably find our two-year-old’s train set right by the front door. You would see toys, swords, and games; all evidence of three kids who live within these walls. The reality is that the Lord has put me in places and around people for the purpose of pointing them to Jesus. Our home is one of these places where leveraging biblical hospitality becomes a diving board into conversations about Jesus, how He has changed our lives, and how He can change others’ lives as well.
Though we might not all have the gift of hospitality, Romans 12:13 says we are all called to practice it. But what is hospitality? Biblical hospitality goes beyond entertaining guests or hosting the perfect gathering. It’s about making people feel seen, welcomed and valued; creating space for authentic relationships and gospel centered conversations.
Hospitality As You Go
When you look at the life and ministry of Jesus, you see that He practiced hospitality as He went. This is what we are called to do as well.
Romans 12:13 says, “Practice hospitality” (NIV). The word practice tells me this is a habit rather than an event. We watch for opportunities, and then we take them as we go.
Hospitality can look like treating someone to a cup of coffee or lunch; it can look like holding the door for the person behind you; it can look like meeting a need. In each of these spaces you have an opportunity to see and serve people the way Jesus did while opening the door of conversation that can point someone to Him.
As we explore biblical hospitality, it’s important to note that hospitality is easy when it is on our timeframe. When we plan for it or schedule it, we know what is coming and it is convenient. But what about the moments as we go when it’s inconvenient? What does that look like?
Mark 10:45 says that the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Seeing and serving people the way Jesus did cost him a lot. Hospitality looked like taking time to address the crowds that followed him; it looked like stopping what He was doing to heal the sick; it looked like going out of His way to meet a woman at the well who was seeking physical water but in need of living water. Each of these moments could have been seen as interruptions in Jesus’ day, but instead He saw them as divine encounters.
Hospitality cost Jesus time, energy, resources, and ultimately his life. It will cost us as well. Displaying biblical hospitality won’t always be convenient, but it will always be worth it.
A Prayer on the Doorstep
Recently, a saleswoman knocked on my door. She was in her late 20s, selling an internet service, and it had clearly been a long day of walking in the heat. When she asked about our service, I told her we were all set and thanked her. Within seconds I watched her face fall.
The easy thing to do in this particular situation is to close the door and go on about our day, but the Lord brought this young lady to our home on purpose, for a purpose. I took a moment to acknowledge her work and the difficulty of it by saying, “You have a pretty tough job, don’t you?”
In that moment, I could see the walls come down. She told me how hard it was, how hot it was outside, and that this was not what she thought she had signed up for. We talked about her work for a while and then I said, “While you’re here, I want you to know that you are seen and loved by Jesus. I’m a follower of Jesus, and He has changed my life. How can I be praying for you?”
Tears filled her eyes. She then shared something heavy about her family. I told her I would be praying, and then I asked, “Can I pray for you right now?” She answered, “Please.”
So, on my doorstep, with my hand on her shoulder, we prayed together.
I do not know what the Lord will do with that moment. But I believe that on some hard day, when she is walking from door to door, she will remember that someone stopped to pray for her. Whether we are encouraging a fellow believer or pointing someone far from God toward Him, we should not miss the opportunity to invite people into our lives by sharing how Jesus has changed our life.
Hospitality in the Neighborhood
Halloween has always been my least favorite holiday. Over the last few years, though, my husband has helped me see it as an opportunity to serve our community in a different way and to leverage hospitality in that setting.
Our neighborhood goes all out on Halloween. More than 500 kids trick-or-treat. So, we began putting some of our church’s tents up in the driveway. We grill hamburgers and hot dogs ahead of time. We invite people from our church to help us host everyone who comes by our house.
We also budget for it. People know which houses give out full-size candy bars! It makes a difference, so we plan and budget it in advance. When we run out of candy, we give out hamburgers and hot dogs and bottles of water. Along with the candy, we hand out an invitation card and say, “We’re part of our Hope Church, and we would love to have you check it out sometime.” That has started more conversations about our family and our life, and more invitations to church than I can possibly count. It is one way to bring Jesus into everyday conversations.
Holidays are simple ways to leverage hospitality for the gospel. Be creative, invite people in and have fun!
Small Things Are the Big Things
It is not the big, grand events that make the biggest difference. It is the small things. A woman in our church had an appointment in downtown Atlanta, and the drive made her uncomfortable. Another woman stepped in and said, “I’ll give you a ride.” That simple yes gave them hours together and opened the door to many conversations.
When I asked women how they practice hospitality, I heard stories like this:
“I like to bake loaves of bread and share them with a note of encouragement that points people to the Lord.”
“We’re an older couple who enjoys inviting singles and young married couples into our home to invest in them and coach them through new seasons of life.”
One woman who welcomed my husband and I into her home said, “My husband is called to ministry. I just cook and serve.” I felt more at home with her the first time we hung out with them than I’ve felt in places I have been to a hundred times. What she does is not just cooking and serving; she is leveraging her life and home for the gospel through biblical hospitality, which is ministry!
As followers of Jesus, we are all called to ministry. You and I get to leverage our lives for the gospel by seeing people the way Jesus sees them and caring for them the way He does. In an office, that might mean leaving a sticky note on someone’s desk with a passage of Scripture or a word of encouragement. In a coffee shop, it may mean buying someone’s coffee and engaging in intentional conversation.
None of us has much to bring to the table. But when we offer what we have and point people to King Jesus, He can do far more than we ask or imagine. Reaching the world with the gospel will take all of us, one person and one act of hospitality at a time.
This article was adapted from a Women’s Evangelism Webinar. Learn more about women’s evangelism events and resources at namb.net/women.