A Christian friend and I will be roommates starting this July in a 2 bedroom apartment. One big priority he and I want is for us to learn a lot of hospitality.

However, a question does come to mind with this idea. How does Christian hospitality differ from "hanging out with friends" or throwing a dinner party (not that there's anything wrong with either of those things)? In particular, how should hospitality on the Lord's Day differ from what is done on other days?

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Scott - Dallas, Texas - PCA

"It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do." - Edmund Burke

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Scott - Dallas, Texas - PCA

"It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do." - Edmund Burke

I used to live in a house with a bunch of fellow Christian guys. We would take in ANYONE who needed a place to stay. We had an open door policy as our front door was never locked. Our home was a place of refuge for anyone who needed it. I lived there for two years, and loved every minute of it.

While just about everyone I lived with (eight roommates) was all for being hospitable to anyone - travelers, homeless, etc. - some did not have the librality as I did on who could come in and when.

The way I think about it, everyone is going to error in some way in this. Either they are going to be a little too restrictive on strangers (or whoever) staying the night, or they are going to be way too free on letting anyone in (this is me here). I did have some belongings stolen, and we were taken advantage of by some people at times; but, I would rather risk something as little as that than to leave someone who really does need a place to stay for the night. Being that vulnerable changed me as a person in more ways than I could ever describe. I want to live in another place where my roommates are open to that. And while I'm not one who likes having a little shopping list of qualities in a future wife, this has got to be something she loves doing.

So many of us here can't preach a sermon, lead an elder board meeting, or write a dissertation to save our lives, but we can be used as a blessing to the sick, poor, hungry, and those without a home.

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Dan Pemberton
Vacaville, CA

Member, First Baptist Church San Luis Obispo
Formerly ABUSA (We left, so I guess that makes us American Baptists Unleashed!)

I have fond memories of the Jesus Movement during the 70's. Two single guys, both new Christians and extreme hippie-sorts, had an open apartment for all comers on Friday and Saturday nights, open for worship. The floor was packed to the last square inch with bodies and dogs and even babies. Into this lively worship scene walked an elderly gentleman dressed in a suit, a white shirt and tie, and a very short haircut, carrying a big pulpit Bible. I thought, "Oh, oh, a fundamentalist-Jesus People cultural conflict." Not so. Someone pulled out the only chair in the apartment so he could sit down. Then the guitars were laid aside while they asked him to open his Bible and teach them from the Word. He did (without a judgmental attitude) and they listened attentively. It was absolutely beautiful and memorable, how the grace of God bridged the cultural gap.

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Mary Vanderkooi
Kale Heywott Church (KHC)
Soddo, Ethiopia

My husband and I have been trying to learn Christian hospitality as well. We have been inviting newly married couples that we don't know from our church to get to know them better at our home. This is different than "hanging out with friends" because we don't know them very well.

It's also not a dinner party. Recently I became convicted that I could spend too much time worrying about a difficult meal and miss out on fellowship. So instead I'll get sub rolls, some lunch meat, veggies, chips, brownies, etc.--not the cheapest of these, but something simple (this also seems more appropriate on a Lord's Day). Allow the conversation to be brought around to the things of the Lord. It's a blessing to hear people's testimonies of praise to God.

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Kim G
Non-denom church (holds to the WCF)
Zion Community Church, Greenville, SC

Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
Psalm 86:11

My husband's parents in Mexico have always taken people in. They once took in a man who had escaped from a mental institution and believed he was from outer space. The only things they've ever had stolen from these people were a basketball and a radio. {edit: I got this wrong: the radio was stolen, and a basketball left in exchange.}

You might also think of people in your church who are alone on Sundays, or new to your congregation, or who travel a distance to come to church and it's difficult for them to return between services. My parents always had a crowd of people over when we were growing up --most of them lived alone or were otherwise in some kind of hardship or inconvenience. My mom would make a roast the night before, and it was a great treat for some of the college students who otherwise subsisted on Ramen.

Incidentally they once extended hospitality to a family they didn't know who were passing through from Canada: I was very ill and barely met the family. A few months later, when I had determined to stop praying as there didn't seem to be any way to communicate with God, I received a call from the lady out of the blue while the rest of my family were at church. I told her they were all gone and she said she knew they would be and had called to speak to me, in the belief that God had wanted her to tell me to keep praying. I am not a charismatic: I don't know how to explain these things. But it was the most complete refutation of what I had been thinking, and I believe that those who are 'mindful to entertain strangers' will never be the loser by it.

Here and in Mexico Ruben has been careful to invite all the families in the church over at least once. This way we have a chance to develop a relationship with people we might not otherwise have much contact with, and to be more aware of needs outside of our own age and interest group.

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Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.

From the Westminster Confession of Faith XXI:


The fourth commandment still applies on the Lord's Day. "Hospitality" needs to conform to your focus on God and resting from your worldly employments and recreations. That means not doing, thinking, or talking about your job and entertaining yourself, even when you have company or are travelling.

This is impossible to do without God's grace. However, I can testify blessing comes with obedience to God in this.

It's even more important that you not abandon this when you have company- it is an opportunity to influence people for the Kingdom.

I cannot be dogmatic about every aspect of keeping the Sabbath because I'm not entirely sure on every point. I struggle with doing the right thing. For example, we try not to use the computer (our computer needs a sabbath rest, believe me) or use the telephone for casual conversation. In a necessity, we would, but I try to take leadership in my household in resting from these ordinary activities to create an environment in which we can focus on the Lord's Day.

When we had company recently, I sat down with our guest Saturday night and explained how (and why) we try to keep the Fourth Commandment. I told them we realize not everyone does this, and that they were not constrained to join us but that we would welcome them to do so in any part they wished to do so.

Our guest ended up going to Sunday School and Church with us and then joined us for lunch where we tried to focus our conversation of Scripture and explaining our Church practices. They had lots of questions. They did not join us for Bible reading but later did joined us for prayer time in the evening. After sundown on the Sabbath, we pulled out the scrapbooks and went into discussing a vacation.

Our guest left us requesting a list of churches "like ours" so they could see if there was something like this near them.

Be faithful on the Lord's Day!

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina

Soli Deo Gloria