hospitality on a friday

A great contrasting thought to yesterday's TV post. . .

Last night at our Elder Meeting, Chairman Jim Jeffrey brought us this outstanding article from 9Marks on Christian hospitality to read and discuss. . .

A Meal Says More than You Think - 9Marks

With hospitality, we proclaim to the world the incarnation of Christ, God’s grace in salvation, the unity of the church, and a Christian’s participation in the life of Christ. And to Christ himself we say, "I love you, because you have identified yourself with the least of these brothers." We must preach the words of Christ’s gospel, otherwise we draw attention and glory only to ourselves. But we must also preach with our lives so that those both inside and outside the church see that the power of God for salvation begins today, as Christ’s people begin to image him from one degree of glory to the next.

I loved the broad thinking about hospitality. Hospitality doesn't mean just having someone over to dinner, though it surely includes that. Broadly speaking, it means welcoming and connecting with people where ever we meet them, opening our lives to one another and to outsiders.

Where is hospitality practiced and happening at Grace?

• Sunday Mornings
• Growth Groups
• Adult Bible Fellowships
• home to home, brother to brother, sister to sister, family to family
• Our meal ministry.
• Our All Church Events ministry

Where else? Corportately and individually? How can we get better at hospitality? What makes us inhospitable?

I've thought for a long time that hospitality is one of the strange and powerful backdoor ways to live the Gospel. They may not, at first, listen to truth, but they will receive our cookies, come to our homes, and eat our meals.

(Bonus points for anyone who can identify the pic and its significance without peeking!)