You might not think that these two ideas, hospitality and evangelism, go together, but they are like peanut butter and jelly (or maybe peanut butter and bananas...don't judge if you haven't tried it). Hospitality is the love we show towards strangers. It is a welcoming love that is willing to put ourselves out there in ways that cost us time, energy, and money in order to lovingly welcome and seek to do good to a fellow human that we do not know very well (ie. they are not our best friend already).
Our culture is increasingly polarized and full of anger. How refreshing Christian hospitality is in such a vitriolic setting. Since Christian hospitality is motivated by the Gospel, it is a means to evangelism too. God welcomed us into his house, even into his family, while we were strangers to his promises, even hostile towards him. This hospitality ought to extend to fellow Christians that are different than us or that we don't know (Romans 15:7 says, "Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."). But it also must be extended to those we are inviting to "leave father and mother and sister and brother" to follow Jesus (see Ananias and Barnabas showing hospitality to Saul / Paul in Acts chapter 9).
Matt Chandler has a helpful article entitled "Everyone you meet will live forever: Evangelism in an age of unbelief" at Desiring God that address this and gives a few practical ideas. You don't have to have a home or cook like Betty Crocker to show hospitality. Start by simply greeting people, by asking questions to get to know them, and by caring about them. Love for them also compels you to want to share the best gift with them - Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Christian hospitality is not contingent upon everyone agreeing with the truth of who Christ is, but it doesn't pretend as if Jesus is simply a nice add-on to life either. Christian hospitality is rooted in our acceptance by God in Christ and, therefore, displays that reality in our words and deeds.
Who might you show hospitality to today?
A blog designed to encourage Grace Church of Tallahassee College/Career members to think biblically in all areas of life and to grow in the knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness (Titus 1:1). The title is based on Titus 2:12 where Paul says that the grace of God saves us and trains us to live godly lives in the present age.
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