Lighthouse

"For the early Christians, the home was the most natural setting for proclaiming Christ to their families, neighbors, and friends.  The same is true today.  If you and/or your local church are looking for ways to evangelize, opening your home is one of the best methods for reaching the lost.  Most of us, however, are not using our homes as we should to reach our neighbors, friends, and relatives.  Tragically, many of us don't even know our neighbors.  Yet through hospitality, we can meet our neighbors and be a lighthouse in spiritually dark neighborhoods."

Alexander Strauch in The Hospitality Commands, page 22.

The more I read Scripture and think about evangelism in a rapidly changing culture, the more convinced I am that the average Christian needs to look to their living rooms and dining rooms as the key to building relationships. loving and serving their neighbors, and opening doors for redeeming conversations.  I believe it would make a tremendous and lasting impact on our community if there was regular hospitality through our local church, even if some of them are afraid to share the gospel.

What I'm saying is, I think most Christians are afraid they can't answer hard questions.  But I really believe the hard questions are often answered without words when Christians love their neighbors.  Our lives are a testimony to Christ, and they will learn of our convictions and the changes in our lives and families and realize they need to know more.  That is where the larger community of faith in a local church can supplement Christians in helping their friends to know the gospel.

I guess hospitality is the introduction to a community of faith before they meet the whole community.  It's the front line of evangelism in any culture, because relationships are the front line of evangelism.

Comments

[Joe]

We have new neighbors (They just moved in) and God has been pushing me to invite them over. Thanks for the encouragement man!

[Wes]

I have had some non-Christian Chinese people open their homes to me on two occasions recently and cook a big meal for me and some friends. That is kind of the flip side of what you are talking about, but that personal setting definitely allows for some unique moments and conversations.

Somehow most Americans have grown to be very impersonal and private. Instead we should open up our homse to welcome others and show them kindness. Somehow these non-Christian Chinese people have a bigger heart for hospitality than most Christians, myself included.

For Americans, I think that this ministry of hospitality may be a good way for us to realize that our home is not really OUR home. We shouldn't use our homes as a means to escape from the world and use it only for selfish reasons. Instead, if we view it as the home that God owns and has entrusted it to us as a steward, we might be more anxious to use it in any and every way that might show Him as our treasure.

[Steve McCoy]

Yeah Wes. Good stuff. I think the invention of church buildings has really stolen our evangelistic mentality away from home too. I try to bring these things up in preaching wherever I can. I need to be reminded as much as we all do that our homes are the front lines of evangelism.