The Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Rome,
“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” (Romans 1:11-12)
One of the benefits afforded to short-term mission participants, who come to serve alongside our in-country partner churches, is the opportunity to both encourage and be encouraged by Dominican church members. One area that always seems to impact visitors is the hospitality of the Dominican people with their desire to welcome visitors into their home and quickly find a place for them to sit.
When visiting the home of a believer and experiencing such warmth, I try to make a point of affirming this practice, which was a hallmark of the early church.
-In fact, pursuing hospitality was so important to the early church that Paul made it a requirement for leadership:
Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
-1 Timothy 3: 2 – “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
The often blunt and insightful Apostle Peter was being realistic when he wrote, “Offer hospitality to one another without complaint” (1 Pet 4:9).
It’s interesting to note that the degree to which the hospitality of the early church was transformational to society:
-Christian hospitality extended Jewish hospitality beyond those who shared one’s culture and social standing.
-Christian guests and hosts could be of different nationalities, languages, and social classes.
-Christian hospitality transformed Greco-Roman hospitality in its service to the needy rather than the rich.
-It was primarily the poor, widows, and traveling missionaries who received hospitality.
Distinctively Christian hospitality focused on those who would be unable to reciprocate – strangers who were in need.
The above descriptive terms of the early church should also be characteristic of churches today, throughout the world:
-“different”
-“beyond”
-“service”
-“focused”
The result will be the Gospel-centered and Gospel-serving churches being transformational agents within society.
