Jan and her husband Eugene served in full-time ministry for most of their lives. No doubt they were the recipients of true hospitality, and therefore able to put into practice the authentic and faithful care that comes with loving others as God loves us. She writes about that in this essay, and she shares honestly about the difficulties and inconveniences that are an integral part of practicing hospitality.
When we think of the word, hospitality, our mind often jumps to the idea that has been taken over by a whole industry in the food and hotel sectors. I can think of a southern quick-service restaurant that is known for its cheerful and helpful team members. “Christian chicken,” as some people joke, but it is true that you experience a different level of customer care when you dine in or take-away at this establishment. Peterson reminds us that, “Christian hospitality goes a bit deeper than making money off people that you don’t know and will never see again. [The commercial notion of hospitality] is far too shallow to capture the ancient biblical vision. I would like Christians need to reclaim the word for what we do in our homes and churches,” she says.
So, what then is this ‘Christian hospitality’ that Jan Peterson is referring to? “The hospitality I’m talking about is always local and personal. This hospitality is something we do to and for one another, without expecting any returns. It is being willing to take a risk, not knowing how it will be received by the other person. It means extending ourselves, whether it is convenient or not.”
Jan shares about opening her home for the formation of a new church her husband pastored. As you might imagine, the years of hosting and welcoming in others wasn’t always convenient or easy, especially in the midst of growing their young family. But Jan and Eugene knew they were called to do this and experienced God’s blessing in the process. The new church community reaped the benefits too. “When you’re pressed up together in a bodily space, I think you get a real sense of family. . . . Some were afraid that the sense of family would disappear when we moved into our new building.” As the church grew, authentic community developed when they learned to come alongside each other in meeting needs and receiving help. There were seasons that the Petersons welcomed others to live with them for a time, and members of the church stepped in to help with food and other costs. Regardless of where they lived, their home remained a sanctuary for others. “Hospitality became real for us, and, as a result, so did community.”
Opening your home is one aspect of the many ways we can practice hospitality—but the larger work here is the act of opening our hearts to what God is teaching us about ourselves and others. Jan continues,
Through these experiences, I learned that practicing the gift of hospitality means caring and providing for the other person—that it is not about changing people, but offering them space in which change can take place. I learned that our hospitality should not be a way of working God and our way into the lives of others, but creating an opportunity for others to find God and his way in their lives.
That’s what I call offering “holy space.”
I love how she describes creating space in which others can rest, and from which change can take place. This reminds me of the tender caring of souls that those who practice spiritual direction or spiritually sensitive therapy can offer. It is a gift of hospitality to work alongside Jesus and welcome others into that holy space.
In closing, Jan reminds us of our highest calling as pilgrims along the way. “As the church, we aren’t just a collection of isolated individuals, each one following our own pathway of spiritual growth. We are the family of God. . . . Our hospitality becomes our offering, our gift to God, reflecting on what Christ did for us.”
Use the questions and exercises below to explore your own ideas about the topic, “Welcoming the Stranger.” Consider asking members of a community group or supper club to read the article, and then share your thoughts at the next gathering.
- What is the greatest act of hospitality you have received? How did that experience influence you?
- What is risky about hospitality? What is inconvenient?
- How have you experienced the “holy space” Jan refers to in this article as you serve God by serving others? In what ways has God expanded and blessed you through practicing the discipline of hospitality?
- Read Colossians 3:15–25 (MSG) Spend some time with the text and notice any phrases that stand out to you. What might God be inviting you to receive from this passage?