Christian Hospitality: Links to Amazing Articles All About Hospitality

Ahhh, Hospitality.  FAQ.  "What is the difference between entertaining and hospitality?"  "I'm too busy, my house is a mess and I'm a terrible cook!  How am I supposed to do hospitality?"  "People will break my stuff or spill on my carpet!  I don't want people handling my stuff!  What am I supposed to do if someone breaks my antique vase which was a wedding gift from my Aunt Freda?"  Everyone who shows hospitality will have to deal with the issue of something they cared about being broken or ruined.  So, what's to be our attitude toward "our things"?  These and other FAQs about Hospitality, which I have affectionately called, "Everything you wanted to know about Christian Hospitality, but were afraid to ask" are answered (well, maybe not Everything) in the following Five Fantastic Finds (posts or articles) which I've linked to, and you're going to really enjoy reading them.  Please tell them you were there! Enjoy!


Fantastic Article which includes "10 Ways to Host instead of Entertain: Mastering the Art of Christian Hospitality" by Craig Ford (yes, written by a guy!)


For an honest, but insightful, article which deals with my "holding on to my things" and the reality of Who owns everything, read this article, "To Have and Not To Hold!" by Martha Bastke.


Encouragement, with some Scripture thrown in, including this quote which I really liked, "Many people choose to focus on what they don’t have instead of focusing on sharing the blessings of God."  You'll be encouraged by reading this article entitled simply, "Christian Hospitality," by Kathy Sharp.


In Apples of Gold, a 6-week Nurturing Program for Women, by Betty Huizenga, in the chapter on Hospitality, she has an exercise which I think is very helpful.  From an assorted list of descriptive words, such as Warm, Friendly, Spontaneous, Fragrant, Sad, Sterile, Angry, we are to circle the words which best describe our home.  She then offers this encouragement, "Regardless of how it is now, with God's help, your home can become a home of hospitality."  This is a Bible Study that you can purchase, and so only a sample is included online, however, even if you don't purchase the study, you will find value from reading the insightful questions which are shown, and thinking through what your answers might be.


Last, but certainly not least:  Oh, this is a must read, in a Printer-friendly transcript of a radio broadcast from 2002, but could have been written today, which was part of a series of broadcasts entitled, "Heart of Hospitality," by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  In this broadcast, called "Challenges to Hospitality" she deals head-on with the "costs" of showing hospitality, the sacrifices which must be made, and what are some reasons we give for not obeying God's command to practice hospitality, and what's really at the heart of the issue.  Practical, but very challenging.