Pastor Heather Perdue

One of the most significant opportunities to show God’s love is offering Christian hospitality and welcoming others into our homes and lives. I’m from Tennessee, so I know a thing or two about Southern hospitality and welcoming people into my home. Maybe you know what I mean because you have received Southern hospitality and experienced a feast of deep-fried food in a picture-perfectly decorated home where no one leaves hungry or without feeling respected and part of the family. As Christians, I hope we can take aspects of southern hospitality and follow Jesus’ example to show Christian hospitality where people can experience the Bread of Life and leave knowing God’s love that welcomes them into the family of God. 

There are plenty of examples of biblical hospitality. In the New Testament, the Greek word for hospitality means “loving strangers.” In 2 Kings 4:8–10, we discover Elisha traveled to Shunem, where a woman urged him to come in and eat at her home each time he visited. She created a small furnished room on the roof for him—now that’s hospitality! 

Acts 28:7–10 shows that after Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, the leading citizen, Publius, offered him hospitality by lodging him for three days. Paul prayed, laid hands on, and healed Publius’ sick father. Then the sick on the island came to him, and he healed them. Through the hospitality shown to Paul, he could minister and bless the people on the island. These moments illustrate the importance of hospitality in the Bible as a gateway for healing, connection, and transformation.

I get encouraged when I think about how Jesus demonstrated hospitality. Jesus didn’t even have a house, yet He chose to live a lifestyle of welcoming and loving people with care and compassion. One hallmark of Christian hospitality is seeing each person as created in God’s image and loved by Him. Jesus demonstrated this by welcoming tax collectors, Samaritans, and all sinners. Other examples of Jesus showing biblical hospitality: Jesus prepared breakfast for His disciples after they had been discouraged by not catching any fish (John 21:1–13). Jesus had compassion on the crowd of 5,000 and fed them (Matthew 14:13–21).

It’s one thing to be welcoming to your friends and family, but what does the Bible say about welcoming strangers? Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” We need to use discernment when inviting strangers into our homes, but when the Holy Spirit leads you to ask someone, you should obey and do it. The Old Testament Law required hospitality to foreigners or aliens living in their land. In Leviticus 19:33–34, we read, “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

Matthew 25:35–36 highlights the importance of hospitality in the Bible as Jesus describes the coming day of judgement: “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Jesus notices when we show Christian hospitality, and He receives it as being done directly to Him. 

Christian hospitality opens the door for ministry. In Luke 10:38–42, we learn that Martha welcomed Jesus into her house, where He had the setting to spend time teaching and interacting with people about the Gospel.  

Christian hospitality is not only for strangers but also for brothers and sisters in Christ, “distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). Throughout the book of Acts, we see the believers in Christ living in community, praying together, and sharing meals as God’s family.

We need to remember that our motive for hospitality matters: “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). When we offer biblical hospitality with the motive to show God’s love, we create an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit can move in the guest’s hearts and minister to their needs. I hope you will make Christian hospitality a lifestyle and welcome others into your home and life to impact their eternity with Jesus.

We invite you to experience Christian hospitality when you visit Charis Christian Center, an evangelical, non-denominational church in Colorado Springs. We are dedicated to helping everyone build a relationship with Jesus Christ and make a global impact. We offer services on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. MST, and on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. MST. Please visit our website for more information and download free teachings at CharisChristianCenter.com.