Hospitality

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Hospitality once was central to Christians' life together. But today we have tamed, Disneyfied, and Martha Stewartized this radical practice of graciously welcoming one another, especially the stranger, as God has welcomed us. Is genuine hospitality a lost art? Recovering this ancient tradition will be essential in a world that has grown terrifyingly defensive and harsh.

Worship trains us in "untamed hospitality," Elizabeth Newman notes, as we learn our dual roles as a guest in God's Kingdom and host to one another and God. Andrew Arterbury mines the rich biblical resources of Luke's writings on intercultural hospitality.

Critiquing the development of impersonal institutions for hospitality over the centuries, Christine Pohl explores how Christians can once again connect "the life-giving bonds of congregational life" with "the personal warmth of household-based care." Paul Wadell calls con- gregations to move beyond "safe neighbor love" to risking "the dangerous love" of Christian hospitality.

Christian Reflection is an ideal resource for discipleship training in the church. Multiple copies are available for group study at $3.00 per copy.

The study guides and lesson plans integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to help us explore our dual roles as a guest in God's Kingdom and therefore as gracious host to one another. The guides can be used in a series or individually. You may download and reproduce them for personal or group use.