The Gift Of Hospitality

Join Laurel S. Sewell as she explores how we can meet the needs of others -hunger, thirst, shelter, clothing, comfort, companionship - through several powerful "gifts of hospitality."

Jesus spent a chunk of his ministry eating and drinking with the "sinners and tax collectors" of the world. If we strive to be more like Jesus, shouldn’t we do more of what he did? Hospitality involves more than the domesticated event we have grown accustomed to practicing. It is an embodiment of all the Christian life stands for: a gesture of love, opening up our hearts and lives, and sacrificing luxury and security for the chance to display God’s glory. To receive hospitality from others is an invitation to receive God’s transformative power to work in their lives. Readers will ask themselves these questions: • What is hospitality? • Is it something I am, or something I do? • How do I offer my life as a gesture of hospitality? • What are some practical ways for me to display and receive hospitality?

A pioneering look at the implications of Christian faith for foreign language education. It has become clear in recent years that reflection on foreign language education involves more than questioning which methods work best. This new volume carries current discussions of the value-laden nature of foreign language teaching into new territory by exploring its spiritual and moral dimensions. David Smith and Barbara Carvill show how the Christian faith sheds light on the history, aims, content, and methods of foreign language education. They also propose a new approach to the field based on the Christian understanding of hospitality.

I have often pondered, Why are so many Christian leaders allowed to get away with the things they do in church that outwardly hurt others and maintain their status in the church because of talents they have? Only God knows. However, as we work with these leaders, we must be reminded for whom we work (Col. 3:23). Our work is to glorify the Lord and not man. We cannot stay where we are and go with God (experiencing God).

We live in an age of global capitalism and terror. In a climate of consumption and fear the unknown Other is regarded as a threat to our safety, a client to assist, or a competitor to be overcome in the struggle for scarce resources. And yet, the Christian Scriptures explicitly summon us to welcome strangers, to care for the widow and the orphan, and to build relationships with those distant from us. But how, in this world of hostility and commodification, do we practice hospitality? In The Gift of the Other, Andrew Shepherd engages deeply with the influential thought of French thinkers Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida, and argues that a true vision of hospitality is ultimately found not in postmodern philosophies but in the Christian narrative. The book offers a compelling Trinitarian account of the God of hospitality--a God of communion who "makes room" for otherness, who overcomes the hostility of the world though Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and who through the work of the Spirit is forming a new community: the Church--a people of welcome.

Hospitality is one of the best ways to live out the two greatest commandments: loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. But often we get caught up in perfecting our homes and conversations before we open our doors. Over 7 sessions, look to Jesus as your model for hospitality. Discover how He lived a life full of interruptions, yet always welcomed people and invited them to follow Him. Learn to replace cultural expectations with biblical hospitality to create a legacy of invitation and reflect Jesus through simple acts of service. Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups Personal study segments with homework to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions Interactive teaching videos, approximately 25-30 minutes per session, available on DVD and via digital download The Bible study book Thirty-three free study resources, including the books the author used in preparation for this study Promotional tools, including a sample chapter, poster, bulletin insert, PowerPoint slide, and more Benefits: Replace cultural expectations with biblical hospitality to create a legacy of invitation. Discover daily rhythms of kindness, generosity, and presence at home and on the go. Learn to view welcome as worship, and reflect Jesus through simple acts of service. Become a woman of influence through hidden hospitality. Create spaces of welcome in your heart, home, and beyond.

Create a culture of radical hospitality that surprises and delights guests beyond their expectations. The Art of Hospitality guides you and your church to creating a ministry of radical hospitality. While the main book is intended for pastors and church leaders, this Companion Book is designed for the whole congregation, to equip and inspire everyone to embrace a ministry of welcome. Engaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. In The Art of Hospitality, Yvonne Gentile and Debi Nixon guide you and your church creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire congregation. Choose The Art of Hospitality main book for pastors and other leaders in the church. Choose the Companion Book for everyone else in the congregation.

This is not a book about entertaining. It is a book about the kind of hospitality that is a gift from God and how we can practice it in every aspect of our lives -- in church, at home, while driving to the grocery store. As she explores models of hospitality in the Bible and how Jesus modeled the development of this gift for us, Halverson shows specific ways we can achieve a hospitable lifestyle wherever we are.

The author of "Come to the Table" inspires readers to open their hearts and home. Long encourages and celebrates family and friendship with easy-to-follow recipes. Beautiful photography, inspiring Scripture and quotes, and prayers of gratitude will feed bodies and souls.

Open-Door Living offers devotional reflections that help women remove the common stressors of welcoming others in their home, replacing them with the knowledge of the true heart of hospitality as well as some wonderfully practical ideas for hosting.