Just Imagine

Expectations of Hospitality Ministers

Equipping “Specialists”

… equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church,

The body of Christ. (Eph. 4:12 NLT)

As visitors in New York City on a Sunday morning, we entered a church. Standing by the door was a male greeter who welcomed and informed us there was seating left only in the balcony. Immediately, a woman stepped forward and declared, “I will take care of them.” She addressed us warmly, making us feel valued. Giving assurance we would be able to sit on the main floor, she intended to find us a place. It became clear this was her assigned task. “Please wait here, I will be right back.” After a brief time, she returned and apologized. The seats thought to be available had been taken, but she would locate others.

Suddenly, a woman who had been seated came back the aisle and said to us, “Come with me, I have seats for you!” We followed to where she had been sitting. There she gathered her coat, purse, and books; then offered, “I want you to sit in our seats.” When we resisted a bit, she smiled and said, “No, please, it’s my joy to share them with you.” Then the first woman came by and made certain we were comfortably situated. She thanked the woman for sharing her space. We had never experienced such sacrificial hospitality in a church.

This is an excellent example of a trained hospitality minister and another caring member of the congregation teaming to connect with visitors. The usher found us, made us feel honored, and made it known that we needed seats. The spontaneous hospitality minister, sitting in the congregation waiting for her friend, made our seats available.

The members of this congregation with whom we could pleasantly and gratefully interact illustrated important truths: For a church to really have a heart for bringing others into the Kingdom of God, it must be deliberate about welcoming them into God’s House and be prepared to do so. Then, make them want to return. All this necessitates having a core of people each equipped to fulfill one or more very specific responsibilities. And whether persons in the congregation are specialists or not, there should be very many of them ready to spontaneously show love to anyone who enters.

Specialists set a tone, a foundation, and a standard for others to emulate, build upon, and improve. In one church; Erma, Mary, and Bill are prepared, passionate greeters. Their eyes, smiles, words, and touch spell out “We are so glad you came.” Joan and Sandy help at a community meal and worship service on a weekday. Along with greeting and welcoming, they key on connecting with others through conversation, fellowship, and serving them a hearty dinner.

Demeanor, knowledge, and flexibility are assets required of Linda, Nina, Tauna, and John as they minister to people throughout the week at the church Welcome Center. Such trained ministers respond to folks who may need one or more of these: use of a restroom, a bag of groceries, a voucher for gasoline or lodging, someone to listen, someone to pray, or someone to say “God loves you!”—And be convincing. At one Sunday service, Cindy roves among the congregation ready to give a hug and a kiss to any willing recipient. It represents her Christian love and God’s love for that person. And she is convincing.

Dedicated Christians performing explicit tasks must be an integral part of any church hospitality pursuit. Many factors will contribute to the development of a comprehensive customized plan that includes precise job descriptions and training procedures. Here is a start: building size and facilities, active-membership data, individual gifts and talents, community characteristics, financial resources, and the magnitude of a desire for reaching out to others.

I am hopeful that the ideas, examples, and suggestions contained herein will be helpful in planning and providing hospitality by and through your church… helpful whether you have ten members or ten thousand members. May the Holy Spirit light the way.

Hospitality Challenge:

You have seen a partial picture of what is required to provide God’s Hospitality to others.

1. Can a church offer active and effective hospitality amidst torn tapestries, peeling paint,

and faulty furnaces? Explain your answer.

2. Are your mind, heart, and spirit in agreement or conflict about the hospitality God

expects of you? Take time to consider all of what your answer means.

3. Assume that you have the spiritual conviction to be part of a hospitality team and the determined commitment to stick with it. Make a list of all your gifts and talents that

can be used on the team for God’s purposes.

4. Complete the Hospitality Evaluation. (See Appendix 2.) Where do you rank your

church? Compare and discuss your ranking with those of others who have completed

the evaluation.

Prayer: RADIATING CHRIST

Dear Jesus,

Help us to spread Your fragrance everywhere we go.

Flood our souls with Your Spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess our whole being, so utterly,

that our lives may only be a radiance of Yours.

Shine through us, and be so in us,

that every soul we come in contact with

may feel Your presence in our soul.

Let them look up and see no longer us,

but only Jesus.

Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine

as You shine;

So to shine as to be a light to others.

The light, O Jesus, will be all from You,

none of it will be ours;

It will be You shining on others through us.

Let us thus praise You in the way You love best

by shining on those around us.

Let us preach You without preaching,

not by words but by our example,

By the catching force, the sympathetic influence

of what we do,

The evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to

You. Amen.

-JOHN HENRY CARDINAL NEWMAN