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Hospitality is Dangerous!

Writer's picture: Canvas NetworkCanvas Network

A few years ago, when we were church planting in St Louis, we began renting various churches on Saturday evenings, whilst at the same time, we began exploring what we now know as microchurch. We would set up our designated space on Fridays at the same time as an elderly couple who cleaned the church building. He had heard that we were opposed to doing church exclusively on Sunday mornings and each Friday he would do his best to draw me into discussion, I resisted the temptation because of respect for his fifty years of preaching.


After a while he shared with me how Jesus had spoken to him and had promised him that if he would share meals around his table, he would introduce more people to Jesus around those tables than he did from behind his pulpit!


Hospitality is such a biblical and amazing ministry gift, listen to these words;

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV)

​Entertaining

Hospitality

​I want to look good.

I want Jesus to look good.

Emphasis on appearance.

Emphasis on hearts and lives.

Only with those who are like us.

Includes those different to us.

Promotes our kingdom.

An experience of His Kingdom.

New Life Church, Teeside in the UK has the slogan, “Where you are only a stranger once” on the outside of their building and I must have heard leaders and members alike speak it a thousand times and its one of the friendliest most hospitable churches on the planet.

The mission of God can be practiced around tables, in McDonalds or in a coffee shop and we must resist the temptation to only eat with those who who look like us.


Hospitality is not about entertaining in a spring cleaned home, it is more about enjoying and getting to know people’s stories.

hospitality dining table

Summer is almost here, church programs slow down and its the perfect time to invite neighbors and friends to your table whether it’s indoors or outdoors.


There is a wonderful verse in Psalms 23 where it says, “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies, my cup overflows” and these words say two things:

Firstly we prepare the table for others and around that table its possible to help others overcome their enemies. Shame, fear, poverty, crushing mental health issues can be healed around your table prepared for them.

Secondly, in the midst of this table built relationships all needs are met. Think Zachaeus or Lazarus, Martha and Mary!!

This summer take some steps towards preparing a table for every nation, tribe and tongue!

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