Envision DR: Hospitality, 15 July 2018
16 07 18 Filed in: Sermons
Hospitality
Romans 12:9-13
Big Idea: All believers are called to practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger—as our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic demonstrated so beautifully.
One of this month’s Mission 119 devotional readings included this passage from Romans chapter twelve:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Does anyone have a problem with that text? I doubt it. These words from Paul to the early Christians in Rome are filled with encouragement. Look at these words:
Love
Good
Devoted
Honor
Zeal
Fervor
Serving
Joyful
Hope
Patient
Faithful
Share
What a vision! Surely this encouragement can be applied thousands of years later to us here at First Alliance Church. I know of nothing in the context which would suggest these instructions were only for that place and time.
After dozens of conversations with our team, one of the most consistent things I heard involved our sister church in the DR which we served. It used to be USAmericans would arrive in a foreign country with Bibles and money and unknowingly do more harm than good, arrogantly creating us versus them scenarios resulting in unintended yet damaging consequences.
The beauty of the Alliance family and Envision Teams in particular is how we work together as equals. Envision contacted an Alliance church in Reparadero, DR and asked how our team might serve them. I asked our team to go with a servant’s towel on their arms. By the way, many people love the idea of being servants until they’re treated like one!
When we arrived at the church, we were literally greeted with open arms, warmly embraced, and deeply loved. Although some things were lost in translation, one thing was obvious: they practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger!
We attended their weekly Sunday worship gathering on our first day in the DR. On Monday, we did prayer walks in small groups, visiting people who live near the church, inviting them to church events, and offering to pray for them. We prayed with some for physical healing. We prayed with some for relatives. Arguably the greatest joy was praying with a husband and wife as they accepted Jesus as their Savior and LORD. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we returned to the church to do VBS-type work with the youth, including music, skits, Bible lessons, and My Story segments.
Thursday was our day or recreation at the beach before Friday’s finale in the evening. One of the most striking comments came from a team member who told me, “I wish we would’ve skipped the beach day and spent another day at the church!”
Perhaps the two most distinct things about the Reparadero church were their passion for Jesus and their hospitality.
When they sang, they sang…and smiled…and raised their hands…and danced. It wasn’t because they were wealthy or powerful, but rather they love Jesus and are fully dependent upon him for their daily bread. Their worship was inspiring, and I pray it is contagious!
Their hospitality was also inspiring, and I hope it is contagious, too. FAC family, we are called—even commanded—to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. Romans does not say tolerate the stranger or let them in the door, but rather welcome them. Make them feel at home. Let them know they belong. If you’re new around here, I hope you’ve felt welcome. We’ve all had experiences at a business where we felt like an interruption to someone’s day…and then there’s Chick-fil-A! The church in the DR made us feel like Chick-fil-A…and that’s my desire for First Alliance Church. I long for guests to feel like family…and become family. That’s hospitality. That’s biblical!
So What?
Here are a few simple things I want to challenge you with, family. If you are able, please consider:
These are not suggestions for our ushers and greeters. They are for all of us. We are all called to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. You’ve experienced it at Chick-fil-A. We experienced it in the DR. It is a beautiful expression of God’s love. When we welcome, love, and serve strangers, we are doing it to Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Romans 12:9-13
Big Idea: All believers are called to practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger—as our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic demonstrated so beautifully.
One of this month’s Mission 119 devotional readings included this passage from Romans chapter twelve:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Does anyone have a problem with that text? I doubt it. These words from Paul to the early Christians in Rome are filled with encouragement. Look at these words:
Love
Good
Devoted
Honor
Zeal
Fervor
Serving
Joyful
Hope
Patient
Faithful
Share
What a vision! Surely this encouragement can be applied thousands of years later to us here at First Alliance Church. I know of nothing in the context which would suggest these instructions were only for that place and time.
After dozens of conversations with our team, one of the most consistent things I heard involved our sister church in the DR which we served. It used to be USAmericans would arrive in a foreign country with Bibles and money and unknowingly do more harm than good, arrogantly creating us versus them scenarios resulting in unintended yet damaging consequences.
The beauty of the Alliance family and Envision Teams in particular is how we work together as equals. Envision contacted an Alliance church in Reparadero, DR and asked how our team might serve them. I asked our team to go with a servant’s towel on their arms. By the way, many people love the idea of being servants until they’re treated like one!
When we arrived at the church, we were literally greeted with open arms, warmly embraced, and deeply loved. Although some things were lost in translation, one thing was obvious: they practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger!
We attended their weekly Sunday worship gathering on our first day in the DR. On Monday, we did prayer walks in small groups, visiting people who live near the church, inviting them to church events, and offering to pray for them. We prayed with some for physical healing. We prayed with some for relatives. Arguably the greatest joy was praying with a husband and wife as they accepted Jesus as their Savior and LORD. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we returned to the church to do VBS-type work with the youth, including music, skits, Bible lessons, and My Story segments.
Thursday was our day or recreation at the beach before Friday’s finale in the evening. One of the most striking comments came from a team member who told me, “I wish we would’ve skipped the beach day and spent another day at the church!”
Perhaps the two most distinct things about the Reparadero church were their passion for Jesus and their hospitality.
When they sang, they sang…and smiled…and raised their hands…and danced. It wasn’t because they were wealthy or powerful, but rather they love Jesus and are fully dependent upon him for their daily bread. Their worship was inspiring, and I pray it is contagious!
Their hospitality was also inspiring, and I hope it is contagious, too. FAC family, we are called—even commanded—to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. Romans does not say tolerate the stranger or let them in the door, but rather welcome them. Make them feel at home. Let them know they belong. If you’re new around here, I hope you’ve felt welcome. We’ve all had experiences at a business where we felt like an interruption to someone’s day…and then there’s Chick-fil-A! The church in the DR made us feel like Chick-fil-A…and that’s my desire for First Alliance Church. I long for guests to feel like family…and become family. That’s hospitality. That’s biblical!
So What?
Here are a few simple things I want to challenge you with, family. If you are able, please consider:
- a. Parking away from the church building, leaving the best spaces for guests
- b. Opening the door for others, which is actually just common courtesy
- c. Looking for people in the lobby who look lost or lonely and simply saying hello
- d. Sitting closer to the front of the sanctuary, leaving the back rows for guests
- e. Inviting a newcomer out to lunch at your home or a restaurant
- f. Avoiding the temptation to converse only with friends following the worship gathering
- g. Inviting a guest to your small group or Sunday School class
- h. Take someone out for drinks at Claro Coffee Bar, our hospitality outpost on Adams Street
These are not suggestions for our ushers and greeters. They are for all of us. We are all called to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. You’ve experienced it at Chick-fil-A. We experienced it in the DR. It is a beautiful expression of God’s love. When we welcome, love, and serve strangers, we are doing it to Jesus.