Hospitality Helps

This week in my Essentials of Christianity class for the Seminary Wives Institute at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary we learned about hospitality. Mrs. Mohler taught our class and it was such a blessing. Here's some highlights from the class.

Some Key Verses Regarding Hospitality:

Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.


1. Hospitality is the unselfish desire to meet the needs of others. (Dr. Dorothy Patterson)
2. True hospitality comes before pride, it has nothing to do with impressing and everything to do with making people feel welcome and wanted. (Mains)
3. Hospitality is not merely an interest or a talent but a gift of the Holy Spirit and thus a supernatural ministry as well as a command to all believers that can be used of God above and beyond what we can even imagine.
4. Hospitality is found in the dictionary between "hospice" (shelter) and "hospital" (healing).

It is NOT:
1. An option- Christians are commanded to practice it.
2. Synonymous with entertaining:

• Entertaining is more concerned with things and not people.
• Entertaining has a motive to impress whereas hospitality seeks to provide comfort and edification.
• Entertaining tends to major on secular functions and minor on a genuine desire to serve.

Basics of Planning an Event:
1. Pray.
2. Brainstorm on paper using a form that works for you.
3. Do a recipe search.
4. Do as much as you can in advance.
5. Enjoy yourself as you practice the true art of hospitality.
6. Keep good records.

I hope that this information helps us all to better honor God by serving both His children and people we desire to witness to, through the discipline of hospitality.