Around the Table, Part 6

Relationships are not efficient and people are not projects. That’s why, for followers of Jesus, an open table always begins with an open heart. But what does it look like to practically make hospitality a way of life?

Center My Life
Austin Stone Worship

Fountains
Josh Baldwin

This I Believe
New Wine Worship

God of Revival
Bethel Music

The posture of your heart precedes the placement of stuff on your table.

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Genesis 6:5
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

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When our hearts are messed up, our lives are messed up.

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Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

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– Love the Lord with all of your heart…
– Where your heart is, there will your treasure be…
– Blessed are the pure in heart…
– The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good…
– Out of the abundance of the heart man speaks…

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Hospitality starts in the heart.

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Open arms, open bible, open table, welcome home.

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1. Open Arms

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Francis Schaffer
“Begin by opening your home for community…You don’t need a big program…All you have to do is open your home and begin. And there is no place in God’s world where there are no people who will come and share a home as long as it is a real home.”

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Daily
Apply the “Always Rule”

If you see a neighbor you don’t know, pause whatever you’re doing and meet them. Always.

Weekly
Plan for Hospitality by putting it on the calendar.

Monthly
Celebrate Events

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2. Open Table

Keep it simple.

Get help from people who are good at it.

Ask the people you are inviting to cook.

Remember people’s names.

Dale Carnegie
“Most people don’t remember names, for the simple reason that they don’t take the time and energy necessary to concentrate and repeat and fix names indelibly in their minds….Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Ask questions and listen well.

How long have you lived here? What’s your experience been so far?
Kids? What are they like?
What do you do for work? What do you like/not like about it?

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3. Open Bible

Frame Your Story
Life before Jesus.
How He saved you.
What He has done in your life since.

What does Jesus have to offer this person?

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The Art of Neighboring
“The beauty of the art of neighboring is that it’s simple and genuine. You don’t need to memorize any pitches. You don’t need to chart out a master plan for evanglizing your neighborhood. You don’t need to worry about having a canned speech in your back pocket. In short, you need not make your neighbors your “pet project”; just be their friends. You simply need to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and body, and love your neighbor as yourself. When those things happen, everything else falls into place. The goal is to faithfully tell your story, God’s story…listen to their story and ask God to lead you.”

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Tim Chester
“The future of Christianity lies…in small, intimate communities of light. Often they’re unseen by history. But they’re what transform neighborhoods and cities.”

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