Radical Hospitality - Small Group Session One

Opening Prayer:

O God, you have welcomed us and shown us how much you value us and love us through the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. May we offer others the same welcome we have received through your grace, remembering that it is your amazing grace that enables us to reach out in love to others. Help us to let go of our fears and insecurities and prejudices so that we may boldly follow Jesus’ example, inviting people to the banquet of your gracious love. Teach us to be a welcoming church that practices Radical Hospitality so that we may draw more and more people into the body of Christ—not for our own selfish pride, Lord, but for your glory alone. Amen.

Part 1: What Does the Bible Say?

• “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)
• “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40b)
• “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

Group Discussion

• What do these verses teach us about hospitality? Which verse is most significant to you—“speaks” most loudly to you? Why?
• In your own words, how would you define or explain hospitality?
• Why do you think we sometimes are reluctant to offer hospitality to others?
• As Christians, what should be our motivation for practicing hospitality?
• What is the connection between grace and hospitality? Servanthood and hospitality?
• What happens—to us and to others—when we practice hospitality?
• How did Jesus practice hospitality? What can we learn from his example?
• Reread Matthew 25:40 aloud. How would behavior change in our congregation if everyone took these words seriously?
• Would you say that our church is more inward-focused or outward-focused, and why?
• How does the work of our church focus on those not yet here?
• In John Wesley’s day, “radical” hospitality involved preaching in open fields and meeting together in homes for accountability and support. What might this kind of hospitality look like today—in our church, our community, and beyond?
• What was your first experience in our church like? What was your perception of the church after your first visit? What people, services, or ministries attracted you and helped you to feel welcome and become involved? Were there obstacles or resistances that you had to overcome? Why did you choose to become part of this church instead of another?

Part 2: What Is Radical Hospitality?

• Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35b)

• “For you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19)
• “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)

Group Discussion

• What do these verses teach us about hospitality? Which verse is most significant to you—“speaks” most loudly to you? Why?
• What is radical hospitality? How is it different from ordinary hospitality?
• How are churches characterized by Radical Hospitality different from other churches?
• In what ways do we invite people outside the community of faith into the body of Christ?
• What are our strengths here at COFS? Where do we need to improve?
• Does our church tend to do things the way they’ve always been done? How willing are we to embrace change and new ideas?
• What does it mean for a congregation to strive without ceasing to exceed expectations to accommodate and include others?
• How might we better anticipate newcomers’ needs and make them feel at home in our church and ministries?
• What could happen if every ministry of our church were to adopt an invitational posture and consider how to reach those not yet present? How might various ministries of our church begin to do this?
• How welcoming are we as a congregation? As classes, groups, and ministry teams? As individuals?
• What was the first class, small group, study, or ministry outside of worship that you attended at our church? How were you received? Were you made to feel welcome; and if so, how?
• How easy is it now to come in and find a place in our church? Which classes/groups seem to be the easiest for new people to join? Why is this so?

Part 3: What Can We Do?

• “Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” (Matthew 22:9)
• “Come and see.” (John 1:39a)

Group Discussion

• What do these verses teach us about hospitality? Which verse is most significant to you—“speaks” most loudly to you? Why?
• Share stories of a time when you have felt alone or unwelcome in a church setting or environment. What could have been done instead to make the experience warm and welcoming?
• How are we doing at genuinely and authentically welcoming people? Discuss the possibility of working with another congregation to provide a “secret visitor” analysis.
• How are we doing at helping people find their way in our church? How could we do better?
• How are we doing at providing worship leadership, bulletins, or other cues to help people who are unfamiliar with us to feel at home? How could we do better?
• How are we doing with our hospitality in our worship services / mission projects / small groups / youth programs? How could we do better?
• How are we doing in training, teaching, and preparing our greeters and ushers? How could we do better?
• If a church changes its culture one person at a time, what can we do as individuals and as a team to encourage and model the kinds of changes necessary for us to become a church that practices Radical Hospitality?
• What can we do to make Christian invitation and welcome a vital part of the culture of our church—and an expectation of every member and group?
• How can we be more intentional, strategic, and frequent in our communication to the public about our church and our ministries? How might we make our communications more “visitor friendly” (free of all insider language)?
• To what other churches might we look to learn about how to do better with hospitality, visitor follow-up, and newcomer assimilation? What can we learn from them?
• How do we solicit feedback from newcomers? How might we improve in soliciting feedback?
• Do we need to launch any new ministries and/or classes aimed at including those who are new? What might they “look like”?

Brainstorming Session

Remind participants of the “rules” of brainstorming:

There are no right or wrong responses; every response is valid.

Do not discuss or critique ideas at this time.

Write all ideas on a chart (to be kept for future reference).

Brainstorm ideas in response to the following questions. Some of the questions appear in some form in the Planning Workbook. Invite participants to share their ideas.

• What can we do to make key entry points into our congregation more attractive and inviting?
• What are some short-term solutions we can act on immediately and without great cost? What about longer-term solutions?
• What are all the ways someone in our community might hear or learn about our congregation?
• What are ways that existing groups in our church (e.g., Bible studies, Sunday school classes, support groups, service teams, performing groups) could make it easier for new people to join and become involved in the life of the church?
• What kinds of training and/or tools could help our congregation to do better at inviting and then bringing people into the real life of the church?
• How could we do the best and most radical kind of welcoming when a new person or family…

visits our church for the first time?

attends a Sunday school class for the first time?

tries a small group for the first time?

• What kinds of activities could we do that, if done with excellence and consistency, would have a tremendous impact on making us a congregation that shows Radical Hospitality?
• What are some basic, reasonable changes or actions that we could take on?
• What are some big, life-changing, seriously scary ideas that our Church could take on?