Hospitality is the practice of inviting people into our lives and stories. It is a messy and inefficient practice. Inviting people into our homes, lives and stories is a vulnerable act of love for others. People will see our mess, and our weaknesses are quickly exposed.
But isn’t this where Jesus is? Isn’t this where he is best revealed to a watching a world?
Jesus is the God who enters into the mess of the world to reveal himself. He makes his home amongst the brokenness of the world and invites people into his story.
When we practice hospitality and invite people to enter into our homes and sit at our tables, they will see the mess and shortcomings in our lives. However, in seeing this reality our neighbors will also see the grace of God manifest in our families and relationships. Through the practice of hospitality, people will see Jesus because of the messiness of life, not in spite of it.
The Painful Reality
Doing youth ministry in a post-Christian world is difficult and lacks the shine of traditional youth ministry. There is no glory in being sent to a lost culture, being present with the people there and sharing your dinner table with a student who has no desire to ever attend a church. The work is slow and intentional and will receive little praise or recognition.
However, as we embrace doing ministry in our current culture we must remember that Jesus did not call us to efficient programs or growth models. Jesus calls us to himself and then sends us to people. There is no greater work than being sent by Jesus to a people who do not know him, being faithfully present with them, and inviting to share in the story God is working into our lives. This is the way of Jesus and it is the way of youth ministry in our post-Christian world.
This article originally appeared here.
