MODULE 8: Hospitality — Meeting 4

Discipleship : Meeting 4

DISCUSS the disciple’s experiences in practicing hospitality.

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Spend your remaining time discussing any significant decisions, interactions, or challenges the disciple is facing, and what God may be up to.

Questions for Debriefing Your Hospitality Practice

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This meeting is a chance to celebrate what God did through the disciple’s hospitality over the past week and to learn from what was difficult. Use these questions to guide your conversation:

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• Who did you welcome or spend time with this week? How did it come about?

• What went well? What surprised you?

• What felt awkward, difficult or disappointing?

• Did any spiritual conversations come up? How did you respond?

• Where did you sense God at work, in the other person or in you?

• What did you learn about yourself through practising hospitality?

• Who might God be inviting you to welcome next?

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Why Hospitality Matters for Every Disciple

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Hospitality is one of the most practical ways to live out the gospel. God welcomed us when we were strangers and far from him (Ephesians 2:12–13, 19), and he calls us to welcome others in the same way. Romans 15:7 puts it simply: "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Every meal shared, every conversation over coffee and every newcomer included is a small picture of God’s table, where there is room for everyone.

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Hospitality also opens doors for the gospel. Most people who come to faith do so through a relationship with a Christian. When we make room in our homes and schedules, we create space for trust, honest questions and conversations about Jesus.

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Making Hospitality a Lasting Habit

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One week of practice is a good start, but the goal of Module 8 is a way of life. Consider building one or two of these into your ongoing rhythm:

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• A regular open table. Invite someone new to a meal once a month.

• Be a regular. Visit the same café, park or gym at the same time each week and get to know people there.

• Welcome newcomers at church. Look for people standing alone and introduce yourself.

• Neighbourhood connections. Learn your neighbours’ names and pray for them by name.

• Hospitality with limited resources. Potlucks, picnics and simple soup nights keep costs low and welcome high.

• Ongoing prayer. Keep praying for the people of peace you identified in Meeting 2.

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When Hospitality Is Hard

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Not every invitation will be accepted, and not every gathering will feel warm. Some disciples feel limited by small homes, tight budgets, busy schedules or introverted personalities. Remember that hospitality is about welcome, not performance. Even listening well at work or including a lonely co-worker at lunch is a form of hospitality. God multiplies small acts of love.

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For the Discipler

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Share your own experiences, including invitations that did not go as planned. Celebrate every step your disciple took. Before you close, help them choose one hospitality habit to continue after this module, and pray for the people they hope to welcome.

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Looking Ahead to Module 9: Living Justly

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Hospitality opens our eyes to people’s real needs. Some of those needs are caused by injustice: poverty, oppression, lack of education, disease and spiritual emptiness. In Module 9: Living Justly, the disciple will explore what the Bible says about justice and mercy and discover their own calling to be part of the solution. To prepare, watch the Shalom video from The Bible Project and note what "shalom" means and how it connects to justice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What if the people I invited did not respond?

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Keep praying and keep being a friend. Some people need several invitations before they feel comfortable, and some doors open months later. Faithfulness matters more than immediate results.

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How do I bring up faith without making things awkward?

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Let conversations about faith grow naturally from genuine friendship. Ask good questions, listen well, and when someone shares a struggle, offer to pray for them. Share your own story honestly when the moment is right.

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ASSIGNMENT: In preparation for Module 9: Living Justly, watch the “Shalom” video below.

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Continue the Pathway — You are in Module 8: Hospitality, Meeting 4 of 4. Previous: Meeting 3 — Practising Hospitality. Next: Module 9: Living Justly. Every essay, worksheet and video for this module is collected on the Module 8 resources page.