God’s Goals for St Albans - Part 2 Matthew chapter 28 v CHiPS CONNECT to care & grow Mentoring: 31 mentors & 14 mentees, so far. HOST to know one another better ‘Hospitality’ as the friendly and generous reception of guests or strangers. From Latin ‘hospes’: Hospital, hospice, hostel, hotel. Also “To host” from Latin ‘hostis’: an enemy of the state.

New Testament Greek word: Philoxenia means “love of the stranger” - those strange to us, not like us Old Testament examples in Genesis 18 & 19 Russian word is ‘ bread salt ’. Mark 5 v13 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavour, how do you make it salty again? [Have salt in or among yourselves] You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” Henri Nouwen : “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy.”

Jesus’ ministry was often about Sharing meals, being a guest, hospitality. His teaching was about the hospitality of God. Hebrew word for ‘Salvation’: “to make space/room for” For whom should we as Christ-followers make space?

“A missional environment is formed by the practice of hospitality. Members set aside an evening a month to welcome the stranger into their homes. The stranger may be a neighbour or someone within their circle of acquaintance. It is important that they invite someone to their table other than a friend or church member. This may be a neighbour, work associate, or acquaintance from a coffee shop or the children’s sports team. Fear of the stranger is so high in this culture that inviting someone far outside the circle of acquaintance is too great a first step. The purpose of such invitation is to treat the stranger as a guest, to experience the gracious table of God. Why is hospitality such an important practice? It requires one to stop a busy, demanding routine for a period of time and focus attention on the stranger for the sake of the stranger.” [Alan Roxburgh, The Missional Leader]