Articles for tag: Hospitality

December 23, 2016

Michael C. Mack

What Is the Role of Greeters in Your Church?

By Michael C. Mack We conducted a survey through Facebook that asked, “What is the role of greeters in your church?” Respondents could select as many answers as applied. The results are displayed in the chart. “Other” included responses such as: introduce new people to regular attendees, usher to destination (e.g., class or worship center), make sure visitors know where everything is (e.g., nursery, restrooms, information), and just be a friend. Discovery Christian Church in Clearwater, Florida, takes a unique approach to greeting. “We don”t have “˜official” greeters, but everyone is an unofficial greeter,” says minister J. R. Carrel. “That

December 9, 2016

Christian Standard

I Could Totally/Never Do That!

By Jennifer Johnson Two mistakes are easy to make when reading B.J. Leonard“s story. The first is to think you could never do what he did””give up your dream house in the suburbs to move into the inner city with your wife and three young kids. The second is to believe you could totally do what he did because you”ve romanticized it as a sequel to The Blind Side. B.J., his wife, Mary, and his daughters aren”t reaching out to urban Decatur, IL, because it”s easy, but they”re also not doing it to experience the warm fuzzy feelings of “saving”

September 8, 2016

Christian Standard

Spiritual Gifts Today

By Mark S. Krause Emily and Michael’s Story Newlyweds Emily and Michael have decided to begin their life together by choosing a “neutral” church to attend. Michael, raised Catholic, has had little interest in church since his confirmation 15 years ago, but he is committed to church involvement with his new wife. Emily”s family moved frequently when she was growing up, exposing her to a wide variety of Evangelical-flavored churches, small and large. Finding a new church seems easy to her, but she has never had a church where she felt grounded and committed. The couple agreed to attend a

July 27, 2016

Christian Standard

Embracing the Imperfection of Being Human

By Jim Tune Those around men like Jean Vanier usually anticipate they will do great things. He is the son of Major-General Georges Vanier, who became the 19th governor general of Canada, serving from 1959 until his death in 1967. And his early years wrote a resume that depicts greatness. In his youth Jean Vanier received an elite education in Canada, England, and France. He served admirably in World War II and was a close companion to members of England”s royal family. After resigning his naval commission, he went on to complete a PhD in philosophy from the Institut Catholique

August 10, 2015

Christian Standard

7 Things Singles Want Their Pastors to Know

By Jennifer Johnson “¢ Please acknowledge that our culture is couple-focused.  Many people still believe you”re incomplete””and you must be unhappy””if you”re not married. While many of us would like to be married, the fact that we aren”t doesn”t define who we are. We live in a culture that idealizes romantic love and feels sorry for those not in a relationship, but the church should have a richer perspective on each individual”s value in the body of Christ. It”s not your fault that our culture trends this way, but don”t let the church inadvertently reinforce it. “¢ We don”t mind

July 15, 2015

Christian Standard

On Being Slow to Speak

By Jim Tune In her book Letter to My Daughter, Maya Angelou writes about a dinner party hosted in the home of a very rich and sophisticated friend during the author”s first trip to Senegal. As Angelou explored the ostentatious home and observed the elegant guests, she noted they were all carefully stepping around the beautiful, expensive rug in the middle of the floor to avoid dirtying it. She became outraged and appalled that her hostess would be so shallow as to value her things above her guest”s comfort. Finally Angelou decided to act; she stepped onto the rug and

June 21, 2015

Christian Standard

Open Table

By Sean Palmer Maxine was stunned when Jason and Kari Martin, along with their children, Aidan and Regan, stood outside her front door with expectant eyes. As far as Jason and Kari knew, they”d been invited to dinner at the home of our church”s matriarch. If there”s an unquestioned sage at The Vine Church, it”s Maxine. She and her late husband, Ron, served as medical missionaries in Africa, raised three children (one of whom is an elder at The Vine), and around our church, once Maxine says something, nothing else needs to be said. The reason the Martins were at

May 13, 2015

Christian Standard

Tables of Grace

By Jim Tune God has a thing for tables, and many of us can understand why. The Scriptures are full of stories of people meeting around tables and of relationships being formed and strengthened in that space. We resonate with these experiences. In my own life, the best moments with family have taken place around the kitchen table, visiting or enjoying a meal. The table is a place where we can be fully present with one another and develop deeper community. The psalmist connected God with the table in a familiar passage: “You prepare a table before me in the

April 8, 2015

Christian Standard

Measure Up?

By Jim Tune In church circles, we talk about the three B”s: budgets, butts, and buildings. I get it. These are standard ways of determining success in most ministries because they are tangible and easy to measure. I”d like to suggest some additional metrics we might apply to our effectiveness. Let me pose them as a series of questions: “¢ Are people”s gifts and talents being drawn out of them and used to extend grace and encouragement to others? “¢ Are we pursuing justice and standing on the side of the oppressed? “¢ Are we increasingly willing to give a

December 15, 2014

Christian Standard

Following Jesus Together in the Inner City

By Stephen Lawson I live in an intentional Christian community called the Lotus House in north St. Louis. When people hear this, sometimes I”m sure they imagine me as an orange-clad Tibetan monk, running a rake through sand making intricate designs. But our name has nothing to do with New Age philosophy or Buddhist-inspired practices. Our house is named after our street, Lotus Avenue. Quite simply, the Lotus House is a community of Christians who are seeking to follow Jesus together by being a faithful presence and a witness to God”s peace in a part of the city known for

February 22, 2014

Christian Standard

The Perfect Gift for a Small Group Leader

By Andrew Mason I was working hard at my desk earlier this week when I heard one of my small group members walk into the main church office and ask whether I was in. Those moments always increase my heart rate because I don”t want to ignore people, but I”m always afraid of being derailed for 45 minutes or so when I”m already running out of time to get my work done for the day. I erred on the side of friendliness (plus my door was open and he could see me sitting there). He walked in and handed me

August 30, 2013

Christian Standard

Communion . . . and Grace

By David Timms Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Perhaps nothing hurts as much as betrayal. A wife discovers a string of e-mails and realizes her husband has been intimate with another woman. Or a man receives a note from his wife saying she and one of his longtime friends plan to start a life together. Or someone at work gives the boss information that was shared in confidence. Betrayal cuts deeply for all of us, and no less so for Jesus. That last night with his disciples, Judas sat close to Jesus. The plot was in place,

July 21, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Jonathan Williams

JONATHAN WILLIAMS Pastor, Forefront Christian Church, Brooklyn, New York Jonathan Williams is a captivating storyteller. He finds joy in people, in learning their histories, and in laughing at human foibles, including his own. This ability to delight in others and laugh at himself draws people to him. It reflects the way Jesus often taught. The disciples would ask Jesus a question, and Jesus would answer with a story. For several years after college, Jonathan taught at an inner-city school in Philadelphia. If you asked Jonathan about that experience, his stories would make you burst with laughter one moment, and break

May 30, 2013

Christian Standard

Where Missional Is Moving

By Matt Smay Missionaries””they were the devout adventurers who traveled the world helping people from other cultures learn about God. As a boy I admired their pictures posted on the bulletin board of our church lobby, and followed the strings that connected their faces to pins on a map that identified their mission fields. I was impressed. I grew up in church. It was a small, traditional, suburban congregation in Southern California started in the 1940s that ministered to a sprawling city. Like many in the postwar industrial boom, my paternal grandparents relocated with their four young kids from middle

May 13, 2013

Christian Standard

Lesson for May 19, 2013: Active Hope (1 Peter 4)

By Sam E. Stone Persecution was common for the church of Peter”s day. His two letters address both what had happened already and what lay ahead. Christians need not fear, remembering the example of their Lord. In today”s text, Peter returns to his main theme found in 1 Peter 3:14-18, after some parenthetical remarks (vv. 19-22). Once again he focuses on being willing to suffer for Christ. Distinctive Life 1 Peter 4:1-6 Jesus” suffering brought us salvation. His obedient spirit must be ours as well. He died once for all (Hebrews 7:27; 9:28). Since we have the assurance of life

March 2, 2013

Christian Standard

Wanted: Titus 2 Women

By Sheila S. Hudson When I was a rookie minister”s wife, a gentle lady named Merle took me under her wing. Merle was a retired schoolteacher “clothed with strength and dignity” who could “laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25). Her wisdom earned respect communitywide, while her “never-grow-up attitude” endeared her to believers and nonbelievers alike. Her husband was an extraordinary elder whose wisdom earned esteem in all arenas. Miss Merle modeled Titus 2:3, “Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what

January 24, 2013

Christian Standard

The Meat of the Matter

By Mark A. Taylor  Ben Cachiaras, senior pastor with Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland, is one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s 12 contributing editors. Like all of them, he has great insight into human nature, great passion for the gospel”s potential to change lives, and great ideas for the church channeling God”s blessings to our troubled world. He met with us in our annual contributing editors retreat last week and wrote about it in his blog this week: At dinner one night we passed through a buffet line and when it was my turn at the meat counter the guy cutting

September 24, 2012

Christian Standard

Lesson for September 30, 2012: Faith Instills Love (Hebrews 13; 1 Corinthians 13)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone The book of Hebrews teaches us a number of things about true faith. In this unit”s final lesson, a familiar text””1 Corinthians 13″”is added to show how the believer”s faith is expressed in love.   Consistency of Love Hebrews 13:1-3, 6 Although brotherly love was not a common virtue in the first century, the early Christians were already practicing it (see Hebrews 6:10 and 10:33, 34). For this, the writer commends them. Showing love to other

June 28, 2012

Christian Standard

Immigration: What Does the Bible Say?

By M. Daniel Carroll R. The immensity of this human dilemma should drive Christians to the Scriptures to see what God might have to say about engaging the stranger. Immigration has been a hot political issue in this country for the last several years. Some in the media can be a bit shrill, labeling newcomers as part of a “tidal wave” or an “invasion” of foreigners. Heated and exaggerated rhetoric, of whatever persuasion, is not helpful and is not becoming for Christians. What might a self-consciously Christian position on the topic look like, one that doesn”t consist simply of a

February 26, 2012

Christian Standard

Provocative Approaches to Purity, Dementia, and the Afterlife

By LeRoy Lawson Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality Richard Beck Eugene: Cascade Books, 2011 Turn of Mind Alice LaPlante New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2011 Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives David Engleman New York: Pantheon Books, 2009 Richard Beck”s Unclean is not a nice book. It”s about the disgusting things that shape our spirituality. While most people like their religion neat and clean””it”s what we usually mean by “holy”””life isn”t neat, and many of the people Jesus sends his disciples to reach aren”t clean. What then? The author, a professor at Abilene Christian University, is convinced that

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