Generous hospitality is a significant way in which God works through our lives to bring life to others, yet many of us feel ill-equipped and overwhelmed at the prospect, especially if we don’t have big houses and we are not wonderful cooks!
Carolyn Lacey encourages us to focus on the goal of hospitality, which is to reflect God’s welcoming heart, and shows us how we can all do that, regardless of our bank balance or living situation.
She explores seven ways in which we can reflect God’s character in the way we welcome others into our homes and into our lives, and so point people ultimately to Christ.
This practical and realistic book explores how to make generous hospitality part of everyday life without becoming exhausted and overburdened.
| Author | Carolyn Lacey, Christopher Ash |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781784985745 |
| Format | Paperback |
| First published | April 2021 |
| Dimensions | 129mm x 198mm x 7.6mm |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 128 |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
The thought of hospitality makes some break out in hives and others start dusting off the serving dishes. Whichever you are, you will walk away from this book encouraged, convicted, and with practical insight into how to live out a life of welcome.
I loved this book. I was expecting a guilt-fuelled, task-list-populating, exhaustion-inducing exhortation to be the-host-with-the-most. What I got was a heart-warming, rich and motivating conversation with Carolyn as we dug into the Bible and gloried in the gospel together. Rather than cajole you into dutiful hospitality, this book inspires you to joy-inducing, gospel-rich hospitality. The fruit will be seen in extraordinary hospitality being demonstrated across the church family to the glory of God.
Extraordinary Hospitality (For Ordinary People) fueled my desire to welcome others as Christ so richly welcomes us. Through her display of the greatest act of hospitality, the cross of Christ, Carolyn Lacey winsomely challenges us to humbly sacrifice not only our homes but also our efforts, skills, and time to the One who gave us his very life.
This is such a wonderful read, and a real tonic and refresher as we come out of lockdown, and need to be reminded of Jesus’ welcome for us, and so therefore what it looks like for us to extend his generous, compassionate and sacrificial welcome to others. Highly recommend!
This is just the right book to read if you want to think about what our priorities should be as, Lord willing, we move beyond the pandemic. Carolyn Lacey is not here to make you feel guilty or more overwhelmed, but rather to help us get the right perspective on our responsibility (and privilege) as Christians to practise hospitality. She helps us to see that our own hospitality should be a response to the incredible hospitality shown to us by the Lord Jesus. This book will bless you and those around you, I’m sure of it.
Throughout this book, I was gently challenged that biblical hospitality is not just having people over for dinner, but showing them in so many different and personal ways that they are welcome in my life. Jesus has welcomed us in the most extraordinary way, this book helps us to think about how to reflect that to those around us. I am excited to put into practice some of the practical applications from the book and I pray for my heart to be oriented towards others in the way that Jesus's heart is oriented towards us.
Great easy to read book on biblical view of hospitality with practical examples weaved in. So much more than having people round for a meal. So worth a read especially if the thought of hospitality scares you.
