Reviving Relationships Through Biblical Hospitality webinar
WELS Women’s Ministry hosted a webinar on Reviving Relationships Through Biblical Hospitality on Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (CST). Included below is a list of the resources referred to in the webinar by the panelists. Women’s Ministry is currently working hard to put together a free Bible study resource specifically for this webinar on hospitality.
Based on Scripture:
- Share with the Lord’s people who are in Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).
- Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9).
- Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).
- Now the overseer is to be . . . hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2).
- At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household (Acts 16:33,34).
Purpose: Hospitality can be used as a way to reconnect church members and can also be used as an evangelism tool.
People are still navigating the post-COVID era, trying to figure out how to reconnect as some people switched to online-only church attendance, others decreased their church attendance, some members drifted away, and some people became members during COVID and have not integrated completely into their churches. Hospitality can be the springboard to help members become more involved and connected at church. In this webinar, we’ll hear how one couple has been strategic in their hosting of cocktail parties in an effort to lay the groundwork for future small groups.
The Christian church has been gathering in community since its beginning. Believers in the early church clung to one another for protection, strength, and encouragement. They met in each other’s homes, shared what they had with one another, and helped in any way they could.
What does your church community look like today? Do you feel disconnected? Do you spend any time with members of your church family outside of church? Is that even important? How do guests feel when they walk through your church doors?
Our panelists will speak on the importance of hospitality in the home, at church, and even in public. We’ll discuss the differences between biblical hospitality and Instagram entertaining. We’ll explore some of the challenges that keep us from reaching out to others, inviting them over, or offering them our help. What is it about southern hospitality that gives them such a reputation for bringing people together? We’ll hear from a southern sister for further insight!
How do we bring a church family together that’s multicultural, diverse in background, or spans generations so we see each other and function as one body in Christ? We’ll hear how the church in Toronto has done that and continues to welcome people from all over the world.
How do we cultivate a church culture that visitors are drawn to? How do we take relationships to a deeper, spiritual level that enriches the kingdom of God?
We were designed for connection and relationships. Women especially tend to have God-given gifts that make us more aware and sensitive to the feelings of those around us. We tend to be nurturers—whether we’re giving a needed hug, lending a listening ear, or loving our people with a plate of brownies. Ultimately, we want to be able to share Jesus and his Word in all of our relationships, but how do we do that? Is it easier for some, or have they worked to be intentional in their friendships? How do you keep that from becoming weird and insincere?
This webinar will inspire you to rethink your relationships. It will get you thinking about your own church culture with new eyes. It will hopefully inspire you to step outside your comfort zone for a worthwhile reason!
Tip: Don’t watch it alone; in the spirit of the theme, get a group together and watch this one with friends!
