Hospitality

Taber Evangelical Free Church values hospitality.

Last week, we explored how TEFC values godly, healthy relationships.  Related to healthy relationships is seeking out others who are new or who do not know Jesus Christ. We value hospitality as a way of welcoming others with love and care.

We value hospitality because of the way we are commanded in Scripture.  Consider just one reference towards our practice and application of hospitality:

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
- 1 Peter 4:9

Hospitality is the practice of extending welcome and care to those who are not yet part of a person’s community.   This is receiving the guest or the stranger - those who are seeking belonging, acceptance, and care.   As a church, we aim to care for those in our faith community, but also reach out to any who are seeking greater purpose and spiritual answers.  We desire to introduce them to Jesus and recognize that the posture of openness is superior to water-tight arguments.  We are commanded to show hospitality towards each other and we are to do this without grumbling.  

Why would we grumble?

Because new people are different.  We are not used to them; to their needs and to their ways.  Showing hospitality is yet another way that we place aside our own preferences and wills to serve the needs of others.  In hospitality, we are signalling to unfamiliar people that they are welcome and that we desire them to be a part of our community of followers of Jesus.

We value hospitality and seek to create warm welcome for the stranger and seeker.