Since Amelia and I have arrived as your parsonage family, we have been overwhelmed with your love and kindness; in fact, I would not be going out on a limb to say that the kind of welcome we have received goes way beyond Southern hospitality and can best be categorized as Radical Hospitality.

  In his book, The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Bishop Robert Schnase describes this type of hospitality as "genuine love ... a willingness to change behaviors in order to accommodate the needs and receive the talents of newcomers."  This is considered radical because hospitality of this sort is not initiated from our own upbringing but is God's invitation through us.

  Hospitality is embedded within both Old and New Testaments.  God reminded the children of Israel to be open to the stranger, the sojourner, and the wanderer, "For you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Deut. 10:19)  In his desire to change the way we act toward those we do not know, Jesus said, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." (Matt 23:35)  He responds to us just as he did when his disciples asked when this could possibly have occurred, "Just as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me." (25:40b)

  John Wesley and the early Methodists were so radical is thier acts of kindness and generosity that many in the mainline churches (who were spiritually dead) found such actions offensive.  How ironic that 300 years later, many churches are dying or just maintaining (because they have deep pockets), but can't experience genuine growth.  They wonder because, "we're such a friendly church!"  Beloved, friendly is easy, but that's not what God is calling us to be.  Like the early Methodists and those of the early Church, we are called to practice a radical hospitality that invites folks into our lives so that through the Holy Spirit they can be led to a real relationship with Christ Jesus.

  Just a few weeks ago, you all didn't know Amelia and me from Adam's housecat, but you have welcomed us radically.  Now that you're well-rehearsed, go crazy, do it joyfully, do it genuinely, but do it because when done radically, your invitation is the invitation of Christ!

Pastor Terry