Hospitalitudes

by Pat Ennis

Happy are those…

• who practice biblical hospitality because in so doing they are demonstrating their love for God (1 John 3:17-18).
• who "pursue the love of strangers" for they are choosing to obey their heavenly Father's command and modeling His character (Romans 12:13b).
• in church leadership who practice hospitality for they allow others to observe them in their homes where their character is most graphically revealed (1 Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:5-8).
• who include people of all cultures on their guests list for in this manner they are demonstrating the expansive love of their heavenly Father (John 3:16).
• who are willing to make the sacrifice to practice hospitality for they understand that good memories require time and energy to create (Exodus 12:1-14).
• who develop hospitality management skills for in this way they are capable of being faithful stewards of all that our Lord has provided for them (1 Corinthians 4:2).
• who intentionally extend hospitality to "the others"- singles, widows, the grieving, the hospitalized, those with dietary challenges, and those experiencing food insecurity-for they are choosing to live out biblical compassion (James 2:14-16).
• whose homes are both a place of refuge and a center for evangelism for they are glorifying their heavenly Father by their actions (1 Peter 2:11-12) and fulfilling His instructions "to do the work of an evangelist" (2 Timothy 4:5).
• who have consecrated their lives to their heavenly Father for they are then capable of practicing true biblical hospitality (2 Corinthians 4:7).
• who have consecrated their china to their Lord's service for they have the opportunity of helping others to "taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).
• who do not become disillusioned in practicing biblical hospitality for they understand that in due time they will reap if they do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9).
• who acknowledge that they are unable to practice biblical hospitality in their own strength, for by this means they learn that our Lord's power overcomes their weaknesses and allows them to become vessels used for His honor and glory (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Philippians 4:13)!

Pat Ennis is professor and establishing chairperson of Home Economics at The Master's College, Santa Clarita, California. She is a contributing author to Think Biblically! Recovering a Christian World © Crossway Publishers and co-author of Becoming a Woman Who Pleases God © 2003 and Designing a Lifestyle that Pleases God, Moody Publishers © 2004 by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock from which this article was adapted with permission.

Thoughts, Quotes and Scriptures on Mentoring

By Barbara Goodroe

Likewise, 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 is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.- Titus 2:3-5

Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.- John C. CrosbyMentor defined is an experienced and trusted friend and adviser. - Webster's Dictionary 1988

Sandwich every bit of criticism between two layers of praise. - Mary Kay Ash

The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive. - Joe Batten

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. - Ecclesiastes 4:9

You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within. - Bob Nelson

The word "mentor" comes from a character named Mentor who was a friend and tutor in Homer's classic book the Odyssey. Mentoring is relational interaction in which one person empowers another by sharing their God-given wisdom, experience, and habits of obedience to God's word. - Rachel Olsen

In 2 Timothy 1:1-8 we see Paul's mentoring of young Timothy. Paul thanks God for Timothy (3a), he prays for Timothy each day (3b), he longs to be with him (4), he is intimately familiar with Timothy's life and family (5), and he speaks encouragement and direction into Timothy's life (6-8).

Millennials (people born after 1982) are longing for connection and meaning, and there's no better way for older people to help them find those things than by mentoring them. - Whitney Hopler on Mentoring Millennials: Shaping the Next Generation, by Dr. Daniel Egeler

If you want one year of prosperity,grow grain,
If you want ten years of prosperity,grow trees,
If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people.- Chinese proverb

The good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth as a sign that we should listen twice as much as we talk. - English proverb

No matter what you are teaching the younger woman - how to sew, know sound bible doctrine, be godly in character, or to serve the Lord through some sort of ministry to her family, church or friends, God wants the older woman to teach and encourage the younger women.- Martha Peace, author of Becoming a Titus 2 Woman

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. -Ephesians 4:29

Mentoring is a dynamic relationship of trust in which one person enables another to maximize the grace of God in her/his life. - John Mallison, author of Mentoring to Develop Disciples and Leaders

All you need is a home, a date and time, a few young people and a few older Christians. It's a great mix for a night of sharing and encouragement. You never know, it might lead to some one-on-one mentoring long term! - Robyn Claydon of www.christianmentoring.com

Watch over one another in love. - John Wesley

It is essential that mentors be loving enough to correct (Proverbs 27:5-6) and caring enough to affirm (Hebrews 10:24).

Christian mentoring isn't about being intensely spiritual all the time, it's about building relationships. - Mary Jane and Chris Konings