Neighborology: Living Out Christ's Compassion预览

We Are Sent

Our mission as believers includes reaching out to others. And by reaching out, more and more of our neighbors and colleagues will find their way to Christ (and their local church).

We are always preparing for this mission of demonstrating biblical love to others—not as an “evangelism program,” but as a natural display of Christ’s love to others. Because we have relationships with unbelieving neighbors and those in and near our workplaces, we can easily invite them to home or work Bible studies and worship. And we should seek after our neighbor’s eternal good and be involved in friendly evangelism and blessing them in spiritual ways.

The Scripture passages commonly known as the Beatitudes speak about our spiritual blessings in Christ (see Matt. 5:1–12; Luke 6:20–23): Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, and blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness. Here Jesus describes the riches that belong to those who are His. The Beatitudes demonstrate that heavenly blessedness is the opposite of worldly desire for monetary wealth, merriment, abundance, etc. The Beatitudes describe our riches in Christ and what is possible to unbelievers too.

But there are not only beatitudes, there are also “hospitalitudes.” Here is how Pat Ennis describes them in her book Practicing Hospitality (p. 237–238).

[Blessed] are those who practice biblical hospitality.

[Blessed] are those who “pursue the love of strangers.”

[Blessed] are those who include people of all cultures on their guest lists.

[Blessed] are those who develop hospitality management skills.

[Blessed] are those who intentionally extend hospitality to “the others”—singles, widows, the grieving . . . and those experiencing food insecurity.

[Blessed] are those whose homes are both a place of refuge and a center for evangelism.

[Blessed] are those who do not become disillusioned in practicing biblical hospitality.

[Blessed] are those who acknowledge that they are unable to practice biblical hospitality in their own strength, for by this means they learn that the Lord’s power overcomes their weaknesses and allows them to become vessels used for his honor and glory.

This type of mindset and this kind of neighboring should be in our DNA. The “hospitalitudes” are merely a way of putting the joy of hospitality into action. They are a user-friendly way of showing daily that we have servant hearts. And every day is a day for hospitality. As neighbors, let us welcome the lonely, encourage those who are down, befriend the friendless and visit the sick. And let us show the world that we, the people of God, have servant hearts.

Final Questions to Consider

• What role has solitude played in your spiritual growth? How have you watered the “desert” of your soul?
• How has God transformed your character? What was the experience like?
• Try to remember an experience where God changed your hostility into hospitality. How was your heart transformed? What did this experience teach you?
• How has God prepared you for good works?
• Where are you serving Him?
• What are the needs of that ministry?
• How can you encourage others to participate?

EXCERPTS from Neighborology: Practicing Compassion as a Way of Life by David S. Apple. For more information, please visit https://www.clcpublications.com/shop/neighborology-practicing-compassion-as-a-way-of-life/

David S. Apple has directed ACTS (Active Compassion Through Service), the mercy ministry of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, since 1988. He has led divorce recovery and single-parent ministries and presently oversees over two hundred volunteer staff in outreach, evangelism, and hospitality to homeless and addicted persons. His ministry includes deacon training and equipping churches across the United States for ministry in their communities. He is also the author of Not Just a Soup Kitchen: How Mercy Ministry in the Local Church Transforms Us All.