Discussion Questions
Expand1. Who is someone who has shown you extraordinary hospitality—not necessarily “entertaining” you, but welcoming you as a stranger or as a friend in a time of need? How did they make a difference in your life?
2. Jen Schmidt shared a personal and biblical perspective on hospitality and “open door living.” What was surprising, enlightening, encouraging, or stretching for you? Why?
3. Hospitality is opening our lives to others and showing love to neighbors (even strangers) in our hearts and homes and conversations. Biblical hospitality differs from a cultural understanding of “entertaining” others in that biblical hospitality is focused outward rather than being overly concerned about impressing others or pleasing ourselves. How is that understanding liberating to us? How does it open up new opportunities?
4. What is a simple invitation you can give to someone that might (eventually) change the course of their lives? How do we sometimes make hospitality too complicated? How can we simplify hospitality?
5. Who is one person in your world that God may have put in your path to welcome them into your life, into your home, or just into a conversation? Is there someone in the community, at a sports event, at school, in your neighborhood, or at your workplace?
6. Hospitality can be an act of worship. Take time as a Life Group to pray for one another—that we would practice “open door living” to those around us. In that way, we can love and welcome others as God has loved and welcomed us.