1 Peter 4:9 – Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Just wanted to give a quick shout-out reminder to us Living Stoners (what do we call ourselves?…that doesn’t sound right ).  Over the past two weeks we have had many 1st time guests for our Ink’d Series.  We have invited them to be with us.  That makes them our honored guests.  And as we would treat any invited guest in our home, we want to treat them with such hospitality in our church.  Here are a few “church hospitality principles” I would offer:

1. Where you park your car is a hospitality decision.  If you take the closest parking space, that means our guests will have to park furthest away.
2. Help yourself to the coffee and donuts, but remember, we have guests.  If you (or your children…mine included by the way if anyone sees Caleb sneak a third donut – slap it out of his hand) eat and drink everything and there isn’t any for our guests, it says “ha ha – you didn’t get any.”  Imagine yourself doing that in your home with a guest.
3. WHERE YOU SIT IS A HOSPITALITY DECISION.  While the back rows are not the premium spots in regards to worship experiences, they are the premium spots for 1st time guests at church.  They don’t know who we are and they want to sit somewhere that feels “safe.”  Sitting on the 2nd or 3rd rows doesn’t feel safe.  PLEASE give up those seats for our guests!!  I promise I won’t spit on you as I’m preaching if you come to the front.
4. If you come at 10:00 a.m. and there are seats available in the back I promise there are others who are coming after you and need those seats too…move forward.  Last Sunday looked funny as about 75 people were trying to figure out how to sit in the back 3-4 rows – I almost wished we had it videotaped to show everyone.  But remember if you are a guest…you will only play the “this is awkward…where do I sit…I don’t want to sit up front…should I really sit right next to that stranger” only once.
5. If you select the end seat with 10 seats next to you available, people won’t crawl over you to get to the middle which means we will have large center sections empty and “unavailable” because guests don’t want to make you feel they are imposing by crawling over you.  Do we want our guests to even be placed in a situation where they feel they are imposing?  Please move to the center.
6. Our building has terrible entry ways.  No ones fault.  That is just how the building was constructed in 1956.  If six people are standing in the entry way talking – no one else can get in the building.
7. I know you love our 1st impressions team but if you engage them in conversation that means they cannot welcome guests.  Give them a hug, say “good morning” and let them serve as they have volunteered to receive guests in the spirit of Jesus.  They would be more than happy to have lunch or coffee with you during the week (maybe you can even get them to pick up the bill .  With a guest, there is only one opportunity!
8. Never hesitate to welcome and say “good morning” to guests in our midst (you guys are really good at this…just a reminder).
9. If any of our guests ever look “lost” or “confused” the last thing they want is to feel embarrassed or awkward in our “home.”  If you see an opportunity to help, direct, or explain something – feel free to do it.
10.  It is natural to check out the surroundings if you are new somewhere.  Thus it is easy to be distracted as you are noting everything (we tend to get used to and ignore what we are familiar with).  If you get up and go to the bathroom four times, our guests will notice.  And it will distract them.

Let the Spirit guide us as we receive people.  Everyone is different.  Some guests love to be received into the heart of an experience and don’t mind sharing their life story.  Others are here for the first time…and just barely.  They need some space and aren’t ready to share their life story.  Be sensitive to how our guest feel and let the Spirit guide us to know how to respond.  But ultimately remember, they are our guests.  We invited them.  It is important that we act hospitably.