Welcome when away from home?
The ‘Holiday at Home’ Tuesday theme of ‘Down under, Australia & New Zealand’ reminded me of some experiences of meeting God’s family, the worldwide church, our brothers and sisters in Christ elsewhere in Britain and abroad. What a privilege of inestimable worth, a taste of Heaven!
HOLIDAYS AS CHILDREN On holidays my parents wisely took us to different denominations for worship, to experience the wider church family.
A Christian Trust provided London families with post-war respite and holidays, first Wandsworth, then Eastbourne and eventually Brunel Manor, Torquay. As a child, I and later our own children felt safe amongst the strangers, and we knew they were safe amongst God’s family, because of the Spirit’s presence uniting us. We worshipped at St Matthias and at Hele Road Baptist Church “The little church with the BIG welcome”
BUSINESS AWAY FROM HOME As a young man of 23, I was sent to Sydney Australia, to repair some equipment. One weekend, I went to a church in Manly. After the service their Minister Philip took me back to join his young family for lunch. Later he drove me to the station for travel to my week’s location. He did this on several Sundays. How’s that for hospitality, fulfilling Paul’s requirements for leadership in Titus Ch1.
Years later In Hong Kong, our agent, a Christian, took me to his church service in a business conference room, and afterwards for lunch with his family.
HOLIDAYS ABROAD On our New Zealand holiday, we stopped over in Sydney. Near to the hotel in a student digs area, the church welcomed us and invited us to lunch in their basement – part of their student outreach. Then in New Zealand’s Christchurch Cathedral and North Island Te Puke, we were heartily welcomed.
On a coach tour of the Rockies, at Banff we were invited to join in happy family service activities; and in Victoria in a repurposed commercial building again we were given a very warm welcome as part of their wider Christian family.
AN OPPOSITE EXPERIENCE On our way to the Rockies, we stopped in Toronto to meet a friend. At the church nearby, a lady outside welcomed us. However, when we went in, the people carried on chatting and were too engrossed to talk to us. Even when approached, their answers were short and uninterested, and after the service we left feeling cold and so sad. We had felt invisible.
Mostly, we have met with the 4 W’s:- WARMTH – of Welcome, of Worship, of Welfare. How well do we do when strangers come into BRBC?
Hospitality to strangers goes back to Leviticus 19v34, is explained in Isaiah 58v7, and is encouraged in Heb 13v2, 1 Peter 4v9 and Rom 12v13 and in other places. Jesus’ also encourages it in Matt 25v34-40. Jesus states the fact of family, being brothers and sisters of Jesus under God the Father, when we do His will Matt 12v48-50 and John 1v12.
So, from very different nationalities, prosperities, genders; with all our differences “WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS” Gal3v26-28. Thank God!
Keith Johnson