Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul ’s Instruction to Timothy

HOSPITABLE: It is also necessary for an elder to be hospitable. Hos pitality is a concrete expression of Christian love and family life. It is an important biblical virtue: 0 Job, the exemplary Old Testament elder, was a model of hospi tality: “The alien has not lodged outside, For I have opened my doors to the traveler” (Job 31:32).

0 Paul exhorts the Christians at Rome to pursue hospitality (Rom. 12:13).

0 Peter writes, “Be hospitable to one another without complaint” (1 Peter 4:9).

0 The author of Hebrews bids his readers: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb. 1322). These New Testament commands to practice hospitality are all found within the larger context of Christian love. Unfortunately, most Chris tians, and even some Christian leaders, are unaware that hospitality is a biblical requirement for pastoral leadership in the church. Some may even argue against such a seemingly insignificant point being a re quirement for church shepherds. Such thinking, however, shows an inadequate understanding of au thentic Christian community, agape love, and the elder’s work. For an elder to be inhospitable is a poor example of Christian love and care for others. The shepherd elder is to give himself lovingly and sacrifi cially for the care of the flock. This cannot be done from a distance— with a smile and a handshake on Sunday morning or through a super ficial visit. Giving oneself to the care of God’s people means sharing one’s life and home with others. An open home is a sign of an open heart and a loving, sacrificial, serving spirit.A1ack of hospitality is a sure sign of selfish, lifeless, loveless Christianity. In my work as a pastor elder, I have found my home to be one of the most important tools I possess for reaching out to and caring for people. Although the shepherd’s ministry of hospitality may seem like a small thing, it has an enormous, lasting impact on people. If you doubt this, ask those to whom a shepherd has shown hospitality. Invariably they

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