Focus 2020 – The Great Commission: Perspectives from LeadersSample

Missions on the Bottom Shelf 

Bible passage: 

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 

Devotional: 

Abdul left his wife and children in Afghanistan to come and study for a PhD in the U.S. In Afghanistan he served as a top ranking translator, often interpreting for foreign dignitaries. While he was well known in Afghanistan, he was a nobody in the U.S. He rarely interacted with classmates and experienced profound loneliness. When he heard about the opportunity to go to an American home for a meal he eagerly signed up. When the family invited him over for lunch on Sunday and requested that he join them for a church service in the morning, he hesitated. As a Muslim, he did not want to attend church. But he really wanted to go to their home. He finally decided he would endure the church service so he could enjoy the lunch. 

The meal was not the highlight of the day, but the talk afterwards was, where he shared about his family, his life in Afghanistan, and his hopes and dreams in coming to American and where he learned about their family and life. Abul decided that he would go to church every week if he could go to their home afterwards. And that became his weekly pattern.   

This Christian family became his family. He saw their loving family relationships. He learned how Jesus impacted their lives. And he joined my Bible discussion group. Gradually, Abul began to open his heart to the truth of the gospel. Having never met an Afghan Christian or seen an Afghan church or seen an Afghan Bible, Abul decided to follow Jesus. 

Once he decided to follow Jesus, he wanted to read the Bible in Dari. He helped to retranslate the New Testament into his language. In partnership with the Far East broadcasting company he made tape broadcasts in his language that were beamed into Afghanistan. God used Abdul in an amazing way. 

Hospitality is the key that opened Abul’s heart hear to the gospel. This simple practice of inviting “strangers,” foreigners, aliens, into our homes for a meal is missions on the bottom shelf. It is a simple practice that all believers can participate in that does not require language training, moving, or support development. One of the greatest ways to complete the great commission in this generation is to see the restoration of Biblical hospitality in our churches. 

Quote: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley 

Question: How can we both practice and help fellow believers become active practitioners of hospitality? 

Rich Mendola 

CEO, International Friendships