Extraordinary Hospitality (for Ordinary People): Seven Ways to Welcome Like Jesus

by Carolyn Lacey

How to offer Christian hospitality without becoming exhausted and overburdened.

Generous hospitality is a significant way in which God works through our lives to bring life to others, yet many of us feel ill-equipped and overwhelmed at the prospect, especially if we don’t have big houses and we are not wonderful cooks!

Carolyn Lacey encourages us to focus on the goal of hospitality, which is to reflect God’s welcoming heart, and shows us how we can all do that, regardless of our bank balance or living situation.

She explores seven ways in which we can reflect God’s character in the way we welcome others into our homes and into our lives, and so point people ultimately to Christ.

This practical and realistic book explores how to make generous hospitality part of everyday life without becoming exhausted and overburdened.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian Non Fiction, Religion, Theology

127 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Carolyn Lacey is a writer, speaker and pastor's wife. She serves alongside her husband, Richard, in Worcester, UK, and teaches regularly at women's events.

Reviews

[Renee Masterson Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the time when people see a book on hospitality, they run in the opposite direction for fear of endless pages of shaming for things they aren’t doing. If that has been your experience with hospitality books, rest assured, this one COULDN'T BE MORE OPPOSITE! Instead of heaping on the guilt, Carolyn Lacey gives a rich, gospel-rooted theology of hospitality with an eternal perspective using familiar bible stories to guide the reader to appropriate applications. This book not only shows you the overwhelming ordinariness of hospitality (like shockingly so), but it frees you from the glamorized, ritualized trap of hospitality we tend to see on social media.

“We need to start by rejecting the world’s picture of superficial hospitality. Our goal is not to show off our homes or our cooking skills (or lack of them!) but our Saviour” (24). Our goal in hospitality isn’t “to impress, we want to use ours to bless” (25).

Lacey gives us 7 ways to become like Jesus in our hospitality, and while I never once felt inferior while reading for lacking hospitality, I was definitely convicted and subsequently challenged by each chapter. She helps us see the eternal importance of pursing others incessantly, using our home to welcome those who are different than ourselves, and of simply paying attention to what is going on in others' lives. “…Nowhere does [the Bible] talk about tableware or tray bakes. Neither does it link hospitality with expense, exhaustion or an extroverted personality. So I’m not going to do that either” (14).

This book was short. 120 pages short. Though I have never listened to an audiobook, I am certain this would be a good one. It was somewhat lecture-like in nature, yet there was enough conversational tone in her writing that I think it would be very enjoyable to listen to.

Overall, I recommend reading this book to anyone who wants to have a clear theology of hospitality, struggles with hospitality, or just doesn't even know where to begin. You will be motivated to serve others humbly and with confidence you will be able to say “but when, out of love for Jesus and a desire to serve others, I put myself out to make the phone call or open my home, I am encouraged. Even if the conversation is hard work or emotionally draining, I am satisfied that I have pleased my King and reflected his grace in some small way” (120).

#readRENEEread

[Ellie Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpfully practical without being prescriptive, while also being built on biblical principles. Some key points I found helpful:

1. The goal is to bless, not impress.
2. Worrying too much about what guests think of your home is a form of pride- it shows that you care more concerned about impressing people than meeting their needs.
3. Accept help- show that you appreciate someone’s contribution. If guests really want to clear up, let them- mutual acts of service cultivate intimacy in our relationships.
4. Jesus shaped hospitality is personal and others-focussed.
5. A full schedule can hinder hospitality- hospitality flourishes when we are able to be flexible with our time and our plans.
6. There can be no generosity without sacrifice.
7. As we respond to Jesus’ call to be his co-hosts, following his example of sacrificial hospitality, we can be confident that we are also his guests and will one day sit with him at his table.

[Harriet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about hospitality focussing on becoming generous, compassionate, humble, persistent, aware, inclusive, and sacrificial. Solid biblical grounding with really helpful, non-shaming application which makes hospitality feel both profound and feasible! Also written from a UK context which I find helpful. Recommended reading for all Christians and a book I know I will be reading again!

[Jodie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book really helpful, short and simple with lots of practical ideas. Really enjoyed looking at hospitality from a different angle and left me with a few key things to think over

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting and encouraging. This is what I was looking for when I read The Gospel Comes With a House Key. I’d say if you had to pick one over the other, choose this one instead.

[Katie Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read, but also very challenging, especially the first couple of chapters. I think I need to go back through it again more slowly to reflect and apply!

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best I’ve read about how to extend your life to people the way Jesus did.

If that sounds daunting, don’t miss the back half of the title: (for ordinary people). Lacey holds up the perfect example to give us a target, but she is ever aware of our human frailty. She invites you to nurture within yourself a *heart* like His and then live it out within the real constraints of daily life.

Whether you’re new to the idea of hospitality that isn’t about a shining house and a five-course meal or a practiced hand at loving people with your couch, your table, your time, this book is the right one. Its pages are saturated with scripture, not checklists. Lacey does mix concrete ideas in, but never as prescriptions, only as creative inspiration.

In just a handful of chapters, she explores the example Jesus set of generosity, compassion, humility, persistence, awareness, inclusiveness and sacrifice. And then she invites you to welcome others the same way. It’s a life-giving and life-changing way to think about hospitality.

[Megan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened on audio. Main point: God welcomes believers and believers are called to extend that welcome to others - both those within and outside the church. Biblically solid and I appreciated that each chapter focused on a quality of God’s hospitality towards us and then provided examples of what that quality could look like in hospitality to others. This book was challenging and inspiring. It was helpful to me in pointing out how hospitality can look a lot of different ways practically and is not prescriptive — for example the author makes the point that sometimes hospitality can even mean asking a favor of someone else to make them feel welcome. The author ties in the marriage supper of the Lamb and how on that day our sacrifices in hospitality will be rewarded. The goal of hospitality to unbelievers should be that some will be added to that table because God worked through our welcome.

[Sadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few chapters were insightful with some good heart level and motivation questions. The author spends a lot of time exalting the character of God and our welcome in Christ. As with many books on hospitality for Christians the practical advice often can feel like a to-do list in spite of warnings by the author that it’s not meant to be. However, on the whole this book reminded me of the many faithful believers in the United Kingdom who live counter-cultural lives and truly embody welcoming the stranger and where I first experienced genuine Christ-like hospitality. This book was a sweet reminder of that.

[Audrey Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in one sitting! Such a straightforward & simple outlook on hospitality — we are not called to be extravagant, but consistent & intentional. Biggest takeaways:

- use our home, money, and abilities to bless, not impress.
- everyone is eternal, either in glory or suffering, and this view should cause us to view our neighbors differently.
- offer welcome whenever possible, because we do not know who God will choose to save.
- hospitality is not “one size fits all”. know how the people around you need/want to be loved.

[The Book Bunch (Sam) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book that goes beyond hospitality as hosting a meal and instead expands our thinking to include all forms. We don't have to have the perfect clean house or 5 star meal to have people over or to share with them what God has done. Instead we can meet them where they are at, in the capacity God has given us.

It challenges you to remember that carrying your cross daily involves sacrifice and that God's ultimate goal is to have us dwell in His marvelous presence.

Highly recommend

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite thing about this book is that it is so much more about the heart behind hospitality than a list of ways to practice it. Encouraging, convicting, and well written.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book: concise, convicting, and clear. I agree with another review here that this book is so much better than Rosaria Butterfield's book on hospitality. Extraordinary Hospitality is to-the-point without being condescending. Carolyn suggests many practical things and thoroughly encourages Christian readers to practice hospitality. Would recommend!

[Jc · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t like to be challenged, you’re going to hate this book, probably.
I’m amazed how the author was able to write a short yet powerful book about hospitality in such a great, concise and Bible centered way.
There were many insights that I wasn’t aware of when reading the Scripture that leads to have a hospitable heart, but I’m glad I read this book.
I had to digest what I was reading because it confronted me in so many ways, so now, I have to put all the theory into practice.

[Clair Culberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually even better than I was expecting. Rather than giving a laundry list of how to be a good host, the author searches Scripture and gives personal anecdotes about the difficulties, reasons for, and benefits of hospitality as a Christian. It was a very quick read, and I would recommend it!

[Esther Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very practical and helpful little book to encourage all believers to hospitality. The author is very mindful that we all have different capacities and capabilities but doesn't give any excuses for a lack of hospitality. Rather she emphasises the vital nature of hospitality both towards those who share our faith and those who don't and encourages us to "learn to welcome like Jesus does".

[Leilani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic! It is a very easy read. Lacey is real, practical, and faithful. I appreciated the reflections at the end of each chapter. This was a very encouraging read that truly does define having extraordinary hospitality in our ordinary lives.

[Kasey Seaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! What does it look like to offer humble hospitality like Jesus? This book gave so many ideas and good examples while also giving biblical insight into why hospitality exemplifies the love of Christ!

[Marisha Caballero · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The cross was where the greatest hospitality ever known was offered, as the Son of God gave his life so that we could be welcome at his table forever. This is why Jesus describes himself as the living bread and invites us to feast on him.” (pg. 116)

[Maddie Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice quick read about the many ways we can practice hospitality! I think the biblical references were great and I feel encouraged to live out the hospitality and generosity that Jesus calls us to. I liked the specific examples as well as the broad/general ideas!

[Paul Abdallah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a great book to stick in someone’s hands who is thinking through hospitality! I’d love a little more on the corporate side but really really good & full of the gospel. she does a great job of showing how Jesus’ welcome of us shapes our welcome of others.

[makayla reimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a GOOD perspective on hospitality. It changed my view of hospitality and made me want to take immediate action.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the best written on the subject

[Heather Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite hospitality read for quite a while!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read that helped transform my view and attitude about loving, encouraging and serving those around me in a God-glorifying way.

[Lisa DiGiacomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I’ve read on hospitality. No guilt. Just biblical teaching and biblical thoughts to deal with our obstacles to hospitality. Highly recommend. Agree with 98 percent of what she said.

[Jonathan Pait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read. My biggest takeaway came in the first chapter with the reading of Isaiah 55:1-7. Throughout the rest of the book I couldn’t escape that God Himself is the definition of hospitality. Being like Him with “big-hearted love” is the power to be hospitality.

There were some practical points which make up the chapter structure. Good read and something you can read periodically in one sitting to give you a swift motivational kick to do what you already know you should.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful ideas which aren't overwhelming to carry out!

[Ed Creedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short book.

Warm and gently, a great encouragement to shape our relationships around the desire to love and serve others both within and without our church family. Plenty of practical tips, and simple challenges. (Most of which will be easier to try out as the country opens up a bit more!)

Full review to follow elsewhere.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinary Hospitality is a book I was encouraged by and also challenged by. The author clearly explains what Christian hospitality looks like VS the world’s “hospitality” and how we might go about caring for and loving others in our day-to-day lives. Each chapter had helpful reflection questions to get to the root of why we don’t offer hospitality the way we are called to, and how we might improve in the ways we offer of ourselves. Each chapter tied back to at least one biblical example which I found to be really important to compare to. Overall, a solid read I would recommend to others!

“Jesus gave us community where we can belong eternally. We are NEW people committed to each other. Embrace sacrificial hospitality. Our ordinary lives may result in others joining us at the eternal feast!”