Date

4-26-2024

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

David Barnett

Keywords

biblical hospitality, table fellowship, church revitalization

Disciplines

Practical Theology | Religion

Abstract

The researcher identified the lack of intentional interaction for the sake of the gospel between members of Furnace Creek Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, VA and people in the local community as an issue that should be addressed. This problem was addressed by developing and implementing a program of home hospitality with members of FCBC. Hospitality in private homes was identified as an important and biblical method of increasing interaction between the church and the community that has been neglected in doctoral action research. Many hospitality projects have addressed the corporate hospitality dynamic, but few have dealt with Christian hospitality in private homes, other than those related to housing refugees. The researcher developed a three-month program of practicing hospitality that included one month of teaching and small group study on biblical hospitality, followed by two months of participants practicing hospitality. The study included before-and-after questionnaires to conduct a longitudinal comparison, a personalized hospitality plan for each participant, a unique hospitality notebook for participating members to record their hospitality activities, results, and thoughts, and post-intervention interviews. Thirty-eight percent of eligible member households participated in the project. Individual results varied, but the overall number of intentional interactions between members of the church and people in the community increased fourfold. The project was a success. The small-group and sermon material should be useful for other local church contexts, along with some of the practical ideas implemented. Home hospitality can be an important tool for church revitalization and evangelism in an increasingly hostile culture.

Download

Share

COinS