Journal: Reformation and Revival
Volume: RAR 13:3 (Summer 2004)
Article: Classical Worship for Today Hospitality: The Invitation to Come, See and Stay
Author: Wilbur Ellsworth

RAR 13:3 (Summer 2004) p. 125

Classical Worship for Today Hospitality:
The Invitation to Come, See and Stay

Wilbur Ellsworth

The ancient church had a communion prayer that drops hard on us today. As the American evangelical church struggles with sincere desire to be relevant to the people who are passing by our friendly signs and non-threatening services, our fathers and mothers in the faith were praying just before receiving the Bread and the Cup, “I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas.” Instead of opening wide the doors for all to come, the pastor would instruct the deacon to shut the door after having sent out all the unbaptized attenders. So much for being “seeker sensitive!” Inspite of such poor marketing strategy, the church grew tremendously during this period that lacked ecclesiastical graces.

The first Christian witnesses did not try to make the church’s culture like the world’s culture. They knew that only highly intentional initiatives could bridge the relational gap between the church of the Savior and the culture of the world. Those initiatives are called “hospitality.” And the understanding of the role and character of hospitality is a crucial link in calling our generation to the worship of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

From the ministry of the Lord himself, to the work of the early apostolic church, the building of a radically different

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Christian culture and the opening of a daring initiative of love to the world formed the mission of salvation. It seems that we no longer have this dual sense of mission: difference in culture and initiative in love. Today we have tamed the difference between church and culture. As a result we have tamed the need for, and the nature of, Christian hospitality. How often today Christians will say, “I really don’t care what it takes, I just want to win people to Christ.” While the love for lost people is commendable, “just winning people to Christ” may result in introducing people to a diminished view of the Holy Trinity because we haven’t sufficiently thought through what “just winning people to Christ” involves.

An event in the first chapter of John’s Gospel, verses 35–42, portrays Christ’s wisdom in hospitality. It is love’s path that invites the stranger into God’s home. Three words in this event are markers on the path—Come, See, Stay:

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw ...