The Power of a Home

Hosting college students in the Musser home in 2019.

One of the greatest assets Christians have in ministry is the homes in which they live—whether they are single, single parents, or married with or without children. In a world where so many suffer from loneliness, depression, rejection, and low self-esteem, a home environment can salve many internal wounds.

I recall when I was a graduate student and had just broken up with my girlfriend, it was in early November. A family that had befriended me the summer before invited me to join them for Thanksgiving. I drove more than 18 hours roundtrip, but I had no regrets because it was such a healing time. They welcomed me in as a son and allowed me to feel a part of their family. I returned to school with the strength to finish out the semester. And I returned many times when we lived near each other and far away. Their home was a comforting refuge for me.

When my wife and I were in campus ministry, we made it a point to invite students to our home for meals. In fact, when we purchased our most recent home, we chose it with an eye of hosting groups of students. Our realtor tried to talk us out of buying the house because it was far too big for the two of us, but we saw it was perfect for hosting people.

Have you noticed that most of our gatherings as believers occur outside our homes? We see and talk with each other at the church building, or we meet one another for coffee or a meal at a restaurant. My wife and I do a lot of this and there is nothing wrong with it, but we still should not neglect the power of our homes for encouragement and healing.

Our approach in campus ministry was to recognize the backgrounds of many of our students. They often came from single-parent homes who had little experience with a healthy, loving marriage. Others came from intact families, but those families were highly dysfunctional. Still others had not only parents, but stepparents (sometimes multiple ones from their parents’ multiple marriages) and step or half siblings. Even if in these latter scenarios there was deep love, it is not the way the Lord designed the family and there are wounds as a result. We gave them a place to feel at home and loved, to have meals, and a place to have deeper fellowship. Even if they came from solid family homes, the opportunity to be in a home while at college was a treat.

Now that we no longer work with students, we are still trying to use our home in a similar way with other adults. In fact, tonight one of our former students will be joining us for a meal. All children grow up to be adults, but so many still carry the hurts of childhood. And others are struggling with present circumstances who could find encouragement in the home of fellow believers. This seems to be the way of the Church in the New Testament. They met, ate, and fellowshipped in one another’s homes, even in the midst of challenging circumstances in their lives.

The Scriptures put a high emphasis on hospitality (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; I Peter 4:9; III John 1:8) However, that is a challenge for many cultures, particularly ours. We would much prefer meeting with people on neutral ground rather than inviting them into our homes or going to theirs. Less is demanded (food prep, etc.), we can eat what we like, and there is less chance we will get trapped into long, drawn-out interactions with others. And our home routines are not put at risk by outsiders. Yet, the Scriptures are clear, and I don’t believe it is merely a “cultural thing.” Rather, hospitality is to be woven into the fabric of the Christian life.

I love restaurants and have met many fellow believers in coffee shops, but there is something special about hosting folks in our home. It is a sacrifice, but a very worthwhile one and one encouraged by our Lord. Thus, let us not neglect one of our greatest assets in ministering to people—our homes.

© Jim Musser 2022 All Scripture references are from the New International Version, 2011.