September 04, 2015

10 Reasons to Host a Ladies Meeting in Your Home

1.  Hosting in your home is a great way to serve the Lord.

When we open up our homes to others, it is a wonderful method to serve the Lord in a personal way. Serving others is one of the ways we serve the Lord. It is one of the ways we show the love of God.

...but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 (KJV)

2.   Hosting in your home allows the other ladies in your group to get to know you a little better.

Need some friends? Open up your home for a ladies monthly meeting or Bible study. You cannot help but talk to the ladies as they arrive and mingle in your home. You will get to know them better as they learn more about you. Interacting with others in your home is a fantastic way to build relationships and friendships.

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly...Proverbs 18:24

3.   Hosting in your home makes you more approachable.

When you step up to host in your home, it marks you as a leader whether you set out to lead or not. You are leading by example. You may find that the other ladies will begin to tell you more personal things or even confide in you. Use this opportunity to make an impact on others for the good.

Jesus was our ultimate example of being approachable. He says, "Come unto me..." Matthew 11:28. Remember when Jesus told the disciples about not letting the children be hindered from approaching him? (Matthew 19:14) (KJV)

Look at the story of Bartimaeus found in Mark 10:46-52. Jesus and His disciples had come to Jericho and Bartimaeus was a blind man who was there when they arrived. When he heard Jesus was there, he kept calling out. The others around just wanted Bartimaeus to be quiet but Jesus was approachable. Jesus wanted to hear from him. Look at verse 49 of that passage.

And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. Mark 10:49 (KJV)

Jesus ended up healing the man. Jesus was approachable to all those he came in contact with. How can we ever share Christ if we don't find ways to become approachable people as well?

4.   Hosting in your home encourages the other ladies that attend.

You can be a real blessing to other ladies when you host a meeting in your home. We all know how it is to have a long week with things pressing on us, but when we get the opportunity to stop for a few minutes and go into a home of another Christian lady, we can just let those things go for a while.

You sit down and start fellowshipping and all of a sudden, the world seems balanced if even for a short time. Uplifting each other is important and offering our homes as a place of rest and fellowship is one of the ways we can take part in being an encourager.

5.   Hosting in your home is a good way to practice hospitality.

Of course, you don't have to open up your home to others to practice hospitality but it is a super way to do it. We all need to practice hospitality in some way and hosting meetings and Bible studies in our home is a practical way to approach it.

We are all to be ...given to hospitality. Romans 12:13 (KJV)

6.   Hosting in your home is a good way for the younger generation to see hospitality in practice.

We forget sometimes that others are watching what we do. Do you have kids or grandchildren? They need to see some examples of hospitality in practice. They can benefit greatly by seeing it carried out first-hand. I think it's great when we can involve them for preparation in things like this too.

It is not just our kids and grandkids that we need to focus on, but involving the younger set of ladies in your church in areas of preparation for a home meeting can really instill in them the need to serve others.

7.   Hosting in your home helps us contribute to the body of Christ.

Opening up our homes to other Christian ladies can be a great way to take an active part in the work of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 says we are "many members". We all have to pitch in and do our part and offering our home up for meetings and Bible study is an opportunity to serve and be one of those busy "members".

8.   Hosting in your home gives someone else a break.

When we chime in and open up our home, it has the ability to free someone else up who has been faithful to hold meetings in their home. When we are willing to do this, it can encourage others and allows them get a much deserved break.

Ever been in a position where you have opened up your home on a regular basis or are you the one that always steps up for whatever needs done? That's great, but sometimes it is a blessing to step back and just allow others to serve. There are times when we all get a little burnt out and we just need to rest for a time. Not till we stagnate of course, but there are times when we all need a break.

9.   Hosting in your home can give you a sense of accomplishment for Christ.

It is not just a feeling we get but there is real joy in doing things for the Lord and serving Him. We have to remember the end-game. We have to remember we are investing in the lives of other Christian women. That can really make us feel that sense of accomplishment in a job well done for the Lord. It can bring us joy.

10.   Hosting in your home can give you a good excuse to clean your house.

Don't laugh! This one is important to some of us. I'm not talking about taking days to clean your house and cleaning it from top to bottom, unless you enjoy that kind of thing, but having others into our home can motivate us to straighten up the clutter and tidy things up.

Not only can your guests enjoy your clean house, but you and your family can enjoy it as well. I'm not sure about you but I think better, and enjoy life a little bit more when my house is straightened up.

I haven't had Bible studies in my home on a regular basis in quite a while and I really miss having those ladies in my home every week. Not only did I enjoy the fellowship, but it was always a motivator to me. I knew that on Wednesday mornings I would clean really good and on Thursday when Bible study rolled around the house was all clean and tidy.

Okay, I'll admit, housework isn't as motivating for me without the prospect of visitors each week. Knowing I'd have visitors every Thursday really kept me on a cleaning schedule.

Conclusion

I'm talking here specifically about opening up our homes to other Christian women for meetings and Bible studies but being willing to serve no matter what is important. It could be preparing a meal, lending a hand, or even organizing something for your church.

I know that it isn't always plausible for everyone to open up their home. Maybe you just don't have the space for your group. Maybe you are taking care of a sick or elderly person in your home, and it just isn't convenient for you to participate in hosting others.

There may be other areas of service that you are more suited for. Serving the Lord is important no matter how we end up serving Him. What is crucial is that we just need to step up and grab on to those opportunities where we find them.

Are you familiar with that parable of talents in Matthew 25 that Jesus taught about? The man that buried the money that was given to him by his master didn't really waste the money itself, but he did waste the opportunity to do something with it.

I wonder how many times we waste what our Master has given us by not grabbing onto opportunities such as opening up our homes, being hospitable, being friendly, and engaging others to serve Christ?

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:8-11 (KJV)

Copyright ©2015 Julia Bettencourt.

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