Chanelle Freese on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

This book comes highly recommended by many people who I understand to be practitioners of hospitality. It will not be read and acted upon by the complacent but only by those who read to make change for themselves or their neighbors. Hospitality is practiced by those who truly find themselves following Christ. Many of the things the author touches on, that we as a culture worry about include: strangers, marginality, safety, boundaries etc. What if Jesus were to call those he doesn’t know in society, “strangers”? When did he not see those in the margins? When did he seek “safety” and would he have boundaries? Questioning these things and thinking of those I daily walk past or go around the block to avoid, I have to ask myself the convicting question: “where is the love I proclaim to have in Christ?”. What does hospitality look like in every day interactions with people I don’t know, or to those who have no one? Maybe it’s in a smile, a hello, a handshake that we find ourselves making welcome those who need it most. It can’t stop there though, hospitality itself has to become a lifestyle you live into. Continually giving of your resources, spiritually and physically. How hard would it be for someone with physical wealth to read this book, would they choose to put the book and their convictions back on the shelf? Or is hospitality the heart of Christ, the heart that drives us, because we are living in Him, to give of ourselves till there is none left to give? Whether rich or poor, we should never have to say there is no more. There is always “more” in Christ.

Amanda Paxton on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

I am alarmed to recognize the ways in which Christians have bought into the institutionalization of hospitality in the Western world.  I believe that the framework Pohl sets in Making Room describes much more than simply a Christian’s approach to sharing one’s home—it exposes a root of darkness and self-centeredness that shapes the way we do ministry as a whole in this part of the world.  Our willingness to allow strangers and travelers to accommodate themselves by commercial means represents our willingness to allow our ministry to become a “9-5” reality.  At the end of the day, ministry is “over” and the strangers go back to their hotel.  People who are paid to do such things can take care of our friends and neighbors while we protect our personal space and time.  To give of one’s own life is simply too much to ask.  I might find Jesus having something to say about that.  Pohl says, “Like Jesus, the best hosts are not completely ‘at home’ themselves, but still make a place of welcome for others.”  If we had no possession over our time and our things, as the Bible proposes, we would have nothing to be imposed upon.

I believe that there is value in understanding the hospitality of presence as well.  It is one thing to have the willingness to offer up one’s home and belongings for the benefit of another, but it is quite another thing to be hospitable with one’s time and presence.  The masses tracked Christ down when He was alone with His Lord and invaded His presence, and He had a choice about how He would receive them.  So many people show up on the doorsteps of our lives, and we are constantly making decisions about whether or not we have the time or attention to make them feel warmly welcomed into our presence.

Along another line, I was struck by the idea of a “true stranger.”  There are many who are “strange” to me, but I can know them by association with people or organizations which are familiar to me.  But there are some folks who are strangers to all.  There are some folks who have no saving associations that will give someone the security to allow them into a life.  Not until a risk is taken by someone, somewhere to become that association.  I would like to ask the church how we’re doing at eliminating foreigners and aliens in this world.  I feel as though the Bible may have something to say about that as well.

Cassie Boddington on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

“Hospitality is resistance.” Resistant to the larger society who deems who is worthy and not worthy to be recognized and have dignity, resistant to a culture that no longer understands true hospitality, but even more it is resistant to my fleshly desires. My desires of judging who I think is applicable to come to the table, my desire of boundaries in my life to keep myself from being open and vulnerable. It is here in this resistance that I find myself inadequate, but where gods grace and true freedom lie.

I’m discovering that true hospitality falls into relationships not what a 5 star rating some hotel is trying to achieve. It’s not on the best service I can provide in that relationship or what I can offer either, but about me being present. Investing time into the people around me and listening and caring for them and not doing it for my benefit. Also discovering that hospitality takes on a new challenge when it is put into actual practice with actual strangers. It is not enough to have a hospitable attitude, but realizing it is a daily process of self-denying to put it into practice and to be a practioner of true hospitality.

Hospitality is a 2 way street. I’ve realized while reading this book and have been challenged by the importance of being a guest versus a host. I struggle with being independent and self-sufficient. The statement in the book  “…The pinnacle of lovelessness is not our unwillingness to be a neighbor to someone, but our unwillingness to allow them to be a neighbor to us” has resonated with me. The author talks in the book how sometimes people are more comfortable being the host then ever being the guest, because we are familiar with the role of being a host or helper and not certain about being equals with the people you are serving. Because with that comes vulnerability and accountability.  

While reading this book I have felt broken, and inadequate to do the work of God and this way of life that he has called me to live, from starting to understand what true hospitality is all about. Realizing that true hospitality transcends all boundaries, boundaries that society puts up, boundaries that I put up. Christ abolished all boundaries. “…It is not our table to which to welcome people; it is God’s table to which we come as equals.” Hospitality is our way of showing gods love to the world through us and our open doors to welcome people in.

Chad Bryan on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

Up until recently in my life, I would have defined Christian hospitality as “the trait one possesses to throw a good, Christian party.” I would have thrown some other things in there too, but the only times I really heard the word “hospitality” being used was in reference of praising my mom when she’d thrown a good tea party or bridal shower at our house. I would play host and take the adults’ coats and purses and we would have snacks and surface level conversation. Although inviting people into our homes is definitely a part of the picture Christine Pohl paints of hospitality, it gets much deeper and more difficult than the tea parties I grew up around.

Hospitality, as Pohl describes it, is deeply satisfying but challenging and requires resources and work that the congregations and individuals I grew up surrounded by seem to want to pass the buck on. We jealously guarded our time and resources so that only our immediate family and closest friends were included. But a truly hospitable lifestyle doesn’t allow for this kind of ignorance. Christ has called us to allow those in need to burst unexpectedly upon the scene and shatter the picture of our neat, tidy, controlled lives we tried to cling to.

Pohl explains that the word "hospitality" comes from the Greek words for "love" and "stranger.” These two words are paired together so perfectly to sum up one of the greatest commandments, and yet, the thought of it still causes me to hesitate when faced with the fullness of what true hospitality must look like in my life. Pohl cuts to the core and brings conviction upon my former (and, ashamedly, sometimes present) ways of living when she proclaims that, as challenging as it may be, "hospitality is not optional for Christians, nor is it limited to those who are specially gifted for it." Pohl makes it clear that the "gifts" one needs to become a practitioner of hospitality can be learned through prayer and participation in worship and community. Welcoming the stranger is welcoming Jesus. Breaking bread with persons in need, while at the same time offering them conversation and companionship, is affirming their God-given value and, ultimately, their humanity. The disciplines of hospitality are reminders of what Jesus did as he sat at table as guest with all walks of life and all types of need and even what He did for us on the cross.

Those who are in need, whether their needs are temporary or permanent, are to be taken care of and treated as we would treat members of our own family or closest friends. It is only when we embrace another person in that person’s poverty that we will be enriched and brought out of our own impoverished state. It’s at this place that I must face the reality of what Christ has called me to and take a look at the wretch looking back at me in the mirror. He offered me His life so that I could offer mine to those in need.

Mark Combe on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

Hospitality began to take on a different meaning for me while reading this book.  Before when I heard the word, I pictured an older lady serving dinner to friends from church, while her husband talked to them in a comfortable setting. Now I see so much more. This concept that is so essential to the christian faith was still somewhat fuzzy in my perception. What I read in this book not only transformed my view of true hospitality but challenged my motives for caring for people. 

One of the most beautiful concepts that I took out of this book is one that Christine Pohl came to know from the book of Luke in the Bible. The words come from Jesus where he says “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you”. This concept of helping someone with absolutely no motives, whether they are to gain recognition, wealth, or the need to feel worth, became more clear to me. Jesus intentionally told his disciples to help those who could not help back because he wanted them to have a change of heart and to realize what it means to truly love with no conditions. 

Another concept that challenged me came from a quote in this book. The quote came from Philip Hallie. He said that “the opposite of cruelty is not simply freedom from the cruel relationship, it is hospitality.” I believe now that hospitality not only means freeing a person or people from some sort of oppression whether it be big or small, but to take them in to your shelter and offer them whatever it is that you have to offer with no expectation of love in return. 

The practice of Hospitality in our country is so countercultural because here we are taught to acquire as much as we can no matter what the sacrifice may be. To independently strive for the benefit and care of our families and ourselves. 

Christian tradition teaches a very different way of life. I was reminded of this when Christine Pohl wrote about the story in the old testament of Lot, when he offered his own daughters up to the city guards in exchange for the safety of his guests. I could never understand Lot"s motive in this story. To me it seemed that his daughters must have been worthless to him. Now I believe that Lot had an understanding of God"s love that I do not fully understand. God"s provision for Lot must have taught him that there is great sacrifice and risk in showing true love. His act of sacrifice was a reflection of God"s love for us. I believe that this is why we must recover hospitality as a christian tradition. We must understand that Joy and sacrifice are closely related and I believe the sacrifice of hospitality will not only bring joy to the practitioner, but remind the world of God"s passionate love for his people.

Matt Combe on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

I feel that reading this book has brought to attention underlined thoughts that Maybe we, as Christians, have had at various times throughout our lives. Questions of why certain peoples are cared for physically, but not emotionally, and not spiritually (Or maybe the opposite has been portrayed), or why some people open their houses to complete strangers, and some choose to be a part of larger institutions to complete the same purpose; Explaining that both are good in the right circumstances.  Christine D. Pohl gets back to the heart of why we should be serving; explaining that giving for our own gratitude or glory is missing the point entirely. 

This quote rings true in my ears with a deafening ring at times, because I know that I am not living this out: “Hospitality is not optional for Christians, nor is it limited to those who are specially gifted for it.” She goes on to explain the Greek roots for hospitality and how it means to love strangers as though they are our brothers. She explains that this kind of love shown to the “alien” or “stranger” goes clear back to the origins of Israel. God reminds the Israelites over and over about how they know what it’s like to be a stranger, because they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God tells them to love the sojourner as He loved them and showed hospitality to them. A quote from Exodus 23:9 is a verse used to explain the similarities with Israel and foreigners to Israel: “you shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” This verse sounds just like God on another occasion in the New Testament. Matt 18;  the parable of the forgiving king and the unforgiving servant. I think this same principle of looking in the mirror can be used in my life as well. I need to look at the “least of these” or the “aliens” of my day as the same as me. Even if the “least of these” don’t seem to deserve love, did I deserve the love that my father in Heaven has shown me? I don’t think God’s tactics have changed in the way He keeps using His people to express His love through them to the lowly and down-trodden. In essence He is saying, “You were shown love, now do the same”. 

John Chrysostom explains that we are all made in God’s image. Even if the “least of these” don’t seem to deserve love, we all are equal and are made to lift one another up. We need to embrace that no matter who we are dealing with, because we are all made after the same image and for the same purpose. Wesley describes it in a different way. He teaches that God is working in all and through all to bring them unto Him, so do it for God if nothing else. Even if they don’t deserve the love that I could show them, did I deserve the love that my father in heaven has shown me?

I love the way Pohl explains the history of the practice of Christian Hospitality. It’s almost like reading the story of Israel again; how we go back and forward on the heart of why we are supposed to be a loving and gracious people. Some did it just to be noticed, but then some wanted to show love because of the love God has shown to them. 

If nothing else, I need to do this in remembrance of what He has done for me and remember that it’s the person that’s important, not the activity I may or may not being doing to them. To keep in mind that who I am serving is Jesus in flesh and clothes. I love the imagery that the Spanish tradition “los posadas” creates. Spanish People of the church go around looking for a place to stay on Christmas night, re-enacting Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem trying to find a place for their new child that’s about to be born. And one of the men newer in this tradition said he realized Jesus was standing on the porch when all those people were asking for a place to stay. It brought new meaning to letting them come in and stay for the night, because literally two thousand years ago Jesus’ parents were looking for a place to stay and no one took them in. It’s so important to remember who we are serving when we are serving. Meaning, I should not only be serving physical needs, but should be giving back their dignity to them. Give them back the respect that I would want to be given or, more importantly, that I would want to give Jesus. It makes me realize just how genuine God wants me to love everyone I am serving. Not because I think they’re a cool person and I will get recognition by anyone or even by them, but because Jesus wants them to be served and by serving them I am serving Jesus. The one who humbled Himself lower than any man could lower Himself just to serve me. 

This book if anything, made me realize the importance of the word hospitality. It has lost its meaning throughout the years in the westernized part of the world. Hospitality is not only making a good friend/family member feel welcome at my house, but hospitality breaks the line between good friends and complete strangers. Our good friends remain our brothers and sisters. But our complete strangers have already become our brothers and sisters. 

Rachael Reill on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

Hospitality has a greater purpose than the entertainment of our friends and family who have resources of their own and might be tempted (or rather, obligated) to repay our kindness.  Hospitality is our lived out commission, it “gives flesh to the content of the gospel.”   

As Christians, we believe that we are to be the embodiment of God’s love to our world and how we do this, practically, is through hospitality.  Our world is over-populated with the poor, weak, and marginalized.  Basic needs like food, shelter, and safety, can be easily met with the resources of the community, but more importantly, the gift we have to offer is humanity.  Many people in our society are passed on the streets without as much as a glance, they are treated as a fixture rather than a human being.  We are called and privileged to offer this gift of hospitality, which “can begin a journey toward visibility and respect.”  It is always surprising and saddening when another person appears to be shocked that I would take the time to speak with them.  It is as if they also believe themselves to be invisible.  Hospitality is about sharing our resources to meet the needs of others because we value them and are demonstrating our respect for them as fellow human beings.  It is so simple, it’s frightening.  Hospitality is simply sharing your life with another; your home, your food, your thoughts, your love, and your presence.

The practice of hospitality helped to foster the Christian conversation and allowed the Good News to be spread not only throughout the land but also through the ages.  Needs continued to grow and practices of hospitality have changed in order to accommodate.  Institutions were created-hospitals, hospices, and hostels-which are great and serve their purpose but have also enabled the values of hospitality to fade from the home, our sacred space, and so human interaction is reduced to “giver” and “recipient”.  These roles are elevating for the one and dehumanizing for the other and so the core value of hospitality is significantly dimmed.  In order for hospitality to be recovered in our western society, people, namely followers of Christ, must recognize their responsibility to deny their tendencies to retreat to this sacred space and instead, open it up and offer it to those who have none.  This tradition was birthed not just from the culture of the day, but through the humility one lives out of once they recognize that they, too, are recipients of God’s hospitality.

Only so much can be done on the personal, or single home level.  Its context and reach grows as it is embodied in the greater community of the church.  And it is in this community that limited resources are multiplied and shared.  The beauty of the body of Christ is lived out in its enthusiastic offering of grace and love for its neighbor.  This offering is done so through the embodiment of a spirit of hospitality.  It is not a required task or a burden of choice, but rather an overflow of the heart.

Robby Green on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

Hospitality does not mean stepping out of your comfort zone and saying hi to the seemingly distraught or distant. Hospitality is not the “Art” of being polite to “Everyone no matter what.”  No, hospitality is not even taking the time to eat with the socially neglected. Hospitality means living outside of your comfort zone and doing life with the weary. It means sacrificing all “Values,” that society holds as normal for the sake of relating to the outcast. This is the life path that we must rediscover. If we are to once again cultivate the lost art of hospitality, then we must commit to a life of swimming upstream in a world that goes with the flow. We will have to permanently venture outside of our american club-level box seats to life, and head out to make our home in the streets.

From the beginning of the book Christine D. Pohl pads each passage with plenty of biblical and historical evidence backing each of her conclusions.  The amount of information seemed overwhelming at first, but as I continued to read I realized how vast and serious the matter of Hospitality is. Reading over all the historical accounts and reports of christian hospitality makes it unavoidably clear how vital this lost art is. It also made it abundantly obvious how much my journey needs hospitality as an everyday practice; how now is the time for us as a Christocentric people to love the broken, to serve the least, to embrace the social outcast and to not only feed, but to dine with the hungry. As I read through the book I loved how the author takes the reader elegantly through each component of hospitality, and paints a complete picture of what it will take to reclaim this ancient practice.

Pohl makes the point that before we can be host to anyone we must recognize our own brokenness. In order to hospitably fill a need we must first identify with our own neediness. If we fail to see how indigent we truly are then any attempt at being hospitable runs the risk of paying homage to our own ego at the expense of those being served. Without this vital self evaluation prior to service, our points are mute. We cannot connect to the christ within the stranger without realizing that we are also strangers in this land of grace. If we, in our own minds, are any more deserving than those served then no longer are we gifting anything real, we are simply throwing out hand-me-downs. The question then becomes: Can you, and can I remain broken enough that we can be used by He That Is Most High? 

As we seek out our own brokenness let us find ourselves with those in need. Moving forward let us commit to being the least and loving our brothers and sisters. For only in doing so will we rediscover and reclaim this ancient practice and make it our own. Hospitality is too vital to this most excellent Way to be ignored. Through hospitality let us find and connect to the strangers among us, and in doing so have yet another encounter with the head of our body and the groom of our church, Jesus The Christ. 

Teddy Dickerson on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

How do you write a one-page reflection on a book that challenged you, educated you and inspired you greatly?  I think that it is impossible to separate what we read in a book like Making Room from what God is doing in our lives and what ministry we are involved in.  Me, I have the opportunity to live with seven men who have dealt with drug and alcohol addictions.  As I stepped into this role as house manager, little did I know that God would use the men and the situations to teach me something incredible about hospitality.

I have to remember that hospitality was first extended to me by God through the act of Jesus dying on that cross and demonstrating the ultimate welcome into His Kingdom.  This is something that Pohl touches on many times throughout the book and for good reason; I/we are strangers in this land.  The continued experience of hospitality from Christ helps compel me to extend hospitality to others.

I strongly agree with Pohl in regards to being the “host” to these “guests” but really feeling like I (the host) have received so much more from these men (the guests) then I have given.  I did not go to school to be a counselor or a hospitality guru but I have learned the power of being present in people’s lives, mainly through what God has taught me through the presence of different people in my life.  There are times when I don’t know what I am doing but that is when I am so thankful for the reminder of God’s grace and His work that is already going on in the lives of the men I live with. 

   Making Room has challenged me to step beyond what I know of hospitality in my western mindset back into a hospitality demonstrated by Jesus and the early church; to embrace the guests, the poor, the sick, the lost, the widowed, the young, the “Jesus’” of this world.  I want to ask myself more regularly now, “did I see Jesus in them and did they see Jesus in me?”

Travis Reill on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

In “Finding Our Way Again,” McLaren reintroduces us to our spiritual heritage, including rediscovering many of our spiritual practices and traditions. He shows us how these practices are so vital for our spiritual life and necessary for things such as the “three fold way.” However, maybe of up most importance, these spiritual practices McLaren talks about are essential for the people of this world. We are charged to leave our western mindset, stop compartmentalizing our faith, and find it as a way of life, like so many Eastern spiritual practices have done. That is when people will be attracted to this Jesus we talk so much about.

“Making Room” was the perfect book to follow. I was incredibly challenged by “Finding Our Way Again,” mostly to find the spiritual discipline to spend time in God’s story, prayer and conversation, fasting, etc. Yes, these are all very important things and hopefully if I am finding myself doing all of them then the love of Christ will be flowing out of me. Yet, they are some what self focused, mostly working on my relationship with Christ. “Making Room” challenged me to rediscover another ancient spiritual practice, one of hospitality. Hospitality is outward focused, something that I do, an action. And the extension of this hospitality directly affects this crazy thing called “other people,” challenging me in a more concrete and sobering way. Actual faces come to mind—men, women, children, and families—how many have I simply walked by?

Yet Pohl doesn’t just leave hospitality as an “action,” something we go and “do” as if it were separate from our daily walk with Christ. On the contrary, Pohl describes this hospitality as a reflection of the Christian life, going as far to say that if you are a follower of the Way, your life will be one of hospitality. This isn’t something that you went and did once when you were in high school on that “inner-city mission” trip, hospitality is a reflection of your God life. It isn’t something that some are called to, but I’m called to something else so I have a way out. No, hospitality is reflection of the God life, and, thus, hospitality is a reflection of God. Pohl isn’t just the one who is saying this, she is simply paraphrasing, as well as directly using the teachings of Christ. Her text is heavily intertwined with scripture, “God-breathed” and challenging. After reading “Making Room” and reflecting once again on Christ teachings of hospitality, I have come to one conclusion: I need to see hospitality as a reflection of my God-life because I am nervous to face the reality of my life if I don’t.

Trevor Williams on "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl

I am going to be honest, Making Room by Christine D Pohl did not grip me the way I thought it would. I was ready for a smooth read that would challenge my thought but still provide a plentiful supply of inspirational stories, colorful imagery, and easy-to-read-hip-lingo. What I encountered was a book thick with history and academia. Slow, trudging sentences that required full concentration. I would read whole paragraphs, then have to go back and re-read them over, making sure I absorbed the message. It honestly was a chore to sit down, and dare I say, 'make room' for this book in my life. However, this struggle of mine might provide insight into the content itself.

Often in the post-modern church, hospitality is easily romanticized. The rejection of traditional ideas of dogma and the deconstruction of legalism have in some cases led to yet another intellectual subscription. Agape love. Welcome. These are very positive and much needed things, but they are kept in the realm of fantastical abstractions. “Man, its all about loooove.” I'll admit, I have erred in this way myself, but I am reminded yet again that love means work. In the same way that I had to struggle though reading Pohls' book, she makes clear that hospitality itself is a struggle, “we cannot separate the  goodness and the beauty of hospitality from its difficulty.”

Once we take hospitality from the formal and into the practical, there are several issues that arise in the welcoming of strangers and refugees. Pohl discusses several matters, such as the limitations of resources, community boundaries, and temptation to use hospitality as a means to advantage. The reality is that there are limits to what we can do; we will not always be able to provide for every single person. There are also boundaries that need to be set in order to provide sustainable welcome. However, she states that we must frame our hospitality around God's never ending kindness which “challenges us to reconsider our commitments.” This means that through limitations, we must continue to give more. But despite all of the ways in which hospitality takes on practical challenges, Pohl reminds us that making room really implies an openness of heart before a physical location. Putting our hospitality in the framework of God's grace is an eye opening practice. It begs the question, “am I really doing all that I can to welcome strangers...as much as God has welcomed me?”

Although hospitality is a large commitment, and requires much work, what I find amazing is that it doesn't require one to have “arrived” in order to act it out. In actuality, hospitality is most full when we are operating out of our own short-comings, alienation, and oppression. When we can truly identify with the guest we are taking in, even becoming a guest ourselves, that is when hospitality really starts to breath life. This reminds me of Jesus poignant instructions as he is sending out the twelve disciples, telling them that they need to lose their whole lives for his sake in order to truly find life. There is nothing I have to put on or acquire for hospitality, but more precisely, there is much I have to die to: pride, comfort, selfishness, a sense of power, my “I” so to speak. It is in my own poverty that I can transition from self righteous “service” to actually becoming one with the guests whom I am hosting.

Hospitality is work. It will not be fun most of the time, but it will be true, and real. In my life struggle of letting the spirit take away my idea of “self” I will find hospitality as an extension of who Christ already is within me, and dealing with the practical matters will be simply part of the journey.