What started as a three-month stay with a generous family changed the course of a life - and inspired years of hospitality and ministry. Opening our homes to others may feel inconvenient, but generosity always carries the potential for transformation. How could you open your door and bless someone today?
I didn’t grow up going to church at all. I had no frame of reference apart from films like Sister Act and the scene in Home Alone when young Kevin runs into a church for sanctuary the night his home is going to be burgled. I started going to church after watching The Passion of the Christ on a pirated DVD bought from a dodgy guy in a pub. After giving my life to Jesus I felt very called to youth ministry and serving other young people in helping them find life and joy in God and see the transformation possible as I had experienced it.
When I was about to turn 18, I needed somewhere to stay so I could work at the church and study a youth work degree. A Christian family from church volunteered, after a roast lunch, to have me stay with them for three months. That three months ended up being four years. I learnt more about faith in the home, hospitality and generosity in those four years than I had ever learned before.
After those four years I got married and one of the first commitments we made was to make sure we always had a spare room, even if it cost us more and was an inconvenience, so other people could have that opportunity. In 14 years of marriage, we have had lots of different people live with us, some for a couple of weeks, some for years. Our kids are enriched as they see and learn from others, our lives are blessed as we are able to have our horizons broadened by inviting others in and now as we lead a church in Liverpool. We have seen many other people in the church doing the same as the culture has spread.
As we are generous, ultimately with what God has trusted us with, we have seen the blessing, in real time beyond our little family home and affecting the wider body of the church and beyond.
Alex Rayment, Penny Lane Church
Reflect
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15: 5-7 (NIV)
Pray
Pray for hearts open to hospitality and a willingness to share what God has entrusted to us, even when it’s inconvenient. Thank God for the families and individuals who open their homes to bless others, offering not just shelter but community, support, and love. Ask for wisdom to see opportunities where hospitality can make a difference, and pray for a culture of generosity to grow within churches and communities.
Act
Acts for you to consider today:
| It’s Chocolate Monday! Buy a bar to offer to someone who sitting on their own at lunch today. | ||
| Instead of going to lunch on your own today, invite someone from work to go with you. Consider paying for their lunch! | ||
| Write little messages to tape to chocolate bars with kind messages for your work team, a group of friends, or your family. |
Share
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About Penny Lane Church
Penny Lane Church is a creative church located in the heart of Liverpool, dedicated to serving this city and the surrounding community!
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