For the New Testament church, hospitality was a central part of following Jesus. Deeply shaped by scriptures like Matthew 25, early disciples lived with a responsibility toward the stranger that played a transformative role in their personal discipleship, community life, and society.

Today hospitality for the poor and the stranger has largely been relegated to sodalic (missionally oriented) expressions of the church—monastic orders, para-church organizations, and even new monastic communities. While these prophetic examples are challenging and inspiring, they often feel out of reach for the average Christian participating in a local church with the constraints of work and family.

However, there are many congregational churches in North America that are quietly practicing radical hospitality each week, welcoming the stranger in the form of the poor, prisoners, refugees, and orphans. I hope to research five of these congregations and share their stories and wisdom with others for inspiration and instruction. I want to visit and interview each church community asking how this welcoming congregational culture was cultivated and is sustained, what transformation looks like for congregants and guests, what the challenges and barriers are to hospitality happening in local churches. I will share my findings by blogging, writing articles, and producing a whiteboard animation video to share on YouTube.