Video Transcript: Case for Christian Leaders To Recruit Host Ministers

Henry - So we are toward the end of the class now, but we have one more  thing, and how can you and I recruit host ministers who will be host ministers in  general hospitaliers even like, how do we get others to help you be a hospitalier, how do we multiply this ministry, the need for compassionate ministry in an ever  changing world now, the first thing I want to say is me being 63 right now, if I  look back at four decades of ministry, I can say is the world is upside down.  Borders are not what they once were. In fact, there's huge political debates  about open borders, closed borders in some countries, some countries are  closed borders. Other countries are open borders. But one thing with all of it is  there is migration happening all over and we as host ministers, let's not get  political under any circumstance, even if you have a political opinion, vote your  opinion at the poll, but love a fellow image bearer, and when that person is in  your home, love them as you are the hands of Jesus Christ. Keep your political  opinions to yourself, but empower them to be followers of Jesus Christ, or image bearers who you have blessed, maybe you've only planted the seed, we have  this beautiful testimony from Navy Chean, where maybe I'll link this in the class  where she be and her husband both became believers from Cambodia because  of the hospitality of Christians over decades. So we don't know where this is  going to go, but this is a powerful ministry. It's not political, it's of love. So in this  presentation, we're going to make a case for Christian leaders like you, to  regroup, recruit more, host ministers. The need,  

Abby - there's a big need. There is increased displacement with refugees,  economic hardship, national disasters. You know, at the time of us recording this video, there's various different wars happening. There's various different refugee situations, and you know that causes again, the need for these. Host ministers,  

Henry - divorce, unemployment, released from prison, trauma, recovery,  loneliness and isolation. Host ministers, foster community and relationships.  Yeah.  

Abby - Holistic ministry, again, combining that hospitality and spiritual care to  create this well rounded ministry. And again, this just safe space for people to,  you know, come at a time in their life when they really most need it. And again,  that's being the hands and feet of Jesus, the gifts and qualities of a host  minister. So the gift of hospitality, you know, I think just as a note to make, I had  done a little spiritual gifts course with Abby. And you know, if you're not sure  what your spiritual gifts are, this is a great time if you're going through this  course to assess that so you can know, okay, here's the gifts I have as I go into  this host Minister relationship. And you know, seeing, hopefully, maybe  hospitality is a very strong gift of yours that will help create that welcoming  environment, 

Henry - compassion and empathy, sensitivity to the needs of the guest you  know. If you see someone that you know has the gift of hospitality, that's  compassion, empathy. Hmm, you want to talk about this right? Strong  communication, communication.  

Abby - They have spiritual maturity, organizational skills, so yeah, all of that can help you both assess your own qualities as the host minister, but also recruiting  someone else. The trainings available here at Christian leaders Institute, we  have biblical foundations of hospitality, you know, again, setting those  boundaries. You know, trauma, informed care, navigating the cultural  differences, job readiness and life skills training, you know, spiritual mentorship  and discipleship. And of course, Christian leaders Institute has tons of courses  that could even help someone who you are hosting, or someone who you think  might be called to be a host minister on top of the training in this particular  course.  

Henry - So it's like the challenge here you are a host minister, or you're thinking  about it. Hey, find three others to join you have like the Knights hospitaliers in  your community. Form an order of your own hospitaliers who are a team and  find one, find two, find 20, but, but do this together. Make this part of like your  the ministry is not just to do one host, ministry location, but why Not many?  

Abby - Absolutely the impact host ministers, you know, transforming lives,  offering safety, healing, spiritual growth, building stronger communities, creating  connections with the church and the community. And once again, the chief goal  of this all being the opportunity to just really advance the gospel and serve as a  witness to the power of Christ. So the call to recruit more host ministers, we  have an urgent need for it, and we hope, as you're taking this course, maybe  you're feeling the stirring to be a host minister, or, you know, you want to do it,  and that's why you took this course, and praise the Lord for that. But like you  said, if there are other Christian leaders who can be host ministers, how can we  as Christian leaders keep extending our impact by creating more individuals and equipping them for this role?  

Henry - So this is it. We've gone through the class together. You know, it's been  fun to do this class with my daughter and and to see that. You know this is our  calling, to open our hands, to welcome in, to share our hands, to help, to be the  hands and feet of Jesus Christ. And we give you no illusions. This is not  necessarily easy. There will be failures. In fact, you probably will do maybe  you're called to try one and it will go terrible, but that's the spiritual warfare to  test the whole situation out. Like is this really what you're called to do? Ministry 

that does not go well at first, does not mean that you run away from ministry. It  means you are in the learning curve now, and you will figure out things. I mean,  when we started Christian leaders Institute, the learning curve was intense, and  it still is intense, but that we don't give up and say, Oh, well, you know, if you're  called do something, you're called to do something, it could be dangerous. Know going in that,  

Abby - you know, very, yeah, this is something where you're really surrendering, again, our home is a very for us. That's our safe space, too, and you're allowing  someone else into that safe space, and there is a lot of risk with that, right?  

Henry - And then again, that's why having these safeguards and talk about just,  the boundaries, and to do it for a period of time, and then another period of time  where your home is not part of this, or if you have the means to buy a house,  buy a house next door, that is just the revolving place for being a hospitalier,  right next door, but you have a shared once a week dinner again, if they're if  they're living there in your home, then that's of one form of intensity. But if you're opening another space, then find a connection where it will be appropriate. And  resources. You know, we're not trying to give you specifically the only formula  here. We're trying to empower you with the vision. What is God doing, and then  empowering you to create a movement like, how can you multiply Christian  leaders? How can you multiply hospitaliers, host ministers. How can you in your  community? You know, if we want a world where Christianity gives the privilege  of service to other agencies or governments, that is one option, but the early  church showed us that this is how the gospel can be proclaimed. Be the hands  and feet of Jesus Christ. And that verse we started with is probably a verse to  remind ourselves Jesus was with some people, and they asked, you know,  

Abby - this was the you know, the righteous. The righteous were the ones who  would give to those. When they were hungry, they would feed them, and when  they were thirsty, and when they were a stranger, they would take them in, yeah, 

Henry - and God knows you, because you are known by your love. So we wish  a blessing on you, and let's close this whole class in prayer, Lord God, this is a  calling, but we know that you are the one who provides, who fills your called  leaders with your Holy Spirit. And. In this particular host Minister role. It may be  just something you do locally that someone can do locally, and that's fine in a  church, occasionally in a home, through a Bible study, through a minister role  that just adds that strength, that strategy of hospitality, or maybe someone here  feels that real calling how are they going to open up their home or create a safe, safe space for someone else? Lord, whatever that is, Lord, we just pray that  each person who finished this class will get that sense of calling and the 

urgency from you. We pray this now in Jesus name, Amen, amen, amen.