Dustin Willis - The Simplest Way to Change the World: Biblical Hospitality as a Way of Life

Biblical hospitality is not complicated, but it is hard. It is also unfortunately absent from much of our missional conversation. We tend to drift toward a subtle idolatry of our homes, forgetting Gods great hospitality toward us and undermining one of the greatest tools we have in our gospel mission. This book is immensely helpful in unpacking the astounding realities that fuel our hospitality while giving practical application for ordinary believers to engage in the radical, everyday ministry Jesus has entrusted to us.

KEVIN PECK
Author of Designed to Lead
Lead Pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, TX

Were living in this bizarre polarity of unprecedented connectedness and unprecedented isolation. If you have small groups at your church, you should encourage them to use The Simplest Way to Change the World. Dustin and Brandon have set the table for conversation all our churches should be having.

CLAY SCROGGINS
Pastor, Northpoint Community Church, Atlanta, GA

Every moment in life, from the exhilarating to the mundane, is an opportunity to remain living on mission for the glory of God. Willis and Clements offer the body of Christ the much-needed reminder of how its the day in and day out faithful witness of the church that changes the world. What a simple yet profound concept!

D. A. HORTON
Author of Bound to Be Free
Pastor of Reach Fellowship, Long Beach, CA
Chief Evangelist for the Urban Youth Workers Institute

Whether we live in an apartment or high-rise, whether were single or married, young or old, we all have at our disposal a simple way to display who God is and how He loves: our tables. I believe hospitality is the way we will impact, engage, and influence our communities in the days ahead, and Dustin and Brandon have provided a helpful guide. Im grateful for this book.

CHRISTINE HOOVER
Author of The Church Planting Wife and Messy Beautiful Friendship

Hospitality is a requirement for anyone who wants to be an elder. In this book, Dustin and Brandon unpack exactly why. But unlike a TV stunt, Jesus says, Please try this at home, folks. In a step-by-step, easy process, this book will help you to transform your home into one of the most powerful gospel tools at heavens disposal.

PEYTON JONES
Author of Reaching the Unreached and Church Zero
Host of Church Planter Podcast

Is hospitality the secret weapon to advance the gospel? We are all to be given to hospitality as it is the currency of ordinary people showing extraordinary lovewhich is the work of the gospel. Willis and Clements arm us with helpful, practical steps to fling open the doors of our homes and our hearts to engage communities.

KATHY FERGUSON LITTON
National speaker, writer, and National Consultant for Ministry to Pastors Wives at the North American Mission Board

Dustin and Brandon refreshingly remind us that God has welcomed us home in Christ and our response must be to welcome others. Their challenge is biblical, simple, challenging, and quickly applicable: steward our homes for hospitality so others may receive His grace.

ERIC GEIGER
Vice President at LifeWay Christian Resources

2017 by
DUSTIN WILLIS and BRANDON CLEMENTS

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Names and details of some stories have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Edited by Ginger Kolbaba
Interior design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover design: Kent Bateman and Erik M. Peterson
Cover image: Landon Jacob Productions
Dustin Willis photo: Landon Jacob Photography

ISBN: 978-0-8024-1497-7

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To our families: We are humbled to have the crews we have alongside us for this journey. You have embraced hospitality as a way of life, and we are blessed to have homes that are never empty, always loud, and continually displaying the good news.

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.

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I n the church I grew up in, missionary was a sacred and scary title, bestowed only upon the spiritual elite, the Navy Seals of the Christian world. We considered them heroes, sat in awe through their slideshows, and gladly donated our money to their ministries.

The more I read Scripture, though, the more I began to see, as Charles Spurgeon so prophetically put it, Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor. The call to mission, it turns out, was inherent in the call to follow Jesus. Follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. We dont need to move to the other side of the world to fulfill Gods mission in reaching the world.