Biblical Hospitality Part 6:
Make Room for Fun, Laughter, and Connection
Biblical hospitality does not have to feel like another demanding task on your to-do list. It does not require a perfect home, expensive decorations, matching dishes, or an elaborate meal. Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen around paper plates, folding tables, and food everyone helped provide.
In episode six of Coffee Chats with Diane Nix, my friend Diane Daughtry of Secret Savored and I continued our conversation about biblical hospitality. This time, we focused on incorporating fun into our gatherings.
I confessed at the beginning that while my personality is usually “a party waiting to happen,” I can become very task-oriented when hosting a dinner. I am thinking about the food, timing, and details—and sometimes I forget to relax and enjoy the people around my table!
Diane reminded us that hospitality should have a purpose, but it should also create an atmosphere where people feel loved, encouraged, and free to enjoy themselves.
Begin with Your Purpose
Before inviting people into your home, ask yourself:
Why am I gathering these particular people?
Perhaps you want to welcome a new church member or neighbor. Maybe you hope to develop new friendships, encourage someone experiencing loss, or give people a place to relax and laugh.
As a widow, Diane understands how lonely life can sometimes feel. At times, her purpose in hosting is simply to create new friendships and enjoy meaningful companionship. Whatever the reason, knowing your purpose will help you create the right atmosphere for your gathering.
The goal is not to impress people. The goal is for them to leave feeling seen, loved, and encouraged—both spiritually and physically.
Keep It Simple and Affordable
Creating a warm atmosphere does not have to cost very much.
For a spring gathering with a group of young women, Diane chose a gardening theme. She found pretty paper goods and used inexpensive scrapbook paper as placemats. After purchasing the paper on sale, she had the sheets laminated so she could reuse them.
She has also used scrapbook paper to create a table runner. She placed the sheets end to end, added floral stickers, and printed a Scripture verse across the length of the runner.
Other simple ideas include:
- Adding candles to create warmth in the evening
- Purchasing small vases when they are on sale
- Dividing one bouquet of flowers among several containers
- Clipping boxwood, rosemary, or other greenery from your yard
- Using paper plates and napkins that complement a simple theme
- Shopping seasonal clearance sections for items you can reuse
You do not have to spend a great deal of money to make your guests feel special. A few thoughtful touches can communicate, I prepared a place for you, and I am glad you are here.
Create Conversation and Connection
If your guests do not know one another well, place a question at each seat. The questions can be funny, thoughtful, or spiritually focused. Simply print them from your computer, cut them into strips, fold them, and place one at each setting.
These conversation starters help remove awkwardness and encourage guests to learn more about one another.
If someone in the group needs encouragement, Diane sometimes places a Scripture card at each seat. Guests leave with “a word from the Word” that they can keep in a journal, place on a mirror, or frame.
For her gardening-themed gathering, Diane gave each young woman a packet of seeds and a handmade bookmark featuring a Scripture verse. Together, they talked about how seeds must be planted, cultivated, and watered—and how our spiritual lives also need intentional care.
Fun and spiritual encouragement do not have to be separated. The two can work beautifully together.
Let People Participate
Your guests do not expect you to do everything yourself. In fact, people often enjoy contributing.
You might choose a country as your theme and ask each person to bring a dish inspired by that culture. You could host a family game night, ask guests to bring their favorite dessert, or plan a simple potluck.
When guests participate, the gathering becomes something you create together.
Games can also bring laughter and connection to the table. We have enjoyed playing The Bible Is Funny at our Contagious Joy Refresh Retreats. It uses Bible verses out of context to create funny answers to different topics. It is all in good fun and laughter truly does good like medicine!
Diane recently played a movie trivia game with her children and grandchildren. Her 22-year-old grandson loves movies, so everyone enjoyed testing his knowledge and laughing together around the table.
The activity does not have to be complicated. The point is to engage with one another and enjoy being together.
Hospitality Can Happen Anywhere
For many years, hosting was associated with formal china, perfectly set tables, and carefully planned meals. Thankfully, we are rediscovering that hospitality is not about formality. A delicious steak still tastes wonderful when it is served on a paper plate!
We have lived in our apartment for four years now. During our first Christmas here, we still had many people who traditionally gathered at the Nix home for the holiday. Our apartment could not accommodate everyone, but we did have an attached garage.
So, we hung painters’ drop cloths to cover the items stored there. We set up eight-foot folding tables and borrowed folding chairs. We made simple centerpieces, and because I love Christmas china, I used mine right there in the garage.
After losing everything in Hurricane Katrina, Christmas china was one of the special things we replaced. Christmas has always held precious meaning for our family because so many wonderful things have happened to us during that season.
Thirty people gathered and ate Christmas dinner in our garage. Not one person complained. No one said, “Oh, we’re eating in the garage.” We simply sat together, shared a meal, and enjoyed one another.
Diane shared an equally tender story. Her husband spent the final two years of his life in a hospital bed. She did not want him to miss spending time with family and friends, so they brought the gathering to him.
People ate from trays in the bedroom. Some sat on the floor, while others found room on the bed. They shared meals and fellowship around his hospital bed.
People did not care where they were sitting. They cared that they were together.
That is the heart of hospitality.
Open Your Door and Use What You Have
When we moved to southern Louisiana more than 20 years ago, our daughters were already accustomed to our large Easter gatherings. That first Easter, when we did not have anything planned, they asked, “Wait a minute where is our Easter celebration?”
So we began inviting neighbors, church prospects, staff members, and their extended families. We asked each family to bring a dozen eggs for every child participating in the egg hunt and a favorite holiday dish to share.
When everyone left, I sometimes felt as though I needed to shovel the grass from the front and back yards out of my house! But it was worth it.
One year, nearly 70 people came in and out throughout the day. We had people from three different countries, several languages, church members, neighbors, believers, and those who did not yet know Christ.
We ate from paper plates. We hunted Easter eggs. We laughed, ate until we could not eat anymore, and filled every available space in the house.
Those gatherings remain some of our sweetest memories.
Nothing Has to Be Perfect
Biblical hospitality is not drudgery. It is not a performance, and nothing has to be perfect.
The purpose is to express the love of Christ.
People need to know that Jesus loves them, sees them, and knows exactly where they are. God often chooses to use ordinary people like us as His hands and feet to carry His love into a world desperately needing it.
Your table does not have to be beautiful. Your home does not have to be large. Your meal does not have to be homemade. Your gathering does not have to unfold exactly as planned.
Open your door. Use what you have. Invite people to participate. Make room for laughter, meaningful conversation, and the presence of Jesus.
Your guests may forget the centerpiece. They may forget what you served. But they will remember how they felt in your home.
Let them leave knowing they were welcomed, valued, and deeply loved.
“A joyful heart is good medicine.” —Proverbs 17:22
Listen to this week’s episode of Coffee Chats with Diane Nix for the complete conversation with Dianne Dougharty of Secret Savored.
If you are a ministry wife who needs rest, encouragement, and connection, we would love for you to apply for a Contagious Joy Refresh Retreat. You can also support the ministry by purchasing our devotional, Living in the Overflow. Visit Contagious Joy 4 Him to learn more.
