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Jesus, as well as his disciples, were intentional in engaging spiritual seekers and walking with them on the discipleship journey. Using Jesus’ example, these 9 Arts open doors for drawing spiritual seekers to Christ.

You can think of the nine arts in groups of three:

• Getting Ready: Noticing, Praying, Listening
• Getting Started: Asking Questions, Loving, Welcoming
• Keeping It Going: Facilitating, Serving Together, Sharing

Featured Art: The Art of Welcoming

It is no surprise that the Art of Welcoming follows the Art of Loving. Being Welcoming requires loving.

What is welcoming? We often define welcoming in our culture as “inviting someone to dinner.”

However, the New Testament term for hospitality or welcoming means “lover of strangers.” Another definition includes reaching out to people I don’t have a lot in common with.

Am I making you uncomfortable? Well, I hope so – and I am also! Jesus was all about going against cultural norms, making people feel uncomfortable.

Look at the scripture: Luke 15:2. Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and the Pharisees said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” I have to be honest. It’s a lot more comfortable to hang with people who think and look more like me.

How can I apply this Art to my everyday life?

Welcoming does not have to be complicated. With masks on these days, we have the advantage of only looking at eyes, not being distracted by more. Look someone in the eyes, warmly welcome them as someone made in the image of Jesus. Be open, nonjudgmental, a caring presence.

The simple act of getting curious about the gas station clerk and asking a question is welcoming them into conversation. Or I challenge you to talk to someone at church or at work that you don’t know very well. Think of where you are every day: at work, in school, in the store, in your neighborhood and home. Or on Zoom!

Who does God bring into your life and how can you welcome them?

An example from my own life

Jim and I felt welcomed, loved the first time we came to our church – and here we are 18 years later. Everyone was so friendly. Growing up Catholic, I thought very differently than what was being taught in this church. But because of the welcoming atmosphere, we didn’t run the other way.

Another example

I have been trying to welcome a young woman who has many messes in her life by just listening and showing her Jesus’ love. She is a difficult person to love, I admit. But God has placed her in my life for a reason.

Welcoming or hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. God is the one who does the changing. When someone is struggling and needs a friend, are we a “gateway” to them being introduced to Jesus?

Sometimes this does not come naturally so we have to be intentional and practice it – practice makes perfect. right?

Learn from the participants in the 9 Arts Grow Group

Some of the participants in the 9 Arts Grow Group last fall wrote about the impact of the class. Carl Greene shares how various arts, including the Art of Listening, reflected on his training in listening and how God uncovered a blind spot in his life.

A problem that I learned about through 9 Arts was actually a blind spot concerning listening.

I am trained in listening through pastoral training, chaplaincy training, and organizational development training.

At my current vocational work, I purposefully listen in my administrative roles for building collaborative frameworks and truly celebrating people.

Finally, as a relatively new neighbor after moving a couple of years ago, I am intentionally asking questions of the people around us to truly get to know them and open the door for conversation that scratches deeper surfaces than the weather.

I have been applying lessons learned from my study of missional church and relationship evangelism. Yet, this study uncovered a large rock that was out of place in priorities.

In discussing some of my strengths with my coach, he asked me how I am doing at listening to my family – the people closest to me. The brake lights came on in my mind at this point.

I am so intentional about listening in a variety of places in life, that I am tired of listening by the time I get to the sanctity of my home. I want to be able to be heard by the time I get home and have not been as effective a listener as God has called me to be.

I believe that something that the 9-Arts book helped to uncover is the art of listening, as well as a sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading. The part of the Spirit’s leading (connecting in with praying) requires that I am emotionally and spiritually healthy.

If I am not healthy, I will not notice, let alone listen. I am striving for healthier rhythms of listening in my various roles to ensure that I am not simply looking to be heard when I get home.

So, I guess I really like the conversational rhythm that the 9 Arts Book provides, along with the need to be mindful of the multiple spheres of influence that I am vested in.

This is especially true at home and with the people that I am closest to