In a world marked by division, displacement and cultural tension, the Christian call to mission begins with something profoundly simple and deeply biblical: hospitality.
That conviction was at the heart of a recent conversation between Dr. David Croteau, Dean of the Seminary & School of Counseling at Columbia International University, and Dr. Edward Smither, Dean of CIU’s School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry. Their discussion explored how hospitality is not merely a personal virtue, but a foundational posture for engaging God’s mission in the world.
What Does the Bible Mean by Hospitality?
“When I talk about hospitality, I start with a very simple definition,” Smither said. “Hospitality is making room for others.”
In the New Testament, the word philoxenia literally means “love of the stranger.” It stands in direct contrast to xenophobia, fear of the other. Biblical hospitality, Smither explained, involves opening our lives, homes and hearts to those who are not like us.
“At its core, hospitality reflects the character of God,” he said. “It’s an act of love, recognition and welcome.”
This theological foundation shapes how CIU prepares students for intercultural service whether they are studying Intercultural Studies, Global Migration, TESOL, or Muslim-Christian Relations.
Hospitality and the Missionary Nature of God
Hospitality is not an optional add-on to mission; it flows directly from who God is.
“God Himself is a missionary God,” Smither noted. From the moment humanity fell in the Garden of Eden, God took the initiative crossing barriers of sin, brokenness and separation to make Himself known.
“Mission is not just about going or sending,” Smither said. “It’s about making room. God makes room for us, and in mission, we imitate Him by making room for others.”
This missional posture is central to programs like CIU’s BS in Intercultural Studies, MA in Intercultural Studies and the PhD in Intercultural Studies, where students learn to engage cultures with humility, empathy and theological depth.
Hospitality in the Old Testament: Making Room for Redemption
Scripture offers powerful examples of hospitality as a catalyst for redemption.
In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomes three visitors only to discover he has welcomed the Lord Himself. “When we make room for others,” Smither explained, “we are first making room for God.”
Another striking example is Boaz and Ruth. Ruth was a foreigner, a widow and vulnerable. Someone on the margins. Boaz made room for her in his fields and at his table, eventually redeeming her through marriage. That act of hospitality placed Ruth in the lineage of King David and ultimately, Jesus Christ.
“When Boaz made room for a stranger,” Smither said, “redemption followed.”
This biblical vision resonates strongly with CIU’s International Community Development (BS) and Global Migration Studies (MA) programs, which equip students to serve displaced, vulnerable and marginalized populations with compassion and competence.
Jesus and Table Fellowship in the New Testament
The Gospels portray Jesus as someone who was constantly at the table.
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking,” Smither said. Though Jesus had no permanent home, He was frequently a guest and often transformed those spaces into places of grace.
One of the clearest examples is Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector. Jesus invited Himself into Zacchaeus’s home, breaking social and religious norms. While Scripture does not record the full conversation, it does reveal the outcome: Zacchaeus experienced repentance, restoration and salvation.
“In that moment,” Smither said, “Jesus becomes the spiritual host. Hospitality becomes the setting where transformation happens.”
This relational approach to ministry is foundational for students preparing for cross-cultural teaching and service through CIU’s TESOL programs (BA, MA and certificates), where language learning becomes a bridge for relationship and gospel witness.
Missional Hospitality Today: Ordinary, Faithful, Powerful
Hospitality is not reserved for biblical heroes or global leaders. Smither pointed to contemporary examples of what he calls “radically ordinary hospitality.”
Author Rosaria Butterfield describes a life where coffee is always brewing, meals are shared and neighbors are welcomed into everyday rhythms of prayer and conversation. Likewise, Francis and Edith Schaeffer opened their home in Switzerland to skeptics and seekers—creating space where questions were welcomed and faith could be explored.
“The foundation of their ministry wasn’t just teaching,” Smither said. “It was hospitality.”
This vision continues to shape CIU’s training of missionaries, educators, relief workers and global leaders especially through graduate certificates in Intercultural Studies, Muslim-Christian Relations, Global Migration and TESOL, designed for professionals serving in complex cultural contexts.
Why Hospitality Still Matters
Hospitality matters because it reflects who God is.
“When we make room for others, through a meal, a conversation or shared time, we participate in God’s work,” Smither said. “It’s not complicated. It’s relational. And it’s deeply biblical.”
At Columbia International University, hospitality is more than a concept it’s a calling shaped into vocation.
Through the School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry, students are equipped to live out the gospel across cultures, borders and belief systems whether serving locally or globally, in classrooms, communities, relief settings or research.
For those sensing a call to cross cultures with the love of Christ, CIU offers more than academic preparation. It offers formation for a life of faithful presence.
Learn more about programs in the School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry and discover how God may be calling you to make room for others for the sake of the gospel and the good of the world.
Dr. Edward Smither serves as Dean of Columbia International University’s School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry and is a globally respected scholar of Christian mission and church history. Holding dual PhDs from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and the University of Wales–Trinity St. David (UK), Dr. Smither brings both academic depth and lived experience, having spent 14 years in intercultural ministry across North Africa, Europe and the United States. He is the Vice President of the Evangelical Missiological Society and editor of the Journal of EMS, as well as the award-winning author of numerous influential books shaping global missional theology today. Under his leadership, CIU equips students to engage the world with theological clarity, cultural humility and gospel-centered conviction preparing the next generation of missionaries, scholars and global leaders.
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