Acts 18
Rosaria Butterfield's story is amazing and compelling, by any standard.
She was a radical lesbian feminist professor at Syracuse University, specializing in Queer Theory. She was enjoying a committed lesbian relationship. Respected by students and colleagues, she had all the outward signs of success and prosperity. Rosaria took on the challenge of writing an article critiquing "Promise Keepers," a national movement of large gatherings of Christian men in stadiums all over this country. After publishing her article, she organized the predictable responses into fan mail and hate mail. But one particular response fit neither pile, so there it sat, in what Rosaria called the "the tense middle area." The letter had been sent by Pastor Ken Smith. He and his wife invited Rosaria into their home for dinner and friendship. For two years she shared dinners at their house but never set foot in a church. The Smiths showed her the love of Christ and talked about life. What came next in this story is what Rosaria describes as a "train wreck" at the hand of God. She experienced the love of Christ and it touched her deeply. Two years after starting her friendship with the Smiths, Rosaria started her friendship with Jesus. Now Rosaria is a wife and mother who speaks out on how to bridge the gap between the LGBT community and the church. Her life story was changed because of a dining room table.
Acts 18:26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
The first century church grew house by house. There were no church buildings for the first 300 years of our history. The location of the church was around dining room tables. If you want to see the gospel renewed in America, it starts with you. Are you willing to invite people far from God to come and eat at your dining room table? Hospitality is the key that will open the door to the renewal of the unbelieving community.
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