“The face of hospitality cannot be understood without grasping the meaning of homelessness, and homelessness cannot be fully understood without knowing what home is.” - Lucien Richards, 'Living the hospitality of God'   

Recently I spent a week with the Source community in Minneapolis. It was a week that taught me many things, but their approach to hospitality is something I will carry for a long time. Source is a vibrant and diverse family, radically entertaining “homeless strangers” throughout their City.  From the moment you meet them you cannot escape the idea that God has placed them here for a reason.  It’s broadcast clearly: we’re here to seek the lives of the lost and to open our doors to everyone.

Many different cultures, countless homeless youths and people on the fringe of society populate the neighborhood in which their ‘Fallout Centre of the Arts’ sits.  The Joshua House (a transitional home) provides friendship to those whose lives are consumed by addiction and despair.  This community demonstrates the love of God by actively “being” the love of God. They create space to the people most would ignore to question, explore faith and find family.

Minneapolis is also home to many artists and creative people.  Most of the people you meet in cafes or on the sidewalk are covered from head to toe in beautiful tattoos, each person with a story to tell. The Fallout Art Centre provides a place for people to express themselves, whether they believe in God or not. Rather than being an exclusive centre for Christians it is inclusive of everyone and is therefore one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen. Artwork is scattered throughout and music fills the air.
   
In Luke 7 Jesus turned to Simon and said, “Do you see this woman?”  This had seemed to me like a strange thing to ask because of course Peter saw her; she was there in front of him. As I walked with the 24-7 Source community for a week, Jesus’ question began to resonate with me.  Did Peter only see a prostitute who was dirty and unworthy?  Did Jesus see something else?  A beautiful woman who was giving all she could to her King maybe?  Through the Source community Jesus has been challenging me, ‘Open the eyes of your heart and see through my lens’. This is easier said than done but in the Source community I’ve see a group of people trying to live up to this challenge and saying to the people around them, “welcome to my life, come on in.”