5 Practices of Fruitful Living - Radical Hospitality

This week we begin our church-wide study and a series of sermons focusing on Bishop Robert Schnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Living. Bishop Schnase asks, “How do we cultivate lives that are abundant, fruitful, purposeful, and deep? What are the commitments…and practices that open us to God’s transforming grace, and that help us discover the difference God intends for us to make in the world? And how do we live the fruitful flourishing life of a follower of Christ?” We lean into this flourishing by an intentional commitment to five practices that are central to fruitful living - radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith-development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. Like an artist or athlete who must practice their craft in order to develop the muscle memory that enables them to flourish, these five practices…are essential to growth in Christ and to the deepening of the spiritual life. The repetition and deepening of these practices, like Wesley’s means of grace, enables us to cooperate with God in our own growth and maturation in Christ. Regular, ongoing, and intentional practice of the practices opens our hearts – to God, to others, to a life that matters, a life rich with meaning, relationship, and contribution. In short, the practices help us flourish.” With this in mind, we begin by focusing our attention on Luke 15:11-32 and the practice of Radical Hospitality.