For many of us, the idea of hosting a dinner party can be daunting. But what if there was a way to take the overwhelm out of hosting by breaking it down one day, one task at a time? In this article, Sue Donaldson shares her simple, easy-to-follow 4-week plan to help you host a dinner party with confidence and direct your focus to what matters most—sharing the love and hospitality of Jesus with your guests.
Hosting a dinner party sounds daunting unless we tackle it one task at a time. When I think of all the work involved, I can feel like quitting before I even begin. I wonder—and maybe even whine a little:
- How can I fit hosting guests into my already too-full schedule?
- I have house issues: My table is too small, I don’t have enough chairs, my dining room is also the office, the homeschool room, and the playroom!
- I hate to cook and I don’t want to make people sick!
- My kids aren’t very well behaved yet. I’ll need to wait until they’re away at college.
- Who should I invite? Doesn’t everyone already have their friends?
- Wouldn’t it be easier to get a sitter and meet a couple at a restaurant? And since I don’t have enough money for both those things, I guess we just won’t go out until we win the lottery or some distant rich uncle leaves us an inheritance!
Out of Excuses
These arguments are legitimate—to a point. We are busy. It is easier to go out (if we had the money). Our homes may be under construction or not be ‘the perfect home’ for company.
But God doesn’t call us to elaborate entertaining. He says to “show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). Doing one task a day is the best tip for doing simple hospitality. It helps keep me from grumbling or feeling that I’m totally out of my depth.
TAKING THE OVERWHELM OUT OF HOSTING A DINNER PARTY
If you desire to use your home for God and others, yet you don’t know how to go about it, here’s some sage advice: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
I don’t recommend serving elephant stew, although I do know a delicious recipe for French Dip Beef Sandwiches which could pass for elephant, and would be, perhaps, more seemly for your guests.
Preparing for a dinner party is easier when we do one thing a day. Taking ‘one bite at a time‘ transforms the host—you and me—from feeling overwhelmed to, “I can’t wait to host again!” True story.
Start Simple
So here’s a list of simple tasks, one to do each day of the week except for Sundays (a day of rest!). By the end of the four weeks, you will have guests around your table (or on your couch or floor, depending on your style).
Start on a Monday, follow the task for that day (and then the day after that), and soon you’ll be hosting with joy, confidence, and ease—one bite at a time. Each preparation tip gets you closer to the goal of hosting a simple dinner party, and completing each task day-by-day will make it easier on you—the dinner party host. And, it will make it a lot more fun since you won’t have a whole elephant to contend with on the day of the party!
Doing one task a day helps us feel more at ease so we can concentrate more on our guests and help them feel loved and noticed just like God loves and notices us.
A 4-WEEK PLAN FOR HOSTING A DINNER PARTY
WEEK 1
MONDAY
Pray for: Courage
Task #1: Discuss with your family: “Who should we invite?”
Verse: “Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts” (Psalm 65:4, NKJV).
Hospitality is a metaphor for how God welcomes us. So when we invite someone over, we invite them to God.
TUESDAY
Pray for: Wisdom
Task #2: Ask a friend to host with you.
Verse: “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NLT).
We sometimes feel like we don’t have enough to offer someone else. God provides all we need and more to offer His hospitality.
WEDNESDAY
Pray for: Joy
Task #3: Organize your recipes.
Verse: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NIV).
God is all about joy. Pray for it. Expect it. Even in the most mundane tasks.
THURSDAY
Pray for: Creativity
Task #4: Try making a new dessert.
Verse: “Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people” (Philemon 1:7, NLT).
Love is the most important ingredient you can serve. My sister Lori said: “Be willing to have people see you as you are—they will feel more comfortable to be themselves in return.”
FRIDAY
Pray for: Grace
Task #5: Make a list of menus that are simple and have worked in the past.
Verse: “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food” (Isaiah 55:2, NLT).
God serves us what is most sustaining. With God’s help, our guests can leave our table blessed as well as fed, sustained in heart, soul, and body.
SATURDAY
Pray for: Your Guests
Task #6: ‘Invite’ your immediate family to a practice dinner.
Verse: “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, NLT).
The more we practice hospitality, the easier it gets. When your doorbell rings, pray this verse all the way to the door. Walk slowly, and you can pray it more than once!
WEEK 2
MONDAY
Pray for: Courage
Task #7: Invite your guests for supper in three weeks so the date is on the calendar.
Verse: “Jesus said, ‘I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me’” (John 14:6, The Message Paraphrase).
Jesus is God’s beautiful invitation to come to His table. How wonderful to know that someone might find His invitation ‘to come’ when you welcome them to your home.
TUESDAY
Pray for: Wisdom
Task #8: Create a simple dinner menu and gather any needed recipes.
Verse: “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5a, NLT).
When we know that company’s coming, we get prepared—maybe even bake a cake, set an extra place, get another chair. And if we don’t have time to dust, we can just dim the lights and light a candle. God knew we were coming, and He got ready. He prepared a place for us right next to Him.
WEDNESDAY
Pray for: Joy
Task #9: Make your To-Do lists and your shopping lists (include paper goods if needed).
Verse: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).
God knows that opening our homes can be hard work. That’s why He gave us this verse.
THURSDAY
Pray for: Creativity
Task #10: Decide on conversation starters and/or a simple activity or icebreaker.
Verse: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6, NIV).
Thinking about what to talk about may be intimidating. Ask God for what we need to put our guests at ease with loving attention and some good questions.
FRIDAY
Pray for: Grace
Task #11: Try out a new main dish.
Verse: “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:35, 40, NIV).
When we extend our welcome, we offer His welcoming heart. Sometimes a guest needs only a glass of water or a listening ear.
SATURDAY
Pray for: Your Guests
Task #12: Work on one deep clean (for example: drapes, family room clutter, windows).
Verse: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17, NIV).
To offer our homes and tables to God is a concrete act of worship. Even as we peel potatoes and make up the guest bed (again)—when done for Him and by Him, we give Him honor.
WEEK 3
MONDAY
Pray for: Courage
Task #13: Assign family chores. (When we all invest, we all are blessed!)
Verse: “Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me, watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace…Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message Paraphrase).
The rest Jesus promises is a relationship with God. Your table may be the very rest that your friend needs.
TUESDAY
Pray for: Wisdom
Task #14: Buy a welcome mat or make a welcome sign for the door or porch.
Verse: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5, NIV).
God expects us to wear a ‘hospitality antennae’ so to speak, looking out for whoever may need an invitation to His table by coming to ours.
WEDNESDAY
Pray for: Joy
Task #15: Buy pantry items for your menu. Compare your lists from Task #9 with what you have already on hand.
Verse: “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:19, NLT).
Once we understand how much God loves being with us, it’s easier to pass on His hospitality to another person.
THURSDAY
Pray for: Creativity
Task #16: Make or buy name tags or place cards—utilize any young artists in your family.
Verse: “You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of your wings” (Psalm 61:3-5, NASB).
God, our Ultimate Host, offers His tent and tower of strength to us at any time of day.
FRIDAY
Pray for: Grace
Task #17: Refresh the front porch or entryway.
Verse: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:8, NLT).
God welcomes us to His table and we all get the best seat—right next to Him.
SATURDAY
Pray for: Your guests
Task #18: Clean your refrigerator or your backyard.
Verse: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners… God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:6,8, NLT).
They say that timing is everything. If that’s the case, God timed it just right when He got the table set for our coming. Ask Him for the right timing to prepare what is needed for your guests.
WEEK 4
MONDAY
Pray for: Courage
Task #19: Text your guests: “Looking forward to dinner with you this coming Saturday!”
Verse: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2, NKJV).
Hospitality can be a challenge, but think of the surprises God offers! Who knows who God wants you to bless?
TUESDAY
Pray for: Wisdom
Task #20: Do a 10 minute house pick-up. Set the timer. (Reward yourself when finished!)
Verse: “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him” (Ephesians 3:17, The Living Bible Paraphrase).
Hospitality simply means making people comfortable and at home. And we want our guests to not only feel at home in our house, but to feel at home with God.
WEDNESDAY
Pray for: Joy
Task #21: Shop for fresh food items to go in your newly-cleaned fridge. Defrost any frozen meat.
Verse: “‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’” (Matthew 11:28, NIV).
People may only discover true peace by finding God at your table. Invite someone today to find rest from their busy days and release from their burdens.
THURSDAY
Pray for: Creativity
Task #22: Clean the guest bathroom.
Verse: “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. . . Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14,16, The Message Paraphrase).
We live out God’s purpose for our lives when we let His light shine through our homes. The more generous we live, the more brightly He shines.
FRIDAY
Pray for: Grace
Task #23: Make dessert.
Verse: “He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4, The Message Paraphrase).
True hospitality is simply coming alongside one who needs your company—in joy or sorrow.
SATURDAY: TODAY’S THE DAY!
Pray for: Your guests
Task #24: Set the table, prepare the dinner, and open the door!
Verse: “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NLT).
We sometimes feel like we don’t have enough to offer someone else. God provides all we need (and more!) to offer His hospitality. We just need to ask Him.
One Step At A Time
Doing one task a day helps us feel more at ease so we can concentrate more on our guests and help them feel loved and noticed just like God loves and notices us.
Feel free to email me any questions along the way. I can’t wait to hear what happens around your table or in your yard or patio in four weeks’ time! I’ll be cheering you on and saying a little prayer: “Lord, bless this home to make it Your welcoming home. Grant wisdom, strength and grace. Thank You and amen.”
Sue has compiled the details of this blog into a handy calendar so you can keep track of preparing for your own dinner party! Download the free PDF below, and find more from Sue at welcomeheart.com!
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2 comments
Asking myself, “Hmmm… do I pray as part of my hospitality plan?”
Maybe for my guests, but not specifically within the process. I can see how this would prevent the action from becoming perfunctory or turning into a self-salvation strategy.
Thank you, Sue, for loaning me your perspective.
You’re so welcome, Michele. I never want it perfunctory but I can get on a product/ project track and forget that it’s all about God’s love. Keeping the main thing the main thing is a lifelong process.