Welcome One Another
Thoughts on Romans 16:16, 1 Peter 4: 8-9, and Romans 15:7
We spent the early fall moving from “me” to “we”—reshaping the architecture of our lives to make space for people. We called that series of messages: Community Under Construction. There were so many “One Another” passages to cover, we couldn’t talk about them all. But here are a few more. Even though I did not include them in our series at THE WELL, I did not want to leave them out.
Remember the theme of that series: when we make room for people, God moves into that space and changes lives—sometimes theirs, always ours.
But how and where do we start? The New Testament’s “one another” commands give us a simple plan. Today: greet one another, show hospitality to one another, and accept one another.
1) Greet One Another (Romans 16)
Paul says it five times across his letters: “Greet one another.” In Romans 16:16 he adds, “with a holy kiss.” The point isn’t the kiss; it’s that a greeting should be intentional, tangible, personal, and distinctive.
Research says guests decide whether to return to a church within seven minutes—often before worship starts. That means greeters, hosts, children’s check-in, and you (yes, you in the aisle seat) matter immensely. The five minutes after the service are just as crucial.
Bring it home: spouses, how do you greet each other at the door? Parents, how do you greet teens who don’t sprint to you anymore? A good greeting is a small act that builds big bridges.
In a sentence: Make greetings count—God often walks in on the welcome.
2) Show Hospitality to One Another (1 Peter 4:8–9)
“Above all, love each other deeply… Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Hospitality isn’t fancy entertaining; the Greek literally means “love of strangers.” It’s making room—reworking your life’s layout to include people who aren’t already inside your circle.
Simple ways to practice:
Why it matters: walking into any room as an unknown is hard. Hospitality knocks down invisible walls and turns outsiders into friends. The early church survived and spread because believers opened homes and hearts. We’re here today because they made space.
In a sentence: Hospitality is love with the door unlatched.
3) Accept One Another (Romans 15:7)
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” In context, Paul is talking about disputable matters—things sincere believers see differently. Acceptance here is not passive tolerance; the verb means “move toward and take hold.” It’s an embrace.
Church, workplace, neighborhood—be the one who moves toward. Jesus isn’t physically here; we are His hands, His voice, His embrace.
In a sentence: Receive one another as Christ received you—move first, draw near, make room.
Practice This Week
Why this works
You won’t find a New Testament verse that says, “Fix one another.” That’s God’s job. Ours is to greet, show hospitality, and accept—to create the environment where God does transforming work.
And yes, this reshaping costs something: time, attention, convenience. But the payoff is holy: people feel seen, strangers become friends, and the space we create becomes the space God fills.
In a sentence: When we make room for people, we make room for God—and He fills the room.
We spent the early fall moving from “me” to “we”—reshaping the architecture of our lives to make space for people. We called that series of messages: Community Under Construction. There were so many “One Another” passages to cover, we couldn’t talk about them all. But here are a few more. Even though I did not include them in our series at THE WELL, I did not want to leave them out.
Remember the theme of that series: when we make room for people, God moves into that space and changes lives—sometimes theirs, always ours.
But how and where do we start? The New Testament’s “one another” commands give us a simple plan. Today: greet one another, show hospitality to one another, and accept one another.
1) Greet One Another (Romans 16)
Paul says it five times across his letters: “Greet one another.” In Romans 16:16 he adds, “with a holy kiss.” The point isn’t the kiss; it’s that a greeting should be intentional, tangible, personal, and distinctive.
- Intentional: Don’t toss off autopilot hellos. A real greeting begins and sustains relationships.
- Tangible: In our culture that might be a warm handshake, a hug, a shoulder squeeze, eye contact—make greetings count.
- Personal: Romans 16 lists 35 names. Names communicate value: I see you. You matter here.
- Distinctive: “Holy” means set apart. Unique. Let your greeting carry warmth that builds people up.
Research says guests decide whether to return to a church within seven minutes—often before worship starts. That means greeters, hosts, children’s check-in, and you (yes, you in the aisle seat) matter immensely. The five minutes after the service are just as crucial.
Bring it home: spouses, how do you greet each other at the door? Parents, how do you greet teens who don’t sprint to you anymore? A good greeting is a small act that builds big bridges.
In a sentence: Make greetings count—God often walks in on the welcome.
2) Show Hospitality to One Another (1 Peter 4:8–9)
“Above all, love each other deeply… Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Hospitality isn’t fancy entertaining; the Greek literally means “love of strangers.” It’s making room—reworking your life’s layout to include people who aren’t already inside your circle.
Simple ways to practice:
- Slide over from “your” seat and smile about it.
- Park farther away so newcomers can park near.
- Spot the person standing alone; square up, learn their name, linger.
- Open your home or table with uncomplicated warmth.
Why it matters: walking into any room as an unknown is hard. Hospitality knocks down invisible walls and turns outsiders into friends. The early church survived and spread because believers opened homes and hearts. We’re here today because they made space.
In a sentence: Hospitality is love with the door unlatched.
3) Accept One Another (Romans 15:7)
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” In context, Paul is talking about disputable matters—things sincere believers see differently. Acceptance here is not passive tolerance; the verb means “move toward and take hold.” It’s an embrace.
- We move first, even when others differ from us or have disappointed us.
- We accept before apologies, because that’s how Christ accepted us—while we were still sinners.
- Acceptance doesn’t mean abandoning truth or boundaries. It means bringing people close enough for truth to be heard and grace to be felt.
Church, workplace, neighborhood—be the one who moves toward. Jesus isn’t physically here; we are His hands, His voice, His embrace.
In a sentence: Receive one another as Christ received you—move first, draw near, make room.
Practice This Week
- Upgrade one greeting. Make eye contact, use a name, add a kind touch, say one specific encouraging thing.
- Love a stranger. Look for one person not yet in your circle. Initiate. Sit with them. Invite them to coffee or your table.
- Move first in acceptance. With someone you differ with, send a note, make a call, or take a walk. Lead with, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Why this works
You won’t find a New Testament verse that says, “Fix one another.” That’s God’s job. Ours is to greet, show hospitality, and accept—to create the environment where God does transforming work.
And yes, this reshaping costs something: time, attention, convenience. But the payoff is holy: people feel seen, strangers become friends, and the space we create becomes the space God fills.
In a sentence: When we make room for people, we make room for God—and He fills the room.
Posted in A Word From The Well
Recent
Archive
2025
August
September
October
No Comments