Here’s a mathematical equation for you:
God * (Christ * (Bruce + Carla)) = Given to Hospitality!
If you can recall from your school days algebra, that means that Bruce plus Carla’s welcoming ways are multiplied by God’s love working in Christ in them.
Christian churches today differ in their approach to leadership. But what is the pattern for church leadership that the Bible shows among first-century believers in the Book of Acts? In looking at ekklēsia, the Greek word most often translated “church” in Acts, we see churches that are locally self-governed and are supported by energized ministers.