--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worship, then, needs to be characterized…" description: "\"“Worship, then, needs to be characterized by hospitality; it needs to be inviting. But at the same time, it should be inviting seekers into the church ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/james-k-a-smith-11405_christianity_worship-then-needs-to-be-characterized-b_190982.png" --- # Worship, then, needs to be characterized by hospitality… ![“Worship, then, needs to be characterized by hospitality; it needs to be inviting. But at the same time, it should be inviting seekers into the church and its unique story and language. Worship should be an occasion of cross-cultural hospitality. Consider an analogy: when I travel to France, I hope…” quote by James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/james-k-a-smith-11405_christianity_worship-then-needs-to-be-characterized-b_190982.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/james-k-a-smith-11405_christianity_worship-then-needs-to-be-characterized-b_190982.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/james-k-a-smith-11405_christianity_worship-then-needs-to-be-characterized-b_190982.png) > ““Worship, then, needs to be characterized by hospitality; it needs to be inviting. But at the same time, it should be inviting seekers into the church and its unique story and language. Worship should be an occasion of cross-cultural hospitality. Consider an analogy: when I travel to France, I hope to be made to feel welcome. However, I don't expect my French hosts to become Americans in order to make me feel at home. I don't expect them to start speaking English, ordering pizza, talking about the New York Yankees, and so on. Indeed, if I wanted that, I would have just stayed home! Instead, what I'm hoping for is to be welcomed into their unique French culture; that's why I've come to France in the first place. And I know that this will take some work on my part. I'm expecting things to be different; indeed, I'm looking for just this difference. So also, I think, with hospitable worship: seekers are looking for something our culture can't provide. Many don't want a religious version of what they can already get at the mall. And this is especially true of postmodern or Gen X seekers: they are looking for elements of transcendence and challenge that MTV could never give them. Rather than an MTVized version of the gospel, they are searching for the mysterious practices of the ancient gospel.”” [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Worship should welcome seekers by sharing its distinct cultural story, not by mimicking the seeker’s own culture, offering a unique, transcendent experience. **In simple terms:** Worship invites people into its own culture, not the other way around. Key Takeaway Create worship that is culturally distinct yet inviting. Themes hospitality culture transcendence identity postmodern seekers Mood reflective hopeful thoughtful Type theological inspirational practical When to use this quote - church services - multicultural events - young adult gatherings - online worship platforms Key Concepts cultural immersion authenticity spiritual depth Questions to Reflect On - How can worship stay true to its tradition while being welcoming? - What unique aspects of your faith can you share with newcomers? A Different Perspective If the church tries too hard to please, it may dilute its own identity and lose depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Liturgy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liturgy/) [Mtv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mtv/) [Postmodernism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postmodernism/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) [York Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-yankees/) ## Related quotes > [“In the seeker-church movement the emphasis away from the use and explication of creedal confession is obvious, since the whole point is to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/in-the-seeker-church-movement-the-emphasis-away-from-the-use-and/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“One difficulty that people seeking to modernize hymnals and the language of worship inevitably run into is that contemporaries are never the best judges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/one-difficulty-that-people-seeking-to-modernize-hymnals-and-the/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [“If we believe God is present in our worship as He promises to be,20 then we must frame all language of worship as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macdonald/if-we-believe-god-is-present-in-our-worship-as-he-promises-to-be-20/) [James MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macdonald/) ## More by James K.A. 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