Proximity Podcast - Episode 2
The Lost Art of Hospitality - Dr. Matthew McBirth

Hospitality is more than a great charcuterie board or a night of laughter with friends. In
many cultures, it’s a rite of passage—a sacred invitation into belonging and
understanding. In this episode of Proximity, we rediscover hospitality as a way of life,
not just an occasional event.

Jesus modeled this kind of radical welcome—sharing tables with the outcast and the
overlooked, turning ordinary meals into moments of transformation. True hospitality isn’t
about presentation; it’s about presence. It’s creating space where people feel seen,
safe, and significant.

Our guest, Dr. Matthew McBirth, shares stories and insights about cultivating authentic
community in everyday life—where sharing meals and opening doors can change
hearts. In a divided world, hospitality may be one of the most powerful ways to love like
Jesus and make room for God to move.

Podcast interviewee: Dr. Matthew McBirth

Matthew serves as Professor of Biblical Studies and the Director of Multicultural Affairs Ozark Christian College and Lincoln Seminary, where he strives to raise up servant leaders who love, honor, embrace, and encourage kingdom diversity for the sake of the Gospel. He is married to his beautiful bride, Allison, whom he met during his student years at OCC. They have two precious children. Apart from talking about the Bible and unity within the church, on campus, and in society, Matthew enjoys playing and hanging with his family. He holds a Doctorate of Ministry in New Testament Context (Northern Seminary) where he wrote "Jesus, the Early Church, and Belonging: A Contextual Study of Hospitality in the New Testament World.”

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Proximity is a podcast from Mission Church, a new church serving the northwest region of Minneapolis/St. Paul. It is here that we address the relational, situational, cultural, and spiritual implications through real-life interactions. Each of us experiences moments that require us to step up, forward, back, and out, but how do you discern the best response? We step into a dangerous middle, holding these tensions in love, full of grace and truth.

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