Many Christians are becoming increasingly individualistic and drifting away from the “tent door” of their homes, where hospitality, fellowship and the practical expression of Christian values should flourish, Reverend Professor P. C. Onwochei has said.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Retreat of the Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF), Prof. Onwochei said Christian homes should be like “wombs” where the Word of God becomes flesh and where the principles of Christianity can be seen, felt and experienced.
He drew lessons from Abraham’s encounter with three visitors in Genesis 18, when the patriarch was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. According to him, the account demonstrates the importance of remaining available to others, even in difficult seasons, because everyone experiences the “heat of the day” at some point in life.
He explained that the heat could represent emotional, financial, marital and other challenges, as well as the temptations that seek to draw believers away from God. “Even when you are going through the heat of the day, as a proper Christian couple, you must stand against the enemy through prayer and resolve to follow Jesus Christ,” he said.
Prof. Onwochei said hospitality begins with being present and available in one’s home. He noted that Abraham would not have seen, welcomed or entertained the three visitors had he not been sitting at the door of his tent. “You cannot be hospitable when you relinquish your home for places of merry-making, gossiping and chasing things that do not matter or have eternal value,” he said.
Using the “heat” of the day as a metaphor for life’s challenges and temptations, he urged couples not to abandon their homes or run away from their problems. “God expects you to take refuge in your tent and not in another person’s tent. No walking away from your problems. Abraham did not walk away from the door of his tent, even at the time he had no son,” he said.
He encouraged couples to remain committed to their homes even when circumstances are uncomfortable, saying, “Even if your house is not comfortable, stay at your tent gate and try to make your house as comfortable as you can.”
Prof. Onwochei said Abraham’s resilience and hospitality positioned him to encounter divine favour. He also highlighted Sarah’s readiness to welcome and serve the visitors, noting that she was available when the guests arrived and did not leave the responsibility of entertaining them to someone else.
He urged couples to cultivate homes where hospitality is expressed with warmth, joy and genuine love, rather than with quarrelling, resentment or unfriendly attitudes.
“You will invite divine favour into your home when you are hospitable,” he said, adding that hospitality should be a shared responsibility between husband and wife.
Referring again to Abraham’s encounter, he noted that Abraham personally participated in serving his visitors, while Sarah remained nearby. This, he said, demonstrated that both husband and wife should be actively involved in creating a welcoming home.
Prof. Onwochei further urged couples not to become so preoccupied with other activities that they neglect their homes and spouses. He noted that when the visitors asked, “Where is Sarah your wife?”, she was close by and subsequently heard the promise concerning the birth of a son. He therefore encouraged couples to remain attentive to their homes and to one another, regardless of the pressures of daily life.
He concluded by stressing that hospitality is not optional for Christian couples but an expression of their service to God. “Be responsible,” he said. “When you are faced with it, pray to God for grace to be hospitable, because you are not serving people but God. It is good to be hospitable, but do so together as a couple and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.”