Think of “dinner church” as a dinner party with the word. People gathered around tables, sharing their thoughts over a home-cooked meal, asking questions, praying for each other and learning how to apply the word to their situations.
Church attendance is at a record low, but creative movements such as “dinner church” across denominations in the country show the power of creativity and community.
All You Need To Know About the “Dinner Church” Movement
“Dinner church” is a gathering of people during the week or the month for a meal and conversation around faith. The movement gets its inspiration from the early church and Jesus’ ministry through meals. An invitation to eat was an invitation to faith.
Similarly, the “dinner church” movement centers on breaking bread and sharing the word with conversation.
Why Is the Movement So Popular?
The movement is especially popular among millennials looking for Christ-centered friendships and community. But it’s also an opportunity to share the gospel and encourage conversations about faith among non-Christians or people new to it.
The movement is so popular because it focuses on community and engages with the word on a conversational level. People have questions and are more likely to seek answers to those questions in their community.
Some people prefer alternative structures to the Sunday morning teaching service. Others may have experienced church hurt or isolation and need encouragement to gather with believers again.
The church can learn from Jesus’ charge to Simon Peter to feed his sheep. Called to share God’s love through community, providing believers and non-believers alike with spiritual food and going out to seek the lost.
“Dinner church” offers that framework by bridging the pulpit gap between pastors, leaders and the congregation or community. It’s a space where people can process their thoughts, gain more understanding and delve deeper into the word in a way that helps them to apply it practically.
How Can You Participate?
There’s no one size fits all template to follow. The structure generally includes worship, conversation over dinner, a short sermon, and an open conversation afterward. How you do it depends on your community and context.
If you’re considering starting a “dinner church,” consider what would make people feel welcome and at ease attending the gathering. Someone might want to move around tables and join different conversations or they might want to sit by a beanbag and contemplate the short sermon.
Someone else might want to help with the dishes or take a walk outside and chat with the worship leader about the music. The point is to encourage conversation and reflection organically.
After sharing a brief message, allow people to wander around and engage in different discussions for 20 minutes. The evening can end with a prayer, sharing or communion.
Planning For A “Dinner Church”
1. Find a Suitable Place
Some dinner churches meet at parks or in restaurants. Find somewhere in your neighborhood open to the community, such as a school hall or community center. You might meet in someone’s living room or a basement when you first start.
2. Organize Volunteers
You will need at least six to half a dozen people. You will need some people to prepare meals, watch the general events of the gathering and properly trained childcare facilitators to help with the kids. As the group grows, there will be more volunteers and hands for cooking, clearing up and dishes.
3. Serve Healthy And Hearty Meals
You can rotate menus depending on the group of people gathering. Your “dinner church” may become two, or the young adult group might decide that they want to have “dinner church” in the form of a pizza party at a local park. As long as the food is simple and fresh, it will work.
You could have home-baked bread with soup or salads with grains and protein. You could have a base salad and be creative by swapping out the protein whenever you gather. Crab and shrimp make good additions since they have vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Warm chicken and vegetable soup with bread on colder days is another healthy option filled with nutrients.
Faith, Food and Fellowship.
The love of a shared meal transforms communities and is a powerful way to connect church members and pursue connections with people outside of the church who will make an impact.
Christ-centered fellowship has always brought about transformation and is a great way to serve your community and share your faith in love.
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