Come and Dine

Jesus used the provision of physical food as an opportunity to teach about spiritual food, as we see in
John chapter 6, after He had fed five thousand:
25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"
26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Jesus had demonstrated His ability to meet physical needs, multiplying the meager resources of a young man with five loaves of bread and two fish.  While the disciples were concerned about how to buy food to feed the crowd, Jesus confidently took what was available and showed His power.  He helped the disciples to recognize that food was a means to an end, a teaching opportunity - we can see how God will use food as something to bring people together, so that His name may be exalted.

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In Acts chapter 2, we see members of the early church coming together in dynamic ways, fellowshipping together and, as you might say, "feasting" together. We can read:
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people.

Kendall Vanderslice has a background in food studies, and has studied how food and faith work together.  There's a piece on the Religion News website that tracks a trend that is growing in some churches, described as a "dinner church."

The article says that Vanderslice...

...spent three months attending Thursday night dinner church gatherings at Simple Church outside Boston. By the time she finished writing her thesis, she’d learned about 30 similar gatherings.

Pretty soon, she said, she lost count of the dinner churches starting every week, each unique to the needs of a specific community and context.

“I think there’s no one-size-fits-all model that can be sort of plopped down into any context and work,” she said.

The article is centered on progressive churches in Chicago and New York, but Vanderslice has a point; she says, “The story of Jesus’ ministry is a ministry that takes place through meals,” adding, “It’s not just about sustenance, it’s about delight and it’s about joy. And it’s about forming community.”

One featured church in the article, in Chicago, holds a special gathering in a local park, called the Welcome Table. The article notes, "It’s part of a growing trend of dinner churches popping up across the country in churches in a number of denominations, conservative and progressive, urban and rural and everything in between."

I discovered the Dinner Church Collective website, which features the story of Verlon and Melodee Foster of Seattle. The site says, "Their robust, storied 90-year-old church was dying a slow and quiet death." It goes on to say:

With this gift of desperation, they began to experiment with new forms of Church. After a few missteps, they stumbled into a simple practice.

It was a practice that piqued the interest of non-Christians and Christians alike.

It was simple and affordable.

It was a practice Jesus used with his disciples.

It was a practice that the Church Fathers developed to reach and disciple believers across the ancient world.

A meal, music and message.

The Fosters discovered that others were doing similar things, and so a "collective" was born.  The site says, "They found immediate camaraderie with Fresh Expressions US, a movement of pioneering churches, experimenting with new forms of Christian community, created for people who may never go to an established church."

Honestly, when people start talking about new ways of doing church, I get a little nervous, and wonder about the theological underpinnings for those who are pursuing these new ways.  And, admittedly, as I mentioned, the Religion News story, as is customary, seems to have a more liberal slant.

But the theology of combining faith with a common meal is not new; rather, we see the earthly ministry of Jesus was permeated with gatherings centered on food.  Jesus used food analogies - He referred to Himself as the bread of life.  In the Last Supper, He took the bread and said, "this is my body, broken for you."  That occasion has become one of the Sacraments of the Church.  The early church was known for its unity for a common purpose, and in Acts 2, we see they were involved in "breaking bread."

At IBelieve.com, Susha Roberts writes:

Jesus often used meals to engage with people and teach important lessons. And he continues to call us to his table to feast on who he is and learn more about him through his Word. Jesus’ example provides an opportunity to invite friends, outcasts and even enemies to know God’s story of love and salvation.

In the book of Luke alone, there are 10 stories of Jesus dining with various people.

She then goes on to comment on lessons that can be learned from each of those occasions.

So, there is certainly a tie-in between the furtherance of faith and the consumption of food.  I even saw a tweet that likened the dinner church concept to a pot luck; a modern-day one, for sure.  But, churches continue to observe fellowship meals, or that special "dinner on the grounds," where church members will prepare food to be shared with others in the congregation.

We can certainly be motivated to think outside the box in the ways that we "do church" and serve God and one another.  And, a fellowship meal can be a great opportunity to invite people to come into a church setting, where perhaps they can receive spiritual food for their souls.  And, I've spotlighted in the past instances of ministries are going into their neighborhoods and feeding the people around them. 

People are certainly hungry for the bread of life, that can satisfy their souls; perhaps they are not aware of it yet, but Christ can enter their hearts and meet their needs - a shared meal may be just the right opportunity through which He can be introduced.