There was quite a reaction to one of my blog posts about Fresh Expressions in Leicester, England, and how we need new ways of doing and being church today. I’ve had quite a lot of interest in what these new ways could look like, one of them being dinner church. I’ve even been interviewed by radio stations around the world about it.
Whenever I’m asked what these new ways look like I always tell them about dinner churches, which I think is a really beautiful, simple, achievable way to start a new kind of congregation.
And I’m not alone, it turns out.
Leonard Sweet, writer, futurist, scholar, once said, “Whenever I’m asked, ‘What is God up to?’ my most common answer is, ‘Have you heard of the dinner church movement?’”
So, what is dinner church? Well, it’s dinner. And church. Scrunched together. But there’s so much more to it than that. You can understand what is dinner church from examples around the world to give you a little taste.
What Is Dinner Church?
ST LYDIA’S, BROOKLYN
St Lydia’s was the original dinner church. They don’t only eat together, they prepare the meal together. When you arrive, you get given a job like stirring a pot or slicing veggies or setting the table. At St Lydia’s, they figure working together is an intrinsic part of the experience. It builds community and brings people closer to God.
Then, as you sit around a table, sharing a meal, you’re invited to explore scripture together, sing, and pray.
