Welcome to Dinner, Church

by Verlon Fosner

Church was not always done the way we do it. There was a time when Christians gathered around tables, included the strangers and the poor, ate together, and talked about Jesus. This form of church occurred mostly during the first three hundred years of Christianity, and was highly effective in bringing lost people to Jesus. While the church of today is very meaningful to Christfollowers, it is failing to help our lost neighbors find their way to the Savior. That is no small concern for Jesus’ churches, all of which are called to be in the rescue business.
This little book examines what it might be like for a traditional church to plant a dinner church in a nearby hurting neighborhood. Revelation 3:20 makes it clear that Jesus still wants to have dinner with sinners. That likely means he wants his church to set the table.

Genres: Church

61 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2017

Reviews

[Andy Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro, some solid questions about our approach to those who don’t know Jesus. Not the answer for every church but a worthy discussion and wrestle for each church.

[Lori Mcmurphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many people who have never set foot in church just show up in church on a Sunday? Probably very few. How did the disciples attract new converts or how do we smooth over those parts of people who have been hurt by church? Invite them to dinner. Now that I’ve read this what do I do?

[Summer Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a good book. It helped me understand better the vision my pastor has for our church. I was on board before, but now I’m ready to go out of our church building and right into the community.

[Josh Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

A really interesting new way of doing church and reaching people. I want to read some more. A short quick read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an idea I've been toying with for a while and gives the theological reasoning behind its importance

[Brent Johnson]

A new way to be a church! Actually Fosner is very open about looking back in Church history to find a way to be a church that has been left behind.

Building community around a dinner table is so obvious that you slap yourself on the forehead after reading just a few pages of this book. It is not a long text, only 93 pages long. There is a lot to think about in this slim volume, and Fosner challenges many assumptions we hold and think are ancient (but actually recent developments in ecclesiastical thought).

I highly recommend this book to any member of a church that is struggling to attract people.