Churches are known for Sunday potlucks and feeding the homeless. But an increasing number of congregations — from small, neighborhood houses of worship to mega-churches — are returning to the timeless tradition of using shared meals as a form of outreach for new members among the unaffiliated and recent arrivals.<\/p>\n
Every Wednesday night there is a free dinner for prospective members at First Baptist Church of Orlando, featuring sandwiches, homemade cookies and sodas. Although the fare is simple, great care is taken in the preparation and presentation.<\/p>\n
“If it’s a fantastic meal, and then you have a gospel message presentation, it all goes together in creating an environment where someone feels comfortable making a decision for Christ,” said Marcus White, the congregation’s director of food services. “We believe we’re a ministry in itself.”<\/p>\n
Using food and fellowship harks back to the earliest days of Christianity. In the first century, the shared meal was a primary method of outreach, fellowship and evangelization following the crucifixion of Jesus.<\/p>\n
“A strategy for evangelism based on table fellowship is very much at home in the Christian tradition,” said David Steinmetz of the Duke Divinity School. “There’s nothing new about the importance of food and drink for a genuinely religious life.”<\/p>\n
Martin Marty of the University of Chicago agreed — in part.<\/p>\n
“We know that the earliest Christians did not have ‘Evangelism Committees’ with sub-committees on ‘How to attract converts with food,’ ” he said. “They had something better: hospitality as a way of life.”<\/p>\n