Dinner Church is a simple way of doing church built around a shared meal, table conversations, and short Jesus stories. It’s designed for people who won’t (or don’t) attend traditional church but are open to spiritual conversations and community. If you can feed people and have conversations, you can start a Dinner Church.
Aim for 60–90 minutes. Keep the flow simple:
- Welcome & Prayer
- Meal
- Jesus story
- Table conversation
Surprisingly little:
- A space (fellowship hall, community center, fire hall, cafeteria, etc)
- A few tables
- A meal
- A Jesus story
- A few table hosts
- A plan to pray with people
Everything else can grow over time.
Table Hosts are the heartbeat of Dinner Church. They’re not teachers or experts — they’re warm, steady people who can make others feel safe at the table. Their job is to welcome guests, guide conversation, listen well, and notice needs. Most people need a relationship with a Christian before they are open to a relationship with Christ.
There are several workable models:
- A rotating volunteer team
- A single cook who prepares a simple weekly menu
- Partnering with local businesses or restaurants
- Potluck-style (less common but doable in the right setting)
Keep meals affordable and repeatable.
Most leaders budget $2–$4 per person per week depending on the menu. Check out our resource page for ideas to fund your dinner church.
Pastor Gary and Pastor Jess are available to join board meetings and speak to your congregation. Let us know how we can help!
Think 5–8 minutes. Tell a story from the Gospels, highlight how Jesus interacted with people, and leave room for curiosity. The goal isn’t to preach a full sermon, it’s to open the door for a meaningful conversation at the table.
Dinner Church is naturally kid-friendly. Options include:
- A volunteer-led corner space – You don’t need a full kids program, but do think ahead about how to make kids feel welcome.
- Kids at the tables with adults
- A kids’ table
- Short activities at their seats
Over-complicating it. Dinner Church works best when it’s simple, relational, and Christ-centered. If you focus on hospitality, consistency, and table relationships, the rest will come together.
