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An Ideas You Can Use Article

recipe for ministry

By Richard Atwood

I like to eat! And I am not alone. I enjoy eating with other people.

It’s a great way to break down barriers and build friendships. Perhaps this is why so much lighthearted humor has targeted Baptists and their eating. I’m sure you have heard the joke about the symbol of the Baptists being a “covered dish.”

Greg Floars, home missionary to Marquette, Michigan, says they eat so much at their church, they are known as the “Free Meal Baptists.” But is eating alone in front of a TV more spiritual than eating with others? Of course not! In Acts 2, we find the early church “breaking bread from house to house.”

The truth is, food is a useful tool for reaching people and building fellowship. You might call it a recipe for ministry. I asked some of our home missionaries to share their ideas for using food in their ministries.

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Randy Ledbetter and Scott Warren, Salt Lake City, Utah

We hosted two community chili suppers while trying to gather people to start the church. We rented school cafeterias and hung door hanger invitations on 2,500 homes near the schools. During the supper, we provided live Christian music, showed our promotional DVD, shared the gospel, and served free chili dinner to everyone who came.

Two of our original families learned about the church from these meals. We didn’t have big turnouts, but God used it to connect us with these families who became part of our church. We put cards for free Chick-fil-A sandwiches in the welcome packets we hand out to guests who visit our church.

We go to lunch each Sunday with a group from the church. This has become a great fellowship and connecting time. The restaurants often remember us and associate us with a new church in the area.

We serve coffee and refreshments each Sunday and at small group meetings.

We enjoyed a church meal in the park after our servant project last fall.

Wow! I didn’t realize how much food is involved in what we do.

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Mark Thomas, Pueblo, Colorado

My mother used to say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

We advertise and provide fast food gift cards to first-time visitors.

We invite people to eat with us at our home after church as well.

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Tim Riggs, Mobile, Alabama

We sponsored a barbeque meal after our grand opening service. It went really well, and complete strangers broke the ice by eating together and talking for almost two hours.

Based on that experience, we started a monthly fellowship meal. Usually, each family brings a covered dish.

On our church's anniversary, the first Sunday of April, we cater a meal after the service.

Angie and I invite one family a month to our house for Sunday lunch. We currently invite families in the church, but we may expand that to unsaved neighbors in time.

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Jeff Isaacs in Battle Creek, Michigan

We host a Labor Day picnic at the church. We don’t make it a “church” function but a “community” event hosted by the church. Our invitations read:

You are invited to Wattles Park Community Block Party. The Berea Church has donated the use of their property for the afternoon. See you on Labor Day at 2:00 p.m.

This also works great for community Christmas Pageants. It’s the same concept. The church shares in the project with the rest of the community.

Of course, church members are there and go out of their way to mingle and meet people. Both types of events have worked well for us.

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Allen Hall in York, Pennsylvania

We serve refreshments after each Thursday night Bible Study.

We provide food for special events—July 4th picnic, Homecoming, Men's & Ladies' Prayer Breakfasts, Super Bowl Party, etc.

We have hosted several cookouts for church folks and visiting youth groups. We always try to invite the neighbors. My new associate's family and my family are beginning to take one or two Sunday's each month to invite a family out to eat or to our home for lunch. Visitors go to the top of the list!

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Freddy Gillentine in Abilene, Texas

Two years ago, we started having lunch after the Sunday service. Everyone helps by bringing something. It's a great time to fellowship and get to know one another without rushing off for lunch or trying to figure out where to eat.

About the Writer: Richard Atwood is director of missionary assistance for the Home Missions Department. To learn more about the ministry of Home Missions, visit www.homemissions.net.

ONE Magazine archives

ONE Magazine home

An Ideas You Can Use Article

recipe for ministry

By Richard Atwood

I like to eat! And I am not alone. I enjoy eating with other people.

It’s a great way to break down barriers and build friendships. Perhaps this is why so much lighthearted humor has targeted Baptists and their eating. I’m sure you have heard the joke about the symbol of the Baptists being a “covered dish.”

The truth is, food is a useful tool for reaching people and building fellowship. You might call it a recipe for ministry. I asked some of our home missionaries to share their ideas for using food in their ministries.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Randy Ledbetter and Scott Warren, Salt Lake City, Utah

Two of our original families learned about the church from these meals. We didn’t have big turnouts, but God used it to connect us with these families who became part of our church. We put cards for free Chick-fil-A sandwiches in the welcome packets we hand out to guests who visit our church.

We go to lunch each Sunday with a group from the church. This has become a great fellowship and connecting time. The restaurants often remember us and associate us with a new church in the area.

We serve coffee and refreshments each Sunday and at small group meetings.

We enjoyed a church meal in the park after our servant project last fall.

Wow! I didn’t realize how much food is involved in what we do.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Thomas, Pueblo, Colorado

My mother used to say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

We advertise and provide fast food gift cards to first-time visitors.

We invite people to eat with us at our home after church as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim Riggs, Mobile, Alabama

We sponsored a barbeque meal after our grand opening service. It went really well, and complete strangers broke the ice by eating together and talking for almost two hours.

Based on that experience, we started a monthly fellowship meal. Usually, each family brings a covered dish.

On our church's anniversary, the first Sunday of April, we cater a meal after the service.

Angie and I invite one family a month to our house for Sunday lunch. We currently invite families in the church, but we may expand that to unsaved neighbors in time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Isaacs in Battle Creek, Michigan

We host a Labor Day picnic at the church. We don’t make it a “church” function but a “community” event hosted by the church. Our invitations read:

You are invited to Wattles Park Community Block Party. The Berea Church has donated the use of their property for the afternoon. See you on Labor Day at 2:00 p.m.

This also works great for community Christmas Pageants. It’s the same concept. The church shares in the project with the rest of the community.

Of course, church members are there and go out of their way to mingle and meet people. Both types of events have worked well for us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allen Hall in York, Pennsylvania

We serve refreshments after each Thursday night Bible Study.

We provide food for special events—July 4th picnic, Homecoming, Men's & Ladies' Prayer Breakfasts, Super Bowl Party, etc.

We have hosted several cookouts for church folks and visiting youth groups. We always try to invite the neighbors. My new associate's family and my family are beginning to take one or two Sunday's each month to invite a family out to eat or to our home for lunch. Visitors go to the top of the list!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freddy Gillentine in Abilene, Texas

Two years ago, we started having lunch after the Sunday service. Everyone helps by bringing something. It's a great time to fellowship and get to know one another without rushing off for lunch or trying to figure out where to eat.

About the Writer: Richard Atwood is director of missionary assistance for the Home Missions Department. To learn more about the ministry of Home Missions, visit www.homemissions.net.

©2009 ONE Magazine, National Association of Free Will Baptists