Revitalizing Church Through the Dinner Church Movement with Verlon Fosner

The Last Service Podcast

Discover how the Dinner Church Collective is revitalizing the way we experience church and reach the unchurched. In this thought-provoking episode, Verlon Fosner shares his journey of transforming a dying church into a vibrant community centered around the simple act of gathering for a meal and engaging with the stories of Jesus. Learn about the sociological challenges facing modern churches, the surprising spiritual experiences witnessed at Jesus' tables, and the growth of this innovative approach across the country. Gain insights into building an inclusive and accessible form of worship that resonates with those disconnected from traditional church settings.

Outline:

1. Introduction to Verlon Fosner and his background
2. The decline of his church and the realization of a sociological problem
3. The idea of Dinner Church and its origins in the New Testament
4. The structure and format of a Dinner Church gathering
5. The impact of Dinner Church on isolated and unchurched individuals
6. The surprising spiritual experiences and healings witnessed at Jesus' tables
7. The growth of the Dinner Church movement across the country
8. Resources for learning more about Dinner Church

Key Takeaways:

• Despite everyone's best efforts Westminster Community was unsuccessful at revitalizing. Revitalization came by becoming aware of the sociological needs of their surrounding community. Verlon used words like 'rescue' and 'recovery' to describe their new sense of mission, rather than words like 'reach' and 'attract' which are often associated with church growth.
• Verlon's five aspects of what makes a church a church are a great way to measure the health of your church beyond just attendance or membership:
  • Worship
  • Fellowship
  • Discipleship
  • Evangelism
  • Compassion
• The apostolic age of the church might be the best place to look for inspiration on how to be a church in an unchurched world. Given our society's current rates of loneliness, isolation and division, it's not that surprising to see Westminster Community Assembly of God grow across a city by building tables rather than auditoriums.

Resources:

https://www.dinnerchurch.com/