Food Glorious Food

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

Our Tuesday night cell group was great this week. The teaching was inspiring. The discussion was meaningful. The prayer time was right on. The fellowship was warm. The food was fabulous. I have been slow to coming to an understanding of how important the food is.

The food is essential. A cell group is as close as modern Christianity comes to what the 1st century Christians experienced. Our Sunday services are nothing like the early church. They are spectator events. The early church was very participatory. Sitting in straight row pews, dropping something in the collection play, singing along in a small voice, even giving an occasional “Amen” is not really participating.

In a cell group the gathered family of God devotes themselves to teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Now, that’s church. It’s really the food that leads the way on participation. In our cell group everyone participates, sometimes every week. That’s why, like last night, we sometimes have a ridiculous amount of food. The wonder of it is that everyone brings something. It is only partly planned and it turns out wonderful. Bringing food encourages every one to also take part in the discussions and in the praying and in the sharing of concern for each others and in each others lives. It wouldn’t be the same without the food.

The food reminds us of the presence of God. It is He that provides, no matter how much each of us pours into the preparation. My wife puts a lot into meal preparation, but never so much as when it’s something for the church group. The food doesn’t just allow us to take part. It allows us to take part passionately.

There is something about eating together that draws us together. Bet  your first date was a meal. Every holiday is a meal. Birthdays are celebrated by eating. This isn’t just eating. It is eating “family style.” To me family style means, you don’t know what you’re going to get. You eat what  you are served. You never know who you will be sitting with. You talk about your day and the memories the food brings.

If you aren’t getting together with other Christians and sharing food, you are missing out. You probably don’t know what church is all about. That’s really sad and totally unnecessary.