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What does it take for bivocational leaders to build a thriving Dinner Church in the heart of a big city? In this episode, Ben and Jordan Arias share their journey from small-town Georgia to urban Chicago, where they planted two Dinner Churches. They discuss the challenges and rewards of bivocational leadership, the unexpected family they found in Chicago, and the powerful role of Dinner Church in their own lives.
Now back in Georgia, Ben and Jordan are opening their own table for a new kind of “Passover,” inviting neighbors and family to experience church as an expression of identity and calling. Listen in for an inspiring story of faith, community, and transformation.
Ben and Jordan Arias started their Dinner Church journey 6 years ago. After attending a Dinner Church encounter and the immersion in Seattle, they were ready to set the table in Chicago. Alongside their leadership at Hope Church Lagrange, Ben and Jordan helped plant and pastor 2 dinner churches. After almost 4 years around tables in Chicago, they decided to move south. They are excited to see what God has next for them and dinner church in North Georgia. They have been married for 10 years and love their cat Guppie.
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Interview Summary
“We always knew that the essence of our dinner church was keeping our table open at home. If this season requires us to wait before we can establish one in our current city, then our door will remain open and our table ready to welcome anyone who needs it.” – Jordan
In this insightful episode of the Dinner Church podcast, Verlon Fosner delves into the transformative world of dinner churches—a model of church that combines food, fellowship, and faith in a communal setting. We explore the journey of Ben and Jordan Arias, a husband and wife team who have spearheaded this initiative, transitioning from traditional church settings to dinner churches in urban environments.
Verlon Fosner, Director of the Dinner Church Collective, leads us through a compelling discussion about the challenges and triumphs associated with setting up dinner churches. The couple’s experience offers profound insights into the potential of this church model to foster community and spiritual growth in diverse settings.
Ben and Jordan Areas share their experiences of starting and running dinner churches, first in Chicago and later as they plan to establish new ones in Georgia. Both have backgrounds in ministry and hospitality, which they leverage to create welcoming, inclusive spaces where people from all walks of life can share a meal and engage in spiritual discussions.
Power of Hospitality
One prominent theme was the power of hospitality, highlighted by Jordan’s commitment to keeping their table open, which she describes as a fundamental practice:
“For we knew at dinner church was we kept our table open at our house. If that’s what this season looks like, until we can plant one in the city that we’re in, then our door will be opened and our table will be available.”
This practice underpins the dinner church’s ethos of openness and community engagement, serving as a spiritual and literal refuge.
Adaptability to Urban Environments
Ben and Jordan discussed the initial trepidation and subsequent adaptation to urban ministry in Chicago, where community bonds were unexpectedly strong despite the city’s notorious reputation for violence. Ben reflects, “Chicago has the notoriety of being a violent place… you find that people sort of bond together closer,” illustrating how dinner churches can thrive and foster tight-knit communities even in challenging urban landscapes.
Spiritual and Community Growth
The spiritual and community growth facilitated by dinner churches was a central discussion point.
“It’s not just something you do. It’s a theology.” – Verlon Fosner
This comment underscores the idea that dinner churches are not merely community centers but are deeply spiritual endeavors that mirror the communal and inclusive practices of early Christian gatherings.
This episode with Ben and Jordan Arias sheds light on the transformative power of dinner churches in fostering community through shared meals and spiritual discussions. By blending hospitality with faith in an urban setting, they demonstrate that dinner churches not only accommodate but thrive under challenging circumstances, creating tight-knit communities in diverse environments. Their experiences illustrate the profound impact of such models on community and spiritual growth, encouraging listeners to consider how they might implement similar concepts in their own settings. With Ben and Jordan’s inspiring journey as a backdrop, this podcast invites us to re-envision what church can look like: a place of openness, adaptability, and deep spiritual connection.
Reflection Questions
- What does hospitality mean to you, and how can you incorporate it into your community or spiritual practices?
- How can urban churches address the challenges of their environments while fostering close-knit communities?
- In what ways does the dinner church model align with the biblical practices of fellowship and breaking bread?
- What fears might you have about starting a new church model, and how can you address them?
- How can the principles of dinner church be adapted to rural or suburban settings?
- What steps can you take to explore or start a dinner church in your community?
