Finding Jesus at Dinner Church

Anjalie* stood in front of the door. From the other side, she could hear the sound of people chatting and dishes clattering. Her heart was pounding, and she wondered whether she should just go home—but something told her she needed to be there.

She took a deep breath and knocked.

Leah De Vos, one of your Mission Network Developers with Resonate, welcomes international students like Anjalie into her home every Friday for Dinner Church. She had invited Anjalie over weeks ago.

Dinner Church isn’t a new concept. Inspired by the role food and eating together played in Jesus’ ministry and in the early church described in Acts, hundreds of dinner churches have trickled out of the Dinner Church Collective in places throughout the world. Through your giving to Resonate, you help support Leah’s work with Dinner Church where she lives in Ontario.

Through Dinner Church, you’re reaching and connecting with people who might not be comfortable in a traditional church setting but who are hungry for community and interested in learning more about Jesus. People like Anjalie.

She felt this sense that everybody genuinely wanted to get to know her.

Anjalie wasn’t a Christian—she’s from India and grew up practicing Hinduism—but she was lonely. She was struggling with depression and didn’t feel like she had anyone who really knew her and cared for her. She was looking for hope and community. You helped provide that.

Your ministry leader Leah saw how lonely Anjalie was. That’s why she invited Anjalie to Dinner Church.

“We eat, play games, and do devotions together,” Leah shared with Anjalie. “I’m a Christian, so we spend some time reading the Bible.”

Do you ever feel like God is asking you to do something you’re nervous about? God was pursuing Anjalie.

Anjalie said she was nervous, but she “felt a pull” to go to Dinner Church. It took her a few weeks, but she finally worked up the courage. And while it was awkward at first, it didn’t take her long to feel comfortable. She was warmly welcomed by Leah and the other students. She got to eat a delicious meal and get to know people.

“She felt this sense that everybody genuinely wanted to get to know her,” said Leah.

And when it came time for devotions that night, Leah felt compelled to share part of her testimony of coming to faith in Jesus. 

“I shared my heart and Anjalie said because of that, she felt like she could share her own kind of broken story. She was like, ‘Wow this is a safe place,’” said Leah.

After that night, Anjalie never missed a week. She became more and more interested in the gospel. Dinner Church is never meant to be a replacement for being part of a traditional church, but it’s a first step. Dinner Church turned into Bible study, Bible study turned into attending church, and one day, Anjalie decided to give her life to Jesus. Not too long ago, she was baptized.

Thank you for being there for Anjalie when she was looking for hope and community! Your support of Leah’s work with Dinner Church helped to change Anjalie’s life.

*Name changed