Table Hospitality: Breaking Bread Together
Generosity and Hospitality
Reflection By Scott Stoner
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.
- Acts 2:46 (NKJV)
Some of the most powerful expressions of hospitality happen around tables. There is something sacred about sharing food with others—it creates intimacy, builds relationships, and communicates care beyond words.
Jesus understood this deeply. Many of his most significant teachings and encounters happened around tables. He ate with tax collectors and sinners, shared meals with his disciples, and used food imagery to describe God’s kingdom. The Last Supper established the pattern of communion that continues to nourish the church.
In our fast-paced world, table hospitality has become increasingly rare. We eat on the run, in our cars, or in front of screens. We’ve lost touch with gathering around a table to share food, stories, laughter, and companionship.
The early church understood that sharing meals together was about building community and expressing love. When they “broke bread in their homes,” they were creating space for relationship and mutual care.
Table hospitality doesn’t require elaborate meals or perfect presentations. The most meaningful experiences of hospitality happen over simple food shared with open hearts. The gift is the invitation and presence we offer one another. Sharing meals nourishes our bodies (strength), creates emotional connection (heart), builds community (soul), and requires intentional planning (mind).
Making it Personal: What are your most meaningful memories of sharing meals with others? What holiday meals have been especially meaningful and why? Share a meal with someone today—in person, over video call, or by delivering food—focusing on being present and creating connection.