Christian worship Quote by Alan Kreider
““At the heart of early Christian worship was table fellowship. Throughout the first three centuries Christian communities gathered once a week for a meal. Across time these communities moved from an early model, which Tertullian called “our small feasts,” to a later model, which Origen called a “great feast.” 3 I call these models the “evening banquet” and the “morning service.” Both kinds of meals involved remembering Jesus as the communities ate bread and drank from the cup. Both were private: they took place in buildings that were often domestic and from which outsiders could be excluded. Both were accompanied by reading, teaching, and prayers. Each had a distinctive habitus that needed to be shaped and that formed the character of the worshipers.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Early Church and Its Worship Practices, Alan Kreider, 2000
Early Christian worship centered on shared meals that reinforced community identity and remembrance of Jesus, evolving from modest gatherings to larger feasts, each shaping participants' habits and character.
In simple terms: Early Christians ate together to build community and remember Jesus, shaping their worship habits.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how shared rituals shape community values.
Themes
community
ritual
identity
memory
habit
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
Type
historical
theological
When to use this quote
- church gatherings
- family meals
- communal prayer
- teaching sessions
Key Concepts
ecclesiology
social cohesion
ritual theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can contemporary worship recreate intimate community?
- What role does shared food play in modern faith groups?
A Different Perspective
Modern worship may lack the intimate, domestic setting of early meals.
![“Worship is first and foremost a feasting on all that God is for us in Jesus... [One] in which God is the host, the cook, the waiter, and the meal itself.” quote by Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7db/sam-storms-12070_cooks_worship-is-first-and-foremost-a-feasting_1152243.jpg)
