I had a friend in seminary named Tung Do who used to love organizing potlucks amongst the student body; he called them a potlove! Some of us love potlucks. There’s something fun about bringing your favorite dish to share, loading up your plate with an assortment of home-cooked goodness, and finding something surprising and delectable to taste. Others? You avoid them like the plague, because, let’s be honest, potlucks are unpredictable. You could end up with a perfect plate or with a combination of peanut butter-stuffed jalapeño poppers, jello casserole, and a questionable mystery dish someone “just threw together.” It’s nothing like a catered meal, where professionals prepare a perfectly planned menu, ensuring everything pairs together just right.
I’d suggest that the church in Corinth was more like a potluck than a catered banquet. Paul paints this picture in 1 Corinthians 14:26 writing, “What then, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” When the church gathered, it wasn’t just a few professionals leading worship while everyone else watched. No, each person brought something to contribute – a song, a teaching, a revelation, an encouragement, a tongue, and an interpretation. Everyone present was a participant. The expectation wasn’t to show up and consume but to contribute to the building up of the body.
I wonder how often we approach church like a catered meal – coming in, taking a seat, and expecting to be served. We listen to the sermon, enjoy the worship, and then go home, treating church like a spiritual restaurant rather than a family meal. But Paul reminds us that church is a potluck. Every follower of Jesus has something to bring. That means you have something to bring – and we need that something. Maybe it’s encouragement for someone who’s struggling. Maybe it’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness. Maybe it’s a gift of teaching or service or prayer. Whatever it is, God has given it to you to build up others.
So let me ask you, are you bringing your dish to the table? Are you engaging, participating, and using the gifts God has given you for the good of the church? Because here’s the thing: when the church operates like a potluck, everyone gets fed. This Sunday, don’t just show up expecting to be served. Come ready to bring something to build up the body. You never know, what you bring might be exactly what someone else needs.
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor