Incorporate holidays to foster what is already happening in your neighborhood.

Pray for the people you are inviting in the weeks before and after meal night.

Alternate between hosting meal nights in public plces and homes.

Have a pre-meal with a new person & someone in your HC.

Consider what language you are using to invite folks. The term “Meal Night” does not have the same familiarity for others as it does for us. Be creative and thoughful.

Communicate plans for the evening and discuss who from your Top 5 you plan to invite.

Challenge the core team in your HC to grab a “second meal” with newcomers. A “second meal” is when a person attends meal night, and is invited to meet with someone other than the person that originally invited them.

Utilize central communications to coordinate logistics.

Encourage everyone in the HC to contribute something. Meal Nights can be taxing on hosts who often end up providing essentials like plates, drinks, and napkins.

Try to get this on the calendar weeks/a month in advance. Week-of invites have a much lower rate of success than thoughtful planning.

If you don’t have any new people at your meal night, consider shifting and prayer walking your streets or having a pointed conversation about how to increase missional impulse in your group.