Table Life: An Invitation to Everyday Discipleship

by Greg Mamula

Eating with others is holy work. This new book presents a uniquely holistic approach to table fellowship as a spiritual discipline. Many table fellowship resources begin and end at the table, and many spiritual discipline resources limit the theological significance of the table to the Eucharist, led by clergy. Table Life is an intentional and interactive process of reflection and action, meals and mission, listening and storytelling, scripture and perspective, communion and neighboring. These disciplines connect the individual with Christ, the local church, their neighborhood, and their community contexts. Discover how participating in the spiritual disciplines of eating together, listening, storytelling, scripture reading, and communion in the context of a community you begin to be shaped into people who recognize and celebrate the presence of Christ in every aspect of life.

176 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2021

About the author

Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula is the Associate Executive Minister and Region Missionary to the American Baptist Churches of Nebraska. He and his wife have two children, and live in Bellevue, NE. He is an avid baseball fan and believes Opening Day should be a national holiday.

Greg has a B.A. in Christian Ministries, a Master of Divinity from Truett Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry in Jewish Context of the New Testament from Northern Seminary.

Greg’s work with the ABC NE Region includes preaching, pastor searches, conflict transformation, church training, pastoral continuing education, clergy ethics, Baptist polity and history, the Department of Professional Ministry, consultation and education. His ongoing writing projects include regular contributions to Word&Way and Christian Citizen

Reviews

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really opened my eyes to how important is to sit down and have family meals, a tradition that has sadly been lost. I think due to today's fast paced lifestyles the interactions around a table of food is the thing of the past. We'd be a much better place if family meal time and storytelling would come back. What a great read. Thanks Greg Mamula for opening my eyes. I am going to pass this book on to my young adult children who are in college so maybe when they have families they will understand the importance of sharing meals and life together at the table. Waiting for your next great informative book.

[James Weise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book. The community that this way of living creates is something that I would love to have more of in my life.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book extremely helpful. Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula invites Christ followers into a space that embraces Scripture, listening, storytelling, and communion so that we might be like Christ. He is aware of the challenges that come along with fellowshipping in our world and offers helpful, clear ways to rethink worship. To read this book is to invest in a practitioner way of discipleship that has been pushed aside by the championing of worship attendance, quick fixes, and shallow interactions.

[Julee]

Did not finish. 65% complete. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the book, but I found it tedious. The chapters dragged on, ran in multiple directions and became laborious to read. I’ve read many books on table fellowship and this one might have had something to bring to the table, but at 100 pages in, it was too difficult to parse what those might be.

[Shanon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this perspective of true discipleship and community