#212 | Why Dinner Went from 90 Minutes to 12 (And How to Fix It) with Ian Simkins

In a culture addicted to screens, speed, and echo chambers, something sacred has slipped away: the simple act of gathering across a table with people face to face.
On this episode of Talks with Gallagher, John sits down with his longtime friend and fellow Judson University alumnus Ian Simkins, lead pastor of The Bridge Church outside Nashville and author of the new book "Every Table an Altar: Reclaiming Connection in a World of Division, Distraction, and Loneliness."
Ian unpacks why dinnertime in America dropped from 90 minutes to under 12, how an eye condition turned into an encounter in northern India, and why Jesus chose controversial dinner tables over auditorium stages to change the world.
What We Cover in This Episode:
• The Judson University chapel message that started a 16-year connection
• The 90-to-12-minute collapse of family dinner and what it costs our kids
• Face-to-face healing: how Ian’s vulnerability in an Indian orphanage changed his view of presence
• Luke 14 hospitality: why Jesus calls us to sit with people who can never pay us back
• "That’s how an ax murderer talks": Ian’s late-night IHOP love story with his wife, Katie
• Rethinking communion: shifting from a funeral memorial to a future celebration
• A pastoral prayer for the lonely, singles, and families fighting for connection
Connect with Pastor Ian Simkins:
• Book: "Every Table an Altar" (available at major retailers and on Amazon)
• Website: https://iansimkins.com
• The Bridge Church: https://bridge.tv
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/iansimkins
Connect with Talks with Gallagher:
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