Java Jesus
What is the connection with coffee and the church today? We have somehow gotten the notion that Jesus is not truly high and lifted up, unless we are high and lifted up from a good ole cup o' joe on Sunday morning. Why does every church have a coffee bar or even an all-out coffee shop?
There are several churches in our area that actually have coffee franchises (Starbucks, Deidrichs) onsite. This only feeds my personal disgust with the Christian consumeristic mindset. Maybe these various churches are not actually doing wrong to provide coffee. Coffee is not inherently wrong. But, coffee is not a fool proof marketing tool that brings people to God. Only the Holy Spirit can do that! I can see that, perhaps, coffee provides an opportunity for fellowship, but come on....have we taken this too far? Can we not experience true Christian community without a tall decaf cafe mocha?
A friend and I were recently discussing this matter over e-mail. She served as a missionary in the Middle East for 2 years and I believe her husband served in Russia and then in the Middle East later. She shared this, "my husband says it's because Starbucks is more successful than the gospel so we trick people into being interested by providing a similar atmosphere. There are believers dying in the name of Jesus across the globe...dying for the spread of the kingdom and we sip coffee at church? Don't get me started." Yes, we are so into being hip and cool. Another of my concerns is the current move toward church growth movements and marketing ploys that devalue the essential message of Christ. Coffee is ok, but Java + Jesus is not necessary for salvation. And, we unshamedly spend (I too am guilty of this) $3 on a hot chocolate or latte, while missionaries around the globe are barely making ends meet trying to share the love of Christ to all. Have our priorities gotten out of whack? Shouldn't God's amazing grace, the sacrifice of Christ and the agape love of the church be what draws people into the light from darkness? Why isn't the church, God's people, the community of faith --- as warm and inviting as Starbucks and as sweet and rich as an overpriced cup of coffee? Shouldn't we, as Christians, give more to enable the gospel of Christ to be preached in all nations and take care of our own missionaries, pastors, etc?
One last thought, Brad has said that coffee at church gives the impression that you aren't even awake or aware when you come to church to worship God. Can we shake our caffiene addiction long enough to worship God? We need to be dependent on him, not a cheap legal stimulant.
Am I the only one who thinks Java + Jesus is a strange marketing ploy?
4 comments:
Here’s a stream of consciousness I have in response…
How separate are we from the world when our churches offer coffee shops, fitness centers, JumboTrans and, dare I say, educational institutions? What happened to the simplicity of the gospel, adorning ourselves with good works and confessing our sins to one another so we can be healed?
I long for community that sharpens its members and sees miraculous power touch and save the lost. A community that wants to, and is willing to, identify with Christ in his sufferings when He calls for it. We must get down and dirty with people—with believers and unbelievers alike. Jesus meets us in the raw places of our hearts. How can he heal us of our sins if we never expose them?
Such a community is possible, but do we really want it? Are we able to handle the power of God in our lives? Do we know what it will cost us? Or do we default to our cultural religious ways in order to tame our God and make him accessible only when we want Him?
Praise the Lord His grace extends to the broken! Nevertheless, we should seek the Lord why he may be found and ask him to make us not just want more of him, but want to want Him more.
The less power we experience in our walks, the more like the world we will become and less like the Lord we will want to be. The Chinese and Koreans are finding creative ways to bring the gospel to the Muslim world. They are selling themselves as slaves and servants to wealthy Muslim families not only to tell them of salvation through Jesus, but SHOW them. I don’t think I’m willing to sell my life in service to someone else—I have a hard enough time getting paid to serve my boss!
The gospel is costly—the most costly calling. If you loose your life, only then can you save it. What does that mean? I don’t know exactly, but I don’t think our easy-Americanism churches reflect this reality. I’m afraid they only perpetuate sinful and easy lifestyles. Move towards God, not comfort. That is an impossible goal--apart from God.
Anonymous,
I agree with you in many respects. I also think the American culture of comfort and convenience has adversely affected the way we view church. We want to market a non-offensive, non-confrontational God to a culture that isn't sure they even need Him to begin with.
I have no fundamental problem with offering coffee AT a church as a place for people to get the community time that we both agree is lacking in churches today (most people don't know the people next to them in the pews!). However, the idea that we need to bring our coffee and snacks in to "watch the show" just horrifies me beyond belief. This isn't for my entertainment, and I certainly don't require a Holy and majestic God to make things cozy for me in His presence!
I suppose the line I draw is bringing the coffee into the church service. Just leave it outside, we should go into worship ready to give God our full attention (duh, seems odd to have to even say that!).
"...So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light... "
Let's talk about it over a cup, eh? :)
All kidding aside, what's wrong with a cup of coffee in church! Are we saying that we have to remove anything and everything that's not acceptable paraphernalia to bring in and around the church building or even the sanctuary? I'm sure we (the church) would never agree as to what's acceptable and what is not. Sorry guys, but it seems to me that we should be able to worship the Lord in any setting, and I can think of a several settings that were distracting for me - but that was ALL ME - God connects with people who frequent Starbucks. Think about it...
One more thing... I'm fairly confident that there are several "easy-Americanism" churches out there that really make an positive impact their community for the Lord.
Of course God can connect with someone in Starbucks as well as anywhere else, but that's an entirely different point in my view.
Let's remove the coffee from the argument and make it instead a chili-cheese dog. Would that be just as appropriate? So, I do think there's a line to be drawn somewhere. For many, many people coffee is acceptable and most would agree that a chili-cheese dog wouldn't be.
In my view, the idea of serving coffee to worshipers (again, INSIDE the sanctuary is the only point I'm arguing) implies that they are not yet fully alert, ready to worship the Lord. We're sending the message that this is a show that you can sit back and watch.
Think about it, are we saying "yeah, I know you just stumbled out of bed, swaggered your way in here, and are still half-asleep. But sit right there with your morning coffee and nice, soft chair and enjoy the music. We'll do everything in our power to make you comfy-cozy so that you'll like us." ? Is that it? All I'm saying is that is how it strikes me when I see people tending to THEIR OWN short-term physical needs and addictions, rather than focusing their spirits on the Lord.
I appreciate the discussion with you. I really want to keep this on the philisophical. I really don't want to be holier-than-thou, and I would never give someone ugly looks if I attend a service (and I have many times) where this is practiced. I'm just trying to question some of the American-isms that we are adding to the new church experience in the 21st century. So thanks for discussing with me.
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