Coffee is Great for the Church

Quite simply, coffee is great for the church because it keeps things real.

When two or more people sit down with cups of coffee, conversation almost always springs up. Real life comes to the fore. People actually talk (instead of staring at their phones). Any stuffiness tends to depart quickly. Ceremony is not even considered. Coffee drinkers relax and act normal - if a little excited due to caffeine intake.

The key is that coffee and conversation go together. In our sound-bite-driven society, extended conversations are somewhat rare. Coffee helps combat this. Conversations around java can take place just about anywhere (not just in a house despite my personal preferences). Coffee and talking about real life issues fit together like hand and glove. Therefore, coffee drinking with others provides an excellent setting for either edification or evangelism, depending on who you are talking to.

We as the church should be drinking more coffee. If it helps bring about godly purposes, how and why would we avoid it?

Silence Does Not Equal Agreement

A while back I blogged that I'm done arguing. This does not mean that I'll not counter false teaching about the gospel. It does mean that I'm not going to argue with other Christians about secondary issues. I'll talk about them, but no more arguing.

I came to this decision because I realized (finally) that silence does not equal agreement. Just because I don't counter what I hear, it does not automatically mean that I agree with what I've heard. I don't know why it's taken me almost 42 years to come to this conclusion.

As Christians we know we must stand for the truth of the gospel. The problem is that we also tend to think that we must stand for the truth of whatever it is that we believe about church structure, leadership, creation, education, women's roles, the meaning of the Lord's Supper, the form of the Lord's Supper, baptism, etc., etc.

Everything does not have to be argued nor should it be. When we are silent, this does not mean we've lost, caved in, or surrendered. It simply indicates that we aren't going to discuss the topic anymore at that time with that person. Since it takes two to argue, that stops it cold.

My advice to you is to pick your arguments very carefully. They can often lead to unnecessary division within the church. Instead, try being quiet. I've enjoyed it so far.

Are Different Things Edifying for Different People?

We all enjoy certain activities more than others. For example, I'd rather go to the beach than go to the mall. Others feel the opposite. We could all make lists of our favorite things.

As the church gathers, we also all tend to have our favorite things to do. Some of us prefer casually hanging out. Others prefer a ceremony of some kind. Some like discussion, while others would rather hear a sermon. Some want to sing hymns, while others desire modern choruses. Some would rather meet in homes while others desire a large building. The list is endless.

Some of this is related to our spiritual giftings. We tend to like to do the things we are good at, whatever they may be.

Something more is going on. On blogs like this we talk a lot about edification. We might be making a mistake in assuming that certain things are always edifying while others are not. For example, we could be incorrect to say that dialog is always more edifying to all people than is monologue. There are clearly some Christians who are edified a great deal by sermons. I enjoy listening to one from time to time.

Since we are different people, we Christians likely are edified by different activities in different amounts, different ways, and in differing occasions. This can even vary from time to time for the individual. It certainly varies between people.

In light of these differences, church gatherings should have a great deal of variety to them. In the busyness of life it is easy to fall into the trap of the routine. Regardless of how churches tend to gather, they can end up doing the same things gathering after gathering. This may be edifying for some, but others may feel starved.

I'm not suggesting some sort of postmodern nonsense during church meetings where "anything goes." Certainly the biblical model should be our model. However, there does seem to be some freedom within that model. For example, in scripture we see dialogue as the dominant form of communication in gatherings. This can take many forms and styles.

Keeping all this in mind, it would serve the church well to talk about what is edifying personally. I'm referring to taking time during a gathering for everyone to speak about what helps them grow in the Lord. Some folks might say things that the body has never thought of or done. It could lead to the church family engaging in some types of activities that they haven't done before (again, within biblical parameters).

In this post I'm attempting to leave out too many specifics. The reason for this is that each church family is unique. A discussion of what is edifying will take on different forms for each local body. There may be some people who have been aching to do something specific, but who have been reticent to say it. This type of conversation gives them the opportunity they need.

This could, of course, be a little uncomfortable. Somebody make make a suggestion that would be a great challenge for everyone involved (possibly some sort of service in the community). Someone could decide it's time to break out in one of the spiritual gifts we don't often see (such as speaking in tongues). Another person might decide that this is an invitation to perform a puppet show (possibly acceptable). Some odd fellow may take this opportunity to plant a holy kiss on all the attractive females present (not acceptable).

Discussions like this could lead to an exciting time for the body. It would certainly bring about interesting conversations. The goal is to assist brothers and sisters in growing in Christ.

It's a conversation worth having because we are all different.

Awe in the Conversation

“How does a simple church gathering bring about a sense of awe of God?”

I’ve had the above question posed to me in different ways a number of times. Some folks ask it as a sort of objection, while others inquire out of straightforward curiosity. Either way, it is a valid question.

Before answering the question, I’d like to point out that it normally presupposes that some sort of ceremony is needed/is best for creating a sense of awe among the people. If this is assumed, then it is understandable that it would lead to questions and even objections about simple gatherings.

I’d like to suggest that the need for a ceremony is simply a cultural norm. It is what we are generally used to; therefore, we believe it is necessary for creating an atmosphere of seriousness. This is fine for a wedding or funeral, but it is not necessary for church gatherings.

It all comes down to what causes us to stand in awe of God. Must we take part in a crafted ceremony to feel in awe of God? This seems contrived to me. It should be God Himself who brings about this awe. This can certainly occur during a ceremony, but it does not have to.

As followers of Christ, we ought to stand in awe of who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing. In simple church gatherings, we generally hear all these things. Someone offers a teaching from scripture about attributes of God. Someone else might talk about what God did as seen in the bible. My favorite part is usually when someone shares about what God is doing in their lives or someone else’s that they know. When I hear these things, I stand (not literally) in awe of God.

I love hearing from multiple people about how they have seen God act during the previous week. Usually it is in the little things. Occasionally, it is the bigger stuff. Either way, my faith is strengthened through it. My hope is that others are encouraged as I speak. Sometimes we all just sit in silence after someone has spoken of what God has done and is doing.

This sort of gathering finds awe in the conversation. Someone might speak about a passage of scripture from an angle that I have never even considered before. When a light bulb comes on in my brain, the response is usually awe of God and thanks to Him. Someone else might speak about being stuck in a situation where there seems to be no way out (whether it be big, small, or somewhere in between), only to then find God delivering them from it.

As we gather, I’m usually sitting on the floor or on a couch. Literally, then, I’m sitting. Emotionally and spiritually, however, I’m standing. I’m standing in awe of God because of what I’ve heard in the conversation.

This might happen during the week during a phone call, but usually the scene is our larger gathering in somebody’s home. We talk, we listen, and we grow. All the while, we’re in awe of our great God.