Actscelerate.com

JLarry

Coffee in the Foyer

Acts Mod Posts: 3346 **3/16/17 12:38 pm**

What is all this excitement about whether or not to serve coffee in church?

If coffee helps bring people to church then by all means make coffee mandatory in the CoG Minutes.

Even if it don't bring people in but makes some more comfortable then bring on the coffee.

Since most folks don't know how to make coffee anyway it does not matter to me.

I make the best coffee that can be made. I would rather have my Maxwell House Coffee than Starbucks.

I don't cook but I do make good coffee.
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Old Time Country Preacher

Re: Coffee in the Foyer

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **3/16/17 1:36 pm**

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 **3/16/17 2:15 pm**

What ever works (that ain't a sin) LOL

We have attended many churches that served coffee in the foyer and a couple that accepted (?) donations (they seemed to be expected) We haven't taken any coffee yet, because it was time to attend church and I don't feel comfortable sipping during service. If my wife were to shout I would get it all over me.

I certainly do not have a problem with coffee in the foyer.
We attended the 4 Square and AG in Utah, both served coffee and it was carried into the service. The COG did not, and it was the smallest (at the time) I do not think it was the coffee that made the others larger! Smile

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Quiet Wyatt

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12804 **3/16/17 2:19 pm**

As long as we keep in mind that it is the sanctuaries that are drinking the coffee, we should not be bothered by it.

Da Sheik

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1861 **3/16/17 2:23 pm**

We have coffee and juice and usually some kind of pastry available in the fellowship hall before both morning services. My only issue is when I walk through the sanctuary on Monday morning and find coffee cups sitting in the pews or the floor.

Anything that can help keep my folks awake during my sermon is a blessing!

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 **3/16/17 2:45 pm**

c6thplayer1

Re: Coffee in the Foyer

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6385 **3/16/17 7:54 pm**

Preacher777

We walk a Fine Line Here

Friendly Face Posts: 434 **3/17/17 8:09 am**

I don't have a problem with coffee in the foyer but since we don't have one sometimes people make it in the fellowship hall. Others just bring their coffee with them. If coffee encourages some people to attend church I say, "brew it!" However, it is not a standard practice because our focus is to encourage people to pray before the service, whether in the sanctuary or at home.

We have prayer from 9:15-9:30 am until 10:15 am then start service at 10:30. Therefore people have a chance for fellowship, greeting others etc. yet often those who arrive at 10:20 am prefer to sit, pray and prepare his/her heart for the service. Fellowship is necessary so we do the old-fashioned pot luck about once a month. Many singles and widows love it, along with men and women who seldom cook! Several people (one woman included) are thrilled to buy the meat instead of making something while other elderly ladies feel useful and love hearing people compliment their cooking.

Everything we do in teaching, format of services, personal discipleship, discussion at meals with those who attend etc. is about people reading his/her Bibles, developing a prayer life, challenging each other to grow spiritually and being a participant rather than a spectator in worship. Obviously this involves one being used in the Gifts of the Spirit and sometimes during service to share an exhortation or a scripture if God orchestrates it.

Personally I am not able to direct the service, be open to the Gifts, when to sing and extra song, wait on God in prayer for several minutes or however long God leads, do an altar call during worship, ask if God has something on a person's heart etc while sipping a coffee let alone eating a bagel. If others can shift from a tasty sweet to being led by the Spirit and directing the service as the Holy Spirit leads great but it doesn't work for me. I stand in the front row facing the altar so I don't get distracted looking at people.

We are so blessed to see different people stepping out in the Gifts for the first time in his/her lives. A man and a woman who have both been saved for about 40 years (no connection to each other) both started attending this past year and for the 1st time in their lives God had them step out with prophecies, tongues and interpretations. Our desire is to teach people and have them walk in the reality of participating in services rather than spectator Christianity. We are blessed with a worship leader who prefers not to be seen and is anointed to draw people into corporate worship together rather than watching somebody sing.

We believe and teach the Gifts of the Spirit operate when God wants and through He wants to use. Why not be prepared in case our number is called? The church service is presented as a way to sample the Gifts, anointing and then and take it outside the church. Often I use the example of samples at grocery stores/Sam's Club...They offer tastes of that fish hoping one buys the bag and takes it home with them.

Da Sheik

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1861 **3/17/17 10:09 am**

Our time of coffee between services is a great time of fellowship. It's also a great icebreaker for new guests. Those that come for the early service always get invited to get refreshments in the fellowship hall. I haven't done any statistical research, but I feel confident it has helped many to build relationships and get them plugged in.

Nature Boy Florida

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16633 **3/17/17 12:21 pm**

I wasn't a big fan of it...but we literally have hundreds of folks hanging out before service with a coffee or doughnut - shooting the breeze in groups of 3 or 4.

And they stick around and do it after service too.
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Preacher777

Friendly Face Posts: 434 **3/17/17 12:24 pm**

[quote="Nature Boy Florida"]I wasn't a big fan of it...but we literally have hundreds of folks hanging out before service with a coffee or doughnut - shooting the breeze in groups of 3 or 4.

And they stick around and do it after service too.[/quote]

Great points and i do love the after service aspect as a way to encourage relationships.