Whether you like it or not, no one can argue the fact that Starbucks is a force to reckoned with. I'm not a coffee drinker, but you can see the influence of Starbucks on the culture. The coffeehouse has cemented itself as an icon. This influence has even found its way into the church. You have popular books, such as "The Coffehouse Gospel," or "Coffehouse Theology." Pastors no longer stand behind pulpits, but now sit on a stool, possibly behind a cafe table, and sip a cup of...........You guessed it.....coffee. The lights are turned down a little low. The music sounds like a love song to Jesus. The mood is perfect. Many will say, "What's wrong with this?" or "We like this setting." There is nothing wrong with the setting or the lights. The problem is that the culture has not only influenced our lighting and our decorations, but they have also influenced our preaching. Churches today are dominated by pastors who preach looking for emotional responses rather than engaging people intellectually. We must appeal to the intellects of our people and our congregations. We are all to familiar with the pastors/speakers who work the crowd into an emotional frenzy in order to produce a response, but will these types of responses produce a lasting change? I don't think so. "You are not called to be a rock star. You are a called to be a shepherd. Now go serve your people." We must ask ourselves what will last at the end of the day? Will catchy slogans, free coffee, or soft sermons actually last? Is your church actually making an impact for the kingdom if the are only known for being hip or having cool music? Have faith that the gospel can really change lives. The gospel is scandalous, brutal and beautiful. Embrace it. Preach the gospel as if there is no tomorrow, because for some there is no tomorrow.
Daniel
