Coffee Lounge's In Church Lobby's

[MountainChristian]

 

I have noticed a growing trend of coffee lounges showing up in church lobbies. I believe this is done for a few reasons:

1. So that people will come early for a service.
2. Fellowship among brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. People stay awake in church. lol

So a couple of questions.

1. Does your church do this?
2. If so where do you have the coffee?
3. What are your thoughts on this?

 

People already come early and talk in the prayer room before we pray. We do not have coffee. Every 2 or 3 months we have a fellowship lunch.

 

Some of the large churches in my area run vans, they pick up the poor, lots of children and they serve them breakfast.

 

If drinking coffee would help the elderly stay away (they are on lots of medicine) wouldn't that be a blessing?

[John81]

There is coffee in the church kitchen. A few go there early, most go there after the first service, before Sunday school begins. At that time there are also two big boxes of donuts. Most of us who attend Sunday school have a donut and coffee as we sit down and fellowship for 15 or 20 minutes before Sunday school begins.

[Bro K]

Our church has a K-5 Christian Academy/School and in the gym/lunchroom area there's a kitchen that looks out into the common area. Someone will usually come in a put out a couple of those tall self-serve coffee tanks so people can get a cup of coffee on the way to their Sunday School/Adult Bible Study. I think it's great. It doesn't detract from anything and people are happy to have some coffee in the morning.

To take 'heartstrings' post (#5) along with yours; I would have to insist on having my sausage biscuits or doughnuts with my coffee. :coffee2:

[Arbo]

 

 

If drinking coffee would help the elderly stay away (they are on lots of medicine) wouldn't that be a blessing?

 

Stay away or stay awake?  

[MountainChristian]

Stay away or stay awake?  

  great typo, stay awake

[ASongOfDegrees]

A few weeks ago I went, with a few family members I've never met before, to Falwell's church in Lynchburg, VA. They had a fancy coffee shot inside the church lobby. They also had a little book store, a fancy lounge area that was set up like a living room and a few other shops I can't recall right off hand. I didn't particular care for it. Not that I'm against it or think it's sinful but the way it was set up reminded me of the mall. You had to walk past everything to get to the sanctuary. It reminded me of Christian and Faithful passing through Vanity Fair in Pilgrim's Progress. OK, maybe that's an exaggeration but you get the point.

[JerryNumbers]

Is there really any difference between the sanctuary and a sunday school room?  Are both not used for the same purposes?  Some would say that the sunday school room is for teaching and the sanctuary for preaching. I believe that whenever and where ever the children of God are congregated the Word should be taught to them not preached to them.

 

Yes, there's a difference.

 

It is a place set aside for preaching & worshiping our Lord, & at such a time its not a good idea to set by someone while drinking hot or cold drinks, it could easily disturb them, especially if you spill your drink & it gets all over someone, them you will likely disturb the whole congregation.

 

Plus the sanctuary had carpet on the floor, & the Sunday school rooms did not. If something was spilled in them with vinyl flooring it would be easily cleaned up, & if it was spilled on the pew it would make a big mess.

 

And if its allowed in the sanctuary the next thing you know a young one will have a drink in hand running & trip & fall & spill their drink.

[JerryNumbers]

I don't see a "sanctuary" mentioned in scripture.  In bible times the church met in houses, not in sanctuaries.  The holy place is the body of believers, not the building.

 

The church building is a special place, the place that local church meets & is dedicated to preaching, worshiping our Lord, & a place that God is with His children in a very special way. 

[Bro K]

The church building is a special place, the place that local church meets & is dedicated to preaching, worshiping our Lord, & a place that God is with His children in a very special way. 

True. The entire church building; not just the sanctuary area, is a special place and ALL areas should be treated as same.  BTW: I can remember when the preacher/pastor would call out from the pulpit for folks too stop chewing their chewing/bubble gum.

[Bro K]

Yes, there's a difference.

 

It is a place set aside for preaching & worshiping our Lord, & at such a time its not a good idea to set by someone while drinking hot or cold drinks, it could easily disturb them, especially if you spill your drink & it gets all over someone, them you will likely disturb the whole congregation.

 

Plus the sanctuary had carpet on the floor, & the Sunday school rooms did not. If something was spilled in them with vinyl flooring it would be easily cleaned up, & if it was spilled on the pew it would make a big mess.

 

And if its allowed in the sanctuary the next thing you know a young one will have a drink in hand running & trip & fall & spill their drink.

I can see it right now!!!! Some old saint of God gets in the Spirit (or spirit) and starts jumping the pews and coffee cups starts flying everywhere. Then the coffee is spelt on someone's $600 suit/dress; they get mad and then you have a free-for-all and then the church is split. After everyone is calmed down; the pastor exercises his authority and outlaws the 'jumping of pew' so no one will be disturbed and they  can enjoy their cup of coffee.   Its a shame that the Sinners have more respect for the church building than most  Christians.

[candlelight]

I can see it right now!!!! Some old saint of God gets in the Spirit (or spirit) and starts jumping the pews and coffee cups starts flying everywhere. Then the coffee is spelt on someone's $600 suit/dress; they get mad and then you have a free-for-all and then the church is split. After everyone is calmed down; the pastor exercises his authority and outlaws the 'jumping of pew' so no one will be disturbed and they  can enjoy their cup of coffee.   Its a shame that the Sinners have more respect for the church building than most  Christians.

 

$600.00 suit/dress Bro K?  Not in my church, LOL.  We are poor and most of the members are Hillbilly Saints. 

Since I don't have an actual church to attend b/c we meet in a civic center, on Sundays, we have to bring our own coffee.     We bought property, a few years ago, but don't have the funds to build a church yet.  We will be wandering around for 40 years, like the ancient Israelites.    Sometimes we have a Continental Breakfast before Sunday School, though.  I don't see a problem with an actual "Coffee Lounge."  As long as items in the "longue" are not sold, like those in Mega Churches.  I have been to a Mega Church, years back, and they sold all items in the lounge.  People were lined up, between services, to get their Smoothies.  There was a mob of people waiting in line.  It reminded me of when Christ got angry at the "Money Changers" in the Synogogue, and threw the tables over. 

[John81]

In light of Acts and the Epistles, one has to wonder about the luxuries, sometimes many luxuries, in some IFB churches. How much money goes into IFB church coffee lounges, gyms, full orchestras or big bands or fancy choirs and ornate pianos and organs, into opulent new church buildings and additions, flower arrangements, trinkets, gift shops, even sometimes above and beyond salaries not only for pastors, but often for many staff and others in the church.

 

Meanwhile, churches such as Uke Mike's, Suzy's and Molly's, and so many other of our churches face extreme financial difficulties, deprivation in some areas, and lack of an actual building of their own.

 

We see in Acts and the Epistles that not only did the well off churches willingly and eagerly look for opportunities to help other churches in need, but even those churches with little voluntarily gave out of their own lack to help those in even worse condition than themselves.

 

Imagine what might be done today if this biblical model were followed!

[Bro K]

In light of Acts and the Epistles, one has to wonder about the luxuries, sometimes many luxuries, in some IFB churches. How much money goes into IFB church coffee lounges, gyms, full orchestras or big bands or fancy choirs and ornate pianos and organs, into opulent new church buildings and additions, flower arrangements, trinkets, gift shops, even sometimes above and beyond salaries not only for pastors, but often for many staff and others in the church.

 

Meanwhile, churches such as Uke Mike's, Suzy's and Molly's, and so many other of our churches face extreme financial difficulties, deprivation in some areas, and lack of an actual building of their own.

 

We see in Acts and the Epistles that not only did the well off churches willingly and eagerly look for opportunities to help other churches in need, but even those churches with little voluntarily gave out of their own lack to help those in even worse condition than themselves.

 

Imagine what might be done today if this biblical model were followed!

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :clapping:  and AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There will come a day of reckoning when God will reveal the real truth of what some folks actually believe.  May God have mercy on us. As the days go by; I believe instead of asking for the blessings of God; what we really need in our churches is a good old fashioned whoopen!!

[swathdiver]

A coffee lounge, no.  What does lounge mean?  To spend time lazily.  Is that what a Christian should be doing before services?

[John81]

A coffee lounge, no.  What does lounge mean?  To spend time lazily.  Is that what a Christian should be doing before services?

Many of the larger IFB churches have such. More of the larger ones are resembling the style of the larger evangelical churches. Lounges, gyms or health centers, large musical arrangements and such things are the way today; at least here in America. In most areas overseas believers are thrilled if they have a mud hut or simple shack to gather in for services.