Coffee Shop Theology

I have been thinking more and more about what theology means.  I am currently taking a class on theology and I am learning so much from it.  Yet, a key aspect of this theology class I am learning about is the need for community.  The Trinity (3 persons in one God) work together in creating and bringing about salvation for humanity.  The Son, Jesus Christ, breaks the barrier between heaven and earth and becomes man so that the Triune Godhead may have a relationship with creation.

Our world is essentially meant to live in community with one another.  I have mentioned from other blogs about kingdom living and living the prayer that Jesus prayed as a message that we are not meant to live on our own but we are meant to live in relationship with God and with others.

I would like to develop an idea, and a new name for my blog, that is focused on a "coffee shop theology."

In our postmodern society, much of the focus that drives many postmoderns is the sense of community.  There is no better community than that of a coffee shop.  Many coffee shops consist of people who meet for the first time.  People come to have a conversation at a coffee shop, whether having a dating conversation or a business one. 

I would like to challenge you, and myself, to get out and talk to people about their lives.  Go out and find a friend, or maybe someone that you do not even know that well and have a conversation with them.  Maybe you do not know about someone's story.  Or, maybe you know that someone is going through a rough time, or maybe you just want find a friend to just talk with about  your day.  Take them somewhere to have a conversation and try and get to know that person.

Our churches like to say that, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them" (Matt. 18:20).  Well, I believe the same can happen in this situation.  This does not necessarily take the place of the church, but this can be where church conversations can happen.

I really believe that there is more to life than just going to church once a week and that is it.  There is more to religion than that.  We all should want to know more about how others are doing.  We should be willing to take these conversations outside of the church walls and live them out with each other.

So, I encourage you to find a friend this week or find someone that you want to get to know a little better.  Ask them how they are doing and be willing to listen to their story and share some of your own.  We are meant to live in community with one another.  Let us live that community out with each other.