I know the word “missional” is everywhere, but I recently read an article in Christianity today that said that even coffee could be missional. Why not? Everything else sure seems to be.
I absolutely love my coffee; addicted to it for sure! Just a few months ago a family owned and run craft coffee shop went in about a mile from my house, Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters. They use only the finest coffees and then roast in small batches and hand brew it to perfection! Just thinking about their coffee gives me a caffeine buzz! Because of Ragamuffin, I now fully understand that what I used to buy at my local Chevron station when I was in college was really just dirty water!
The owners of this incredible establishment are Christians (wonderful people). Sean was a former Youth Pastor in a church right around the corner from my home. Their coffee shop is packed with Christians. I wonder, does that make Ragamuffin’s coffee “missional”? I saw one missional coffee company online that called on Christians “to switch to a java with eternal significance”. Really?
Maybe I have too low an opinion of coffee (although somehow I doubt it). I am just not convinced that coffee can take on eternal significance. It can play a part, for sure. It has a role, but eternal significance might be taking it too far.
The word “missional” has come to mean a lot of different things to different people. It’s meaning has become confused and of course there are consequences for this. Recovering the true meaning of this word is important as I believe it is a word worth keeping (despite the confusion).
Maybe a proper understanding of the word begins with the fact that God is a missionary God. After all, it was God who called and formed a people of His own to be a treasured possession and a light to the nations. It was God who took the initiative to redeem creation by sending His Son, Jesus. It is the trinitarian God of Scripture that sends the church (you and me) to be an integral part of this redemption process. Jesus said, “As the Father sent Me, so I am sending you (John 20:21). Maybe it’s the sending nature of God (the Missio Dei) that can help us recover a true understanding of what it means for the church to be missional.
Coffee can certainly be sent. As a matter of fact, I would recommend sending some Ragamuffin Coffee as a gift to your friends and family members; you will be a hero for sure (it’s that good). The question is: will the sending of the coffee make it missional? You be the judge! #dontoverthinkitjustdrinkit
Robert Douglas - Organizing Pastor - Lightshine Church
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