Ah yes, we are part of the ever elusive and undefined Christian coffee culture. Coffee can be used for such great good; yet, can be so poorly done. Sometimes believers turn into snobs once they become baristas. Church fellowship can deteriorate down to nothing more than gossipy chatter and a good tasting drink. So where is the line? Where does Christ intermingle with coffee? Can He even restore the coffee culture back to Himself?
I believe coffee is one of the greatest conduits we currently have to 1) proclaim the name of Christ to people who otherwise might never hear it and 2) develop otherwise difficult to establish relationships within the body of Christ. In agreement with this vision is JOE'S head manager, Tyler. He has far more knowledge on the subject than I--not to mention a witty, insightful, and thought provoking vision for the church and coffee culture. So please relax, have some coffee or tea yourself, and rest while reading this interview with him...
Q: How does the coffee culture/atmosphere interact with being a believer?
Well, it is multi-leveled. Coffee is more than a beverage--it is an experience, a culture, a relational activity. Having a cup of coffee can naturally disarm people because it is non-threatening. Asking someone to a cup of coffee opens doors to discussing deeper matters. It's hard to build relationships with some of the members of the youth group I work with. But one week I asked one of the guys to sit down and share a French press with me before church...that opened so many doors and great conversations.
Q: What are some of the negatives you see in coffee culture that should be restored back to God?
The classic barista snob sees knowledge, skill, and community as exclusive. We are trying to restore that relationship and the coffee experience back to God. So we still elevate our skill and knowledge BUT we share that with others by inviting them into it.
Q: So then, what is your take on churches having coffee shops in them--or always serving coffee to members?
If done right, it can break down so many barriers and be condusive to building strong relationships. However, it can also be done really poorly when it's done for the sake of the coffee drink--not the people.
Q: What is your favorite drink?
Straight cortado!
Q: How old were you when you had your first cup of coffee?
I was 15 years old, during our yearly family vacation to Croatia [*note: he grew up in the Czech Republic]. For years and years we went camping with several families. Every morning, the parents would get up and spend time talking and sitting around drinking cup after cup of coffee. So I decided I was old enough to partake in the morning ritual! But I didn't really pick it up as a habit until working at JOE'S in college.
Q: Best coffee you have ever had in your life?...and you will be betraying JOE'S if you say otherwise! [just kidding]
Oh no haha! Well, as for the best specialty drink, the "Ipsento" at Ipsento off the blueline. It's a honey, coconut milk, cayenne pepper latte...aka GOOD. And the best cup of coffee was on a Chemex my lovely wife gave me as a gift. I made a single origen Guatemala from Metropolis.
Q: In summary of all this, what is your ideal dream, your vision for coffee and Christians?
Well, I don't want Christians to use coffee as a fad--just a cool thing. That totally misses the point. My vision would be for Christians to use coffee to create relationships, edify the church body, and evangelize to many communities. So it comes down to this: us having a right philosophy of ministry, and then plugging coffee into that. Coffee isn't the point. This is not all for coffee's sake. It's for the sake of Christ.
Stay tuned for JOE'S Cafe: Part Two coming soon! This will feature some more details on the various splendid drinks we make, and show the step by step process of latte art.
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