Most churches have some sort of coffee service either before or between services. My church has donuts every Sunday, a table with coffee and tea served, and about every other Sunday, a gentleman who likes to bake artesian breads, has a table with samples, and gives away half-loaves as a ministry! The breads are delicious and varied. He does have a jar where one can put in a donation, but the breads are free. The church my children grew up in, had a tape room to get copies of the sermons, and a gift shop that had many beautiful items and cards to purchase. When I visited them briefly, after we returned from Northern California, I saw the tape room was gone. Everything is on-line now. The gift shop was now a coffee shop with beverages and pastries to buy before and after the service. It puzzled me. When did churches start putting in coffee shops? The choir was no more, and in its place the entire back of the church had been painted black and there was a worship team complete with lots of electric guitars and drums. Some groups sound more like a rock band than a worship team. Heavy drums and loud music somehow don’t make me feel more worshipful!
I guess the food and beverages bring in the attendees, but that should not be the only draw to the church. I am thankful my church has the coffee and donuts, but more important, it is Christ-centered above all other things. We have a half hour between services, and it’s hard to resist the call of those boxes of donuts, I succumb every time!
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