Coffee Fuels More Than You Imagine

Millions of people around the world start their day with a cup of coffee. It is a ritual that has become more than an intake of caffeine, but a context for our devotional times, preparation for the day and interactions with friends and co-workers. But how does coffee fuel missions and evangelism? Check out these four things that coffee fuels and how you can use your next coffee break as a prayer time for the nations.
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<p><img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/missio-graphics/Volume+3/missiographic_Coffee.jpg" alt="" width="800" /></p>
<p><a href="https://missionexus.org/coffee-fuels-more-than-you-imagine/"><strong>Coffee Fuels More Than You Imagine</strong></a><br />Millions of people around the world start their day with a cup of coffee. It is a ritual that has become more than an intake of caffeine, but a context for our devotional times, preparation for the day and interactions with friends and co-workers. But how does coffee fuel missions and evangelism? Check out these four things that coffee fuels and how you can use your next coffee break as a prayer time for the nations.</p>

Engaging through Prayer
Dear God, I pray for every person around the world who is growing, packing, serving and drinking coffee today. I ask that through something as simple as this bean you created that you would create opportunities for your Kingdom to be advanced. For your glory. Amen

Personal Reflection
If you are a coffee drinker this Missiographic hits you right where you live. If not, take some of the lessons we are sharing and apply it to your favorite beverage that you enjoy with friends and family. The main point is that something as simple as coffee fuels a lot of things. It is a ritual in many of our lives, it provides jobs, it has been an integral part of missions and it is a context for sharing your faith. Next time you drink a cup of coffee or see someone else doing so, use that moment as a fuel for your prayers for those in your life that don’t know Jesus and those around the world waiting to hear.

Engaging the Church
Many churches today have coffee shops in the church. If you don’t have that, you at least have a large coffee pot going for potlucks, fellowship gatherings and other events. Many churches use fair trade coffee as a way of investing in small growers around the world. Others use the money coming from coffee sales to invest in missions. What are some other creative ways you can turn this simple activity into an opportunity for your congregation to share their faith and invest in global mission? Consider highlighting the countries where coffee is grown. Also consider how you might equip your congregation to develop the courage and skills to share their faith more actively with those they influence.

Organizational Application
Many times in organizations we focus on the end goal without realizing the small things that get us there. How many cups of coffee are consumed by ministry staff as they meet with partners, donors, volunteers and others? Coffee fuels many of the interactions in the ministry world. Next time you are at a meeting over coffee, consider how that context is fueling your ministry. Then think about how you can make that more intentional. How can you use something as simple as coffee to fuel Kingdom impact?

Sources
1 http://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-what-the-world-drinks
2 https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/h/hiney-trail.html
3 China, http://www.economist.com/node/21543580
Colombia, Guatemala: http://www.scottbroscoffee.com/culture/culture_region_latin.htm
Ivory Coast, Malawi: https://books.google.com/books?id=6JUCBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97
&dq=coffee+introduced+missionaries&source=bl&ots=9LoWbTYmit
&sig=8jRehIYQoUMuOj1IK_MOA7-sjC4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=haCVVfCrDIWmyATIk4noBQ
&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=coffee%20introduced%20missionaries&f=false

Kenya: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/external-studies/2013/gis-acp-countries/case-study-coffee-kenya_en.pdf

Malawi: http://www.mzuzucoffee.org/news/malawis-coffee-industry-profile

Papua New Guinea: http://www.monpiexports.com/index_History.htm

Rwanda: http://www.cafeimports.com/origin_rwanda

Tanzania: https://books.google.com/books?id=tVJuQbQ0UgwC&pg=PA78
&lpg=PA78&dq=coffee+introduced+missionaries&source=bl&ots=VoVjsb24qt
&sig=WVBBYhZ8SU25crCSPOgZ0gO6jxw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=haCVVfCrDIWmyATIk4noBQ
&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBA#v=onep
age&q=coffee%20introduced%20missionaries&f=false

Zambia: http://www.roastmagazine.com/resources/NavOrigins/NavOrig06_1_JanFeb.pdf

4 http://www.ico.org/prices/po.htm
5 http://www.fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/2009/resources/
2012_Fairtrade_and_coffee_Briefing.pdf

http://www.fairtrade.net/history-of-fairtrade.html

6 Where There Is Now a Church, pp. 149-208

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