Coffee Time

Don't worry, if the sanctuary really is the same as the holy of holies, they'll have to drag out the dead bodies of the unbelievers. Problem solved.

 

That depends how you look on it. The auditorium of the church is not comparable to the Temple of the OT, but in most places it is a builiding that has been dedicated for the work of God. Normally we try not to allow our children to use it for a basketball court, a baseball diamond, or run roughshod over it, but treat the building with some degree of respect.

I have walked through malls and have seen the owners of various stores put signs up saying: "food and beverages not permitted." "Please leave shoes at door." "No food or drink allowed," etc.

If the owners of such places are so concerned about their places of businesses, that they would not allow food and drink into their place of business, why should the Christian do any less? Who does the building belong to? Was it dedicated to the service of God; His work; for the preaching and teaching of His Word, etc, or is it to be used as a playground for children and a cafe for Baptists? Does it matter to God? I believe it does.

Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

 

The priest who went in there wore bells at the tassel of his long robe and had a line attached, so that if the bells stopped clinking and didn't come out, he could be pulled out by the line without anyone else having to go in there, obviously unauthorized. So-- no coffee, but everyone wear bells and a rope?

 

We allow drinks in the meeting room, but not food unless someone has a reason to - like a young child or someone with diabetes in case their blood sugar drops too low during the service. I would not attend a local church that is so legalistic that they would not allow that.

 

I'll add to that....

Would you drink it in the church?
--"Oh no, His house I might besmirch!"
Is coffee, then, an evil thing?
--"No-- we're just there to praise and sing!"
So coffee is a worship block?
--"Just worship and don't watch the clock!"
So clocks are evil-- throw them out?
--"Try to learn what it's all about!"
No talking, then, except to "pray?"
--"No, just be sure your thoughts don't stray!"
So then sit up and stay alert?
--"Yes, then our worship won't be hurt!"
And if a strong cup does that trick?
--"You really like to pick-pick-pick!"
But if it helps, then ban it still?
--"Of this dumb poem I've had my fill!"

 

hmmmm....

I'm with SBC1303...you have no scripture for that mandate.

I have no problem "banning" coffee if it has to do with keeping things nice. We don't allow "non-water" drinks for our student events in the sanctuary (our students use the sanctuary for our events--we don't have another room in our church that will hold our crowd). But our disallowing of drinks isn't about theology--it's about spills, ants, and cleanup.

Two definitions I found online for "sanctuary:"
a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept
refuge: a shelter from danger or hardship

Because of what Christ did for us, and the sending of the Comforter, believers are "sanctuaries." The Holy Spirit lives in us. We are sacred: "set apart." The building where we meet should be treated with respect because:

• It's the place we've set aside to come together and meet with God.
• It has been paid for and maintained with the tithes and offerings of God's people.

But it isn't "sacred" in the same order as believers...or as in the Holy of holies for that matter.

Other thoughts I have:

• If the "Holy of holies" should still be our standard, DITW, why not still worship as the Jews did?
• If I brought blood instead of coffee, would that be acceptable?
• The earliest churches were house churches. You reckon they quit eating in them?
• What about churches that meet in gymnasiums...are "basketball goals" abominations?
• DITW said,
  ...some of the "holiest moments" I've had in worship were around a table with brothers and sisters in the Lord. Was that somehow less valid?

Methinks we're confusing tradition with Scripture.

 

Connecting with the body of Christ just isn't the same without food and drinks. I love the coffee and food set out before church each week. It makes the gathering less "formal" and more comfortable as everyone spends time with each other before the service.

 

:thumbs: My thoughts exactly.

 

Just as sacred as the Holy of Holies???? Then why is everyone going into the sanctuary and not just the Pastor?

That is a misunderstanding of OT temple and NT church.

 

Excellent point! :thumbs:

 

One cannot effectively hear and receive what is being taught in the Sunday School hour or the preaching hour if one has to worry whether one will spill one's coffee on one's self.

The House of God is a place of worship and prayer, coffee does not belong there.

 

Since our adult SS is in the sanctuary, we don't have coffee during SS or worship service. There is little time between SS and worship to bother with coffee then. Our fellowship hall is in another building which is not attached to the main church building. We do have a water cooler in the foyer and the only person who has any water in the sanctuary is our pastor--he uses water to clear his throat during the sermon--and also during SS, which he teaches. The only time we have coffee, is when we have a get together (one of those "Baptist" buffets) after services--and we have those in the fellowship hall. Coffee never gets into the main building of the church.

The church my son and his wife attend in California allows coffee and food into the worship service. When we were there last year, my husband was totally shocked. We believe that the sanctuary of a church is a place to worship God--not a restaurant.

 

I don't really have any problems.

Again, try not to enforce OT temple guidelines on the location where the NT church gathers. Not the same things. Completely different. God does not reside in the area where I worship as He resided in the Holy of Holies. The Holy Spirit resides in each of us....which is the temple.

 

One cannot effectively hear and receive what is being taught during communion if one has to worry whether one will spill juice on one's self.

Whoops!

 

:laugh: Actually, that wouldn't be a problem if we weren't so "religious" about how we take communion, where we all sit patiently waiting for everyone to get their cup. Right now, it's like syncrhonized swimming. Everyone lift the cup at exactly the same time! Don't dare be like the Corinthians who didn't wait for one another, or you will be judged!

Unfortunately, that misrepresents the issue with the Corinthians.

 

God resides in the area where I worship. It is true, that the church building is just that, a building. Being that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, and His people are gathered in one place, (in that sanctuary), God is there.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)

I don't believe that anyone is trying to enforce OT temple guidelines here--just simply stating that the sanctuary in a church is where God's people come to worship. Jesus called the temple a "house of prayer"--would you, or would you not call a church sanctuary a "house of prayer"? Have your coffee in the fellowship hall, but when entering the sanctuary, the focus needs to be on the Lord.

 

Well that really made me laugh! That's too funny because it's so true!

 

No arguments from me Linda....I just don't see how a cup of coffee messes anything up (unless you spill it, of course).

If people have problems with it...don't drink it. It is rather silly to be overly critical of churches that choose to have it.

 

And isn't this part of the autonomy of the church. If it's something you want and all other things are equal, choose a church that does it.

If all other things (the reasons we choose a church and I'm hoping coffee isn't amongst them) are not equal though and you go to a church that doesn't do it, then we've got to go with the flow here or gently introduce a new idea and see how it flies.

 

As hilarious as it sounds....when our church was planted barely over a year ago, we had a couple come and visit. They left that day literally saying that they just cannot worship with someone else holding a cup of coffee. Our response to them was that if they really feel that uncomfortable about it, then you may not want to worship here if it is really going to hinder you that much. They had no problems with anyone in the church... they just didn't feel comfortable.