23 Lessons Coffee Taught Me About Reaching the Unchurched

by Brian Dodd

Many people with no church
background likely process their 
church experience they way 
I did with my first coffee.

I am an anomaly in America culture. At 47 years old, I had never had a cup of coffee until I attended a coffee cupping last week.

Coffee cupping is similar to wine tasting in that you smell the aromas, identify flavors, test texture and then drink different types of coffee.

It is not because of religious reasons that I have not had a cup of coffee. I simply do not enjoy hot drinks. Like many people who have no religious background, I have no coffee background. I was truly an outsider in this group of about 15 people at the event.

Within moments, I began to realize that many people with no church background likely process their church experience in the same fashion I, with no coffee background, was experiencing the coffee cupping.

Joel Osteen Puts His Popularity Down to 'Reaching the Unchurched'

Joel Osteen delivers a message to tens of thousands of people at the Nationals Park baseball stadium for the Night of Hope event on April, 29, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter

July 9, 2012

Lakewood Church Pastor and best-selling author Joel Osteen has tried to explain his popularity in a recent interview by suggesting that it is due to his ability to reach those who have no experience with church, among other factors.

The Texas megachurch pastor, who has the largest congregation of any church in America at 40,000 weekly worshippers, shared his views in a recent interview with Cleveland.com in preparation of his next "Night of Hope" event scheduled for July 13 in Cleveland.

Guiding Stepfamilies Through Wilderness Wanderings

Stepfamily ministry is about preventing the pressures and pecularities of the stepfamily home from holding people back from their Lord.


by Ron L. Deal


"I'm sorry. Your background and past might infect everyone else so we can't have you at our church."

How defeating! But that's exactly what the preacher said once he discovered John and Diane were remarried. Apparently the church they had been attending didn't have room for persons in need of healing, persons with a less-than-perfect history. And John and Diane were, indeed, less than perfect. Each had experienced the devastation of divorce and for a while turned their backs on the Lord. But now, while attempting to combine a new stepfamily, they were once again trying to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Only their church wouldn't accept them.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help. Why don't you try Southwest?"

So they did. But this time, they found a church ready to serve. They discovered a stepfamily ministry that taught them how to deal with their unique day-to-day struggles, and a body of believers willing to extend hands of mercy and forgiveness. Today, John and Diane are faithful followers of Jesus Christ and leaders in a dynamic stepfamily support group that is touching lives every day. "The Step-by-Step group has meant a great deal to my family and me," says John, "more than I could ever describe to you in words."

"We don't want you here."

For nearly three decades America has suffered under a plague of divorce and out-of-wedlock births. Later, when these same individuals marry and bring children with them, a stepfamily is born. Currently, one out of every three Americans is a stepparent, stepchild, a stepsibling, or some other member of a stepfamily.¹ And while soon there will be more stepfamilies in America than any other family type,² it's not uncommon to find local churches with a population of just 6 percent or less.³