God of Starbucks

Occasionally, Christians will take me to task because I patronize Starbucks. The question goes something like this: “How can you as a Christian Pastor support such a liberal, homosexual-promoting, Godless business?” I even get emails that encourage boycotting this establishment. I have two very good reasons for buying my coffee at Starbucks…

starbucks

Reason # 1: Incursions.

The dictionary defines an incursion as an aggressive entrance into foreign territory, a raid or invasion. I go with a mission to accomplish: invade enemy territory and wage a propaganda war. Every time I go into Starbucks I make it a point to hand out as many million-dollar bill gospel tracts as I can. I share my faith with the baristas; I plop down the tracts on customers’ tables; and at the Starbucks by the high school, I have even stood on a bus bench and preached to the students! I told a server that this is my way to counter the leftist message—by handing out the gospel message. He smiled knowingly.

While living in the world, I will engage the world by telling them about the God who loved them so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for the world.

“But doesn’t your money support anti-Christian causes?”

I’m sure of it. All my dollars spent at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Chinese restaurants promote some form of something I hate or with which I disagree. Every penny I spend at the movies, or at Blockbuster, or at the gas station does the same thing.

So what’s a Christian to do?

Forget boycotts, protests, and very large signs with JOHN 3:16 on them, and do something really radical: love your neighbor as yourself. Love them by going into all the world—including Starbucks—and telling them that God commands all people everywhere to repent. Engage your enemy for the Kingdom of God—and tip those pagans generously!

That’s my first reason for why I, as a Christian, patronize Starbucks.

Reason #2:

Darn good coffee.

Image: www.Belegendary.org

Comments (8)

  1. Reply

    AMEN and AMEN!!! If all we do is boycott, we will never reach the fields ripe for harvest. Also, the way to win a war is to take and occupy enemy territory (hearts & minds).

    Go get ’em.

  2. Linda Spagnola

    Reply

    …then I guess we should not pay our taxes either: our tax money goes for everything from Abortions to old Sparky (death row) and everything inbetween. Maybe we should boycott the govt for what they use our money for. But wait a minute, Jesus ate with sinners in their lair on many occasions! On another note, I have been invited to join boycotts and picket lines on a few occasions. That group protesting the war in front of the Galleria on Sundays repeatedly tried to get me to “come-on-down”! I explained to them about God, Christ and Eph 6:10-12 to no avail. They could not get it. The only thing that will push back the spiritual powers of darkness is continual prayer and being the instruments of God’s choosing. It is a sign of the times that many Christians feel like THEY HAVE to do something, instead of just being and letting God run the show. I may drop by the protest group (who are still out there every week) and ask them how it’s working for them …

  3. Jessica

    Reply

    AMEN to reason number 2.

    (reason number 1 ain’t bad either….) 🙂 🙂 🙂

  4. Reply

    Well said–there is a line that I draw ,but Starbucks is not over that line. My line is drawn as I remember that Jesus is not recorded as having entered a brothel, gymnasium, or Roman bath, though all three existed in Israel at that time–He managed to reach the people who frequented these by other means.

  5. Mike

    Reply

    Steve, why not visit Starbucks. To me it is a good place to engage with people. If you like the coffee, you can take care of two things at once. I agree about boycotts … they are not that successful most of the time. I agree with Robert that there are places we need to avoid, but they are fairly clear.

    By The Way, I am not fond of Starbucks since I do not think the coffee is worth the price.

  6. Reply

    This is a reply from Donald Lais:
    Steve, you hit the nail on the head. This world is the kingdom of Satan. Everything we patronize and do, goes toward forwarding the kingdom of earth. In Las Vegas nearly all the theaters, meeting spaces, restaurants, etc are in Casinos. If you want to go out for dinner, chances are, a slot machine isn’t far away. They’re in the Albertsons and Smiths. So should I stop buying Cheerios?
    It’s just what it is. There are over 75,000 people working in the hospitality, gaming, restaurant industries in this town. And a lot of them are Christians. One of our church leaders is the stage manager at the Blue Man Show. We have an on-going ministry to the people Christ died for here in Sin City. Remember, Christ hung around Tax Collectors and prostitutes. And he condemned the Holy men of Israel of being white-washed tombs filled with dead-men’s bones.

    Christ is coming back and the world will be transformed, but in the meantime we have work to do as Christians and for that we have to get our hands dirty.

  7. Ruth

    Reply

    Dear DOnald Lais.

    I am the daughter of a man named Donald Lais. I don’t know if you are in any way related to him but he is dying right now.

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