Maybe I will write a book with the above title someday (it sounds interesting and would probably grab a lot of people's attention)... or better yet write a screenplay. A screenplay on this topic will probably have me crucified by about 80% of churches in America. Money, coffee, and selfish Christians. What's that about?
I hate to keep pointing out that today we as Americans (Western nations basically) are encouraged and taught to not think-- to not be proactive-- but to instead sort of just allow info. in and info. out-- to be reactive. In other words, we are people full of knowledge (which means we know a lot of things) but who don't really think about things (which means we don't understand much about what we know); we rarely ever consider things but take things at face value and don't see beyond the veneer, facade, front, or face. This is for you Christians who aren't afraid to think scientifically or to use logic, reason, and observational skills (as well as for those who have never thought about any of this if they will observe it).
I have noticed that there are two things that tend to make Christians in America almost immediately transform: money and coffee. Yes. Let me explain:
1. Money first. If you take an average Christian and make him a leader of some kind-- pastor, worship leader, Sunday school teacher, etc.-- he or she remains approachable, normal, human for the most part. As soon as they begin to get paid, they almost immediately transform. It is unreal. Furthermore, when money is included in the equation, it changes the way a Christian thinks. A Christian counselor, for instance, who could once freely counsel others now requires money to see a person and cannot fathom that while he or she perhaps should be paid for their work and hours, it is wrong to turn away a person who cannot afford to pay. Money tends to blind Christians to the obvious as it draws out the selfishness in him or her. There are many ways to test this one being to ask a paid minister if he would still minister without pay.
2. Coffee. Coffee is like satan's favorite drink or something. While we all know that 'money changes people' (it really doesn't; it draws the self-centered nature to the fore and out of hiding), probably no one has yet noticed that coffee tends to absolutely transform Christians or perhaps I should say Christian settings. There is a comfort resident in coffee that makes people in general and Christians in particular want to 'relax'. The problem with this in Christian circles is that it draws out the human self-centered nature which is directly contrary to the Spirit and the things of God. So, what does this look like practically? You can actually study this and it will blow your socks off (to think that a simple drink can decide the spiritual atmosphere or the reception or rejection of the Lord seems like quite a stretch, but believe me it's not theory): gather a group of Christians to a prayer meeting, cell group, Bible study, anything; tell them it's a gathering where you will be seeking God (i.e. doing something 'spiritual' like prayer, Bible reading, etc.). Let them get together, sit down; start leading the conversation to the things of God. The spiritual climate will begin to change. Introduce some snacks and juice or soda as you continue talking about the things of God. When several minutes (about fifteen) have passed, then introduce coffee. The results are beyond shocking (generally). Anyone who knows how to sense the Lord's presence will be surprised that if the Holy Spirit is around, He begins to leave when coffee is introduced. How can this possibly be? Is this possible? Can such a claim be made? What happens is that coffee, again, tends to 'relax' people (and it's almost like a god in itself; it's not a god at all, it only feeds the god called fleshly comfort); it makes people 'me-focused'. Because the flesh strives against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, when coffee begins to caress and soothe the flesh, the flesh will surface more (the one you feed more (flesh or spirit) is the one that will have the preeminence), and the Holy Spirit will naturally pull back or pull away. If anyone is discerning or wants to observe things like this, you will note that churches that make serving coffee an intrinsic part of their system will pretty much always tend to be completely superficial and, while often Charismatic churches that 'welcome the Holy Spirit' really dwell in the soul and a self-centered 'gimme, gimme, gimme' attitude toward God. Ladies and gentlemen, this is very real, a study that I would be willing to present anywhere and at any time.
This, of course, isn't saying that money and coffee are bad; however, their effects on Christians are some that I have continually observed much to my dismay... especially coffee. Coffee is almost like its own alcohol and, for those who know how to distinguish flesh from spirit, makes Christians appear to be evil... like, for real; for this reason, I call apparently superficial churches 'Starbucks Churches' or obviously superficial Christians 'iPhone Christians' (because of the superficiality that Starbucks and such coffee places (and iPhone, etc.) engender and encourage in people): they operate constantly in the flesh (gimme, gimme, gimme) and the soul (feelings or the flesh's alternative for the Holy Spirit) and say that because the Holy Spirit operates through gifts among them then it means they're 'doing it right'. It's plain outstanding. They have some of these shows on TV about paranormal investigators and such. Those guys barely know what they're doing; however, there is a way in Christ to observe the spiritual climates of places especially among Christians. God has really linked the natural and spiritual so that everything is within reach: you can take a pad and pen (research material) and go into Christian circles starting with churches and observe things in both the natural (what your natural senses can sense) and the spiritual (what some people call 'vibes'). I responded to a thread and thought I'd share this. People who want to be proactive or who are willing to consider things and see beyond the facade will be learning a lot more than everyone else and will be making sense of things way before those things make sense to others (you'd be surprised the changes in spiritual atmosphere from low-income neighborhoods to middle-upper class ones, etc.; new science). Makes sense to me
Now, on to more important things... Where's the other half of me 
I hate to keep pointing out that today we as Americans (Western nations basically) are encouraged and taught to not think-- to not be proactive-- but to instead sort of just allow info. in and info. out-- to be reactive. In other words, we are people full of knowledge (which means we know a lot of things) but who don't really think about things (which means we don't understand much about what we know); we rarely ever consider things but take things at face value and don't see beyond the veneer, facade, front, or face. This is for you Christians who aren't afraid to think scientifically or to use logic, reason, and observational skills (as well as for those who have never thought about any of this if they will observe it).
I have noticed that there are two things that tend to make Christians in America almost immediately transform: money and coffee. Yes. Let me explain:
1. Money first. If you take an average Christian and make him a leader of some kind-- pastor, worship leader, Sunday school teacher, etc.-- he or she remains approachable, normal, human for the most part. As soon as they begin to get paid, they almost immediately transform. It is unreal. Furthermore, when money is included in the equation, it changes the way a Christian thinks. A Christian counselor, for instance, who could once freely counsel others now requires money to see a person and cannot fathom that while he or she perhaps should be paid for their work and hours, it is wrong to turn away a person who cannot afford to pay. Money tends to blind Christians to the obvious as it draws out the selfishness in him or her. There are many ways to test this one being to ask a paid minister if he would still minister without pay.
2. Coffee. Coffee is like satan's favorite drink or something. While we all know that 'money changes people' (it really doesn't; it draws the self-centered nature to the fore and out of hiding), probably no one has yet noticed that coffee tends to absolutely transform Christians or perhaps I should say Christian settings. There is a comfort resident in coffee that makes people in general and Christians in particular want to 'relax'. The problem with this in Christian circles is that it draws out the human self-centered nature which is directly contrary to the Spirit and the things of God. So, what does this look like practically? You can actually study this and it will blow your socks off (to think that a simple drink can decide the spiritual atmosphere or the reception or rejection of the Lord seems like quite a stretch, but believe me it's not theory): gather a group of Christians to a prayer meeting, cell group, Bible study, anything; tell them it's a gathering where you will be seeking God (i.e. doing something 'spiritual' like prayer, Bible reading, etc.). Let them get together, sit down; start leading the conversation to the things of God. The spiritual climate will begin to change. Introduce some snacks and juice or soda as you continue talking about the things of God. When several minutes (about fifteen) have passed, then introduce coffee. The results are beyond shocking (generally). Anyone who knows how to sense the Lord's presence will be surprised that if the Holy Spirit is around, He begins to leave when coffee is introduced. How can this possibly be? Is this possible? Can such a claim be made? What happens is that coffee, again, tends to 'relax' people (and it's almost like a god in itself; it's not a god at all, it only feeds the god called fleshly comfort); it makes people 'me-focused'. Because the flesh strives against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, when coffee begins to caress and soothe the flesh, the flesh will surface more (the one you feed more (flesh or spirit) is the one that will have the preeminence), and the Holy Spirit will naturally pull back or pull away. If anyone is discerning or wants to observe things like this, you will note that churches that make serving coffee an intrinsic part of their system will pretty much always tend to be completely superficial and, while often Charismatic churches that 'welcome the Holy Spirit' really dwell in the soul and a self-centered 'gimme, gimme, gimme' attitude toward God. Ladies and gentlemen, this is very real, a study that I would be willing to present anywhere and at any time.
This, of course, isn't saying that money and coffee are bad; however, their effects on Christians are some that I have continually observed much to my dismay... especially coffee. Coffee is almost like its own alcohol and, for those who know how to distinguish flesh from spirit, makes Christians appear to be evil... like, for real; for this reason, I call apparently superficial churches 'Starbucks Churches' or obviously superficial Christians 'iPhone Christians' (because of the superficiality that Starbucks and such coffee places (and iPhone, etc.) engender and encourage in people): they operate constantly in the flesh (gimme, gimme, gimme) and the soul (feelings or the flesh's alternative for the Holy Spirit) and say that because the Holy Spirit operates through gifts among them then it means they're 'doing it right'. It's plain outstanding. They have some of these shows on TV about paranormal investigators and such. Those guys barely know what they're doing; however, there is a way in Christ to observe the spiritual climates of places especially among Christians. God has really linked the natural and spiritual so that everything is within reach: you can take a pad and pen (research material) and go into Christian circles starting with churches and observe things in both the natural (what your natural senses can sense) and the spiritual (what some people call 'vibes'). I responded to a thread and thought I'd share this. People who want to be proactive or who are willing to consider things and see beyond the facade will be learning a lot more than everyone else and will be making sense of things way before those things make sense to others (you'd be surprised the changes in spiritual atmosphere from low-income neighborhoods to middle-upper class ones, etc.; new science). Makes sense to me
Now, on to more important things... Where's the other half of me 
