Pastor’s social media post about drinking coffee in church stirs up trouble

Minnesota Pastor John Piper stirred up a hornet’s nest by questioning whether it was appropriate for congregants to drink coffee during Sunday church services.

The pastor posted a message on Saturday, Sept. 30, asking a simple question, “Can we reassess whether Sunday coffee-sipping in the sanctuary fits?” adding that Hebrews 12:28 states, “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”

That’s all it took for the post to go viral and blow up on X.

Piper is a Baptist pastor, theologian, and chancellor at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis.

So far, the post has gotten close to 1,500 responses. Some worshippers were shocked that anyone would even consider bringing coffee to a church service. Others thought that it was wholly acceptable.

When Fox News Digital reached out to clergy on the issue, one Roman Catholic priest responded, “Who’s drinking coffee during Mass?!”

ADVERTISEMENT

“In Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, and certain Protestant denominations, adherents are required to fast from food and beverages prior to receiving the Eucharist,” Fox News noted.

Sarah St. Onge, who is a New York Lutheran, wrote on X, “I will not tolerate the concept of drinking coffee *during* a church service. I’m shocked at all of you. Just shocked.”

The statement was only half serious but people jumped on it.

“Guys- I was kind of speaking in jest. I don’t think this makes anyone less Christian, this is twitter & I’m sharing an opinion. I’m not the Twitter pope. Please continue to go to your churches where you drink coffee,” she clarified.

ADVERTISEMENT

She went on to tell one respondent who asked why she felt that way, “Because it’s not a concert hall, it’s church – we’re supposed to be worshiping together, not having a coffee break.”

She went on to tell Fox News, “I have never said it’s a sin to drink coffee in church, so no, I am not being legalistic, judgmental, whatever.”

“The average American church service lasts less than two hours,” she further stated and asserted that the average person should be able to “manage two hours without having a coffee.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Rev. Hans Fiene, who is the pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Crestwood, Missouri, is firmly against drinking coffee during church services.

“While the vast majority of Lutherans I know are coffee lovers, I’ve known very few who would ever think of bringing a cup of it into the sanctuary during the divine service,” Fiene told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“Holy worship is far more than a theological lecture. It’s gathering to receive Christ’s forgiveness, life, and salvation… When God pours out these gifts upon us through His word and sacraments, that makes our sanctuary the holiest place on earth. Let’s not turn our Father’s house into a house of fair trade dark roast,” he contended.

More moderate churches are led by clergy members with a lax attitude toward the subject.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fr. Chris Steele, who is the pastor of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas, told Fox News Digital, “Coffee seems to be the 8th sacrament.”

“There’s a broad spectrum of practices,” Steele commented. “Some [people] do fast, but it’s personal. Not many bring anything but water to the Eucharist, but during Morning Prayer on weekdays, it’s common.”

He went on to remark that St. Christopher’s has a “casual but reverent” approach to worship.

“We’re small and I’m busy enough that being the coffee cop isn’t a good use of my time,” Steele declared.

As for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they don’t drink coffee at all so the issue is moot.

A rabbi out of Florida gave his opinion on the subject to Fox News Digital.

“In Jewish tradition, prayer is an opportunity to dialogue with, praise, and even make requests from Almighty God,” stated Rabbi Pinchas Taylor of Plantation, Florida, who serves as director of the American Faith Coalition.

“Attending synagogue and praying with a congregation is geared to create the experience of approaching a king,” he continued. “With that in mind, we do things that help us get into that mindset. For example, we dress up in a way that we would, were we in front of a king of flesh and blood. We put on certain garb — not because God ‘cares’ what we wear, but to put ourselves in the headspace of standing before the King of Kings.”

“Prayer is an exercise in humility, and sipping coffee during the prayer experience seems to be something casual and irreverent, not befitting being in the focused presence of royalty … Overall, this seems like something that should be avoided,” the rabbi added.

Reaction to the post was off the charts:

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles