{"id":6906,"date":"2019-07-29T20:50:22","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T01:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=6906"},"modified":"2019-07-29T20:50:22","modified_gmt":"2019-07-30T01:50:22","slug":"is-it-wrong-to-bring-coffee-to-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-bring-coffee-to-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it wrong to bring coffee to services?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

First off, I\u2019d like to thank you for your dedication to presenting the valuable information available on this website.\u00a0I know that God will continue to bless your efforts.<\/p>\n

As for my question, it\u2019s sort of an offshoot of the use of the building and eating in the building. I\u2019ve been studying various topics with my nephew, and recently he asked (without an agenda \u2013 he just wants a real answer) why it is wrong to bring in a cup of coffee to the class before the worship service? He was doing just that a few years back when one of the members told him it was a violation of Paul\u2019s command to eat meals in a non-co-located time and place with the gathering of the saints for study and worship (I Corinthians 11:34). I agreed with that, but then my nephew said, \u201cbut I don\u2019t see how it\u2019s any different than the bottles of water we have in the foyer.\u201d Uh…well, after sputtering out something about this possibly being a difference between expedient aids (water?) and items more commonly understood as enjoyable \u201cfood and drink,\u201d I apologized and admitted that we both needed more study on the topic.<\/p>\n

Can you possibly point me toward the guiding principle in this particular issue? Again, thank you for what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

The discussion regarding eating as a church activity has become one where people over the years have lost sight of the true issues. Catchphrases have taken the place of reason and people uphold traditions rather than going back to the Scriptures. Therefore, before we get to your specific question, it is best that we first understand why Paul said that meals don’t belong in the assembly. See:\u00a0Kitchens and Fellowship Halls: What Was the Issue?<\/a><\/p>\n

Typically the reason to discourage bringing drinks, such as coffee and soda, is because accidents happen and cleaning up spilled drinks is difficult. Water is much easier to deal with. That people confuse practicality with the actual issues is understandable.<\/p>\n

An issue that arose during the first century was whether meat that might have been from an offering to an idol could be eaten by Christians. While there was nothing wrong with buying and consuming meat found in the marketplace, Paul observed, “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble<\/em>” (I Corinthians 8:13). Thus, if a brother thinks drinking coffee at a Bible study is wrong, then the best choice is to not bring coffee and bother the brother.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: First off, I\u2019d like to thank you for your dedication to presenting the valuable information available on this website.\u00a0I know that God will continue to bless your efforts. As for my question, it\u2019s sort of an offshoot of the use of the building and eating in the building. I\u2019ve been studying various topics with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[151],"class_list":["post-6906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-eating-in-the-building"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19698,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/you-shouldnt-write-against-having-kitchens-and-fellowship-halls-since-these-arent-important-to-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":0},"title":"You shouldn’t write against having kitchens and fellowship halls since these aren’t important to salvation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I stumbled across your web site and found some very valuable information that may help me in the future. I disagree, however, with one of your beliefs. Having a kitchen or a potluck at the church building is not wrong. The church building is just that -- a building.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46938,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-indulge-in-food-and-drink-at-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":1},"title":"Is it wrong to indulge in food and drink at worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it wrong for members of the church to indulge in food and drink while worship is happening? We have this problem, and I need an answer with Scripture, please. Thank you. Answer: I've noticed that people like to make rules instead of citing the Scriptures. It is that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19369,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-we-have-meals-in-the-building-since-eating-together-is-an-expression-of-fellowship\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":2},"title":"Can we have meals in the building since eating together is an expression of fellowship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 7, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Someone has been arguing with me about fellowship and they say it is okay to have meals together in the building because eating together is an expression of fellowship. He says, \"If eating together and having fun together is not an expression of fellowship, then what is it?\" He\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30093,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-for-a-church-to-organize-meals\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":3},"title":"Is it wrong for a church to organize meals?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 8, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was reading through a couple of articles on your website when I ran into \"Using a Kitchen in a Rented Hall\" and I became a bit concerned. See, the church I attend has a potluck dinner every first Sunday of the month following morning services. We meet in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26116,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/cant-the-building-be-used-for-things-other-than-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":4},"title":"Can’t the building be used for things other than worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The church building is what it is -- a building. The way we use \"fellowship' is to socialize. Every time people meet before worship they are said to fellowship with one another. Fellowship is not the same thing as the Lord's supper; however, a type of fellowship is involved\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12816,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-didnt-handle-an-argument-with-my-brother-over-the-movies-he-lets-my-nephew-watch-do-you-have-some-advice\/","url_meta":{"origin":6906,"position":5},"title":"I didn’t handle an argument with my brother over the movies he lets my nephew watch. Do you have some advice?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 24, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I need some outside advice. This morning I got into a short argument with my brother who has a boy -- both of whom live with me in my parent's home. All of us have put in equal hours helping to raise the boy. 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