Sharing something of the Gospel often begins with building relationships with people. But how do you go about connecting with those around you? Many evangelists seem to do this over a cup of coffee: they take coffee to the market or seek out local coffee shops. Evangelists from the missionary initiatives in Naarden, Amsterdam-Noord and Echt in Limburg share their approach and experiences.
Coffee van in Naarden
In Naarden, Rev. Droger is exploring his role as a missionary pastor. He has been living here since last April, having been called by CGK Ouderkerk aan de Amstel-Naarden. Getting to know people is the order of the day: the local community, organisations, other Christians, and so on.
“It’s free”
Rev. Droger had already had the Naarden annual fair in mind even before the move. He decided to reserve a spot there. So, at the start of June, he was there together with volunteers from Beans & Better coffee concept in a trendy, food-truck-style bus. Signs clearly indicate that coffee is available, but prices aren’t displayed. So anyone fancying a coffee joins the queue, places their order and has their debit card at the ready: “How much is it?” “It’s free,” comes the reply.
Giving what we receive
“Most people think you’re joking,” says Rev. Droger. “But no, it really is free.” This always requires some explanation for the recipient. The link to the Gospel is then readily made. “We give away good coffee for free because we live on what we receive from God.” Whilst some people simply walk off with their coffee, many others linger for a moment. “They ask further questions about where you’re from or what exactly you mean.” It leads to lots of little chats, including about God and faith, and is therefore a valuable starting point.
Looking for the next instalment
Rev. Droger hopes to establish a recognisable presence in the neighbourhood in future, so that he can get to know people better. Together with the prayer group, the plan for the coming period is to explore the best next steps.
Cargo bike in Amsterdam-North
In Amsterdam-Noord, community pastor Theodoor Meedendorp has been active for around twelve years. Over the years, he has built up a wide network of contacts, making him a familiar face in the neighbourhood. He speaks to local residents, for example, at the community centre or at the food bank distribution point, but also on the street or – if asked – in their homes. For him, a cup of coffee is often a way of offering people a listening ear.
An experiment
Theodoor was recently offered a free cargo bike. He doesn’t have any specific plans for the bike yet, but he does have some ideas. “For me, it’ll be a sort of experiment. What will it add to what I’m already doing?”" The challenge is to ensure that the bicycle does not get in the way of natural interactions.
Theodoor’s table
An acquaintance of Theodoor’s, who is a carpenter, comes up with the idea of turning the bike into a mobile table. That way, you can do all sorts of things with it: stand round the table, play a game on it, light a candle on it or, of course, make a cup of coffee on it. Theodoor’s first concrete idea is to offer coffee to the group of people he often meets at the shopping centre: “Hey lads, fancy a coffee? Because I’ve got some with me.”
Community Cart in Echt
Henk and Marianne ter Maaten have only just set out as pioneers. Although they are still looking for a suitable home in Echt, Limburg, their plan for the time being is simply to be present here as Christians. To connect with people, they’re taking to the streets with a mobile meeting point. The aim is to visit the market with it every week.
An encouraging start
“With a ‘teske’ of freshly ground coffee beans, we hope to connect with people in a relaxed way, build relationships and share the Gospel.” Our first afternoon at the market is now over. It went just as we’d hoped: the reactions from market-goers were nothing but positive, and we’ve even had some lovely encounters already. If that isn’t encouraging!
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