Millennial Coffee Church Ministry

Samantha Smith, Bethel AME Church

Rev. Herman O. Kelly, Pastor

Who Are We?

The young folks.

What Are We Doing?

We are chasing after Christ boldly and unapologetically.

Why Now?

Now more than ever, we have found how important it is to be a part of a community when chasing after Jesus. As Millennials of the church, we serve as a bridge between our elders and the generations coming after us. The generations coming after us need guidance. They need to be in a church that has an environment of passion for Christ. As Millennials, we are the people the younger generation looks up to and wants to model.

To our elders, who have guided us, there are things that we have to teach. With more innovation, we can help the elders stay in touch with the ever-growing and changing advancements of technology and developments in the world. We keep them young! We help them understand the world we live in now and, in turn, continue to guide us with their wisdom. Bridges are an important aspect of transportation; some places are unreachable without them, and we do not serve an unreachable God. We must commit ourselves to being a bridge. Our worship should reflect that connection.

We should be bold and passionate about what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. We have found that the church has lost its passion for worship. God is calling on our leadership. As millennials, we are challenged by the world to be everything other than what God has called us to be, and if we are honest, it is not always easy. Sometimes we fall on our faces. Our faith talks over coffee, or as Rev. Kelly would call it, Coffee Church gives us an opportunity to share and fellowship. It creates space for being honest, open, and transparent in a non-judgemental environment. It’s not churchy, it is not traditional, but it is truthful, and that is what God intends for us all. The first Coffee Church revealed that we face similar situations in our day-to-day lives and that it is more beneficial for us to be together than apart.

Using scripture, the living word helps us work through life with guidance that comes with provision. We don’t want to go through the motions anymore. We are active and intentional about our worship. By being together, we realize that we aren’t alone, crazy, or struggling by ourselves. We can laugh and cry, agree and disagree, and challenge each other in the name of love and growing closer to God. We pray that this ministry will continue to grow and draw more people back into the house of God. We are the hands and feet of Christ. We want to serve in the choir, in the committees, be ushers, and in the various ministries within the church, and we want to do it in a way that feels good to us instead of trying to fit into molds that we have outgrown.