I confess, I'm eavesdropping in a coffee shop...

So I'm sitting in Dunn Bros, and normally I'd be reading, but I'm a bit distracted right now. I'm in the living room part, sitting in a comfy chair, and there's a very tall guy who was sitting right next to me, but he just worked up the courage to go sit next to this attractive girl sitting on the other side of me. He got up from his chair, and you know the question he used? He asked, "Can I interest you in a good conversation?" I was hooked at that point, so I put my book down and picked up my computer so I could listen to their conversation. Many times, coffee shop conversations are the most interesting of all. Found out this tall (prolly 6'10" fellow) is a senior at the U. They started talking about books, and now they're talking about Lost. But also, as I occasionally glance over, he is fully present, genuinely interested in the conversation, keeping eye-contact. Part of me is wondering if this conversation is this fellow looking for a date, which is a possibility. Another part of me has this gut-feeling eventually, if he can, he'll turn the conversation to spiritual things eventually, but his approach is so nonchalant it won't sound like a sales-pitch at all, but a genuine spiritual conversation (a very good thing!). I know nothing about this fellow, but this is like watching TV for me... another reason I'm a huge fan of coffeeshops.

I needed a break too. The reading I'm doing is good, but heavy reading. And it's not that it's hard, I just want to make sure I digest it and internalize it, vs. just reading over and forgetting everything. I would recommend both these books:

"unChristian" - David Kinnaman...

Wait, he's turning it to spiritual things... super intrigued now! Sorry for the sudden change in subject. I'll keep you updated as I tell you a little about these books. Maybe I'll italicize what's going on so then you, the reader, can keep them seperate.

"unChristian" by David Kinnaman is about the perception 16-29 year-olds have of Christianity, and what we, as Christ-followers can learn from... why it all matters... fascinating

I'm also reading "The Shaping of Things to Come" by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. This book is about the shape of mission in a post-Christendom culture, and it's fascinating. It advocates a change in the "way we do church." It advocates something new, which is actually something ancient, something taught all throughout Scripture. Instead of such a focus on having people come-to-us (the trap the western church has fallen into today), it advocates a go-to-them mentality that should flood the church. The church's primary identity is that she is sent. She must go to be who she is. If she doesn't go, she is not the church.

But by go, that not only means going across the world - that means going across the street, the hallway, building relationships with people, loving them, being genuine... we've lost this. The book says we must must must look to the example of Jesus. While the western church often nowadays, puts emphasis on hanging out in the right places with the right people at the right times, Jesus was notoriious for hanging out at the wrong places with the wrong people at the wrong times (according to the religious establishment at the time).

Heavy stuff, trying to digest it all, and then prepare to teach it to Jacob's Well, praying that God's Spirit will move in the hearts of His people and equip them to begin thinking this way and adopting a missional lifestyle - seeing themselves as missionaries where they are.

So back to this conversation - this fellow was homeschooled, now has a small business filming weddings, I think. But he had a good home-schooled experience... his parents saw the importance of him being involved with the community, so he played sports for public schools and stuff like that.

I think this fellow has one flaw... I think he's talking a little more than he should. I think he should ask a few more questions, let the attractive female talk a little more. He's probably scoring some points though for talking about weddings and lighting and ambiance... what a nice big word to use...

He goes to Bethlehem Baptist! I was wondering if I recognized him! There's a distinct possibility I do now!

On to other things again... he's into medicine, that's what he's going to school for... and he used to work at a nursing home... won some points!... but oooo.... mentioned Lord of the Rings... lost some points... wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt doesn't really give him any advantage either... I'm thinking he's not really in it for the date... time will tell, I guess... he seems really informed... she works with mortgages of some sort, he's asking questions about it... I'm fascinated!

Well, he's playing ignorant when it comes to celebrity news. He probably is ignorant. I'm jealous. I hate celebrity news. Wish I didn't know so much of it. But he got her talking about the Britney thing and she's explaining it to him. Onto movies... Sweeney Todd, Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, fascinating... ope, if he's looking for a date, here's his chance... she just asked if he'd seen Atonement, which is in theatres... she hasn't seen it yet... not sure if this if this fellow's type of movie though... throughout this whole conversation, he's very well-informed, carries himself very well...

Bathroom break, but I didn't miss anything, they're still talking movies... I just ate an orange, but I'm getting pretty hungry... the coffee's kicking in, speeding up the metabolism. I'm excited because Cameron's back in town tonight and I think the guys are going out. It'll be a fun night.

Ooo... he confesses to being a little out of it as far as pop-culture is concerned, but they both agree that's probably a good thing...

There he goes... talking about reading books... just began talking about how he's reading "St. Augustine's Confessions," which he's reading in a Bible Study, which is about St. Augustine's conversion to Christianity. Says St. Augustine's really good at articulating his thoughts about spirituality. He says he's identifies with St. Augustine and then asked if she's ever read a book that connects with her in that way. I should point out that this conversation has been going on for about an hour now. There is no rush, no sales-pitch. There's genuine interest. If faith comes up, it comes up. Now he has said he also goes to Westminster Presbyterian in Minneapolis as well. And now onto history.

I think I may stop now, but I think there's a lot to learn about this conversation. The first is that if this guy went in for the sales-pitch Gospel, it probably wouldn't have done him any good, and this attractive girl would probably be left with another (if she has had some) negative impression of Christianity. But because he has expressed genuine interest in good conversation and shown genuine interest in her, she has heard some about his spiritual journey, she has heard some about Bethlehem Baptist and Westminster Presbyterian, some about St. Augustine, about being a Christian, and I think she will have a more positive attitude towards Christian faith and Jesus. Big points to this guy! Big points!

God, be with this newly blossomed friendship. I pray that it would go further than this coffee shop, and that through this, Your Holy Spirit would draw this attractive girl to Yourself, beckon her.

I'm taking lessons from this fellow, but the bottom line is there's no systematic way to engage in conversation. I think you just have to be fully present and open to the opportunities the Holy Spirit presents.

I can't leave just yet... the conversation is getting really deep really fast, but in a non-sales-pitch sort of way.... this guy is gifted at articulating tough stuff... search for truth, trusting yourself, thinking rationally, faith, trust... hard stuff to articulate, but he is taking his time...

He's asked her if his experience resonated with her's... she said a little, very comfortable, not uncomfortable, then it just kinda stopped, he wasn't forcing anything... props to him, just trusting the Holy Spirit's work in this attractive female's life... now they're talking about bars and restaraunts... props to him for that too... he didn't say this, but it sounds to me like he's hanging out at the places Jesus would have, had He been here today...

K... after an hour and a half of this, I'm gone... God, bless whatever results from this... thank you for this fellow's genuine interest and the beautiful way he was a reflection of Jesus and Jesus' interest in people... Jesus didn't have a sales-pitch, time was not an issue, He really cared, He really listened, and slowly, He revealed Himself... Thank You Jesus for this fellow