The Journey Java Connection

Tomorrow The Journey will become official tenants of our Main Street Space and begin renovating. The space is around 2800 sq. feet and has planty of room for what we dream of doing as we launch this new community of faith.

The back third of the space will be offices. The middle section will be small group/meeting space and youth ministry space and the front section will become The Journey Java Connection. Our prayer is that the JJC will be - to use a term that Mark Batterson coined that I really like - a "postmodern well" for the community. Batterson says that people congregated at the wells in Ancient Palestine and people congregate at the coffee houses today. Our intention is not to create a "Christian" coffeehouse (can a coffeehouse be "Christian" anyhow?) Our intention is to provide a service to the community by offering excellent fair trade coffee, a comfortable space to relax, read a book, surf the web, have conversation and listen to some good music. This is what Batterson and the team at National Community Church have done so succesfully at Ebenezer's in Washington D.C.

The Connection will be a place where The Journey can connect with the people of Crestview in genuine, relevant ways, and hopefully, break down some of the stereotypes that many people have regarding the contemporary Church.

I cannot emphasize enough how much we desire to be a church for the community first and foremost. Gatherings will come, but we truly believe that people don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care.

I'll keep you posted.