JESUS + COFFEE. AMEN.

Dear Foothills Family and Friends,

A guest who worshipped with our Foothills family this past Sabbath requested to meet with me in the pastor’s study after church. He loved our church and said he hopes to come back again when he is in town. 

He also expressed “concern” that perhaps our church does not take the “Spirit of Prophecy” and the prophetic ministry of Ellen White seriously enough. He used as evidence the fact that coffee is available in our breakfast room. As you may know, Ellen White wrote that drinking coffee and tea is a sin.

This weekend I also received a message from one of our members asking whether believing in the prophetic ministry of Ellen White is a requirement for membership in the Seventh-Day Adventist church.  

Another friend recently told me: “I think Ellen White wrote a lot of things that were good. I think she borrowed other’s thoughts and that she is not a prophet. No one will likely convince me otherwise until the Lord reveals the truth. In any case, does my disbelief in her as a prophet mean I cannot claim to be an SDA?”

In this Inspirational Thought, I’m going to very briefly reflect on a sign (that I inherited when we arrived at Foothills) in my study that says: “Jesus + Coffee. Amen.”

JESUS AND COFFEE. When I asked one of our members what they thought of that sign, they said: “Two things I can’t live without!” I’m sure many of us wonder whether we should take everything Ellen White wrote literally and as binding for all time. And, how much weight do we give to things contemporary writers say in the many cases where the Bible itself is silent?

European Adventists have long chosen to enjoy coffee. I read a humorous line from a person who attended the Youth Congress in Utrecht, Netherlands in 1960. She wrote: “The coffee aroma in the hallways betrayed the fallen state of Dutch Adventists (At least that was what some people thought).”

Ellen White lived most of her life in the 19th century—the time of the second Industrial Revolution in the United States. It was a difficult and scary time in American history as the country shifted from primarily agricultural lifestyles to factory-driven schedules and poor working conditions for many. Ellen saw how the negative effects of poor health would keep people from experiencing the abundant life God intends for us.

Health reform for Ellen was nearly a matter of life and death. Unmanaged disease and contamination were responsible for many deaths during this time:

- There was no cure for Tuberculosis, which was the leading cause of death in 1900.

- Pneumonia and Influenza were major killers.

- Infant mortality was as high as 30% in some cities.

- No FDA rules or housing and worker protection laws existed.

- The USDA had a long way to go.

- There were no inspectors in the meatpacking industry. (The resulting poor conditions inspired Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle”).

- Milk was often watered-down, and chalk or plaster were added for color.

- Butter contained an excess of salt.

- Coffee, tea, beer and wine contained lead.

- Spices contained dirt, sand, or leaves.

- Vinegar contained sulfuric acid.

- Common preservatives included borax, copper sulfate, sulfuric acid, and formaldehyde.

- Doctors were still doing surgery without washing their hands.

Given these facts, it’s not surprising Ellen White wrote, “Let the people be taught how to prepare food without the use of mild or butter…there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter, because disease in animals is increasing….”

Back to coffee! Growing up in Africa, and particularly in Uganda, I noticed how stunning the coffee plants are when they bloom. The delicate white flowers are not only exquisitely beautiful, but they also have a wonderful fragrance. Add to this the bright red color of the ripe coffee beans, and there is much sensory delight the Creator packed into “coffea arabica.”

But, for many years, I tried hard to not let myself enjoy partaking of coffee, even though I’ve always participated with moderation. When in Italy I discovered the joy of cappuccino or a latte macchiato lovingly served with a heart formed on top of the milky foam.

Have conditions and has science changed significantly since the days when Ellen White warned that drinking coffee and tea is a sin? You’ve also read the results of studies like the one from The European Society of Cardiology which suggested that 1 to 3 cups of coffee a day may protect your heart? 

Other studies show that drinking moderate amounts of coffee can protect adults from type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s and more.

A recent Harvard study (echoed in a similar study at Johns Hopkins University) suggest the following health benefits from moderate coffee consumption:

1. You could live longer.

2. Your body may process glucose (or sugar) better.

3. You’re less likely to develop heart failure.

4. You are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

5. Your liver will thank you.

6. Your DNA will be stronger.

7. You may decrease your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

8. Your odds of getting colon cancer will go way down.

9. You’re not as likely to suffer a stroke.

Too much coffee—excessive intake of caffeine, can cause:

- Increased heart rate

- Raised blood pressure

- Anxiety

- Trouble falling asleep

This study recommends moderate coffee drinking in addition to a lifestyle of healthy habits that include:

- Eating a balanced diet

- Exercising

- Maintaining a healthy weight

- Learning to manage stress.

I appreciate the Apostle Paul’s advice in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 (ESV):

“Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

Amen. 

See you at the 11 a.m. Sabbath Service on Saturday.

Your pastor,

Duff