I write this for our volunteers. Particularly for a volunteer named Blaise (he works every other Friday night). One Friday night a few guests asked Blaise what the café was all about and he shared with me later that he didn’t think he answered them very well.

So I’ve put together a few things you can say, Blaise.

OPTION #1: Formerly introduce yourself, smile and welcome them to the café, make eye contact and then share your own story. You can explain why you’re at the café, or how you first heard about the café, or what motivates you to serve them. You can also share your testimony (i.e. where Jesus met you and how your faith in Him is changing your life).

OPTION #2: We do this to show others that there really is a God out there who loves us. Did you know that God has so much love for the world that He gave his one and only Son, Jesus, and whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life? (John 3:16)

OPTION #3: Cups Café is a non-profit organization and our vision is to serve Hope one cup at a time. The Hope we serve is Jesus Christ and we serve Him through our work here at the café and to our guests.

OPTION #4: Cups Café is a Christian non-profit organization. Everything here is offered freely. One reason everything is free is because eternal life (or insert the word: salvation) is a free gift from God. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph. 2:8-9; or quote Titus 3:4)

OPTION #5: We do this for the kids in Medina. We wanted to set up a safe place where they could hang out and we’ve made it free because teens typically do not have a lot of money. We picked the name Cups because Jesus said, “If anyone even gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).

OPTION #6: Use can also use any combination of these options and you can always default to directing them to the website www.cupscafe.org and/or handing them my business card and encouraging them to contact me. Cards are in a black box in the drawer under the computer monitor.

These are just a few options of things you can put to memory. Don’t give up, brother. Hang tough. You’re doing great! Stay encouraged and stick with it my friend. You are not alone. Your concern over what to say is something every volunteer faces, me included. Don’t ever try to be perfect in your answers just be yourself, serve with all your heart, and remember that it is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:24).

Love ya, brother,

Tim

“Would you like something to drink?” I ask a guest yesterday.

“Can I just get like half a cup of cold water?” the boy says.

I sometimes wonder…

Jesus is God, right?

And God is all-knowing, right?

Then…is there any possibility that what Jesus says in Matthew 10:42 is specifically intended and directed at His disciples today through the ministry of Cups Café? Hear me out…

What we have recorded Him saying in verse 42 is kinda’ awkward, almost out of place…if you ask me.

I can see it in my mind. Jesus and His Disciples are in the locker room showering and dressing for the big game, for real world ministry (Matthew 10). Jesus holds a clipboard in one hand and a broken piece of chalk in the other. A whistle hangs from a string around his neck. He adjusts his ball cap and then lifts his leg, placing one foot on the locker room bench. Jesus leans on his knee and begins his pep talk by pointing with the chalk saying stuff like:

“don’t take any cash with you and leave your credit cards at home”

“if you’re not welcome in a home, then kick the dust off your Nike’s”

“take no briefcase or laptop bag for the journey”

“stay at stranger’s houses”

“be on your guard against men” (the same men they went out to reach mind you)

“you’ll be hated and persecuted and when that happens get outta’ Dodge”

“don’t worry about what to say when the cops slap handcuffs on you”

“don’t be afraid of other guys rather fear God who can kill both body and soul”

“acknowledge me to your neighbor during a backyard barbecue and I’ll acknowledge you before God, disown me in front of your co-worker and I’ll disown you before God”

“if you love your dad and mom or son and daughter more than me, then you’re not worthy of me”

I can see Peter toweling off and saying, “Great talk, Jesus. Thanks! It sounds like we’ve already lost the game. Why don’t we all give up now and go and die?”

The other Disciples are thinking the same thing but Peter is the only one with enough guts to say anything.

And so…after this heavy discourse…it just seems strange to me that Jesus concludes with “and if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” I can hear Him saying it in an oh-and-by-the-way sorta’ tone.

What motivated Jesus to say this?

Was someone drawing water from a nearby well at the time to give it to their child? Did a thirsty kid jump onto Jesus’ lap wanting a sip of his iced tea?

Or was Jesus, God in the flesh, thinking of Cups Café? Was He thinking about you and me?

Hmmmm…just wonder.