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What I Learned at the Coffee Shop – Drew Oswald and Dr. Ely Prieto

Tangible: Theology Learned and Lived explores the ways in which theology permeates all aspects of life. Through conversations with the faculty of Concordia Seminary, we will challenge you to deepen your theology and live out your faith in Christ. Jessica Bordeleau talks with a variety of guests on a variety of topics. There is something different in every episode, but all point to the intersection of faith and daily life. It’s tangible: theology learned and lived.

For a year, seminary student Drew Oswald spent 10 hours a week sitting in a coffee shop. He never approached anyone, yet strangers and baristas sat down to talk with him. He said the people he met have enriched his ministry and his life. Dr. Ely Prieto joins the conversation to discuss the vocation of shared spaces.

You can find more episodes of Tangible: Theology Learned and Lived on CSL Scholar and across all major podcast platforms. Check it out!

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One response to “What I Learned at the Coffee Shop – Drew Oswald and Dr. Ely Prieto”

  1. Q! Avatar
    Q!

    I believe this podcast topic is touching on the very heart of evangelism in the 21st century. It seems to me to be a simple truth that most folks we come across on a day-to-day basis are probably not looking to “the church” for answers–they think they know what “church” is about and they’ve very often already rejected the idea of a brick-and-mortar solution to any of their deep spiritual questions/struggles. Meeting folks where they are is what is required and BTW, it’s not about pastors doing this work. We pew sitters need to get up out of our complacency and be about what Jesus told us to do with the individualized tools he’s given to each one of us.

    That said, I’ll just mention that I’ve been going to chapel at the Sem as a “sojourner” on most weekdays for over a year. I treasure worshiping God with my Christian Cousins and found that reading the Bible, praying with like-minded believers and contemplating God’s grace in my life is a wonderful way to start each day. I wholeheartedly recommend it! Plus, I recognize this as an active participation in Jesus’ plea for unity within the Church Visible.

    But in all candor, during the course of that year there have only been a handful of people who were willing to reach out to this stranger among them and inquire why he is attending and to perhaps learn a little bit about his background and how God is working in his life. Plenty of smiles and warm greetings, but no real attempts at building a deeper relationship. Good news, Drew was one of these who took the initiative, so he’s putting into practice what he’s talking about in this podcast.

    But let me quickly state that I’m not picking on the Sem here, in my experience this is pretty much a universal problem with Christians of all stripes everywhere. In my view, 21st Century Christians simply MUST become more aware of the fields before us that are dazzling white unto harvest! We need to cultivate a mindset that each person we encounter during our day is somebody the the Holy Spirit has put there in our path for some reason.

    We have been called to be salt and light, regardless of our vocation. We don’t have to be brilliant in theology, don’t have to wear any sort of special garment. We simply need to look and listen and be ready to apply a basic knowledge of the gospel to those we meet everyday. Undoubtedly some of them are hungry for solutions that only Jesus can provide, but we have to spend a little time to find out.

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