Take The Coffee Hack Challenge
The Coffee Hack: Holy Listening in 45 Minutes
If the Kingdom is a family, then love looks like making time for one another especially for those who don’t think, vote, worship, or live like we do. Starting today, I’m inviting you to join me in a one-week Kingdom Hack that’s small on logistics but huge on impact:
Have one simple coffee meeting this week with someone meaningfully different from you—and just listen.
I do coffee meetings all the time. Nothing fancy. No big agenda. I ask a few questions, listen to their story, and let God work on my heart while they talk. Every single time, I walk away with new insight, a fresh sense of compassion, and a specific way to pray. Here’s what I’ve learned: the coffee isn’t really for them, it’s for me. The gift is the insight God gives through their experience. The change starts in my own heart.
Why coffee works
Coffee lowers the stakes. It’s short, public, and familiar. It doesn’t demand a big time commitment or a complex plan. People are far more open to a 45-minute coffee than a long lunch or a formal meeting. And because it’s simple, you can make it a constant in your life.
But the real power is in the posture. Sitting and listening to someone’s story gives you access to something sacred: the way they see the world. You start to notice what weighs them down, what brings them joy, and how they’ve learned to persevere. You hear the “why” behind their choices. That’s holy ground. It changes how you pray, how you lead, and how you love.
The Coffee Hack Plan
1. Pray before you text.
Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight someone across a real gap—age, culture, income, neighborhood, theology, or role. Pray for humility, curiosity, and courage to learn.
2. Send a simple, kind invite.
“Hey [Name], I’d love to grab coffee next week and hear more of your story. I’ve been trying to broaden my perspective and learn from people I don’t know well. Would Tuesday or Thursday work?”
Keep it friendly and brief. Offer a 45-minute window. Choose a neutral, public spot.
3. Listen like it’s your assignment.
Let them talk most of the time. Ask questions like:
• “What’s a part of your story most people miss?”
• “What’s been heavy for you lately—and what’s helped?”
• “What’s something you wish more people understood about your world?”
Don’t fix, debate, or defend. Just listen and thank them for sharing.
4. Notice the “gold.”
As you listen, look for the good, what’s beautiful, brave, or honest. That’s the “gold” you’ll carry into prayer later. Name one strength before you leave: “I admire your resilience,” or “Your compassion really stands out.”
5. Bless, don’t pressure.
If it feels right, offer a short prayer: “God, thank You for [Name] and the gift of their story. Give them peace and strength.” If prayer in the moment isn’t comfortable, bless them with your words and pray privately afterward.
6. Pray after you part.
On the drive home or that night, pray for them by name. Ask God to meet specific needs you heard. Write one line in your notes app to remember how to keep praying.
Why this matters, this week
This isn’t about collecting coffee dates. It’s about forming a new habit of holy listening. Coffee won’t fix division or change systems overnight. But it will change you, your assumptions, your tone, your empathy.
When you start hearing real stories instead of headlines, your prayers shift from generic to personal:
“God, bless them” becomes “God, help Maria get the rest she needs before her night shift.”
That’s what the Kingdom looks like, small acts of love that reshape the heart.
The Kingdom advances first in you, then through you.
Take the One-Week Coffee Challenge
Between today and next Thursday, schedule just one coffee conversation.
Afterward, jot down three reflections:
What surprised me?
What will I pray this week?
What one small act can I take (a note, a text, a resource)?
At the end of the week, notice what’s shifted. Are you more patient? More curious? More hopeful? If yes, keep going.
Your move
Pick a name today. Send the text. Put the coffee on the calendar. Show up with a listening heart and an open spirit. Order the drink, ask one good question, and let God do the rest. Nothing big, nothing flashy just a simple way to show His love and let the Spirit expand your capacity to care.
This is the Coffee Hack, forty-five minutes of holy listening. Watch what God does first in you, then through you.
Share Your Coffee Hack Story
By next Thursday, tell us how it went! You don’t need to name the person you met with. Just share what you learned, what surprised you, or how you’re praying differently because of the experience.
You can share your reflection by:
Posting on social media: Share your insight without naming the other person. Tag @KingdomHackers and use the hashtag #CoffeeHack so others can be inspired to join the challenge.
Your Scripture for the week
• James 1:19 — “Be quick to listen, slow to speak…”
• Romans 12:10 — “Honor one another above yourselves.”
• Luke 24 — Jesus is recognized through simple conversation and presence; holy listening reveals Him.