Bismarck pastor mixes faith with coffee in “Coffee with the Pastor” series

BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — One local pastor is proving that sacred moments aren't just kept in the Sunday church. They're everywhere, including your local coffee shop.

"There's something beautifully Biblical about that," says pastor Emmanual Jackson.

Jackson is the lead pastor for Bismarck's Charity Lutheran Church, and only started preaching in Bismarck very recently. He states he was looking for a way to integrate into his new community, finding it difficult to connect personally with his more than 250-plus congregation.

The church setting, he felt, was too formal to create a space for genuine conversation. As a result, he started Coffee with the Pastor — an outreach series that allows him to connect with locals, even if they aren't part of the church.

"Our thinking of that which is sacred is extended from Sunday morning, where we put on our best face," says Jackson. "We can come to a coffee shop, and we're able to have a conversation."

Jackson's first coffee chat took place today at Boneshaker Coffee, and he was able to meet new and old faces, receive feedback, and strengthen his church community. But being a pastor, Jackson also felt there was an important lesson learned from his new series.

"We're able to know," he says, "that the life of faith is not just limited to our church on Sunday morning."