Thousands of people start each day with a shot of Coffee with Jesus, the enormously popular online comic strip. Irreverent at times, yet always insightful, this volume features classic entries and all new, exclusive material that was born out of artist David Wilkie's frustration with the polarized political climate in America.
"Originally created as a one-off, single-panel comic on my blog, utilizing old advertising clip art for the main characters and Sunday school clip art for the person of Jesus, I simply enjoyed the notion of Jesus appearing at table with these people (dressed as they were and sharing coffee with them) to refute their claims of how he might vote on any particular issue, to convince them that they cannot confuse their flag with their God—to set them straight, as it were," explains Wilkie.
But it didn't stop here. Soon the Jesus of Coffee with Jesus could be seen offering counsel to a recurring cast of characters on their personal and work lives. The characters—Carl, Lisa, Ann, Kevin and Joe—all honestly engage with Jesus about their successes and failures and wants and needs, effectively showing what conversation with God—or prayer—might look like.
Poignant, pointed, and rife with good theology, Coffee with Jesus is organized around six themes: getting to know Jesus, spiritual disciplines, relationships, culture, church, and the challenges of life. With exclusive material like twelve-panel mega-strips and "behind the strip" reflections on life, faith and art, Wilkie inventively poses answers to the perpetual Christian speculation, "What would Jesus do?"
David Wilkie is the artist behind Coffee with Jesus and cofounder, with his wife, of Radio Free Babylon.
David Wilkie is the artist behind Coffee with Jesus and cofounder, with his wife, of Radio Free Babylon.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Come See a Man: Getting to Know Jesus 2. Who Sees What Is Done in Secret: Spiritual Disciplines 3. Do to Others: Relationships 4. Sown Among Thorns: Culture 5. This Against You: Church 6. The Rain Came Down: Suffering, Temptation and Comfort Seasons Special Events Converstions About Coffee with Jesus About Radio Free Babylon
What People are Saying About This
David Neff
"Christianity Today, the magazine I edited for twenty-eight years, was not known for its keen sense of humor. That's why Coffee with Jesus is one of my guilty pleasures. I read its sassy Jesus as a refuge from sober Christians and to make up for the smart-aleck gene missing from my DNA."
Mark Oestreicher
"I remember when the 'What Would Jesus Do?' tsunami almost completely engulfed all of us who worked with teenagers. Suddenly, we felt compelled to provide an answer to that impossible question. Problem was: most of us didn't really have a clue what Jesus would do, really. And any honest reading of the Gospels reveals that his disciples didn't know what Jesus would do either. Coffee with Jesus steps into that same tension, responding with plucky, snarky and occasionally awkward honesty. We don't really know the full answer to 'What Would Jesus Say?' But I'd sure like it to be close to the Jesus in these panels."
Jon Acuff
"I loved this book! I never use the phrase 'LOL'—I'm sorry, that's just how I was raised. But this book honestly had me laughing out loud."
Dan Kimball
"If you don't buy this book, you will be cursed. Everything will begin to go horribly wrong. You will gain weight. You will lose your job. Your car will break down and you'll learn you need a new one. Your mutual fund will lose over 50 percent of its value. Please buy this book—for the sake of your children."
Susan Isaacs
"The day I discovered Coffee With Jesus, I felt a little less alone in Christendom. Wilkie's characters demonstrate our worst flaws, and Coffee Jesus skewers them with a wry balance of humor, solid theology and love. This might be the best evangelism tool since Mere Christianity. Perfect for a seeker or someone who's fed up with religiosity but thirsty for Jesus."
Sean Gladding
"Like the first cup of the day, Coffee with Jesus offers a much-needed jolt to our culturally captured versions of Christianity and some beloved sacred cows. Yup—including my own."
Chris Heuertz
"Sometimes I wonder if one of Jesus' love languages is 'hang out'—you know, time together, minus the quality part. In this little collection of pithy, advice-columnesque comic strips, David Wilkie nails this little love language of Jesus. It might be going too far to call these little comic strips modern icons, but they do serve that purpose."
Tony Jones
"It's a comic strip, so it's funny, right? Yes, of course. But it's also poignant, and pointed. And rife with good theology. So read it for a laugh, but be prepared to be challenged as well. Jesus probably has something to say to you too."
