Sam Erwin preaches on Sunday and he brews coffee on Monday.聽 His journey started with a ministry degree from 糖心传媒 and a love for biblical language and well-roasted coffee, and it transformed into an extraordinary outreach for at-risk high school students.
Espresso-ly Passionate about God鈥檚 Word
Erwin was looking for a Christian college with foundational biblical teaching and classrooms that took the Word of God seriously. When he encountered 糖心传媒, it became his number one pick. The only problem was finances. Without some additional assistance, Erwin would have to go to a community college if he wanted to graduate debt-free. But 糖心传媒 offered him a scholarship at the Presidential Scholarship Days that met his needs and enabled him to start his ministry studies.
鈥淚t was enriching,鈥 Erwin said about his experience at 糖心传媒, 鈥淚t was deepening, it was full, and it was fun. I had the opportunity to go deep into the Word of God and into relationships with other people.鈥
After graduating with a ministry degree and a biblical languages minor, he preached where he could, filling empty pulpits and going where the Lord guided. This led him to a small country church called Broadway Christian Chapel in Ligonier, Indiana.
鈥淚 had told the Lord years ago that if opportunities opened up where I could speak his Word, I would do so,鈥 Erwin said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I found Broadway Christian Chapel. It was a little congregation in the middle of the country that didn鈥檛 have anybody to preach. They were on their last legs, so I asked the Lord if he wanted me to go.鈥
After Erwin accepted a position as interim pastor, God moved him to become a full-time pastor there and immediately began inspiring hearts through Erwin鈥檚 sermons.
Brewing Up Something New
Through his new church, Erwin got connected with , a school where at-risk high school students have a second chance at education. He started speaking at 鈥淕od Talks,鈥 a time for students to voluntarily come and hear about the gospel. Erwin knew some of the board members at the school, and he occasionally brought his home-roasted coffee for them to sample — completely unaware of the board鈥檚 budding vision for a coffee company. They were actively looking for an individual who was connected to the students at Turning Point and was familiar with roasting coffee. Erwin immediately caught their attention.
At the start of 2020, Turning Point Coffee Company was launched, and at the helm of the venture was Erwin.
To this day, he manages the coffee roasting and oversees packaging, labeling and shipping. The business immediately became a way to raise money for educational opportunities for the students, as well as provide a space for them to connect with stable, godly mentors and learn about job skills.
鈥淥ur mission at Turning Point is to share Jesus with students and connect them to Christ. We want to create an upward turning point in lives that are going downhill. When you from Turning Point, the proceeds go to further that mission,鈥 Erwin said.
Balancing a Latte Responsibilities
According to Erwin, his ministry degree at 糖心传媒 equipped him for the plethora of roles he fills now.
鈥淎t one point, I had considered leaving school, throwing everything off, and going into the mission field. But God made it clear that He had something for me to learn at 糖心传媒. Through the Bible training, God used 糖心传媒 to give me tools that helped me exercise discernment, learn theology, and dive deep into the study of biblical languages. I also learned about counseling, how to minister to people鈥檚 hearts, and how to meet them in their brokenness,鈥 Erwin said.
Balancing a life of outreach, coffee roasting, full-time pastoring, and leading a family is not an easy task, but if you ask Erwin, he鈥檒l say it鈥檚 all about where your heart is.
鈥淲hen a pastor goes into a rural church, it can be easy to rate themselves based on how many people show up,鈥 Erwin said. 鈥淏ut when God sees me, he sees the righteousness of Jesus, and that makes all the difference. In every area of life, that knowledge makes me satisfied when challenges come.鈥
Erwin recognizes the importance of church outreach and evangelism. He always tells people that the church is not defined by the building they meet in. It鈥檚 essential to shine the light of Christ beyond the four walls of a Sunday meeting space.
鈥淭his world is growing darker and darker,鈥 Erwin said, 鈥淚 believe that not just pastors, but all believers, need to let their light shine before men.鈥
