EVERYONE HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE

of Inman Coffee, with Joel serving as The Salvation Army’s Christian Education Director in Cleveland.

Founded in 2011 in Cleveland, Tennessee, Inman Coffee is a oneof-a-kind ministry of The Salvation Army that aims to reach and develop young persons for Christ by creating a healthy ministry through an age-specific, community-minded business that models biblical unity in the name of Jesus Christ. Joel and Cheryl Rogers, co-founders of what was then called the Inman Street Coffee House, arrived in the region and were introduced to Sergeant Ruth Forgey, eventually leading to the planting of the Cleveland Corps in 2010 and the opening of a vital ministry, within the same building, just one year later.

“The mission of Inman Coffee is to be a ministry from seed to cup,” Joel Rogers said. “So much relationally can happen over a cup of coffee. We love to be there for people, to be the listening ear when they are hurting or broken, or if they just need a place to be.”

The idea for the coffeehouse sprung from a desire to create community, drawing on experience for both Joel and Cheryl in operating in the coffee world and pairing that knowledge with a passion for empowering young people. Cheryl is the now the food service manager

Inman Coffee, named for the street on which it is located, is a full-fledged community endeavor. Lee University has thousands of college students, many of whom are frequent consumers. The shop also caters to seniors, homeless individuals, and anyone seeking valuable relationships. Once inside the shop, individuals learn of The Salvation Army’s holistic ministry, planting the seeds for community and spiritual growth.

“The most important aspect of Inman Coffee is the impact it has had through inclusion and being the space where everyone has a seat at the table. We have witnessed subtle miracles of healing and transformation that have translated into lives lived with passion and purpose,” said Sergeant Forgey. “It ranges from suicidal youth grabbing enough hope over a cup of coffee to hang on for another day, a homeless friend needing a cold drink and cool place to sit on a hot day, and a young adult unsure of next steps maturing into adults that are literally changing the world.”

Success stories are frequent and wide-ranging, with people often making return trips to Cleveland to express gratitude and to reengage with the Rogers’ and other familiar faces.

“Inman provided me a chance to really come to know God,” said Jordan Barto, a former student who credits the outreach with turning his life around. “I was an atheist for years. This place really helped me turn my life around and come back to the Lord. It provided me with friendships and social interactions, a place to go and talk about my problems. It also provided good job skills and, most importantly, with a family and a group of people that I’ve become very close to and love. It really opened a lot of doors for me in the community and to serve God.”

Inman Coffee’s outreach is a training ground for leadership development. Students transform relationships into ministry opportunities, and the program seeks to teach individual responsibility coupled with marketable job skills. Overall, however, the focus is to empower people and bring them closer to God.

“Our vision is to be a model of ministry that remains fruitful and inspires others to try new initiatives in their cities and neighborhoods that make them relevant to those they serve,” Sergeant Forgey said. “We hope that it is easy to see how ‘Drink Coffee, Change Lives’ is not just a slogan, but a reality.”