Coffee with Jesus is a simple-looking four- or five-panel comic strip in which Jesus meets recurring characters over coffee and responds to their questions, assumptions, successes, failures, wants, and needs. Created by David Wilkie, the series uses humor, sarcasm, and pointed theological discussion to explore discipleship, prayer, church life, politics, culture, relationships, and the challenges of everyday life.
The comic addresses the tension behind the question “What Would Jesus Do?” by imagining conversations that ask what Jesus might actually say to people who are confident, confused, argumentative, dishonest, religious, skeptical, or simply struggling. The result is occasionally irreverent and often sarcastic, but generally theologically sound, poignant, and challenging as well as funny.
What is Coffee with Jesus?
Coffee With Jesus is a simple looking 4 or 5 panel comic strip that started a year or two ago as a web comic. The basic images are actually old clip art that David Wilkie adds dialogue. This is not a book of intricate art, this is a book of humor.
Thousands of people starteach 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.
The central question: What would Jesus say?
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.
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.
How the comic presents prayer
The focus of the comics is the writing and making you think through humor about discipleship, politics, and the way we talk about (and to) Jesus. In most cases, the characters are sitting and having coffee (think individual prayer).
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.
The recurring conversations make prayer visible as an exchange rather than a one-sided declaration. Characters bring Jesus their arguments, anxieties, theological positions, disappointments, and personal justifications, while Jesus exposes the assumptions beneath what they say.
Recurring characters
Jesus
The person of Jesus is represented through Sunday school clip art, while his dialogue drives the comic's theological and comic tension. He appears at the table with ordinary people, dressed as they are and sharing coffee with them, to challenge their claims about faith, politics, morality, church, and discipleship.
Carl
Carl is so sure he's right. And so is everyone else. And that's why we have 40,000 strains of Christianity.
Carl, ever Carl, (God bless him) is a little child of the world. He practices a very upper-middle class sort of Christianity, as does his wife Lisa.
Lisa
Lisa is fun to write for. She, like her husband Carl, practices a very upper-middle class sort of Christianity.
Her conversations connect personal faith with Lent, church culture, and the assumptions that can accompany a comfortable form of American Christianity.
Ann
Ann's husband Jim was one such failure. Ann is sick of "all the haters" badmouthing her pastor.
Her storylines examine moral failure, forgiveness, church leadership, church growth, and the defense of influential pastors or ministries.
Kevin
Kevin is our resident agnostic. He still talks to Jesus. His mom loves him. He loves his Easter candy.
Kevin started in this series as a guy with honest questions and a lot of pride. He gradually became agnostic and is now becoming antagonistic. Kevin is becoming a total jerk. Jesus tries to tell him how to be a better jerk.
Kevin isn't much for that old C.S. Lewis argument. Jesus doesn't mind. We’re getting sick of Kevin.
Joe
For the record, because it's important. Joe's denominational affiliation is not Catholic, as far as we know. He's never told us. He's ambiguous like that. The collar is just an easy way to identify him as some sort of pastor.
Also, his last name is Ortiz, or Lopez, or Gutierrez or Gomez, or Sanchez. We forget. It ends in a "Z" though, that much we remember.
Joe, out of his usual cleric's collar and wearing street clothes, lets Jesus know he always wanted to see crowds down front.
Theological themes in the comic
Free will and predestination
In “I Have No Free Will,” the commenters on Facebook are having a field day with the subject. Carl is so sure he's right. And so is everyone else.
The comic connects the debate with Arminianism, Calvinism, free will, predestination, and Psalm 139, using the argument to show how easily theological certainty can become another form of public performance.
Christian unity and denominational disagreement
If you've ever read the comments on these comics on Facebook, you know where we got the idea for this one. Carl is so sure he's right. And so is everyone else. And that's why we have 40,000 strains of Christianity.
The theme of commonality addresses denominations and unity by turning the familiar certainty of online arguments into a reflection on Christian division.
Church attendance and Easter
All those annoying extra people showing up in church on Easter, taking up the parking spots, smelling all fancy, looking so clean, acting all holy.
The comic examines church attendance, church growth, and Easter by exposing the irritation that can accompany the arrival of people who appear to be newcomers or occasional worshippers.
Crucifixion and Easter
“It Is Finished” recalls the crucifixion and Good Friday. Or as Robert Powell exclaimed in the overly dramatic Franco Zeffirelli miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth,". "It!. Is!. Fff. Accomplished!"
“Hollow Easter Bunny” follows Kevin, the resident agnostic, who still talks to Jesus, loves his Easter candy, and remains loved by his mother.
Faith and doubt
“Takes Some Faith” places Kevin's skepticism beside an old C.S. Lewis argument about Jesus. Kevin isn't much for that argument. Jesus doesn't mind.
“Honest Agnostic” presents Kevin's agnosticism, apologetics, and honesty while showing his movement from sincere questions toward antagonism.
Creation and the scale of the universe
Kevin started in this series as a guy with honest questions and a lot of pride. He gradually became agnostic and is now becoming antagonistic.
“His Craftsmanship” connects Kevin's arguments with astronomy, creation, intelligent design, Isaiah 40:26, NASA, new planets, planets, Psalm 147:4, and Psalm 19:1.
Morality, hypocrisy, and forgiveness
Christian leaders don't get caught cheating, gambling, using porn or whatever; they simply have moral failings. Or that's what the press release from the church would have us believe.
“Love the Sinner” was one of the most-seen comics to date. Its themes include camels and gnats, logs and splinters, Matthew 23:24, and Matthew 7:4.
“Not So Innocent” presents Carl as “a little child of the world” and connects innocence with healing, redemption, Jesus loves the little children, and Mark 2:17.
Hardship and the Christian life
Life is good, so long as it seems good at the moment.
The comic connects this observation with hardship, illness, John 16:33, life is good, and trials, acknowledging the difference between temporary comfort and faith amid difficulty.
Apocalyptic predictions
John Haggee will never go broke predicting the Apocalypse. His "Blood Moon" book is a bestseller. Unfortunately.
“Blood Moon Fallout” addresses Acts 2:20, the Apocalypse, blood moon predictions, date setters, false prophets, Joel 2:31, John Haggee, and Revelation 6:12.
Church culture, leadership, and public religion
Church growth and megachurch culture
Ann is sick of "all the haters" badmouthing her pastor.
“A Mighty Thing” connects the defense of a pastor with church growth, church marketing, and megachurch culture.
The comic treats church marketing and institutional success with the same questioning humor it applies to personal faith, asking whether visible growth and public approval are reliable measures of spiritual health.
Evangelism and altar calls
Joe, out of his usual cleric's collar and wearing street clothes, lets Jesus know he always wanted to see crowds down front.
"The buses will wait," was often heard at large scale crusades, where busloads of people had been brought in. As they responded to the altar call, the evangelist let them know there was no need to put this off, as the buses would wait.
Say it in a Billy Graham-esque North Carolina accent and it sounds better. As do most things said in a North Carolina accent.
“They're Being Saved” deals with altar calls, Billy Graham, crowd manipulation, evangelists, faith, and the tension between genuine response and organized spectacle.
Religious labels
Joe's denominational affiliation is not Catholic, as far as we know. He's never told us. He's ambiguous like that. The collar is just an easy way to identify him as some sort of pastor.
The joke about Joe's uncertain denomination reflects the comic's broader interest in labels, public identity, and the limits of reducing faith to visible signs.
Politics, culture, and Christian identity
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 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.
The volume includes new, exclusive material that was born out of artist David Wilkie's frustration with the polarized political climate in America.
The focus of the comics is the writing and making you think through humor about discipleship, politics, and the way we talk about (and to) Jesus.
The comic therefore treats political certainty as one of the places where Christian language can become detached from the character and teaching of Jesus.
Popular culture and Christian media
Films about biblical subjects
“New Noah Film” considers Darren Aronofsky, the Noah movie, Paramount Pictures, The Passion of the Christ, and Russell Crowe.
Despite Paramount's best efforts to customize this film to shear some sheep, it probably won't happen.
“Subpar Sunday School Schlock” asks whether the new movie has been seen. Neither have we. But Satan weighs in with his review.
The themes include Christian film, Coffee with Jesus, and Son of God movie.
Apocalyptic entertainment
“Blood Moon Fallout” treats popular predictions about the Apocalypse as a mixture of religious expectation, public attention, and commercial success.
John Haggee will never go broke predicting the Apocalypse. His "Blood Moon" book is a bestseller. Unfortunately.
Style and visual form
The comics are occationally irreverent often sarcastic, but generally right theologically. There are only a handful of characters, Jesus, Lisa, Joe, Carl, Ann, and Kevin.
This is not a book of intricate art, this is a book of humor. The basic images are actually old clip art that David Wilkie adds dialogue.
The limited visual style places the emphasis on the written exchange. The familiar figures, repeated coffee-table setting, and small cast allow the dialogue to carry the theological argument and the punch line.
Organization and special material
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?"
The thematic organization brings together individual conversations that move from personal spiritual disciplines to relationships, church life, culture, and difficult circumstances.
Reading experience and format
As I have frequently said, I really prefer reading on my Kindle Paperwhite and not a tablet like the ipad. Coffee With Jesus is perfectly sized to get one comic per page on the Kindle.
I looked at it on an ipad and it shows either one or two (depending on if you have the ipad in portrait or landscape orientation.) All of the comics are black and white so there is no difference is how they are presented with the eink or tablet screens.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Format | Simple-looking 4 or 5 panel comic strip |
| Artwork | Old advertising clip art and Sunday school clip art |
| Color | Black and white |
| Recurring characters | Jesus, Lisa, Joe, Carl, Ann, and Kevin |
| Main focus | Writing, humor, discipleship, politics, and the way people talk about and to Jesus |
| Extended material | Twelve-panel mega-strips and “behind the strip” reflections on life, faith and art |
Examples of recurring subjects
- Christianity and discipleship
- Arminianism, Calvinism, free will, and predestination
- Church attendance, church growth, and Easter
- Crucifixion, Good Friday, and redemption
- Agnosticism, atheism, apologetics, and honest doubt
- Creation, astronomy, intelligent design, and the universe
- Morality, forgiveness, divorce, and moral failure
- Church marketing, megachurches, and public leadership
- Altar calls, evangelism, faith, and crowd manipulation
- Politics, polarized culture, and Christian identity
- Apocalypse predictions, false prophets, and biblical imagery
- Christian films and popular representations of biblical stories
Why the comic can be both funny and challenging
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.
The humor often comes from the distance between what a character claims and what the situation reveals. A character may defend a pastor, condemn another believer, insist on a theological position, complain about newcomers, or present a carefully managed public identity, only to encounter an uncomfortable response from Jesus.
That structure allows the strip to challenge religious habits without abandoning comedy. The characters are not presented as distant theological abstractions; they are recognizable people who bring ordinary frustrations, pride, doubt, insecurity, ambition, and confusion to the table.
So read it for a laugh, but be prepared to be challenged as well. Jesus probably has something to say to you too.