Cake artist Jack Phillips is all too familiar with protests and lengthy legal challenges by the LGBTQ community in his fight to operate his business according to his deeply held religious beliefs. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver, endured more than a decade of court battles that extended even as far as the U.S. Supreme Court. Ultimately, the Christian baker emerged victorious but battered.
Now enter, Jamie Sanchez.
Sanchez started his coffee shop in Denver as a dream of he and his late wife to help the homeless and share Christ with them. He tells American Family Studios in its Impact Series video called "The Jamie Sanchez Story" that the vision came during a walk in his neighborhood.
"We immediately realized there was like a huge need in Denver for the homeless population, and we were just so blown away of how many there were," he shares.
Shortly after his wife passed away, Sanchez started a Christian ministry to the homeless called Project Revive – a discipleship ministry to those in that community who seek a complete restart on life and are willing to make a serious commitment to getting off the streets.
To help fund that ministry, God presented Sanchez with the opportunity to open a coffee shop he called "The Drip Café." Sanchez says someone put together his coffee shop and his ministry's very Christian statement of faith – and a collection of satanists, communists and homosexual activists descended on Drip intent on its destruction.
"I would be like in the café, and without even seeing them show up I could feel like the darkness come in – and then I would look outside and they're showing up," he recalls.
According to Sanchez, protesters are still showing up – but so is the Church.
"[The protesters'] main goal to shut us down isn't working, so now we're at this point to where the church body is supporting us in such a way that no matter what these people do, we're going to be supported and we're going to continue to do our thing," he shares.
"The Jamie Sanchez Story" is available at AFA Stream for those who sign up as Great Commission Partners with American Family Association.
