I just heard about it on the news. A new church in Cleveland, Gateway Church, has launched by meeting in a comedy club. Their target audience is urban professionals, and they wanted to meet them where they are at.
I truly hope this works for them! If they will hold unswervingly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I am sure that it will thrive. 15 years ago, the church I am now the minster of met in a bar. They rented a VFW (or something similar) hall, and had to clean off the bar before having church each Sunday morning. I can’t tell you the number of men that I have talked to who used to belly up to that bar, and are now serving God faithfully at OCC! Even the owners of the building came to know Christ throught the ministry of Ontario Christian Church, and when they passed away, they sold parts of the property and gave part to the church. That building is still on our property, but has been completely remodeled to now hold a fellowship hall and classrooms.
Jesus certainly had dinner in some strange places. I don’t think that people thought too much about that meal that he had at Matthew’s house after calling him from his tax collector’s booth. His only friends were theives and prostitutes, and Jesus was questioned about this. If only we could all be having a greater interest and presence in our communities. Not all of our churches would do well in bars, but again, if God is for it, nothing is going to stop it!
I still remember Mike Breaux talking about eating lunch in a bar, and taking a lot of slack for it, but he ended up having great discussions about God and church with those who gathered in that bar.
Let’s not move all our churches to bars though…I would strongly recommend that recovering alcoholics stay away from a church in a bar!
