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Bars and Churches

I have a question for you this morning, one you have probably not spent too much time thinking about.

But, one I think is important for us to consider. Here it is:

Does it bother you that on any given weekend there are probably more people sitting on bar

stools than in church pews?

At first glance, bars and churches don’t seem to have much in common. For many Christians, especially

older ones, bars are places of sin and churches are places of righteousness.

If we were to look at the number of people who attend church each weekend versus the number of

people who spend time in a bar, a club, or someplace similar; I believe world-wide we would find bars

are considerably more popular than churches.

Rich DuBose, a friend of mine, recently wrote a book of short devotional thoughts and stories – a result

of his personal devotional life. The book is titled Bad Enough to be Saved: Good Enough to be Lost. I have

shared a chapter or two from it in my blogs.

One chapter is titled Bar Stools & Pews. It got me thinking and forms the basis of this sermon. After

asking the question we posed as we began, he says:

This …

The fact that on any given weekend there are more people using bar stools than sitting in pews.

This ought to send a message to pastors and parishioners alike that something meaningful is

happening in local bars and clubs! What is it?

Normally, people only frequent places where they feel accepted and welcome. While bar goers

often confuse their needs with the best solutions, they are tuned into something that many

churches need to discover.

Why People Go to Bars

Those of us who don’t have much experience with bars and clubs often just think drinking and drunks.

But they offer something much more important. People getting drunk only tells us that in the end their

real needs are not being met and they are not finding lasting solutions.

What do people find at bars that is so attractive?

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Fellowship – They find camaraderie and a sense of belonging. They find other people who are

trying to cope with the same things they are.

A non-judgmental atmosphere – They are not put down for who they are or what they have

done. Their inadequacies can be admitted without condemnation. They can feel safe about

letting others know who they really are.

A listening ear – They find people who take a personal interest in them. It may not be because

they are loved or cared for – it may be just the way the bartender sells more stuff or the way

someone toys with their emotions – but still, to feel like you are being heard is important.

Relief from pain – The companionship and the alcohol can help minimize and manage pain even

though it is only a short-term fix.

The Lessons for Us

When Jesus was here on earth, He provided all this and more. People flocked to hear and see Him. He

freely touched hurting people so much He was accused of associating with sinners (see

Matthew 9:9-13).

In His absence, Jesus has asked (even commanded) that we act in His place, with the same love and care.

A passage we have looked at many times is found in John 13:

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you

should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my

disciples.” (John 13:34-35, NLT)

There is no other place in Scripture where Jesus gives the identifying mark of His followers more clearly

than He does here. He never said correct doctrine, as important as it may be, would be the identifying

characteristic of His people; but, several times He identifies His true disciples by their actions of love to

others (see Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 10:25-37; & John

15:12, 17).

We, as a church should be attracting the same type of people Jesus did. Those people who are finding

meaning in their time at a bar or club, should find the same at church, only much better.

And, why would that be true?

Because Jesus has the power to not just dull people’s pain, but to heal them. He has real solutions to

people’s problems, not just temporary fixes.

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Our church should always be a place where people can find fellowship, a non-judgmental atmosphere, a

listening ear, and relief from pain. It should be this way because Jesus is here, living in us, expressing His

love to others through our lives!

Let’s explore how each of these should work.

Fellowship: Shouldn’t our church be the best place to find real fellowship? Shouldn’t it be the place

where we find our best friends and the greatest support? This is one of the reasons the early church

grew so fast – the quality of their fellowship. Reading from Acts 2:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing

in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

… And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their

property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at

the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy

and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each

day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, NLT)

Talk about high quality fellowship! Who wouldn’t want to be part of a group that loves each other like

that? I wonder what that kind of fellowship would look like here in our church.

What would it look like if every person who walked through our door was treated like a valued member

of our church family? Wouldn’t it be great if coming to church Sabbath morning was not something we

felt we should do, but was the only place we really wanted to be – if it was the actual highlight of our

week?

The quality of our Sabbath morning experience depends far more on the quality of our fellowship than

on whether Pastor T is in fine form or not.

A Non-Judgmental Atmosphere: Our church should be the most non-judgmental place in the

community because we all are recovering sinners. It is a place where we should be built up, not torn

down.

I don’t know anyone here who means to be judgmental. But my guess is all of us could relate a time or

two when we felt it from someone – even here. Sometimes when we get all pretty and dressed up we

pretend to be something we are not quite.

There are some who reflect a poster I saw many years ago, un-intentionally I’m sure. There was a

picture of a cat with a smug look on its face. The caption read: “I made a mistake once. I thought I was

wrong, but I was mistaken.”

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For some reason we seem to be afraid of people knowing who we really are. We don’t show our real

self, but our church self. As a result, when I see someone strutting their church stuff and I’m feeling

down, it can make me feel a bit like a failure.

When I compare myself to someone who appears to have it all together – and I know I shouldn’t be

comparing, but we all do, don’t we? – When I compare I see your polish and apparent success at the

same time I see what is churning inside of me.

Now, I’m not advocating total disclosure. But, letting our guard down a bit as we share actually helps

create a non-judgmental atmosphere. If you know some of my struggles, and I have many, you are less

likely to feel condemned in my presence because you know we are both on the same journey – perhaps

at different places on the road but again, all of us are recovering sinners.

As we share in each other’s struggles, it fosters an environment that encourages us to identify and deal

with our inadequacies. It encourages us to grow closer to Jesus and let go of sin.

The only way for us to develop this non-judgmental atmosphere is to focus more on Jesus. The more we

know Jesus, the more we will realize His love and acceptance. And the more we live in this knowledge,

the more we will become like Him – able to offer love unconditionally.

A Listening Ear: Our church should be a place where people are listened to. Nothing says “I care about

you and am interested in you” more than taking the time to actively listen to what a person is saying.

James, the brother of Jesus wrote:

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and

slow to get angry. (James 1:19, NLT – emphasis provided)

Have you ever had the type of conversation where the other person talks non-stop? Where you don’t

have much of a chance to say anything other than a quick response that tells the other person you are

still listening, still engaged? And often when the “conversation” is over, the other person says something

to the effect of “That was such a great conversation!” And you’re thinking, “it wasn’t a conversation, it

was a monologue.”

I seem to have this type of conversation a lot. In one sense, it can be frustrating. It feels like the other

person is not really interested in you. But, these are the type of conversations that can change people’s

lives.

As Christians, we must first be willing to listen, without any regard to our own desire to be heard. Only

then will people be ready to hear what Jesus has done in our lives.

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Now I know we have to have good conversations, where there is give and take, where I hear you and

you hear me. But good active listening is critical if we want to share Jesus.

If more of us listened this way, instead of just listening for a break so we can get our words in, people

would feel more welcomed and valued. It would improve the quality of our fellowship. It would provide

us with a deeper understand of others enabling us to be less judgmental.

Most importantly, it paves the way for us to point others to real relief from pain. Really listening earns

us the privilege of sharing!

Relief from Pain: The one thing we as a church can offer that no bar or club can is lasting relief from

pain. Not that we have that power, but we know the One who does and it is our privilege to point others

to Jesus for that healing.

When Jesus was in Nazareth (His home town) on Sabbath, He read from Isaiah 61 and then used it to

announce His mission.

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the

poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery

of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of

the LORD.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all

who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this

Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-21, NKJV)

When John the Baptist sent Jesus a message from prison asking if He was really the Messiah, Jesus let

the messengers watch a bit as Jesus went about His day. Then, He referred back to this same Scripture,

Isaiah 61 by saying:

“Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen – the blind see, the lame walk, the

lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached

to the poor.” (Matthew 11:2-5, NLT)

The Gospels are full of references to Jesus’ miracles. He healed people physically, He healed their

emotional hurts through forgiveness and tender love, and He taught them how to live so they would not

keep hurting themselves or others.

These stories are there so we can know how He would like to relate to us. His resurrection is the

guarantee that He is still able to teach, comfort, and heal. And it is our job as Christians to help others

hook up with Him. We have the privilege of extending His invitation to others – where He said:

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“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take

my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find

rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)

Real Healing

It is true, a person may find temporary fellowship in the non-judgmental atmosphere of a bar or club.

They may even find temporary relief from their pain and trouble.

But the Church has the potential to meet all the needs. The Church can help connect people to Jesus,

the only source of real healing with eternal results. And it can only happen if Jesus is central in all we do.

I must note, the church is not some nebulous entity out there that is responsible to make all this

happen. You and I are the church. If you understand the church should act a certain way, you must act

that way or the church isn’t doing it.

It seems like a foolish and risky thing Jesus did in committing the most important work in the world to

the church, to you and me. He is trusting us to represent Him well; to be the skin – His hands, feet, and

voice – making His love real to the world.

But, it is the way He has chosen to work. We can mess it up by being cliquish or exclusive in our

fellowship, by being judgmental and by gossiping about those who are a little different, by talking at

people and over them without taking time to listen to their hearts, and by being selective as we bring

people to Jesus.

Or, we can rise to the need. We can let Jesus become so much a part of our lives and worship that

people will flock to our fellowship, will join us as recovering sinners, will feel valued as they are listened

to, and will find healing in the same place we have found it – in Jesus.

The choice is ours.

We can go our own way, or move Jesus’ direction.

We can focus on ourselves, or on Him.

We can be selfish, or we can let Jesus’ love guide us.

Remember, you and I are the church. What you and I choose dictates the direction of our church. I know

what direction I want our church to move – so I will choose Jesus and follow His plan!

What about you?

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Scripture References

2 Chronicles 7:12-16 (NLT): Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said,

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At

times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your

crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble

themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven

and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to

every prayer made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy – a

place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my

heart. (2 Chronicles 7:12-16, NLR)

Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT): Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He

forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with

love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

(Psalm 103:1-5, NLT)

Psalm 147:1-5 (NLT): Praise the LORD! How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how

fitting! 2 The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing the exiles back to Israel. 3 He heals the

brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. 4 He counts the stars and calls them all by name. 5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!

(Psalm 143:1-5, NLT)

Isaiah 58:6-12 (NLT): “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly

imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and

remove the chains that bind people. 7 Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the

homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your

help.

8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness

will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. 9 Then when you

call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! 10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the

darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. 11 The LORD will guide you

continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a

well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of

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your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.”

(Isaiah 58:6-12, NLT)

Hosea 14:1-7 (NLT): Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for your sins have brought you down. 2 Bring

your confessions, and return to the LORD. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive

us, so that we may offer you our praises. 3 Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never

again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans

find mercy.”

4 The LORD says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my

anger will be gone forever. 5 I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will

blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. 6 Its branches

will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. 7 My people will

again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be

as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:1-7, NLT)

Matthew 9:9-13 (NLT): As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax

collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and

followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many

tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his

disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.” 13 Then

he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer

sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know

they are sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13, NLT – see also Mark 2:13-17 & Luke 5:27-32)

Matthew 11:2-6 (NLT): John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was

doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or

should we keep looking for someone else?”

4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen – 5 the blind see,

the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good

News is being preached to the poor. 6 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away

because of me.’” (Matthew 11:2-6, NLT)

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT): Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy

burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am

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humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear,

and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)

Matthew 12:9-14 (NLT): Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a

deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on

the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)

11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work

to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep!

Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was

restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.

(Matthew 12:9-14, NLT)

Luke 4:16-21 (NLT): When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the

synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet

was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He

has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed

will be set free, 19 and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” (Quoting Isaiah 61:1-2)

20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the

synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just

heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4:16-21, NLT)

John 3:14-21 (NLT): And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of

Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who

believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge

the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in

him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is

based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the

light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear

their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see

that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3:14-21, NLT)

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John 8:1-11 (NLT): Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again

at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking,

the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the

act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses

says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus

stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he

stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until

only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and

said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11, NLT)

John 13:34-35 (NLT): “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have

loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you

are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35, NLT)

Acts 2:42-47 (NLT): All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and

to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs

and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They

worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared

their meals with great joy and generosity – 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the

goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being

saved. (Acts 2:42-47, NLT)

James 1:19-27 (NLT): Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow

to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God

desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has

planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

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22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling

yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a

mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully

into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you

heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your

religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for

orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

(James 1:19-27, NLT)

James 5:13-18 (NLT): Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You

should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come

and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith

will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will

be forgiven.

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest

prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as

human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three

and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to

yield its crops. (James 5:13-18, NLT)

1 Peter 2:21-25 (NLT): For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered

for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor

threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges

fairly. 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and

live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 25 Once you were like sheep who wandered

away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21-25,

NLT – quoting portions of Isaiah 53)

Additional References

Bad Enough to be Saved: Good Enough to be Lost by Rich DuBose, Chapter Titled Bar Stools and Pews.

This book is available as an e-book (for a Kindle or for IOS – Apple Products). Rich’s music is

available by clicking here. His website is www.richdubose.com.

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“Unconditional love is hard to compete with.” — Abbi Glines

Does it bother you that on any given weekend there are probably more people sitting on bar

stools than in church pews? This ought to send a message to pastors and parishioners alike that

something meaningful is happening in local bars and clubs! What is it?

Normally, people only frequent places where they feel accepted and welcome. While bar goers

often confuse their needs with the best solutions, they are tuned into something that many

churches need to discover:

Fellowship – Camaraderie and a sense of belonging.

A non-judgmental atmosphere – Where one can feel safe about letting others know who

they really are.

A listening ear – Being with people who take a personal interest in you.

Recognition of inadequacies – A willingness to change and improve.

Relief from pain – A place where pain can be minimized and managed.

When Jesus was here, he provided all of the above qualities and more. Is it any wonder that

people flocked to hear him speak? And isn't it strange that the people who criticized him most

were those who professed to be the most religious? (Matthew 12:14)

Churches who are successfully winning people to Christ may find they have a lot more in

common with bars than they thought.

Prescription - For further study on how Jesus met people's needs, read the following:

1. How Jesus Treated People, by Morris Venden. Publisher, Pacific Press.

2. Love Walked Among Us, by Paul E. Miller. Publisher, NavPress.”

_______________

Note: Most everything you find in this color is a hyperlink that will lead you to more complete references

or pertinent websites.

For a different perspective, check out the article, Christ’s Metric Alone, found in the Adventist Review on-

line by clicking here.