Florida Church Mixes Bibles & Booze at Weekly Bar Sermons
- Posted on August 15, 2012 at 11:42am by
Billy Hallowell
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PERDIDO KEY, Fla. (TheBlaze/AP) — Talk about an unconventional church. On a balmy Sunday morning at the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package and Oyster Bar, barkeeps set up their stations as churchgoers filtered in under a Jack Daniels banner.
The iconic bar, which sits on the Florida and Alabama state line, is famous for its annual mullet-tossing contest — patrons gather on the beach and throw dead fish from Alabama into Florida.
Bikini contests, bar brawls and drink specials are the day-to-day business of the beach bar that calls itself “America’s last roadhouse.”
But for one hour every Sunday, the Flora-Bama is home to about 450 regular congregants of Worship at the Water, an outreach service of the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church. More than 1,100 filled the place on Easter Sunday.
Bible study is in the upstairs bar.
If Jesus returned to Earth, he’d probably kick back at the Flora-Bama, said Jack de Jarnette, a founding pastor of the church.
“It’s the sort of place he often went and hung out with people,” he said. “When you cannot get people to come to church, the alternative is to bring the church to them.”
A band in tie-dyed T-shirts played Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” as parishioners gathered underneath an awning adorned with rows of Land Shark beer flags on a recent Sunday. Most wore flip-flops and shorts, but some wore swimsuits.
FILE
“If you look closely, you might see a few of the churchgoers having a Bloody Mary or a bushwhacker,” longtime bar employee Blitz Poston said. “It’s really a wonderful thing that brings together people from all walks of life.”
Offerings are collected in neon tackle boxes placed throughout the bar.
Pastor Jeremy Mount wears Mardi Gras beads, shorts, sandals and T-shirt that is fringed around the sleeves.
“There are seven places to drink and no place to worship God on this key,” he said. “We feel like God has called us here to be a ministry. Where would there ever be a better place than the world-renown Flora-Bama?”
His sermon is one of redemption and hope, followed by a communion with bread and grape juice instead of wine.
Many members of his flock were regular churchgoers before they started attending the Flora-Bama service. Others have become regulars because they like the unique setting, Mount said.
“Some had never been to church, ever, but they felt so comfortable here in the Flora-Bama,” he said.
Church member Paul Holland is a longtime fan of the Flora-Bama, which he says is a five-star honky-tonk filled with top-shelf rednecks. He has become an even bigger fan of the church service.
Here’s a trailer for the restaurant (not the church):
“I don‘t want to be judged because I don’t have a three-piece-suit and I don’t drive a brand-new car and this is that kind of church — they don’t judge you. I feel like I‘m more welcome in this church than any I’ve ever attended in my life,” he said.
The service is just a year old, starting on July 4, 2011.
Church volunteer Joye Fletcher was baptized behind the Flora-Bama in the Gulf of Mexico during Worship at the Water’s first anniversary.
“It’s just an awesome spirit-led service,” she said.
The service is often a surprise for the tourists who flock to the strip of snow-white sand and turquoise water during the summer months, said Bruce Barrios, the bar’s Sunday manager.
“We have so many people in from out of town. We have people come in and when they see we are having church they pick up a Bloody Mary, a bushwhacker or a soft drink, sit down and listen to the sermon. It’s really cool, you know, it’s unique.”
The appeal of the service for church member John Mason-Smith is that everyone is welcome.
“This is a place I can go and learn about God without all the constraints,” he said. “It is a place that people who aren‘t going to church feel welcome and that’s what we love about the Flora-Bama – you could be next to a guy who is down on his luck and the guy next to him is a millionaire. That’s the Flora-Bama.”
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Comments (58)
Darwins Damsel
Posted on August 16, 2012 at 9:30amhttp://youtu.be/Q7DGt9rxMZw
Report Post »God Is For Idiots!
by faith
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 6:00pmChurch is not a building Church is the people.
Some of the people who attend this “bar church” might have a better, more open heart to Jesus than the people who sit in a “regular church” every Sunday
We can not judge what is in these peoples hearts
Jesus went to tax collectors and prostitutes to spred His message.
Being Catholic, we have wine at our church too…
Report Post »We use it in a differnt way, but we are not all called to the Lord in the same way.
Each journey of faith must be walked .
The Big Mick
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:38pm“The Sword” posting at 1:50 is wrong in his exegesis of the John 2 passage.
Report Post »When “the water that had become wine” was taken by the servants who were present at the miracle to the “Toastmaster” or “Master of Ceremonies” he goes out of his way to say to the Bridgegroom–“Most people serve the ”good vintanges” first so that when everybody has a good buzz on (“drunk freely”–the Orginal Greek and Aramaic has clear implications of intoxication–can‘t that’s CAN NOT interpret it any other way and not violently IGNORE the clear meaning of the original language of the author) ….”when everybody is toasted and can’t tell the difference they bring out the “inferior vintages”.
“But YOU, my fine fellow, have saved the GOOD STUFF for last!”
Any attempt to say “this can’t mean x because that would mean y” is simply doing violence to the text and twisting it to suit a prejudged opinion.
Jesus made real alcoholic intoxicating Wine here and that’s all there is to it. To say otherwise is to violate the text itself.
The Big Mick M.Div Duke
by faith
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 6:14pmTrue
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented fruit juice, usually that of grapes.
If wine has no alcohol, then it’s not “wine”
Report Post »The Big Mick
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:13pmThe Big Mick has an M.Div from Duke and 15 years as a Pastor and he (me) say:
Report Post »“This works for me.”
If you need more that Paul”s (and he DID write a good bit of the New Testament) “all things to all folks”, then try thinking John 2 all the way through.
The Gospel Accounts suggest Jesus spent a significant amount of time in Social Situations—“Dinner Parties” if you will. The John 2 account makes it clear he did not regard Total Abstinence as a prerequisite of those occasions.
If nobody is getting drunk and breaking chairs I got no problems with this and it MIGHT be getting The Word to people who need to hear it and would avoid it otherwise.
“Hit em where they ain’t” and where they need it.
Bronco II
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 4:09pmThe Bible says A LITTLE BIT of wine is good for the belly.If you drink to the point of being drunk GOD will not listen to you.Because someone very intoxicated doesn’t make any sense but yes Jesus did go where the sinners were as we are all still but they deserve to hear his WORD and have the opportunity to change their lives.If your just talking all the time to people who are believers and want to wall yourself off from the world that is being insincere in our faith we are to spread the good news and most of all we are not to judge others.You don’t have to drink if you go but talking to people and getting to know them and not acting like a holier then thou and is GOD LIKES WHAT HE SEES He will bless them and you.I have gone into a local bar and sat and talked to people most were very nice and not vulgar or drunk and just enjoyed the conversation and they were the ones most of the time that brought up religion so that let the door open and we had great talks no anger or disagreements and a hug at the end of the night and a thank you and I had one beer I‘m not a drinker I might have one once a year if that but that beer would be followed by soda or water and nobody questioned it if they offered to buy me another I just politely said no thank you I’ll get a soda and they said your not paying for it we will so not all people who are in bars are what most want ot sterotype try it sometime if it’s not what you thought leave.But you‘ll never know if you don’t visit.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:01pmDepending upon Theology & Doctrine… this could be a True Chruch!
Report Post »jman-6
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:08pm“ITCHING EARS and Not wanting to endure SOUND DOCTRINE” Ring a bell!!
Report Post »The Big Mick
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:25pmas we used to say at Duke Divinity “unpack” that for me Jman?
Report Post »Wouldn’t that depend of what they are PREACHING?
Other than a discription of it being about “hope and redemption” we don’t KNOW do we?
We know WHERE they’re preaching and how some people FEEL about it, but how can we know if “won’t abide sound doctrine” applies if we don’t KNOW what “the doctrine” IS?
I agree with Luker replying to Bronco–a case can be made that if their Doctrine is Bilbical, this is a True Church.
Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:03pmGet four Catholics together and you will always find a fifth
Report Post »The Big Mick
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:18pmeric, you and I got to talk.
I thought your analysis of Racism as Collectivism was BRILLIANT.
The Big Mick
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on August 16, 2012 at 2:56amJust a Bloody Mary (btw…yesterday was the Feast Of The Assumption) for me. :)=
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 2:53pmOh my God… Comedian Tim Wilson’s song “First Baptist Bar and Grill” has come true….
Look up that song if you want a really good laugh…
Report Post »Karama
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:46pmInstead of the 1st Baptist Bar and Grill it’s the Methodist Bar and Grill. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sbDBXOk7KA
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 2:55pmThats exactly what I said, and what first came into my mind….
Now all we need is “Jetpack” to become a reality, and we can hail Tim Wilson as a Comedic Prophet….
:-)
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:23pmI’m still waiting on the story where a woman gives birth at the racetrack and names her son “Dale Darrell Waltrip Richard Petty Rusty Awesome Bill Irvin Gordon Earnhardt Smith Johnson, Jr.”
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:25pmNo where in the Bible did it forbid drinking drinks, what it said was not to get drunk from it. After all didn’t Jesus turn water into wine for a wedding?
Some people are getting all sanctimonious on this topic and as stated “judging” this different venue. Where does it say in the Bible that the good word can’t be spoken in a bar? Nowhere. You go where people are willing to hear the good word; it just happen to be in a bar.
It is okay if you don’t drink as a Christian, but it is also okay if you drink as a Christian. Would I take a beer into an actual church NO. This is not a church it is a bar. If you attend drink coffee, soda or water. No one is making you drink.
If you are getting all bent out of shape over this, perhaps you should remember that Jesus did go into areas like this to preach the good word. Perhaps you should start reading the Bible again.
Report Post »TheSword
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:50pmI understand what you’re trying to say, but if you’re going to tell people they should read their bible again, I would suggest you do the same first.
By your own admission, you would not and should not take a beer into an actual church. Why not? You didn‘t say but I would surmise you say so because you consider the church building to be a more holy place and it shouldn’t be defiled? I invite you to reflect on the following scripture:
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor 3:16-17)
Putting the beer in you body is no different (worse I would say) than putting it inside a church building.
Furthermore, your mention of Jesus turning water in to wine as an endorsement for alcohol makes no logical sense given your previous admission that the Bible says not to get drunk. If the wine he created were, in fact, alcoholic in the sense we think of wine today, then Jesus would have created well over 100 gallons of it which would be more than enough to get everyone at the party sloppy drunk since they had already run out before the miracle. He would have then condoned and contributed to drunkenness which you just acknowledged as sin, thus rendering Jesus non-sinless and unable to pay for your sins and mine.
I recommend further biblical study and logical development of your arguments. Be blessed.
Report Post »jman-6
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:18pmHis turning water into wine was simply to prove that no matter what he made it was better than man could ever even imagine. The water tasted better than the best wine man could make. Not to make it ok to be drunk.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:07pmSquid………I read all your posts and love you like a brother but we will just have to disagree on this.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:06pmBlasphemous. These heretics are to be condemned, not celebrated. If you want to stand outside of a bar and evangelize, I have no problem. But to make the House of God a mockery by putting into a bar is blasphemous and completely contrary to scripture. These people have invented their own version of christianity.
You can call me judgmental if you like, I don’t care. I can back up my position biblical. If you are for this, it is based solely on your opinion and not on the Bible.
1 Timothy 3:1-7
3 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, SOBER, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 NOT GIVEN TO WINE, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:01pmNot given to wine, does not mean does not drink at all.
Wine is not what controls him, in other words not an alcholic or a drunkard
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:04pm“If Jesus returned to Earth, he’d probably kick back at the Flora-Bama” First of all pal, it‘s not ’if’, it‘s ’when’. Second of all, you might want to read Revelation. It tells you what He’s going to do when he returns…and it doesn‘t involve ’kicking back’. He’s not your drinking buddy, He’s your God. As far aas services in a bar, I have no problem with it. But you better tell peole the real deal and quit acting like He is Jimmy Buffet wasted away again in margaritaville.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 2:21pmAMEN! He is coming to “treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God”
On second thought, maybe he will show up at that bar……
Report Post »Wango
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:04pmAMEN! And praise be to Him and Him alone. Not if but when is right! And not where but there – Jackson County, Missouri, site of the Garden of Eden! That’s what Mitt says and if He says it, well it’s god enough – and good enough – for me.
That’s why I moved there last year and why you should too. I leased a little diner, put out my UNCLE T’S GAMEY DINNERS sign and am just waiting for the angels and cherubs and little boys in black pants and white shirts to come pedaling my way.
Oh, it’s so exciting to be on the ground floor of the second coming. I’ll save you a seat. And let me know if you need a good realtor, because I know you’ll want to be in the front row when the tribulation starts. Who wouldn’t? And as a dispensationalist you’ll want all the advance warning you can get about the descending fire. Oh, we’ll have a weenie roast that day, I tell ya. I don’t know about you, but as a good Christian I can’t wait to see all those unbelievers begin their eternal torment. Hey do you think He will bring my dog back with him? Oh, I’m so excited I could just . . .oops! I did it again. Laundry day! LOL! See ya, brother!
Report Post »julie w
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:52pmI think this is wonderful! The church is not about a building – it’s about the people and these people obviously feel comfortable to come and worship Christ without the feeling of being looked down on because of their background or what they wear. These people seem to understand that it’s NOT about religion (which Jesus is not about anyway), it’s about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. May God continue to bless them as they continue to reach out into the community in His name.:-)
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:49pmJesus ran out money changers from the Temple with a whip and tore up the place but He would be cool with turning His church into a house of drunks.
My goodness people, read your Bible. Jesus is not inclusive. He is divisive. He said so Himself.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” does not even closely resemble the Jesus of the Bible. I think some people on here need to go read about Him. I suggest starting in the Gospel of John.
Report Post »Raven249
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:48pmConsidering that Jesus visited the homes of prostitutes, tax collectors, which is his time were seen as traitors for working for the Romans, and oftentimes corrupt, and various other groups considered sinners by society, I say if they are being truly honest about their worship, then good. Too often we let ourselves be boxed into this narrow category of clean cut, well-off individuals who focus on activities within a building, rather than being out among the rest of the world, helping them and not just talking about God’s love, but showing it.
Report Post »julie w
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:53pmAmen.
Report Post »TheSword
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 2:33pmI think you’re half-right. Jesus said in Mark 2:17 “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”, but this does not mean He became one of them. The idea is to go into the world and call sinners out of it and into the righteousness, not to join to world in its sins.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16)
The idea, and literal meaning of a church, is the “called out” assembly (ekklesia in the Greek). Believers are to separate themselves from sinful. You go stand outside a bar (or whatever venue you want to insert here) to invite people to church and draw them away from sinful habits. You don‘t take the church to the bar and engage the the same behavior so people won’t feel bad about sin, that’s a reprobate way of thinking.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:37pmSo many silly irrelevant stories but nothing about Sarah Palin not being invited to the Republican Convention? :)
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:56pm…and that’s relevant? To what exactly?
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:24pmThese people are mocking and this is not wise.
Report Post »AndYetItMoves
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:29pmBeing religious is not wise.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:36pmActually “The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no God”
-King Solomon
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:45pmI don’t think that it is mocking to go where you know the sinners are. Isn’t that what Jesus did? What good does it do to preach Christ to the Christians all of the time?
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:52pmNo, Jesus called sinners out to join Him and to REPENT of their sins. Jesus was not with Mary while she was commiting adultery. He called her to go and sin no more. Alot of people on here don’t know who the Jesus of the Bible is. It seems they are only familiar with the Jesus of Hollywood.
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:37pmPlease, Squid, tell us what Jesus was like when you two went to school together.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 2:23pmI don’t have to smarty pants. I’ve read His book. You should give it a tumble.
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:17pmI have, Squid, and the Jesus I believe in and have read about told his discipiles to go out and become “fishers of men”. You don‘t catch fish if you don’t go where the fish are.
Report Post »john vincent
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 4:15pmhey andy
‘pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’ (this is how God describes religion)
Now then, what’s wrong with being religious? and, how many religious people do you know?
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:23pmIf you have never been to the Flora-Bama, go. I have traveled in the area on business over the years and have put my business cards on the wall. Now my middle son has joined the tradtion.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:39pmWent there on Spring Break in 94 with a bunch of other Sailors and Marines. Back before I became a christian. I can tell you that there was nothing holy happening in there.
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:17pmDidn’t Tim Wilson write a song about this? “The First Baptist Bar and Grill”
Report Post »john vincent
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:16pmIt would be very easy easy to criticize this kind of meeting, but myopia is a poor thing. This may be the very first time a person ever heard God’s word read, or looked into a bible. This could be an awakening of sorts for folks at the end of a rope, having no hope. They may actually hear something they have never considered, or a ‘word fitly spoken in apples of gold,’ just in time, and just for them.
Years ago, when a man preached a sermon on a mountain, there were souls who had pockets (im guessing) lined with a flask of strong drink, and they were not chased away. They heard words from heaven about life, morals, hope, fear, and death. Be careful what you criticize, for God has no limits to the ways he uses people. Picture a group of Harley owners, male and female, attending an open air meeting, any thing wrong here??
Any time God’s word is opened in honesty, i’m for it. For some people, these are baby steps, but in time, they will walk upright and amend their ways.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:34pmGod does not go where sin is. People are trying to change the Truth into a lie and give their attention to something other than God. These people are not worshiping God, they are worshiping their own lifestyle and are the same as saying to God for Him to come follow them. No, that is nothing but hipocracy and is fooling people into hell.
Report Post »Johnms
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 3:04pmI am in this story. Can I share with you that since we started 20,119 people heard the Gospel in the Flora-Bama? This is not a church service, it is a worship service. We have three church services on our main campus. We are guests at the Flora-Bama and as guest we do not ask them to stop being who they are. Everyone is welcome at the Flora-Bama, we were welcomed as well. By the way, the people who drink in the service are not judged. Many of them did not realize that a service was going to happen, they were just there drinking. Many lives have been lost at the Flora-Bama, through Christ, we are turning things around.
Report Post »john vincent
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 4:19pmandy-
Report Post »apparantly, johnms disagrees with you. He is one who perchance was ‘blind, but now sees,’ and you are arguing with a mans progress in divine things?
deeberj
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:13pmI bet it’s not everyone sitting around getting trashed during the sermon. I don’t think the focus should be on that. I see nothing wrong with having church out in the community. This venue wouldn’t be for everyone, including me, but many people won‘t come into a regular church building but they’d come into a home or a local bar or club or library or whatever. As long as they are having a spiritual service and aren’t having a drunken party I say good.
I know someone pastoring a church he founded in a very small village, where most of the people smoke pot and are unusual characters and would not feel welcome and would probably not be welcome in many regular churches. The pastor will even have a smoke break during the service (for cigarettes, that is!) because the people attending can’t sit long without smoking. So rather than them miss the service, they all go out side to smoke and back in to continue.
Everyone needs to form a relationship with God through Jesus Christ but no one needs to be perfect to do that. If we can meet the needs of people where they are at, and show them God’s love, it’s a great thing.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:44pmYou do have to repent! Jesus saves us from out sins, not in our sins. Ridiculous.
“Be ye holy as I am holy”
“Come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing, saith the Lord”
We worship God on His terms, not ours.
Report Post »randy
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:00pmpatrons gather on the beach and throw dead fish from Alabama into Florida.
Now that’s funny.
Report Post »If Lived anywhere near that bar, I would attend services.
And when mom asked me where I met that girl. I’d say Church! :)
momrules
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 11:53amI have no problem with this, in fact I think it is fine. Jesus wants us to gather in His name, to come to Him unhindered and if these people find a closeness to Him in this bar so much the better. It sounds like a great place and I wish them all well.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:31pmThis is stupid and not a place where God would be pleased at all. These people are idiots. People who want to go to church will go. Their efforts to go will be blessed. That bunch is trying to have it “their way.“ These people are locked into a lifestyle and they are trying to ”dirty up” the Chruch. There will be a price for this.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:44pmBlackyb……..I disagree with your opinion 100%. The bar is a building, nothing more. The people are the Church and apparently they have found a place to gather in Jesus’ name. I would wager that there is just as much respect and worship there as in most churches.
It seems that this bar/church is a gathering place for folks looking for God and I doubt He cares one whit where they find Him.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:57pmMomRules,
Report Post »With all due respect, you are clearly ignorant of the New Testament. Read the Apostle Paul’s letter to the churches. While it is a building, it belongs to God none the less. Paul says that a pastor should not drink in his letters to Timothy! To think that God would be ok with His house being in a place where there is drunkeness, adultery, and any other collections of sins that go on in a bar sould be laughable if not for the serious consequences of such heresy.
julie w
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 1:22pm@Momrules – I agree! A bar IS just a place. Many, many “moons” ago, when I was in youth group, we went on one of our retreats. This time we went to a lodge. We had specific rooms set aside for us for our worship, teaching and prayer time HOWEVER on Sunday morning – just a few hours before we were to leave for home, there was a mix up and a huge scheduling conflict. The lodge had over booked the room we had reserved and we were left without a Sunday morning worship place. I believe it was winter time so – no going outside. Instead, the management team went in the lodge’s bar, put sheets over all the liquor shelves and a bunch of teenagers and youth leaders filed into the bar for Sunday service. It was THEE most MOVING and POWERDUL service of that trip! The Spirit moved so heavily through that room (that just HAPPENED to be a bar)! I think all the kids were saved but many renewed their relationships with Christ and many of us were on our knees with hands on our folding chairs asking for God’s deliverance in the troubled areas of our lives. We prayed for, over and with each other. Tears, hugs and praises were spilled all over that bar that day as was the power of the Holy Spirit! I will don’t remember anything else about that trip but I will NEVER forget that bar room Sunday service!
Report Post »DLV
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 11:46amThis is….. interesting. I can’t exactly condone excessive drinking especially when doing a church service. i’m not really sure what to think.
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