Monday, November 15, 2010

1. Beer.

Even if they don't drink beer, they'll talk about it. Some church planters hate the taste, the smell, the thought of beer, but they'll expound its attractive properties to non-churchgoers.
Mentioning beer and beer drinking, bars and pubs, pints and kegs in regular conversation without flinching is a hallmark of an 'effective' church planter. It shows that he is not afraid of taking risks, of crossing traditionally-held boundaries, and becoming relevant to the people he's called to reach. He's not bound to some old-school Christian thinking and practice. He's doing what it takes to reach the unreached. It makes him 'cool' to the unchurched. Some set up "Beer and Bible" discussion groups*. Some even go to the great lengths of working in a brewery*. People ooh and ahhh - that church planter is SO culturally relevant, he works with the heathens in the brewery!
Of course, lots of 'churched people' won't like it. Not one bit. But that's okay, as long as they understand that his calling has mandated that he's gotta drink beer (or, at least, talk about it).
Church Planters like beer. They have to. It goes with the package, along with the faux-hawk and facial hair.

*Disclaimer: I am that guy who worked at a brewery, and who started a Beer and Bible night at a local Bar and Grill (not exactly 'pub', but it's what we've got in this town). Unfortunately, neither tactic made me cooler than I was before.

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