Change is usually gradual.
Except when it isn’t.
When you talk to Christians in our society, most agree that we’re on the verge of some sort of big change. We’re asking a lot of questions about what church should look like and what the relationship between church and culture should be, and in the middle of this intellectual intersection is an unlikely venue:
Your neighborhood watering hole.
It’s a place of celebration or consolation, where you can meet up with old friends or mingle with new ones, and in the quieter corners of the room, you can catch snippets of some surprisingly spiritual subject matter. Like the wells of Jesus’ day, bars are a cultural meeting ground, and more and more churches are tapping into these venues. Beer & Hymns, Pub Theology, and even just small groups sharing a beer— they’re all becoming commonplace, socially acceptable, and beneficial to bars and churches alike.
That’s where this blog comes in.
In June of 2016, I stepped down from my role as a full-time youth pastor to dive headfirst into the world of community-based ministries. This has led me unavoidably to the bar scene. I also take classes, volunteer with a few organizations, and work a couple of jobs to pay the bills, but my heart is for the person on the next barstool who has the guts to admit that they don’t have it all figured out either. Jacksonville is a great environment for this style of ministry. The city has a thriving craft brewery culture and a smaller intimate cocktail scene; both are remarkably receptive to having chaplains and ministers in their establishments and even hosting events for Christian groups who share their community spirit.
This blog is a chronicle of bar chaplain life.
It’s a place to promote upcoming events.
It’s a forum for exploring deep concepts and questions.
It’s a platform to connect with other open-minded (or at least beer-savvy) Christians.
And it’s even a space for cocktail recipes and beer recommendations because you learn a few things hanging out in bars this much!
So pull up a chair, grab a glass, and let’s get to work! We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
