Growing up, I thought religion and spirituality were all about who was right and who was wrong, so it wasn’t hard to leave church right after high school. Then, at age 21, I encountered the love of Christ in a big way at a convention center bar. I saw with my own eyes that the Holy Spirit will follow us anywhere and that the lines we draw between sacred and secular may not be as rigid as we imagine. Since that time, I’ve been part of Bible Studies in bars, sung hymns in bars, counseled people in bars, and simply enjoyed time with friends in bars. Before long, I noticed that I was talking about Jesus more in bars than in my role as a youth minister, so I took a leap:
I left my church job,
I entered chaplaincy training to get the skills,
I studied up on beer and cocktails to get the knowledge,
I started making connections around town,
and I started writing–
and I mean writing a lot.
This blog is a collection of stories, essays, and recipes.
It’s also a place for questions, conversations, and collaboration.
I make no claims of being an expert on any of this;
I’m still learning what the Kingdom looks like in this city.
I’m excited to share this story with you as it unfolds,
but I’m even more excited to hear your story.

Grace and Peace,
Tom