Weekly Grind - Regular Church, meet Pub Church

In his sermon last Sunday, my pastor John mentioned Pub Church, so we thought it would be a good idea to explain what that is about. The idea behind this outreach ministry developed from various conversations that I've had over the years with people who are no longer connected, or perhaps never were connected to the community of faith that a church could and should be. John talked about our calling to be light to the world. He explained the role of lighthouses and landing lights on an aircraft carrier to guide ship captains and airplane pilots not just away from danger but toward safety. That is what Pub Church is about.
The idea is that a group of Christians can create a presence in an environment that is not normally thought of as a holy place, and welcome God into the situation. Just as our church building becomes more than concrete, stone, and glass because of what we do within it; so can bar stools, booths, and neon signs. John and I have regular conversations about what is going on to ensure some pastoral guidance, as do some of the other regulars with their pastors. Along with a regular meeting time at a downtown Waco bar & grill, this is the idea that we started with in January:
Current Definition:
Open Source - created by participants rather than being designed & produced
Invitational - open to anyone
Un-denominational - didn't think non-denominational quite captured it, we're interested in input from all faiths
There should be some time to hang out and meet people, some time to share ideas and expressions of faith, and the invitation to go deeper.

We are not trying start another church itself, but rather just a step
into a community of faith. Those of us that are already connected can
provide the deeper steps that come with discipleship or we can create
those opportunities based on the needs of this group.
A small group of regulars has developed over the weeks of this experiment. There is a new visitor or two almost every week. We have spent time sharing our personal stories of our faith experiences. We have shared scripture and what it means to us. We have shared song lyrics and sang together. We have shared our concerns. We have shared our shortcomings. We have shared our joys. We have prayed for each other.
Some of the topics of discussion that we have had are:
- What is God calling us to and how do we respond?
- Who is Your Sycamore Tree? (we all have someone who can lift us up to help us see Jesus)
- Where is God When You Hurt?
- How Do We Respond to Oppression?
- Why Do We Observe Lent?
- How Are Our Lenten Observations Going?
- What Do We Do to Actually Observe the Sabbath?
- Do the Teachings of Christ Affect the Way We Live Our Lives?
All this in a bar. We have had some conversations about faith with the bartenders and DJ's that work there. People who don't drink have come. People that express a lack of spirituality have come. People that say they are not interested in "church" have come.
So I am definitely interested in any thoughts or feedback anyone might have. I am even more interested in your prayers for this. If you have concerns, I will do my best to explain the point of view we're working from. Following what I believe is God's calling in my life has taken me into strange places and situations. I have no doubt that if we remain faithful to Him, great things can and do happen.
Be Blessed!
Michael
You can check out the Waco Pub Church facebook group http://ping.fm/94pXc
My Weekly Grind blogs start out as my weekly newsletter article at www.woodwayfumc.org