In the past several years, I have been afforded the opportunity to go hang out at bars and see what all the fuss is about. All this time, I have been working on becoming the next American Idol on karaoke night as I sing Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", Toby Keith's, "I wanna talk about me," and "For what it's worth" by Bufallo Springfield. I have a lower voice and have to pick things that are low or sound decent when I can shout them out a little. So, in other words, I can't sing hardly any songs from my favorite group Rush whose singer must have some clamps in his pants or something (Just kidding... I am actually envious. I would love it if I could sing that high, along with some of my favorite songs. Hey Geddy, if you are reading this, tell me where I can get some clamps... ouch, nevermind.) Until I go through some kind of puberty reversal or get a lifetime supply of helium, I will just have to stick to the baritone voice instead.
Before I was a bar hopping teacher, I was a preacher, chaplain, music minister, youth minister, missionary, whatever the religious occasion afforded. I went to seminary, graduated with the M. Div. in 2002 (Paul said that he was the Hebrew of Hebrews and maybe I was the Baptist of Baptists), and it was not to long after that I went through some soul searching which was afforded me by my chaplain internship process (otherwise known in chaplain circles as Clinical Pastoral Education). When you get into CPE, they tell you that you will be filayed both psychologically and spiritually. But, that will be a subject for another blog. But until then, I will go ahead and tell you about my bar hopping (and the rock star status that I have because of my singing... I am well known by about 20 people now),
No matter where my faith may lay on a given day (alive, dead, or lazy) I cannot help but reflect on things theologically because of my background. What does God really think about this based on what I have learned about scripture from my teens to late 20's? Even though I would get fired immediately if I were employed at a typical Baptist church, the Pop culture churchy question still comes to mind..."Who Wants Jack Daniels?" No, What would Jesus do?
After all, if one believes the Bible, you have to admit that Jesus is probably the greatest bartender ever. We know how he turned the water into wine at the wedding. On one hand, it was a miracle to show who he was. On the other hand, you have to admit that he must have been concerned about the merriment and good time of the wedding guests, otherwise scripture would have to tell us that Jesus did it the Baptist way.... he turned water into grape juice. No, that is not the case. And wine had to be alcoholic, otherwise the Bible would not be so concerned about drunkenness. So, as we analyze the situation, I could say that Jesus would not lose his self control or get drunk. I have not done that when I go out. I think that if you drink too much to make it home and end up crashed out at a friends house then you drink too much. There are plenty of practical reasons to use this as a guide. Who knows what family emergency would pop up and need our presence.
Now, aside from enjoying the libations and being a rockstar, I think that going to bars can provide us an opportunity to be more like Jesus than we ever could in a church. I have been able to be friends and see richness in different people that in the past I would have condemned in a sermon or in my heart. My heart has become more open to people in the last few years. Some experiences I have had at the bars have caused me to realize that I may have been a chaplain to people who are in real need. One time, while I was actually having a water, I was with a co-worker providing a listening ear and giving good advice for some of the dire things he was going through and then I realized that I was being a minister in a bar.
Another time, a local KJ caught wind that I used to be a preacher. He passed me in the bathroom and after he told me of his divorce, losing a girlfriend to suicide, and spending his birthday alone, he asked me to pray for him. After making sure he realized that I was not better than him but actually a fellow struggler with bourbon and coke sitting back at my table (he assumed I was not drinking) we said a prayer together in the bathroom.
Jesus ate and fellowshipped with people like me and those who I find at the bar... sinners and those who struggle with life. The people with real needs will often never step into a church. But, they have found a family of friends and support at their local bar and even at a bar, ministry can take place; even if it is just being there with a friend who hates being lonely and making sure they get home safe. That is the wonder of the bar.
Even when my faith was firm, I often fathomed going into a bar and doing "ministry" and now without the pressure of the church, I can feel free to love and associate with a greater variety of people. Isn't that ironic. One of the things that fueled those thoughts was a book I read in seminary where a British evangelist, who wanted to reach "today's generation," spoke of sharing Christ over a drink at the pub. On the lighter side of things, look up the lyrics to Cheers (at least the first verse) and "I Love this Bar" by Toby Keith. When I hear these songs I cannot help but wonder if the church as we know it could be more like the scenes described in these songs. Hmm. Chew on that for a while.
