This church is going to have to change it's slogan from a "place for the screwed and the screwed up" to "a place for the slobber-nockered."
How do we define church? I mean Biblically? Is the Biblical model of church supposed to be the evangelistic instrument that God uses?
The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 defines it quite well. Here is the line that is pertinent to this discussion.
"The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation."
First of all, the church is not (supposed to be) made up of un-regenerate members but regenerate. If they are, and this is really a question for the "seeker"-sensitive church, how do you practice Matthew 18:15-20? Two words sum it up, that unfortunately most churches have forgotten, church discipline. You can't be a true Jesus following church if you are not practicing discipline. That includes those who are NOT "seeker"-sensitive churches.
The fact is that they cannot practice church discipline, as opposed to those that choose not to. So on the litmus of whether or not they are a true Biblical church that has the ability to practice church discipline, do they pass or fail?
Fail.
Next is evangelism.
So why are so many churches taking this approach to outreach? Is it Christ-like to create or advertise the Body of Christ on a shot glass? No.
In a world screaming for something different, the church is trying to show itself as the same…
We should be different. I used to hang out in bars. Reading the shot glass was the last thing I was looking at. When we teach our people that this is what evangelism looks like, we teach conformity not transformation. You don't have to change, you can be a Christian and be cool like the world. Even though the Bible tells a different story.
John 15:18-20 "If the world hates you, 1you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but aI chose you out of the world, btherefore the world hates you. 20 "Remember the word that I said to you, a'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, bthey will also persecute you; if they ckept My word, they will keep yours also." (NAS-emphasis mine)
So if the bartenders see you as just like them and think your cool…
Don't get me wrong, we should be in the bars sharing the Gospel, loving people, meeting needs. But passing out shot glasses doesn't shout there is a Savior, who can change your situation and/or change you.
Evangelism…fail.
They wanted to impress non believers. How about impressing and glorifying Him? Its one thing to stand outside a bar and hand out tracts and witness, but another to include a free shot glass. All you do is grant affirmation of the life they have. Not the one that they can have.
Soli Deo Gloria
What I don't understand is someone who claims to be a part of "the church" spends his time bashing what other churches are doing.
My question to you about this whole situation is "So what?"
Are you THAT legalistic that you cannot open your mind to other ways of getting people to come to church. Why not a shot glass? Why not beer koozies? How about Starbuck's cups? I suppose that you may find fault with Rick Warren for having a quote from him on a Starbucks cup.
I think that you ASSUME that just because a church is going to put a slogan on a shot glass that the church is a bunch of drunkards.
Just because a church chooses to do something different, you find fault with them and say that they are not the body of Christ. I say to you that YOU are not the body of Christ because you say to the foot, I have no need of you. You say to the eye, I have no need of you.
Let me ask you this. Who are you leading to Jesus? Where has God called YOU to go? Then shut your mouth and go and live among them, point them to Jesus and disciple them! Who are you discipling? Jesus emptied out his whole life for us and he expects the same from us. Quit preaching theology; quit teaching and preaching the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Quit finding fault with the other members of the body of Christ just because it doesn't fit with your "baptist" ways.
Quit preaching religion.
Preach the word! It's a simple command: LIVE out the gospel.
I'm not against churches using creative methods for outreach and doing evangelism. Standing in front of bars and offering the hope that only the Gospel can give is what we are to do. However, handing out shot glasses is not pointing them to Christ or bringing glory to Him. Glorifying Christ means that when they encounter us they know more about Him and who He is.
So how does a shot glass teach more about Christ? Does it convey that when you come to Him, you don't have to change? Would we, or especially the Bible, say that that is evidence of salvation?
Your wrong in your assumption that I think this church is a "bunch of drunkards", or that they are not part of the Body. What I am saying is that we need to be more discerning in the methods we use.
As far as "so what", the world has become "smaller" with the internet and cable news channels (which is where I first saw this story and the pastor interviewed. Even the host questioned the intelligence behind it, which should be telling that even he had a bit more discernment)it affects the catholic (universal; small "c") church's witness, whether baptist or not.
Matt, you mentioned in part 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word. But in the passages before in chapter 3:10 he is telling Timothy how there will be those who will decieve and be decieved, but his relliance should be on the fact that "All Scripture is inspired..." that is what he is to preach.
But preach how? 1. At all times 2. Reprove, REBUKE, and Exhort, with all patience and longsuffering.
Doctrine matters, Theology matters. If we want to keep from being decieved or from decieving others...we better watch both our life and our doctrine closely.
Titus 2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine;
Soli Deo Gloria
I agree! Great to hear from you! I will spend some time catching up on your blog and see what you have been writing about.