Monday, April 4, 2011

Does Your Local Bar Have A Sign That Says This?

I saw this about 2 weeks ago and just got around to taking a picture of it today. I love it! Don't let the "bar and grill" title fool you. It is a local bar with regulars that sit and drink the night away- but apparently it is also a bar that has owners that think Christ is pretty great and worth putting a Happy Easter message up over a month before Easter. Very Cool.

But, it leads me to a somewhat related question: What do you think about drinking?

I was brought up in a conservative Christian home and we were taught never to drink. I don't ever and it has served me well. I feel if I did, even if it was just one, I would be a bad testimony to others, possibly causing others to drink or to drink more.

More importantly, I think it is a bad example for my children.

Recently, I have seen on twitter and different blogs, a lot of people who talk very openly about their relationships with the Lord, but will also tell you their favorite cocktail and that they had some beers and watched their favorite TV show last night.

This has irked me a great deal.

And though, I see no reason to change my stance on alcohol, I wanted to hear what you thought.

Let me know.

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  1. Well it definitely can be a stumbling block and for that reason it is just better to not cause a brother or sister to

  2. Hey Rachel!
    I don't think that my stand on alcohol matters... I think that the important thing is what God's Word says about handling such disputes:

    Romans 14:1-4

    To some, God has given freedom to drink... to others, indulging in alcohol would be disobedient. It is not our place to judge our brothers and sisters.
    Be blessed! :]

  3. Wow. What a question.

    Ok, first I was a little taken aback by the sign you saw outside the bar. Rather unexpected.

    Second, where do I start? I grew up very much like you did - a conservative Christian home where drinking was completely taboo.

    Without getting too deep into the nitty gritty of my testimony, here's the abbreviated version. I accepted Jesus at a very young age and I was a very good Christian girl all the way through high school and college. When I moved out of my parent's house after I graduated from college and was no longer under their protection and authority, I fell into a sinful lifestyle. Part of that included drinking heavily and irresponsibly.

    Most of my 20's were a pretty dark time. But, I felt God calling me back to Him all along. After I met the man who was to become my husband (who was an amazing human example of grace to me) I was finally able to accept the grace, forgiveness, and new life God was offering me.

    All that to say, how do I feel about drinking now? I know that alcohol has the potential to become consuming and destructive in a person's life. But, I think it has a great deal to do with what is going on in a person's heart. Are they seeking escape? Looking to something instead of God to fulfill them? And, there are many things that can be just as destructive in a person's life if it is handled wrongly - food, money, relationships.

    My husband and I do enjoy the occassional glass of wine or beer. But, we also are very sensitive to who we are around and never drink in front of anyone who might be offended.

    All that to say, it's a topic that I have struggled with off and on. I'm at a place right now where I don't feel like having a glass of wine is wrong. But, I know beyond a shadow of doubt that God does not approve of drunken-ness.

    It's interesting because over the years I've met some other Christians who grew up in different denominations in different parts of the country for whom alcohol was never an issue. But, I also completely understand why other conservative churches do take issue with it.

    I'd be interested in seeing what some more people have to say...

  4. This topic has been a major issue in our church. And when our Pastors took a stand against social drinking (basically saying that anyone in leadership ie, sunday school teacher, worship team member or other ministry teams could not part-take) many people left.
    I was the leader of a drama evangalism team at the time. Part of our team covenant was not to drink alcohol(among other things). A friend who is very close to me said it was wrong that I have that in there. She was confident that herself having a glass of wine or having a beer would not effect her salvation. "I am not worried about my salvation" were her words.
    I responded "I am not worried about my salvation either, BUT I am worried about the salvation of the person watching me" My husband and I don't drink and we have an alcohol free home. If it is not a conviction from God why else would you do it or not do it? We however are convicted in our hearts that we are not to part take in the drinking or alcohol.
    I read a really neat linguist's paper about the word "wine" and how it's been translated from Greek, to Latin, to Old English, to New English and how the word was not just one word originally but there were 2 words "new wine"(unfermented) and "old wine" fermented.

  5. Very Christian here as is my stepmother and father(My stepmom is the most Christian person I've ever met) and we all drink. We believe as we do about anything, that if you do something to excess, that's when it becomes a problem. But, God and Jesus are there for us in ANY circumstance.




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