Okay, here’s one to make you think…
The Back-story:
Charles Hill is a church planter. He moved from a growing church that he planted in Ohio to South Jordan, Utah (part of the Salt Lake City Valley) to plant a new church in one of the most unchurched states in the country. Charles had landed a support commitment of $280,000 for his new church plant, but now, just five months from the launch of his new church, his support has been cut.
The reason: Beer and Bible.
You’ll have to view the video to get the gist of what the controversy is all about.
In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that Charles knew the Beer and Bible idea could be a problem. So he actually secured permission first from his supervisor. But once this video hit the WORLD WIDE WEB and Beer and Bible began...the support ended. He was told that he was cut because he drank half a beer in public during a Beer and Bible gathering. (Uhhh…what did “they” think was going to happen at a Beer and Bible gathering?)
Anyway, Charles is stranded with his wife and three kids in Utah, trying to plant a church with no support.
Of course I have all kinds of thoughts bouncing around in my head about this whole deal. What about you??
5 comments:
Well, Jeff, I don't think because someone drinks an occasional beer they are going to hell. But what about that poor guy who takes one drink and finds out he's an alcoholic in the making? Not sure I could support "Beer and the Bible" but then I don't know everything God has planned for spreading his word. It would be interesting to know just how they discuss the Bible; is it looking at Jesus or are they looking at history. Who knows?
I think your yes should be yes and your no should be no, if he consulted elders and they were ok with it in the first place, they should not have backed down on it when it came in to place, its not a proper illustration of God to be indecisive as church leadership, especially when it comes to sending people out for the Gospel. As a knowlegable leader you should know the culture and the high moral ground that you hope your church plants to portray beforehand,whether its right to demand this or not you must decide, they should have just said no at the first casting of the vision if they felt this would harm their cause, for one thing the pastor is there for the gospel not for beer, so if they would have said no he probably would not have objected, the most important thing is having the means to fund his church, and by being indecisive they have took this opportunity from him, its really sad, but I'm sure God will make a way through another church or maybe these Leaders will more prayerfully seek their vision for the church plant, lay it out to the pastor, and reissue the money to him after setting up their guidelines for support.
Chelsea
or I meant a supervisor not elders.
plus it would easily distinguish him from the Mormons, He is obviously offering a different Gospel if he is able to have a little drink every now in then, I am opposed to drinking some of its religious conviction just fear of having the desire to go beyond what I should, so I have never drank and some of it is just because I have seen the ills it leads too and why would I want that for myself, but with that said in Utah I might would drink one occasionally because I want them to know their is a God that saves by Grace not based on your works, I place my faith in the righteousness of Christ not in the righteousness of my own doings and ability to abstain from things that are not verbally pronounced as sin biblically, a drink not a sin, drinking to debauchery sin. the end.
thanks for the support my brother.
God always wins!
charles hill
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