Pub Theology

[Tim Bonney]

I’m seeing a lot of churches start small groups that meet a pubs, bars or wine bars to study the Bible, worship, or just fellowship. Are Baptist doing this? Or is this limited to groups who have been more open to beverage alcohol?

[William Thornton]

The new Calvinists are into this, suds and theology stuff.

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

Pretty sure I've seen a Baptist church here in Seattle do this at least once or twice. Probably First BC. Mostly though Lutherans and Episcopalians.

My dad tried to get a Bible study going at the as part of his campus ministry, but boy the churches put the kibosh on that when they heard about it! (Ca. 1965)

[Dave Roberts]

I am aware of a couple of Baptist churches doing some version of this in Virginia. Don't know much about how it is or isn't working.

[Sandy]

Theology at the Bottleworks, with The Journey Church in St. Louis, which is an SBC-affiliated congregation.

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/fai ... 802e2.html

[JE Pettibone]

[James]

HBC does this. Some of our folks object to this. I told one of our contrarians that Betty (our pastor), who started the group was in good company. The Pharisees complained about Jesus for the same reason.

Betty's little group is growing slowly. The bar has a back room where the group meets. No one has to buy food or drink to come. One or two have joined us for worship on occasion. Most churches of my experience show a shorted time than ours between first visit and walking the isle. I think the longest interval for us was about 15 years. The nominating committee asked him to be a deacon and then discovered he was not a member. He joined in time to make the list.

[Tim Bonney]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Tim,if the owners of the wine bar are in favor, I see nothing wrong with giving it a try. A large percentage of the participants of the Methodist Church Singles ministry where I was introduced to singles ministry, generally adjourned to a nearby tavern after the Sunday evening event at the church.
However I don't think the Singles Minister ever went with us. I have never experienced that in a singles ministry sponsored by a Southern Baptist church. And also none of the ABC churches we have been, have had a Singles ministry, nor was I successful in promoting one.

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

[Tim Bonney]

[Stephen Fox]

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

Here is the advertising for the start of my church’s small group meeting at a local bistro/wine bar.

[Haruo]

I've attended Queen Anne Baptist's Pub Theology meetup several times now. (Dec. 6). The young lady at the near right is Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, Queen Anne's pastor. The nearer of the two guys is Rev. Doug Avilesbernal, the Executive Minister of Evergreen. Rev. Paul Schneider is another Evergreen pastor. Anita Peebles is a lay woman from, I think, Seattle First Baptist. It's a semi-monthly event, first and third Thursdays. Originally it was held at T. S. McHugh's, an Irish pub about a block from Seattle Center (the urban park where the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum, Opera House etc. are located) but we had to move because McHugh's suddenly tore out most of their accessible (low) seating and installed a bunch of dart boards, shuffleboards, etc. So now it's at the Queen Anne Beerhall. I'm enjoying it, but I must say there hasn't been a whole lot of theology. Mostly just fellowship. And the Beerhall really does have good calamari, and ginger beer!