Beer for Jesus

A while ago, one of my co-workers asked if I had heard about the Big Thing that had just happened. I forget exactly what it was, maybe a shooting or something large on fire, or Colorado being underwater, whatever it was – I hadn’t heard a thing. Slightly embarrassed by other people now knowing that I live in a cave, I make it a point to scan the headlines of an internet news site at least once per working day. 

If something Big happens during the weekend, please call me.

And so it was that I stumbled across an article entitled, “Why Craft Beer Won’t Lure Millennials Back to Church.”

I drank this blueberry wheat ale for Jesus

Blink.

Blink.

Hold onto to your hats – this is about to get sarcastic.

Really? I mean really? I felt like I was looking at an entire piece devoted to the idea that “Putting on Underwear Before Pants is a Good Idea.” Do we need a whole article on why this is a stupid idea?

Apparently we do. It seems a whole bunch of hipster churches are trying to pander to the coveted 25-40 demographic by serving craft beers during their services. Weirdly enough, that approach isn’t raking in the coverts as expected. Huh.

Who could possibly have predicted that?

Several years ago, I was a member of a church undergoing a change in leadership. The new pastor pronounced that he KNEW what Young People Wanted. Oh? And what is it that you know I want?

A live internet feed of his sermons. Apparently that’s what I was craving.

I’m sure you will be shocked to learn that nearly every single young person (including me) left that church within a month.

Craft beer. Fancy technology. Slick worship sets. These are all just the latest in a long line of gimmicks desperate to attract a generation that is slipping ever further away from the Church.

Just stop. Please.

If you really super have to know why none of that is going to work, I – a young person (well, ish) – will tell you. The secular world already offers all of it, in a much nicer package, without sermons of any kind. When the Church barfs out a low budget imitation, it looks pretty lame. Suddenly, the Bride of Christ is a poser with its underwear on over its pants.

“Be imitators of Christ therefore…” I mean, Jesus!

No really, I mean Jesus. Remember that guy? Remember how he hung out with all the cool rich 20 somethings?

No? You do not remember that?

God Incarnate spent a whole lot of time chilling with thieves, whores and outcasts. His target demographic was the failure pile. The Kingdom of Heaven comes alive and comes to earth when adulterers, homosexuals, greedy thieving con men and drunks encounter the Living Spirit of the Most High God. Jesus preached Good News to the poor and the unwanted.

Who are we aiming our gospel at?

What if the Church stopped trying to be a sexy hangout and started trying to be a sanctuary? What if, instead of lattes and microbrews, we offered quality affordable daycare for working moms? What if we didn’t upgrade the sound system and instead sponsored a team fighting human trafficking in Asia? What if we stopped shouting about gay marriage and started screaming about the child slaves who grow our chocolate?

What if we had a little bit of faith in the inherent attractiveness of restoration in a hopeless, corrupt world?

Imagine a Church that went hard after the rejects, the bullied, the people with nothing to offer and made them family. Imagine a Church that got serious about repairing the earth – healing broken systems, broken relationships, broken homes, even broken ecosystems. Cool huh? Wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?

Maybe a millennial would too…