Click here to watch the video if you can’t see it.

***Spoiler Warning***

Watch the video first.
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Honestly, there is this weird tension in me right now.  I’m sad that I’m saying goodbye to being the main contributor on this blog, but I feel a since of relief.  As you can probably tell, I haven’t had the time to devote to this blog as I did when I first started it several months ago.  Because of that, I’ve become overly guilty and stressed.  I love beer, and I love the friends that I’ve made through this blog.

I’m also feeling a sense of excitement at the possibilities.  As I said in the video, thebeerean.com is now open for anyone to contribute.  You simple have to be a registered user.  To start off with I’ll be checking posts before the go live…but as someone shows that they aren’t a spammer I’ll give them full rights to post their articles right away.  I hope that thebeerean.com continues on after me to be a vibrant community where believers can share their views on God, Jesus, the Bible, and beer.

Don’t worry though.  I’ll still be around in the comments and at my personal web site.  I fully intend to be part of this community as it grows.  And don’t forget, “We’ll always have Paris.”  Wait no…umm….

Remember “whether you eat or drink, do it all to the glory of God.”

If you aren’t subscribed to Stuff Christians Like, you need to be.  Jon’s satirical view on the Christian subculture is amazing.  With pin point accuracy, he deconstructs the stupid trends in the Christian Ghetto.  Today he decided to tackle the subject of finding out if a friend drinks beer too.

With the majority of Christian’s in America being against drinking (at least they openly are ), Jon gives seven ways that you can subtly find out if a Christian friend drinks too.  My favorite is number five…”The Anything”

When you are going to come over their house, call a few days before and offer to “bring anything you need, like drinks.” Make sure you stress the word “anything” over and over again. What is so great about this move is that it puts the pressure back on them. Now, they are faced with the decision to ask you to bring wine or Sprite. What will they say, what will they say? Oh the intrigue!

I’ve done this several times. You just have to be careful. Because most of the time they will throw it back at you and say, “Oh bring anything you want to drink.”  It’s like a couple of Jr. Highers trying to figure out if the other one likes them.  If I get the anything response back, I ask at that point if an adult beverage would be ok. It’s a little risky, but still better than showing up with a six-pack to their daughter’s 5-year-old birthday party.

So do you have any tricks for finding out if the new friends that you make are drinkers too? Or do you just wear you favorite Guinness hat and toss them a cold one when they ask if you have anything to drink?

Ohh and go here for the whole post by Jon.

Our good friend Clayton Bell posted today asking for more content on the net that is produced for Christians.  He used theBeerean.com as an example of just this. But he ended his post with the question:

Am I asking for the type of content that will continue to entrench Christians in our own little ghetto?

I would have to say yes and no to this question.  This is actually that I have been struggling with over the last week.  I was asked by someone on the 4th of July why I don’t just do a beer blog…why does it have to be a Christian beer blog.  Now before I give you my answer, let me inform you of something first.

I hate (yes hate…I want to use a word that strong) the Christian ghetto.  If you don’t know what the Christian ghetto is, it is the world that Christians have created so they don’t have to interact with the rest of the world.  The easiest way to recognize it is how the word Christian is thrown in front of everything.  Christian bookstore, Christian music, Christian t-shirts, Christian radio stations, Christian restaurants, and Christian amuesment parks are a few to start. The last time I checked, Christian was an awesome noun and a horrible adjective.

So to think of the possiblility that I might be added to the ranks of the Christian ghetto scares/hurts me.  I hope you never get the idea that I write this blog to keep you from having to interact with any other aspect of the beer world.  That has never been and never will be my intention. If anything it is quite the opposite.

So back to my answer to the question posed by my friend on the 4th.  I don’t write a Christian beer blog.  I write a beer blog from the perspective of someone who has been radically transformed by the gospel.  My reason for writing isn’t to create our own little Christian beer blogging world, but to give you a different perspective as you do go into the world of beer. I want you to see that beer is more than just a tasty beverage.  I want you to see that beer is an instrument to be used to bring glory to God.  This blog is used to encourage you to get out of the ghetto and to glorify God with everything that He has given you.

So to answer your question Clayton, I think the content that you ask for could just add to the Christian ghetto.  If it’s just offering up the same content as the world and slapping on the label of Christian so people don’t get “dirty.”  But you’ll never see that on this blog (and if I ever do…call me on it).

Yes you are reading the above graphic right. This is a beer tasting being hosted by a church. Now I don’t know much more than what you see above. But Brad Ruggles sent me this so I had to share. I don’t know about you, but I think beer tasting should replace potlucks as the main staple for church functions. What do you think?

Clayton recently left his job at Moore Consulting Group to become the Family Pastor at Every Nation, Tallahassee where he will be overseeing Children’s Church, middle school and high school ministries

Clayton has become a good friend and supporter of theBeerean.com and I want to personally say thank you for everything that you do Clayton.

A running joke in Christian music circles is the “Jesus per minute” rule (JPM), a musicians’ term that is derisive of corporate Christian music’s emphasis on happy songs.

It struck me recently that in many Christian blogs, books and sermons any sense of a JPM rule has been thrown out in favor of a CPM (church per minute) rule, SJPM (social justice) rule, PMPM (postmodern) rule, or a ILJBNTCPM (I like Jesus but not the church) rule.

However, when I read through Paul’s letters I’m convicted and challenged by the frequency with which Paul talks about Jesus. Paul doesn’t avoid subjects like morality, service to the poor and the church, but always places Jesus as the motivation, reason and example for all other things. He never lets anything but Jesus be at the center of his thoughts, action, motivations and explanations.

I am so very challenged by this. My tendency is to fall back into rational arguments, formulaic answers, and plug-and-play ideas. I look back on my conversations with my wife, my friends, my family and my coworkers to find the name of Jesus noticeably absent. Not that we should be the crazy Jesus person in the office, but have we gone too far in our attempt to not offend and/or fit in? How can Christ continue to be at the center of our lives if he is continually absent from our conversations?

Perhaps the amplification and centrality of Jesus is the reason churches like Mars Hill Church in Seattle find themselves with over 6,000 people in the most un-churched city in America and some even wondering if they are in the midst of a genuine revival.

Have we become too much about the “How” and not enough about the “Why” in our pulpits and small groups? What’s the last book you read about the person and work of Jesus? When’s the last time you had a conversation where you couldn’t stop talking about Jesus and what He’s done instead of the activities you’ve been participating in?

If I’m honest, it’s been way too long.

One of our newest readers, Steve Scott, opened my eyes up to a few brothers out there who are in the same niche as theBeerean.com. There might not be a whole lot of us…but it only takes a few to change the world (right Brad).

Pilgrams Pub – Our reformed brother, Jason, gives some good reviews on beers and biblical insight to Christian liberties.

Better Drinking – This brother (haven’t gotten his name yet) has some very insightful articles on beer styles and Christian perspectives on drinking.

EnjoyingBeer.com – I think this site has multiple authors. EnjoyingBeer.com has some great reviews/looks at different brews and breweries out there.

So take some time today to get to know our beer-loving-blogging brothers. Drop by their sites and let them know that you appreciate what they do.

Thanks be to God for letting me know that I’m no longer alone in this world.

Looks like I’m going to have to change my tag line now….any suggestions?

I was also thinking about how I would like to share with you guys a few things that are planned for in the near future of this blog. As most of you know, I’m having my first kiddo any day now (Shannon’s due date is tomorrow). In order to keep this blog running while I take some much needed paternity leave (just a week), theBeerean.com is going to have its first Reader Week.

I’m going to turn this blog over to the readers for a week. You guys are going to share your insights on Jesus, beer, and culture. I’ve already received my first post from Clayton Bell, and I have to say that I’m excited. I try my best to read the blogs of my readers (the ones that I know of), and I know what you guys are capable of. This should be one awesome week. If you would like to participate, check out this post for the details (please, please, please).

There is one other thing that I’m really excited about that I plan on starting next week. Starting this coming Tuesday, I’m going to do a weekly post called Beer 101. Our friend Brad Ruggles was kind enough to design one stellar header for this weekly post.

Beer 101 will be an education in beer. How is this different from Beer Tip of the Week? I’m glad you asked. Beer Tip of the Week focuses on sharing tips to enjoy your beer more. Beer 101 will focus on answering your questions about beer. I’m not an expert, but I’m really good with google. Each week we’ll look at topics like:

• How is beer made?
• What beers go with what foods?
• Beer Style Spotlights
• What ingredients go into different beers?
• Beer Glass Spotlight
• Location Spotlights
• Brewery Spotlights

You get the idea. Beer 101 will be an education into the world of beer.

You can also participate in Beer 101 in a unique way also. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve installed a new widget in the sidebar of the site. It’s a service called skribit. Skribit allows you to submit topics/questions that you want me to write about and then everyone gets to vote. I’m predominantly looking for questions to answer in Beer 101, but suggestions can be for general topics too.

Since day one, I’ve wanted to have theBeerean.com shaped by the readers not me. Of course I’ll always be working to improve this site on my own, but I want you to be the driving force behind that. Because ultimately this isn’t my site, it is our site. I’ve had that mindset from day one, and I plan to keep it that way.

Well that’s all I have for right now. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up for things to come. I have to get back to enjoying my weekend with my wife and play some mad Wii Mario Kart.

The Coyote Ugly owner decided to not fight for the location and decided to cancel the lease at the location. The property owner Stefan Latorre sent out a press release on Tuesday announcing the cancellation.

The release came days after nearby residents and churchgoers flooded city officials with complaints that the bar would bring heavy drinking and unruly behavior to a corner shared by a day care center. It also came hours before residents were to speak about the issue at a City Council meeting.

Latorre also used the press release to let the residents know that their fears were based upon the fictional movie and not on reality.  He also went on to state that this isn’t something new to the location.

“The Coyote Ugly organization was, by far, the best alternative we had received for this space that has been the home of numerous bars, restaurants or bar-restaurant combinations, none of which lasted long-term,” Latorre wrote.

Latorre went on to say that he is going to continue to find a bar or bar/restaurant to fill the property.  In my favorite quote of the whole article Latorre tells the residents of the area,

We hope people who choose to live in center city will understand and fully appreciate the circumstances that come with living in a vibrant urban area,

Translation:  You people live in a freakin’ urban area.  There are going to be bars.  So shut up and get over your self-righteous selves.

You can read the whole article here.

Have you heard about the church in Charlotte NC that fought to keep a Coyote Ugly Saloon from moving in across the street from them? I first read about it in an article from the Charlotte Observer last week (no I’m not subscribed to the Charlotte Observer…I just have a Google Alert set up to send me anything with the words church and bar in it).

To be honest, I didn’t know what to think when I first read about the situation. I can understand where the church might be coming from. Most of us wouldn’t want a place that is known for half-dressed women using sex to sell booze to horny men moving in next to where we meet to worship.

But the other side of me says this is a great opportunity. This is an opportunity to have the lost right at your front door. The people that go to this place, go to try to fill a void in their lives. Those that are in the church have the only thing that will ultimately fill that void. Jesus.

Honestly I don’t know what I would do in this situation. To promote the placement of this bar would seem to be promoting lewdness, drunkenness, adultery, and cheesy bar chains. But to not promote seems to show that you are a church that is all about keeping the lost and hurting away from the only source of hope.

Seems liked you’re damned if you do and your damned if you don’t.

What’s your thoughts?

photo by: maccanti

ChristiaNet.com just came out with the results of a poll that they took on their site asking the question, “Does drinking alcohol hurt a Christian’s witness?”. The results I must say were pretty interesting/annoying/dumb/”who said you could have a web site”.

To quote the article:

Out of 2,300 Christians surveyed, a whopping 66% felt that drinking alcohol would hurt a Christian’s witnessing ability for Christ.

Whopping?! I didn’t realize that 66% was considered whopping. That last time I checked you had to have at least 85% to even consider it a whopping.

So from the results of this poll they determined that it would hurt a Christian’s witness if they drank alcohol. The president of ChristianNet.com even said:

Christians should attempt to avoid drinking alcohol, especially when in the presence of non-believers.

Here is the thing that really makes me mad. When did we start determining our theology based upon popular vote? I say give up the polls and look at what God’s word says on the subject. Are we free to drink (in moderation and consideration of those that have issues)? If we are, then I would say God gave us that freedom so we can use it to give Him glory. Instead we are taking polls.

The other thing that makes me mad is who are they asking this question. If our theology is based upon what the bible says, then what determines our methodology? I would say our cultural context (it’s kinda how Jesus did it). Now I could see how a poll like this could help us to determine our methodology. The only problem is we are asking the wrong people. If you want to find out if a freedom that we have is hurting our witness, don’t ask a bunch of stuffy Christians who think drinking is wrong in the first place.

Ask the people who need witnessing. Ask those on the outside, “Would you respect the Christian faith if Christians showed you that you can enjoy alcohol yet not let it overtake your life?” Ask them if they would be more willing to listen to what a Christian has to say over a nice cold one in a bar or in picket line in front of the bar.

To summarize, let me drop the Piper bomb real quick:

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

God is not most glorified when we hole ourselves up in our Christian ghettos and throw gospel tracts at the lost when they get near. But God is glorified when we show our complete satisfaction in Him in all areas of our lives…even drinking a beer.

So here is my response to your poll ChristiaNet.com. Does drinking alcohol hurt a Christian’s witness? No. I say NOT drinking alcohol hurts a Christian’s witness.