I agree with TheBerean that I too can understand where this church is coming from - HOWEVER - I am more concerned with the church’s obvious inability to reach out to the community around it.

This church, IF it were being effective with outreach and evangelism, wouldn’t worry about the effects this establishment would bring into the community because it would see it as simply another opportunity to reach out to a lost world.

Bruce,

You are right on a number of fronts.  And I appreciate your humor!

We’ll disagree on the “level” of protection necessary, and that’s okay.

Thanks for the civility in your disagreement.  Blessings on you, your kiddos, and your grandkiddos (none for me yet, but hopefully down the road!)

Brian

Great question that makes us think of our mission to the community around us. 

I was part of a church in mid-town Memphis years ago that was next door to the “toughest bar in Memphis” as rated by the local newspaper.  It really did live up to its reputation.  We simply lived out our faith and looked for opportunities to share and help people.  Eventually the owner of the bar came to faith in Christ and was radically transformed. 

I can understand some of the feelings of residents in the neighborhood - they have to live and raise their kids there.  It seems to me that location is everything.  For a church to oppose something simply because it might offend the sensibilities of some of its members is missing the point.  Besides if this church is like “most” others it is only “open for business” a few hours a week and mostly on Sunday morning.  Sad but true… just my 2 cents.

I saw the headlines for this article a few minutes ago and then went on to read e-mails.  Pasted below is a “story” that seems very appropriate in this situation.

In a small mid-western conservative town (USA), a new bar started constructing a building to open up their business.

With petitions and prayers, the local Baptist church promptly started a campaign to block the bar from opening.

Work progressed, however, right up till the week before opening, when a lightning strike hit the bar and it burned to the ground.

The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, till the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was, through its prayers and congregations, ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means.

In its reply to the court the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise.

As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork at the hearing and commented:

‘I don’t know how I’m going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that doesn’t !

When i worked in the inner city in Toronto, Canada in the 70’s and 80’s, I was touched and motivated by the stories of one particular man who had laid the foundations of the ministry where i spent my time. He had gone to the strip club right next door to the Yonge St. Mission, and had set up an office there to minister to the the owners, the dancers and whoever else came to him for help. He would go there in the off hours when there was no dancing and the bar wasn’t open yet.

Today, many vocal christians go home to their secret sins on their computer, or what they watch on TV or DVD-- all the while condemning the world around them. We have to allow Jesus to remind us what it means to be lost in such a way that we cannot find our way out.

I felt that this model was more like Jesus in many ways, than sitting in our safe places and hoping those we invite in will come. Too often there are too many ‘natural’ barriers between us and the world we live in… the way we dress, the way we act, the appearance of our neatly trimmed lawns, the oak trim, the carpet… all of these things are sometimes used to say to people, “this place is not for you.”

I wonder what would happen if the pastor of the church, and an accountability partner set up office in the Coyote Ugly from 9:30 AM till noon twice a week? Who would they encounter? What would their needs be? How attractive would Jesus become to them? My prayer is that they courageously go to the world, but not become part of it.

I think that the church has a obligation to stand up against ungodliness at all times. It does not matter if it is a bar across the street or a adult book store across town. Even if there were already bars in the area before this one, it does not matter. Maybe they should have stood up against them also but failed to do so. Now they have a second chance to stand up and be counted.

There is much to be said about ministering to those who need it the most, but there is also much to be said about compromise. These same people who could be ministered to at the bar could also be ministered to anywhere, at anytime. There is no question that Jesus loved sinners, but I dont think that you can find an example of Him trying to preach to them while they were in the act of ungodly behavior. He was always careful not to cast His pearls before swine.
I fear that while we try so hard to be friendly to this establishment we may become a friend to it and the scripture says that if we are a friend to the world we have become the enemy of God.
It is the age old question all over again. How do we hate the sin without hateing the sinner? How do we show kindness to the sinner without showing kindness to the people, places, and things that hold them in that condition