Purging my soul…one blog at a time.

Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

Good question huh? A good friend of mine deals with this idea in depth here and here. Another post is forthcoming I believe as well. As with most things, things are not quite as black and white as we’d like to believe. Feel free to comment – Jonathan’s a really nice guy and loves the Lord deeply.

July 12, 2008 - Posted by Sam | Bible, Christianity, God, family, life, religion, spirituality | , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

16 Comments »

  1. Thanks for the shout out dude! I hope work goes well for you…you start Monday right???

    I will give you a call this week.

    Comment by jonathangroover | July 13, 2008 | Reply

  2. Yep, tomorrow’s the big day! – hope to hear from you…

    Comment by Sam | July 13, 2008 | Reply

  3. Hey,
    Sorry we missed the big dinner and I hope work is going well!

    Love ya,
    tracey

    Comment by tracey | July 15, 2008 | Reply

  4. I’m sorry too! Hope Rob’s okay. Work’s going fine so far….

    Love you too!

    Comment by Sam | July 15, 2008 | Reply

  5. I drink beer on occasion when I grill or eat out; especially in the summer. I also drink port year round, but only a handful of times a month. My opinion, in short, is that drinking in moderation is acceptable, but not in excess.

    Comment by Nathan Stitt | July 22, 2008 | Reply

  6. I don’t drink. The stance in our church is also don’t drink, it’s unacceptable and you can’t be a part of our leadership if you do. You can be a part of our church, but not our leadership.

    But that’s not why I don’t drink. If I drink, I drink to party, and party hard so I will get drunk, and I think the bible is pretty clear on that.

    Plus my father was an alcoholic so I just have bad memories associated with alcohol.

    Comment by Robert | July 24, 2008 | Reply

  7. Nathan –

    I know alot of folks who feel the way you do and I think that’s a balanced approach. Personally, as a minister, honestly, it’s just easier not to drink at all than to constantly fight the propensity to determine whether the individual I’m with thinks drinking is acceptable or not. Too much of a hassle.

    Robert -

    You bring up some great points as always, my friend. Honestly, I think your leadership standards are too strict. Do I think church leadership should drink? No, but I think that churches often shut the door on things done in moderation because individuals often take them to excess. As a charismatic, I’m thankful that people’s charismatic excesses are not reason to discontinue the gifts altogether. Though it’s not quite the same, I could understand how others could feel the same way about drinking that we feel about cessationsim.

    I have extreme alcoholics in my family too. That’s enough to make me never touch the stuff. You see enough people die and you get the picture. It’s poison. But to restrict those people who have not been exposed to the extreme effects of alcohol is like someone forbiding me to listen to Led Zeppelin because they someone smoked a joint at their concert im the sixties.Those are their memories, not mine. People are ultimately responsible for their actions. I hate companies that make alcohol – they are death and disease machines. But I can’t in good conscience tell church members that they are not allowed to drink.

    Thanks for commenting fellas!

    Sam

    Comment by Sam | July 24, 2008 | Reply

  8. Sam,

    I don’t think that they are too strict. Our church reaches out to many people that come from broken homes, drug and alcohol abuse. As a matter of fact I would say that about 95% of our church were not Christians, but new converts to the faith. We rarely get transplants in our church. Most if not all of our members were birthed in our church.

    Because of that we have chosen to not allow alcohol to be a part of our leadership team. Most came from drug abuse, and alcohol and to them it was something that they were delivered from. It’s a part of their personal testimony of what God did in their lives.

    I hope that gives some perspective on our decision.

    Comment by Robert | July 24, 2008 | Reply

  9. I definitely feel that culture plays a major role in how drinking should be handled. In the Bible-belt where I live there is a specific mindset towards the consumption of alcohol. I try to be pretty careful about where and when I drink, and it is usually confined to my home and around people who understand why it is permissible. Of course the easiest choice is simply to never drink at all. Unfortunately I find it to be one of the joys in life that I simply can’t do without, not unlike reading a good book, or taking a nap in the afternoon.

    Comment by Nathan Stitt | July 26, 2008 | Reply

  10. Robert –

    You are at a church that sounds like the last one where I served. Little transfer growth – lots of new Christians to help “put off” the old man. And at that church we made a point of abstaining from alcohol completely. They’ve recently had issues with exactly that – some folks wanting the liberty to drink and others seeing it as a stumbling block to a number of former addicts who attend. The “dry” policy was not written down or anything – just an unwritten standard – and the fact that it wasn’t written down is probably the cause of the confusion now.

    In your case, I would side with you without a doubt. And I still don’t drink even though there’s plenty of it at my present appointment. Leadership, if doing their job, usually serve a congregation at the price of their own convenience….

    Sam

    Comment by Sam | July 26, 2008 | Reply

  11. Nathan –

    I’m in the Bible-belt too, bro. My condolences. :) Have a beer for someone who doesn’t drink! If you do ever decide to pursue full-time ministry, join a denomination that okay with your port-drinkin’ devil ways. :)

    Sam

    Comment by Sam | July 26, 2008 | Reply

  12. Sam, Nathan, I don’t personally have any problems with brothers in the Lord that have a drink.

    Sam, our “dry” policy is not a written one either. However it is clearly communicated. ;-)

    I do love a good cigar, but again I don’t because of the people that I minster too. Well them be the breaks for me. I could resign as assistant pastor, but I love what I do, and love helping folks. So it’s a small cross to bear ;-) But I would like to get away with my wife she loves the smell of a good cigar, and really enjoys when I smoke one. But I have not smoked in 10 years (just in case someone from my church is reading – hahaha)

    Comment by Robert | July 27, 2008 | Reply

  13. [...] in the first place.  Let me say before I begin though, that there is a small discussion over at my friend’s place concerning these posts and this topic and general.  You should check it out if you want to [...]

    Pingback by Balance: One Christian’s View of Alcohol Part III « You can take everything I have…just don’t leave my side | July 27, 2008 | Reply

  14. Hi, I stumbled upon this discussion…probably no one will read this at this point; however, let me just say this:

    We moved from the big city to a small resort town where my husband is a pharmacist. The addiction rate here is staggering….much higher than in a city. Last week, my pastor popped the cork and poured wine for a dinner party…one of the guests had already confided that she and her husband were alcoholics and needed help….but because the pastor drank, they assume now it’s OK.

    I guess my question is, which is more important? Demonstrating one’s liberty to drink so that no one will think we’re stuffy, no-fun Christians….or being considerate of another’s weakness?

    Comment by Jan | October 6, 2008 | Reply

  15. According to scripture, the latter. We are not to eat or drink something if it causes someone to stumble, even though it is permissible.

    Comment by Nathan Stitt | October 6, 2008 | Reply

  16. Jan –

    Nathan is absolutely right. Christians are to consider their behavior in front of others. Paul was very clear that liberty is not used for selfish gain but for Christians to serve one another in love. Part of serving one another in the scenario you described is to defer to the weaknesses and struggles of others, never being the cause of stumbling. That’s the law of Jesus: the law of love. If you act in love towards others, then you fulfill the law as a whole. That’s the exact reason I do not drink. Could I? Sure. But I wouldn’t be living my life in a way that acknowledges others and that is at the heart of the Christian walk.

    At the same, I speak for all ministers when I say we are not claivoyant. :) We can’t read minds, so it’s a little hard to hold us accountable for things we don’t know. What might have happened if that pastor knew about the struggles with alcoholism? Chances are good he would have refrained from drinking in that situation. We can’t cast judgment on someone without allowing them the full knowledge with which to make a proper decision.

    I’m glad you came by Jan. Stop in anytime and comment…

    Sam

    Comment by Sam | October 6, 2008 | Reply


Leave a comment

« Previous | Next »