And then Jesus walks through the bar…

Back in 2007, I exited a smoke filled bar in Livno, Bosnia and got a vision from God. This was my first trip overseas and we were there to rebuild a classroom. At night however, we would go out to sample the culture. This was a Friday night and our destination was a dance club. I don't dance much, I don't like dance music, but when in Rome, or Bosnia....

So we are standing around in the smokiest room I've even been in, not sure if smoking is Bosnia's national pastime or what, but they do love their cigarettes. I'm standing there, surrounded by hundreds of twenty-something's from this small town in Bosnia and it dawns on me, "this same thing is happening in every city in America and evidently around the world!" The twenty-something's are the "lost generation" in churches, but I had just found them! As I left the club, gasping for fresh air, this idea came to me, "if we could go back to the states and find a way to own the room in local bars, we could really make an impact." But how do you "own a room"? How do you set it up so that everyone in the bar has to listen to what you have to say? You provide the entertainment! You become the house band and whatever you say now, has a couple thousand watts of amplification behind it! You now "own the room".

And that is just what we did! Now over three years later Pub Theology is a thriving ministry in the city of Indianapolis. In 5 bars across the North East corner of Indy, every week Pub Theology brings Faith, Hope, Love and Beer together and it is changing people's lives. Each night brings together a live band, a local charity, an offering, a short sermon, a segment of text questions sent in from the audience and various giveaways. We call it a "party with a purpose". Over the last 3 years we have reached over 10,000 people, given away close to 500 Bibles, donated over $13,000 to charities and seen many people choose to follow Christ. And every one who has come to Christ has been over the age of 21!

When I used to hear the stats that something like 90% of decisions for Christ are made before the age of 14, I would think, "maybe Jesus just doesn't work on adults," or "maybe we just brainwash kids to believe in Jesus"? I know we're not supposed to think stuff like that, but I did. However, after the past 3 years I realize Jesus works just fine on adults. Jesus works on drug addicts and homosexuals and on people who have never been to church. Jesus still changes people's lives after they are 21. The sad reality is that we as the church have stopped creating environments where adults can seek and be found.

At almost every Pub Theology, there is an amazing moment when Jesus walks through the bar. It is usually during the Text Q and A as I'm answering some question about Faith, Hope or forgiveness. Everything is loud and happening like a regular Thursday night at a bar and then it gets quiet, really quiet and usually really quickly and we know it has happened. The living God just walked through the room and touched the hearts of individuals.

This whole experience and experiment in taking the Gospel to everyday people in everyday places continues to prove that we serve an extraordinary God. He is the God who "owns" every room. And He is a God who asks us to do exactly what He did. He left the safe confines of heaven to walk through the rooms of earth, proving that He is Love.

What environment might he be calling you to create? Where is there a room you could own and create an environment where adults can seek and be found? You just might be surprised when, where and what rooms Jesus still walks through.

Daron Earlewine is the co-founder of Pub Theology and a teaching Pastor at East 91st Christian Church in Indianapolis. He has also served as a church planter.