The conventional wisdom in Tennessee is never invite just one Baptist to go fishing because he will drink all your beer -- invite 2 Baptists and they won't touch it.
The Bible treats drinking alcoholic beverages like eating. Drinking in and of itself isn't displeasing to God. Wanton drunkenness (just like gluttony and other harmful excesses) is, however, something to avoid.
Having been a student of church history, there's no doubt in my mind that everybody (Baptists included) drank beer and wine in the centuries before the 20th when we didn't have a reliable water supply. The wholly negative attitude toward any consumption of alcohol at all seen in some churches today is a mindset that comes primarily out of the temperance movement rather than an honest study of the scriptures. Fortunately, it looks like a generational shift is happening in many of those churches where the younger members are adopting a different view about this.
Their are plenty of guys at our church (a pretty cool contemporary "bible church") who enjoy craft beers, a few like me who brew and one who started up a nano-brewery last year. We often chat about brewing after the service.
I once was Baptist but am now Methodist, and the only difference I can see between the two is that Methodists speak to each other in the liquor store.
Another possible difference: How's their cooking? While I've never tried Baptist cooking, I'd gladly put up any Methodist potluck against any other denomination. These people can cook!
Brewing with Clergy
Martin Luther and alcohol (because he liked it)
Monks and alcohol (monetary gain)
Alcohol pervades a lot of churches.
Whether a denomination or church or congregation or person considers it acceptable as opposed to abstinence, well that's a topic up for debate.
(IMO Abstinence is not the answer, but again that's up for debate.)
That sealed the deal for me - if God created us with that then He mustve designed us to have a little alcohol. Cheers!
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In the bible beer is mentioned many times (Jewish place names like Beersheeba), but from what I understand only once as a drink, wine is mentioned a lot. I have this bible verse I keep pinned up at work:
Crazy thing is, if you take it out of context it sounds like it is OK with drinking...but if you keep reading, the next passages start talking about drunkenness and whatnot, so it's actually mocking or condemning the act of drinking.
Anyhow, I'm just posting because I thought that would be an interesting tidbit for Christian homebrewers...get that bible verse engraved on your mash paddle or tap handles or something.
Didn't the pilgrims basically survive off hard cider? Wine and other such drinks, like you said, kept us humans alive when fresh water was sparse.
I agree, I think there is a generational shift.
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I was just reading a thread about homebrewing and alcoholism. Someone quoted the Bible and it got me thinking....
I'm a Christian. My father is a pastor. I'm very involved in church. I play drums, bass, etc for our church band.
A year ago my dad asked me to try and get more men involved and asked me to start a church homebrew group. There was not a ton of interest but I found another homebrewer in the congregation and got another two guys interested.
I expected some ppl to be very opposed to this, but, no one was( to my knowledge at least).
I know alcohol is a fine line in many Christian circles and was wondering about other ppls experiences.
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Totally understand the fellowship aspect of the group, but I don't see why it has to be a church group. If your dad is looking to set up a homebrew group with you with christian friends, why not have it as that? A homebrew group, not a church homebrew group.
I was just reading a thread about homebrewing and alcoholism. Someone quoted the Bible and it got me thinking....
I'm a Christian. My father is a pastor. I'm very involved in church. I play drums, bass, etc for our church band.
A year ago my dad asked me to try and get more men involved and asked me to start a church homebrew group. There was not a ton of interest but I found another homebrewer in the congregation and got another two guys interested.
I expected some ppl to be very opposed to this, but, no one was( to my knowledge at least).
I know alcohol is a fine line in many Christian circles and was wondering about other ppls experiences.
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When I read your post, I had to sit and think about it for some time.
In Paul's day, with respect to the book of Romans, eating clean or unclean meats was a very controversial issue much like alcohol is today.
He says "I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."
Paul had no personal issue with unclean meats (meat offered to idols), but he recognized the fact that some people did.
A verse that does come into mind is 1 Corinthians 8:13:
"Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."
I'm not going to stop drinking at a pub with my friends or at my home, but I'll refrain from bringing it if I have someone over where it may offend.
Paul didn't set up a "unclean meats group swap shop" in the church even though he knew there was no issue with it. He knew it was controversial and was more concerned about his fellow brothers and potential stumbling blocks.
Totally understand the fellowship aspect of the group, but I don't see why it has to be a church group. If your dad is looking to set up a homebrew group with you with christian friends, why not have it as that? A homebrew group, not a church homebrew group.
Recently there are a lot of church groups of men who are meeting at bars, having a few micro brews and signing church hymns. I found it kind of cool. Most people just had a beer or maybe two. But it was a fun, stress free way to chat with like minded individuals. The news report I saw said the churches were trying to find a less intimidating way to bring people in and wanted to build some comradeship.
he's a liquid chef!
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