Can Pastors Have a Beer?

Christian Post ^ | 08/07/2017 | Shane Idleman

[Gamecock]

No.

Just some branches.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “What’s the problem?” <<

He only did red. No white wine for the she-hes.
.

[Gamecock]

DEUTERONOMY 14 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

[Tax-chick]

My pastor doesn’t drink alcohol. He doesn’t say about others’ doing so, even at church events, but he occasionally brings up alcohol abuse in a sermon. He’s a scholarly, understated sort of guy, always visiting the sick.

Our Puerto Rican deacon does drink, and he sometimes speaks very strongly about drunkenness, as well as the issue of spending money on beer when a family has more important needs.

[dubyagee]

I go to a non-denominational church that draws a lot of life’s ‘misfits’, so to speak. A lot of former addicts...I believe they stick to grape juice for this reason. They don’t condemn those who do drink, but they respect those that have had problems with drink and drugs.

And I mean no disregard to anyone struggling with anything by referring to them as misfits — I have my own issues and fit in quite well. Our church bills itself as a’safe place to explore the claims of Jesus Christ’and we have many attendees that would never have felt comfortable in a traditional church setting.

[T-Bone Texan]

My child goes to an Episcopal school and at official functions there is wine. Much wine.

Not for the kids really, but who knows.

I think it is to dampen the pain and malaise of being an Episcopalian.

[T-Bone Texan]

Since you are posting Scripture, I will direct this to you:

I remember a verse that said, in effect, that a widow or widower is to imbibe wine so as to dampen the pain and sadness from the death of their mate.

Any knowledge of that?

[NorthstarMom]

We just left a fundamental baptist church that taught that. It’s not the primary reason we left (nor the secondary or tertiary-alcohol is not that important to us) but false doctrine is false doctrine.

Drunkenness is always a sin.
Idolatry is always a sin.

Having a beer or glass of wine on a regular basis doesn’t automatically lead to drunkenness nor to making alcohol more important than our Lord.

New clothes don’t make one vain. Dessert every Sunday doesn’t make one a glutton.

In my life, I’ve observed the testimony of professing Christians hurt more by financial greed or immodest dress than by alcohol consumption. It hurts very much to hear unbelievers talk about how an outspoken Christian took advantage of someone financially.

[WMarshal]

Jesus wanted a good party so at a wedding he turned perfectly good water into wine.

In a recently discovered version of the book of John, discovered in the Dead Sea Caves of Israel there is a verse immediately after John 2:6 that reads: A wedding asked Jesus why he turned water to wine when water falls from heaven directly from God while wine is the work of man. Jesus looked kindly at the man and said “Ah water. Never touch the stuff, Fish f*** in it.”

So tired of dull, tight ads, idiots who think that consuming a particular food or drink is a sin. It is the overindulgence or lack of control that is the sin, not the thing itself.

[Fantasywriter]

Thanks for that information. May God bless you and what sounds like a very special church.

[jonno]

"...the deadly sin of gluttony. You can be 50 or 100 or however many pounds overweight, but DON’T TOUCH ALCOHOL!"

Agreed - we chafe at the idea that salvation has nothing to do with how good we are, and many "believers" have the tendency to be modern-day pharisees:
Luke 18:11
"The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector."

It seems to me that we could reasonably add to the list '...or those who drink, dance, or play bingo'.

But the passage that give me the most pause is in Matthew 7:
"21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

[who knows what evil?]

Given the rampage of obesity driven diabetes in our culture, perhaps preachers should also integrate exhortations on dietary moderation into their sermons.

...and preach it at your local Cracker Barrel. Throw one in about gossip and back-biting while you're at it.

[JamesP81]

The issue I have is when clergy makes the statement that consumption of alcohol is always a sin.

The Bible does not say that. Christians also ought to know better than to declare something to be a sin if God doesn’t. That road ultimately leads to a bad place.

The concern from Paul about placing a stumbling block is well taken. To that end, as a rule I enjoy my adult beverages at home where there is no one around to be stumbled.

[Pollster1]

Sounds similar to Proverbs 31:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31&version=NKJV

31:1 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2
What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
3
Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5
Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
6
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more . . .

[Nifster]

Interestingly enough one oh Jesus’ miracles was to provide wine for a wedding celebration

All the self righteous pastors who tell you what to do and how to live are ridiculous. A drink does not make one a drunkard.

If they don’t want to drink good for them. If they do drink don’t be a drunkard

[Nifster]

Some Protestant denominations are hard liners....some Baptists are against drinking and dancing and certain kinds of music

[Sheapdog]

If one looks at the extensive records of the people involved in transcribing and putting together the KJV 1611 one will see the meal plans for Breakfast lunch and dinner. Also three groups had different food based on their wealth and status. If I recall the lowest level had two mugs of mead at breakfast along with their meals. That would mess the average person up today and they would be considered a drunkard. Different for cultures and what people are used to.

[metmom]

It is a fine line to walk.

Alcohol can be too easily abused, but I also see the current trend towards more open drinking as a push back against the strict legalism that once was a hallmark of the church.

[Fantasywriter]

That’s very interesting. To think such records were kept and preserved.

I had a friend who made a large batch of mead. I don’t think the alcoholic content needs to be particularly high.

Found this, which may be of interest:

‘Many variants of mead have been found in medieval recipes, with or without alcoholic content. However, the honey-based drink became less common as a table beverage towards the end of the period and was eventually relegated to medicinal use.’

http://www.castlesandmanorhouses.com/life_05_drink.htm

[JimRed]

Beer. Fluid, carbohydrate and pain killer. The ideal recovery beverage after a hard session of rec b’ball! Three pints in a two hour session does not cause drunkenness, just a bit of relaxation.

But if you can’t stop yourself at your sufficiency, it is best to not indulge.