If the idea of getting up early on a Sunday morning to head off to church doesn’t exactly fill you with enthusiasm, then maybe you might like to consider a church service with a bit of a difference. The Calvary Lutheran Church in Fort Worth, Texas, has hit upon an idea that has seen attendance at its services soaring to the heavens – by setting up shop at the local Zio Carlo Brewpub.
Pastor Phillip Heinze believes that there’s nothing wrong with bringing The Lord together with a beer or two. “I’m not interested, frankly, in making more church member,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m interested in having people have significant relationships around Jesus. And if it turns out to be craft beer, fine.”
We’re not sure how we’d react if we wandered into a pub for a quiet beer on a Sunday arvo and found ourselves in the middle of a church service – but we do reckon that Pastor Heinze has finally brought to the church’s attention something we’ve known for a long time: the “Good Book” goes well with a good drink, and God wouldn’t have given us the ingredients if he didn’t want us to make beer…