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Why some Christians would rather go to the pub than to church...

Every Thursday night I walk into a room where loud music is playing and people are interacting with each other. Some are smoking, most are drinking, and a few are even singing. I am immediately greeted by name and asked if I want a beer. I am free to sit with anybody I want to, dress however I like and therefore feel accepted. That's because at the Ferrymans Bar I am a regular - and I don't have to watch what I say.

I cannot think of the last time I have felt that comfortable in a church. Even as a regular. Perhaps this is because the church forms its basis of community on a different level than the pub community. Both are meaningful communities but the reason 'd'etre of forming community is poles apart. The community of drinkers is based on who you are, whereas the community within church revolves around what you believe. As a result I feel more able to invite my friends to the pub than to church as, at the pub, everybody feels accepted, no matter what type of drink is in the glass. Yet if you do not share the beliefs of the members of the church, you are not seen as an integral part of that community....

...Yet many Christians place a greater priority for the need to believe the Christian message and behave the Christian way than how accepted one feels amongst the Christian community. Belonging is seen as a result of believing and behaving. If you don't believe you won't feel like you want to belong, and if you don't behave in like manner you will be told that you don't belong - no matter what you believe....

Yet you often hear of Christian communities who are drawn together by a belief system often falling out over variances in doctrine - with some even thrown out of the congregation. Yet the only time somebody would be thrown out of my local pub is if they were uncontrollably drunk. That hasn't happened and is not likely to.

...A good start to reverse this legalism may be for these church leaders to visit places like pubs and cafes and rub shoulders with real people who desire strong relationships within community....