I am praying for the bartender at a local bar. He is king over a world where we, the church, are the outsiders.
We want to have the musicians leading us Sunday morning, play there Thursday night. They will play their music and some songs everybody knows.
Sunday is ours. Thursday night belongs to the bartender. This is his turf, the environment he has created, the community where he is king. He’s good at it. Could we learn from him? People want to be here. And we want to be with people.
We want to have some time with that couple across the street, the co-worker, the brother-in-law, the people in our worlds that aren’t open to church, but are open to us. We want to know them better, find out what’s going on with them, listen between the lines and learn something. Just people, in a bar, on a Thursday night.
We see the image of the incomparable God in the person across the table. We have a connection with her, camaraderie with him, a commonality with each other. We, people at a bar on a Thursday night, want to see if there could be more available between us. We want to hear some songs everybody knows. We are outsiders, looking to be in. Together.
We, the church, know God’s heart has gone after this person. Our hearts want to follow His, so we are not above being intentional. Strategic. Maybe we will mention the band will be playing Sunday morning. We will pray for a wider opening, an opportunity to tell what God has done, for God to move.
So, first, I am praying for the bartender. I hear he wants nothing to do with church. He just wants people to come to his bar. He wants music everybody knows. He decides what happens on Thursday nights. We want him to decide for us.
We, the people of God, know He can change the heart of the king. He brings outsiders in and turns insiders out—to find each other, in a bar, on a Thursday night.
Will you pray with me?
