ST. LOUIS (AP) - A new church is attracting members with unconventional methods such as pouring beer during theological discussions, but Southern Baptists say the outreach runs contrary to what the ministry represents.
A congregation of young St. Louisans called The Journey has grown from 30 members in 2002 to 1,300 members. The growth has been fueled by energetic programs, including Theology at the Bottleworks, a gathering at a suburban St. Louis microbrew pub for discussions on serious and offbeat topics linked to religion, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported yesterday.
Conversations cover issues from racism in St. Louis to modern art controversies to the debate about embryonic stem cell research.
Darrin Patrick, The Journey’s founder and pastor, said participants at the pub are invited to Sunday services.
But Southern Baptists, with whom the church has a working relationship, are questioning the church’s methods of attracting worshippers, specifically its use of alcohol. That, they argue, runs contrary to a church teaching.
The Journey defines itself as an interdenominational church, but it has ties to the Missouri Baptist Convention. That confederation of Baptist churches is the state arm of the largest Protestant denomination in the country, the Southern Baptist Convention.
The Journey borrowed $200,000 from the Baptist organization to help buy and renovate a former Catholic church in St. Louis in 2005.
At last year’s annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, members overwhelmingly reaffirmed their traditional stance on alcohol by passing a resolution opposing "the manufacturing, advertising, distributing and consuming of alcoholic beverages."
Bill Edwards, chairman of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s church planting subcommittee, has received a number of calls from Missouri Baptists complaining about The Journey’s Web site, with pages that depict or refer to beer and wine consumption.
Last month, the organization’s executive board formed a committee to investigate The Journey and assess the Missouri Baptist Convention’s position on the emerging church movement. Emerging churches are those offering a radically different style of worship, often appealing to young people.
Kerry Messer, a member of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s executive board, said, "Beer being served as part of a church presentation sends mixed messages to the community and causes confusion."
He said he would have spoken out against a financial relationship with The Journey before the loan was approved if he’d known about the events where alcohol is served.
The goal of many pastors in emerging churches is to make Christianity relevant to young people.
At a recent Sunday service, about 500 young people, some dressed in jeans or carrying Starbucks cups, gathered for worship. The Journey service included a six-piece band and wide-screen plasma monitors.
Patrick, dressed in khakis and a sweater, preached about men and their need to take responsibility for their lives, their families and their spiritual well-being.
Patrick also has said the ministry’s main goal is to reach out and help the poor. In that, he said, The Journey and the Missouri Baptist Convention share the same goals.
Patrick said, "When you partner with other people, you invite conflict," he said. "But if we’re both going in the same general direction, why not link arms?"
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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