“Do you like blackcurrant martinis? I can also make mango.” Dennis stood in his kitchen with a bottle of triple sec in his hand, a martini shaker in the other, and–yes–a bottle of Vodka sitting on the counter. Honestly, the question had taken me by surprise; not because of the offer of alcohol, but because of the context in which it was asked. Dennis had just been baptized.
Would we? Could we? The unexpected merger of things I once considered sacred and secular was taking place before my eyes. What surprised me more than this head-on collision was my response that came out so naturally that it caught me off-guard.
“Yeah, we’d love some – uh – martinis. Make ‘em blackcurrant! Thanks, man.”
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Grady,
Thought I would check out your blog. You may wish I hadn’t. Couldn’t help but notice the endorsement of drinking. I wonder how those in Islam respond to that?
I find it amazing that someone would celebrate a baptism by drinking alcohol. The first thing alcohol does is take away your good judgment. I also note that after the baptism and martinis the new believer has his girlfriend move in with him. But then, we can’t be legalistic can we? If this is missional, I have to disagree.
Would I have condemned a new believer for drinking? No. But it was certainly not wise to join him in drinking. A new believer can be slowly, lovingly led to a deeper commitment to Christ. I can’t get away from the biblical admonitions to not even look at intoxicating wine (Proverbs 23), to be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, etc.), to not cause a weaker brother to stumble (Romans 14:21), and to make no provision for the flesh.
May God bless you in reaching others for Christ. We just have some profound differences.
David R. Brumbelow
David,
Thanks for the visit. Please let me clarify something…I’m not endorsing drinking…I don’t do it…I posted this post to make us think. Honestly I would struggle with this if I was baptizing or discipling someone and found out they moved in with someone right afterwards. But we allow so many other sins to stay in people’s lives…as long as they’re not the big ones.
I wouldn’t have drank the martini because I don’t like martini’s…give me a Mt. Dew but I would want to build a good relationship with the guy so that I could walk with him and help him to see his life in light of Scripture.
Grady,
.
Well, you did make me think. Thanks for your reply. I have no problem with Mountain Dew
David R. Brumbelow