Is It Ok to Have a Beer With My Friends So I Can "Evangelize" to Them? - Bob & Tim

To be "all things to all men,"

and I guess in light of some stuff

that he happens to be a person

that pushes some extremes,

it seems that something
that's becoming big now

is the whole "pub theology,"

going to bars and having Bible studies.

And my personal stance

based on the Scriptures

is in opposition to stuff like that,

and I have a buddy that I work with

that he's the only other "Christian"

in my workplace

in a largely unbelieving workplace.

And he is constantly pushing,

promoting that kind of lifestyle

to reach people,

and then I'm the overly dogmatic person

because I don't understand it -

why you would go into the bars

to actually drink with everybody

and have a Bible study doing it

to reach people.

So I understand the
"all things to all men"

and I guess wisdom, insight?

Am I pushing on the lines of legalism?

Or is stuff like that too far?

Going into bars, having Bible study there?

You know, to try and reach people.

The "being all things" where people

are going to use that.

Bob: Here's an illustration

that I saw in my own
life that I never forgot.

Between my junior and
senior year in college,

I had a summer intern job

in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

And there were three
or four others with me

and we all lived in this apartment house.

And there was another
fellow living there.

He was a policeman about
10 years older than me.

So, we would go downtown

about every evening.

And then, the next year, I was converted.

And this company that I was working for

had a regional meeting
back up in Fort Dodge.

So I thought to myself,

I'm going to go look up Herb

and tell him that I've become a Christian.

So, I didn't find him at the house,

and I thought maybe he's downtown

at the old Cave In.

And so sure enough, there was Herb

sitting at the bar.

And he was quite surprised to see me

and he says, "Bob! Have a chair."

"Have a drink with me."

And I said, "No thanks, Herb,

I've become a Christian."

"What?"

And so we talked awhile

and he urged me again,

"Have a beer with me."

And I said no.

And he went on.

"You're telling me you can't just sit here

and have a beer with me?

Who do you think you are?"

And he put the pressure on,

and after about four or five times,

I said, "Okay."

And I had that glass of beer,

and just as I got it to my lips,

he said, "Look at that!
I knew it wasn't real!"

And it was just like a knife.

So, you know, I think one big thing

is are we going to where they're at

with the atmosphere and the attitude

of bringing them out?

Or identifying with them

and confirming them in their sin

in whatever circumstance it is?

Tim: Just adding to that,

you know, in every situation,

we're representatives of Christ,

and we need to portray Him.

And you know, when I talked about

just breaking the taboos,

you think about how Jesus

related with people versus
the religious leaders.

Think about the things He did.

He touched lepers.

You didn't even get downwind from a leper.

You didn't walk around them.

He would stop and speak

with a woman at a well.

He would speak with the
Syro-Pheonician woman.

He did things, but it was always

to show kindness.

It was always as Bob
said to bring them out.

And you know,

I personally, I like the guy

that does the unusual thing.

I like that.

I like when people are
testing the boundaries,

but behind it you see
that they're testing it

because they really do
have a burden for souls.

And they really have a desire for purity.

They're not trying to be
as much like the world

as they possibly can.

They have a burden for souls,

and they're willing to
think outside the box.

I love people like that.