This New Church in Missouri Introduces People to Jesus With Beer

The Well, a United Methodist Church in Defiance, Missouri, meets in a place some Christians believe is wrong to even step foot into, let alone be seen worshiping in.

United Methodist Pastor Danny Lybarger leads a church that literally meets at a bar, specifically at Good News Brewing. But this isn’t your typical brewery. The concept behind Good News Brewing originated after a group of friends went through Hugh Halter’s book Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth in their Bible study where they learned the power of sharing the good news.

Halter, who has been a pastor, church planter, missions trainer, and author, says his mission is to “encourage the church to be less churchy and instead work on creating social, personal, & spiritual ventures that serve our cities in ways that make God smile.”

It appears the owners of Good News Brewing weren’t the only ones following Halter’s missional words. Halter wrote in the book: “If you want a safe faith, you will never really know God because he doesn’t hang out in the shallow end much.” Pastor Lybarger took those words to heart. The new church plant now calls the brewery home.

“As a part of this church, our goal is to see lives truly transformed and the way we believe that happens is through understanding that each and every one of us belongs as we are,” Lybarger said in an interview on KSDK 5 On Your Side News. “Indeed, open and honest and vulnerable to each other where we are.”

“We want people to come and whether they have a beer during service or after service, if they have a pizza after service or before, or they don’t stick around at all. We just want to sa,y let’s actually meet where people already meet.”

Related article: Can a Christian Drink Alcohol?

One church attender told the reporter “alcohol kind of loosens you up a bit,” so for those who have been away from church but have been afraid to return, “it kind of shows, like, come as you are.”

Another attendee said, “This church is open to everybody,” describing it as a church for “misfits.”

The reporter shared that he didn’t see one person drinking beer during the worship service, and intimated the church’s approach was a “very creative marketing campaign.”

The church’s website answers the question: “Why have church at a bar and not at a regular church building?” The new church plant answers this by saying The Well’s desire is to be in the heart of the community. Calling the brewery the 21st-century watering hole (a well) the church says, “Some of our deepest and most heartfelt conversations happen in or at spaces like the local bar,” comparing this to Jesus’ time during His ministry.

“People from all regions and walks of life gathered around the well, and shared stories of hope, pain and celebration,” the site continues. “Real-life happened there and that is our hope for The Well. To create a non-threatening environment where the believer, wanderer, and skeptic can all come together around the same table and share a time of celebration…followed by great food and drinks.”

Related article: Is It OK for Pastors to Drink?

The website explains that the sole purpose for The Well’s existence is to “invite as many people as possible to experience the radical love, hospitality, grace and power found in the person of Jesus.”


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Jesse T. Jackson
Jesse is the Content Editor for ChurchLeaders and Site Manager for ChristianNewsNow. An undeserving husband to a beautiful wife, and a father to 4 beautiful children. He serves as a deacon, a growth group leader, and is a member of University Baptist Church in Beavercreek, Ohio. Follow him on twitter here (https://twitter.com/jessetjackson)


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I have to think about this a while.
As a first thought, I like it.

My mother would absolutely faint that a preacher would even suggest such a thing, much less DO it ;o))

Catholic priest and parishioners drink wine at mass. Lol
They just give ya enough to tease you. They ought to give everyone a half pint at communion time to wash that biscuit down that's stuck to the top of your palate.

If they had Shiners Bock on tap, I'd go to church every day.
And stay 2 hours instead of one.

HawkTheSlayer wrote:I have to think about this a while.
As a first thought, I like it.

Well.....wasn't Jesus' first miracle turning water into wine? hmmmmm
And the Bible doesn't say DON'T drink alcohol, but do not become intoxicated.
But then, there's Leviticus 10:9...

But......I've got to admit, some of the scriptures on wine and strong drink kinda' baffle me~


Proverbs 31:6
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to him whose life is bitter.

Leviticus 10:9
“Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations—

Judges 13:4
Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.

Judges 13:7
But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Judges 13:14
She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; let her observe all that I commanded.”

Deuteronomy 14:26
You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

Isaiah 28:7
And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink:
The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,
They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink;
They reel while having visions,
They totter when rendering judgment.

Proverbs 31:4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

Isaiah 5:11
Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink,
Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!

Isaiah 5:22
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine
And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Isaiah 56:12
“Come,” they say, “let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”

Deuteronomy 29:6
You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the Lord your God.

1 Samuel 1:15
But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

Mon vieux Nonc Ree-shard always told me, "T-Hawk, Mai's iss awright to have a drink or two. But don't overdo it.
You could end up like Otis Campbell and you won't be able let you own self out of jail, no".

I don't see a problem with Christians, or preachers, drinking.

But if you lure them to church with beer...guess what they're there for.

Casey Jones wrote:I don't see a problem with Christians, or preachers, drinking.

But if you lure them to church with beer...guess what they're there for.

Well MAYBE, but I'd be curious, and I can't stand beer. A glass of wine now and then...a very small glass before bed some nights, and on rare occasions when I'm out to dinner with friends as long as I'm not driving. Don't know if it's just because I drink so little, or alcohol just has a fast effect on me, but sometimes just one glass can make me very sleepy.

If that "church" needs alcohol to introduce new people to their "god", I have to wonder how powerful, righteous and holy their "god" is...