I know there are a few folks here who had some interest in Bar Church, and a couple of y'all have helped in big ways too. I thought I'd give you an update and tell you about some amazing stuff that the Lord has done.
Bar Church started a little over a year ago. (Here's a thread from back then, if you aren't familiar with what I'm talking about: http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=361247) When the ministry started, we didn't really know what would happen. We had no idea what we were getting into, and we didn't really know for sure who (if anyone) would show up. We kinda thought that it would attract people who have a hunger for the Lord, but they don't feel comfortable going to a "normal" church because they go to bars and drink. That was the original idea. There are some folks like that coming to Bar Church, but the Lord has apparently had a bigger idea in mind for Bar Church.
About 6 months ago, an old friend of mine showed up at Bar Church one day, and he had lost everything due to alcoholism. Bo has worked very hard since then to get sober, get healthy, and get busy. It has really been amazing to see what the Lord is doing through him. And through Bo, the Lord has opened up a door to minister to lots of other people who struggle with addictions of one kind or another. When Bo got back to Abilene from rehab a few months ago, he had no place to live. I helped him find a halfway house to move into - the 180 House. I remember feeling really sad, scared, and a little embarrassed for Bo the day I dropped him off there. Honestly, it's a dump. It's clean, but it is a dump. Bo was definitely humiliated that he had to move in, but we both knew that he didn't really have any other options. We were talking about how he would only have to be there for a short time, and as soon as he got his business going again then he could find a better place to live.
Again...God must have been laughing while listening to our conversation.
Bo is a mechanic. He immediately began doing mechanic work, trying to get his business built back up so he could move out of 180 House. Well, lots of folks at 180 House have broken down cars, motorcycles, and such. Bo has done a lot of work repairing things for his new friends there. Every now and then he even gets paid a little, but most of the time not. He is doing other paying work elsewhere, but he is really blessing a lot of people there by helping them fix things. He is also having Bible studies with folks, playing music (he's a musician as well), and he is pretty much the all-around go to guy for whatever problem somebody has.
Bo is getting enough work now that he could afford to move out into a better place of his own to live if he wanted to, but he doesn't want to leave 180 House. He didn't want to move in at first, but now he doesn't want to leave. He just has a heart to serve and help everyone there - and people come and go every week. He has truly touched lots of people's lives in a good way. Several of those folks are now part of Bar Church. They are helping each other, encouraging each other, and sharing what they have with each other..... It is just amazing to watch, and it's truly a blessing to get to be a part of this community of believers.
A few weeks ago we started meeting on Wednesday nights for Bible study. (Before we just met on Sunday mornings.) An even larger group from 180 House as well as some folks who don't live at 180 House are there. Last week, a new guy came. He came to Abilene and 180 House from Tennessee, just to stay far away from the bad situation he was in back home. He had never been to a church of any kind before, but he was really searching for something positive. (He was searching for God, but he didn't realize it at first.) Anyway, after experiencing the love and acceptance from all the folks at 180 House and Bar Church, and after some Bible study, he decided to turn his life over to the Lord and was baptized Sunday. Another couple from 180 House got married recently, and they are becoming leaders there and at Bar Church too.
It has really been amazing to see the Lord working in a place I never even knew existed a few months ago. God is good.
Oh yeah....and the bar..... A couple months ago, the owner closed the bar. When Bar Church started, he would be there on Sunday mornings, but he would stay in the back room out of the way. Before long, he was joining in the worship. And then one day he told us that he'd closed the bar. He said for years he had been worrying a lot every time he heard about a wreck late at night. He always wondered if a drunk driver that got into an accident was somebody that had been at his bar. It was eating him up, apparently. So he closed the bar. He rents it out for private parties occasionally still, but pretty much the only thing going on in the building these days is Bar Church. (He is in the construction business for his main business anyway.)
So, we first thought that Bar Church would meet in a bar and would minister to Christians who drink. But a year later, the bar is closed and we're ministering to recovering alcoholics and addicts who do NOT want to drink. It's always amazing to find out what God's plans are - especially after you think you know what He is planning, but you're so incredibly wrong.
Bar Church started a little over a year ago. (Here's a thread from back then, if you aren't familiar with what I'm talking about: http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=361247) When the ministry started, we didn't really know what would happen. We had no idea what we were getting into, and we didn't really know for sure who (if anyone) would show up. We kinda thought that it would attract people who have a hunger for the Lord, but they don't feel comfortable going to a "normal" church because they go to bars and drink. That was the original idea. There are some folks like that coming to Bar Church, but the Lord has apparently had a bigger idea in mind for Bar Church.
About 6 months ago, an old friend of mine showed up at Bar Church one day, and he had lost everything due to alcoholism. Bo has worked very hard since then to get sober, get healthy, and get busy. It has really been amazing to see what the Lord is doing through him. And through Bo, the Lord has opened up a door to minister to lots of other people who struggle with addictions of one kind or another. When Bo got back to Abilene from rehab a few months ago, he had no place to live. I helped him find a halfway house to move into - the 180 House. I remember feeling really sad, scared, and a little embarrassed for Bo the day I dropped him off there. Honestly, it's a dump. It's clean, but it is a dump. Bo was definitely humiliated that he had to move in, but we both knew that he didn't really have any other options. We were talking about how he would only have to be there for a short time, and as soon as he got his business going again then he could find a better place to live.
Again...God must have been laughing while listening to our conversation.
Bo is a mechanic. He immediately began doing mechanic work, trying to get his business built back up so he could move out of 180 House. Well, lots of folks at 180 House have broken down cars, motorcycles, and such. Bo has done a lot of work repairing things for his new friends there. Every now and then he even gets paid a little, but most of the time not. He is doing other paying work elsewhere, but he is really blessing a lot of people there by helping them fix things. He is also having Bible studies with folks, playing music (he's a musician as well), and he is pretty much the all-around go to guy for whatever problem somebody has.
Bo is getting enough work now that he could afford to move out into a better place of his own to live if he wanted to, but he doesn't want to leave 180 House. He didn't want to move in at first, but now he doesn't want to leave. He just has a heart to serve and help everyone there - and people come and go every week. He has truly touched lots of people's lives in a good way. Several of those folks are now part of Bar Church. They are helping each other, encouraging each other, and sharing what they have with each other..... It is just amazing to watch, and it's truly a blessing to get to be a part of this community of believers.
A few weeks ago we started meeting on Wednesday nights for Bible study. (Before we just met on Sunday mornings.) An even larger group from 180 House as well as some folks who don't live at 180 House are there. Last week, a new guy came. He came to Abilene and 180 House from Tennessee, just to stay far away from the bad situation he was in back home. He had never been to a church of any kind before, but he was really searching for something positive. (He was searching for God, but he didn't realize it at first.) Anyway, after experiencing the love and acceptance from all the folks at 180 House and Bar Church, and after some Bible study, he decided to turn his life over to the Lord and was baptized Sunday. Another couple from 180 House got married recently, and they are becoming leaders there and at Bar Church too.
It has really been amazing to see the Lord working in a place I never even knew existed a few months ago. God is good.
Oh yeah....and the bar..... A couple months ago, the owner closed the bar. When Bar Church started, he would be there on Sunday mornings, but he would stay in the back room out of the way. Before long, he was joining in the worship. And then one day he told us that he'd closed the bar. He said for years he had been worrying a lot every time he heard about a wreck late at night. He always wondered if a drunk driver that got into an accident was somebody that had been at his bar. It was eating him up, apparently. So he closed the bar. He rents it out for private parties occasionally still, but pretty much the only thing going on in the building these days is Bar Church. (He is in the construction business for his main business anyway.)
So, we first thought that Bar Church would meet in a bar and would minister to Christians who drink. But a year later, the bar is closed and we're ministering to recovering alcoholics and addicts who do NOT want to drink. It's always amazing to find out what God's plans are - especially after you think you know what He is planning, but you're so incredibly wrong.
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