Nightchurch - conversations with clubbers

I did Nightchurch last night, so I'm pleasantly tired and feeling justified in slobbing about in my dressing gown doing semi-productive things like blogging and drinking coffee.

Had a really interesting conversation with an atheist who said he thought the most important question to answer is whether there is a God or not and whether there is an after-life.  He said he could understand people who think about it and decide there is and he could understand people who, like himself, think about it and decide there isn't.  But he really doesn't get that lots of people don't care one way or the other.

Also had a chat with a young woman who works as a stripper.  We give out lollipops to people coming past.  I'd offered one to her boyfriend.  She was telling him not to take it because it was a God lollipop and he might get sucked into religion.  I said "You know how you don't get pregnant from snogging?" she said "yeah", I said "Well you don't become a Christian by eating a lollipop".  She laughed and said yes but he might get sucked in by our persuasive God talk.  I told her that we offer hospitality no strings attached and we don't talk about God unless people want to.

Almost immediately, she began telling me about the Christian school she went to and how she felt that being told a lot about religion when you're young can put you off.  I said, "Can I just point out that you are now talking to me about God.  I didn't start this conversation.  Just so we're clear about this."
"Oh no no, that's OK."  she said.  "I don't mind starting the conversation.  I know all the stories.  And the songs"

And now I'm standing in the middle of the street at 1 o'clock in the morning with a stripper who is enthusiastically singing "Shine Jesus Shine" to me. She is dancing and she knows the words.  (May the name of Graham Kendrick be blessed...).  I think this is hilarious.  So do the 3 guys she's with.

"God wouldn't welcome me,"  she says.  "I'd come to him if he would but I'm a stripper and he won't"
"God does welcome you!" I say.

We've been handing out stickers with the Nightchurch logo on and various slogans, such as 'Fancy a brew?', 'Chill out Lounge' and the surprisingly popular 'God Likes Me'. I happened to  have some of the latter with me.

"Listen,"  I say to her "I want to give you this.  It says 'God likes me'.  And I want you to know that he does like you and he does welcome you."  She is delighted with the sticker.
"But I couldn't be me.  I couldn't do what I do.  Wouldn't I have to stop before..."
"No." I say.  "God likes you as you are.  And he welcomes you.  I tell you what might happen though.  When you've been walking with Jesus for a while you might think 'you know what, I think I want to do something different'"
"I tell you what I'd like to do!" she says "I'd like to be a midwife."

We chat a little longer.  I say a little prayer for her, asking God to help her fulfil her dreams.  We hug and she heads off into the night with the 3 guys.

Her right breast now reads "God Likes Me."

Nightchurch

Andy and I co-ordinate and lead this mad and exciting thing called Nightchurch. Our church, Church Without Walls, uses a shop unit which is in the city centre in a street between the pubs and the main night clubs in town. It's all cosy with coffee tables and sofas and on a Friday night we open it up as a drop in / sacred space for anybody who wants to come in. We start at 10:30pm and shut between 3 and 4am on a Saturday. The vision is to provide hospitality and to allow God to reach and touch people as we create a safe space in which that can happen.

It is such a huge honour to be invited by God to join in His mission to reach out to people. And it amazes me every time how many people really are spiritually hungry and seeking something more. We don't do pushy evangelism at all. We don't need to. The guests start the conversations about life and God and we just join in. It's fantastic!

Two weeks ago, a girl came along and was really blessed and touched by God. She came along to church the Sunday after and was back again last night. She joined the team for the pre-nightchurch prayers and was simply radiant with God! It was uplifting just to be with her!

We're starting to get quite a crowd of people who know us and keep coming back. There was quite a lot of heated debate yesterday and some really productive discussions as well. Including a couple of conversations with people genuinely searching for God and wanting to know more. And half a dozen people from the Czech Republic who are Christians and like singing about God. One had a fantastic voice!