"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) I thought I had heard everything that people could up with in the name of religion, but I recently found something quite different.

A friend recently gave me an article about a new church in Virginia Beach. It's called the Forefront Church, and it meets on Tuesday evenings at the White Horse Pub. That's right; church services in a bar! The pastor, a man named Joe Heilman, has a shaved head, earrings, and a goatee. They serve communion, read the Bible, and distribute free Bibles. The Forefront church thought it might elicit a greater response by teaching the lost seated on bar stools rather than comfortable pews in a conventional church building! (What's next? A brothel?) A rock band accompanies the services. The band, which includes Pastor Joe, also plays other bar gigs, including the White Horse Pub. The owner, Brad Allen, said he constantly receives phone calls about the unlikely union of prayers and partying. People ask, "Can I really drink and smoke? The answer says it all: "You can do whatever you want."

I can see why some people might find such an arrangement attractive. This adds new meaning to "reaching the unchurched." Sadly, such thinking fails to consider one important element-what does God think? Does He receive the glory, honor, respect, and praise He so richly deserves? I'm reminded of the prophet Isaiah's statement, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20) Better yet, the words of Paul, "And why not say, 'Let us do evil that good may come,' as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just." (Romans 3:8)

Stop and picture it for a minute-people drinking alcohol and getting drunker with each drink, reading the Bible, taking communion, praying to God, and listening to rock music-all the while calling it WORSHIP. This is blasphemy! Such conduct does not glorify, respect, or even praise God; to Him, it is an abomination!

We might ask another important question-what does this say about the worship God designed for mankind to offer Him? "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24) I don't believe this is the type of "spirit" to which He was referring!

This church will probably attract a following-there are always those who seek sin's companionship. I shudder to think what people will come up with next. I suppose they could close the service with a toast to King Jesus! Or not!