Community Church musicians are participating in an evening of Beer & Hymns at the Titletown Brewing Company Tap Room on Wednesday evening, June 6, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Is it possible for bluegrass style Christian hymns and beer to co-exist?

Absolutely, says Community Church Pastor Troy Murphy, who believes the gospel message needs to be brought into the community.

"I think the question I would have for people, are we stuck in an American model that we’re supposed to build a building and have a property and those who want to be Christians come to us?” said Troy, adding that we must find the balance between being in the world but not of the world.

“Is doing Beer & Hymns of the world?” Troy said. "I would say no because nowhere in scripture does it say we can’t drink wine or beer.”

What it does say in scripture is Christians shouldn’t get drunk, and Troy said Beer & Hymns is not promoting that.

"What we are saying is if we begin to sing hymns outside our church campus in an environment like that, could it spike the interest and draw people that would never step foot in a church?” Troy said. "Yes, we believe so. The moment it becomes something other than that we would stop it.”

Troy said he knows some people have labeled alcohol consumption in any form as bad, but it’s not a black and white issue.

“If Jesus came to Green Bay, where would he go?” Troy said. “He’d go to the bars. …  He would say I’m going to go where the unchurched people are. We have to figure out a way to get into those spaces and I think it’s our effort to do that, not to promote alcoholism or getting drunk.”

One of GBCC’s goals is to have attenders not just go to church but be the church by spreading the love of Jesus right where people are at in neighborhoods and nearby communities.

GBCC promotes a number of activities that attempt to accomplish that. Some examples: 

*Alpha introduces the hope of Jesus to many unchurched people in settings like The Green Bay Distillery and Titletown Brewery.

*The GBCC Care Center houses The Giving Tree food pantry, which is run by the Howard-Suamico school district.

*Circles uses our facilities, staff and volunteers to help people break the cycle of poverty in our community.