A BEER WITH JESUS

Photo Credit: Asad Khan

When you work in the media, being inquisitive ( which is a polite term for nosy ) is second nature. When you see a Facebook event posted that says “Taste & See - A Beer with Jesus” you automatically think, what’s going on here? The two words ‘Beer’ and ‘Jesus’ are not usually seen in the same sentence, let alone together in the bar of the Karratha Country Club.

I placed a call with the minister of the local Anglican community in Karratha, Frank Nickol, to find out a bit more of what he had in mind. It turns out the concept is a very simple one.

It’s a chance to talk about life and talk about God. Frank said, “we wanted to provide a space particularly for a beer with Jesus where we're not meeting at a church. We're meeting at a neutral venue where people can would normally feel comfortable and where they can engage with some of their ideas, raise some of their ideas about God and life and the meaning of life and ask their questions”. A Beer with Jesus is designed to provide a space for people to do that.

Frank hopes that the evening is one where anybody of any faith can come and engage over a beer. Much in the same way as you might engage about footy, politics, or what you saw on TV last night. He wants people to hear a story about Jesus and then to engage with that story and ask those tough questions. To really grapple with Christianity and grapple with the man Jesus Christ.

The point that Frank wants to get across is that “it's open to believers and doubters and investigators alike. So basically whatever your background whether you're an atheist or you're a theist which would be you know, someone has a faith that's not Christianity. You are welcome to come along and engage.”

A Beer with Jesus is not about having an argument, but having a discussion. Frank will welcome all people of different faiths and different backgrounds. Frank finished by saying, “come and challenge us a little bit and we will probably state something a little bit provocatively in order to get some conversation started.

Conversation or a robust discussion - it should make of an interesting evening, by the time the bar closes.

A Beer with Jesus is on Thursday 20th June at 7.30pm at the Karratha Country Club.

If you would like to listen to Frank Nickol’s conversation with Ngaarda Media producer Andrew Sharps, here is the link.