Here are two different models for Leading Worship in Bars, Night Clubs and Brothels that I have experienced recently.
Last year I had the opportunity to do two trips within weeks of each other, one to Lithuania the other to Thailand.
On both occasions we were scheduled to do music/worship in bars and night clubs but both situations were different.
In Lithuania our brief was to work with the local Vineyard church initiative in helping engage the arts and music culture of the city. We got booked to play the premier music night club in the area - we were there to entertain the paying customers. However, we really wanted to do a set that was infused with worship so we put together a set that was a mixture of covers, worship songs and one song that we had written for the occasion.
The response was amazing. The night club manager told us at the end of the evening that, in the 13 years that he had worked there and booked artists, no other band’s music had touched his heart like A Perfect Stone.
And, without sounding like hype, there was a real sense of God’s presence in the venue, especially during ‘Be Thou My Vision’ which you can see at the end of the clip below. Despite the fact that many of the revelers were doing their regular ‘bloke-girl’ night club thing!
Here’s a video clip to give you a bit of a flavour (the sound quality isn’t great but I hope it gives you an insight into how this can work).
During the Thailand trip I was waiting to play bass in the band that my good mate Ian Hannah had put together for a missions trip to ‘Pattaya Praise’, an intercessory worship and mercy ministry happening in that city. As part of that we had been scheduled to play a series of worship sets in the ‘Love Hearts’ bar and other venues.
On this occasion we were very openly a worship band and rather than being a ‘covert’ operation. The gigs involved the band and a crowd of believers all piling into the venue, with the permission of the bar owners I might add, and worshiping together.
Here’s the Thailand version in operation with our Irish Salsa band!
One of the important things in both Lithuania and Thailand is that it was a co-ordinated effort with local believers developing ongoing relationships with the influencers in their cities.
In my opinion both models work, one isn’t any better or more ’spiritual’ than the other. It depends on context and partnering with the local believers, churches and ministries.
What to you think?
