http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/10/health/drinking-alcoholism-study-trnd/index.html
Overall, alcohol use disorders rose by almost 50%, affecting a projected 8.5% of the population during the first research period, and 12.7% during the second. That’s almost 30 million Americans actively struggling with alcohol abuse.
The numbers are even more grim for certain groups. According to the research, alcohol use disorders have almost doubled (92.8%) among the African American population, and increased nearly 84% among women.
Frankly, I think these estimates are probably on the low side.
Given even the conservative numbers cited here, 1 out of 8 people struggle with alcohol, what should our response as the church be?
There are churches that advertise small groups centered around craft beers.
Do they realize what they are contributing to?
The church can never be perfect, that is true. It is made up of imperfect people.
But we can be safe. These are the easy things of the Christian faith. Give up something that means nothing to save those who are being destroyed by it.
Should Christians Drink Alcohol? covers this in greater detail.
We can be a place where people can flee from what is ailing them. We can be a different. The city on a hill metaphor involves a great contrast – light and darkness.
What choice to we make on such a simple issue?
