Texas Bar Sues Church

This OPENER uses a short story about a church in Texas.

In a small Texas town, (Mt. Vernon) Drummond's Bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening by praying to God. Work progressed right up till the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.

The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that…until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the destruction of his building, either “through direct or indirect actions or means.” The church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise in its reply to the court.

As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork. At the hearing he commented, “I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not.”

Transition statement
So, are you a Christian who doesn’t believe in the power of prayer, too? Way too many Christians have such a weak prayer life, that when God does respond to them, they don’t know what to do! Prayer is the best way to connect with God, so tonight, we are going to spend some time learning how to be better pray-ers.

Suggested passages
Matthew 6:5-13
John 14:12-14
John 15:9-17

Idea by Jamie