If you were around in the ’80’s you’ll surely remember the Silver Bullet Lounge. The Silver Bullet Lounge was the name of the pub in a Coors Beer commercial. Coors introduced their Coors Light beer in 1978. It contained significantly fewer calories than their regular Coors beer, which appealed to anyone who was calorie minded. Beer lovers could enjoy their brew without compromising on taste (or so I hear! lol), and not worry about stacking on more pounds. I’m still not sure if that was a great win for our culture or not but there are plenty out there who would surely argue that it was!
Coors Light was produced in an attractive silver can that quickly took on the name, likely due to a brilliant marketing ploy by Coors, Silver Bullets. As far as I know, Coors Light drinkers are still calling them that nearly 40 years later.
Just about the time my life was turning around that Silver Bullet Lounge commercial was airing on TV (you can watch it by clicking, here). The setting was in a local pub; everyone was happy and laughing, lots of friendly conversations going on; there was a real sense of community, authentically pleasant relationships and most of all….genuine joy! Now, whether or not that actually happens all the time is anybody’s guess but it probably does happen quite a bit. I thought, as I watched that commercial, “You know, if I could find a church that had that kind of atmosphere…..I think I might go”!
My impression of the church in those days was that almost everyone I saw didn’t really look happy or content. And, it seemed that all the good characteristics that the Silver Bullet Lounge had…..were somehow missing from the church. Now, agreed, that’s not a fair assessment of the church seeing that I wasn’t in it….but that’s how it looked from a distance. But honestly, after all these years……doing what I do, I still see a lot of church people who don’t display any degree of joy. Kinda sad if you ask me.
Now before you get all twisted up about it,……I’m not advocating that you head on out to the Silver Bullet Lounge. (Although if you do, you won’t get any grief from me.) But I still contend that we should have all those qualities that they have there, in abundance around the church. It oughta be a happy place! There oughta be a lot of friendly conversation going on; People oughta be laughing….and laughing a lot! There should be an atmosphere of good, genuine and healthy relationships….all the time! If it was like that you might really be surprised who’d come and join in!
We could learn a little somethin’ from the folks down at the ‘ol Silver Bullet!
Check this one out:
Laugh a Little! …….. No, Make That a Lot!
Amen, Brother Andy. I love the Lord, and I love my church, and if I can’t be happy and joyful there, I may as well stay home. People may think I’m a crazy, old lady, but the Lord fills my life with joy. The other day, I told my doctor that sometimes I worried because things just seemed to be going too good. She said I shouldn’t worry about that–that I should just be glad. And so, I celebrate my life in His loving arms and do my best to show everyone around me that God is good all the time. Yep, ALL the time, God is good. And I thank Him for people like you who help spread His word and all the joy that comes with it. Shalom, Jean Taylor
Right on Jean!
I just had an idea the other day to write a sermon: “What’s happening in the bars that should be going on in the church?”
It’d be a good one!! Do it!
Ok…. This one really hit home with ally family… It’s good when it does that!!! Thanks for this perspective!! So true!!
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Ha! Me too!! Tell everyone hello!