Duvall Church Lead Pastor Matt Boswell speaking to a group at a “Theology on Tap” session at the Duvall Grill. Photo by Scott Thompson It’s Tuesday night at the Duvall Grill, and people are scattered about the closed restaurant at tables, while a lone guy sits on a stool, facing the crowd, sipping a glass of Dead Guy. Comedian? Musician? No, he’s the lead pastor of a local evangelical Christian church, and this is Theology on Tap, where agnostics and fundamentalists and everything in between gather to discuss such topics as Christian liberty; evolution and creationism; salvation, who needs it; faith in politics; different religions…and more.

“We took a long, hard look at how Jesus did things,” says Matt Boswell, Lead Pastor of the Duvall Church and the driving force behind Theology on Tap. “It’s easy for us to stay behind the church walls and cater to ‘churchy people,’ or to go into the community and do safe things like food drives. We wanted to be unconventional… like Jesus was…He hung out with all kinds of people, ate with them, drank with them, and showed them what Christian orthodoxy was all about in a culturally relevant manner.”

During the highly interactive discussion, participants order food and sip their beverage of choice. “I launch the topic,” comments Boswell, “and then, I’m the voice of evangelical Christianity that says this is what we believe.”

While ToT has been well received by his own church and pub patrons who wander in to check things out, Boswell has received some pushback from some of the evangelical Christian community at large, who believe he is selling out. “I can’t find a single verse in Scripture that says alcohol is wrong,” says Boswell. “Part of this is to educate…to reclaim Biblical ground that says God created alcohol for man to enjoy, just not to abuse. The attitude that makes all alcohol a sin is religious legalism, and religious legalism is dangerous to everyone.”

Steve – a regular attendee of ToT and Duvall Church member who characterizes himself as a strong, Evangelical Christian believer – admits that sometimes he walks away having learned something, and sometimes he walks away with more questions. “Sometimes I walk away with a headache from thinking too much,” chuckles Steve. When asked if he consumes alcohol at To T , he replied, “ Sometimes I’ll have a Chimay or a Black Butte Porter…other times I might have a Coke or nothing at all. There is no need or expectation to do anything but come as you are.”

It’s not our job to win the intellectual battle, but rather to properly present our evangelical Christian beliefs in the public forum in a manner that brings honor to Scripture, while we extend the hand of friendship over a beer,” comments Boswell. Steve agrees, “ I feel strongly that this is exactly what Jesus would do…meet anyone and everyone wherever they are in life. It may be a strong believer that wants to learn to better communicate their faith, a student trying to understand what they believe, or an individual who thinks the stereotypical Christian is a hypocritical, judgmental, right-wing wacko. The doors are open to everyone.