God Bless Shelbyville Businesses

Understandably, area denizens have mixed emotions about the Barrel Room closing. I know I do. I was excited when it first opened. Members of our church play in area bands and performed there regularly at the first. But that all changed when they began displaying a pride flag and hosting drag shows. They lost the confidence of our conservative Christian community and it showed up in declining patronage. Let’s face it - if business was good they would still be in business. Fewer and fewer people wanted to spend their money in a place opposed to their values. This is the lesson for our community: When you celebrate what God hates you will not succeed.

“Hate” is a word often thrown at Christians. Sodomites and their allies are fond of calling anyone who opposes their ideology as “haters.” But in reality, they’re the ones who hate God, hate His law, and hate Christ Jesus. Christians know well that God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble. We know that God sets the boundaries of gender and sexual activity. A litany of supporting Bible references could be offered here for genuine Christians to affirm, and false Christians to twist and deny. There is an objective darkness to expose and oppose defined by God’s Word based upon God’s character. He tells us, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.” (Ephesians 5:11-12) Therefore, Christians cannot support businesses like the Barrel Room.

Your business need not have a cross in the window, or blast lame Christian music to win the support of our community. We just need you to not champion what God hates. God ordains local economies to supply our needs. Entrepreneurship is good. Commerce is good. Creating spaces for local artists to entertain is good. Our community is thriving and our dollars should be spent supporting one another. 

Let’s ask God to bless the businesses of our community and the dreams of entrepreneurs who right now are planning and building to shape our future. With the Barrel Room gone, a spot for something better arrives. Let’s pray for the new owner that their new venture will be mutually beneficial for all. Let’s pray that God is glorified in Shelby County, Kentucky.

Christ is King!