Shock Jock Plans to Open 'Applebees Church;' 'I Want a Place Where People Could Fellowship, Not Under the Guise of Religion'
Radio shock jock and host of the Power 105.1 morning show "The Breakfast Club" Charlemagne said God recently revealed his plans to open up an Applebees-style ministry during an interview with singer Jasmin Sullivan last week.
Charlemagne was discussing a relationship with God with Sullivan and suggested she start making gospel music due to her faith. She answered the host by encouraging him to become a preacher. He then replied with his plans for a future "Applebees" church ministry.
"I always said that when I'm done with all of this, I'm going to open up some type of congregation," said Charlemagne. "I don't want a church. I want something that's kind of like an Applebees where people could go there and eat, and like share the Word with each other and drink."
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The host explained that he wanted an environment that was friendlier to outsiders than a traditional church setting.
"I don't want it to be under the guise of an actual church," he said. "I want a place where people could come fellowship and not necessarily be under the guise of religion, just talk about the Word and talk about God."
His friend told him this church sounded like an Applebees where people could eat, drink and talk about the Word.
Several churches around the U.S. have already used this strategy, as an Alabama church started hosting meetings for young adults inside a Buffalo Wild Wings location last year.
The church's young adult minister, the Rev. Wesley Savage, had a similar perspective to Charlemagne.
"We believe there's a population that would attend a service there that wouldn't go to a church," said Savage to Al.com. "We hope it's going to be a more inviting atmosphere."
The church met in Buffalo Wild Wings before it officially opened for business and invited people to stay for food and drinks after the service concluded.
An Oklahoma pastor attracted people to his church by hosting a "Beer and Hymns" service where those in attendance were offered a cold alcoholic beverage while singing. The event spawned great results.
"It went really good, we had between 80 to 100 people turn out. Half were members of our church and half were just visitors, or people wanting to see what it was about, or people from other churches," pastor Evan Taylor told The Christian Post last year.
Congregants were given a two drink limit and kids were also encouraged to take part in singing along.
"We sang a bunch of old classic hymns that people love and there was a two beer limit," he said. "We checked IDs and we had all the legal stuff in place. It was just a great time. No one got drunk."
The trend of hosting non-traditional church gatherings seems to be growing. Charlemagne's idea seems to fall in line with some in the Christian community who are looking to push the envelope when it comes to how the church assembles.
