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About The Bartender . . .

Christian faith is continually challenged by the tension between certainty and mystery. A historic faith can seem threatened by the uncomfortable recognition that God continues to work in a rapidly changing culture. The Bartender is a fable about the messiness and unpredictability of lives being opened up to God through relationships characterized by deep listening and looking for the ongoing work of God in the world. The parallel and sometimes intersecting paths of two men on different spiritual journeys reveal how God seems to be present in the most scandalous of human dramas. When both men take risks that threaten their own religious sensibilities, they find new ways of living out the implications of their faith.

—From the Back Cover

About The Bartender’s Assistant

This study guide was created chapter by chapter as the staff of Hosanna! A Fellowship of Christians in Lititz, Pennsylvania, read and discussed this fascinating book twice a month over a period of ten months. As we read further, we found ourselves handing out copies to members of our congregation and others, for the issues we were discussing were so relevant to so much of our other conversations about life, ministry, spiritual formation, evangelism, relationships, and the life. And Mike McNichol’s choice to discuss these issues in the context of a fable made them accessible in ways that a more didactic approach would not have.

As a result, this guide has been adapted for the use of a more general audience. Specifically, it’s been formatted into 12 sessions for those who would wish to read, discuss it, and practice its principles together over a defined period of time. Of course, it can be adapted for other schedules and formats. Whether you’re reading this on your own or as part of a group, I hope it’s helpful to you.

—Tony Blair