Episode 1076: Alcohol In The Church

Episode 1076: Alcohol In The Church

Curious about how people of faith handle alcohol? This episode from Take 12 Recovery Radio throws a spotlight on a hot-button issue: "Alcohol in the Church". Host Monty Dale Meyer, known as the Monty'man, speaks directly to pastors, priests, and church leaders, asking hard questions about wisdom, example-setting, and the cost of “social drinking” in faith communities.

Drawing heavily on scripture and a detailed article by Pastor Mark Spitsburgen, Monty challenges the common claim that “Jesus drank wine,” pointing out there is “not a single statement in the Bible that declares that Jesus drank any sort of intoxicating beverage.” He stresses the distinction between alcoholism as an illness and intoxication as a behaviour, insisting that “being an alcoholic isn't a sin,” but defending or normalising alcohol use in church leadership can be extremely risky.

With a mix of humour, straight talk and strong conviction, he questions why spiritual leaders would endorse or model alcohol use when “one in five people in your congregation” may already be vulnerable to addiction.

Monty presses the idea of wisdom over rights, summed up in one of his most memorable lines: “If you've got to justify drinking, then you shouldn't be drinking.” He also addresses trends like being “drunk in the Spirit,” urging believers to embrace biblical calls to sobriety and avoid language that glamorises intoxication, even metaphorically. Throughout, the tone is challenging yet caring, as he repeatedly reminds the audience that his motive is concern for freedom rather than shame.

If you're in church leadership, active in a faith community, or in recovery and wrestling with how alcohol fits (or doesn’t) with your beliefs, this episode might stir the pot—but it may also help you ask, with brutal honesty, “What’s the wise thing to do?”