'They seem to enjoy our tongue in cheek look at faith'
Wednesday Night at Finnegan’s is a new weekly, live podcast hosted by Baptist ministers Tom Grant and Allan Finnegan that seeks to engage men who wouldn’t necessarily attend a church service
Filmed 'in a secret location somewhere in Bootle', it’s a private members bar with 'celebrity guest Juergen Klopp', who interacts throughout.
Tom and Allan, ministers at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Netherton, say it's a humorous take on faith and what it like to follow Jesus. They began streaming in May, and hosted episodes through June and July.
Along with the two hosts’ insights there is always a guest of the week to help keep the guys balanced and on track. Weekly Tom brings his Top Tips (Tom’s Top Tips) which is a good guide to discipleship and Allan counteracts this with his Awful Advice (Allan’s Awful Advice) 'which is advice you definitely shouldn’t follow,' he says.
The night culminates with the guest of the week trying to win some ‘Church Merch’ (church lost property) and get their name on the VIP members wall before time is called.
The thinking behind doing these nights is to engage unchurched men, said Allan.
‘As a church we seem to be able to attract local people to the thing we do and then invite them to an Alpha course, which has been very successful for us. People often start as volunteers in the various activities but soon start attending our stripped back, new style Sunday service.
‘This has attracted lots of new people since lockdown. However, like a lot of churches, it’s harder to engage men, particularly in working class areas. A lot of men in our community may come to a fun day with their family but wouldn’t come to a church service.
‘As well as the fact that we just love doing it (it’s become the highlight of our week) we hope to use the pub culture, which is familiar to men in particular, to draw them into faith issues.’
He continued, ‘We haven’t been going long but already have some Finnegan’s regulars. Most interestingly these regulars are men who don’t go to church but we rub shoulders with in other settings.
‘One of the other dads from Tom’s son’s football team regularly engages through the live chat and some of my old school and work friends tune in too. They all seem to enjoy our tongue in cheek look at faith.
‘Hopefully we can grow this online community and develop it so that men have an easier route to faith and following Jesus.
'I acknowledge what we are doing isn’t for everyone (like my comedy) but hopefully it will save some (1 Cor 9:22).'
Baptist Times, 11/08/2022