Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 1/25/2010

Question
Good Morning Pastor Carpenter
I am a Christian who has been attending a Mennonite Church for 7 yrs now. My Husband is also a Christian who was raised with a Mennonite background,and attended Church as a young boy. Still to this day, he attends Service on a regular basis.
My question to you is that I am quite concerned that he wants to attend a party coming up, and he warned me ahead of time that some of the guests there, do Marijuana outside. I am totally against that kind of behaviour. People who engage in that kind of activity do tend to behave in a disrespectful manner. My Husband did mention that there is a Woman who flirts, and smokes pot. He says she never flirts with him, but with others. I`m very uncomfortable with this situation. You see, my Husband is in the Construction field, and some of these people have given him a lot of work in the past, and he likes the relationship he has with some of them. My Husband has reasurred me that he has never smoked pot with this group, but my feeling is, there can always be temptation, especially when you are surrounded with some who participate. I told my Husband how I feel about this, and that I would definitely not be going. I also mentioned to him that as Christians he should not be going as well. That would be a bad example. He called me a Shrewd, and that he has known some of these people for a long time when it comes to the Construction field. He doesn`t even see them on a regular basis. I have never smoked in my life, and was raised from a really good family with good morals, values, etc. I can only hope that my Husband will understand how I feel about this,and will not attend.

Please give me your feedback. Looking forward to your response!
Claudia

Answer
Hi Claudia,

Thank you for this question.  If this party centers around smoking pot and drinking, you are absolutely right to avoid it and tell your husband not to go too.  If this party is all about this type of behavior, then your attendance is approval of the action even if you do not do it yourself.  If however, the people who go to this party do this type of stuff some other place, you may be able to go to the party and reach out with the gospel and the truth.  Jesus ate with prostitutes and sinners, but He did not condone or participate in their behavior.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ,
Pastor Don