Tag: ministry

Last Call: From Serving Drinks to Serving Jesus

Author: Jerry Herships
Published: October 20, 2015
192 pages in Kindle

Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: October 2- 8, 2017
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars

Book Description from Goodreads:

Jerry Herships, former altar boy who had dreamed of making it big in show biz, tended bar to make ends meet as he worked gigs in comedy and game shows, looking for his big break. After giving up the dream and leaving Los Angeles, he found his way back to the church and discovered God calling him to ministry-but not just any ministry. Now he leads AfterHours Denver, a bar church where people worship with a whiskey in their hand and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to serve Denver’s homeless. Last Call is a story of having and giving up on dreams, finding yourself, and finding how God can use you in unexpected ways.

Jessica’s Review:

Last Call is Jerry Herships’ autobiography of his life thus far.  He had a dream of being in show business and Last Call is his journey that led to him founding AfterHours, which is ‘church in a bar’.  He seems to know what people need in church and created an environment that reaches those that might not ever set foot in a church and also helping the homeless.

We go on this journey as he tells us about trying to ‘make it’ in the entertainment industry to becoming a UMC pastor (United Methodist Church). It is definitely a unique journey. He does eventually end up on late night television, just not in the way he intended!

Herships tells it like it is and Last Call is a short and easy to read memoir. It makes you think about church and what you want from it. And are you getting what you need?  What could you do to help with church?  What is your mission?  Besides having church in a bar he also feeds PB&J to the homeless and has communion in a park in Denver.  He reaches the people that may never feel like they can go to church, and these people all become family. He says some people say his is a ministry and not a church, but it is a church! Church is wherever two or more come together to worship Jesus and our Father, no matter the location! Some locations are more ‘open’ to others than other locations.

This is a memoir that those who work in a church should read, they may learn something.  The only thing that could interfere with his message is that he does use some foul language, which he does mention beforehand as a disclaimer, but that could deter some from reading Last Call. It is not ‘heavy use’ language, but something for readers to look out for.

Last Call is recommended.

I received a copy from NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it!