Preaching in the pub

Jon White, pastor of Trafalgar Road Baptist Church in Horsham, shares about an unusual opportunity last Christmas

Through the Lord’s leading, we had a wonderful time of outreach during Advent at Trafalgar Road Baptist Church in Horsham, Sussex. We started with a week of prayer before doing street ministry, assemblies, door knocking, carolling and preaching at care homes and putting on Gospel-sharing services.

But I have to say, the highlight for me was preaching in a pub for the first time. I have been encouraged by others to share about this opportunity in the hope that it might give others boldness to step out in faith. Let me explain how it happened.

In September, the Lord laid it on my heart to contact our local pub and asked to meet with the managers to discuss the possibility of carolling at the pub at Christmastime. They agreed and we met in the pub to talk about it. During the conversation I asked if it would be alright to give a short Christmas message too. The response was an unconcerned yes.

When the night came on Monday 15 December 2025, after doing a funeral all day, I went with eight of us from church (including my 8 year old daughter) to the Dog and Bacon. We arrived around 6:50pm and our guitarist said something like ‘this is rather different.’ We had come with carol sheets, chocolates and tracts. And it was FULL - around 50 people.

I addressed the whole pub inviting them to join in. We sang five carols, some people joined in, all was good. And then came the chance to share the Gospel with these people. I shared an illustration and a parable. The message of the parable was ‘Jesus came to pay your tab.’ It was just a few minutes and then we moved onto our final carol.

The pub manager came up to me, thrust £50 cash into my hands and said ‘a gift for the church’ – this really took me by surprise! We then went round giving out chocolates and Gospel tracts round all the tables and at the bar before chatting with people over a mince pie and mulled wine.

As I was walking home with my young daughter, I reflected on what just happened: In a full pub, we sang about Jesus, we talked about Jesus.

No-one walked out, no-one heckled.

People turned, listened to the message, joined in the singing.

And, we were paid to do it!

I thought of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world who could only dream of this kind of opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. How wonderful to sow seeds in this way! I thought about all the worst case scenarios that went through my head, and how this surpassed all my expectations. 

Finally, I thought back to our week of prayer. How important it is to pray into the things that God lays on our hearts. 
 

Jon White is the pastor of Trafalgar Road Baptist Church in Horsham. This article appeared on the church website and the South Eastern Baptist Association monthly news, and is republished with permission