Sara's Weaker Brother

We're currently doing a sermon series at CBC on the "weaker brother." He's not who you think he is! You can go here (listen to the 08/05/2012 sermon from the "48" series) to get the full message. For those of you who want to talk about the Sara scenario now, here you go. I'll be waiting for your pearls!

Sara Scenario

A woman, Sara, has opened her home from time to time to friends from church. She issues a general invitation to the members of her small group to come spend a Friday evening at her house cooking out.  The event is not officially sponsored by the church; it is pure “hang out” time.  Sara’s circle of friends, including nonbelievers, will likely attend.  Sara uses these times to build relationships with people whom she wouldn’t ordinarily meet if she only did “church functions.” Her clear purpose is to minister to her nonbeliever friends and she has led more than a few of the people she met at these types of events to Christ.

Sara routinely drinks a beer or two whenever she cooks out, as do many of her friends.  There have been a few occasions in which some of her rowdier friends have had too much to drink.  When that happens, she or one of her godly friends will politely “cut-off” the rowdy and call him a cab.  But, Sara has accepted a certain level of rambunctiousness from some of the people who come as the natural result of reaching out to nonbelievers.

One of the members of Sara’s small group, Tim, believes that all drinking is sinful, and plans on attending her event.  However, prior to coming, he insists that Sara not drink, and demands that she enforce a “no-drinks” policy on everyone who attends her imminent get-together.  There is sufficient time between when Tim makes his demand and the date of the party for Sara to comply with Tim’s demand.

What should Sara do? Is Tim’s request legitimate? Is this a case where Sara should defer to Tim who is a “weaker brother?” How would the answer to the above change if:

1. Tim is a recovering alcoholic?
2. The party is held at someone else’s home (someone who routinely keeps alcohol on hand) and Sara is the one organizing the get-together?
3. Tim claims to be an alcoholic, but Sara has seen him out with non-church friends on multiple occasions nursing an appletini?
4. Tim requests, but does not insist, that Sara refrain and require others to refrain?
5. Sara uses these times to hang with unbelievers but has not used these get-togethers for outreach and has no evangelistic fruit to show for these get-togethers?