The time BFF and I were turned away from a Christian Concert and Went To The Casino.

This story is 100% true.

The year was 2006.

My best friend and I decided to go to a Christian worship event disguised as a concert. We didn’t know it would cost money to get into the church auditorium — it was $10 a ticket and between us we had $6 and two Metrotickets. I had money on my EFTPOS card but they didn’t do cards for small amounts. After some back-and-forth with the security guards (yes, legit fake-ass security guards) who wouldn’t let us in at all we decided that we’d call it a night.

But then we remembered something very important. The church was next to the bus interchange. We decided to go into the city and have a night out at the casino before my friend’s mum came to pick her up. We chatted all the way there, ate wedges, had a go playing two-up (back when the casino still had two-up nights) and won some money. We ended our evening out by sitting on North Terrace, scoffing down frog cakes and talking about boys. Quite frankly it was one of the best nights of my life. And probably way better than the “concert” we didn’t end up getting to see.

I have told this story often.

Although I am proud that we made $20 on two-up and I finally got to eat my frog cake, I am still upset about those people who literally turned us away from a church. More than that, a church event that has a focus on evangelism (that is, encouraging people to become a Christian). And, if I remember rightly, a church which my friend was attending and involved in and one which should be in a safe financial position.

When you read articles written by people condemning our generation (we are Gen Y/Millennials) for giving up on church, consider stories like these ones: where two young women would have paid what cash they had, offered to use a different form of payment and asked several times to be let into a church they had both spent Sundays and conferences, and other concerts in, all for the sake of $14. And for what? Our $14 share of the lighting rigs? Our $14 share of cordless microphones?

We’re not walking away because we weren’t invited. We were invited and you didn’t let us in.

And, honestly, I’d rather eat a frog cake than sit through a sinner’s prayer.