church without walls

I have been dreaming lately. And with dreaming comes many random jumbled thoughts. Kind of like your clothes feel after tumbling around and around in the dryer. My dreams have been about being the change you want to see happen. Words from a book I am reading. I see need for change all around me, even inside of me. But I am rarely empowered to begin the changes I dream about. I wish I was. But a year or so ago, I was part of something that deeply changed me. Something that I wish to share and pray catches fire. I was part of what I call a church without walls. And it is this type of church that I have been dreaming about.

I picture a church that infiltrates a city from the inside out. Jesus called us to go, and go we must. Why do we build fancy buildings and put on beautiful shows? Do we truly believe that this is what Jesus had in mind when he told us to go and make disciples? Build extravagant churches with wonderful programs and excellent child care and watch the attendance go throw the roof. Sorry I can't imagine this is what Jesus was talking about.

Yet week after week this is what is being done in the American church.

How pathetic. How sad.

I was part of something that was changing not only the city of Columbia, Missouri, but was changing us. Every Friday night a group of us began walking and praying over the streets of Columbia. We started small, a group of about 8 or so. We prayed and piled into cars and headed for downtown. We didn't know where to begin, so we began with prayer. Prayer is a wonderful place to begin. We walked the streets for a few weeks just praying. Praying and observing.

When Jesus was in the garden the night of his arrest, he asked his disciples to watch and pray. I am only now beginning to understand the importance of watching. We watched as hundreds possibly thousands of college students from Mizzou, flooded the downtown bars and clubs. We watched young adults craving meaning and purpose, drowning their lives away with alcohol. We stood with tears in our eyes as we saw young, beautiful girls throwing themselves at little boys (aka young men that needed a good punch in the face) that didn't care for them at all, only wanting them for their bodies. We watched as people went from bar to bar completely focused on one thing, themselves.

These self absorbed people rushed by the lost and wounded homeless that surfaced during these nights. It was during the busy night life that the homeless went to work, panhandling for money and what ever else they could find. I learned a lot about love and sacrifice from these men and women that I slowly learned to call friends. I heard stories of pain and loss, and love and forgiveness. I grew to appreciate these men and see them in different eyes. But I am getting ahead of myself.

While all of us that walked those streets felt and saw things that changed us, for me the most horrific sight were the churches. I remember a specific scene as if it were a painting hung in my mind. One corner which housed 3 churches and a bar. The churches dark and locked up. One had its curtains drawn and from the dim light the streets provided, you could make out a the typical chairs in a circle. There were many churches that met downtown, one in particular, the Methodist, I believe even took up most of one block, growing from an old Cathedral style church to a more modern addition in recent years. A wonderful display of old and modern architecture. An equally wonderful display of how the church is not ministering to the one demographic that is hurting the worst.

It is no surprise the demographic one is least likely to find in the church is college age. While many factors could contribute to this, I would like to focus on one that I was made away of during these walks around downtown. During the hours of 8pm - 12am on Friday nights when the streets were full of young college students wanting to go out and have fun after a long and stressful week, the churches were closed. What is the point of having a facility in which to do God's work, if the building is closed and locked up at the times when it can be the most effective?


The most common response when I mention a church without walls tends to be geared toward discipleship. How does this type of church disciple people? To be honest, I don't know. I guess the same way any other church does. I brought this up to my pastor the other day and he said that the church needs a place where it can do christian practices. While I agree with this, I was left wondering why this couldn't be a place that already exists. Why couldn't you have a Bible study in an all ready established coffee shop? Why couldn't you have a community singing service in the park or on the corner square? Sure it might not be conducive for the winter months but during the summer it would offer a great place to be in and among the city.

Just one of my dreams that I wanted to share. Let's all dream and see what happens.