I told my husband tonight that I feel like Peter Capaldi chipping away at that wall (Dr. Who, Heaven Sent)… he asked what was on the other side… but I had no answer. It just seems imperative that I shatter the wall to bits.
None of the other people involved in my discussion group come up with answers anything like mine. It’s like I was transported to this alien planet and all I know is that nothing makes any sense and all I can do is just bang my fist time after time until the wall comes down. But for now I’m not seeing any progress. Just a solid wall.
Question: What’s the difference between encouraging a relationship with God and inviting them to church?
My answer: feeling a sense of worth in a person-they don’t have to DO anything to be loved, ask to pray for someone who looks like they need help or says they need help, be understanding if someone breaks away from the church and feels lost.
Everyone else: don’t say a person is a number.
Question: what is on the other side of the boat?
My answer: the least, the last, the lost. The women, the gays, the confused, the weary, the disillusioned, the poor, the broken.
Everyone else: evangelism, how we get people to fill seats and believe in God, the ones who left.
Question: How do we take risks?
My answer: Honestly, we don’t. Or if we do, it’s a small segment of the population, that’s encouraged to quit for more ‘normal’ faith walk.
Everyone else: By not taking risks, it’s the biggest risk of all.
Question: What do we value in our faith?
My answer: the children, they have a lot of programs and bring them in, but there’s nothing for anyone over age 12 seeking more fatih.
Everyone else: No one leads anything. We try things but they don’t last long.
My response: Yes, we tried this and I liked that. We tried this, that was nice, I liked that.
Response: Yeah.. but.
Bam. Bam. Bam.
I have to respect the past. But I can’t help but think that by chipping away at that stone? I’m going to find myself alone on the other side of the wall.
