Wednesday Night

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?
If you've ever seen a one-legged man then you've seen me.

- Bruce Springsteen, "The Wrestler"


My girlfriend and the kids and I went to church last night. Wednesday night church. Mid-week service. Do you know how long it's been since I've gone to church in the middle of the week? Well, let's just say a long time.

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?

After four years of attending an Anglican church in Colorado Springs (a twenty minute commute), we decided we had to have something local; a church full of kids our kids know and people we see at the grocery store, that kind of stuff. We decided to say to hell with the quest for the perfect church; let's find one in the place where we live and commit, warts and all.

So, after visiting the locals, we're now attending Trinity Lutheran Church. My roots are Southern Baptist, I spent a year with the non-denominationals, then four years lovin' the Anglicans, and now find myself in the arms of those tuna-hot-dish Lutherans from Lake Wobegon. My lord.

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?

The Lutherans were starting a mid-week series on the seven deadly sins. I figured they might need an object lesson for each one, so I decided to go, help 'em out you know. It was a good evening for all of us. Folks introduced themselves to us, probably thinking we need to pray for this guy with a ponytail. Hell, I'll take all the prayer I can get. When the evening was said and done, I thought it felt like, well, home. My girlfriend agreed. The kids were in some classroom making s'mores while a teacher kept reminding them God is love, so they were slap-happy. I may go with the kids next week.

I don't know what church looks like for you these days; it may not even be a category in your life. That's fine; the grace that keeps this world is deep and wide. But a lot of folks, maybe even you, are disgusted with the gathering of God's people: the criticisms range from it's nothing but entertainment to isn't there more? Trust me, I've lobbed those same critiques myself. Some of you are searching for that pure expression of the New Testament church. Good luck. I believe the New Testament church was a room filled with folks chock-full of the seven, maybe even eight, deadly sins, and the folks back then knew it, so they prayed for one another, especially those with ponytails. Their saving mantra was God is love; they made sure to teach their children well. As to entertainment, well I'm sure things got a little interesting at times (read the New Testament). And as to isn't there more?, well, I've got a hunch they said sure, we've got more s'mores; there's plenty to go'round.

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?

It was a good evening in our little Lake Wobegon church. We didn't leave having witnessed those frequently sought after signs and wonders. Then again, maybe we did.