The Way of the Cross

My church celebrated its one year anniversary in our new location this past Sunday.  It was a wonderful celebration.  For several years we had talked about how glorious it would be when we finally got into our new home in downtown Dallas.  We wanted to be an urban church.  We wanted our fellowship of believers to have the look of Heaven…every race, language and background.  We purposefully prayed for a location that would open ourselves up to those around us and be a church of love and acceptance.  We found just the place…right on a DART rail station platform and across the street from one of Dallas’ community colleges.  You get off the train and within a few feet you’re at our front door. 

The church and parking lots sit on an entire block.  Our parking lot is behind our church.  So in order to get to the doors of the church you either have to walk around the back of the building to the left through another parking lot or around to the right via the DART rail platform. 

I have always taken the route of the platform.  It is a mysterious and wondrous journey.  The platform is always full of people, a few tourists, but mostly homeless people, some obvious drug addicts and some just passing through with no apparent destination in mind.  Usually it is an uneventful walk.  However, on a couple occasions I’ve had someone ask for money for food.  I ask them if I can buy them a cup of coffee and a muffin, and walk with them down the platform into the church where our coffee shop is located.  It gives me an opportunity to explain that this building is a church, etc.  I am a shy person, don’t like confrontation, so I try to get to know this person, find out their name so I can pray specifically for them and that’s about it.  I don’t preach, don’t ask if they know Jesus…I tend to just listen and spring for a cup of joe. 

You’ve got to know this is WAY outside my comfort zone.  I have butterflies in my stomach when I walk the platform every Sunday.  But, somehow I have the courage and KNOW KNOW KNOW that it is the right thing to do.  Somehow doing this reminds me of my Dad.  He came to mind one Sunday as I nervously walked the platform and found renewed courage and determination because I knew my Dad would walk the platform.   He’d do it quietly, but be open to whatever came his way.  Plus, my 45+ years of being a member of The Salvation Army church laid a foundation within me of loving the unlovable however I am able to do it.

So, here’s the thing.  One Sunday about two months ago I pulled into the parking lot and got out of my car.  A lot of my brothers and sisters in Christ were arriving as well.  As I started to walk through the lot to the right towards the platform I notice everyone was walking in the opposite direction to go around the building to the left…away from the platform.  Wow, I thought.  How interesting.  I pondered it for a few minutes and then moved on.

Last Sunday I arrived and parked in the lot, got out of my car and started to walk toward the platform as usual when the parking attendant called out to me. 

“I’m sorry ma’am, this lot is for church parking only.”

I turned around and smiled at him and said, “Yes, I know.”

He said, “Oh, uh, oh, I’m so sorry.  It’s just that everyone usually walks this way (pointing to the left).”

I couldn’t help but smile as I assured him it was okay and turned to continue walking toward the platform.  Then as what took place started to sink in, I became very sad.  Sad because I realized my church may be headed down a path of fear, judgement and isolation.   What we all were cheering about and united in prior to moving into this space- being an urban church accepting and loving of all- perhaps is harder to live out than what we originally anticipated. 

Yesterday as I sat listening to our pastor celebrate our one year anniversary and others talk about how “God is in this place”…I wondered...yes, God is in this place, He shows up every Sunday it seems and moves, blesses, sanctifies, forgives, loves….but He’s also out there on the DART rail platform…and if we’re not careful, as the body of Christ, He may move out and just take up residence on the platform.

I know most of what is happening is out of fear.  Fear of the unknown, of confrontation, of being rebuffed.  I have those fears.  This route is definitely not the safe way.  But, I believe the way via the platform is the way of the cross.  It’s not easy, it’s hard.  You may be rejected, bruised, even beaten up.  Sound familiar?

The outcasts of Dallas populate the platform and we are walking into our church doors without acknowledging them or loving them or inviting them in from the world.  Yikes.  God help us.

It doesn’t have to be that complicated…it’s just about love.  Nine times out of ten no one approaches me, yet I am determined to walk down the platform because I know it is Jesus who is walking that platform, not me.  We are the body of Christ.  If we don’t walk the platforms of life, who will?  How will the outcasts see Jesus if they never see us?

Go the way of the platform.  Go the way of the cross.