God on the Road

When driving from Baltimore to Eastern Pennsylvania, I had another one of those unique truck stop moments. It was a Sunday and I was in a somewhat melancholy mood that I had not gone to church. I doubt I was alone.

Truckers tend to be white and rural, and faith is a part of that culture for many. It's really hard for truck drivers, who are not in the same place often, to join a particular church. The vehicles they drive to not allow them to pull into many parking lots either. So what's the solution if you need to be with the Lord on a Sunday?

Go to a truck stop.

On any given Sunday in truck stops across the country, you will find a mobile chapel run by Transport For Christ International. Their mission is a simple one:

Mission: To win truck drivers to Jesus Christ and teach them to grow in their faith.

Vision: To provide an effective ministry to truck drivers throughout the world wherever there is a significant trucking industry.

Goal: That no trucker should have to drive more than a day without being able to find a TFC Mobile Chapel.

Driven by a tractor, they are all over North America and are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. I have to say I was a wimp and did not go in. I used a deadline as an excuse. It just seemed way to strange.

I know that the word "church" is rooted in a Greek word for "gathering of believers" and that when two Christians are together, fellowship is formed. Yet, I was not ready for this.

You see, I am comfortable with being a Christian. Yet if I walked in those doors, I'd have to be comfortable being a truck driver.

I wasn't ready for that yet.

Perhaps, some other time I will be.

I'm happy they are there though. Life on the road can be lonely. It's good that there is a place that will take truck drivers in. I'm sure it's quite a ministry.