A Bus Hit the Church!

Last Thursday, one week ago today, life was quite normal within the hallowed confines of Central church. I was putting the finishing touches on my Sunday morning sermon. The secretaries were busy getting the Sunday worship folder ready, the food pantry was about to open for business, the other pastors were taking their well deserved day off— so it was mostly quiet around these parts. When we received a phone call from next door-- it was the friendly police dispatcher. (If you have never visited Central Church, the Lenexa police department is our neighbor. Biblically speaking, I suppose one could say our stretch of 87th Street is “Romans 6-8” Law and Grace. Don’t you love theological humor? Hee hee!).

The dispatcher explained that as she was entering the Police Station, she observed that a Johnson County Bus smashed into our building. You read that right— a bus hit the building. How does a bus hit a building? Ram a car speeding through an intersection? I’d say, “Accidents happen.” Strike a jaywalking pedestrian? It would be tragic, but understandable. Flatten a raccoon, bunny or squirrel? By the road kill I’ve observed—sadly it seems to be a frequent occurrence in the animal kingdom. But how can a bus run into a mostly stationary building? I don’t know, but it did.

Apparently the woman driver (with every ounce of my being I am resisting the temptation to tell a joke right now) was planning on delivering some people across the street at the Social Services building and was in the wrong lane on 87th Street, so she proceeded into our parking lot. Unwilling to make her U-turn in our wide open parking lot that is relatively free of buildings (and I don’t think that there were many cars in it either…it was a Thursday morning after all), she decided to go through our carport (unfortunately she literally tried to “go through” our car port). In her turning around, she apparently did not realize that her 10 foot high bus probably couldn’t squeeze under our 9 foot high carport. (Hmmm… maybe that’s why it is called a “carport” and not a “busport”). I guess buses can’t duck… who knew? So as Karla would say to our pre-potty trained boys, “We had a little accident.”

A bewildered bus company inspector came to examine the damage, pick up the assorted bus parts that were still lying on the ground, and assure me that the bus company would make our building “good as new.” I’m sure they will. (The first estimate for the building damage is over $5,000—I didn’t get a look at the bus, so I don’t know the cost of its repair.).

I tell you that to say— I long to have the Holy Spirit crash into this place. I long to have God—unexpectedly maybe, from “out of the blue” possibly-- so break up our routine that we would be forever impacted. Of course, when God smashes in there isn’t collateral damage—when God breaks in there is power and glory. I heard of one meeting (a few years back) when 120 people gathered in an upper room and were praying for God’s Spirit to come and God came in such a powerful and unmistakable way—that the world was forever changed! Read all about it in Acts 2.

I believe God still wants to impact his followers. I believe God still wants to fill us. I believe God still longs for us to be in such a place that we are forever moved. I still believe in the Pentecostal Power! And believe me, when God comes it is no accident!