So what happens when the church doesn't "work"? One of the difficult parts of the church is that it is filled with so many different participants. "Go be the church" is great for the stoked, ready to rock, filled up optimists. Not so good for the lonely misfits who feel like they just received another burden to live up to.
How does church really act as a group with fluid boundaries, made up of people in all stages of brokenness, of different ages, classes, races and all the other categories? It seems like it can't possibly do that without something happening supernaturally. So I guess my bottom line is what happens when God doesn't show up and we're stuck looking at each other and got nuthin?