The Christian journey often includes uncertainties, faith crises and seasons of "why?" and "where is God?" As we acknowledge the harsh economic recession and its impact on the Body of Christ, True Community, a new church development, has focused on street evangelism and the necessity of meeting the needs of a marginalized community. In the midst of taking the gospel to the streets a funny thing happened: the church became the ones living on the margins, crying out for help struggling to adapt to the role reversal from being bearers of good news to needing to hear the good news. This thesis will examine the suspenseful journey traveled by a challenged church when the ministry of commitment, sacrifice and servanthood intersects crisis, silence and the theology of struggle. The thesis will demonstrate the results of a showdown between audacious endurance and questions of theodicy. Lastly, the thesis will show how repetitious, relevant, reinforced preaching during dark nights of the soul can heal, reshape and fortify one's faith ultimately transitioning a church plant into an empathetic, authentic, witnessing community.
