Unchurched segments of US society

Many churches wonder why their attendance is dwindling and people usually have "no time" to come. At the same time more and more people are required to work on Sundays and required to work irregular schedules. Many jobs offer few and/or irregular home time. The group of people who work Monday to Friday and can be at church Sunday morning, night and Wednesday night is getting smaller, esp. since in the American work culture Sundays off is a privilege and not a right as it is in many European countries where Sunday is declared a day of rest and worship by law (Click for more info)

What about truck drivers? My current employer is going to lose two major customers. If I get laid off I might become a truck driver since I can't think of any other job. I will be home around every two weeks and I really begin to discover now how many people due to their job are not able to attend church on a regular basis. I wonder if churches have noticed this reality and have offered any ministries to the truck drivers? As a preacher I wonder if I could preach straight over the CB radio to witness to the lost. I could tract truck stops on a nationwide basis. Will my future employer permit me to place a huge scripture sign on the trailer? The basic question is: Do churches make full proof of their ministry and minister to those who can hardly come to church? I know on the German Autobahn there are many chapels which offer drivers a place of quietness, recollection and prayer. These "highway chapels" are open all day and some all night and offer an opportunity to steal away and pray (More info on Autobahn chapels), and to spend time alone with God. The Germans call them "rest areas for the soul". That's exactly what I'm longing for. How are the spiritual needs of truck drivers being met here in the US? Do we just forget them and, thus, turn them over to the god of this world's blinding work of deceit? Do their souls find any rest areas or are they left to the constant pressure of workworkwork? When you think of the millions of people who are required to work on Sundays you begin to see that the mission field is much bigger than you think. There are so many people who are so completely unchurched and therefore ungodly because they never had any access into any Christian entourage. To them churches are buildings with closed doors that are empty most of the week. By the way, in other countries people keep churches open during the week, so people can go there as a quiet place of recollection and prayer - to get away. It's kind of sad to see so many churches locked up during the week. Just open when they run a show. That's sad! It seems like we have put to much emphasis on congregational activities, but never realize the believer's need for private, secret devotion.

 

The hospital and the "necessary uses" stay open, but the mall, the beauty shop, and McDonalds better keep their doors shut.