Rollercoaster at the Mall

West Edmonton Mall used to have a rollercoaster called The Mindbender, one of the tallest indoor rollercoasters in the world. I remember hurting my neck on its rough rider experience as a kid.

These days, the Mindbender has disappeared in order to make room for a newer rollercoaster experience that is supposedly "coming soon".

That being said, I feel like I am on a crazy rollercoaster ride every Sunday afternoon.

I'll be honest. Most weeks, as I drive to the mall, I wrestle with doubt. Is this worth my time? I’m tired. Aren't Sunday afternoons for naps? Is anyone going to show up? Should we be doing something else? Then we arrive, unlock the chapel, set up, and wait.

The moments before people come—if they come—are always the hardest. I sit there, watching, praying, questioning God: What are we doing here?

And then, it happens. One person walks up. Or a few. Someone in need of prayer. Someone searching for community. Someone asking spiritual questions, hungry for more. A conversation unfolds, and suddenly, I know—I know—that this is exactly where we are supposed to be.

A few Sundays ago, we prayed for someone facing a big challenge, and that week, God answered their prayer in a way that blew them away. They came back, eager to tell us what He had done. Those moments remind me that this isn’t just a pop-up church in a mall. It’s a space where God meets people in unexpected places, at just the right time.

Beacon Church WEM is still taking shape. The community is still forming. The structure of our time is still taking shape. Sometimes people stay for a few minutes, others stay for the full few hours. It’s unpredictable, but always exciting. And every Sunday, I leave on a high, knowing God has placed Beacon Church there for a reason.

What a ride.