ATLANTA - Canvas Church in Deland, Fla., is less than a year old but already has dealt first-hand with the challenges of working among the "broken," said pastor Ben Collins. "These are the people we feel called to reach — those who disrupt our impulses toward comfort and therefore shape the very culture of the Canvas community," he said. "Our hope is to meet these people on their terms, in their doubts, disinterest and overt hostility, and to live in such a way that they might come to allow for the possibility that God might exist, and that maybe there is a way that leads to wholeness for them."

Scott is one of those broken. He was an out-of-work mechanic and former drug addict with no other place to turn when he showed up at one of Canvas’s monthly community lunches. Church members John and Anabel — taking seriously the Canvas challenge of being an inclusive and redemptive community — took Scott in.

"Their offer was a gesture that spoke volumes to Scott about a God that joins us in the chaos of our struggle, surrounds us and begins to journey with us toward redemption," Collins said. "With a place to stay and a supportive community, Scott quickly found work, began to get his finances in order and joined us for worship."

Canvas was organized in October 2008. The church doesn’t track membership but has 20-50 people meeting together on Sunday nights. They met first in homes, then a bar, and now, are moving from place to place until they can find more permanent space.

Collins described CBF as "relentlessly supportive."

"They helped us to ask important questions, and challenged us to think through the implications of realizing our dream," he said. "They took us seriously and opened their hearts to the possibility that God was moving in an unlikely group of misfits in DeLand. They’ve since covenanted with us as supporters of the church and provided financial assistance, resources and education."

And what about Scott? "Several weeks into his restoration, Scott relapsed and began using drugs again," Ben said. "This greatly complicated John and Anabel’s agreement with him and took the wind out of our sails.

"It was at this point, however, that we really were challenged with how the future of the church was going to look," Ben said. "How do we continue to love those so difficult to love, who throw our graciousness in our face, who lie, manipulate, take advantage and abuse our goodwill?

"We’re a young congregation, and the learning curve of practical faithfulness to the person and way of Jesus is proving to be steep," he said. "But, we continue to spend countless hours praying, discerning and pouring our lives into wrestling with how we can incarnate Jesus for those who are disinterested, disenchanted, disenfranchised, distrustful and self-destructive... we can’t think of a better way to be church."