Mike King

On Pilgrimage

300 plus pilgrims from my church, Jacob's Well, are on Pilgrimage together until Sunday night at Youthfront South.  This is our third church-wide Pilgrimage and is a major part of our church calendar and rhythm of our community.  I will post some thoughts during the weekend.

Here is an excerpt from a book I collaborated on called Sacred Life: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living.  I wrote about the formational role of Pilgrimage. 

We find the earliest semblance of pilgrimage showing up in the Old Testament when Abraham and Sarah were called to embark on a journey with God to a land of promise.  The concept of pilgrimage was woven into the spirituality of Old Testament believers.  Psalms 120 through 134 were written specifically for the purpose of being sung by pilgrims on the way to Zion and the temple.  These scriptures helped to prepare the pilgrims for their visit to Jerusalem and the Temple.  Jesus and his family made several pilgrimages to Jerusalem as did all good Jewish families living in the Middle East during that time.  The account of Jesus being found by his parents in the temple, confounding the scholars with his wisdom, occurred when Jesus was accidentally left behind in Jerusalem during a pilgrimage.  Pilgrimage continued to play a key role in the life of the early church.  Origen, a 3rd Century Church Father spoke of the passion that followers of Jesus had to walk in the “footsteps of Christ, of the Prophets and of the Apostles.”  From the earliest days of the new Christian Church, pilgrimage has been practiced as a way to emphasize a connection of the internal journey of the heart with an external physical journey of discovery and growth.  The earliest pilgrimages were a way to take up the via crucis (the way of the cross, the way of crucifixion).  The destination of these ancient pilgrimages were the primarily places connected to Jesus, especially his birth place, the places he taught and did miracles, his place of crucifixion, burial, resurrection and ascension.  A pilgrimage was a way to reenact and embrace of the way of Jesus, who was not only displaced by becoming a human being but also as a human being had no place to lay his head.  Jesus was on the road, on a journey, and on a mission.  We are invited to follow Jesus on this journey and mission.  The pilgrim willingly enacts displacement from his/her comfort zone for a period of spiritual discovery and enlightenment.   Pilgrims displaced from their normal environments for a period of time eventually return to their normal environments.  The goal was to return home from the journey and pilgrimage with a sense that they had taken a significant step forward in their spiritual development.  The concept of pilgrimage in early Christianity became firmly established and widely accepted as a metaphor for salvation and the spiritual journey. 

 

A Cynical Culture Needs to Smell the Fragrance of Good News

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. II Corinthians 2:14
      
Cynicism seems to be the primary mode of evaluating the world today.  We hear cynical talk jocks on the radio making sport out of unveiling the “real” and “hidden” motivations of politicians, athletes, movie stars, and really anyone who is a public person.   The word cynical defines the contemptuous distrust of human nature, motives and intentions.  Cynicism is based on the belief that human beings are mostly motivated by self-interest.  There was a time when this mindset was not the prominent way of evaluating people, institutions and the world.  This is no longer the case.
            
Engaging in ministry in this kind of culture is a real challenge.  The idea that we can just tell someone the truth about love, life, God and salvation and expect them to embrace what we say as sincere and true is no longer a common response from people, especially the young people that God has called us to minister to.  And yet, when the gospel is embodied and lived out in sacrificial ways, which focus on being a blessing to the world and the people God has created, cynicism can be neutralized.
    
When the world sees an example of selfless service for others there is a consistent response of amazement and curiosity.  People are drawn to beautiful demonstrations of love.  Criticism and cynicism flow when people suspect that individuals or institutions have ulterior motives and veiled personal agendas.
          
Our young people growing up in a culture of disbelief, mistrust and cynicism are very suspect of anyone who has “the answers” and “absolutely knows the truth.”  It is essential in our quest to be truly missional and set forth a kerygma (proclamation) that will truly be the evangelion (gospel, good news) to create an environment that produces a fragrance.  This fragrance should smell of a Holy Loving God who is just and forgiving, passionately eager to bring life in full and robust ways.
          
I believe the only way this fragrance will infiltrate the nostrils of skeptical and cynical people and help them get a glimpse of The Wonderful Story of our Triune God at work in the world is when they see, touch, and experience a community (church) of people who live in this story and embody holy loving, mercy, justice and forgiveness.  Those who are living in a story of lostness must see and hear the Good News embodied by God’s people before they are able to smell the fragrance of the Glory of God.

When the gospel is truly embodied and lived out by followers of Jesus it is very compelling and powerfully communicates the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ in a way that disarms cynicism. 

The Church Basement Roadshow

The Church Basement Roadshow is coming to Jacob's Well this Sunday night at 7:30.  I'm sure it will be a doozy of a time.  Read this review from my friend Mark Oestreicher at Youth Specialties.

Mission-Shaped Groups

In addition to course 1.1 Missional Church: Its Nature and Purpose being taught by Alan Roxburgh and John Franke, Tim Keel and Shayne Wessel are teaching 5.1 Mission-Shaped Groups: Structures for Missional Formation.  We had a great discussion about the idea that Small Groups are a product of the modern self-actualization movement and have been largely ineffective.  If the small group doesn't effectively therapize the participant they romantically continue the search for a group that will meet their needs.  Add to this dynamic the reality that people in our culture are unlikely to make an open-ended commitment to participate in a small group without end.  We examined a different way of thinking about small groups focused on learning, participation, and interests.  These new kinds of small group gatherings would have a specific time commitment to them - perhaps six weeks, seasonal, or over a semester.  These new kind of small groups would focus on affinity interests.  The affinity interests should be unrestricted by categories such as spiritual or secular.  Anything that is of interest to groups of people should be considered.  These groups would be missional in the sense that they are not exclusively for those who are "in" (church members).  These new kind of small group gatherings would blur the lines between those who are on the inside and those who are on the outside.  Though some groups may not be assigned a defined and limited time of existence when they begin, they would be understood to have an organic and limited period of existence based on the life-giving outflow of the groups dynamic.  In other words, there is a natural life-span for most groups created for a definitive purpose.  The problem with the modern small group movement is that when the small group loses energy someone (the small group pastor or leader) is often criticized for not being a good leader.  If they were a good leader and organizer, the logic runs, the small groups would synergistically continue and grow.  In a more organic environment we should celebrate the formation, growth and decline, yes, decline and cessation of a small group... so that we can anticipate the organic birth of a new expression of a small group  dynamic.

Silent Saturday

Last night Vicki and I gathered with several hundred other members of our Jacob's Well Community for a Tenebrae service.  Tenebrae is the Latin word for shadows.  Our sanctuary was dimly lit with six candles plus the Christ candle on the altar.  Through liturgy and readings we were invited to re-live the events of the crucifixion.  After each reading or scripture one of the candles were extinguished.  After reading Psalm 22 and focusing on the suffering of Jesus Christ, the Christ candle was extinguished leaving us in darkness.  We concluded by placing a stone we received when we arrived on the altar - this to represent our participation in the death of messiah.  We left the church in silence and darkness.  Quite different from ending our gatherings with a joyfully sung benediction.  This service is not meant to be happy but to recreate the solemnity of Christ's betrayal, humiliation, suffering and death.  We depart abruptly in darkness, silence and sadness because the story is not yet complete.  Sunday is coming.  Today is silent Saturday.  Nearly 2,000 years ago, this day was the day that our Lord's body occupied the tomb.  The crucifixion was then history and the disciples hid in fear and confusion.  Yes, this is the day of the entombed Christ.  Silent Saturday... 

Interesting article

Christianity Today has published an article called The Future Lies in the Past: Why evangelicals are connecting with the early church as they move into the 21st Century. While I am encouraged that my alma mater Liberty University is engaging with the season of Lent and others are discovering the wonderful heritage of our Christian faith, I think the title The Future Lies in the Past is over-stated.  The future is connected to the past but I believe that we should creatively lean into the future - God's future which is among God's people.  I love history.  I love liturgy.  I love the connection with our family heritage.  I just don't want the church to cease creating liturgy, creating history and adding to the richness of what will be the Christian Heritage.  I hope this isn't embraced as just the latest fad.   

Intuitive Leadership

My dear friend, pastor and ministry partner Tim Keel has written a book called Intuitive Leadership: Embracing A Paradigm of Narrative, Metaphor and Chaos.  Tim is one of the most brilliant, creative and practical theologians and church leaders in North America.  This book should be read by everyone who is interested in the Church being alive and well in the world in which we live.  Click here now and get this book on the way to your heart, mind and soul. 

Jacob's Well Pilgrimage

Last weekend (Friday through Sunday) was the second annual Jacob's Well Pilgrimage to YouthFront Camp South.  The Pilgrimage is a wonderful blending of my Jacob's Well and YouthFront worlds.  More than 300 spent the weekend enjoying life to the full.  We played and prayed together.  We kept the liturgy of the hours throughout the weekend.  There were no Sunday services at church so another 150 or so joined us on Sunday.  In the afternoon we had a baptism and anointing service at the pool.  It was a great weekend.  Tim Keel has been teaching about the importance of being caught up in the rhythm of God at work in the world.  The Pilgrimage was a great demonstration of Sabbath rest and celebration. I love my church family.

Lauren Winner

Lauren Winner will be in Kansas City this weekend.  She is speaking this afternoon at Jacob's Well from 4:00 to 6:00.  We have had a book discussion on Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity and we will conclude this discussion by hearing directly from the author.  This book has received major national attention.  It should be interesting and all are welcome regardless or rather you have read the book or not.  Also, Lauren will speak at all three services at Jacob's Well tomorrow.

Christianity Today Article

Women in Postcolonial Africa

Amaharo’s goals are to Convene, Converse and Connect.  This has been the rhythm of our time together so far here in Uganda.  Our main meeting room is set up in a u-shape.  The pattern of each gathering has featured either several short presentations or one longer presentation by speakers predominantly from Africa.  After the presentations there is generally a time for the delegates to respond or ask questions followed by a longer time to connect in smaller groups for further dialogue.  The hot topic of today was Empowering Women in Postcolonial Africa Churches and Communities.  Elizabeth Elior from Uganda spoke.  Elizabeth is a strong, outspoken and highly opinionated woman.  She took African men to task.  She explained how she was one of a dozen children.  When former Ugandan President Idi Amin was wreaking havoc and disappearing people Elizabeth’s mom is the one who took leadership.  Elizabeth stated that the men would flee for their lives and leave their families behind.  She asked why African men when stricken with HIV/AIDS or some other disease would sell their property to get treatment but if this happened to their wife they may not even allow a chicken to be sold to deal with the sickness.  She asked these kinds of questions for fifteen to twenty minutes.  Elizabeth is definitely a provocateur and I was cheering her on in my heart.  Many of the younger African men seemed to by responding with affirmation.  Many of the older men were not enjoying themselves.  When the delegates began responding the tension was ratcheted up.  The small group dialogue time was very interesting.  The continuum of attitudes ranged from very progressive egalitarian thinking to what I would call strong-headed male chauvinism.  If an African man was over 40 years old, he tended to be in the strongly chauvinistic realm.  It was hard for me to remain a more passive listener (which is the position we westerners try to maintain) when scripture was used to defend a domination of man over woman viewpoint.  Pam Wilhelms from Menlo Park, California led us in an exercise called World Café.  This was a synergistic exchange of ideas and examination of the topic of empowering women in the postcolonial church.  Pam works with major corporations on Systems Thinking.  I met Pam at the Philadelphia Philosophy/Theology Conference a couple of weeks ago and she is a very smart woman.  She helped create a positive environment in a situation that could have become a tension filled free for all.  By the time the session was over all the women were called to the center of the room and the men were gathered around them praying a prayer of blessing and reconciliation over them.  To conclude the morning a Professor Bob Pyne from Dallas Theological Seminary presented his doctoral hood to Jane Kanyange a minister from Rwanda in recognition of the work she has done.  She began a ministry to the prostitutes in Rwanda who turned to prostitution to survive after the genocide left them homeless or orphaned.  I will be worshipping at her church in Rwanda this Sunday.