Pilgrimage

 

    If you have been coming to church or reading my articles for the last few weeks you will know that I have been preaching on the theme, 'Faith is a Journey". I have just finished reading Fragile Hope by Thomas Bandy. The following quote is on page 115:

 

    Everybody is on a journey. The pilgrim is on a journey with a holy purpose. It is not a form of spiritual tourism to revisit the sentimental roots of grandparent or explore the curiosities of other faiths. It is not a form of militant crusade to conquer ignorant or evil people to force them to adopt a particular dogmatic or ideological agenda. It is a pilgrimage. The pilgrim may detour to discover and learn, but soon returns to the holy purpose. The pilgrim may aggressively confront robbers or right wrongs along the way, but returns consistently to the holy purpose. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales gives a humorous, but accurate description of pilgrimage. It can be merry, somber, innovative, traditional, and is a great leveler of class-consciousness. Above all, the pilgrim's progress is companionable as people travel on their holy purpose in good company. Above this, the pilgrim's progress accompanies Jesus, because his companionship is what, in fact, makes the journey holy. Jesus is traveling on the road to Emmaus (or Cleveland or Sydney or Taipei [or Enid]) for a holy purpose, and his companions are with him.

    The holy purpose to make and multiply disciples of Jesus is the point of the church. Tactics vary, but the purpose remains the same. It implies change in faith, change in lifestyle, change in relationship, change in attitude, and change of expectation, change of life itself. It would be a mistake to associate the great purpose with residence in any one location or embodiment in any specific cultural form. Discipleship will be expressed in infinite nuances, and the church in Ephesus will undoubtedly and legitimately behave differently from the church in Rome or Athens or Alexandria or Cleveland [or Enid]. The purpose is not to protect a heritage, or create harmonious fellowship, or win victories for sociopolitical causes, but to make and multiply disciples of Jesus. That may imply appreciation for certain aspects of the past, it may lead to harmonious fellowship, and it may cause social change, but the point of the pilgrimage is none of this. The point is to make and multiply disciples.

 

The point of the journey is to make and multiply disciples.

 

    Grace and peace,

 

 

 

Heroes

. . . According to John

    I am sure we could each make a list of people who have influenced our lives, particularly those who have encouraged us on our journey of faith. I was blessed with faithful parents and grandmothers who had a profound impact on me. My youth minister in high school, Bill Reed, strongly encouraged my decision to serve God in full time Christian service. There are countless Sunday School teachers, youth sponsors and church camp counselors who could be mentioned. When I came to Phillips University there were professors and students who enhanced my journey, but I want to mention one person, in particular. Frank Maybee was the minister at University Place Christian Church when I was a college student. Frank was always on the cutting edge and was passionate about his ministry. He was one of my heroes.

    This week in the University Place newsletter, Jerry Galbreath wrote about Frank and his wife Winnie, who are both deceased. Jerry quotes a portion of Frank's last newsletter article:

 

"Our deep love and concern go with you and the future of the church. My deepest prayer is that you will not return to a "traditionalist" position as a church – now that the "experimental" stage is past, but that you will listen to the voice of the world and the excitement of "revolution" all about you – and dare to continue to find ways to enter life as it really is! Celebrate the good of the past – but don't worship it! Look to the future with hope and joy, for it is the nature of our God to be out ahead of His people, preparing the way for them to go. By faith, then, let's move out into the future with hope and trust in God."

 

    These words were written in 1968. The world is different today, but the sentiment is still true. "By faith, let us move into the future with hope and trust in God."

 

    

What To Do At Central

This is one of those "stream of consciousness" posts.

I am currently reading Harvey Cox's book, The Future of Faith. I think he exhibits remarkable insights which can help us on our journey. His basic premise is that the time of Jesus was the Age of Faith. The era of Christendom (from Constantine until near the end of the 20^th Century) was the Age of Belief. Now, according to Cox, we are entering the Age of the Spirit. I encourage the reading of this book. Cox's analysis of historic and current trends has numerous ramifications for the church in the 21st Century.

What to do at Central?

I am in the midst of a sermon series on "Faith as a Journey". I am going to put all the sermons on a DVD, write a brief study guide with questions and offer the study to Sunday School classes or small groups in the Fall. It should lead to some interesting discussions.

I am going to ask the Elders of the church to participate in a small group Bible study entitled, Journeying the Good News Road. One session will meet during the WWNF class time beginning in late August. If more Elders are interested than one group can accommodate, then we will schedule additional groups.

I am distributing copies of Brian McLaren's book, Church on the Other Side: Exploring the Radical Future of the Local Congregation, to a number of our college students and young adults. Hopefully we can finds ways to discuss his ideas, probably with a few "face to face" meetings and then via "social media".

My Pastoral Relations committee and the staff will be reading the book, Me To We, talking about and hopefully finding ways to initiate the 3 to 5 year change in culture at Central where we can truly equip the saints for the work of ministry.

I am helping to teach the Seekers (Young Adult) Sunday school class. Recently I ordered "DreamThinkBeDo" a DVD based curriculum from the "Living the Questions" group. The promotional material states: "Looking for a springboard to get young adults talking about what Christianity is all about for this generation? DreamThinkBeDo is an engaging new catalyst for conversation among young adults searching for what's next for followers of Jesus. Starting with the foundation of "Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind" (Luke 10.27), DTBD is what Christian educators have been looking for to help college groups and twenty to thirty-somethings build a 21st Century faith." I have reviewed a couple of sessions and I believe they are right on the money. We may even begin an evening "young adult" small group for those who don't want to get up on Sunday morning and use the same study.

Finally, I pray that we can develop a culture of love, compassion, radical hospitality and discernment at Central. The foundation of this culture will be Bible study, mediation and prayer with the expectation that God's Spirit will lead us into being Christ's church in the 21^st Century.