Rhythm of Life

A Rhythm of Life is a set of practices to guard our habits and guide our lives. The purpose of developing a Rhythm of Life is to move from information and inspiration to spiritual formation.

Jesus said the secret to experiencing the life and joy He has for us is to “abide in the vine” (John 15:1-8). But how do we do this in the day and age of smartphones and news alerts and noise and the demands of life? The answer we see in the life of Jesus and from the ancient church is to develop a rhythm of life.

God has built rhythm into the fabric of creation. As we read Genesis 1 we see God created day and night, he did so over 7 days, on the 7th day he rested. We see from the people of God throughout the pages of scripture, there is a rhythm to their worship with feast days and festivals. Jesus got up early in the morning to pray and would be found in the synagogue teaching and worshipping. All of this is rhythm.

A rhythm, or as some call it a rule, of life is a schedule and set of practices and relational rhythms that help us create space in our busy world for us to live “to the full” in his kingdom, and in alignment with our deepest passions and priorities.

This “rhythm” is a life-giving structure for freedom, growth, and joy. It is a rhythm that can change depending on the seasons and stages of life and it is there to serve you not you serving it.

Each of the rhythms we explore on our Pilgrimage journey is seen in the life of Jesus with his disciples. In living to the Rhythm of Life, we seek to follow the way of Jesus and do the things he did.

Using the four rhythms, Pilgrimage is about helping you to cultivate a flexible rhythm by journeying with others. We believe that allowing others into the process of discovering values and patterns brings richness and depth to life that can’t be experienced on our own.

The rhythms should support your life with God and not hinder it. Therefore, the aim of Pilgrimage is not another technique or method to help us achieve something but to learn to know joy in Christ as the sole objective. Of course, we believe that as we journey together and your life is increasingly centred in Christ, you will become increasingly fruitful in and for Jesus.

“The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.”
1 John 2:6CSB

“There are two biblical designations for people of faith that are extremely useful: disciple and pilgrim. Disciple (mathetes) says we are people who spend our lives apprenticed to our master, Jesus Christ. We are in a growing-learning relationship, always. A disciple is a learner, but not in the academic setting of a school-room, rather at the work site of a craftsman. We do not acquire information about God but skills in faith. Pilgrim (parepidemos) tells us we are people who spend our lives going someplace, going to God, and whose path for getting there is the way, Jesus Christ. We realize that "this world is not my home" and set out for "the Father's house."”
Eugene PetersonA Long Obedience in the Same Direction

The Pilgrimage Rhythm of Life is based on four directions:

Up is about worship expressed through passionate loyalty to Jesus.

This Rhythm is the one from which all others flow. Loyalty is about devotion expressed through worship, which is ultimately demonstrated through obedience to the way of Jesus. Richard Foster puts it this way in his book Celebration of Discipline: “As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. Holy obedience saves worship from becoming an opiate, an escape from the pressing needs of modern life.”

“Worship is the way of life for those entranced by and passionate for the glory of God.”
Matt Chandler

When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment, his response was to quote Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matt 22:37 CSB). What they wouldn’t have been expecting was the follow-up statement Jesus makes: “The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Mt 22:39, 40 CSB)

Worship of God always needs to find an outlet in love for people. The greatest measure of our maturity in Christlikeness is not how much I know but how much I love. When you love someone, loyalty is one of the values attached to demonstrating love. Passionate loyalty follows a decision of the will to choose to worship God above all else.

As we journey through Pilgrimage, our desire is that each person to grow in depth of knowing Jesus and experience the reality of these words from Jesus, “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). We believe this happens when Jesus becomes our highest preoccupation not for what he can do for us but simply for the joy of knowing him.

“It’s easy: You simply follow the trail of your time, your affection, your energy, your money, and your allegiance. At the end of that trail you’ll find a throne; and whatever, or whoever, is on that throne is what’s of highest value to you. On that throne is what you worship.”
Louie Giglio

In is about authentic friendships developed through genuine commitment to each other

Friendship is rooted in creation, and it is a natural desire of human beings to know and be known. We desire it but are often scared by it. True friendship means that we open ourselves in vulnerability and commitment. It means taking a risk that the other person(s) will let you down, it means forgiving and letting go of things that don’t matter but working through the things that do.

It is often said that leadership is a lonely place. The question is, why does that have to be the case? If Jesus is our model for being human, then surely that means developing deep friendships that are challenging and life-giving, is as much following in his way as prayer or fasting.

Biblical friendship goes beyond hanging out with each other, sharing life and laughs. The friendship we seek by embedding it into a Rhythm of Life with other believers is that we need one another to grow.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17CBS

Our hope for your time on the Pilgrimage is that you will be strengthened in your resolve to form deep friendships with others who help you grow in friendship with Jesus, even as they help you do the same.

“From eternity past, the triune God enjoyed perfect friendship within the Godhead. He had no need of our friendship, but He wanted His creaturely image bearers to share in that fellowship, so He created man and woman, and He walked with them as friends.”
Christine Hoover

Out is about love demonstrated in courageous mission with Jesus.

We cannot fail to see the courageous nature of Jesus’ life in the fulfilment of his mission. A Rhythm of Life patterned after Jesus wouldn’t be true to him or how he has called us to participate in his work. As we embrace this rhythm, we begin to see the evidence of mission as a co-mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Jesus in word and deed.

Mission is the overarching theme of God’s story. From the moment Adam and Eve rebelled against him with devastating consequences, God began to execute his rescue mission. We believe mission isn’t just something we do when we go on a short-term trip overseas. Mission is integral to a life of formation. When Jesus commissioned the apostles (Matt 28:18-20) the assumption and implication of Jesus is that to make disciples, you have to be a disciple. To be a disciple is to learn from Jesus and put it into practice (Matt 7:24-27), which we would see as being formed into the likeness of Jesus. Making disciples is simply passing on to others what we are learning and walking with people as Christ is formed in them.

“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to him, the more intensely missionary we become.”
Henry MartynAnglican priest and Missionary b.1781 - d.1812

Why Courageous Mission? Well, it isn’t a popular message, it is hard for people to accept, and yet people will if we courageously talk about Jesus. In a world hostile to the message of Jesus it takes courage to hold fast to what we believe about him and speak compellingly, in love, the message of Good News. The more we are formed in Christ, the more we become like him and the easier we talk about him.

“Deeply formed mission is first about who we are becoming before what we are doing. Our most effective strategy in reaching a world for Christ is grounded in the kind of people we are being formed into. The quality of our presence is our mission.”
Rich VillodasThe Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus

Down is about restorative play cultivated by discovering joy.

Life is full. It is full of meaningful moments. Beautiful places. Precious people. It can also be filled with hurry, moving quickly from one thing to another. Fleeting moments with family and friends. Responsibilities of ministry or work overwhelm us. Our life can often feel pulled between the things we want to do and the things we have to do. We strive for “balance” but never quite manage to grasp it.

Leonard Sweet in his book ‘Summoned to Lead’ suggests that “balance” is impossible and that ‘harmony” is a better metaphor. The rhythm of Restorative Play is less about a work-life balance and more about harmonising all that makes up life.

Life can pass by so quickly, we have to intentionally choose to pause and allow our play to fuel our celebration of God’s goodness. Play is all about enjoying God in the way that he has created you. “The first thing God sanctified was not a place or a person or a thing, but a time: Sabbath time.” (Leonard Sweet, Summoned to Lead).

When God set the sabbath aside it was so that we might enjoy him and each other.

We believe that Restorative play is good for the soul and we are committed to helping you find joy on the Pilgrimage.

“We engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves, our life, our world, in conjunction with our faith and confidence in God’s greatness, beauty, and goodness. We concentrate on our life and world as God’s work and as God’s gift to us.”
Dallas WillardThe Spirit of the Disciplines