IT'S TOLD that three pilgrims set out to find the Promised Land spoken of by their prophets. They travelled through forests and across deserts, enduring hardship and hunger. Exhausted, they reached a hill at the borders of the Land. The first pilgrim climbed the path. He looked straight ahead and cried, “I see it!”, then collapsed. The second slowly followed, scanned the horizon to the left, and pointed, “I see the Land”. Then he fell down. The third struggled to the hilltop. He gazed around on his right, and with a final breath exclaimed, “The Land”. The moral of the story is that they all died happy, having reached their destination.

“Zion in the North” is the bold brand on our songbook covers. So, have we found our Zion Promised Land? Here are three pointers. We’ve got a strong group of leaders in their thirties and forties. It probably coincides with the church planting here having started in the nineties. Our men, having seen off many battles and a respectable share of victories, have plenty of mileage in them!

We’re outposts in an enormous territory, and the vibe in our houses is like a bus station. Everyone’s just passing through on their way to the next place they’ve got to get to. There’s enough time to grab a cup of tea and the next set of car keys, then off again. A dozen or more large population centres represent unexplored opportunities for the mJa’s distinctive heart and ministry. We keep telling ourselves, “One day…”

Cell groups are good news. We’ve managed to reinvent them after the usual fallout and losses. Some groups, like York and Halifax, have been foundations for our work where we couldn’t stretch to weekend meetings. Others take on special needs or age-groups, including the legendary 12’s-16’s Kaleidoscopes Group. I think we’ll die happy!