Q. How many years did the Israelites wander in the wilderness before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land?

A. Seven Years

B. Twenty Years

C. Forty Years

D. 490 (plus one)

The following story is presented for your consideration with third person, singularly personal transparency (about 85%).

<< | Rewind to '69, |--| pause |--| >> SlowlyForward to '09

Having done the math during Thursday morning's prayer meeting, Pastor Rob Patterson came to the conclusion that the approaching Day has arrived. It has been forty years since Easter Sunday, 1969.

Below is an excerpt from a recent chat, Patterson shared with an aging hippie.

Bonita: What's the buzz?

pastorob: Let me tell you what's a happening. In preparation for the Passion Play that we live out every Easter Weekend, Cathy and I were at the church showing a movie. I chose "Jesus Christ Superstar". I turned on the closed-captioned feature, so we could try to sing-a-long....

Bonita: I love the music in Superstar.

pastorob: ...and I thought of YOU as a co-host for a Friday Night Outreach to Aging Auburn-Grass Valley Hippies.

Bonita: Yeah! that's me.

pastorob: We wound up watching (singing and discussing the plotline) until the entire movie had finished. I caught a Vision during that 108 minutes we spent together. The music was cranked up, the mics were hot. We were the only ones there. God was using the film to speak to other issues we have faced in ministry. When I got home, I did an interview (with myself) for a story at the Auburn Journal's website.

In the story, we announced that the church would open our doors for the BigScreen, Interactive Showing on Good Friday at 9pm

(after our community good friday service)...

Bonita: This Friday?

******

Bonita Capps (who still looks like a flower child) crossed over to life in Christ as part of what has come to be known as 'the Jesus Movement'. Unless her third grandchild was born on Friday, she had planned to serve as the co-host at Rewind to '69.

READ! www.auburnjournal.com/detail/111071.html

Reflecting upon her recent chat with Patterson, Bonita shared with this reporter: "I think that Jesus Christ Superstar came out when it was supposed to and after "Hair." It was part of that revolution and it changed the world. It brought [rock] music into line with faith in God. I went to the first Christian Rock Festival."

Since Patterson didn't become a Christian until 1982, he can only experience the excitement of those years through conversations with others who did crossover during the Jesus Movement.

BobbyR was also involved in the "Jesus Revolution". He does not share Bonita's positive experience listening to the music of 'Superstar.' Although BobbyR had been playing drums in rock-and-roll bands for years, he despised the hippie movement. He rededicated his life to Christ in April, 1970. In an online chat this morning (below), BobbyR expresses a different view of the record and subsequent film version:

pastorob: I'm showing Jesus Christ Superstar at our church...as an outreach to aging hippies (it might just be me, cathy, and bonita.. but we're gonna rock out...and pray....and allow God to bring dreams and visions to young and old alike....that our sons and our daughters may someday prophesy... I thought maybe you and your lady would wanna join us.

BobbyR: well, pastor, probably not, when j.c superstar came out, I saw the movie and even bought the two-volume album. I tried to be open minded, but still I saw it as totally void of any value other than to allow people to poke fun of the Lord. I have no desire to see it again.

As a matter of fact, I have not even seen the Passion. Some people say, "Well it was made by people who were searching", but, no, I don't think so. These were people who simply wanted to validate their unbelief. Besides we have made dinner plans.

I hope what that you would like to accomplish happens...

What time is sunrise service???

*****

The pastor operates from the belief that someone reading this very story will realize that Todd Rundgren's musical question remains unanswered for him or her:

"Will the real God please stand up?"

"There are precious individuals who are still wandering in the wilderness--even years later. I want to do for others what someone did for me." With that desire at the forefront, the local pastor invites others to crossover:

A multi-generational group of believers will meet for an entire day of celebration this Sunday (Easter Sunday). At 6:30am, the three white crosses on the hillside will serve as the site for BellRoad's annual Sunrise Service.

In the Evening at 6:00pm, the choir from Cool Community Church will join BellRoad's Choir for a musical presentation entitled "A Celebration of Easter".

Go to www.pastorob.com/rob'sblog.htm

for more information or directions

The pastor plans to keep his cell phone nearby (ready to receive calls from anyone who will read this story).

(530) 366-2924

pastorob, Bonita, BobbyR, and other bellroad members invite readers to comment below: