Also
called Contemplative Gathering Stations or Journey to the Cross, "Stations
of the Cross" is a Catholic ritual with 14 stations, each one
with pictures or sculptures that depict the various "stages"
of Jesus Christ's final days. This is a practice that began centuries
ago and was sanctioned by the Pope Clement XII in 1731. In more recent
days the practice has spilled over from the Catholic church into the
evangelical church. Another example of the
interspirituality taking place around the world and a further
walk into apostasy.
Stations
of the Cross, Prayer Stations and the Emerging Church
Twist
of Faith:
Emergent churches attract worshippers
with alternative religious experiences
What
Are Prayer Stations?
"A place
set aside for prayer ... It can be set up with a combination of
candles, crosses, icons, Scripture passages, devotional questions,
a prayer notebook ..., and a soft place to kneel or sit."
Prayer Places
Rick
Warren and Purpose Driven Life
for Kids Grades 1-4 "Kids can also go to prayer stations
set up for specific types of prayer." —From the Purpose Driven resources for kids (This link has been removed from the Purpose Driven
Web site but the stations
did take place thus we are leaving this information on our site for
now.)
And
For Adults "We
prayed around five artfully-constructed prayer stations, representing
each of the themes of the Campaign."—From a 40 Days Prayer
Manual
Kay
Warren Promotes The
Tabernacle Experience:
"The truths of The Tabernacle are life-changing…and participating
in the life-size replica is an opportunity not to be missed by anyone
who desires a tangible, multi-sensory experience of worship and
communion with God." Kay Warren. (See emerging church pastor Chuck Smith, Jr. and
his church Capo Beach Calvary, the
founders of The Tabernacle Experience)
Dan
Kimball and
Vintage Faith Church
"At the National Pastors Conference in San Diego,
however, we found the labyrinth was back and given an update. The
path was formed by black lines on a 35-foot square piece of canvas
laid on the floor. We each were given a CD player with headphones
to guide our journey through the 11 stations on the path. As we
began the inward journey—toward the center of the canvas—a
gentle female voice with a British accent read a portion of John
1. She told us not to rush through the labyrinth, but to slow down,
breathe deeply, and fully focus on God."
—Dan Kimball,
A-Maze-ing Prayer
A Disciple
of Dallas Willard and Richard Foster
"I worked as a church planter the following year
and began using contemplative elements in worship from the outset.
We held "thin place" services in reference to a belief that in prayer,
the veil between us and God becomes thinner. Entire nights were devoted
to guided meditations, drum circles, and "soul labs." At soul labs
we used the rave culture's approach of multiple rooms for different
music to create a number of prayer stations, where people could try
various approaches to contemplative prayer."—Mike Perschon,
Youth Specialties writer, Desert
Youth Worker Disciplines, Mystics, and the Contemplative Life
