Unity through Repentance: The Journey to Wittenberg 2017
Chapter 24
The Joy of Repentance
You’ve read Chapter 24, and you’re hungry for more joy? Have you tried … more repentance?!
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US Website - 500th Anniversary
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Podcast Page - 2017 Teachings
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German Website - All Meetings
This video collects important moments from Day 3 of the Wittenberg 2017 gathering - the deep repentance of Catholics and Lutherans; the forgiveness and embrace of the Anabaptists; and the dancing that broke out, led by Messianic Jews and the KISI kids.
Telling the Truth
Repentance
Forgiveness
Rejoicing!
A Shared Meal of Renewed Fellowship
A Sign of Hopeful Renewal
So … who are these “KISI kids”?
The KISI Kids showed up in force in 2017.
Who were the KISIs?
Hannes and Birgit Minichmayr, two talented musicians and songwriters, had decided decades ago to pour themselves into the next generation of Austrian Catholic youth. But how best to disciple young people and parent the next generation? Advertising a “discipleship group” would probably attract minimal attention. So they created a singing group! The miraculous result was KISI.
By 2017, the KISI ministry had expanded to include Protestants and Messianic Jews. They brought around 125 young people to Wittenberg, and injected their energy into every part of the gathering. Birgit had written a special musical about Ruth, and on Saturday night we turned the Stadthaus over to them. The result was far beyond anything I could have expected – a close-to-Broadway-quality musical with songs, dances, stage sets, lighting. Many townsfolk from Wittenberg came as well, and the hall was close to its capacity. My heart was deeply touched as they told the story of “your people will be my people” with skill and insight.
The triumphant curtain call after the KISI production Ruth, which resulted in a long standing ovation from the audience - which included numerous Wittenberg townspeople.
Throughout the meeting, the KISI kids were blended in with various small groups, learning from the older generation and infusing us with their energy, enthusiasm, and thoughtfulness.
On that historic Friday, it was the KISI kids who led us all in dancing. They brought us in to the joy of the LORD!
Some “behind the scenes” photos
The Blank Bible - revisited
Remember the “blank” Bible from Luther’s pulpit, from Chapter 12? It was opened to the pages between the Old and New Testament - which I interpreted as a “page of division” back then (resolved of course by “turning a new page” to John 17).
And a second, layered interpretation was provided by Friedrich Aschoff in Volkenroda, that it represented turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers (see Chapter 16).
Well, when we arrived in Wittenberg …
… somebody noticed that about the Martin Luther statue in the main square - that the Bible was opened to the same page!
And amazingly enough, when in 2017 Playmobil came out with a Martin Luther figure, it too held a Bible - which was opened to the same page!
Interesting … and very encouraging! Let’s pray together that God indeed turns the hearts of the generations towards each other … and also that he turns the public page of division, into a public page of unity - a new page in the life of the church!
