Men’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Jay Crouse, USA Course Leader and Organizer

“Don’t be a pew sitting, bless me sponge!  Get off your rear end and get engaged!”  This is how my friend, Tommy Klein, described American Christian men. Tommy may have said it a little more colorfully than I would describe it but he had a point.  During my two week pilgrimage in 2009, I became profoundly inspired and awakened by the spiritual conviction, passion and discipline of orthodox Jewish and Muslim men. As a 25 year leader in men’s ministry, I had a startling realization:  compared with these men of faith, many men actually are “pew-sitting, bless me sponges!”

How do we learn most profoundly? For me, it is in visiting a place where the historical events actually took place: the 9/11 Memorial, Gettysburg, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The immediacy of the place and facts become embedded in my being from these physical experiences.  So is the case with Israel and the history of the Christian faith as I learned from my pilgrimage in 2009.

Through my own pilgrimage journey, led by a passionate course leader, Fr. Andrew Mayes, from St George’s College, in Jerusalem, I became connected to the land itself in a profound way.   From the mysterious, soul captivity of the desert, to the refreshment of the Sea of Galilee region, to the powerful spiritual renewal of dwelling in sacred sights, the land of Israel did and has continued to call me back to dwell in the presence of God.

As I pondered this observation in the light of my ministry desire for men to live transformed lives through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit “popped” me with a Big, Holy Audacious Goal: lead men here on their pilgrimage and allow them the opportunity to experience the history and knowledge of Jesus Christ, a conviction, passion and discipline about our faith.  Thus, Behold the Man.

However, implementing such a BHAG, would take structure, strategy and resources.  To that end, I enlisted the invaluable help of two key advisor groups:  Fr. Andrew Mayes and the staff of St. George’s College, and Fr. Fred Robinson, Rector of Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota FL and the men of Redeemer.  By the fall of 2010, Behold the Man pilgrimage program to the Holy Land was in place. Our first pilgrimage date was set for the spring of 2011.

This venture would not be a traditional, commercial pilgrimage undertaking.  First, our leadership team committed to 10 years of annual men’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Secondly, participant fees would be set to cover only the actual costs and not fund any expenses of the leadership.  And last, God made it clear that our participant goal would be twelve men.

As our first team traveled in the Holy Land and visited every important site from Bethlehem to the Road to Emmaus, spiritual transformation and renewal began to take place. Every participant was getting “popped.” Our team of men, through experience and reflection, were overwhelmed by the historical settings and sacredness of the land itself as we experienced Jesus’ daily life in refreshing ways.

Each year brought thorough evaluation and with these new insights, we began to expand our territory.  In all of the following years, a priest has been treated to the pilgrimage experience.  Two men from the Diocese of South Carolina, Richard Moore and Joe Nicholson, stepped forward to launch a pilgrimage partnership with the Diocese of South Carolina.  Our vision was contagious!

Before we knew it, we were celebrating the fifth anniversary Behold the Man pilgrimage experiences.  Sixty-five men and eight women have attended as participants, with sixteen priests attending as pilgrims or serving as chaplains. Several men have chosen to go twice!

As 2011 pilgrim Pete Mogavero described: “My faith was strengthened by all I learned, the people I was exposed to, the experience of studying and praying with Christian brothers and the overwhelming sense of pride and friendship I had while interacting with both Israelis and Palestinians.  Neither words nor pictures can capture the true beauty of Jerusalem.  Each holy site brought a special appreciation and a new depth to my Christian understanding.”

Behold the Man continues as a vital program of a comprehensive men’s Christian formation process in the life of the local church. The 2016 Behold the Man pilgrimage trip will be April 17-April 30.  Please consider this deeply enriching pilgrimage opportunity for the men of your church.

For more information please contact Jay Crouse, USA Course Organizer at jaycrouse@aol.com or 941-320-0271.