The thing that sticks out to me most about Jacob’s Well – what draws me in every time – is the reciprocal nature of friendship that exists within the community. As a young suburban boy moving into the city I had grand ideas of what I was going to offer to those in need. Jacob’s Well helped me check that ego-driven-mindset at the door and invited me to enter into the true nature of friendship – giving AND receiving. It took a while to really understand the implications of this way of being, but once I was able to surrender to it and really receive from others, it changed me. This way of being is Christ-centered at its core. I still struggle with a saviour complex, but I’m more aware of it thanks to the Well. 

Above is a picture which, I think, represents this reciprocal friendship in action. This live recording was an outcome of the variety hour that we hosted every Friday afternoon. We called it “variety hour” because, well, it was random! This disc contains the beautiful songs and performances of those who called Jacob’s Well home. It still exists in CD format, and you can still listen to it online. Check it out: Jacob’s Well Live July 2014.

I could tell many more stories and share many lessons learned, but I’ll end here by saying I love you Jacob’s Well and wish you a happy birthday!