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Michael Yaconelli was a pioneer. He, with his partner, Wayne Rice, founded and operated Youth Specialties. First, printing Ideas Books off of a mimeo printer in the garage, and building the organization into the single most influential publishing house in youth ministry around the world.
But this is not what Michael will be known for. He was a powerful, influential speaker who spoke about the love and grace of God to millions of people around the world. His unique blend of wit, humor and his ability to “tell it like it is” both engaged, uplifted and angered. He liked that. He liked to stretch people. He used to say at his Youth Specialties Conventions that “We bring in people we don’t agree with to speak to you…you won’t like what some of them have to say…I don’t…but that’s how we learn.”
Michael was an author. He wrote articles and books. His most recent books, Dangerous Wonder and Messy Spirituality, were chronicles of the love and grace of a God who pursues and chases us, seeking us out as we wander. Michael Yaconelli’s very life was a chronicle of that grace.
Michael was there when this Network was born. When 100 of us gathered in a crowded meeting room for a day and a half to mess with this stuff, he came to welcome us and to open our time with a devotion and with prayer. I remember him saying “I love that you’re here…I love Lutherans. You get Grace. You also drink beer.”
Michael was also the keynote speaker at the ELCA Youth Gathering in St. Louis and at the Extravaganza in San Diego in 2000. But Michael didn’t care about denominations. His message was the same for all. And to be honest, it’s not so much that denominations wished to claim him for themselves. Rather, we wished that he would claim us.
But he wouldn’t bite. The unconditional love of God was his doctrine, and joy and adventure was his language.
It is tempting to turn Michael into an icon…a symbol. But he was also a father, and a son. We grieve this loss with with his wife, Karla, his children, his father Ernie, and the rest of your family. We do not know your pain, but we rest and find hope with you in the promise of eternal life found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God for the life of Michael Yaconelli. He has mightily affected this Network, and all of our lives. And tonight we honor him with this award. It is especially fitting, because Michael Yaconelli and Tom Hunstad were friends.