“Who wants to climb Table Rock?” asked my 60-year-old grandfather while on a family camping trip.
To a 10-year-old kid, climbing a mountain sounded like a good idea. I asked how long the hike would take.
“It shouldn’t take more than an hour,” he said.
That was about all the preparation we had before my parents, little brothers, Papa, and myself started the climb. No guide. No map. No water.
When we reached the halfway point, we were two hours in. Some of us wanted to turn back as we realized how long the hike would be. Papa encouraged us to keep going, so we pressed on. As we reached the final climb, the trail turned a little more difficult, and we leaned on each other for a little bit of courage. In a pool of sweat, we enjoyed the view at the top, but were a little concerned about the long journey back home. Luckily, we found a stream on the way down, and I am alive to tell the story.
You may have a mountain ahead of you that God is calling you to climb to advance the Great Commission. It may seem like a daunting task. If you are young in the ministry, you may just be crazy enough to tackle it alone. Those who have a few
years of ministry under your belt may think it cannot be done.
Maybe it can be done, but you shouldn’t do it alone.
God never intended for this journey to be done alone. We need each other along the climb. Sometimes it is to provide encouragement along the climb, and other times it is to provide courage in the valley.
The early disciples faced difficult mountains to advance the Great Commission. They faced persecution, internal division, and false teaching. If anyone had a right to throw in the towel, it would have been them. They persevered, stayed together, and we are alive to tell the story.
What mountain are you ready to climb? Who do you need to make the climb with you?
South Carolina Baptists are a family of churches helping each other advance the Great Commission together. We advance best when we do it together. Now is not the time to throw in the towel. Now is the time to advance. There is a mountain to climb. Let’s Go.