Spiritual Hiking

By Judy Hagey

AL Communication Assistant

On a recent trip to the mountains of Colorado, I did some hiking with a son and daughter-in-law. We identified a point on a nearby mountain that we wanted to reach. It seemed to promise a relatively easy climb in exchange for a panoramic view of the valley below. Or at least that’s what we were told. 

As we began our climb, we agreed to walk for an hour and see how close we were to our goal. After

an hour of what felt to these flatlanders of nearly vertical climbing, we estimated that we were about half way toward our goal. The view from our turn-around spot was still spectacular, but we hadn’t

reached the top. Although we were disappointed that our goal was still a ways off, we did not berate ourselves for the progress we’d made. The exercise and fellowship were worth the effort.

“Wouldn’t it be great,” we agreed, “if we could come back some time and just start up where we’ve left off? Not have to retrace our steps from the very beginning.”

Maybe you’ve had similar thoughts about your spiritual hike. How often doesn’t our spiritual journey feel like two steps backward for every step forward. The path to Christlikeness is most often a rambling, sometimes circuitous route—rarely a steady upward trajectory. And after we’ve fallen back, wouldn’t it be great to regain territory without having to retrace the same painful steps? 

Neither life nor mountain hiking works that way. Many life lessons need to be learned multiple times during our lifetimes. Trust is one of those especially difficult lessons for me. Regardless of how often God has proven himself faithful in the past, when faced with uncertainty over the future, I fall back on self-doubt and fail to rely on God’s promises and past provision. Climbing through, around, and over the rocks of doubt and uncertainty ought to strengthen me for the next challenge, but often I fall back—needing to recall the ways God has provided in the past and re-reading his promises in the Word.

Still, there is much to learn from our erratic climb. We didn’t wait until we’d reached our goal to enjoy the scenery. During periodic breathers, we peered through the pine trees to the valley below. We noted our progress as the valley appeared larger the higher we climbed. We talked along the way, shared memories, hopes, dreams. We admired the beauty and magnificence of the mountains. Likewise, our spiritual journeys ought to include times of simply enjoying the journey, savoring our relationship with God and other travelers.

I would not have attempted this climb alone—not that it was dangerous. But mountain climbing like spiritual traveling is richer when shared. In fact, traveling solo is really not an option for our spiritual journey. We need one another to help navigate the rough patches and share in even our smallest accomplishments. The community of Christ followers goes beyond good friends, to the strangers and those who are difficult to love. Our latest free download, Community: Inviting Relationship explores Christ’s habit of sharing life with close friends as well as some unlikely characters. May your journey bring you closer to Christ and fellow travelers during this season. 

How Does Your Church Flourish?

Is your church flourishing?

Maybe a better question would be, “What do you understand by flourishing?”

Most dictionaries give about a half dozen meanings for the word flourish. One meaning is an embellishment, a decorative addition either to one’s handwriting or a literary or musical piece. An extra. It’s not necessary, but it adds to the beauty or enjoyment.

Another meaning is prosperous, with prosperous usually defined as growing in wealth, honor, comfort, or “whatever is desirable.”

The meaning that is closest to Ascending Leaders’ understanding and intent of flourish as we use it in our tagline—helping churches, leaders and disciples flourish—is thriving. Some dictionaries identify it as blossoming and use agricultural illustrations to explain. “The crops flourished in the rich soil.” (American Heritage Dictionary). 

Christians are often admonished to “bloom where they are planted,” with scripture references like 1 Corinthians 7:20 used to support this advice.

I want to be careful about giving the impression that when we talk about flourishing we are only suggesting or encouraging people to make the best of a less-than-optimum situation. It is true that life this side of Jesus’ return is marred with the frustrating results of sin—life is not fully as it ought to be in God’s eyes. And we are not to fall into an escapism, but rather to live as Jesus’ salt and light, as his redemption present, in less-than-desirable circumstances. 

Yet what we envision when churches and their congregants flourish are conditions that make it possible for the church as Christ’s bride and the individual members to grow more deeply in love with Jesus and as a result to better love others—that is become more like Jesus. We’re talking about churches, disciples and leaders of increasing spiritual, emotional and physical health.

Plants that thrive have the right soil pH, adequate sunlight and moisture for their unique needs. Just as not every plant thrives in loamy soil, not every church or follower of Jesus thrives in the same environment. In healthy churches, leaders are attentive to the health of the church members, the church as a body and the broader community within which God has placed them. They discern together how best to encourage vitality.

This fall I have been blessed to lead multiple DiscipleForward workshops in California, west Michigan, and here in Houston. Together with pastors and ministry leaders we talk about the best ways for them to help the folks in their churches, especially adults, flourish. 

What kind of soil (environment) do they need? 

What types of actions will best feed and water (nourish) disciples? 

What interferes with their spiritual growth? 

What can we do to make our church a healthier place so that everyone thrives, keeps moving forward with Jesus and produces fruit?

Perhaps that sounds like an overwhelming task to you. Let me encourage you to impress upon your leaders that this is a team effort. The church is a body that needs to work together for the benefit of the whole. 

We have workshops coming up in Arizona, central Iowa, west Michigan and Houston yet this fall. Churches that have come with multiple staff and leaders are finding great advantage to a team approach to seeing their church flourish. I hope you live near one of those locations and can join us to learn together about effective discipleship.