West Cocoa Chat

That’s what our Trek Guides called us, “One-Percenters.” They told us less than 1% of the World’s population climbs a 13,000 or higher peak. Our group joined the “1% Club” when we all made it to the summit of Mount Tweeto at roughly 13,700 feet.

I cannot begin to tell you how physically demanding our “5-day Trek” (http://wildernesstrek.org/) was. As we laid sprawled out on the summit of Mt. Tweeto, one of our teens asked, “How can we convey to people how hard this has been?” I gave the following suggestion:

1. 1. Have said person walk over to a table.

2. 2. Have said person bend over the table.

3. 3. Have said person stick out their tongue as far as possible.

4. 4. Hit said person’s tongue as hard as you can with a hammer! (Repeat as needed)

Needless to say as hard as our 5 day (4 days of repelling, hiking, climbing, and backcountry camping) – 15 miles worth of hiking was, it was well worth it. This was no doubt the best youth or adult function I’ve ever attended or been tortured by. If you’re still reading you’ll want to know why, yes?

O.K. – one word my blog family – UNITY! Remember Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20 – 23:

²⁰"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: ²³I in them and you in me. May they be brought to (emphasis mine) complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Complete unity.” I praise God, our Heavenly Father for the timing of this trip for me and our teens. You see, our movement’s rapid early growth and attraction was the very thing Jesus prayed for – “complete unity,” not uniformity for that is impossible. Our Wilderness Trek in the Colorado backcountry was a living, vibrant picture of what Jesus prayed for in John 17.

Our group of 20 adults and teens did not possess uniformity in physical, emotional, and spiritual ability or gifts if you will. But without even attempting to orchestrate unity it just happened.

It occurred with our teen boys as they began asking, taking, and even “stealing” items out of the girl’s packs to make them lighter so they could carry their burdens.

It occurred many, many times on the side of a mountain when those in the front of the line would stop their progress to turn around and yell encouragement to those in the back of the line. I will forever have those Rocky Mountain “Come on so and so, you can do it” ringing in my mind or all of the “Good job's” or “I’m proud of you” that were passed back and forth.

It occurred when some of our boys who has already reached a stopping / break point, would literally run down the Mountain to grab somebody’s backpack and help them to the break point.

There was one point were Steven at about 13,000 ft. was running back and forth doing the above. We finally had to tell him to sit down and take a break. Unity family manifesting itself in unconditional love!

Unity occurred as we stood around a campfire at “high camp,” 11,500 ft, and confessed our sins to one another amid loggerhead pines. Unity and not uniformity will propel people to open up and allow the Holy Spirit to begin to heal them.

Yes, God’s timing is great. You see, our church, not a perfect church, not a model church, but it is our church and it’s on a journey towards what I think is Biblical, New Testament, autonomous non-denominational Christianity. I believe that buried within that concept is what Jesus prayed for in John 17 – “complete unity.”

“Complete unity” is what occurred on our Wilderness Trek but I believe we don’t have to be on our way or on top of a 13,700 ft. Peak for that to occur. My prayer is now that we’re off the Mountain, that we bring the lessons learned on the Mountain back to good old flat Florida.

Thank you for reading. I’ll give you a more detailed (with pictures) account in my next post. God bless.

// posted by cwinwc @ 5:26 AM