…continuing yesterday’s blog on the World Race training for the men about to go on an 11-month mission trip…
After the guys had done their symbolic “sanctification,” we set off on a hike up and down (mostly up) in the North Georgia mountains. While we were cruising along, the guys got to know each other a little, and got to stretch their legs a little. Especially after Ben Messner, another World Race leader and trainer, asked to pick up the pace. That was just opening I was looking for. We started off on a run down the trail, over roots, rocks, and under those low-hanging branches–“Low Branch!”
After the guys were sufficiently winded, we stopped to rest and recover. I let some of the guys give their testimonies before we talked about the next step in our initiation: Covenant and brotherhood. We talked about David’s mighty men, the 3 and the 30, and how they were committed to David–and ready to die for each other. These men are the type who would bless their leader with a cold glass of water, no matter what personal danger they had to go through themselves. We talked about becoming a “Band of Brothers,” and I asked the men to make a covenant statement–a statement that speaks about their commitment to each other, their commitment to God, and their commitment to tbheir mission.