Mountain Biking and Church Planting

Until just recently, the last eleven years I lived in Arizona.  I love Arizona. There are many things about Arizona that I fell in love with: the desert, cactus, sun sets, the heat, mountains...and most importantly mountain biking.

Over the years, I have spent countless hours on the bike riding over rocks and down the side of mountains. There is just something about the challenge of riding up the side of a trail and the seclusion that were good for my soul.

During our time in Arizona, I also had the great privilege of starting a church.  Looking back at the journey required to start this church I find many similarities to mountain biking. Below are a few things that mountain biking taught me as I prepared to start a church.

• The journey is more important than the destination
• At every intersection there is an easy way and the hard/rewarding way
• Desperation births mistakes
• Boldness pays
• Just around the bend you can be certain there is fresh "horse pucky" on the trail
• The hardest parts are also the loneliest
• Climbs are always followed by downhills and downhills are always followed by climbs
• Balance and momentum get you to your destination
• Confidence is important but cockiness gets you hurt
• It's important to stop and take a breather so you can enjoy the view from time to time
• The journey is shaped by millions of small decisions made on the fly
• It's fun
• You can get hurt, you can heal, and do it all over again
• The things you don't see coming are what cause you to crash
• Practice makes you better
• What you love doing can also hurt you...but don't let that stop you!