My oldest son has recently purchased a property in the Muskokas just outside the town of Bala. This was particularly exciting for me because I spent 10 days of every summer at a scout camp mere kilometers away along the Moon River. This past holiday weekend we spent some time at the new place helping to ready it for vacation rentals. Naturally, I also wanted to reconnect with my scouting past by checking out the old campground. The road into the camp was notoriously difficult: generally single car width, sharp twists and turns, spots where you easily bottom out, and both rocks and potholes (come to think of it those should have worked together nicely); in short a journey in itself to be taken with great care and consideration. Unfortunately, I could not find my way to the camp! I subsequently found out that the road in has been drastically reworked and relocated, thus without a map it is very difficult to find.
I was thinking of this in relation to our discipleship as Christians and how well we know where God is taking us and how he plans to get us there. Do you know the Christian life has an objective? God’s plan is to form Christ in us (Gal 4:19), we are predestined to bear his image (Romans 8:29). If that is where we are heading how do we get there? Is there a roadmap? Like a treacherous camp road, life seems full of difficult twists and turns; is there a way God has for us? The answer is yes and it is called discipleship, or in more theological language, sanctification. To continue our summer book recommendations here is one that you likely will not finish in the final couple of weeks of August but is one of the best resources I know of on this topic. 
It is written by a pastor named Andrew Davis and is titled: An Infinite Journey: Growing Toward Christlikeness. Davis’ main proposal is that Christians are on two infinite journeys – an external journey of the gospel’s advance to the nations, and an internal journey of sanctification.[1] Both journeys have one goal: “the praise of his glory (p. 21.) The journeys are infinite because they take us to the end of our lives, but moreover, they require God’s infinite resources and power in our lives. Davis organizes Christian discipleship in four categories: knowledge, faith, character, and action. At 480 pages it is a very long book, but it is not a long read; Davis peppers his work with numerous examples and case studies that help give practical shape to the spiritual work of God in our lives. I would suggest that you take in the book chapter by chapter but at a pace suitable to you. As a whole it is daunting, just as life can be. But taken bit by bit, with God’s help, I know you will find it a wonderful resource that will not only increase your knowledge of God’s discipleship program for Christians but actually help you walk it out!
Much love,
Pastor Gary
[1] Andrew Davis, An Infinite Journey, (Emerald House Group, 2014), p17
As we gather for Sunday worship, we want you to meet with God and be transformed by the Word. Prepare your heart by reading the passage and listening to the songs for Sunday.