Back to Index

RENDEZVOUS

Of Tent Peg and Golden Spike

Director's Perspective by Jim Carlson

The decade of the 1860s contained a true irony in American history: thousands of veterans of our Civil War turned from the nation's most divisive season of conflict to put their efforts toward the building of the transcontinental railroad. It’s difficult from our 21st century point of view to appreciate the exciting prospect of traveling from New York to San Francisco in a week’s time, but in an era when travel to the west coast involved the limited options of months of overland or overseas hardship, seven days on a train was mind-boggling. The nation rallied enthusiastically behind an undertaking which was the first of its kind in all the world.

Modern impressions of the railroad construction are likely limited to photographs of the 1869 driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, signaling the end of the 2000-mile project. Leading to that climax, however, were over six years of intense, costly striving against the elements of time, distance, impassable mountains, barren desert, deep snows and deep mud, political intrigue, personal ambitions, Indian attack, sabotage, and lack of funding. As the Central Pacific from Sacramento and the Union Pacific from Omaha built toward each other, as many as thirty-thousand people put their shoulders to the work. They were financiers, surveyors, land graders, engineers, tunnel builders, bridge builders, track layers, soldiers and suppliers of food, water and building materials, involving people from three continents. The golden spike was simply a symbol of all that had gone into what is arguably the greatest American accomplishment of the 19th century.

While clearly the drive for "eminent domain" and the prospect of untold wealth were the worldly push behind building the railroad, that it was a tremendous human feat cannot be argued. I wonder about God’s kingdom-building work.

At a major Christian conference lately, our Rocky Mountain Bible Mission booth received a good amount of attention from those interested in rural ministry. At first glance the Mission’s display offers an attractive bird’s-eye view of our "turf," containing some twenty-three churches, two camps, and Flathead ministries. We might say that the display represents "who we are" as a rural mission organization, but it’s really only a snapshot; it doesn’t begin to reveal all that God has done in this arena of His grand kingdom project.

Going back over forty years now, we’ve had our pioneers, the evangelists and church planters and youth workers who broke trail in western Montana and Idaho ‘neath the banner of the Cross. For decades scores of God’s people have faithfully prayed and sacrificially given to see the cause of Christ advance. Hundreds of Bible college students offered up their summers to reach kids each year. Gradually, churches matured and came to use their own people to do most of the summer ministries. How many trees were dropped, boards cut and nails pounded as Mission volunteers stepped up and built the camps and churches? How many sermons have been preached, folks married and buried, counseling offered, Bible studies shared, professions of faith made, disciples built and miles driven in our determination to reach the Rocky Mountain West for Christ?

Our "golden spike" is nowhere in sight. The risen Jesus continues to build His church, adding to our evangelistic emphases a number of resources to encourage rural fellowships to be beacons of light in their communities. By God’s grace we’re able to offer training and encouragement to church leaders through Bible Training Center, the Shepherds’ Conference and internship opportunities.

We also help churches find preachers for Sunday’s empty pulpit and qualified pastors for their long term service. We assist with counseling problems, help churches with internal issues and conflict management challenges. We gather pastors together for the encouragement of prayer and shared ideas.

The camps are lively places, hosting retreats, church group activities and seminars in addition to the summer Bible camps. We’re eager to see how the Lord will use these facilities in years to come as they begin to operate full-time.

Our "golden spike" remains over the horizon, and will be driven "beyond the Jordan."

"This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes," Psalm 118:23.