Australia's leading ministry apprenticeship program has run its first ever outdoor weekend away for prospective trainees.
The Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) held the inaugural 6 Foot Track Challenge (6FTC) over the weekend in the Blue Mountains.
The 6FTC is a new twist on the Challenge conferences which have traditionally used Bible teachers at convention centres to challenge men and women to train for full-time ministry.
According to MTS Director Ben Pfahlert, the aim of the 6FTC was to recruit and encourage men who do not have a background of university education to think about undergoing ministry training and becoming full-time ministry workers.
Nine trackwalkers and a support crew, including Ben, met at Strathfield railway station at 6am on Saturday morning to embark on two days of walking the iconic 36km "6 Foot Track" from Jenolan Caves to Explorer's Tree, Katoomba.
"There were Christian blokes from all kinds of backgrounds " mechanics, locksmiths, insurance brokers, sons of chippies " a fantastic mix of blokes from non-uni backgrounds," Mr Pfahlert says.
The rector of Guildford Anglican Church and Army Reserve Chaplain, the Rev Tim Booker, gave fireside Bible studies about being "fair dinkum Christian blokes," Mr Pfahlert adds.
Walking the hard yards
Ben says Anglican Youthworks provided essential logistical support making 6FTC a "professionally run wilderness adventure".
"The walkers carried daypacks and water, whilst the support crew transported luggage and set up camp ahead of the group. On arrival at Cox's River, the imported BBQ was ready cook, a cool swim was had and our luggage was sitting outside the tents the Youthworks boys had already set up."
Ben says the end of the bushwalk was "full of agony".
"We had to ascend the staircase out of the Megalong Valley up to the Explorers tree. We climbed the height of Sydney's Centrepoint Tower by staircase!"
However, Ben says the physically demanding aspects of this unique Challenge conference facilitated valuable "bloke talk'.
"Blokes talk when they walk. Experienced pastors and potential pastors had hours and hours of walking to discuss all kinds of issues and questions on their minds," Ben reveals.
"We yakked about everything from "going the distance' to "physical exercise and ministry' to "reaching Aussie blokes " how to do it' to "bloke specific sins " how to get rid of them' to "predestination' and so on."
Ben says the participants went away from the experience inspired to serve God.
"Blokes realised they can be great gospel workers without a degree and that they have been uniquely gifted by God to reach lost Aussie blokes, so they ought to go hard and get on with it."
Ben says the 2008 6FTC pilot was a "fantastic success" and has set in place a great foundation to launch the fully-fledged "MTS 6 Foot Track Wilderness Challenge' (6FTWC) in 2009.
"The 6FTWC will be on again next year. Same time. Same location. If you want to work out what role you can play in winning the average Aussie bloke for Christ " be there!"
For more information visit the MTS website.
