In 2005 Ellen MacArthur sailed around the world singlehandedly in 71 days. That’s about 51,000 kilometres of ocean travelled. And, yes, she took out the world record. On her arrival home to England she became the youngest recipient of the title: Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), and was also granted the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Reserve. No mean feat. All this started as a child. Her aunt took her sailing and she was hooked. She saved her school lunch money for 3 years and bought her first boat, an eight-foot dinghy, which she named Threp’ny Bit. She sellotaped a real ‘threepenny bit’ coin onto the bow, and the rest is history. She combined her obsession, a series of goals, and a lot of hard work. It is inspiring to see her achieve their dreams. When young people do well, we all do well. The apostle Paul had one obsession which materialised in one goal—plant churches. He invested his all in the preaching of the gospel. But he knew his days, as with us all of us, were numbered. A new generation of preachers must be prepared. He gathered young preachers (Timothy, Titus, Silas, Archippus, Aristarchus, John Mark etc) to help plant and to preach in the new churches. He told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…” (1Tim.6:12). And later, before his death he wrote: “I solemnly charge you… preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (2Tim.4:1-2). The churches were going to go nowhere without a continual supply of up-and-coming preachers. He told these preachers to teach others who would in turn be qualified to teach others (2Tim.2:2). When a young man has the goal to preach, we must do all we can to encourage him. This must be our quiet, deliberate obsession. One that far exceeds the noble goal of circumnavigating the globe in 71 days. After all, it is these young men who will circumnavigate the globe with the gospel. Churches, ‘You gotta have this goal!’
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