I recently read an article in USA Today entitled “More Hikers Wind Up Lost” which tells about the yearly increase in the amount of hikers who get lost while enjoying the world around them. The article states: “In thousands of parks and wilderness areas across the nation, inexperienced and unprepared hikers get lost each year — so lost, they have to be rescued.” To me, there would not be many things more terrifying than getting lost and having no hope of finding my way out. Spending my days wandering in unfamiliar territory and my nights in fear would quickly give way to desperation. All of these hikers began their journey with good intentions never anticipating becoming hopelessly lost, but somehow they got on the wrong path. Rescue is now the only option. Many parks or mountains have a team of people called search and rescue whose job is to find people who are lost and return them safely home. The purpose of the church is very similar to the job of search and rescue teams – it seeks out people who are far from God (lost) and shows them the way of hope (Jesus Christ). The Summit is the Green Campus of Canton Baptist Temple and our desire is to serve this community by bringing those who are hopelessly lost into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus and reminded them that they were once far off from God but now, through Jesus Christ, were brought near (Ephesians 2:13).Maybe you do not think you are lost, but the Bible is very clear that everyone is lost and cannot find the way to peace (Romans 3:10-17). Our sin prohibits us from finding our own way to God and any feeble attempt to find Him on our own proves to only remind us how far we have really wandered from Him. One of Jesus’ followers was also confused about the way to God so he asked Jesus about the right path. Jesus responded that “He [Jesus] was the way, the truth, and the life” and no one is able to find a relationship with God without first believing in Jesus Christ (John 14:5-6). Jesus Christ died on the cross to take the punishment (death) which God demanded as payment for sin (Genesis 3:19; Romans 6:23). He became sin for us and gave us His righteousness so we could become children of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). John 3:16 declares: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish [die], but have everlasting life.” After His death and burial, Jesus rose from the dead three days later ultimately proving that he was God and guaranteeing our eternal life. Today, if you will “confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) In a moment of faith, you can go from being lost to being rescued. 
