The 8th Mountain

Book excerpt: Those who spend time with God and His Word and His Spirit, and who dwell in His presence and commune with Him and develop a personal relationship with Him, become transformed in the process and thus are better informed, equipped and empowered to attract, steward and exercise influence in the 7 Mountains of Culture (Arts & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, Family, Government & Law, Media, and Religion). That is the basic premise and thesis of this book. Moreover, I assert that such transformation is not only possible for disciples of Christ, but, rather, it is imperative and essential to successfully fulfill our divine assignments, callings and destinies. Several places in Scripture such as Micah 4:1 and Isaiah 2:2 mention "the mountain of the Lord" or "the mountain of the house of the Lord," that is above all the other mountains, and is the chief mountain, depending on the particular translation used. This phrase refers to the place of God's abode, or heaven, and for our purposes here, I refer to it as the 8th Mountain. Mountains in Scripture refer to kingdoms, authority, rule and dominion. The 8th Mountain is calling your name. You've read about what awaits you, and what lies ahead on this trek to the spiritual summit. You can think of this book as your mountaineering school curriculum and training manual for the 8th Mountain, to educate, train and prepare you for climbing, and reaching the summit, of the highest peak in the universe. It teaches you survival skills, how to thrive and be successful, how to work as a team, how to ascend and descend, how to avoid or minimize danger, what gear and supplies to take, how to monitor changing weather conditions, and how to save your life and protect yourself and those around you in the harsh climate, adverse conditions, and unforgiving environment of the 7 Mountains of Culture. Just as Mount Everest is the highest point on earth, the 8th Mountain - the Mountain of the Lord - is the highest point in the universe, and is heaven itself. The old saying, "It's lonely at the top" doesn't apply here. There's no reason to be lonely on the 8th Mountain, and lots of reasons to be fulfilled and satisfied - full of joy and peace and love - and there's a whole community of fellow climbers for you to meet and get to know. Some are more experienced than others, and are at different levels of skill and knowledge and physical and spiritual conditioning, but we're all still learning and growing, and are on a journey that will last for a lifetime, and an eternity. We hope that you will join us, and we invite you to do so.