3 Kinds of Christians

3 Kinds of Christians


Mountains were made for Climbing

Intro: In this Swiss Alps, there is a little mountain day camp for rookie climbers. Many businesses go there and take employees for an outing. What they’ll do is this: They’ll start out early in the morning and load on their climbing gear, and then they will climb halfway up the mountain. When they get halfway up, there’s something called “The Halfway House”. They get there about noon. They take off their gear, and get a warm meal; they sit in front of a warm fire. It’s a beautiful view, and a great environment.

The trip sponsors say that every time, without exception, when it’s time for lunch to be over and time to strap their gear back on; they always lose half of the people.
• Half of them are content to say they climbed halfway.
• They are content to lounge around, drinks some drinks, play games, and sing around the piano.
• They sit by the fire and enjoy themselves.
• Then about 4 O’clock they hear a bell ringing; they run to the big window facing the mountain, and there they are; their friends are summiting the mountain.
     o Almost instantly the atmosphere changes to that of a funeral.
     o They sit there pondering: “That could be me”.

• Isn’t this a picture of many of our lives today?

* I would like to propose to you that there are 3 Kinds of Christians.

I. Quitters

a. They are the ones that just don’t try anymore.

b. They tend to be the victims of something or someone.

c. They have become bitter and like poison to be around. They are always depressed and negative about life, church, and pessimistic about their future.

d. When things get the least difficult quitters quit.

e. When adversity rears its head, they opt out.

f. They abandon their careers, their marriages, their children and family; even their churches.

g. They are the ones that quit believing in God when unexplainable trouble comes their way.

h. Paul was not a quitter II Cor 4:8-10

i. Jesus was not a quitter Heb 12:2

II. Campers

a. These are the ones who climb for a little while and then decide they like it well enough halfway up the mountain. They decide to camp and enjoy the view.

b. They let the real climbers keep going, and they don’t seem to remember that at one time they were climbers with passion themselves.

c. Campers go so far and then decide they are happy with the successes they’ve seen thus far. Their attitude is: “Well, this is pretty good”. I think I’ll pitch my tent and stay a while.

d. They are happy with partial success. They are the example of the saying “Good is the enemy of best”


III. Climbers

a. Understand that half way is just that; only half the way. They know the mission has not yet been accomplished, and there is much more to be done.

b. They understand that you can’t sit around the fire and sing songs forever. At some point you have to strap on the climbing gear and get at it.

c. Climbers are never content to look through the window as others achieve the goal. They have to try; they may have to take another break, but they’ll keep on climbing.

d. Some people are very happy to have a “little success”, but not climbers; they keep the goal in mind at all times, and will not be defeated or deterred.



What kind of Christian are you?

Note: The above illustration was adapted from Jentezen Franklin's book--Believe You Can