No Man is an Island
In the early summer of 1968, Richard Proenneke looked down from a prop plane window, gazing at the placid lake where he would soon begin his year-long adventure. The plane touched down on the remote Alaskan body of water, glided to the shore, and spilled him and his contents onto the bank where he would spend the next four months building his own cabin with hand tools. Then, he would spend the remainder of a year living on his own in the Alaskan wilderness, where the nearest neighbor would be over 50 miles away. His plan was to spend an entire year there surviving by his own hands. Of course this would require a tremendous amount of ability, skill, fortitude, and a significant measure of introvertedness. He brought film cameras and movie cameras to document the experience, in fact, you can read his journals and watch the documentary created from what he captured. It might seem that he was a man completely independent and able to depend on himself solely for his existence.
But even he recognized the fallacy of the idea of self-existence. Even in his isolation he reflected on how much he depended on others for this endeavor. He depended on an airplane, that he didn’t own and could not fly, to get him there. Once a month or so that airplane would land and bring supplies: things he depended on like sugar, tar paper, roof plastic, cement, and nails. He chose this spot because some close friends of his had a cabin within 500 yards of where he was building. He was able to stay in their cabin while he built his. Many people donated supplies for his cabin, things like old gas cans and a small cooking stove. Even though he only used hand tools, he depended on the ingenuity of those who developed these tools long before he existed. He depended on the Alaska government for protection and to allow him to stay in this wilderness area. For many years he had depended on modern society and his occupation as a diesel mechanic that allowed him to acquire the means to be able to afford this adventure. He was also dependent on the friendship of others, like the pilot and hunters in the area who became friends and acquaintances he could lean on throughout his experience. No doubt Richard was incredibly skilled and hard working and independent, but he would be the first to acknowledge that this was not a solo endeavor.
In some circles of American Christianity there is a myth that says the purest form of spiritual growth is “just Jesus and me.” Sitting alone, in my closet, reading my Bible, in isolation, that is the purest form of spiritual life. But isn’t it interesting that Jesus, when he sought to spread the message of His kingdom to the world, gathered twelve disciples. He taught them in groups, not in isolation. He taught them to lean on one another and of the importance of community. There is no such thing as an independent Christian. To be a thriving Christian, we must be in community and in relationships where we are able to lean on one another.
This is a critical message for us all to hear as we prepare for a baptism service on August 16th. Baptism is a powerful step of faith. It’s a significant spiritual milestone in the life of everyone who knows Christ. Yet it’s not done in isolation and it is not the finish line of the spiritual life. It’s a public event done with the support of the church and is the beginning of an exciting life of Christian growth.
The importance of community is why we put such an emphasis on Life Groups at Valley View. If you are a regular attender of Valley View and are not yet a part of a small group, I can’t think of a more important step of faith for you to take this year. In fact, I would go so far as to say that not being a part of a small group is probably the biggest hindrance to your spiritual growth. Begin praying today for God to give you the courage to take that step of faith in 2026, and be praying for those who are taking the step of faith to get baptized, and be ready to celebrate that together here in just a few weeks!