Discovery Expeditions has taken Christian groups on one- and two-week hikes through the Sierra Nevada mountains for the last five years.

Why? By removing Christians from the everyday comforts of modern American living, the leaders of Discovery Expeditions hope to aid participants in discovering that God's plan for their lives means service and commitment.

"Most people would prefer to learn about Christian commitment sitting in a seminar in a comfortable environment," says John Yates, one of the guides of Gib Martin's group. "Rut we think a better way to learn about commitment is when you're living it out on the trail.

"Our theme verse is a phrase from Psalm 16: 'Lead me to a rock that is higher than I.' We want our hikers to rediscover what it means to be human and to serve God."

Skilled mountaineers guide the groups through rugged terrain, acting as resource persons, facilitating the hikers journey from dependence on things to dependence on God. The trip is tough and there are real physical ...