"Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end."

These are the words of Edward Whymper, the Victorian mountaineer who was the first European to climb the Matterhorn. Though written well over a century ago, they still ring true – and not just when it comes to climbing. Our Christian life is lived one step at a time – neither more nor less. I have been a Christian for over 30 years and for most of them I have been unable to sing the words of Francis Ridley Havergal’s hymn ‘Take my life and let it be’ without a smile. ‘Take my feet and let them be, swift and beautiful for thee.’ My feet will never be swift or beautiful. However, as a Pastor it has fallen to me to act as a kind of spiritual courier - guiding people from the plains of unbelief, into the foothills of faith, and pointing out the path to the higher slopes of God's goodness. As I have done this, I have become more and more convinced that this is a journey made on foot - step, by step, by step.

To make any journey on foot is counter-cultural in a world where speed is of the essence, and a person may be isolated from their global neighbours by the speed of their broadband connection. And yet, there has been a marked resurgence in the appetite amongst Christians and ‘spiritual enquirers’ of every hue for pilgrimage. In 1985, for instance, 491 people received a certificate of completion on the pilgrim route to Santiagoo de Compostela. In 2010 the number was over 270,000.

Last year I wrote and delivered a multi-media discipleship course based around Emilio Estevez’ film ‘The Way’ – which depicts the journey of four pilgrims down the Camino de Santiago de Compostella. Over 60 people, aged from teens to nineties, attended the course. We looked at the importance of leaving home at the start of the journey, provisions, communication, companions and rules of the road along the way. We also thought about the journey’s end as we tackled the difficult topic of dying. Over and over we kept returning to the importance of rhythm in the Christian life, and the soft footfall of faith – step, by step, by step.

View more information on The Disciple's Way course

When browsing the feedback from the course, reflected in the Wordle below, four words came to the fore: journey, companions, need and others. Although the course was entitled ‘The Disciple’s Way’ – since each disciple must make their own pilgrimage, we do so better in company.