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San Antonio Express-News February 7, 2004 Evangelism on the edge Adventurous minister is tackling seven of the world's tallest peaks, one per continent. By Rachel L. Toalson; Express-News Staff Writer Extreme. It's a term that follows Todd Phillips everywhere he goes. But for the 34-year-old Phillips, being extreme means breaching today's culture to share his Christian faith with the world. So when the idea struck him to combine
rock climbing with fund-raising for national organizations, the
project fit right in line with his goals. "We have to permeate the culture to expand the kingdom," Phillips says. "We have to create venues, inroads into the culture in extreme ways. All these crazy things I do because I'm Type A, I want to make sure they're tied to a cause, a mission, a vision, an organization." As the fact that he has an upcoming spot on Good Morning America proves, his Seven Summits goal is edgy enough to get the public's attention. "People love adventure," Phillips said, his blue eyes shining. "How do you take something like this that delves into the culture and get on 'Good Morning America' just to say who I am? God has called me to evangelize while maintaining the integrity of my faith and my beliefs. This is where it happens." He'll climb to raise money for organizations that focus on stillbirth and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome research programs and educational and bereavement services. "It was a lot to assimilate - someone comes waltzing into your office and says, 'I want to climb some mountains and raise some money,'" said Marian Sokol, president of First Candle/SIDS Alliance. "I thought, 'Is he for real? Is this for real?'" First Candle/SIDS Alliance responded to
his request by joining other similar national organizations to form
Summits for Survival - Saving Babies One Step at a Time. Phillips
leaves today for South America, where he'll spend almost a month
climbing Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America at 22,841 feet.
He'll carry a journal with the names of stillborn babies and those lost
to SIDS. "This is a mission for Todd," Sokol said. "He and his wife are very committed to doing something to make infant survival more visible." Phillips chose the alliance because of his own three healthy children, 4-year-old Parker, 21/2-year-old Katherine and 10-month-old Raney Grace. "People ask me if I'm involved in this because it happened to me," Phillips said. "But it's just the opposite. I have felt the beautiful blessing of God with my children. That should compel and propel me to help families who have already suffered and those who might not have to." Phillips first got involved in ministry while pursuing a degree in his native Austin in January 1994. He earned a business administration degree from Corcordia University Austin in May 1995 but quit his job as a phone sales representative for Dell six months later to focus on evangelistic work. At the time, he led a Bible study for what became the Austin Metro, a citywide singles ministry that targeted adults ages 18 to 35. In January 1997, he helped start San Antonio Metro and remained a speaker at the event that drew 1,500 singles at its largest meeting. "Todd is kind of a larger-than-life person," said John Berryhill, a Baptist General Convention of Texas director and a friend and mentor to Phillips. "He really has a deep passion and purpose for life and ministry, and he has a drive to push himself to the limit. He finds himself at the edge of a lot of experiences in how he spends his time and ministry." These days Phillips focuses on church consultations and speaking at seminars, retreats and church functions. He is pursuing a doctoral degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and also is writing books, the first of which, "Spiritual CPR," was released in January. He trains for his mountain expeditions two or three hours a day at Racquetball & Fitness Clubs off West Avenue. He also reads his seminary homework while training with an intermittent hypoxic machine that adjusts levels of oxygen to simulate the air on his climbs. He completed a climb on Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa in 2001. After Aconcagua, Phillips again will attempt Mount Elbrus in Europe this summer (he didn't reach the top on his first try in 2002). He'll try to climb Vinson Massif in Antarctica and Mount McKinley in Alaska in 2005, and the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia and Mount Everest in Asia in 2006. Phillips' daily progress up Aconcagua can
be followed at www.alpineascents.com/expeditions.asp, which will post a
cybercast of his journey each day.
BELOW: Phillips plans to carry this book, which bears the names of stillbirth and SIDS victims.
Section: Religion Edition: Metro Page: 9B News: Local Copyright 2004 San Antonio Express-News Record Number: 713534 |
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