I have talked a lot about my love of science fiction in this column. I've attempted to choose stories my readers would at least be familiar with, such as Frankenstein, A Brave New World, and Foundation. Despite that, most of my choices would not be recognizable to people who don't enjoy the genre. The Martian, though, is viral enough and recent enough, that most people would still know the basics. Potatoes, for one. Math. A lot of Math. I find it funny because so many people are unified about this story. That's because I believe the central theme of this story is unity.
For a Christian, this theme of unity is much more than political parties and race. A secular reader may find a lot of value in being able to cross the borders and see people in various natures care for each other. For Christians, this theme should dig much deeper to teach us about the body of Christ on mission for Him.
There is no I in team.
A cliché proverb that has, in many ways, lost its meaning. More often than not it's a club that narcissistic leaders can wield to force their followers to give more than they are able.
In the book, The Martian, we get a pretty good look at what the teamwork in the group looks like even if the main character is alone until the very end. When a storm hits in the middle of an excursion out of their Mars base, the lead character, Mark Watney, is injured and assumed dead. In the ensuing chaos, he is left behind when his team evacuates Mars.
Mark's initial challenge, after he comes to and realizes his situation and what it means for his own survival, is to make contact again. Once he does so, we as the reader get to see the full extent the world goes through to rescue him.
Most of The Martian focuses on Mark Watney's wit and survival skills. It is a true Man vs Nature narrative where Mark is pitted against starvation, lack of oxygen, inhospitable conditions, violent storms, and more. He is forced to create a suitable environment to grow potatoes, repair abandoned and broken technology and to contact help. He tries to work with NASA, but in the end is typically either left on his own, due to the conditions or is better off on his own.
Eventually, Watney is forced to leave the relative safety of the habitat (as the base is referred to) in order to meet the ship that has returned for him. Can you imagine the amount of trust needed for that step.
Watney is the one who is putting the most effort into his survival and future. There is no doubt in that. Watney is the one who is suffering the most from the situation. Yet the tension in the book is shared between Watney, his crew, and the experts on Earth trying to get them home.
While Watney is intelligent and resourceful, he couldn't have survived alone. In multiple behind-the-scenes moments, we see how NASA struggles through the details of rescue. Is it possible? Is it wise? What would they have to sacrifice to make it happen?
As NASA labors to work out the science, and the sacrifices, needed to make rescue possible, word quickly gets out. While the world rallies to give support to Watney in what way they can, scientists and politicians also donate their time and skills. The author even makes a point to have China offer resources that end up being essential for the rescue.
The Mars team also features strongly in the story. Because fuel and resources are always a factors to consider in space travel, the team couldn't simply stop, turn around, and pick up Mark. The team worked with Earth to plan a slingshot trajectory that would allow them to pick up supplies, without slowing. They could catch Mark right out of his launch in a rocket left for a future team. Finally, they would swing shot back around.
The Martian is classified as a hard science fiction book. It excellently uses the structure of realistic science to create and heighten tension. For instance, once the spaceship slingshotted around the moon, they would not have enough fuel to spot the high-speed trajectory and turn it around. If they missed the supply drop, then, none of them would live.
One of the parts of the story that lives most vibrantly in my memory is the character named Beth Johannsen on a call with her father. She explains to them that the team had voted her as the designated survivor. Since she was small and young, she wouldn't need as much food. The rest of the crew agreed they would commit suicide, and that Johannsen would commit cannibalism to survive if needed.
Scripture describes the church as a body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) Our head is Christ. It is a powerful illustration that has lost a lot of impact over many years of repetition. A body has one heart. One circulatory system. One spinal cord. It is a body on mission to glorify God.
We may even flippantly say "Oh, but you can survive without a foot". I would have stretched the illustration in that direction in the past. However, a while back I was watching some videos from YouTuber called Footless Jo. She described some of the posture and pain issues that go along with such a major change in the body structure.
If you have ever wrapped a string tightly around your finger you will be familiar with the sensation that comes from a body part being "cut off" from the body for even a short time.
Despite that, we as members of the church often cut ourselves off from the body. Scripture makes it clear that this is unwise. (Hebrews 10:25) I am the least of all to preach in this aspect, as my own attendance has been patchy at best over the past several years. Despite that, my church is always working behind the scenes to support me.
I have felt the pain and sorrow of being cut off from the church. I've also felt what it's like to have the circulation flowing. I know what incredible grace it is to be connected to the Body of Christ on mission for Him.
My church has provided financial support when money ran low. They have brought meals and medication when I was sick or suffering. From the moment I first met my pastor, he remembered my name. When I met with him and his wife, expressing the needs I had in my life, they both stepped in to provide spiritual and emotional support. My church has given me a place to feel needed and important, through serving in child care, as a greeter, and more. They also noticed when I was weak and needed rest and graciously encouraged me to step aside without judgment or guilt. They cover all these places where I served without once making me feel like I failed. Even now, I know they are constantly lifting me in prayer, always ready to listen and support me, and to give advice.
More so, I grew up as a missionary kid. When we returned to the field to raise support, get rest, and see family, our church always welcomed us back with joy. Often we would speak to our supporting churches about how essential their roles were as a body of Christ on mission. It's hard to feel important when someone else is sacrificing and risking. When someone else is experiencing the ins and outs of ministry to unreached people groups. Yet, we as church planters could not have survived if not for the generous financial, emotional, and spiritual support of our churches. Throughout our time overseas pir church supported us. They worked with us on our transition to ministry as support staff They walked with us through my Mom's battle with cancer. They stand with us now in my Dad's continued ministry late in life. It is our churches and supporters that make it possible. I don't say that lightly. It is one of the greatest sorrows in my soul that churches do not center and support overseas ministry as they once did.
Does that mean my church is perfect? Of course not. Churches are full of sinful and fallen people. Church hurt, false doctrine, and broken fellowship will always exist. It also means that sometimes we will feel abandoned or alone. We will not see the sacrifices that others have made for us. We feel as if we are "on the front lines" in the war and forget how essential the church is to back us up.
In The Martian, Mark Watney was regularly risking life and limb. For NASA to call him and say "Okay, we need you to travel over these mountains" seemed ludicrous. They were not in the situation. Yet in the climax, launches himself into space in a disassembled shuttle and trusts his teammates to catch him.
If Watney had not trusted NASA and his team, he never would have made it back.
Do you trust your church? Do you lean on their teaching? Is the theology they preach safe? Who do you call when you need prayer? When your heart is breaking? Who are the older couples, men and women who show you how to live by their example?