Consider your life as a Christian (a follower of Christ) and how you and/or your church fellowship view the walk of a Christian. I like to think of it as "Trail Blazing."Many years ago I heard a message on this subject and it impacted me deeply. Then recently I was reading The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus by Brennan Manning. He referenced the same thought. It originated with Wes Seeliger in his book Western Theology. The big idea here is whether you live your life as a Pioneer or as a Settler. Manning goes on to say that Settler Theology (ST) enjoys the safety of the town. It wants to define everything and make sure the rules are not broken and everyone stays safe and secure. In Pioneer Theology (PT) the security of the town limits is not as important as getting out into the wild country to explore what is there. It is the passion for the trail that drives the pioneer.
CHURCH:
ST - The church is the courthouse, a cold stone structure; center of town life; dark inside. It's where the records are kept, taxes are collected and where trials for the bad guys are held. It's the symbol of law, order, stability and security. It's where the mayor's (God) office is.
PT - The church is the covered wagon, a house on wheels. It is always on the move. It is where the pioneers eat, sleep, fight, live and die. It marks a life of movement. It's always where the action is. It moves toward the future. It is not comfortable to ride in. It's all about the adventure.
GOD:
ST - God is the mayor. He sits in an overstuffed chair. He dresses in a suit with a top hat. No one sees him or knows him directly but everyone knows he is there. He is feared as an authority figure and he keeps the payroll going. He is mostly predictable and operates on a very tight schedule. Peace and quiet are mayor's number one concerns for settlers. He depends on the sheriff (Jesus) to keep the pioneers in line - got to keep your eye on those rowdy pioneers.
PT- God is the trail boss. He is rough and rugged, full of life and energy. He eats, sleeps, lives and fights with the pioneers. His number one concern is their well-being. He is down in the mud and dirt helping the keep the wagons moving. He prods the pioneers when they get soft or lazy. His fists are an expression of his concern. You love and follow the trail boss because you understand that he knows how to get you through dangerous uncharted territory.
JESUS:
ST - Jesus is the sheriff. He is sent by the mayor to be the enforcer of the rules. He wears a white hat, drinks milk and is quick on the draw. He rounds up all the bad guys and puts them in jail. If you follow the rules the sheriff is your ticket out of "boot hill" (hell).
PT - Jesus is the scout. He is always out ahead of the wagons. He searches out the best way for the pioneers to go. He lives the dangers of the trail life, suffers the hardships and hostile attacks. He interprets the thoughts and intentions of the trail boss (God). He is an example to pioneers of how to live life on the trail.
HOLY SPIRIT:
ST - The Holy Spirit is the saloon girl. This job is to keep the settlers comfortable. They go to her when things get a little crazy or if they get too dull. She gives them a little fluff, some kind words and assures them they'll be okay. But she will squeal to the sheriff (Jesus) when someone disturbs the peace.
PT - The Holy Spirit is buffalo hunter. He rides with the wagon. He provides fresh meat to eat. He is unpredictable. This is downright scary to the settlers. Every Sunday he rides into town to the courthouse (church) where the settlers are having their ice cream parties. He fires off his big gun to let everyone in town know he's there and then rides back out to the trail.
CLERGY:
ST - For the settlers the clergy is the banker. He and the sheriff (Jesus) guard the bank vaults. All the values of the town are locked up safe and sound there.
PT - For the pioneer the clergy is the cook on the trail. He serves up what the buffalo hunter (Holy Spirit) brings in to eat. His job is to keep the pioneers fit to pioneer.
FAITH:
ST - Settler faith is trusting the safety of the town: obeying the laws, staying straight and clean, believing in the mayor (God).
PT - Pioneer faith is the spirit of adventure: readiness to move out and risk everything on the trail. They obey all the trail boss (God) says to do.
SIN:
ST - Breaking the rules.
PT - Struggling with the desire to return to town.
SALVATION:
ST - Living close to home - hanging around the courthouse (church).
PT - Being excited about pushing on down the trail into the unknown; trusting the trail boss (God), following the scout (Jesus) and living on the meat provided by buffalo hunter (Holy Spirit).
CHRISTIAN:
ST - A Person who fears the trail, the open frontier. One who wants to stay on good terms with the mayor (God). One who does not want to upset the sheriff (Jesus). The courthouse (Church) is a symbol of safety and security, peace, order, happiness. The banker (Clergy) is a best the friend who guards and cares for his values. Good settlers never miss the ice cream party at the courthouse on Sundays.
PT - A person who is daring and hungry for the trail - the adventure. One who rides hard, feels sorry for the settlers and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the trail.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
Settlers are a people of the law. Pioneers are a people of the Spirit. People who try to live by the law think of Christianity as a bunch of rules to keep. They are enslaved to a system of religion. They try to impose their way on everyone else. This is a spirit of phariseeism. Jesus describes them this way: "They tie up heavy loads and put them on [settlers'] shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." (MAT 23:4)
Jesus came to liberate His people from the law. Under Him they become FREE people of the Spirit. The apostle Paul writes, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (GAL5:1)
For many the church, Christianity, is NOT good news - The Gospel, NOT glad tidings of freedom but a rigid code of dos and don'ts, a tedious moralizing and list of minimum requirements for avoiding the pains of hell (Boot Hill). BUT Jesus said, "I come that you might have life and have it much more abundantly." (JHN 1:12). Following Jesus is about a relationship. It is about finding freedom in life. It is about the journey, the adventure of following Him.
If your experience as a Christian is all about living in the safety of town life I invite you to join others on the trail. You'll see things you've never seen before and experience things you'll never know staying in town.
