While reading Brennan Manning's The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, I (Pastor Steve) came across an analogy that I think creatively explains the heart cry of Community Fellowship. Manning describes two visions of life, two kinds of people. The first sees life as a possession to be carefully guarded - they are called settlers. The second sees life as a wild, fantastic, explosive gift - they are called pioneers. These two types give rise to two kinds of theology and methodology, Settlers Theology and Pioneer Theology. The wild west is the setting for both theologies.
CHURCH:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Courthouse The center of town life. Within the courthouse walls, records are kept, taxes collected, trial held for bad guys. The settler's symbol of law, order, stability, and most importantly - security. |
Covered Wagon It's a house on wheels, always on the move. It's where the pioneers eat, sleep, fight, love and die. It bears the marks of life and movement. It creaks, is scarred with arrows, bandaged with bailing wire. The covered wagon is always where the action is. It isn't comfortable, but pioneers are more into adventure than comfort. |
GOD:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| The Mayor Dressed like a dude from back East, he lounges in an overstuffed chair in his courtroom office. He keeps the blinds drawn. No one sees him or knows him directly, but since there's order, who can deny he is there? He is predictable and always on schedule. Peace and quiet are the mayor's main concerns. That's why he sends the sheriff to check on pioneers who ride into town. |
The Trail Boss He’s rough and rugged, full of life. He chews tobacco, drinks straight whiskey. He lives, eats, sleeps and fights with his people. Their well-being is his concern. Without him, the wagon wouldn’t move; living as a freeman would be impossible. The trail boss often gets down in the mud with the pioneers to help push the wagon, which often gets stuck. He prods the pioneers when they get soft and want to turn back. |
JESUS:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| The Sheriff He’s the guy who is sent by the mayor to enforce the rules. He wears a white hat, drinks milk, out-draws the bad guys. He decides who is thrown in jail. |
The Scout He rides out ahead to find out which way the pioneers should go. He lives all the dangers of the trail. The scout suffers every hardship, is attacked by the Indians. Through his words and actions he reveals the true intentions of the trail boss. By looking at the scout, those on the trail learn what it means to be a pioneer. |
HOLY SPIRIT:
Settler
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Pioneer
|
| Saloon Girl Her job is to comfort the settlers. They come to her when they feel lonely or when life gets dull or dangerous. She tickles them under the chin and makes everything okay again. The saloon girl squeals to the sheriff when someone starts disturbing the peace. |
Buffalo Hunter He rides along with the covered wagon and furnishes fresh meat for the pioneers. Without it they would die. He is a strange character - sort of a wild man. He scares the hell out of settlers. He has a big black gun that goes off like a cannon. He rides into town on Sunday to shake up the settlers and their weekly ice cream party in the courthouse. With gun in hand, he fires a blast that rattles the whole courthouse. Men jump out of their skin, women scream, dogs bark. The ice cream social is disrupted. |
CHRISTIAN:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Settler He fears the open unknown frontier. His concern is to stay on good terms with the mayor and keep out of the sheriff’s way. “Safety first” is his motto. To him, the courthouse is a symbol of security, peace, order and happiness. He keeps his money in the bank. He never misses an ice cream party. |
Pioneer He is a man of daring, hungry for new life. He rides hard, knows how to use a gun when necessary. He feels sorrow for the settler and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the trail. He dies with his boots on. |
CLERGYMAN:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Banker Within his vault are locked the values of the town. He is highly respected. He keeps his gun hidden in his desk. He feels that he and the Sheriff have a lot in common. After all, they both protect the bank. |
Cook He doesn’t furnish the meat. He just dishes up what the Buffalo Hunter provides. This is how he supports the movement of the wagon. He never confuses his job with that of the Trail Boss, Scout or Buffalo Hunter. He sees himself as just another pioneer who has learned to cook and help the pioneers pioneer. |
FAITH:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Trusting in the “safety of the town”: obeying the laws, keeping your nose clean, believing the mayor is in the courthouse. | The “spirit of adventure”. The readiness to move out; to risk everything on the trail. Faith is obedience to the restless voice of the Trail Boss. |
SIN:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Breaking one of the town’s ordinances. | Wanting to turn back! |
SALVATION:
Settler
|
Pioneer
|
| Living close to home and hanging around the courthouse. (People of the Law) |
Being more afraid of sterile town life than of death on the trail. Salvation is joy at the thought of another day to push on into the unknown. It is trusting the Trail Boss and following His Scout while living on the meat provided by the Buffalo Hunter. (People of the Spirit) |
