November 2008 letter
November 2, 2008 by andrew
On 16th September 1893, 100,000 people came to a starting line that stretched for miles across the Oklahoma plains. They were waiting for 12 noon and a signal to start them on one of the most remarkable races in human history. All of them hoped to gain one of the 42,000 plots of land made available by the US Federal Government. Many would be disappointed, left behind by the fastest and fittest, but the prize of 160 acres of virgin farmland, cheap and ready to be settled, was worth the risk to those looking for new life on the plains of Oklahoma.
When the cannon sounded, everything was dust and noise. Horses, mules and wagons roared off, rushing headlong into the plains. For some, hopes disappeared almost immediately amid lame horses, broken wagon wheels, collapsed axles, possessions strewn all over the ground. Accident and injury claimed others along the way. But for those able to ‘stake a claim’ by driving their wooden peg into the ground it was a great day and dreams of a new life began to become a reality.
In order for this frontier life to be a success, two achievements were needed. The first was speed, to get ahead and secure a plot of land. The other was survival, getting through the first harvest. The first, you could say, required the skills and training of an athlete and soldier, the second those of the builder and farmer.
A church that is wanting to be at a frontier for the gospel will, as Mike Breen points out, need both pioneers and settlers. Pioneers are good at getting us to the frontiers; settlers are good at keeping us there. Pioneers are committed to change, flexibility and speed of operation. Settlers emphasise order, consistency and stability. Both groups have strengths; both groups have weaknesses. All of us are on the spectrum between one and the other, not actually in a fixed way but moving according to our insights or stage of life. Both groups need each other to maintain a healthy, growing, stable church community. Each needs to value, respect and welcome the other.
There may be a connection between whether we are pioneers or settlers and what kind of ministry we are called to fulfil within the church. Paul speaks of the fivefold ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, (Ephesians 4:7-11)
all of which are given to build up the body of Christ into a unity of faith and maturity in Christ. Perhaps apostles (by which today we may mean missionaries, those who are sent) and prophets are nearer the pioneer end of the spectrum, pastors and teachers nearer to the settler end, but all are needed. A church like ours needs all of us, pioneer or settler, to exercise our gifts and play our part in the frontier life if the Kingdom of God, not with a ‘volunteer’ mentality but as those joyfully committed to God’s service.
Nick McKinnel