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There are two visions of life, two kinds of people. The first see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are called settlers. The second see life as a wild, fantastic, explosive gift. They are called pioneers. These two types give rise to two kinds of theology: Settler Theology and Pioneer Theology.
According Wes Seeliger in his book Western Theology, the first kind, Settler Theology, is an attempt to answer all the questions, define and housebreak some sort of Supreme Being, establish the status quo on golden tablets in cinemascope. Pioneer Theology is an attempt to talk about what it means to receive the strange gift of life. The Wild West is the setting for both theologies.
In Settler Theology, the church is the courthouse. It is the center of town life. The old stone structure dominates the town square. Its windows are small and this makes things dark inside. Within the courthouse walls, records are kept, taxes collected, trials held for the bad guys. The courthouse is the settler's symbol of law, order, stability, and—most important—security. The mayor's office is on the top floor. His eagle eye ferrets out the smallest details of town life.
In Pioneer Theology, the church is the covered wagon. It is a house on wheels, always on the move. The covered wagon is 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 moves toward the future and doesn't bother to glorify its own ruts. The old wagon isn't comfortable, but the pioneers don't mind. They are more into adventure than comfort.
In Settler Theology, God is the mayor. He is a sight to behold. Dressed like a dude from back East, he lounges in an over-stuffed chair in his courthouse office. He keeps the blinds drawn. No one sees him or knows him directly, but since there is order in the town, who can deny that he is there? The mayor is predictable and always on schedule. The settlers fear the mayor, but look to him to clear the payroll and keep things going. Peace and quiet are the mayor's main concerns. That's why he sends the sheriff to check on pioneers who ride into town.
In Pioneer Theology, God is the trail boss. He is rough and rugged, full of life. He chews tobacco, drinks straight whisky. The trail boss lives, eats, sleeps, fights with his people. Their well-being is his concern. Without him the wagon wouldn't move; living as a free man 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. His fist is an expression of his concern.
In Settler Theology, Jesus is the sheriff. He's the guy who is sent by the mayor to enforce the rules. He wears a white hat, drinks milk, and outdraws the bad guys. The sheriff decides who is thrown into jail. There is a saying in town that goes: Those who believe that the mayor sent the sheriff, and follow the rules, they won't stay in Boothill when it comes their time.
In Pioneer Theology, Jesus is 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.
In Settler Theology, the Holy Spirit is the 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.
In Pioneer Theology, the Holy Spirit is the buffalo hunter. He rides along with the covered wagon and furnishes fresh meat for the pioneers. Without it they would die. The buffalo hunter is a strange character—sort of a wild man. The pioneers never can tell what he will do next. He scares the hell out of the settlers. He has a big, black gun that goes off like a cannon. He rides into town on Sunday to shake up the settlers. You see, every Sunday morning, the settlers have a little ice cream party in the courthouse. With his gun in hand the buffalo hunter sneaks up to one of the courthouse windows. He fires a tremendous blast that rattles the whole courthouse. Men jump out of their skin, women scream, dogs bark. Chuckling to himself, the buffalo hunter rides back to the wagon train shooting up the town as he goes.
In Settler Theology, the Christian is the 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. The banker is his best friend. The settler never misses an ice cream party.
In Pioneer Theology, the Christian is the pioneer. He is a man of daring, hungry for new life. He rides hard, knows how to use a gun when necessary. The pioneer feels sorry for the settlers and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the trail. He dies with his boots on.
In Settler Theology, the clergyman is the banker. Within his vault are locked the values of the town. He is a highly respected man. He has a gun, but keeps it hidden in his desk. He feels that he and the sheriff have a lot in common. After all, they both protect the bank.
In Pioneer Theology, the clergyman is the 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. The cook's job is to help the pioneers pioneer.
In Settler Theology, faith is trusting in the safety of the town: obeying the laws, keeping your nose clean, believing the mayor is in the courthouse. In Pioneer Theology, faith is 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.
In Settler Theology, sin is breaking one of the town's ordinances. In Pioneer Theology, sin is wanting to turn back. In Settler Theology, salvation is living close to home and hanging around the courthouse. In Pioneer Theology, salvation is 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.
The settlers and the pioneers portray in cowboy-movie language the people of the law and the people of the Spirit. In the time of the historical Jesus, the guardians of the ecclesiastical setup, the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees, had ensconced themselves in the courthouse and enslaved themselves to the kw. This not only enhanced their prestige in society, it also gave them a sense of security. Man fears the responsibility of being free. It is often easier to let others make the decisions or to rely upon the letter of the law. Some men want to be slaves. After enslaving themselves to the letter of the law, such men always go on to deny freedom to others. They will not rest until they have imposed the same oppressive burdens upon others. Jesus described them this way: "They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them" (Matthew 23:4).
Jesus wanted to liberate His people from the law—from all laws. Under His Word we become free, people of the Spirit; and the fellowship of free people grows up, as in the New Testament, beyond all kinds of theological disagreement. Paul writes in Galatians 5:1, "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." If we are not experiencing what Paul calls in Romans 8:21 "the glorious freedom of the children of God," then we must acknowledge that His Word has not taken sovereign possession of us, that we are not fully under the sway of His Spirit. |
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One of the challenges of being the church together in a small, relational group is that we actually start liking each other. So what could be so bad about that? Nothing, except that we can sometimes like each other so much that we forget to connect outside of our merry little band. In a short time we've gone from an open to a closed group. Moreover, we begin losing our creativity; the sharpening quality of relationships begins to fade because we aren't getting input from others.
This process of growing stale is a strong argument, I believe, for networking with other groups of similar focus and nature. Freestanding home fellowships aren't necessarily bad, but the dangers of becoming over familiar with one another-becoming a clique-looms ever present. Here are some suggestions for avoiding that pitfall of small group life.
1. Seek other small groups with whom to share a potluck supper. Just bringing two small groups together for an informal meal and a time of singing together may help shake loose the staleness of a group that senses it is becoming too narrow in focus. After supper, a time of sharing the history of the respective groups can be entertaining and inspiring. What if you don't know of any other groups nearby? One possibility is the Worldwide House Church Directory. This resource may be able to locate other fellowships in your area. The web address is in the Links section.
2. Go as a small group to a local traditional church program or church service. Many home churches don't meet on Sunday morning, so they can get together and, for a change, "go to church." Often, such excursions have the effect of making the group thankful for their more intimate church life. The problem with an actual service is that there usually isn't time for any real interpersonal sharing and contact with new people. For that reason, programs or special events work better for that kind of interaction.
3. New believers or unbelievers can add a fresh dimension to a small group gathering. Make special plans to invite unsaved friends to a video night. Group members bring chips, salsa, soft drinks and pizza to be eaten during a video of the host church's choice. After, the movie everyone discusses it, giving the believers present a chance to present thoughts from a Christian worldview. Films such as The Matrix have spiritual overtones that are thought provoking and readily applicable to a Christian point of view. Other good films, which are not overtly Christian but lend themselves to a Christian perspective, include Schindler's List, The Mission, Groundhog Day, and Contact.
4. The act of working together is helpful to add variety to relationships.. The Salmon Creek Christian Community in Vancouver, Washington works together to prepare a group holiday presentation for friends and family. They invited members of other small group churches to help them plan their an annual resurrection pageant. They prepared the presentation, then, in a rented facility (a grange hall, or church basement) performed it for a group of invited friends. A potluck dessert followed where everyone enjoyed cheesecake, cookies and coffee while discussing the presentation.
5. Attend a retreat or conference for home-based churches together. There are several house church conferences that are held across the country, which can serve as a connecting point with other like-minded believers. Unfortunately, I have seen such gatherings become an arena for disputation and disagreement. Be forewarned: broadmindedness is sometimes not a prerequisite for attendance.
6. Host an activity and invite other home churches. I call these multi-group gatherings, "reunions" because they give groups that have been birthed out of other groups a chance to reconnect with people they no longer see regularly. The Summit Fellowships of Portland, Oregon, the network of which I am a part, scheduled a Labor Day picnic and campout that was to have been attended by several groups. Sadly, the weather scrubbed the effort, but we know it would have been a great time! Another group in the network has invited a guest teacher for a weekend mini-conference of small groups.
There are other ideas for adding variety to a group that is growing stale. The important thing is that small groups should be alert to the need for expanding relationships and sharing with others outside of the fellowship. Networks of home churches make it possible for groups to share resources, spiritual gifts and ministry opportunities. Such interactions help groups stay open to new people and avoid becoming cliques. |
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Derek-
When we first started I made a mistake that I'd avoid if I had it to do over. I assumed that all our folks (about the same number as you, incidentally) would automatically know how to do church in an open way. The fact was, though, that they had all been "trained" for so long to have somebody else do the meeting for them that they were clueless as to how to participate individually. They needed to be taught and released, but I wasn't willing to do that, thinking that it was best not to be "the authority." If I had it to do over, I would have explained things more fully and then stepped gradually away from the leader role.
Your role will eventually be as the resource for ministry. Most of us who have been in pastoral offices before are used to being the source of vision and ministry. To make the switch to simple churches will require a repositioning so you can be identified as a resource. It's the equipping role similar to Jesus sending the disciples out on the preaching tour and rejoicing that they came back to report.
As for the groups, I've discovered that not all groups will survive. Imagine that! I don't know why that was a shock to me, but it was. I also learned that groups don't necessarily function best just because the members live close to on another, although I like the idea of proximity. I think it's best. Still, it may not be practical to insist on it. Not all people get together with all people, if you know what I mean. As much as we think we should all get along no matter who we're with, human frailty just doesn't allow it.
Just let the groups form by affinity, while carefully reminding them that a closed circle isn't biblical. They have to be confident enough in their relationships that they are always willing to receive new people. The challenges will come from a couple of directions. The socially awkward and clueless are always a challenge. They try, and fortunately strengthen, the patience of a group. Survival depends on the group understanding that learning to accept one another, our gifts and weaknesses, is not optional in the kingdom.
The problem-centered people are also difficult for groups. They're the ones that want to make the group deal with their latest crisis every time they get together. Such people will take a group down quickly. A group facilitator will need to see that coming and suggest the problem centered person go out with one or two others for prayer rather than have the whole group be problem centered with them.
The group, for the most part, needs to be promise centered rather than problem centered. A group will need to have a preponderance of healthy folks in order to provide a good place for healing. If you have too many awkward and problem centered people in one place, the healthy folks will tire and need to bail out, leaving the host holding the bag. Just to let you know, the kinds of people I'm talking about often gravitate toward the pastoral gift---you have a target on your back, brother!
Another challenge will be the one who wants to lead the group like he (why is usually a guy) always has seen groups led: from the top down. There are lots of folks out there that want to be on the top of the hill. Leadership in these groups needs to be by HEIRarchy (as in fellow heirs) rather than hierarchy. You're gathering together as friends who share the common bloodline of Christ. Heavy leadership and control isn't really needed in that kind of arena. It's like a group of friends deciding to go on a campout together. It's not much different than that. I tell a "leader" in a small group that your job is to discern through whom the Spirit wishes to speak today, and presume that that it's not you. That doesn't mean that it won't be he/she, but leaders ought to think in terms of drawing out others rather than taking the center stage themselves.
As far as starting out, I guess you may as well just encourage people to start meeting together. ALWAYS eat together when you do. I don't know why, but that does so much for cohesion.
A word about eating together: KEEP IT SIMPLE. Meeting together isn't about entertainment it's about hospitality and sharing. That means everybody takes a turn at feeding everybody else. Everybody helps clean up. We find that weekly potlucks are harder than rotating the meal prep responsibility among the group so you only have to prepare once every few weeks. Use paper plates. Pass a bag for trash around the table to expedite the clean-up. Beans and rice. Soup and salad. Casseroles. SIMPLE is better.
Encourage the groups to share the Lord's Table often, even making it part of their meal together---say grace over the breaking of bread at the start of the meal and give thanks while taking the cup at the end of the meal.
You could move about among the groups encouraging them and providing counsel as they see the need. I wouldn't worry too much about how the groups proceed. Every group of people have their own needs and own pace. You could suggest a starting place and let them go from there. Some of our groups just pray for one another. Others have done a structured study through a book of the bible. Some have started with an ALPHA course, or some other video series. Some of the guys have done the Wild at Heart stuff. The sky's the limit!
Abandon the thought that you have to have little blocks of worship, a few minutes for prayer, a special time for a one-way teaching. You may do all of those things, but they don't all have to happen each meeting. Over time, all of those things will happen in the proper proportion. It's an amazing thing to watch. The Holy Spirit is a wonderful leader.
One thing that may happen is that the groups will have trouble seeing themselves as "church." For a long time we had what I tried to call "weekly reunions," namely meeting on Sundays. Well, the groups tended to see that as church and the other meetings as "small groups." I felt the groups needed to be released to be functionally autonomous, but voluntarily interdependent. To do that we had to reduce the number of big group meetings. These days we're trying to reinstitute the larger gatherings, but the groups are quite content to be church without them. I've created a monster!!! We do get together but it often is more informal.
The communication links are pretty strong in a community of simple churches. Still, you could consider an internet discussion list for your members or explore the Online House Church Community that we use. (Email me if you'd like that address. Links can be harvested by spammers, so I don't want that address listed here. Since you're human, I'd be happy to send you the link. Just let me know.) That can help communications get out. Cyberspace is no substitute for face-to-face relationships, but communication is so important using any and all avenues is helpful.
I remind folks that meeting as brothers and sisters isn't rocket science. We know how to do it, we just need to be convinced it's not naughty and rebellious to do it as church. Best of luck. Godspeeed! Keep in touch. My email address is .
In His steps,
Dan |
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