Thanks for the encouragement many of you left on the last post. It'll take me a while to get ramped up, but I'll commit to blogging my thoughts as they hit me - they just don't hit that often. :)
I've been thinking about what it means to be a "pioneer". Those who risked so much to pursue a dream. Those who see what ought to be and are willing to pay any price to pursue it. Has our culture lost this? Have we conquered all that we can see and become settlers? Where do we see pioneering taking place in our culture? Who are the people paying the price to pursue what ought to be?
I guess the reason I'm thinking about this is because I had a conversation with a guy who has been coming to Pathways for a year or so. He informed me that his family is stepping away. They feel like it costs too much to be involved here. They don't have the time to invest in what we are doing.
What does it mean to be a pioneer when it comes to following Jesus? Have the church let the pioneering spirit be quenched because we "conquered the land"? Why do the settlers seem to shoot at all of the pioneers?
I don't have answers, but this is what I'm thinking about today.
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5 comments:
Dean, "pioneering is in your blood. Your great, great, great grandmother "walked" from Ohio to California via wagon train at the age of seven. Her uncle was a guide to the famous Donner Party. Most historical accounts do not record that he refused to go over Donner Pass but took part of the group safely through Tehachapi into what is now Kern County.
Sad to hear that someone is leaving Pathways. It DOES take a lot of time to be truly invested in Pathways. The fact that we're a "church in a box" itself means that there's more time needed than if you were to attend a church in it's own building. Three years ago I would never have dreamed that I could leave my home on a Sunday at 7.30 and arrive back at 1.00 and LOVE LOVE LOVE the time spent in between!(and that's for 1 service mind you!) Then there are lots of meetings to attend and home groups and...Well, you get the picture. We have never been as involved in a church as we have been at Pathways. However, you need to know that the blessings that our whole family has received over the past 3 years have gone so far above and beyond the time we have spent to be a part of Pathways. I didn't know anyone who attends Pathways 3 years ago and I now can't imagine my life without them in it. Thank you Dean for being willing to be a pioneer. God us using you in a very powerful way.
Hello, I can tell baseball season is over because you haven't posted anything in over 30 days! Are you on Vacation or something! We miss your post dude! I know your busy looking for more photos of your past! LOL
lol thats a good one! you wouldn't believe how many people ask that stupid question! :)
Two months, Dean...
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