Circle the Wagons
This day in history (March 22, 1843) marks the day of The Great Emigration. That was when folks started travelling to Oregon Territory via the Oregon Trail. The goal was simple. Get to Oregon Territory. The approach was easy. Just throw all your stuff, your family, your dog, into a covered wagon, hitch your team, and join the wagon train heading West.
The trail was blazed by a hardy lot of pioneering men who returned to get their families. The goal was to go West for wide open spaces and opportunity. And, there was "gold in them thar hills". Another fun read from the History Channel is Westward Expansion. This article talks about the trek to the West.
There are many churches in the U.S.A. that have no problem understanding their missions. The are established, begin services, and begin reaching out into to the communities. For some reason, more and more churches stop perusing their missions and become introverted. The people get older and begin seeking retirement. The kids all grow up and move away to pursue their own dreams and ambitions. The churches begin self-maintenance and stop looking outward.
It's like the wagon trains. When rough times come, the call comes out to circle the wagons. The idea here is to protect the people inside of the circle while the defenders fight off the wild animals and the bad guys. When all is well, everyone relaxes while wagons are still circled. Eventually, when deemed safe, the wagon train begins moving again. (Click the image for more interesting information.)
I think churches view themselves as wagon trains sometimes. However, unlike wagon trains, they have forgotten where they came from and where they are going. They come to a dead stop, circle the wagons, and go absolutely no where. Once in a while they have a defection where a family leaves. When this happens, the circle tightens to close the gap.
Those that pass by see a circle of wagons. The circle is barely noticeable because there is little coming and going. The horses are protected as well as the people. Wagons are supposed to move, hence the term "Wagon Train".
Unlike wagon trains, the Church has a motto that goes like "He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world". The local church cannot survive always in a circle. The local church must continue moving and being seen as living instead of a ring of broken down wagons with gaunt horses in the background. We have another motto "The Great Commission". This is where Jesus tells us to go out into all the world to preach the gospel to all people and baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In one since, we are to move West and bring along as many people as we can.
