Being in New Mexico, we are heirs of the heritage of many early American pioneers. Thousands upon thousands of people left the relative comforts of the Eastern U. S. for the promise of open ranges, millions of acres of land for homesteading, and - of course - gold. In short, the pioneers braved miles of perilous country for the hope of a better life.
This is a rich metaphor for the life of Christians. There is nothing new about imagining Christian discipleship in terms of "the journey." The very first Christians borrowed the wilderness experience of the Israelites God brought out of Egypt (Hebrews 13:14). In fact, it is a traditionally American way to think about our adventures in this country, from the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock to the pioneers of the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. In keeping with that tradition - in its Western U. S. form especially - this blog is about the adventure of discipleship today. The goal is to observe the world in which we live and to think about how the life and teachings of Jesus and his apostles call us to live within those circumstances. It is not about withdrawing from society or the culture in which we live. Rather, it is about living within it in distinctively Christian ways. My hope is that these posts will be encouraging to those of us who want to follow Jesus in today's world. Also, for those who are not Jesus-followers I hope to provide a window into the mind of Lord Jesus, who leads us. Check back soon!
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AuthorNathan Wheeler, PhD, is the Preacher for the Eastside Church of Christ in Farming-ton, NM. Archives
April 2020
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