Friday Night Message: Spiritual Pioneers - Part I

Feb. 16, 2024

Good evening brethren,

My family and I lived in Boise, Idaho for about 15 years. Boise was one of the stops on the
Oregon Trail (some of the original ruts are preserved to this day, and our house was within
less than a mile of some of those ruts!).

Furthermore, Baker City, Oregon, (which was one of three cities with a Worldwide Church
of God congregation on a circuit), was another stop along the Oregon Trail. In Baker there
was an excellent museum, with very authentic exhibits, folks dressed in original Western
wear, depicting the daily activities of the travelers … recounting the hardships and
challenges which they faced.

Interestingly enough, while attending the Worldwide Church of God in Boise, we met at a
public school known as Frontier School.

Why did people in 19th Century America journey west? There was the promise of gold, or
rich soil that would yield bountiful harvests, and vast grasslands for herds of domesticated
stock to graze upon.

Num. 14:7-8 - … and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: The
land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then
He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey.

The promise of a land flowing with “milk and honey”… There could be great rewards
awaiting those adventuresome folks. But there were also some serious trials and potential
dangers along the way … hardships, setbacks, and even death.

Not everyone made it out on the frontier. There were hostile Indians, thick woods, rugged
mountains, vast stretches of parched deserts, serious diseases, wild animals and snakes,
limited re-supply stations, unpredictable weather, etc.

But consider this, brethren. In a way, WE are also pioneers of a sort … spiritual
pioneers. We are blazing trails into a frontier, so that others may follow at a later time. We
are helping to open up the potential of a good land, a land “flowing with milk and honey”.

I am beginning a new series of messages tonight, contemplating HOW we are pioneers –
spiritual pioneers. The heart of this series of messages is encapsulated in these two short
sentences “Go West, Young Man – Be a Trailblazer”. Or to economize, let’s simply use the
phrase Spiritual Pioneers to describe these messages.

The approach that I will take in this series is primarily based upon analogies. I will first
describe an aspect of the settling of the American frontier from a physical perspective, and
then draw the spiritual analogy.

So let’s take a lesson from history…the pioneer fulfilled an important and crucial role in the
settling of the New World. Leaving behind the Old World, they sought a completely new
and different life, a new beginning.

They were willing to endure severe hardships, and they worked hard on a daily basis,
knowing that eventually they would obtain significant rewards. They were able to adapt to
changing conditions, with both a rugged individualism and the spirit of cooperation with
their fellow pioneers.

And they showed a willingness to risk it all, because the promises were so great and
wonderful. They blazed the trail for others to follow. They created the bridge from the old
world to the new. They built the foundation for future growth.

Let us, over the coming weeks, take our cue from these American heroes of old as described
in this new series of Friday Night Messages… let us become spiritual pioneers, enduring
hardships and afflictions, so that in the end, we, as well as the others who will follow our
lead, may enter the real Promised Land, the very KOG.

Have an inspiring Sabbath,
Fred