Dear Salvation Army, 4 Disconnects 2 Avoid

There are real dangers to long-term membership status in the Church.
I don’t wish to confront the faithful, this is just a reminder and a warning to us all.
If I am pointing fingers I must realize I have fingers pointing right back at me as well.

The body of Christ can be an extremely powerful thing!
We are His bride, His hands and feet here on earth.
When we put of our hearts and efforts into reaching our neighborhoods, great things will happen through the power of the Holy Spirit! But what happens when the church stops functioning as it should? What do we do when there is little to no motivation to get out of the doors of that church; when those doors and walls, and everything else in the church are just safety blankets to a frightened bride of Christ?

Today, I would like to explore four very real disconnects that every church faces from time to time.
-It can effect us too if we are not careful.
-It can effect our vision and vitality of our corps.
-It can effect our leaders, our soldiers, our adherents.
These disconnects are dangerous if not treated and our hearts are not reconnected to our power source – The Holy Spirit.

4 Disconnects 2 Avoid:

Worn –
We’ve all seen it before.
It manifests itself through the Sunday school teacher who has been teaching for 40 years…
It manifests itself through the local officer who is just tired of performing the same role.
It manifests itself through the corps officer who is also tired of being “pastor”, friend, counselor…There are many other examples in which the disconnect of being worn can present itself.
It’s very common.
Burn out is real.
Officers, Soldiers, Local Officers and even Adherents experience this.
How do we avoid it?
Sometimes you can’t…I just need to say that first.
We have this “Army” mentality and with it comes this notion that we can just plow through any obstacle that comes our way. In order to avoid this disconnect we have to realize that even soldiers need to find rest to recharge. Every one of us needs to seek out Sabbath days, find mountain top moments in which to pray, relax, get away from it all and just unwind.

I have seen Officers who are definitely worn – I’ve been one of them from time to time.
You can come back from being worn, but its harder to come back from being broken because you let the worn disconnect go too long. Recognize the warning signs, and intentionally get away from it all for a bit.
Apathy –
I have to admit that I am the least tolerant to this disconnect.
I cannot stand the perceived “I don’t care” mentality that can sometimes penetrate the church.
Sometimes it happens without thinking – “If it doesn’t effect me, then I’m not going to worry and/or do anything“.It becomes “Us” and “Them”. The church versus those outsiders, those sinners, those people…those…who aren’t as good as we are…but it doesn’t stop there, it becomes this uncaring environment for the outsider and the unchurched. “Well, they don’t come to our doors, it must be because they have chosen to reject God.” -This thought process is sort of an escape clause to play church but never really being the church that Christ intended and actually GO OUT to meet people. You might as well take down the cross and any other symbols you have of the “Christian” faith and adopt some sort of club status because that’s what you have become.

Faithful followers of Christ do not have time to be apathetic to the plight of hurting and lost people in our communities. It’s not a social club. This isn’t an exclusive membership club either. We can’t pretend to help but never actually do any helping…
Know It All
This disconnect that annoys me to no end, it’s the “I know it all” mentality.
It can happen to any of us if we aren’t careful. We have spent years in church. We know all the stories from the bible. We know all the right ways to pray. We know all the right words to say as we lead parts of the service on Sunday, or lead a bible study, or Sunday school…we know, we know, we know…and yet we know nothing.
-We know nothing of complete surrender.
-We know nothing of true self-denial.
-We know nothing of true compassion.

We’ve played church for so long that we have become unteachable.
We could listen to a thousand sermons
We could hear a thousand renditions of Amazing Grace and other church songs
We could hear every bible study, every scripture reading, every heart felt prayer;
and because, deep down, we are unteachable (we know it all) we are horribly disconnected.
The Holy Spirit would have to take a jack-hammer to the heart of the “know it all” just to get through.
Oh that we would just soften our hearts once more and open our ears!
Soldiers, friends, be careful that you don’t become the “know it all” officer or soldier!
Selfishness & Power

The last disconnect within this pondering today is the disconnect of selfishness and hunger for power. Sometimes these are mutually exclusive and sometimes not. It’s about what I can get out of my corps. It’s about how I can get more. It’s about me, me, me. Look at me, look how good I am. Self-preservation is okay up to a point. We should take care of ourselves. We should be clean, and eat and go to the doctor, but what happens when everything we do is about ourselves?
NEWSFLASH: If we are Christians, if we are soldiers, then we are no longer living for ourselves, but we live for Christ and others. “The old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we are a new creation, where does this selfishness go? Where does our lust for power go?The disconnect of power doesn’t necessarily speak about high ranking officers either, it speaks about anyone who would lord their status and position over someone else, whether that be at the corps level, the divisional level, the territorial level or even the international level. This disconnect is a temptation to be somebody. It’s about me…what I can do…who I am…what responsibilities I have and the power I can exploit to impose my will on others. Don’t think for a minute that this doesn’t exist in our army, for it certainly does. Where ever there are imperfect people in church, there will be this temptation…and guess what we’re imperfect people.

The Solution?
Plug back into the source power.
Get back to your first love which is Christ.
He must become increase and I must decrease.
Humility.
Holiness.
Self-denial.
Rest, Meditation upon His Word.
Prayer.
“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3
Questions to ponder:
Are you disconnected right now?
What sort of disconnect is it?
Can you find your way back?
Is there repentance that needs to take place?
Are you over working yourself?
What will it take to get reconnected to His power?
Is the Holy Spirit using a jack-hammer on your heart right now?Something more for this Army world to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these ponderings on pastorspondrings.org are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Salvation Army.

September 28, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, Without Borders, Without Division…

“Hardship, unbelief, suffering and poverty have not stopped our soldiery from rendering their service to God and man. The Salvation Army is a great empire, an empire without a frontier made up of a tangle of races, tongues and colors such as never before in all history gathered together under one flag.” -General Evangeline Booth

I do not wish to pat ourselves on the back today, this is not my purpose.
The purpose for this pondering is to explore the structure and foundation of our Army today.
This week we have talked about our identity and that we are more than simply a “church”…this calling that we are answering is to the front lines, to places where the church often shies away from. It is my intention to judge the church, but rather to paint the necessity of our Army to remain in the front lines.

We cannot boast that this uniform or this mission is glamorous, because it is more often than not, a tiring, thankless duty. We must get our hands dirty in order to grasp the hand of the one needing rescue from the pit. We must be available to listen to the lonely soul who feels as if they are all alone. Yes, it is often a most unglamourous (If I may make up a word) duty we are called to perform.

A Stalwart Soldier:
Storms will come.
Doubt will occur.
Leaders will come that you might not see eye to eye with.
Clouds of disillusionment might appear on your horizon.
But we MUST remain firm. We cannot retreat, despite these imperfections within our ranks.
We are all imperfect people being cleansed by a Holy God. We must allot for grace and forgiveness so that we can continue to serve Christ in the many capacities that He has placed us in.
I too struggle with “the system” from time to time.
I too question certain policies and decision from time to time, BUT this will not deter me from serving Christ first and attempting to continue this mission to the world around me.

Your community needs you.
Your town, city, neighbor – they need you!
They need a functioning, loving, graceful Salvation Army to go where no one else dares to go.

We don’t have time to become divided upon anything.
The moment we become a divided Army, is the moment that we lose ground and lose our place within our communities and most importantly God’s mission for us. When we relinquish our prejudices and societal divisions and allow the grace of God and the love of Christ to permeate us entirely, we tear down all divisions and become united again. This road that we are on is not easy, it was never supposed to be easy. Christ’s path to the cross was not easy, and we are called to pick up our crosses and follow Him – no matter where that leads us.

Are you prepared to carry that cross?
There will be person sacrifices to be made.
It is not always glamorous.
There will be bumps and bruises along the way…but we need you!
This Army of Salvation needs viable, faithful, loving, holy, Salvationists to lead the way.
Now more than ever, we must remain united as one Army throughout our World.
One mission…One purpose. Yes, we will lose comrades along the way. Attrition is real.

BUT:
-If we are more concerned with being like Christ instead of looking the part of a soldier…
-If we are focused on Kingdom building instead of personal, selfish agendas…
-If we have a deep compassion for people and are grieved by the sickness of sin instead of settling for a compromised faith…
-If we careless about attaining certain positions and ranks and care more for others…
-If we spend more time on our knees before the throne of heaven intently listening instead of jabbering away and complaining about our gripes and wants…
-If we studied more about what Jesus said and did and why He did those things instead of studying what our founders did (I’m sorry, I deeply respect our founders, but they surrendered to Christ too)…

If we do these things, and strive for holiness in everything that we are and do…these borders and divisions that we face will decrease and Christ will increase in our vision and heart. We can’t allow our minds to become consumed with these impossible, insurmountable boarders any longer – because we serve a God who does the impossible and STILL performs miracles in our communities.

Dear Army, we are an Army of Salvation that is spurred on by the resurrection power of Christ Jesus! Each of us are a standing testimony to this power. He still longs to transform lives in your corps, in your communities. Despite the darkness, Christ can and will shine His light and expose sin and deliver souls from these chains. We, dear soldiers, have the deep privilege of bearing that light into those places…if we will only commit to it and stop wavering between our old lives and our new.

“I seemed to hear a voice sounding in my ears, ‘Where can you go and find such heathen as these, and where is there so great a need for your labors?…God shall have all there is of William Booth” -William Booth

Does He have all of you yet?
Something more for our Army world to ponder today, To God be the glory!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these ponderings on pastorspondrings.org are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Salvation Army.

September 24, 2015 0

10 Church Signs The You Need To See…And Never Duplicate!

This pondering is certainly tongue in cheek.
I want to poke a little fun at my fellow Christians today.
Perhaps some of them didn’t know that their Church signs were a little questionable…perhaps some did.
I understand some churches like to grab our attention as we drive by their buildings, I get that…but sometimes you see a church sign and, if you’re anything like me, you shake your head and/or groan.

I see a lot of church signs, I’m sure you do as well.
Some are good. They get to the point of their message.
Some are just down right bad.

Here are 10 church signs that you need to see…and never duplicate. -I mean NEVER!

#10I understand that churches want faithful members, but guilt tripping people to come to church isn’t probably the best use of your signage space. It just comes across as negative, it might actually push people away from your church because they might assume your church is judgmental and fickle. Skip the negative, guilt tripping messages.

#9
Okay…I kind of like my churches pain-free! I don’t know about you but I’m really not into getting beaten at church. All kidding aside, I’m sure the person who put this sign up quickly realized how it sounded by actually reading it aloud…I hope. Like it or not Pastors, we shouldn’t love to hurt people.

#8
Ok, I get what this church is trying to say, I just think there might be a more tactful way of saying it. It seems a little presumptuous for this church to make this statement. I’m not saying that laziness and poverty can’t be related, I’m just saying – what if someone who has fallen onto hard times sees this sign? How would they feel about themselves? I just think a church who has to put this sign up to make a point is sort of sending a message to the community that they believe all of the poverty issues are because people are lazy…that is simply NOT true.

#7
I get this message too, but what about those who aren’t Christians yet? What kind of message does this convey to them? Also besides being a little tacky, it’s also a little crass. Perhaps this church was trying to be “edgy”, I just think this sort of message does not attract people and/or bring them into the church on Sunday, instead it drives them away.

#6
Two words: Run. Away! We don’t need the church to help us all to die thank you very much! Again, I understand the message that they were trying to convey – I’m really laughing, but at the same time I’m kind of cringing too.

#5
I’m sure we get it, It just seems a bit forced doesn’t it? The message seems to insinuate that none of us are busy doing what the Lord has called us to do…and it also assumes (albeit with a little humor involved) that by “acting” busy we’re going to fool Jesus. Ha! This message is so off base that I have a tough time reading it again. Maybe I’ll just walk by because I’m too busy acting busy…okay, I digress.

#4
Wow. There is SO much to say about this diatribe of a sign. So, let me get this straight, God is the reason for the Tsunami, AIDS, and War? I feel anything but “Welcomed” by this sign, in fact, I would run far, far away from this sort of message. I understand that God did punish people in the bible because of their disobedience and sin, but to assume that all acts of nature and disease are created by God to punish the world, I feel is a bit too much (I’m being a little too subtle at my distaste for this sign)

#3

“So that’s the reason we have to forgive?! I was forgiving people for all the wrong reasons for all this time, when I should have been focusing on messing with their heads…how dumb of me!” If we forgive, it is to help ourselves as well as the other person. I won’t get started on the phrase “forgive and forget” today, that’s a whole other topic, but obviously the message is about forgiveness. I get the sarcasm here, I also have the spiritual gift of sarcasm, it just seems to be the wrong place to put a sarcastic message (at least to me).

I’m sorry Dr. Parker, but we’re not related. HA! Again, it’s all about the sign and the placement of the words. I found this sign to be rather funny. Perhaps this is the Sunday’s message, I get that…but if you’re like me, you might have read this message a little differently too. Nope, no DNA test required this Sunday!

#1
Whaaaa????
I’m sorry but to me this flies in the face scripture;
“Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise prophecies. ²¹Test all things; hold fast what is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22)

Yes, this relationship that we have with Christ requires faith, but it also requires us to sort out the wise and foolish teachings that are all around us. Sometimes I think churches use this type of propaganda in coined phrases so that members will be completely dependent on the church as their main source of theological understanding. We should be free thinkers in the sense that we question things, we search out truths and we confront falsehoods and erroneous beliefs. We can’t just blindly accept things of “faith” at face value!

I have left out a number of signs, some of them were beyond provocative; Some were offensive, some were just flat out silly. These are just ten signs you should see and never duplicate. I would be curious to know others that you have seen. Either post them here on this pondering thread or share a picture of a church sign that you have found.

Something more to ponder today.

September 23, 2015 0

The Salvation Army Responds to Worst Refugee Crisis Since World War II

The Salvation Army Responds to Worst Refugee Crisis Since World War IIStaff and volunteers on the ground serving physical, emotional and spiritual needs in Europe
ALEXANDRIA, VA (September 16, 2015) – The Salvation Army is providing food, shelter, medical aid, legal assistance, and emotional and spiritual care to refugees and migrants in 13 European countries. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 360,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea in the first eight months of 2015, representing more than a 63 percent increase over the yearly total in 2014.

“It’s our ethical and humanitarian responsibility to provide support to individuals and families fleeing their homelands in crisis,” said Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bowers, National Secretary of The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO). “In partnership with our International Headquarters and the help of staff and volunteers in local communities, we have been able to meet refugees with compassion and hope.”
With a significant presence throughout Europe, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to provide support to refugees and local residents. Active relief efforts are taking place in Greece, Italy, France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Switzerland, Germany and Finland. The Salvation Army also is working to provide support to refugees and migrants in Romania, Russia and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, President Barack Obama has asked his administration to receive additional Syrian refugees. The Salvation Army in the United States is preparing to meet the increased demand on social services. “Our number one priority is to meet human need wherever it exists,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ron Busroe, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army.
To learn more about our humanitarian effort to support refugees and migrants, or to make a contribution to support our services, please visit sawso.org.
Monetary donations are the most critical need to help refugees and migrants. The Salvation Army has set up a designated fund for relief efforts in Europe. During times of disaster, 100 percent of every dollar donated supports response and relief efforts. To give, visit salar.my/RefugeeGive or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Check donations to Salvation Army World Service Office (designate “Refugees in Europe”) can be sent to:

International Relief Fund

P.O. Box 418558

Boston, MA 02241-8558
In-kind donations are not being accepted for the refugee crises, however; your local Salvation Army is always in need of gently used items for resale in our Thrift & Family Stores. For the nearest location, please go to satruck.org .

Occasionally, conditions in the field may alter relief activities. If this occurs, The Salvation Army will direct funds to our International relief efforts in the region

September 22, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, Identity Crisis or just “More than a Church”?

“We are an army of soldiers of Christ, organised as perfectly as we have been able to accomplish, seeking no church status, avoiding as we would the plague of every denominational rut, in order perpetually to reach more and more of those who live outside every church boundary.” (Commissioner George Scott Railton)

No church is perfect.
No Christian witness is flawless.
No song we sing can ever compare to the Holiness of God.

Dear Soldier of The Salvation Army,
I don’t necessarily see our mission and identity as completely “Church”.
Yes, we celebrate the resurrected Christ.
We recognize Jesus as the Son of God; the only way to eternal life and the source of salvation to the world; but this good news cannot be contained within four walls of a church building can it? No! We are called to go out into the world. Our mission as The Salvation Army is about being faithful to going out into our communities. It’s not just about feeding and clothing the poor, but this is a starting place!

We should represent the most welcoming aspect of “Church” in our communities to those who truly will “come as you are”! Many that we have the opportunity to reach will be unchurched, uneducated in “church etiquette”, and having little to no practice in biblical understanding. Some will know, but life has often times robbed them (whether through conscience choice or beyond their control) of their dignity, hope and joy. Yet, because of our mission, we have the capacity to welcome them into our buildings and provide for them more than just a morsel of food, but something more substantial – living water, and living bread.

We Are Not Perfect!
This organization is NOT perfect, it does have its flaws, it’s politics, its issues, as do we all as individuals.
There are numerous social issues we MUST fight for, however, that begs us to put these faults and imperfections aside and get back to work within our mission. If we can first get past the fact that we are flawed, we are imperfect even within our uniforms, we can make a more rapid response to the plight of people all around us.

We MUST be humble!

Officers & Soldiers, no matter what rank you are, no matter how long you have served, no matter how “high” you go up in the structure of our Army – know this: we do not serve as soldiers in this Army to attain rank and position. This should never be our aim and first pursuit. Unlike the world around us, our mission for Christ is about winning souls, serving souls, and caring for the lost, sick and afflicted. We cannot afford to become sidetracked on fame, rank, power, position or anything that would entrap us. The father of lies would love for us to become entangled in this game of church politics and army power wrangling…because if we do become ensnared in this, we become limited within the scope of our mission and its success.

The disciples of Jesus even argued about this very thing.
They wrangled about who would be the greatest disciple.
They tried to show off, look better, be more attentive to Jesus…it wasn’t what Jesus wanted from them.
So Jesus set them straight:
^“An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. ⁴⁷Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” (Luke 9:46-48)

Dear Soldiers, we must be completely humble.
None of us should think we are greater than our fellow soldier.
We need each other and so we too must humble ourselves.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)

No, we do not have an identity crisis in our Army…we simply have to recall what our identity is and should be for future generations! The structure of this Army is to get beyond Church walls, beyond Church boundaries, politics, policy and procedures and to reach into our communities toward those who have been rejected by everyone else. We must reach into our communities for those who are disparaged, discouraged, disillusioned, drugged out, pimped out, drunk, condemned, and without all hope.

So, what is your identity as a soldier of this army?
Are you humbly serving as a soldier of Christ?
Where is He sending you?
What is holding you back?
Who in your community is the fallen and rejected?
Can you go to them?
Will you show them love and grace and offer them hope?

Dear Salvation Army, let’s keep up this fight!
We are not finished yet!
Our calling still stands – His Holy Spirit will guide us!

Something more for our Army to ponder today!

Disclaimer: These postings and ponderings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Salvation Army.”

September 22, 2015 3

Dear Pastors, Authentic Joy Can Inspire Your Congregation!

The Pastor looked tired.
He gets up to preach the message and delivers an impassioned four point sermon with colorful illustrations and “all the fixin’s”…still no one comes forward to altar. He starts to doubt his abilities to lead people to Christ. He starts to grow frustrated and restless in his calling. He looks out at his church congregation and believes most are just without “ears to hear” and have settled into Christian mediocrity.

What’s wrong with this picture?
It seems like some sort of fictional story and yet this is not so uncommon among pastors today.
Many pastors get out of seminary and believe that they will make a difference…and most will. Most Pastors are prepared for the fray, and for “ministry life”. Yet, as reality sets in, the risk many might face is disillusionment, ministry fatigue, and a loss of mission.

The problem that I have with the above illustration is two-fold:
1) It’s all about the Pastor.
We pastors and ministers of this amazing grace can often get it wrong or backwards.
It’s not about us, it never was.
It’s not about how awesome we are, or how contemporary or traditional we are…it isn’t about how much media we utilize on a Sunday morning either. Oh, and it’s also not about how amazing our worship band is or isn’t. These are all surface things.

Dare I say that we as Pastors can begin to have an ego problem.
We call the shots, we make the executive orders, we plan the service and we preach that sermon that our congregation needs to hear each Sunday morning. Is it easy to miss the point of “Church”? You bet it is. Especially when it becomes all about the Pastor.

This is a real danger, so be aware of its beckoning ego-centric call!

2) The authentic joy is vacant in the Pastor’s life & ministry.
The second problem I see in the uninspired ministry goes hand in hand with the last issue.
If it’s all about us and our ministry team, we run the risk of displaying that misaligned vision to our congregations. And when we “put up a front” and paint this perfect picture for them, they see right through it. It’s like that elementary teacher who is terrified of elementary students…those kids just know when the teacher is scared to death.

Authentic joy cannot be faked.
People, especially our congregation, will know and see through inauthentic fakery.
It doesn’t matter how flowery your sermon is…
It doesn’t matter how “on point” the worship band was this Sunday…
It doesn’t matter if you have everything right on the bulletin this Sunday…
IF you aren’t authentic and you’re just going through the motions, it will be more evident than you think.

What I’m not saying today:
I’m not saying that we have to be Happy all the time – I know that it’s just not possible to put on a happy face when things are far from happy in your church.
I’m not saying that we have to perpetually seek joy and happiness for our church members either.

What I am saying is this:
Authenticity, in every season is a hard commodity to come by all the time.
I have preached those sermons.
I have lived that illustration.
I have been there.

So how do we recapture that Authentic joy once more?
Not by some feel good seminar or self-help section (but sometimes that helps).
Not by continuing to fake it and gut it out for a little while longer.
No, we have to find fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to confide in and to share each other’s burdens.
We need (and crave) fellow Pastors to tell us that they’ve been to those desert places as well.
We have to feast on uplifting, yet challenging spiritual readings by theologians and thinkers who will push up out of our funk from time to time. If the iron isn’t in the fire being sharpened by other iron, then it is growing rusty and dull.

Don’t hole up in your office.
Don’t internalize your struggles and think no one else will relate.
Don’t pretend that you have it all worked out.
Talk, share, connect with other Pastors…

We need to go back to the source of living water…and sometimes (many times) we need each other more than we think.

Capturing authentic joy and passion for your ministry once again requires other pastors, mentors and leaders to help you. Don’t become rusty and dull…let’s help recapture that spark in your life once more!

Something more to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

September 14, 2015 0

The Syrian Refugee Crisis…And You!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
-Galatians 6:9

The Bad:

A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refug...A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refugee camp set in the town of Harmanli, south-east of Sofia on November 12, 2013. Bulgaria's asylum centres are severely overcrowded after the arrival of almost 10,000 refugees this year, half of them Syrian. The influx has fuelled anti-immigrant sentiment in a country already struggling with dire poverty. AFP PHOTO / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOVNIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP/Getty Images — A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refug…A Syrian refugee holds a baby in a refugee camp set in the town of Harmanli, south-east of Sofia on November 12, 2013. Bulgaria’s asylum centres are severely overcrowded after the arrival of almost 10,000 refugees this year, half of them Syrian. The influx has fuelled anti-immigrant sentiment in a country already struggling with dire poverty. AFP PHOTO / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOVNIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP/Getty Images

Since the Syrian civil war took place five years ago, an estimated 4,000,000 (that’s MILLION) refugees have left the war-torn country. Many have flooded into neighboring countries
It boggles the mind that there are countries in our world who would turn a blind eye to the plight of asylum seekers and refugees. It has been reported that some of the wealthiest countries in the Middle East are doing nothing to help welcome foreign refugees from Syria. The same can be said for some European countries as well. Let’s call it for what it is. This isn’t about fears of the economic mainframe and fears that a country can’t support a sudden influx of refugees. This isn’t about resources at all, because either the EU would step in and help as would the United Nations. In fact, just today one of the UN’s top officials said this current refugee crisis needs a global response (Source: UN Response To Current Crisis) The refusal by some nations to help displaced Syrian families is abhorrent, wrong and despicable. Apathy seems to be running rampant in parts of the world. Self-interests are in play here, as is the practice of turning a blind eye and pretending it doesn’t really exist. This is about inconvenience. Some of this is also about ethnic and ideological differences. Racism still exists. Bigotry within cultures, religion and lifestyles still exist, and is alive and kicking.

The Good:

Fleeing bombardment of their village by Syria's Assad regime, — Fleeing bombardment of their village by Syria’s Assad regime, “Um Ali,” 38, as the mother of six children asked to be called, sits in the back of the cave they have found as their own shelter. The cave, just outside the village of al Sahriah, measures about 12 by 35 feet. (Andree Kaiser/MCT)

Germany was one of the first countries to step up and do something about this humanitarian crisis.
They have pledged to take up to 500,000 refugees a year! That is amazing generosity, compassion and willingness to do something remarkable when others have turned a blind eye to the plight of these displaced families in need.
Now, the tide is (hopefully) turning – The Vatican has pledged support and is urging other nations and Christians to do the same. Some countries, like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and France are beginning to feel the pressure to offer more than just a band-aid solution but, perhaps a new home to many who are now homeless because of this horrific civil war.

More Still Remains To Be Done:

DAMASCUS, SYRIA - JANUARY 31: In this handout provided by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Residents wait in line to receive food aid distributed in the Yarmouk refugee camp on January 31, 2014 in Damascus, Syria. The United Nations renewed calls for the Syria regime and rebels to allow food and medical aid into the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk. An estimated 18,000 people are besieged inside the camp as the conflict in Syria continues. (Photo by United Nation Relief and Works Agency via Getty Images) — DAMASCUS, SYRIA – JANUARY 31: In this handout provided by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Residents wait in line to receive food aid distributed in the Yarmouk refugee camp on January 31, 2014 in Damascus, Syria. The United Nations renewed calls for the Syria regime and rebels to allow food and medical aid into the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk. An estimated 18,000 people are besieged inside the camp as the conflict in Syria continues. (Photo by United Nation Relief and Works Agency via Getty Images)

There is still hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who are seeking peace and a new home.
Syria is most notable war torn country in the news currently; but other places in the world are suffering the same fate year after year; places like Sudan – currently in South Sudan there are more than 600,000 refugees who have fled to the Southern boarders while another 1.5 million people are currently displaced and without a place to call home. (Source: South Sudan Refugee Exodus Continues)

What Can We Do?
How can we help? We are just soldiers, people, seemingly little in our community…but we are wrong, we do have a voice and must make it heard!
We must continue to give a voice to those who do not have a voice.
We must fight for the powerless, the suffering, the homeless, the refugee, the trafficked sex slaves, the child soldier.
In this current crisis, and crises like it in our world, we must stand against injustice.

In the United States:
Write your state representative or better yet call them
Here is a list of their numbers – Phone Numbers To Call
Urge them to apply pressure to offer more support to the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

In Canada:
Look up your local/governmental officials and apply pressure to help
Contact Information

In The United Kingdom:
Here are some rather current information as to what is being done in the UK –
FactSheet
But more can be done and you can urge your government officials.

I can’t list all of your wonderful countries here today but I would suggest that where ever you live, you must apply some pressure to your governmental units. Remind them, urge them to help. We cannot sit idly by while innocent men, women and children are displaced and are suffering. Turning a blind eye is a conscious choice to not care. Don’t allow apathy and selfishness to invade your heart! Do something!

More resources and information:
The Salvation Army Assists Refugees
The Greek Salvation Army Caring For Refugees
UN Refugee Agency
CNN News Report

Something more to ponder today!

September 9, 2015 1

Dear Salvationists….3 Reasons To Run From Church.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Before I get a bunch of hate mail about this topic and title, let me clarify.
I am in no way suggesting that you abandon your posts and/or corps.
The body of Christ needs you.
This Army needs dedicated soldiers and officers like you, so don’t surrender or quit!

What am I saying then?

There are moments when Church fellowship has been destroyed.
There are moments when you face more hostility than acceptance.
There are moments when the body is literally broken.

Have you been there?

Sometimes the worst kinds battles occur within the walls of “Church”.
Sometimes the worst judges, juries and executioners are sitting in the pews every Sunday morning. They cast looks with furrowed eyebrows and brandish barbed words and sharpened blades of deceit. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t in every corps, nor is it in every church, but when it does happen it can destroy lives.
Sometimes it is found in the maligned uses of Scripture to fit the needs or used as a weapon.

So why run?
What do I possibly mean by this?
I don’t want to sound like a cynic today, but I am not naive to believe that every church is practicing what they preach. This sounds judgmental too doesn’t it – sorry, I don’t mean it to be. I just want to caution you, and use this as a metaphor today. The “Church” is more than four walls. The “Church” is more than what happens on Sunday. The “Church” is more than a group of people in odd looking uniforms. The “Church” is you, it is me, it is our very bodies, our very nature as Transformed new creations. So let me speak of this “Church” metaphor today, and why we should run.

What are we to run from?
3 Reasons To Run From Church:

1. Let’s run from the Gossip Church!
“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” -Proverbs 20:19
If Church is all about backbiting, slander and all kinds of verbal abuse, then run.
Don’t associate yourselves with the Church of Gossip. Don’t hang out in its halls. Don’t participate in it’s rotten potlucks full of foul intentions and underhanded comments. These things will make you sick and poison your soul. Don’t involve yourself in this tainted fellowship, instead RUN! Gossip can seem quite innocuous at first with a mere sentence of “hey did you hear…”, or “I want you to pray for so and so because they….” -Gossip is NOT edifying to the body of Christ. So don’t a part of that Church, instead run from it and have nothing to do with it at all!

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak…” Matthew 12:36

2. Let’s run from Weaponized Scripture!
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” James 4:11

If scripture is being abused and used to attack other people – Run.
Don’t take specific passages out of context in order to fulfill the needs of “Church”.
Don’t listen to such poison either.
Be mindful that this can be Church of one (me, myself and I) as well as a group of people.

Jesus didn’t care much for the abusers of the Torah and it’s many laws, this should give you an inkling of what His response would be to those who do that still today. Modern day Pharisees do exist among us. There are times to confront them and times when we should RUN from them.

If scripture is used purposely to fit a Church’s needs and/or to attack other people with it – get away from them and run! Don’t waste another moment in that fellowship. Also, spend time studying the Bible for yourself, don’t just take other people’s word at face value. Begin to develop your own understanding of what is being said. Understand the context of each passage and to whom it was originally written to. Be aware of this sort of weaponizing of scripture…the purpose of a weaponized scripture isn’t to bring people to Christ, instead it is used to condemn others and hold power and authority over them by looking down on them. If that’s the case then run from the Weaponized Scripture Church.

“If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.” -Exodus 23:5

3. Run From the Loveless Church!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” Matthew 5:43-44

A Church without love is a dead church.
A heart that feels nothing for others is a sad and pitiful life.
Run from such a Church. Run from the religion of hate, judgement and condemnation. Don’t waste your time in these loveless pursuits.

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20

We will not always agree with one another in Church. This is different than lacking love completely. I don’t know of any church that is void of love, lacking sometimes – yes, but not void of it. But within our hearts we can become apathetic, we can become unloving and uncaring for others. Run from this Church. Run from this desire to NOT care.

What Church should we RUN TO?

1. Run to the Church of Sincerity.
2. Run to the Church of Honesty.
3. Run to the Church of Authenticity.
4. Run to the Church of Forgiveness and Grace
5. Run to the Church of Holiness – a transforming life (He is still working on you/me/us).
6. Run to the Church of Reconciliation and Restoration of the Broken

Dear Salvationist,
We can’t afford to run into the Church of gossip.
We can’t afford to run into the Church of the Weaponized Word.
We can’t afford to run into the Church of the loveless.

If we truly want to win the world for Jesus, then we have to run to the right places.
Our hearts must be in the right place.
Our lives are His, and His alone.

Something more for our Army to consider this morning.
To God be the glory!

September 4, 2015 1

Dear Salvation Army,THIS ______Changes Everything!!

“The divine breath evokes divine harmonies.” General Frederick Coutts

Dear Army,
-Are there not days when you feel tired, worn and spent?
-Are there not moments when circumstances and reality hit you square between the eyes and you can’t help but wonder about your own breaking point?
-Are there not moments when you leave home long before the sun rises and finally enter your home once again well after the sun has gone to bed?

This is fight is not a fight that we will win on our own.
What fight you ask? The fight against sin. The fight against injustice. The fight against poverty. The fight we as Christ-followers engage in every day. We will never be strong enough on our own, yet pridefully we attempt such feats only to find discouragement and loss. We can not defeat the enemy, who is the father of lies and the bondages of sin…on our own. We are not the source of strength. We were not created to be islands unto ourselves, self-sustaining and without need of help.

Our weapons of war are provided to us.
God the Father sent His Spirit to guide and to provide.
He alone has the power to equip us in these battles we fight.
The battles are far from over.
They are turbulent and many casualties within our ranks have occurred.
Yet, because of His great love and His love for those who are lost, we carry on.

So what changes everything?
What is the tipping point within the war?
What is our secret weapon you ask?

Our power comes from the One who sends us out into the fray.
Our power comes from a band of soldiers bound together in holy prayer, without personal benefit, but for the purpose of upholding one another within the very hands of God. Our power resides in His Holy Presence sustaining us in the darkest of moments and in the most dire of circumstances. He is but a whisper away and will come to our aid even before we ask Him.

The real key to this Divine power is our faith and allegiance.
Do we sincerely believe He can still perform miracles in our world?
Do we sincerely believe that God will answer, or even hear our prayers?
Do we humble incline our hearts and ears to listen to His answers that He whispers to us?
Are we prepare to move when He sends us?
Are we ready to act and to speak when we prompts us to?

The true power of prayer resides within His provision as well as our receiving and believing.
The receptacle has to accept that which is given in order for the light to shine.
So how is your heart today?
Do you firmly believe God has orders for you?
Are you ready to humble accept those orders?
What of your brother or sister along side you in this war?
Will you make it a matter of discipline to bring them daily before the throne of God in prayer?
Can you commit to encouraging and lifting up one another?
Forget about Church politics, policies and procedures, the jostling for political powers that occur within any Church…and pray.

It is quite astounding that we often times treat prayer as some sort of last resort in our spiritual arsenal, when it is our front-line. The disciplined solider MUST intentionally seek out the front-line weapon that is prayer. It ought not remain a knee-jerk response to times of crisis; because if we gird (arm) ourselves and bath ourselves as well as our fellow comrades in this Holy power, we will be equipped and baptized in His Holy Presence.

Prayer changes everything…if we will proactively employ its power before the daily battles begin.

Questions to ponder today:
How can I employ the power of prayer before I engage the world each day?
Am I lifting up my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (in and out of uniform)?
Have I, in the past, only resorted to prayer when everything else had failed?
How can I change my prayer life so that I can better engage the world around me?

Oh that my utterances in prayer be for You alone dear Lord.
That my heart and its intentions are bowed low before Your throne.
Gird this way, the path that you have set before me.
Baptize me again in Your Holy presence
Fill me a new today.
-Amen

Something more for our Army to ponder today!

September 3, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 5 Ministry Life Hacks That Can Improve Your Ministry

You’ve seen all of the life hack ideas out there.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were Ministry Life Hacks? Well, there are.
I’ve done a little digging on the web as well as thought of some realistic ministry hacks on my own.
I should point out though that ministry hacks are necessarily short cuts or a means to short change your ministry…it still takes hard work and determination, but perhaps we should be thinking smarter about the way we do things instead of making it harder when there could be a simpler way.

5 Life Hacks That Can Improve Your Ministry
These might be some obvious and/or not so obvious to you.
The key in our ministries is to be relateable, realistic and holy.
How do we do these things?
-Consistency
-Be Real
-Be Honest
-Be Available
You get the point.
Anyway…here we go…

1. YouTube Mini Webisodes
Here’s a hack within a hack –

Your corps could do these type of videos in your services as well…it’s really very simple.
You might also consider doing these videos instead of your regular “announcement time”.

Most smart phones these days are affordable and relatively easy to navigate.
The world becomes closer to your fingertips and using it for the right reasons makes all the difference. We ought to take advantage of these media platforms. It’s really not hard. The hard part is adding content to places like YouTube that people will actually watch and/or be interested in. Make sure the videos you post are well thought out, planned and creative. YouTube channels are free. You can add one yourself with just a google e-mail account. With the use of a smart phone you can now upload simple webisodes and/or informational content to your YouTube channel. You don’t have to have a big budget on video editing equipment to get your message out to the masses. Experiment and give it a try for yourself!

2. Keep And Sync Your Lotus Notes Calendar to all your (approved) devices
(Or Google Calendar)
Again, the nice thing about modern technology is that you can organize your life.
I have a confession, I’m not the most organized person in the world, in fact I’m far from it.
I need this kind of help on a daily basis in order to keep track of my schedule and calendar of events.
You can use IBM’s Lotus Notes Calendar and have it synced to your phones…it works!
If you’re more of a web-based calendar person, you can use google calendar (Note: I really don’t work for google, seriously, it just stuff that I’ve found through trial and error that works).

Maybe you’re like me and you’re unorganized and you need help.
Try using a calendar for a month…stick with it. Any new habit has to be formed and it takes time.

3. Media Saturated Social Media Posts

Image of male touching virtual icon of social network — There will undoubtedly be someone out there who will say (and comment) “*Well, what about just using the Bible and preach the gospel, we don’t need all of this stuff!*” If that’s the case then don’t use all this stuff. This is just a means to make our ministry smarter, better prepared and sharper.

If your corps/ministry uses social media then use it well!
Put your phones to use by taking photos of events and posting them.
Put thought provoking content on you Corps facebook page, twitter account, tumblr and any other media platform you may use. Keep your corps members engaged through out the week. If your sermon on Sunday can spill over onto your website or social media page then do that! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to stay connected and be a source of hope and challenge to your corps members and community!

It’s really taking the quote “Why should the devil have all the good music” and bringing it into the modern generation. Why should the devil have all the good media content (other than the occasional “if you love God then click ‘like’ if you don’t then ignore” dumb posts you see sometimes on places like Facebook)?

Being innovative in your ministry doesn’t mean selling the truth of the gospel out.
I. Am. Not. Saying. That. (But someone will certainly accuse me of this today…just watch)
What I’m merely suggesting is we ought to use the tools that we have at our finger tips to get that message out more and in a more accessible and visible way.

4. Be Prepared!
It’s really not a new life ministry hack.
Do you remember the old Colonel or Major that used to tell you “keep an extra sermon in your bible just in case” THIS STILL APPLIES! Preparation is King! Always have a message to speak. Be creative, be innovative, be prepared! It’s so much more than the Boy Scout motto. It ought to be the Christ-follower’s motto as well!

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...” (1 Peter 3:15)

Maybe put down the tv remote and refrain from watching another hour of programming.
Maybe put aside that video game that you’re totally immersed in.
Maybe get up a little earlier each morning and get some spiritual preparation under your belt by spending time in prayer and meditating on God.
Maybe put aside any other distractions that might get in the way of your preparation as a minister/Officer/Soldier/Evangelist/Worship Leader/Corps Sergeant Major/YPSM (the list goes on)…

Maybe read a challenging book about the Christian faith.
Maybe do something that stretches you.
Do whatever prepares you to engage our world and those we have the privilege to minister to.

5. Connect with Corps Members Through Intentional Social Events.

If food is the way to a man’s heart, then social events are the way to your corps people’s hearts.
How else will we connect on a fellowship level if we don’t intentionally schedule events that will allow us to “let our hair down”? All families, singles, divorcees, seniors, middle agers, young adults crave some sort of social connection other than Sunday morning worship times. Don’t skimp of the fellowship times because you think it’s a frivolous waste of time. Schedule. Connect. Don’t make it all about some sort of additional bible study time. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your corps members. This allows them access to you as a person and not just their officer or local officer. Be real. Make the attempt. This ministry life hack is the grease to the ‘cohesive body of Christ’ cog.

These are a mere five suggestions to help improve your ministry.
Do you have additional suggestions? Comment below and share with us your insight!
Join the conversation, that’s what these ponderings are all about!

Something more for our Army to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

September 2, 2015 0

Author: Pastor'sPonderings