Dear Salvation Army – Who Are You? (Our Identity In Our Army)

Who are you?
That question has been asked by every human who has ever lived one time or another.

Sometimes…
Identity is tied to what you do.
Identity is tied to who you marry.
Identity is tied to where you live.
Identity is tied to how many degrees you have hanging on the wall.
Identity is tied to the level of power and authority you crave and attain.

But in our Army…who are you?
I don’t mean “what is your rank?”
I don’t mean “where are you stationed?”
I don’t mean “Who are your parents or how many family members do you have in the army?”

Who are you in and out of The Army?

Questions for personal discovery and something to consider:
Is my personal identity solely link to the Army?
Do I “have a life” outside of the army?
What are my hobbies?
What am I passionate about?
(There are probably more questions to consider here as well)

Truth #1

Let me relieve some of you out there who feel burdened today that you aren’t doing enough or aren’t always equipped (or good enough) for The Army…

>>We ought to possess an identity that transcends The Salvation Army and is not completely chained to the Red, Yellow and Blue. Did you just gasp? Are you surprised by this? I hope not. God did not make us all unique and individuals in order for us to all dress the same, talk the same and become robots in uniform. Forgive me…that sounded harsh, and it really didn’t sound like that in my head. What I mean by that is this: Don’t let the Army be your only identity. I love The Salvation Army. I am a fourth generation Salvationists. I should bleed red, yellow and blue…but over the years I have come to the realization that I cannot be The Salvation Army every moment of every day because I will begin to lose who God has made me.

That sounded a little selfish, but it’s not. We ought to find the time to find ourselves once in a while. We do a disservice to God if we allow the work to consume us and in the process we lose our way as people of God. Even Jesus got away from things. He took time to commune with The Father in solitude.

Self-Care:
Self-care isn’t being lazy.
Self-care isn’t putting off responsibilities.
Self-care is about becoming re-connected with God.
Self-care is about finding your personal identity again.
Self-care is about tapping into that spiritual well that can and will replenish our tired, empty spirits.
We need to find ourselves again.
We cannot work ourselves to death.
We are God’s soldiers but what good is a tired, exhausted, spiritually dried out husk?

Truth #2
Do not give your identity away to anyone or anything.

God made you unique.
God didn’t make a mistake.
God alone owns your identity…not your job, your friends, or even the Army. God wants to use us through our unique identities.

There is accountability .
There is peer to peer guidance and mentors for the purpose of discipleship, maturity and holiness. God can and will use these means to produce in us a deeper sense of our identity as well, but beware…don’t give your identity away to anyone or anything other than The Lord.

The result of giving your unique identity away?
You begin to lose a piece of yourself.
You begin to hang your hopes on things that are temporal and fading.
You will find disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment.

Who are you?

You are first:
A Child of God…you are His!
You are His precious possession.
You are matter to Him.
You have an identity beyond just the Army…but you can use that identity to make changes, make a difference and to help heal the brokenness in this world and sometimes in our organization/mission.

A Word To The Wise:
Don’t allow the Army to be your only identity.
Take time for self-care.
Be willing to be teachable by trusted mentors, accountability partners and most importantly The Holy Spirit (who can and will use these people and others).
The safest place for your identity to reside is within the hands of God…not your rank, not your position, not your appointment, not even your family and friends. Yes ministry and our lives are holistic. Yes our identity is linked to this ministry that God has placed us in…but make sure you remember that your identity, your life, your heart belongs first to God and God alone and from there prayerfully invest yourself as good and faithful stewards.

Just something more for our Army and its Soldiers to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

September 9, 2014 1

Mark Driscoll Was Right…

Questions some of you might be thinking about right now having read the title:
“What was Mark Driscoll right about?”
“Did I miss something?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Barf, barf, barf…what?”
“Has this blog and its writer joined the dark-side?”

The Preamble:

Let me clarify what Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church was right about before the pitchforks come out and the mobs with torches attack.
We all know him because of the recent news stories and the controversy surrounding his ministry in the recent years. If you have been living under a rock or haven’t really cared one way or another, here’s a link to read up on: Driscoll Controversy

I am not here to throw more fuel on the funeral pyre of Pastor Driscoll’s ministry. I think there are plenty of bloggers out there who are doing a bang up job in that department…maybe a little too much. I do not wish to become a bitter blogger who dances and celebrates whenever a “celebrity Christian” falls from grace. I pray that this never becomes my identity or the identity of this blog http://www.pastorspondering.org.

Mark Driscoll’s response – Update from Mark Driscoll

Here’s what Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church got right:
Mars Hill Church was founded in 1996 and has since become the largest multi-church “Mega Church” in the United States.

Why did they grow so fast?
What was their secret?

Mars Hill Church understood and was a major catalyst for the Emergent Church movement. Along with its modernistic church/rock feel they had a way of connecting with younger generations of our country. They were able to plug tech-savvy generations into a very relevant God with whom they could relate to and understand. Mars Hill Church, not just Mark Driscoll, branched out and created a relevant heavy worship music driven service(s) to reach the young adult/single adult communities in over 5 states. At their peak they had a weekly attendance of over 12,000 members. They were successful at being cutting edge. They were willing to take risks. They were creating other disciples and branching out through small groups and para-churches…they. got. evangelism. right.

What We Can Learn From Them:
There is much to learn from Mars Hill Church and other churches out there who have been very successful at reaching people for Jesus. There should be something good to take away from such ministries. Are there downsides? Negative implications? Controversy and inaccurate/jumbled up theologies? Yes, yes and yes.

But…

Could we be more cutting edge?
Could we take more risks in evangelism and discipleship?
Do we develop leadership based ministries that cultivate and grow additional disciples and leaders?

Another lesson to draw from Mars Hill Church in my opinion is this:
Success is not solely about numbers.
We can play the statistics game. We can do “splashy” events to draw in a few extra families…but is it only about sheer numbers of attendees? No.

Success in ministry is about being faithful to the place(s) God has called your ministry to be. If He has called you to minister to a senior citizen demographic then minister to those seniors through relevant and dynamic methods that will be suit them. If God has called you to minister to the outcasts and rejects in society, then prepare relevant and hard hitting applicational methods to best suit the down and out. Where God has called us, we must respond and be willing to step up and extend a hand to all who would hear and receive.

From Discoll to Willow Creek – Change is tough!
A few years ago (2008) Mega Church Willow Creek recognized that their ministries needed to have a “re-alignment” from Seeker-Sensitive services to developing a more mature discipleship growth initiative (to read more on this, see this article: Willow Creek’s change). This adjustment took guts and could have been seen as a detriment to their ideology and mission as a church…but they took this step anyway.

I am not trying to lump Willow Creek in with Pastor Mark Driscoll here. But what I am attempting to do is display the need for change in any church regardless of where God has placed us. We cannot operate in the long term using the same tools we first began with. Perhaps for Mars Hill Church the old tool here is Pastor Mark Driscoll…perhaps a long term change requires a new identity and new leadership…I don’t know, I’m just spit-balling here.

When it comes to change there are some truths here to be grasped:
Life changes. Times progress. Culture and society changes. I also do not believe that the Holy Spirit is ever static in reaching out into our brokenness and restoring shattered lives. We too should recognize the pivotal moments when change must take place. We too ought to be prepared to move when the Holy Spirit tells us to move.

Can we learn something from Mars Hill Church? Yes.
Can we learn something from the whole Mark Driscoll debacle? Yes.
Are we willing to adjust our ministries and are we prepared to move when the Holy Spirit moves us?…..um…maybe? I don’t know if we truly are. I’m just being honest. I can’t say that we are really prepared for such a venture. It’s scary. Change is frightening to a lot of people. Risks also have their downside which is known as failure. Are we prepared to face failure?…I don’t think we truly are.

My Two Cents:

Mark Driscoll, Lief Moi and Mike Gunn did something right when they founded Mars Hill Church. They longed to engage a younger generation. They took risks…and they adjusted and changed. I cannot say that I agree with Driscoll’s stance on a lot of topics, especially Women in Ministry, his use of language (in the past), his treatment of former staff members, his use of mission funds… I cannot say that I am all too pleased with what has taken place on either side of this debacle in Seattle…honestly it’s quite sad for the Church (big ‘C’). I also know that I have no right to judge. I also know that I am not in any position to criticize, but I would rather err on the side of grace, prayer and compassion than I would on harsh judgement, negative responses and name calling.

Jesus was very harsh with certain teachers of the law in His day. He did not hold back…but He was also God’s Son. He understood what people were thinking and He cut to the quick when dealing with judgmental, hypocritical law abiding scholars. I sure don’t want to end up on the wrong side of that conversation with my Lord. That is why I think it prudent to prayerfully point out inaccurate theological teachings. We should conduct ourselves with prudence and respect while attempting to live out holiness practically and reverently. Does that mean there isn’t room for debate, constructive criticism and disagreement? No, not at all…just be careful because in the process we may miss out on or overlook some very teachable moments.

Just something more to ponder today.
Okay, now you can light your fires and hoist your pitchforks. 😉

September 8, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – Hell?…No!

“We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.” (Salvation Army Doctrine # 6)

People are going through hell right now.
Sometimes life choices and wrong decisions lead to hell on earth.
Sometimes hell breaks loose upon the innocent by others or financial woes and health issues.

Hell is alive and well here on earth.
But…

Does it have to be? NO!

You see, though hell in the realms of eternity is “eternal separation from God”, there are many, many people who are enduring hell while they live here and now. Suffering is real. Sin is real. Sorrow, anguish, guilt, pain…all real. What can we do about this hell on earth? Are we not called to do something? Are we not called to offer compassion and care?

Who is the whosoever?

It was you and me.
It might have been our Moms and Dads, our brothers or sisters.
It is that neighbor across the street.
It is that person who comes to our food-shelf.
The drug addict who is on his fourth round of rehab.
It is anyone who is living through hell right now and wants to be saved from it.

Jesus came to free us from hell both on earth and after earth.
He came to redeem us from certain death because of sin.
He chose to willingly die in our place and His blood makes us clean.
Jesus died for the whosoever…regardless of the depths of sin and decay in the heart.

What if I’m not good enough to save?
This question is such a lie. Don’t buy this lie!
“For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23
That’s right…ALL. Everyone one of us is not good enough. Everyone of us has fallen short, messed up, screwed up, royally wasted every opportunity and burned every bridge in our wake. It is for everyone who has thought hope – should never, could never be ours…but it is!
Jesus has saved you. You don’t have to be good enough…we will never be good enough to save ourselves. Jesus comes to our level and plucks us from our own personal hells. He can do that for others as well.

Dear Salvationist, people around our corps buildings and other places that we hang our shield and crest…some people around our neighborhoods are going through horrific hells right now. We can help! We should help! This isn’t some sort of social fellowship without an outward reaching – NO! We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, help extinguish the flames of hell in peoples lives today. We have this sacred duty to perform. We are charged with not only the souls of our brothers and sisters in uniform, but in the soul care of the helpless, downtrodden, the outcast and the poor. All of whom have experienced hell on earth. All of whom may never have felt the soft touch of compassion and love before. Who may initially spurn our efforts and attempts to help because they fear we have ulterior motives because that is what the world has taught them through hard lessons.

Sin and death and hell are here and now. People aren’t required to wait to reap these rewards in some sort of horrific afterlife punishment because they are enduring them now.

Beware of Hardened Hearts and Apathetic Care!
We minister to many who have been marginalized and cast out from society. Many carry with them that bitterness from hard living. Dear Soldier, it would be very easy to become angry with such a soul. It could sometimes be very justifiable. We serve many who might take advantage of our gifts of compassion, and yet because of God grace that we have firmly accepted, we cannot in good conscience and love, harden our hearts and provide empty apathetic care to those in need. We may be the only light of Christ in a world of hell that they see. Take every opportunity to share that light! Take every opportunity you have to rescue these poor souls from their own personal hells.

Can we leave a poor wretch in such a condition if we have the power to transform lives in Jesus name? I say ‘no we can’t’!
Hell is more than some fire-pit of punishment doled out on the wicked at the end of all things. Hell is here and now among us. Hell’s flames of sin has decimated families, wrecked havoc on the hearts of men and women and Satan would love to convince us that there is nothing that we can do to help extinguish such a fire. Don’t buy that lie! We are witnesses for Jesus! We can live as kingdom people here and now, and in so doing we can say to Hell – NO! While we aid our poor brothers and sisters who are without hope by employing the Holy Spirit as our guide and strength.

“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

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7-7

“Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down, bring them down!
Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down, bring them down!
Pull down the devil’s kingdom,
Where’er he holds dominion,
Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down.
Glory, honor to the Lamb,
Praise and power to the Lamb;
Glory, honor, praise and power,
Be forever to the Lamb.”
(Storm the Forts of Darkness, Robert Johnson 1884)

Something more for our army world to ponder today…to God be the glory!
“Go for souls…and go for the worst!”

September 5, 2014 2

Salvation Army – 7 Scriptures To Live By

There are many, many cherished verses stored up in our hearts. Some we learned in Sunday School many years ago, while others we have come to love and accept through personal trials, bible studies and other opportunities to feast on the scriptures.

A Cautionary Note:
As we read through passages in the bible make sure care is taken to first understand the context of the verses we are reading. Understand to whom they were written first, the historical background, possibly the original reasons the author wrote them in the first place. It can become easy to merely pick and choose certain scripture verses which seem to fit nicely into our lives while ignoring the rest. Do not pick and choose! Yes, we store up specific verses from memory and these are good, but make sure in memorizing verses that you understand the context and meaning as well.

Here are only seven passages of scripture which are meaningful to me that I would like to share with you. There are many, many more passages in the scriptures that I could list here, but these are just a few:

7 Scriptures To Live By:

1. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5,6

We place our all in the hands of God when we say ‘yes’ to Christ. As followers of Jesus we must find our footing in this world that is not always safe and “fun”. We endure hardships at times. There will be struggles along the way. We will encounter opposition from time to time. Trials and even persecution may take place to those who follow Christ. Can we place all of our trust in Him? Do we trust Him enough to allow His leading to guide us? Do we really believe that He will make our paths straight? There is nothing here that promises things will get easier. There isn’t anything listed here that states we will find “prosperity” or receive smooth sailing through life. But this Psalm does say that if we acknowledge Him; if we place our trust in Him, if we walk in His ways that He will direct us. Can we live by this, as difficult as life may be sometimes?

2. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Jesus was speaking to His disciples in this passage. This is before His arrest and crucifixion. How could Jesus talk of peace in the midst of pending violence and death? How can we find peace in the midst of turbulence our lives today? Truth: God’s peace comes to us despite the world and its craziness around us. His peace can fill our hearts and lives despite the storms that “would our way oppose“. Jesus speaks of an inner peace. A peace that helps us walk by faith. A peace that transcends worldly problems big and small. His peace is eternal when the temporal trials and problems fade away. This is a peace and a passage to live by today!

3. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trials you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12,13

Peter writes of trials to a persecuted early church. Suffering, torture and even death were very real to the early church. Today there are still places in this world where Christians are martyred for their love and faith in Christ. We may not face this extreme for our faith…but others do. With that being said, can we stand firmly on the truth of Christ and His resurrected power of salvation despite the suffering we may receive? Is Christ our Lord and Savior only in the good times when things are going our way? I hope not! May we be bold in our faith to stand firm. May His love be reflected in all that we do. May we be dispensers of God’s grace to the world around us even to our enemies and those who would laugh and scorn us. Stand firm and live for Him!

4. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Paul writes to Timothy to remind him of his calling and to persevere. He is young but is following in Paul’s footsteps as a leader in the early church. Leadership, no matter where it is, requires resolve, wisdom and strength. Paul reminds Timothy and also you and me to be bold in our faith, but also that we have been given power of the Holy Spirit to overcome and live holy lives. We can do what God has called us to do. It is not impossible. No task that God gives us is impossible with His Holy Spirit leading us! We are powerless without Him, but with Him we can live this life and we can share this life and hope with others.

5. “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22
Once again I share with you a passage that is dear to my heart. It seems a lot of these verses that I have selected revolved around trials, suffering, and faith…true! We all endure. We all encounter trouble of every kind. It may come to us in various forms. It will vary from person to person, but ultimately where does our hope reside? The answer: In Christ alone! Psalm 55:22 reminds me of how important my prayer life ought to be with my God. He wants to fellowship with me. A mighty, amazing, all-powerful Creator of the Universe wants to fellowship with little you and me. WOW! A part of that fellowship is sharing with Him our troubles and our concerns. Do we go to Him with our cares…all of them? Is this only a bed time or early morning time conversation? NO! It should be a continual conversation with our Lord. Casting our cares on the Lord isn’t just some wish list of demands. It isn’t just a laundry list of gripes and complaints either. Our cares should include whatever concerns us – big and small as well as the cares of others – our children, families, friends, neighbors and even our enemies. That last segment of this verse says, “He will never let the righteous fall.” I take that to mean He will protect us from spiritual battles. He will uphold us in our sorrows and times of despair. He will ultimately deliver us from this life one day and we will finally know that Divine fellowship fully. What a promise! What a joy to know that we serve a God who is personal and loving and protective of His children!

6. “You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.” Psalm 139:1-6

This passage is near and dear to my heart because of the understand that even before I existed God knew me. I don’t wish to delve into anything theological like “Predestination” or anything…but this is comforting to me and it should be to you as well! God knows us so intricately, so personally. How amazing is that? How awesome is He? So much could be said about His knowledge of us. So much could be written on this topic of prayer and of worship. This Psalm is one of my favorites for the reason that God is a personal God. He isn’t some deity that wound the world up, put it on some cosmic shelf and walked away…No! He lives within us. He communes with us. He loves us so very deeply and longs for us to, in some way, reciprocate this love relationship with Him! What a comfort it is to know we serve a God who knows us so well!

7. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (and verses 1 – 8)

Jesus is the only way to the Father. Some might say this preaches intolerance of other religions. Some might say that this verse is wrong and that there are other ways to “heaven”…but I don’t. I firmly believe Jesus has provided humanity with an eternal hope. But more importantly this isn’t about getting a ticket to heaven. This isn’t about making sure we don’t go to hell. This is about restoring a right relationship with God. Mankind needs salvation. Mankind cannot save itself. We have a hope of restoration, reconciliation and salvation through Christ alone! This is a verse to live by because Christ offers unmerited grace. Christ offers restoration and deliverance from sin. Christ has bought our salvation with His blood. We can live by this verse because we can receive this freely and live joyfully in a restored relationship to the Creator.

QUESTIONS:
What are some of YOUR favorite passages?
What are passages you love to read?

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

September 4, 2014 3

Dear Salvation Army – 4 Sins No One Is Talking About

We must be very diligent in our understanding of sin. Sin is not to be trifled with.
At the same time judgment is certainly not ours either. Although we are not ultimate judges over sin, we are called to live a life worthy of our calling. (Eph. 4:1)

I do not wish to sound ‘holier than thou’ in this article. Please don’t take it that way. These are struggles that I face and I know others do too.

In the army we wage a daily battle on the front lines and we seek to help pull people up out of the raging waters of sin and death. As soldiers for God we must be alert and careful that while we pull souls from these depths that we do not get pulled back into those dangerous riptides ourselves. Sin and the temptation of sin still makes us vulnerable to falling away from the fellowship of God! This should make us more aware of the trappings of sin in our lives both as an individual soldier as well as a collective army.

That being said, I would like to explore 4 sins no one seems to be talking about much these days. I am sure someone out there will be eager to point out that they have been talking about these, but by and large these specific sins seem to go unspoken, unnoticed, or perhaps ignored…we can’t ignore these anymore. Please also note that I am not pointing fingers here either, for to do so would also indite me and I would merely seek to cast light on these four topics as we prayerful and even personally address them in our own lives.

4 Sins No One Is Talking About:
1. Complacency –

“We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those which we have at present.”– Thomas Edison

Perhaps we’ve never looked at it this way before, but complacency can be a sin if it impedes us in the present and the future! Is the mission of our army, not just internationally but most importantly locally, frustrated by complacency as we hang our laurels on what we have already accomplished? Complacency has a way of producing tunnel vision that blinds us from present needs of souls at our doors and in our communities. Forgive me for sounding calloused but we cannot expect the lost, poor, hurting and spiritually in need to simply come to our doors. No! We must go to them. We must go to them with love, compassion, care and support. We must go to them and employ present evangelical, relevant/relational tools.

Complacency can render us impotent in mission. Complacency can, if we are not careful, lead to apathy in relation to others. Complacency is a sin when it prevents us from fulfilling our calling to the Lord because we cannot train our eyes on the present when they are fixed on the past.

2. Exclusivity –

This is a very real sin that can enter our corps and offices in seemingly innocuous ways. We find commonality with friends, family and others that we share common interests, but what happens when someone does not look like us? What happens when someone has different view points or hobbies or even biblical understandings? Do we ostracize them or do we include them regardless of many differences?

Being “exclusive” is the opposite of “inclusive”, it takes the form in our corps that separates “Us” from “Them” just because people do not look like us, or because they don’t talk like us, or even live like “we” think they should.

As an Army, we began as “the Christian Mission” in order to reach those who were not welcome in the church of the day. In part, we began because exclusivity was a real issue in Victorian England…has exclusivity entered our Army today? How do we combat this sin? Yes, I believe it to be a sin because it can prevent others from joining our fellowship of believers on the basis of appearance, present lifestyle, or other things which are not like “us”.

We must be ever aware of the temptation of separation from “those” people. Jesus died for the whosoever, not just the select few, the “holy” few, those that look like “us”…be careful dear soldier for this sin has a very slippery slope.

3. Coveting

We understand what “coveting” is, but do we know that it can exist in our Army? Soldiers can covet what other corps have that they do not. Officers can covet appointments that seem better than where they are now. We run the risk of spending so much time peering over the fence at what others have that we lose our way and our effectiveness in our present mission field.

Coveting can deprive us from appreciating what we do have in our corps and in our ministries. We can lose our gratefulness and appreciation to a Mighty God who provides for the faithful. Coveting is a sin in our hearts and in our ministries if we allow it to take root and fester. Be very aware so as to not fall into begrudging what we do not have and what others might possess. Faithfulness to God and to His ministry here and now requires us to look away from what others have and are doing and refocus on what He has appointed us to do right here and right now!

4. Gluttony

“Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.” -Peter De Vries
I might be scratching a personal itch that might hurt…sorry. This is personal to me as well. Why do so many Army events (at least in the Western world) focus on food, even to the point of fixation? Another component to this is that the life of a soldier and officer can be stressful and can consume many hours of the day. So following a long day we rush out to the closest fast-food establishment and pig out on the comfort foods that help us to drown our sorrows. I am sorry if that hit a little too close to home…it did for me.

Many lives have been shortened because of this issue. Dare I call it an often subconsciousness sin issue. We eat our troubles away. We eat the unhealthy foods because they are the quickest and most affordable to us. We consume foods to make us happy when things are anything but happy.

I recognize that there are those who struggle with depression, eating disorders and other physical/psychological struggles that can lead to over-consumption. We must be gracious and careful not to judge those who endure trials unknown to us. Personally, I have struggled with this sin issue in my life (yes I call it a sin issue). I don’t have some of the above physical/psychological issues but I have, at times, been a glutton.

two reasons gluttony is a sin in our army and should be address:
1) it can shorten the lifespan of soldiers and officers who over-indulge, and cause multiple health problems and issues which can be avoidable.

2) Our testimony and witness to others: I am not saying that being overweight or indulging in some comfort food now and then can hurt your testimony, but long term evidence of gluttony can. If we cannot abstain through controlled self-denial now and then how can we preach and teach about self-control and discipline to others?

Wrapping up these sins…
I understand some of these might be hot button topics, or perhaps a scab was just picked…sorry. Again, it is not my place or anyone else’s place to judge. I simply write this out of my own personal convictions and certain struggles I have faced while a soldier and officer in this army. Dare I even add Gossip is another huge sin that we often talk about (pun intended) but seldom truly confront and uproot the problem. There are other such struggles that we face as a body of believers and as individual soldiers. We should be prudent, prayer and diligent in listening to the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us one person at a time.

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:4

Something more for our army world to ponder today, to God be the glory!

September 3, 2014 3

Dear Salvation Army – “More Than A Feeling” Emotionalism in Worship

We once attended a Pentecostal service.
We do that from time to time when on vacation, visit churches from various denominations that is.
We stopped at this particular church because of the appearance…it looked nice and well maintained.
I noted that its parking lot was nearly full as we made our way to the front doors. You know the old saying about going to the restaurants that have lots of traffic? Well…sometimes this applies to churches as well, at least on the surface of “appearances”.
We were greeted by members of the church who seemed delighted that we had chosen to worship with them on that particular day as they placed a worship bulletin in our hands and showed us to a seat towards the back of the sanctuary. Everything seemed warm and welcoming…until the barking started that is.
I am not joking – barking. No it wasn’t some sort of “bring your pet to church day” or anything like that, but rather an extreme form of “tongues” that certain Pentecostal churches endorse in worship. Members began barking and making all sorts of interesting sounds as they waved their hands, some rolled on the floor while others danced down the isles and around the chapel. We were absolutely wide-eyed and shocked, completely out of our element.
We didn’t know what to do. We felt trapped in a strange circus and we couldn’t find the exit fast enough.

I am certainly not negating that use of tongues (which is scriptural) as a mode for conveying the gospel and for a translator to be present. And I am certainly not negating the use of emotionalism in worship either. Emotionalism, to a degree, is relevant, but in this one instance…wow…just wow.

Does emotionalism play a part in worship?
Of course.
Within this topic there should also be an understanding that cultural styles of worship differ from place to place.
Some cultures might be more emotional than others when it comes to worship. For example in many parts of Africa worshipers will dance down the aisles to the offering plates because the “time of offering” is a time of celebration. This is cultural and is a very beautiful thing to witness. Given the cultural differences that we find around the globe in our global army, it can be difficult to separate extreme emotionalism from cultural practice in worship.

Worship is more
Worship is so much more than what takes place on Sunday in Worship services like Holiness Meetings and Salvation Meetings. But as a corporate body of believers, we gather together for these important times to sing songs of praise, share in scripture, share in testimonies, other worship elements and a message/sermon.

But…
Q: Can emotionalism become a distract in worship?
A: Yes!
Although feelings and emotions are important within our personal worship and even corporate worship, it can become a distraction to other believers who are gathered there to worship in the services we attend. We should consider the reverence of God within these sacred moments of worship as well as how we react to one another while in these sacred spaces.

The Holy Spirit

We must, at the same time, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as well. Please don’t misunderstand what is written here. I am not decrying the use of emotion in worship but we should be mindful of other worshipers as well as be in tune to the Holy Spirit in such corporate settings. He (the Holy Spirit) can prompt us to go to the penitent form out of conviction and reconciliation. He might even prompt us to go to another member within our corporate body to pray with us or for us to seek mending of a broken relationship. We would be wise to listen to His leading in our lives at these important moments.

That being said, emotionalism does play a part in our worship, but be careful that we are not solely led by our emotions.
We also have other physical/mental components to rely on within these modes of worship: Intellect, prudence, and even silence.

Adversely…
Are there places in our army where emotion is lacking?
Are there worship settings that have become too mechanical, staunch and stoic?
Perhaps some worship services could use a shot of emotion…

Worship is vital!
Worship in church is crucial to our spiritual maturity and corporate edification. We need koinonia (Christian fellowship) as we sing praises, share in testimonies and hear the word of God expounded upon in the form of sermons. Just be mindful that there can be more to worship than pure emotionalism. It can play its part, but it should not be our only constant, primary sense utilized 100% of the time in the corporate setting.

Questions to Ponder:
What is your typical worship service like at your corps?
How does emotionalism play into the service?
Is there an abundance of emotion or a vacancy of emotion?
Are we (you) sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He falls upon us? (yes this is both personal and sometime corporate)

-Just something more for our army world to ponder today.

September 2, 2014 1

Summer Waves ‘Goodbye’ (A Poem)

Children file one by one
heads slumped
the look of defeat on their faces,
backpacks slung precariously over their shoulders
weighed down heavily as they take that first,
languishing step onto the school bus.
It is yellow with black stripes
resembling the bumbles bees in the garden
as they stopped to visit flower after flower.

Taking a vinyl seat, browned and cracked…
duct-tape joined where fabric gave way to
endless stabbings of pencils and house keys

and blue ‘bic’ pens which tattooed names
and not so nice words just beyond the prying
eyes of the bus driver.

Taking the seat closest to the back
right over the wheel well…(great! less room)
the view from the prison window which only
fell halfway, dampening the sticky air
with smells of diesel exhaust,
You look out…discontent,
a little sad and crestfallen
where had the Summer gone?
In a blink.
Faster than the promise of this next
long winter…she was gone.

Parents, standing at the bus stop
cameras in hand, smiling and eagerly
wave their hands to show support
while others throw a few ‘thumbs-up’ our way.
But we don’t see them through this din.
We, the children of the summer…
we only see her wave one last time
as a sliver of sun light touches our seats
warming us one last time…it stretches out over us
bathing us once more
as if in farewell…
the light leans in close for a final hug
touching shoulders and backpacks
and on our skin,
as our eyes wet our cheeks.
She waves goodbye…until next time.
S E. Strissel 9/1/14

September 1, 2014 0

Sometimes Hope Sucks…

It is in the still small, lonely moments when we come face to face with a lingering trace of hope. It is in those moments when it seems all hell is about to break loose that, with a pinkie finger, we cling onto that last thread, praying it doesn’t snap. We pray. We cry out. We make ultimatums. We wait. Thanks Tom Petty for reminding us that the “waiting is the hardest part.”

I remember many occasions clinging to that last, frail thread of hope.
One moment still sticks out in my mind even after all these years.
My Great-Grandmother suffered a life-threatening issue on my thirteenth birthday. My father took her to the hospital, it didn’t look good. I remember praying earnestly for her…I felt as if God didn’t listen. Sometimes hope sucks. She passed away soon after and hope’s thin, frail thread seemed to snap in my hands. It hurt. It sucked.

Another occasion >>

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I was trying to comfort my wife at the news of her mother’s tragic accident. How earnestly I prayed that God would provide us a miracle in the midst of horrific circumstances…He didn’t. She didn’t make it. We were devastated. It hurt. Pain was immense. Sadness entered our hearts like a flood. Hope totally and completely sucked that night as wave after wave of grief swept over our family. We didn’t get the answer we were praying for. The frail, shredded thread snapped in our hands, yet something else took hold. We felt the prayers of others. Literally felt them. We were being upheld, carried, protected, comforted, assured and loved. Hope sucked…

But…

Hope isn’t always about getting what we want.
Hope isn’t always about God answering our prayers the way that we want Him to.
Hope isn’t even about God delivering us from situations in this life…I wish it did, but it doesn’t always happen.

Sometimes hope. just. sucks…yet…another question rises up in my heart.
Another pondering takes place and is formed in the brain and attempts to reserve carefully placed words on the tongue to inevitably chew on and spit out.

The question?

Here it is>> So what?
The follow-up question that rings out like a loud, noisy bell in my heart
is this >> Even then can you still persevere in your faith?

The Answer?
Is amazingly – “YES“.

Because...
>Sometimes ~~hope~~ life sucks.
>Sometimes things do not always go according to OUR plan.
>Sometimes God chooses to answer our prayers differently from what we had hoped.
>My faith doesn’t revolve around ME getting everything that I want.
>Despite life’s circumstances and the temporal nature of this life I serve an eternal God who has an eternal plan
for me.
>I know in Whom I have Believed!

The Apostle Paul believed this way too, I’m convinced of it. He believed despite hope and life sucking royally. Not life with God, but circumstances beyond his control. Oppression sucked. Beatings sucked. Not life with His Savior, but with imprisonment and chains and even death. Despite all of these things which totally and completely sucked, he persevered and carried on.

Can we carry on?
Even when our notion of “hope” doesn’t pan out?
Even when our prayers seem to go unanswered?
Even when hope has run out the backdoor and you’re left in a house that is burning to the ground around you?

Circumstances and our perception of hope can seriously suck sometimes…but can we carry on?
Can we persevere?
Can we press on in our steadfast faith?

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proven genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed...” 1 Peter 1:3-8

How is your faith today?
Can you stand firm despite hope sucking royally sometimes?
Can we persevere?

Something more for us to ponder today!

August 29, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – 3 Reasons Not To Do Away With The “Red Song Book”

“Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.”
-Fanny Crosby

I have written in other blog entries, dear Army, the need to revitalize our forces. There is a need to adapt to certain modern music for the purpose of reaching other generations. There has been some discussion about how some forms, like brass bands could use a tune up (see article:Brass Bands) But, we should never lose our heritage in the process! We have a rich history to preserve while at the same time evolve. It is not that the gospel message is outdated, for it could never be so, but rather the means of conveying that message in a ever progress society should adapt.

I don’t think anyone is truly considering the “doing away with” the Red Song Book…yet, but I wanted to present a case for the Red song book of The Salvation Army. I realize that it does somewhat vary from country to country but what if one day these books are no more? I know something else will eventually take its place, but what?

I do not want to sound like a traditionalist or someone who is so firmly entrenched in the past that I am no good for the present and future. But what is at stake here? What will we lose if we some day in the near future decide the red song book is obsolete and irrelevant? I am not defending a sacred cow here only wishing to hold onto something that contains some deep devotional prayers. So, without further adieu here it is:

3 Reasons Not To Do Away With The Red Song Book:

1. It Is A Link To Our Past:
Obviously not all song writers in the red song book were Soldiers and Officers of the Army. But certain names pop out of these pages. Names that fought the good fight. Names that are forever linked to souls who gave their all for Jesus and for this army. Many wrote these cherished songs in the midst of trials and troubles they themselves were going through. These are testimonies of saints who have paved the way for us. We shouldn’t revere them or place them on pedestals because I am positive they wouldn’t want that. Many of these writers wrote these solemn words that we sing to show others the way to Christ. The purpose of their writings was to usher us into a deeper relationship with the Father.

Many of these saints were humble servants of the Most High. They are inexplicably linked to the war we still wage upon poverty and sin in our world today. Though time has marched onward this battle is still very real and we need to be reminded of our past as we diligent fight on in the present as Soldiers of God!

2. Depth of Lyrical Devotion:
I play modern worship songs on Sunday along with the use of the red song book. Although I love some of the modern songs, and they are getting progressively richer in lyrical depth (not just repeating the same phrase over and over like they used to), they can not match some of the depth that hymns from our red song book can produce. I say some, because not all are rich in meaning and personal conviction, but many carry with them heart-felt anthems of praise and petition. “O boundless salvation! deep oceans of love, o fulness of mercy, Christ brought from above…” -William Booth. I’m sorry Chris Tomlin, I love you and your songs but these words still penetrate more deeply in my heart.

3. Holiness Theology

Not all songs in our red song book is perfect, nor do many of them line up theologically on sound footing. But many rich lines of holiness speak of more than just salvation as our goal. Becoming Christ-like in our hearts and lives. The full surrender to His Holy Spirit…these are powerful visuals for us all to absorb. If these powerful lyrics fade from our Army world what will fade next? I don’t say that as a threat or as some sort of scare tactic, I just hope that as we attempt to update and adapt to our world that we never compromise our holiness theology and that of our historical presence in song. There is still a place, a very prominent place for Albert Orsborn’s “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me“, or Sidney Cox’s contributions or John Gowans and the entire contribution of former Generals and the Booths.

This Red Song book shouldn’t been displayed in a museum of history of how our Salvation Army used to be…no! It should be sung. It should be used, albeit carefully from time to time. But may we never throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak, as we attempt to modernize and update our army and, in the process lose this identifiable link to such a rich heritage. These are only a few reasons why we mustn’t do away with our red song book…it is a primer of sorts, a conversation starter.

Questions to consider:

How are we using the red song book? Is it being used in our corps? Do we have other reasons to keep these songs around? Do some of these songs still speak to us as we live out our lives? Do they still convey a need for a Savior and for holiness in a person’s life? How might we update these lyrics to fit our worship today? How can we include such powerful words in our corps and in our lives?

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

August 28, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Favoritism & Leadership

“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” -John Maxwell

Here is my mistake – I am guilty of showing favoritism.

Favoritism: I have caught myself doing this in my ministry.
Perhaps you have caught yourself doing this too…if not, good job, nicely done!

Favoritism can also be a crutch for leadership. Some leaders refuse to do the hard work in developing others for certain tasks, and instead appoint people that they know, they appoint their friends. Pretty soon, instead of iron sharpening iron, there is only “yes” people available in this in-bred leadership model. This type of favoritism happens in our army. As I have already said, I have been equally guilty of it from time to time. Sometimes it is effective, but is it right? No. Other times it stifles growth, creates conflict and disharmony among the body.

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” -James 2:1-4

I understand this verse was written to a specific group of people thousands of years ago, but unfortunately human nature has not changed much since then. We are still guilty, at times, of showing favoritism even in our army world. It usually doesn’t come in the form of serving the poor, but it does come in the form of selecting local officer leaders in corps, and in a wider focus in selecting specific officers for certain tasks. I think it happens more than we all care to admit, for to admit something like this indicts us all.

Questions to consider:
Who do you surround yourself with? Are they all “yes” people? If you are in leadership: who have you selected to serve in leadership roles? Are they your friends? Are they people you have shown favor? Are we willing to take a hard look at how we conduct ourselves in leadership? What is the principle of our purpose? Do we hold that principle as priority in all that we do?

Chosen Last On The Team:

Do you remember the school games we used to play? Two captains were usually chosen to pick teams. Little by little children were picked based on their skill set, or how those captains viewed those kids. Finally the last few were picked and, for that last child picked, there was that sinking feeling. That sadness in the heart. The captains would sometimes fight over having to pick that last kid. “You take him, I don’t want him.” “No. you, it’s your turn to take him, I had him last time!”

Those moments are never the brightest of humanity’s light, but it certainly carries over into adulthood more than we care to admit. I was luckily never that kid to be picked last, I was one of those athletic kids and sometimes I was one of those captains begging for the other captain to take the last child…I’m not proud of that.

Thankfully Jesus never operated on a “favoritism” principle. He could have gone right to the synagogue and selected the best and the brightest to be His disciples. He could have drafted the best, most articulate talent for His disciple-squad, but He didn’t. He could see into the hearts of people. He didn’t select the most socially adept. He picked hardworking, rough around the edges, common folk to become His disciples. He chose the “last picked” as His first choice. He chose some who were considered the pariah of society. He blazed a trail in His selection and He did not display favoritism of any kind in doing so.

To The Last:
If you have been on the brunt end of favoritism in your life or even in this Army, know this – Christ has picked YOU! You matter to Him! You are needed! He wants to develop in you a lasting love that can reach lives only you are capable of reaching! He believes in YOU! Do not doubt your importance in His kingdom! It doesn’t matter how other people see you. It doesn’t even matter if you are never chosen by “those leaders”. He, God, Creator of the Universe has chosen You!

To The Leader:
Be mindful of how we conduct ourselves as leaders. Be careful how we select those around us. Watch out for the pitfalls of favoritism and inbred leadership amongst “yes” people. When we fall into this trap we might, for a time, discover decisions are made with little to no resistance but in the long run we need even those who respectfully disagree with us. Don’t chose leaders because they are our friends or we “like” them more than others. Consider the variables. Take chances on people. Don’t hurt them, or punish opposing views. Don’t isolate or ostracize. Cultivate trust. Listen to others you lead…actually listen. Pray about decisions before you make them. Attempt, in all situations, to reflect Christ.

Remember: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James 3:1

Something more for our army to ponder today!

August 27, 2014 4

Author: Pastor'sPonderings