Dear Salvation Army – Salvation Isn’t Enough!

Dear Salvationist,
It isn’t enough to merely accept salvation at the penitent form when we initially accept Christ as our personal Savior. It is not enough to repent of our sins just once at that penitent form. Once we have received this initial sanctification we have invited the Holy Spirit to take up residence within our hearts and lives. The very same Holy presence who bore witness to the creation of the universe and to the crucifixion and resurrection wants to bear witness to and actively engage in our spiritual development. Salvation isn’t enough because it only leaves us forgiven. Receiving forgiveness and being cleansed is only the beginning of our spiritual journey.

Transformation must begin to take root within us. It is like scraping off the old, worn wallpaper in a home. Once the old wallpaper is gone and the bare walls are exposed one does not simply leave them naked and exposed. Those walls will only reflect the barrenness of an unfinished place. A true craftsman and interior decorator will not let those walls remain unfinished. Those walls will be painted with diligence and focus. Not a spot will be missed. Those walls will be finished, and when they are finished they will reflect beauty again and make that home hospitable once more. So it is with our lives. The Holy Spirit does not wish to leave us unfinished. Yes, we have been stripped of the old, broken, sinful interior. The walls of our lives are now clean, but they are unfinished. They are incomplete. Something is missing. The Holy Spirit longs to then begin this transformation within us. He longs to diligently focus us. To expose unfinished places of our hearts. He longs to repair us. To patch the holes. To remove the rot. He longs to remake us in a way that we will reflect our original beauty again. The Holy Spirit longs to make our lives holy. He longs to restore in us the image of the true Master builder.

Salvation (Initial Sanctification) Is Not The End But The Beginning:

Once we kneel at that altar and confess our sins we do not then claim to have gained holiness, no! We have only just begun to allow His Holy Spirit to begin this work within us. This sacred moment is not an ending, but a life long beginning. I am not saying that Holiness will always take a lifetime to fulfill within us, but that this spiritual journey IS for a lifetime!

The Goal: Christ-likeness!

Dear Salvationists, our goal isn’t to look and act like our founders of this army!

No! For even our dear founders were striving to look and act like the very One who gave up His life as a living sacrifice for us all! Our goal in this thing that we call “holiness” is to act and reflect the very nature of Christ! Some might respond, “but that’s simply not possible!” I would agree with you if we only approach this daunting task as a human and with the only strength and power of humanity as our guide. But we have One who is within us! We have One who has more strength and power than we could ever fathom. We have God’s Holy presence with us to be that bridge amongst the impossible! A surrendered life is the reflection of Christ! We do not simply accept salvation at the penitent form and get up complete and transformed. Yes, we must be careful to conceded we are being transformed at the moment we say “yes” to Christ, but that completion of holiness can only be accomplished when every fiber of our being is fully surrendered to the will of Christ. Is it fully surrendered in you and me? Are we prepared to make that full submission? It will cost us everything and yet we will gain everything in the process.

Salvation Begins The Transformation In Us – Get Up!
Dear Salvationists, get up from the penitent form! Do not linger there forever! I do not mean that this sacred moment wasn’t important but there is still work to be done within us! We cannot fully realize that completion if we are not prepared to move. If we are not prepared to get up from the altar of our salvation and step into a deeper fuller relationship with the One who saved us! He longs to transform us, but we must be willing to surrender those places exposed by His conviction and prodding. When He prods us, it isn’t to shame us, it is to heal us completely from the ravages of our old lives. These remnants of depravity must be removed from us. If they are not completely removed, they will hold us back. They will prevent us from fully realizing Christ in us. Refusing to relinquish such a stronghold can and will limit our reflection of His light into this world as well! We were saved and set apart for a higher calling, but how can we realize this higher calling if we still entertain the whispers of the old life? We were saved for so much more than mediocrity in our faith walk! Get up, dear soldier and listen to His still small voice in your life today!

Yes, Salvation isn’t enough…it is only the beginning of our mighty and holy transformation!
“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Something more for our Army to ponder today, to God be the Glory!

August 25, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army – 5 Reasons New People Leave The Corps

Every church struggles with keeping members. Jesus never said anything about filling chairs in a church building but He did say a few things about making more disciples. Every church, from time to time, struggles to find its place in the community. Needs have to be met. Souls have to be sought. A ministry niche’ has to be cultivated. What is your corps’ niche’? I don’t mean some sort of lure or hook to pull people in. What I do mean is this: who is your corps targeting to minister to? What do your services look like? Are they geared for a multi-generational audience? If we follow the instructions of Paul and become “all things to all people” (1 Cor 9:22) what does that look like in our corps today? What happens when our corps must make crucial decisions to change and adapt for the sake of becoming all things to all people (for the purpose of sharing Christ) because presently they are not? Can this change take place? How do we adapt? What sort of steps are required? How can we prevent new people from leaving and keep them coming back and getting involved in our ministries?

Here is a list of 5 reasons new people leave the corps. This isn’t the end all and be all of lists, it is just a primer to an often more complicated topic. I am sure as you read this list there will be more that come to your mind. The intent of this article is to help us figure out why some are leaving our corps and how we can stave off this decrease in fellowship. I do not want to make this point and emphasize only numeric success by any means, but it is the purpose of this article to help us see why some are leaving our corps after only a few visits. Perhaps we can change our corps’ perspective on things and how we engage with one another as well as with new people.

5 Reasons New People Leave The Corps

1. Felt Unwelcome
It seems so obvious and yet visitors to our corps for the first time need to be shown friendliness. They would like for people to remember their names after telling it to a few people. Generally they do not want to stand up and be recognized as a “new visitor”, but they would like a few people to talk to them and to show an interest in who they are. The feeling of being unwelcome in a corps should be the last feeling one should get in our buildings. After all, we are here to minister to the whosoever…right?

2. Lack of Fellowship
Personally I love it when, after the service, people just seem to linger and talk. It is a sign that people generally care for one another. It is also a sign that there is real fellowship going on among the corps’ soldiery. When the corps is unbalanced and there is division instead of unity visitors can sense it. I’m not talking about some sort of “sixth sense” here, it is just obvious in certain types of body language that something is off about the fellowship…or lack thereof. New people want to feel a sense of belonging to something. A place for them to fit in. They would like the chance, at times, to go out for coffee or lunch together following a service. But if real fellowship is not taking place in the corps and instead division is causing quick exits after services, you can be sure new people will attempt to find the exit very quickly too.

3. No Ministry Geared for Their Generation
We serve many generations in our corps. There has to be a balance and in so keeping with the idea of the Apostle Paul we must attempt to “be all things to all people” in how we proactively minister. If you have thirty young adults in your congregation there ought to be something specific to reach them at a deeper level somewhere during the week. If you have a primarily senior corps and only a hand full of teens make sure you have something for both the majority of seniors as well as the teens. When a new comer visits our corps is there something for them to become engaged in? What keeps them coming back? I don’t mean to say that we bribe them, but do we have relevant applicable ministries that they can not only serve in but be spiritually fed by?

4. Army Lingo Not Explained
Sunday announcement: “next week the DC will be here to install the YPSM, oh and don’t forget about DYB coming up shortly in preparation for Youth Councils.” No offense but I knew what that announcement was about, you probably did too but that new person sitting in the back pew who is barely catching on to how we Army folk worship has no clue what we’re talking about. This doesn’t mean that we have to stop the announcements and/or explain everything but perhaps we could be a little helpful to new people and clue them in once in a while. Hearing foreign terminology in a new place can be intimidating and a new comer can begin to feel like an outsider who doesn’t really belong and is not wanted. It is very easy to get into army lingo in services and bible studies and forget that some new people won’t have a clue to what we are saying without taking the time the properly explain or have someone there to help as these terms are being shared.

5. Members feared new visitors
It sounds dumb, but it’s true. Some corps members do not like change, and change can come in many different forms even in the form of new people. Some corps members will complain that we need “new blood” in our corps and yet when that “new blood” walks through that door they treat them with as much disdain as a new worship song being sung for the first time. Change is hard, and yet how can we keep new people coming back if members are afraid of change – even for the good? Education needs to take place. Some corps members may not even know they are acting this way towards new people. It intimidates some corps members. Perhaps some even feel that they might lose power because a new person seems more energetic, charismatic and even more educated. These intimidated corps members begin to show outward, yet subtle aggression towards these new comers, and the new person won’t have a clue why they suddenly feel a sense of hostility. Change, even with new members, can suddenly cause fear and unfriendliness to occur.

Beware:
Be sensitive to the needs of new people. We don’t have to cater solely to them, but we ought to make our worship spaces available and friendly so that all are welcomed – the new and the not so new. Beware of possibly hurdles new people might have to jump in order to “fit in”. Find a new place to worship isn’t easy, especially if this new person as NEVER worshiped in a church in their lives and this is their first attempt. We are the body of Christ and as we extend His love to new people may we display to them and each other genuine love, compassion and grace. May our fellowship be so sweet that we linger in each other’s company. May we seek to minister to all people. Finally, may we be open to change and, with the grace of God, usher in new soldiers for this mighty work!

Something more for our army to ponder today!

August 21, 2014 15

Jesus is Crooked (A Poem)

Jesus is crooked on our bible study wall
no one seems to notice, no one at all
He hangs there with arms slightly askew
tell me dear reader, what am I to do?

For with our starched shirts and proper attire
with ties tied tight we proclaim “blood and fire”
but Jesus just hangs there and so do we
never quite venturing outside in the streets

He, by all accounts was far from straight laced
He broke many a custom but did so with grace
healed the outcast and reject, the slightly askew
tell me dear soldier, isn’t that what we ought to do?

Sure we should offer both rules and the grace
impossibly crooked so the lost see His face
never just stuck within walls of a corps
tell me dear soldier, is that what we stand for?

Yes, Jesus is crooked on our bible study wall
a reminder for the seeker and those who would call
A Revolution of love and grace must begin
for all of us crooked, broken and riddled with sin.

August 20, 2014 0

Guardians Of The Galaxy – A Pastorsponderings Movie Review

Warning, some spoiler alerts may be revealed in this blog entry!

I am a big fan of Marvel movies, who, in the past have released such blockbusters like The Avengers, Thor 1 & 2, Ironman 1,2,3, Captain America and so on. I wasn’t much of a comic book reader growing up so I didn’t know the ins and outs of the “Marvel universe”. That being said, we went recently to see “Guardians of the Galaxy” in theaters because it came highly recommended, and we were not disappointed! This action packed Marvel film takes place in a distant galaxy where many aliens coexist. The main character, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is a human who, at the beginning of the film, was at the deathbed of his mother. His heart is broken and he carries with him a mixed tape that his mother made for him. Long story short, he was abducted “from Earth at a young age“..he is now an “interstellar adventurer“, opportunist and currently a wanted criminal. (IMBD Bio)

It is a long, humor filled story as to how this ragtag team is assembled known as the “guardians of the galaxy” and they must face numerous challenges, especially internally among the group with struggles such as revenge, insecurity, greed, trust and arrogance. These unlikely characters must work together to defeat a common enemy by the name of “Ronan

the Accuser” of Kree and his villainous backer and destroyer of worlds – Thanos.

Peter retrieves an ancient artifact only to discover it contains great power and is currently also being sought out by Ronan the Accuser and his thugs. The humor in this film makes it fun to watch coupled with the numerous action sequences. I especially enjoyed the characters that make up the Guardians, especially two in particular by the name of Rocket and Groot.

Rocket is a Raccoon like intelligent creature who was experimented on. He struggles with insecurities of who is, yet is extremely cunning and intelligent. He is the orchestrator of plans and the builder of unique and dangerous weapons. His partner and “muscle” (Groot) is a tree-like creature who can extend his limbs to fight and to defend. He can only utter three words “I Am Groot”…which the other team members interpret into rather humorous responses during the film.

3 Poignant Lessons:
1. Leadership – Although this movie is an action-packed film about super-heroes and villains it certainly does not start out that way. Quill is an opportunist just out to make some money. His character seems very selfish and ego driven…though he carries with him the scars of his mother’s death in the form of his tape player and her mixed tape that she made for him. You want to cheer for him and he is a spectacular example of an imperfect hero with many flaws. Putting these flaws aside Quill becomes a fearless leader of the Guardians as they seek to save mankind from Ronan and ultimately Thanos.

2. Revenge never pays – Drax is the muscle bound, red tatooed, revenge seeking Guardian. He signs on with the team in order to kill Ronan who slaughtered his family. Drax doesn’t really care about the others at first and only seeks to fill his blood lust by any means possible without consequences or how it will impact those around him. He learns some lesson the hard way in this film and becomes a true friend to the other team members within the Guardians.

3. Unity, Love & Sacrifice – Groot, at one point saves the entire team from destruction by sacrificing his own life. The ship is crashing to earth and he unfurles his limbs to become a sphere of protection around the other Guardians. In doing so Rocket yells at Groot with tears in his eyes and says “don’t do it Groot, you will die!” at which point Groot declares boldly “We are Groot” and then proceeds to save them all from death by sacrificing himself. To me this was startling, yet poignant lesson of team work, love and sacrifice that should speak to our hearts. I saw almost a Christ-like sacrifice that Groot displayed for others as he was willing to lay down his life to save the team.

My recommendation:
Go see “The Guardians of the Galaxy”. The Guardians are imperfect, far from spectacular and yet display the best of humanity in their team work, love and ultimately willingness to sacrifice themselves to save others. In my opinion, it is the must see movie of a quickly fading summer!

Just something more to ponder here at pastorsponderings.org

August 19, 2014 0

Coffee Reviews – My Top 10 Favorite Coffees

I am a pastor and generally, by and large, pastors drink coffee…Well this guys does anyway. I am an avid coffee drinker.
To most of you who follow this blog, this little tidbit of information probably comes as no surprise. People have been sending me pictures of coffee on facebook, funny memes and so on for a long time now…I love it! I have had some wonderful friends who have sent me samples of coffees and I would like to review a few of my favorite coffees thus far. I am by no means a coffee snob…okay maybe a little bit. Please don’t ever and I mean EVER serve me this:

Because THIS in my opinion
is NOT coffee.

This list is my opinion, please don’t be insulted or offended if I happen to place one coffee over another…it’s just my personal preference. Let me also put it out there, if you happen to have additional recommendations for unique or fantastic coffees that are not on this list please comment below…and I will never turn down a sample of two.

Scott’s current TOP TEN Coffees:

10. Dunkin Doughnuts

http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/coffee.html
I have to admit (and please don’t call me a hater) but this coffee takes some getting used to for me. It’s a little too bitter for me, but it is palatable even enjoy able from time to time when I’m indulging in a doughnut or three. Although having said that it is, in my opinion, just a step above McDonald’s coffee.

09. Gevalia House Blend

http://www.gevalia.com/
The Gevalia house blend is a smooth coffee to drink and is truly an enjoyable store bought brand coffee. It comes in the traditional yellow packaging and is finely ground for a smooth finish. I recommend this coffee for everyday use if you like something with a smooth finish.

08. Tim Hortons

http://www.timhortons.com/us/en/index.php
I enjoy their bold flavor and again something to wash down a breakfast sandwich or a doughnut served with chilli (seriously it’s on the menu like that in Canada). It’s a good solid coffee that I haven’t had the pleasure of drinking in a long time…I might have to remedy that very soon.

07. Seattle’s Best

http://www.seattlesbest.com/
Seattle is know for their coffees. That being said those living in the Washington State area might scoff and say “which ‘best’ do you mean?” For the rest of us who don’t live in Seattle, we can enjoy Seattle’s best coffee that has a sophisticated rich taste and isn’t too bitter an aftertaste. I like this blend a lot!

06. Biggby Coffee

http://www.biggby.com/
Michiganer’s have enjoyed Biggby coffee since 1995. They have good beans, and better bold coffees…they are a little pricey for my taste, but a good cup of java to buy when I’m back in Michigan. A solid recommend!

05. Starbucks Blonde Roast

http://www.starbucks.com/coffee
(coincidentally, Starbucks contacted me via my blog and asked me to add their online coupon link, so here it is: Starbucks Coupons)
My wife, following gall bladder surgery was placed on a strict diet which included low acid coffee. The Starbucks “blonde” roast is a perfect low acid coffee that still maintains a strong flavor and little to no bitter aftertaste.

04. Caribou – French Roast

https://www.cariboucoffee.com/
I enjoy a good french press cup now and then. When I do press my coffee I like to purchase quality french roast coffees. This is one of my favorites but I have to use it in moderation because of the potent flavor. Caribou is a Minnesota coffee company headquartered in Brooklyn Center MN. I am thankful that places like Target have carried them nationwide and their coffees are readily available! Since my college days in Minnesota I have been an avid Caribou coffee drinker! I also look forward to their Christmas blends when they become available later in the fall.

03. Cup of the Day – Sault Ste. Marie MI.
http://cupoftheday.com/
In my travels I have sampled some good coffees and some not so good coffees. I had the privilege of drinking Cup of the Day’s coffee for almost five years while living in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. I can tell you that its owner and operator Tony is a coffee connoisseur who cares about quality more than filling stomachs with average over the counter coffees! If you ever get the change to stop in Sault Ste. Marie, be sure to sample some of Tony’s coffees…by the way I would recommend going there during the lunch hour because everything he serves at meals are equally delicious!

02. Bitter end coffeehouse coffee – Grand Rapids MI.

http://thebitterendcoffeehouse.com/
I was privileged to sample some of the Bitter end Coffee House coffees recently and I have to say “wow“! These beans are solid! The owner and operator is also one of those quality of quantity kind of connoisseur of coffees. They roast their own coffees there at the coffee house and produce some amazing flavored coffee! If you get the chance to stop in and sample their coffees be sure to say hello to John Sprite (the owner)! I recommend buying some of their coffee beans to take home as well! You won’t be sorry you did!

01. Church and State Sumatra Blend

http://churchandstatecoffee.com/
One of my friends sent me a sampling of their coffees this past Christmas and I was blown away at the flavor! The deep auburn colors coupled with the pungent flavorful aromas make this coffee worth ordering online! I not only french pressed this coffee but used a standard coffee maker…both worked out great and were fantastic to drink! I will definitely be ordering some more of this coffee in the near future!

These are just my current top ten coffees. I would love to hear about your favorites and how they compare to mine.
One coffee in particular that I am dying to try but also happens to be one of the rarest coffees to buy is St. Helena Island coffee: http://www.coffeeandtealtd.com/sthelena.html They only produce a small amount of coffee beans a year and it’s only $89 per pound to purchase…I spent four years of my childhood on this little remote island in the south Atlantic ocean. It’s so remote that Napolean couldn’t escape it and eventually died there. I want to try a cup of St. Helena once more!

At any rate…these are my top ten so far. Please send me feedback and comments below! I appreciate your take on things!

Disclaimer: no coffee companies or proprietors of coffee were injured in the making of this review…although I sure drank my fill. I was not paid to advertise these products although I think I would look rather dashing in a commercial…just sayin’. At any rate these thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone and I reserve the right to disagree with any and all Sanka drinkers out there. Enough said.

August 19, 2014 6

Dear Salvation Army – Why I Quit Being Employed By The Salvation Army

Is It More Than A Paycheck?

The mission of The Salvation Army requires more than just employees. Don’t misunderstand me, we need workers who can perform vital tasks within our army but my fear is that we are creating professional places of employment and no longer cultivating warriors who are mission minded. Is it wrong to draw a salary from our army? Of course not! Though there is the danger of hiring personnel based solely on their skill set. Skill sets are wonderful and we should utilize these abilities in our army but what happens if we only hire individuals based solely on their ability to perform these tasks while they have no love or passion for our mission?

Making it personal:

I remember the days when I used to punch a clock while being employed by the Army. I must confess that I too viewed my position as a place of employment and not where my heart met a godly mission and purpose. It happens more than we think. Dare I say that we (the army) sometimes employ families who merely “go into the family business” and perhaps it is more out of convenience than it is about passion. I do not begrudge this. For years I had to sort this out in my own life as well. I am a fourth generation salvationist and a fourth generation officer…did that mean that I signed up out of “convenience”? Thankfully the answer in my case is “no”. I could have found a more lucrative, gainful employment somewhere else following college graduation. I could have done other things, but I felt a call to minister within our army. Was it a lifetime call? Perhaps that’s a conversation for another time…but I have been called here and now to be more than just an employee of The Salvation Army. If there comes a day when I am simply here for the paycheck and the benefits and have no love for our mission then it is time for me to pack it in and move on. God forbid if we have only employees in our army! Employees only fulfilling their job descriptions and nothing more. Employees who are not mission bound but paycheck and position bound. Employees who hardly ever (if at all) actively engage in Kingdom building within our army.

I quit being an employee of our army years ago. I didn’t sign up to draw a paycheck or sit in a nice office with a window view. There has to be something more than this. There needs to be heart and passion and mission that coincide with our spirits and prompts us to fight for souls of men and women for the glory of God! If this last element is missing (for the glory of God) we could lose everything within our army. If we do not keep our mission ever in focus…if we do not continue to fight for the souls of men and women…if we do not actively engage in our corps, divisional offices and territorial offices for His glory, we will have lost everything and just become “employees” in just another social service organization. God forbid that ever happens. Don’t be employees…be mission workers, be passionate soldiers of Christ, be compassionate dispensers of God’s grace, be warriors of God…don’t just be employees of The Salvation Army.

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

August 18, 2014 35

The Salvation Army In Ten Years…

More Questions Than Answers:
I do not wish to get all philosophical or be someone who always looks to the future while missing out on the present, but what does the future hold for our Army? Where are we heading? Are there doctrinal shifts occurring? Which countries will be be opening the work in next? Will Holiness continue to be emphasized throughout the Army world? (Lets hope so!) Will we see a revival within our Army?

I pray for our Army as I know many of you do as well.
This is more of a dialogue blog and I would like to ask you a few questions here and I hope that you respond:

Questions for you the reader:
What would you like to see within the Army in the next ten years?
What area of improvements do you see the Army tackling?
What area does not need improvement?
How can you help your corps succeed in the ministry and evangelism of Jesus Christ?
What one thing is still lacking in your corps that needs attention?
What are you praying earnestly for within the realm of The Salvation Army?

I know that the Lord has placed this Army here on this earth and if we continue to be faithful to His leading He will not only sustain us for the journey ahead but He will continue to shine His blessings upon us.

Let’s continue this conversation together – Please respond below:

August 15, 2014 10

Dear Salvation Army – The Walking Wounded…

“We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(The 10th Doctrine of The Salvation Army)

We are certainly a unique ministry of Jesus Christ are we not?

Those who become members of our ecclesia whether they be adherents, volunteers, soldiers or officers make up many different demographics. Some are educated, some are not, some are young, some are old, some are wealthy, many are not…but they all make up this army of salvation. I do not want to assume anything within our army but from what I have seen there are many of whom we minister to that are “the walking wounded”.

What do I mean by walking wounded?

Circumstances of life whether by extreme poverty, illiteracy, abuse have left wounds upon some of our soldiers in this army. Some of these wounds are emotion, some are physical, some are psychological…all have inflicted wounds, some very, very deep.

Many of the walking wounded may struggle with identifying with a “Heavenly Father” because their earthly father was far from heavenly. Many of the walking wounded struggle with the concept of forgiveness because this was a foreign idea at home. Some of the walking wounded have lived within deep trenches of depravity and habits that seem to always linger in their lives.

Frustration:

It would be easy to become frustrated with those who are walking wounded…sometimes we may not know that they are wounded at all. Many times the wounds and scars are carefully hidden away and are scarcely revealed or acknowledged. As an Officer, I have caught myself uttering words under my breath, words like “Why can’t this person see what they’re doing with their life?” or “I just taught this subject in bible study and five minutes after nothing has changed and nothing has sunken in.”

Be careful, fellow teachers of the gospel. Be patient with those you instruct, some are walking wounded and you may not know it. It is easy to become frustrated with those who seem to make little to no progress. Yes, we should keep the standard high, and at the same time be distributors of God’s grace and loving mercy. I do not wish to imply that we allow sin to remain in the lives of those we serve and love. We should confront sin when we have the opportunity to do so, but may it be done in a loving, caring manner. I believe that the Holy Spirit can certainly transform lives. Sometimes He transforms lives immediately, while other times it is a gradual, slow process. We, who are very temporal, want to see immediate change. We, who are teachers of the gospel, long to see the “fruit of our labor” and yet is that our place? Is that our right? Sometimes the walking wounded may only make incremental progress towards becoming “wholly sanctified”…yet I believe in a God who dispenses such an amazing grace that goes beyond our understanding. Again I do not wish for us to give up or to settle for mediocrity within our soldiery, but sometimes I wonder if certain members of our body are capable of attaining the measure that we as humans set for them?

Love, Grace & Sanctification:

When it comes to ministering to the walking wounded (this definition of “walking wounded” anyway) we as soldiers and officers of our army must love as Christ first loved us. All of us are unworthy of His grace and yet His unmerited favor has fallen upon us. May we in turn make every attempt to reciprocate that grace upon those we serve and love.

They may not attain “our level” of sanctification (and even saying “our level” seems arrogant and pretentious) and thank goodness we are not the measurement of holiness – Christ is! Instead of focusing on “our level” perhaps we can all attempt to instruct and teach personal holiness to those we serve and love. Personal holiness begins at home, in the heart, soul and mind. Personal holiness is prodded by corporate holiness but has the capacity to transform and shape a person’s life in their time and by the Holy Spirit.

We are all called to be “wholly sanctified”…and in so living it may we administer love and grace to those who are walking wounded among us…perhaps, quite possibly, that includes ourselves as well.

-Something more for our army to ponder today.

August 15, 2014 0

Faith Lessons – An “Even If” Kind of Faith

“…But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17,18)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had a choice. They could obey the king and a law that went against their beliefs, or they could boldly stand upon their faith in God. They chose to stand firm “even if” they were to pay the ultimate price for their faith. The king was furious and ordered them thrown into the fiery furnace. Even then they did not recant or withdraw their “even if” faith. An “even if” kind of faith is dangerous, for it calls those with faith to stand firmly and to believe with every fiber of their being in a mighty God who will rescue, but “even if” He does not rescue, the believer must remain steadfast in faith.

How is our faith? Do we possess an “even if” type of faith in our Christian walk? Can we confidently profess this kind of faith regardless of the situations and circumstances in our lives? Remarkably, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were delivered from the fiery furnace, but they did not know God would deliver them as they stepped into that fire. What fires are we willing to step into for our faith? Do we possess this “even if” kind of faith? Be bold and claim an “even if” kind of faith today!

Something more to ponder today as we walk and live by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

August 14, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Pastoral Care & The Breaking Ranks

Questions:
Do we as an army for God work within the mainframe of grace and reconciliation? How do we bring back into the fold those who have broken rank and have gone AWOL?

Braking Ranks:

There are many reasons that officers and soldiers brake rank and depart. Some leave for other opportunities that, I believe, the Lord makes available for them. Some burn out and because of frustrations they leave our ranks in search of rest that perhaps wasn’t offered where they were stationed. Others leave for moral or ethical reasons. All of these reasons are sad to our army. We need soldiers and officers of this army who will fight despite the circumstances, but we also need leaders in our army who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and will lovingly employ pastoral care upon those who are truly hurting and struggling.

Pastoral Care:

It is not enough to have a small handful of officers at territorial headquarters to minister to the vast ministries of hundreds of officers on the field. Nor is it enough to claim places like officer’s councils (twice a year) and pilgrimage (for soldiery) enough of a healing balm to weary souls. These are wonderful elements of pastoral care, but they are not enough. Sometimes, dare I say, these are merely used as stop-gaps yet underlying hurts and true shepherding is forgotten along the way. This is usually unintentional because many leaders are “too busy” due to over worked schedules. If I can be honest for a moment though, we need something more than what is already available to officers and soldiers in regards to pastoral care. We need to spend more money if needed. We need to employ more officers and staff within the realms of pastoral care. If our army is serious about caring for those within its ranks, please take this seriously. I am not negating the effectiveness of the few who are already within this area of ministry (pastoral care departments – if there is one in your territory), but there are far too few in number.

Secondly, it is not enough to employ/outsourced psychologists to conduct tests on those who are hurting to see if they are “fit for duty”. These services are excellent when one is seeking professional counseling (which is at times necessary) and we are grateful for these helps, but who does the shepherd turn to when they need someone to talk to and perhaps an ear to listen without fear of repercussions or divulging of information shared. It is not that we mistrust leadership but shepherds are there to guide and to lead but if the leader is hurting or burned out perhaps don’t just move them or appoint them to a place with less stress – here is a novel concept – Talk to them and listen to their needs. I don’t mean to be critical here today but pastoral ministry should not be a last resort or a responsive action, it should be a first priority and a proactive ministry to its ranks. I believe far too long we have operated within a reactionary place which is more of a knee-jerk response instead of an intentional, loving concern for those who serve.

Leadership: please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I am not implying you do not love those you lead, but I am saying there ~~is room to improve~~ must be room to improve! Lip service can take the form of “I hear what you’re saying” yet no action is ever taken to adjust, modify, restructure the foundation because it can and will upset the status quo right now.

What do I know…I’m only a Captain in this very large ship that is The Salvation Army…but from where I stand, sometimes officers and soldiers are just numbers instead of people. The reaction to a dip in statistics becomes “Officers what’s going on in your corps? Why are the stats down?” or “Women’s ministries secretary, why are there less women in your women’s ministries group? Why are the stats down?” Sometimes we minister through the famine days as well as the seasons of feasts. We must recognize that people are people and we ought to love and serve them with our full efforts and compassion through ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Pastoral Care Recommendation:
(Again, what do I know but here’s a suggestion, which is more than just criticism but I hope and pray a construction suggestion because I want to succeed in ministry and I know we all do too)
Here are Three Recommendations to truly allow pastoral care to become proactive and more effective:

1) Employ Divisional Pastoral Care Teams (not just Territorial ones):
This isn’t about micromanaging officers or corps, but rather caring leaders determined to improve the mission through healthy, shepherding and love. Pastoral teams who will spend time with officers not because it’s in the calender or because its mandated but because they want to fellowship with other officers and show support and concern. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying Divisional Officers don’t love those they serve currently, because that is not the case, but if we had a team of pastoral care officers devoted to the concerns and needs of shepherding officers on the field I believe we would see not only a higher morale but more effective ministries going on. Officers and soldiers need to feel needed and loved. They need to know they have support no matter how near or far their appointments are for their headquarters. A Divisional Pastoral Care Team would be immediate, confidential, and provide an additional resource to not only officers and soldiers on the field but to divisional leaders.

2) A Sabbatical Provision For Officers:
Currently if an Officer told their leadership that they would like to take a sabbatical from their appointment they would be met with questions like “Are you resigning? Are you questioning your call as an Officer? Are you dealing with sin?” The thought of providing something other than furlough to Officers who need triage to their spirits seems almost alien to our army world. I don’t wish to peer over the proverbial fence here but there are many churches who employ the use of a sabbatical so that their pastors can recharge, reconnect with their spouses, find rest and rediscover their heart for ministry. What damage would it do to consider such a provision? Could we prevent some of the losses within our ranks if this were in place? Perhaps even a territorial sabbatical place of rest could be assigned…more to ponder…

3) Team Leadership Appointments:

I recognize not all personalities can work together in ministry, but wouldn’t it be more effective to have numerous couples working in the same appointment? I know that immediately some would consider the cost of such a venture, but what would the return on this kind of investment be? Currently already within the USA in the Kroc Centers teams of Officers already work together, but what about within the standard corps setting? Wouldn’t we be more equipped within a carefully structured partnership team? I don’t mean a Corps Officer and an Assistant or an Associate Officer but I mean co-leaders, co-ministers together. Perhaps in this way the burden can be jointly carried and also fellowship and healthy accountability can take place. This type of model would not be easy to maintain and constant retooling would have to happen, but if the goal within mission was kept as the priority and everyone could extinguish egos, perhaps this type of team ministry could work.

Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing:

The mission of our Army should always, ever be at the forefront of what and who we are.
Secondly though, we must be proactive in caring for our ranks of officers and soldiers. We need the able body, the healthy body of Christ in order to meet human needs in His name! We need each other to prevent attrition in our ranks. We need to know leadership truly cares for those they lead. We need more servant leaders to assist in this modification to make our mission more effective. With healthy pastoral care tools in place, more than we have now, we can help some (not all) of the issues we are currently facing when we consider the “breaking of ranks”.

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” 1 John 3:17

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

“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

Just something more for our Army to ponder today!

August 13, 2014 9

Author: Pastor'sPonderings