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

Dear Salvation Army – Reinventing “Revolutionary”

It doesn’t have to be complicated. We sometimes think that reaching others for Christ is all about new program, but once the shine wears off that “new” program just begins to look like every other program. Don’t get me wrong, we do utilize some effective methods from time to time that are lasting, but sometimes we roll out programs that are just dressed up models of the old ones.

STOP TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL!

Uncomplicated Hard Work:

Let me touch on a sensitive topic for a moment. It isn’t about new programs. It isn’t about having more money in our corps, although at times that does help. But it is about investing time and effort into children and adults in ministry. We have to show up. We have to work hard. Most importantly we have to love and care for those we minister to. Yes we must be prepared to meet their needs. We must invest something in foundational biblical teachings, but being present in their lives means a whole lot more than just attending a class at the corps.

It takes hard work to invest yourself in people. Jesus lived with His disciples for three years. Most of us can’t do the same today, but we can certainly invest ourselves in other people’s interests and extra-circular activities outside the corps walls. We can visit them in their homes and invite them into ours. This is uncomplicated hard work because it takes a concerted effort to be intention about our “free time” away from corps activities.

Programs The Work: (YOUTH)

Sports anything. Children and teens love competitive activities. If done correctly these activities can be done with a spiritual intent and can mold and shape lives. There are many stories of professional basketball players who got their start through Salvation Army “biddy-basketball” programs. Some of these youths need an escape from their home-life. Some, in order to survive the streets need these sports programs to continue to exist because it is their only source of joy and encouragement.

Be intentional about these sporting programs though. Make sure there is an organized method to the madness and that there is incorporated in the time a spiritual element whether it’s prayer, scripture reading or even a short devotion. Children and Teens respond to this kind of program.

You don’t have a Gymnasium you say?

Is there a park or field near your corps? How about Soccer? Provide something that allows these children to feel self-worth and fun. Ministry shouldn’t be laborious, mundane and boring. It will take more effort at times on you the leader, but it is worth it to think outside of the normal “Corps Program”. If there are not any fields near your corps, perhaps an indoor activity would also suffice. Provide some measure of “home” to the youth that come into your doors and they will come back again and again…also providing food doesn’t hurt either! Food always seems to entice the hungry.

Programs The Work: (Young Adults)

Be intentional about opening up your home. Many young adults and those young married couples with children need connections and friendships. Set aside a night of the week like a Friday night to have fellowship with food and the Word. Make it personal. Watch a movie together. Share some scripture or a devotion over a home cooked meal. Take turns going to each other’s homes. I think we can confuse “ministry” with something that only happens in the corps building, but from what I have witnessed ministry can at times be more effective at informal settings like the home. Be intentional about these moments. Don’t be so informal that you forget the purpose for meeting, and at the same time have fun. When the leader is having fun those who are attending will also have fun. When we open our homes up for fellowship and ministry it speaks volumes to those we minister to, and it gains entry into some unguarded barriers of lives we could not cross while at a meeting in the corps.

Be Revolutionary In Worship:

If there was one place that we often meet resistance in corps and in our Army it is within the structure of what we know worship to be. I am not about making worship un-sacred by any means. These intimate moments with our God is vital to not only corporate worship but to our individualized worship as well. We must ever be diligent in how we present the gospel and its truths, but the tools in which we convey the message should be creative and fresh. Again we don’t have to reinvent the wheel but think creatively when we formulate our worship service schedules. If you have modern technology such as projectors and video, use them. If you do not, utilize dramas and other forms of the arts. Remember we are striving to usher the worship into the very throne room of heaven in our worship. We must introduce the sacred while we disturb the present in our holiness services. Don’t alienate your worshipers, include them!

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!

Music:
Let me touch on music for a moment too.
This can be a sensitive topic, because we have a tune book and a red song book. Some of the words within that book are wonderful and we will not find the depth, at times of those powerful words in any praise song out there…but that doesn’t mean we must only use the red song book. We should find an even balance of both in our services. Remember it’s not about our worship style that is important it is about how we can draw the people who come to our services into worship through the songs we select and sing. We want to be revolutionary in our worship and in our music but we cannot leave our worshipers in the dust without instruction and teaching them. William Booth is quoted in saying “Why should the devil have all the good music” and he was revolutionary in his approach to “street music”…shouldn’t we be as well? Find ways to creatively present the gospel through modern songs if that works for your community.

Reinventing Revolutionary:

We do not need to reinvent the wheel in order to be revolutionary. We do need to know the people we serve. We do need to be revolutionary in the ways we love the people we serve and minister to. We must rethink the way we consider what “revolutionary” to be. It will take more of a concerted effort than just doing another program. It will take more effort on our part…but the return will be so worth it! Revolutionary means we care. Revolutionary means we long to invest ourselves in other people’s lives not just at the corps building. Revolutionary means at times without uniforms we show up and simply love.

How is your ministry revolutionary? What takes all of your efforts? How are you investing yourself in those you minister to? Are you more invested in program or people? Can we rethink “ministry”?

Something more for our Army to ponder and genuinely live out today!

August 12, 2014 0

The Day Laughter Died – Robin Williams A Tribute

Wow, just wow.
Like most of the world I am in shock tonight as I write this. No, I never met famous comedian Robin Williams. I never sent him fan letters or visited Hollywood and looked for his star…but as soon as the news broke of his passing it struck me like it was one of my own family members…because he truly was one of my family members. Our family watched many of his movies in theaters in our own living room with popcorn in hand. He inspired us with many roles which evoked hope in us all. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He was the crazy, really hairy man who would go to great lengths to bring a brilliant character to life and transform us into fantastical lands we never thought possible.

I can’t tell you which of his films I admired more: Hook, Patch Adams, Dead Poets Society, What Dreams May Come, Jumanji, Good Will Hunting, Night At The Museum, The Bird Cage…and so many more.

My heart is broken.
I literally lost a family member in his passing…and I’m venturing a guess that you have too.
I don’t want to make this about depression or addictions…but there’s always hope, there’s always help and those who care. I just wish Robin would have found that in his wonderful life. Today, a little bit of my laughter and your laughter died. Today, it wasn’t so much about just another actor dying, but about a piece of us, a piece of this light of life being extinguished.

Something like this happening abruptly like it does pulls us all up short. It makes us re-evaluate things. It makes us recognize just how fragile this thing called life truly is. It makes us ask the kind of questions we aren’t willing to consider in other situations…

Questions:
How can depressions extinguish the light of someone who seemed to have so much to live for?
Why suicide (if it is indeed suicide)?
Could this have been prevented?
Who could have intervened?
Am I struggling with depression right now? Should I ask for help?
Am I alone or can I really talk to someone who can help me?

Again I don’t want to make this tribute all about the burdens and struggles of life, but when someone who shines so brightly burns out in this way we can’t help but consider these things. We live in a fragile world in these fragile shells of bodies and we all face dark days, burdens and struggles. We all face pressures of life and we consciously must journey through even those seasons.

Robin – Thank you for making us laugh. Thank you for shining so brightly into our lives for so long. I only wish you could have overcome this last burden. I mourn now because in your passing countless of your extended family and immediate family are left with questions that will go unanswered. If WE could have made YOU laugh…You inspired us with so much hope only to have reached a place in life without it. You faced these battles…they were yours and we mourn now because we couldn’t help you overcome.

What I do know: I know our Creator to be a God of great mercy and grace…I don’t know how this grace of God works but I do know that it extends far beyond what our humans minds can fathom and comprehend. Now you stand before that great God of grace, may His love be lavished upon you. I pray you have found ultimate healing from your struggles and battles in life. I also pray for your family, for their hurting hearts and questioning minds. We love you!

Sincerely
Scott.

This is truly the day laughter died.

Rest In Peace
Robin.

August 12, 2014 8

Dear Salvation Army – My Deepest Fears For Our Future…

“Christians, and dare I say Salvationists, run the danger of putting up barriers today in order to ‘protect’ themselves from the world ‘out there’. God, by contrast, wants to meet with people...”
-General Andre’ Cox. (The Officer, p 4-5, July-August 2014)

What are your deepest fears? Everyone has them. We all struggle with them from time to time, not always but every once in a while they loom large and foreboding before us and we must either confront them or run away from them. Fears are real both the individual fear of one and the collective fears of many. I do not wish to reside within our fears, nor do I wish that we thrive upon our fears, but rather that we confront them for what they are.

The Fears For Our Future:

The Disappearance of Youth and Young Adults:

Every church struggles with young adult losses. It happens when some leave “the nest” and head off to college and begin to live life on their own. How can we, as an army, stave off these losses within our ranks? The army is home to many. No matter where a soldier goes in most of the world, they can walk into a corps hall and feel like they are welcomed and home. Where are our young adults going? Are we intentional in making them feel at home in our corps? Are we ministering to their demographic through relevant, active, interpersonal ministry? Do we really get them? (I don’t want to insinuate that there is an ‘us and them’ here) Do we have the time to do so? Could it be that we MUST employ active and loving youth workers/pastors within all of our corps to help connect with these young adults?

Young adults don’t need bible studies thrown at them or printed materials from Sunday school books, they need godly relationships, pastoral shepherding, people who are investing their time and energy and homes in them. They need a place to crash, a place to do their laundry (college is expensive)…and maybe an open kitchen to eat food from.

I fear we are losing so many of our young adults as they branch out and explore the world around them. Can we break our old molds of “ministry”? Are we willing to risk much to reach our young people? Perhaps we must start rethinking how we minister to this demographic in our army…because presently, by and large, it isn’t working.

Decaying Moral Standards:

I struggle with articulating this one because I don’t wish to imply that I am in anyway perfect – far from it! I understand we as an army are triage to the sick and hurting. We must diligently to be an extension of God’s compassionate grace, and yet within our ranks of soldiers and officers we must also strive to keep the standards high! We cannot allow immoral behavior to destroy lives and to disrupt our mission to the lost. We must be brave enough to lovingly confront it when it rises up, we cannot allow it to take root within our army. We stand so close to the front-lines that at times in attempting to ‘be all things to all people‘ (1 Corinthians 9:22) we run the risk of slipping back down into the depths of our ‘old lives’…we must be strong enough in our faith for the battle we wage as soldiers of this army! We must exercise accountability with our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, and we need to beware of the slippery slopes of the front-lines.

In contrast, we must continue to be salt and light to the flavorless and darkness. We as soldiers should recognize that we cannot look so much like the world that we are indistinguishable from it. There is a fine line between relevancy in evangelism and becoming re-grafted into the world…walk carefully these necessary roads on the front-lines, and do not walk it alone, take His holy presence with you!

Anchored To The Sinking Past

I do not wish to imply that our rich heritage is sinking, nor do I mean that our army’s efforts in the past were in vain. What I do wish to imply though is that we cannot be ever looking back, ever insulating heritage, ever trying to recreate it with the same methods. Certain methods in William and Catherine Booth’s era were geared specifically for that era and for that specific demographic in that period in history. Our Founders were revolutionary because they were willing to try new methods that were almost unheard of in churches of that day. They took to the streets and employed these risky methods to the common people who probably never darkened the doors of a church.

I do not want you to take this to mean that we ought to scrap the brass bands, or do away with our doctrines, by no means am I saying this. But have we taken our outward evangelistic methods into our corps and refused to leave the walls of our buildings? Are we afraid to fail? What if simply remaining in our buildings instead of going out IS FAILING? What are we risking today? Are we willing to employ modern methods to reach the culture and people of today? There is certainly risk involved, but we cannot afford to continue employing old methods from eras gone by and expect them to still work like they once did. It isn’t that God’s Word isn’t relevant because it will always be, but rather how we convey that message to an ever changing culture.

Recommendation: Take risks. Get outside. Use modern-relate-able methods. Do not be afraid to fail. Do something!!! Unlock the anchor to our past and look to the present and future! Our rich heritage will always be there, we don’t need to protect it. The founders were progressive and forward thinkers…THAT is the kind of heritage we must protect!

Confronting These Fears:
We can hide away in our corps and headquarters and pretend these fears aren’t real. (I’m not sure anyone is truly willing to do that!) We can pretend that things will get better if we simply ‘stay the course’…or we can take action and confront these fears head on. I for one did not sign up to be included in the ranks of outdated antiques. I signed up to fight this fight and to be the best soldier that I can be. This includes being revolutionary and utilizing new techniques. If we are to continue being a viable fighting force for the Lord we must be willing to adapt to the enemy’s changing battle tactics and most importantly listen to the Lord’s leading. Break the mold, and fight on!

Something more for our Army to ponder today!

August 11, 2014 7

Dear Salvation Army Officer And Soldier – Guard Your Hearts!

As I mentioned yesterday there are some surefire ways to succeed in our mission, however there are also many roads to failure. One of these roads is the pain of losing our first love through moral failure. Let me be clear, we are all called as Children of God to live above reproach and to exercise self-control while we avoid temptation at all cost. The pathway of duty is unfortunately littered with tattered remains of uniforms and lives who have fallen back into lustful and sinful pursuits. This is why holiness in our army is so vital…we move from the altars of salvation into a far deeper lasting relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit can and will supply our needs in order to not only avoid temptations but to provide us victories from our old lives. We are new creations and we must ever be diligent in this new creation to steer clear of the trappings of sin.

Dear Soldier of our Army, sin is still a lure to most of us (if not all of us). Temptations still abounds and, if we are not careful and awake, we can fall prey to these temptations! Guard your hearts, dear Soldier, for the father of lies would love to destroy this Army! Satan quakes when churches and this Army move in holy step, yet if we become unguarded in our hearts and stumble and succumb to temptation you can be sure that Satan will celebrate in our demise!

3 Tools To Help Soldiers To Guard Our Hearts:

1. Think On These Things –

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Our minds are the front-lines of victory and defeat in the war against sin. What we put into our minds can become who and what we are. If, for example, we wanted to get into shape and to eat right we would not feast on fast-unhealthy-foods morning, noon and night. Doing so would lead us into an unhealthy lifestyle instead of a healthy one.

In the same way, if we want to become more like Christ and less like our old sinful selves, we have to consume that which will be edifying to the Body of Christ (which begins with ourselves). Our minds need to be retrained, we must evict and bar those patterns which are unhealthy and that we know have caused us trouble in the past. We cannot permit them to reside in the same dwelling as our new creation which longs to become the very reflection of Christ. Think upon, meditate on – these things which are holy and pure…it is easily said and much more difficult to make a reality but it is possible for all of us to do!

2. Stay On The Lighted Pathways –

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
If, in your old life you have trouble with drinking alcohol, do not walk by the bars you used to frequent. If, in your old life you struggled with sexual temptation and desires, do not test the waters and allow yourself to be in compromising situations. If, in your old life you struggled with other vices which were destructive to your body and soul, do not veer off of the lighted path that God has illuminated for you! Be aware that you too can fall! Saints of God have fallen before and we are also susceptible if we do not remain within His wondrous light of fellowship and guidance. Stay on His Lighted pathway not just through God’s Word but through the fellowship of other godly believers and be held accountable to others who will challenge you and help you develop into a strong warrior for Christ.

This leads me to the last tool that I will mention today:

3. Find Accountability And Resources:

If you think for a moment “I don’t need this, I can handle my own battles” think again! Do not become so prideful in your own abilities to withstand temptation when it comes! We are not meant to walk the pathway of duty alone! We are stronger together as soldiers of our Army! It is not a sign of weakness to seek out mentors, who are more mature brothers and sisters in the faith. We need honesty and integrity in our Army! We must be willing to be vulnerable with trusted Barnabas’ who will encourage us and strengthen us! We need to be properly equipped for the battles ahead that we will face as soldiers…and they will come! We will be tested and the resolve of our faith will, at times, be shaken. How will we fair when those days come? I want to stress again how vital it is for this Army to have soldiers who are strong in their faith and not to possess those who will crumble away when temptation strikes and the earth gives way. Find other saints to talk with. Share your struggles with a trusted friend, a person who will not just pat you on the back and agree with you, but a friend who will challenge you to continue to live this holy life which MUST be pleasing to God!

If there was a threat to the Church and this Army today, it is the shallowness of faith. I do not want to lather on the judgement at all, but how far do your roots go down into the soil of faith? Are you firmly planted or could you be blown away by the gustings of temptation’s gale? May we all be deeply rooted in His Word! May we all be firmly planted in the fertile soil of lasting faith! May we, as Soldiers of THIS Army, guard our hearts against all forms of temptation and sin so that we can stand firm and fight this good fight! The spiritual battle is not over yet, we still wage it daily. If we cannot stand firm in our faith, think on godly thing, remain on the lighted path, and be held accountable to other saints, then how can we expect to serve the lost in His name? How can we ever expect to possess the strength to help pull others from the heavy currents of sin?

Yes God is still working in us, we are still “under-construction”, but we cannot allow that which is unclean to pollute the holiness of God within us either. Dear Salvation Army Officer and Soldier – Guard Your Hearts!

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Something else for our Army to ponder today!

August 8, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – 3 Surefire Ways To Succeed In Our Mission

Please do not misunderstand these letter that I have felt compelled to write. They are not meant to injure or cause strife within our Army. Instead, I have felt rather strongly that we can improve, we can do better, we still have room to grow. If you have read one of these letters and perhaps interpreted these thoughts as destructive or harsh, please rest assured I hold no ill will towards the army, I only wish to dialogue and discuss ways we CAN adjust our vision and pathway.

Today I would like to discuss ‘success’.

What Success Is Not:
Success in our Army isn’t about some sort of “name it and claim it” prosperity theology. We have faith in God through both the prosperous times and in the not so prosperous times. Success is not about statistics either…statistics alone are only the evidence of positive trends. These can be helpful as tools towards realizing our mission, but should not be our “mountaintop” conclusion.

Success is not measured in wealth of our army. Money is also a tool that can do great good but also has the potential of doing great harm if mismanaged. Wealth in our army should be measured in the health of corps, divisions and most importantly its Soldiers. Success should not be based upon the financial stability (though as mentioned already money is a very helpful tool).

Having set aside some of the erroneously preconceived notions about success, let us now delve into the 3 surefire ways to succeed in our mission as an Army…

Our Mission As A Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian
Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

3 Surefire Ways To Succeed In Our Mission:

1. Love For Christ And a Love For Others

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:35)

The principle of a successful mission begins and ends with love. It goes beyond our “lovey-dovey” kind of love that was evident in summer camps as teenagers. It goes beyond a simple “like” of people. We must love God first. Simply put, without this love and devotion to Him we will never contain the capacity of love for others that is required of our Army. We administer God’s grace to some very unlovable people from time to time. Some have been hardened by the world around them and through horrendous circumstances that no one else knows. Loving the unlovable is not possible unless we possess, retain, frequently reconnect with the love of God. Our relationship to Him and our love for Him must continue to be the catalyst of our mission. Without His love we can do nothing. Without the love for “Others” our mission is incomplete and will not see continued success. We mustn’t lose this connection with our first love, because from it pours the compassion and grace to love those around us that He has called us to.

2. Be An Avid Reader And Student Of God’s Word:

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

We must not misplace our desire to know more about our wondrous Savior. Secondly we must not ever get to a point in our spiritual formation and education and say within our hearts “I have learned it all, nothing more can be taught to me.” God help us if we ever become so prideful of our own human wisdom and foolishly think that the Holy Spirit can not instruct us more. The Word of God is living and active and we must ever be good students of His Word. This goes far beyond going to bible studies or even teaching Bible studies. This takes us to a place that we intentionally carve out blocks of time in our daily schedules to feast and meditate on His Word. Do not take it lightly or only pick it up in preparation for a sermon or for Sunday morning. God’s Word is our life’s blood and our source of truth in an often very murky world. We cannot and will not ever success in our Mission as an Army if we are not first students of His Word. Becoming a student of God’s Word will not only give us passages to share with the hurting and lost but also provide us deeper insight in God’s presence with His holy people.

3. Holiness, Holiness, Holiness:

I keep coming back to this point of ‘Holiness‘ in my life and perhaps there are implications here for all of us. More and more I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit that I still have more to give, more to surrender to His will in my life. This isn’t a ‘One and done’ deal or some sort of check-off list of action steps this is living a life of holiness everyday. Some days I succeed, while other days I am a complete and utter disaster of holiness. Becoming like Christ in every way shape and form in our sacrificial living as an Army MUST be first our individual goal and then our corporate aim. We can “go through the motions” of works. We can walk the pathway of duty and never reflect Christ in our hearts. We can be very good at pretending sometimes around other soldiers, officers and even those we serve, but we cannot fool the Lord. If we do not have our hearts bent and rent to the will of our Savior we cannot be prompted into a deeper surrender by the Holy Spirit. Every day we should have words similar to “I surrender all” on our lips and in our hearts. Every moment of every day we should attempt to include God’s Holy presence with us in whatever task we perform until we can walk, live and even breathe holiness. You might consider this impossible. You might view a full surrender of your heart to God as something of a dream that could never come true…is God not capable? Can He not perform this miracle in our lives? We must be willing – Yes, this is true. We must possess some measure of faith. He can transform us and make us new. He has already begun this great work within us.

Dear Salvation Army,

Our Mission is Christ and Others! We cannot perform these tasks here on earth without our first love and the love of others. We cannot complete our mission without sound doctrine and becoming students of His Word. We cannot realize the vision of the lost within the sea of sin and drowning hopelessness without individual and corporate holiness in this army. We need each other as accountability partners. We need reconciliation when brokenness of organization has occurred. We need soldiers willing to fight and to stand in the gap even when it seems all hope is gone…because God has not departed from us. He will ever be our guide. He will always lead us if we are truly listening to our first love…are we?

Something more for our Army to ponder today.

August 7, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – The Blood and Fire!

For those unfamiliar with this phrase, let me clarify:

The Blood –
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is not glamorous. He bled and died for our sins and for the sins of the “whosoever”. His blood covers our iniquity, our sinfulness, our fallen selves. The blood of Christ provides a way for us to stand before God because Christ has redeemed us and reconciled us to Him.

The Fire –
The Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples of Jesus as they waited and prayed. His Holy Spirit provides us direction, insight, inspiration and guidance. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that prods us to live sacramental holy lives. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that requires more of us…more than we ever thought possible…more than we ever knew could exist within us. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit which demands us to surrender everything, to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice so that we can get back up and serve the Risen Savior and do it with every fiber of our beings.

Dear Salvation Army,
how are you living Blood and Fire today?
I don’t mean wearing the uniform and hoisting and waving the flag, for these are simply outward expressions of that inward change…but how are you truly living ‘Blood and Fire’ in your communities and to ‘the whosoever’?

To the Blood and Fire Salvationists – You keep up the fight! Keep waging this war, keep fighting in Jesus’ name for those who are still blinded and lost in sin. Keep pressing onward. Do not quit…we need you! Do it all in love, be love and grace and compassion to people who have never felt the kindness and grace of Christ. Be reflections of Christ in not only word but most importantly deed, because eyes can perceive far faster than ears can understand. Continue to be that witness not only in your corps’ and homes but in the streets and in the parks and in the schools. We must not allow that fire to dwindle or burn out. Satan would love nothing more than for this army to become weary and ill-equipped and bogged down by the drudgery of it all. Dear Salvation Army, the World still needs you! The world still needs fighters and soldiers and officers and volunteers to administer God’s grace and hope. The world still needs YOU!

To the Weary Tired Salvationist Who Is Ready To Quit – DO NOT!
There are times when people will fail us. There will be times when even leadership may succumb to the ravages of this war, for whatever reason, but do not quit. We need you! You may be tired. You may be burned out by seemingly stodgy politics and meaningless banter. You might have witnessed professions of Christ yet seen little evidence of Christ in others, but do not become disillusioned and walk away! You are vital! You are needed! I have walked that tired and heavy burdened trail. Many a time I have considered leaving as well. Many a time I imagine a far simpler life…in fact that “many a time” is very, very recent for me. I still walk with these burdens and my heart is not yet healed…but I know the Lord will provide! Stay the course, rest, but fight on!

To the “Soldier” Only By Rank Or Name…
If you have no passion to live “Blood and Fire”…if you only acknowledge Jesus with your lips but do not serve Him in your hearts consider these words – Either fall on your face at the Altar and pray for forgiveness and seek His healing in your life or Step Away from the front lines! The world has seen its fair share of falsehoods and phonies, it can sense insincerity and half-truths. There are already vipers in the grass, do not become another for other soldiers and would be soldiers. I only use these harsh terms to indicate that this is no game. This is life and death to souls of men and women everywhere and the business and ministry of Christ is not to be trifled with. I hope and pray there are very, very few remaining of the mere “Solider” by title alone. I am also confident that in time the Holy Spirit will reveal those who must be removed from our ranks or reconciled (if possible) those who are not living Blood and Fire.

BE BLOOD AND FIRE!

Dear Salvation Army – It is not just a flag that we wave, it is freedom, redemption, grace, peace, hope and love to many who have understood or received this unmerited gift. Continue to live Blood and Fire! Continue to declare God’s redemptive love to all who will hear. Be His holy hands, provide His holiness in both word and deed to this world around us.

To God be the Glory!
More for our Salvation Army to ponder today!

August 6, 2014 0

We found Rest and Relaxation at Serenity Falls…you should too!

This isn’t some infomercial, or advertisement.
Pastors, business people and tired families all need to find a place to rest, recuperate and relax. We all need a holiday, a vacation from the hustle and bustle of the world around us. A place to reconnect with our spouses, our children and with that good book you’ve been meaning to finish.

We found that place this week while on vacation. We had never been to North Carolina and so we wanted to see the Smokey Mountains and had heard about Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. They have filmed movies here like Firestarter, Last of the Mohicans and Dirty Dancing.

We booked this cabin – Serenity Falls and let me just say “wow“! The drive coming to the cabin was long and curvy. There were some interesting views in the mountains, some unique people, yet after driving up the steep drive to the cabin and unloading our belongings we could finally step back and see the majestic views all around us. This is a secluded piece of heaven. It is quiet, serene and ideal for large families or for a couple looking to get away.

As a pastor, ministry to others is important, yet if I never find the time to get away and recharge I will burn out and be useless to those I have been called to serve and love. If you’re a pastor or in the ministry or just a person in need of some peace and quiet why don’t you check out Serenity Falls. It is so worth it! They have all of the modern features a home could have and more. It’s tranquil, and you will find rest here! The really nice thing is that you are minutes away from Lake Lure and Chimney Rock which are really interesting scenic places to visit. There is also the massive Biltmore Estate which is a historic estate chalk full of leisurely activities and tours.

Here are a couple of pictures of Serenity Falls that I took (there are also some on the website which I hyper-linked here), I can’t say enough how nice a time we had here resting and relaxing…we could seriously stay a lot longer!

This is the amazing playground that my kids played on for hours while I lounged on the back porch.

August 6, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Let’s Turn Things Upside Down!

For far too long there has been this imaginary ideological organizational structure which told us (erroneously) that the corps and front-line ministries were at the bottom of The Salvation Army pecking order. Honestly I don’t really get caught up in “who is first” or “who is most important”, yet at times there is this unspoken notion of “climbing the corporate ladder” even in The Salvation Army. As if corps ministry and front-line evangelism is somewhat lacking in prestige and importance. Let me make this absolutely clear – If anyone in our Army has signed up for the express purpose of “climbing the ladder” and to “get out of corps ministry” then perhaps that person should consider finding another army to belong to.

The Army isn’t the only place this happens (obvious statement, I know). The disciples of Jesus had witnessed many miracles and wonders performed by their Rabbi -Jesus and they began to argue amongst themselves about who would be greater. You can almost hear their ego driven argument, “No, I’m clearly the better speaker”, “But I’m better looking in uniform” (I had to put that in there), “Well, I am so much better with finances”, “Oh yeah, but I have better administration skills“…

According to Luke 9:48 Jesus knew their thoughts and cut them off -“Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Holiness & Humility:
If we could only stop this petty self-defeating ladder climbing mentality. If only we could keep our eyes on what is most important – Being Holy people and from this allowing the Holy Spirit to transform lives through our actions of evangelism. If only we could stop looking over the fence at that other corps which seems more prestigious and more prosperous than ours as we covet what they have. If only we could stop looking at DHQ or THQ as “the next step in our careers”. If only, if only, if only… Why is it that we humans, as imperfect as we are, always seem to be so success focused? Shouldn’t we consider what the Lord said to Samuel when anointing the next (God appointed) king of Israel; “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

How are our hearts? Isn’t serving God with our everything enough? Isn’t being loved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords prestigious enough?

I have included a couple of diagrams today to help us understand how the true model of leadership and ministry SHOULD look like…and I hope this helps:

What this diagram represents is the way most organizations and businesses are run in our world today. From the top down. But, if we are led by humility and holiness, we would understand that “the least of these” must begin from the bottom – up. Not to imply that we place leadership at the bottom or that administration isn’t important, but rather for us to understand that without active evangelism and the dispensing of God’s love and grace we run risk of losing everything and having nothing to show for our polished efforts. If the terms are confusing to you then let me illustrate this (in my best hand writing

…please don’t laugh)

The "traditional" organizational flow chart/hierarchical structure model — The “traditional” organizational flow chart/hierarchical structure model

How leadership and administration (and soldiers) ought to view the structure active ministry and evangelism.

Turning Things On Its Head:

For far too long men and women of our Army have gone about “position” all wrong. Yes we need administration and leadership but what is our primary purpose? What is that one principle upon which we are an Army? Christ-then Others! If we only look at Salvation Army structure as ranks and office then we are only reflecting worldly hierarchical organizational -money driven, success oriented models, which are rife with politics, maneuvering, ego-driven leadership, power hungry people. Are we an Army dependent upon these things? NO! It cannot be that way with us! It should not be that way with us…and yet at times it has become inexplicably linked with our internal identities. We must continually turn this identity upside down! We must guard our hearts from pride and arrogance and the pursuit of “position” within our Army. It was never about what rank was placed upon our shoulders. It was never about what position we held at the corps or divisional headquarters, or territorial headquarters or any other “headquarters”…it IS about serving Christ humbly and from this one vital relationship (our first love) all things ought to flow in our ministries.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This is something further our Army must continuously ponder…to God be the glory!

Please, tell me what you think by commenting below and leaving responses…let’s continue this dialogue together!

August 5, 2014 8

Dear Salvation Army – A disconnected culture or a disconnected Army?

Before I begin, I must say to those who might remark “why would we worry about our current culture?” That it isn’t the Army’s place to become so immersed in our culture that we lose our mission…however, having said that, there is something to be said about being culturally relevant and engaging of those immersed in it while still preaching the relevance of Christ, salvation, holiness and His wondrous grace! Do not misunderstand me here, I do not long for an Army fully immersed in culture, but I do long for an Army who understands modern culture and is continually equipped to engage souls who live within modern culture.

While it is true that some of our Founder’s methodology from Victorian England might not work today in terms of evangelism, the mold of modern day evangelism is still very much intact! William and Catherine Booth began a movement that addressed the current needs of their day while engaging the souls of people for Christ. Their methods were edgy and risky, many “high churches” would never have dreamed of embarking on such methods, yet it met people where they were at and many joined its ranks and the movement swelled.

Today, dare I say, the employment of Victorian era evangelism techniques may not work the way it once did. I don’t mean to say that we should give up or that we have become an obsolete army, but that we need to modernize and become equipped to engage modern culture.

Questions:
How do we do this? What sort of methods do we employ? Which should we avoid? What are the needs of “the lost”? Who are the lost? How do we become more engaged in this culture yet maintain the holy principles and godly purposes?

3 Easy Steps To Becoming More Disconnected With Our Culture:

1) Stay In The Corps And In The Facility And Never Venture Outside Its Walls.
Long gone (at least in the West) is the use of open-air services and even bar sales of “The War Cry“. If we wish to become more disconnected with this modern culture then we should further insulate ourselves within the walls of our community centers and corps while we pine for “the glory days” which will inevitably forever be behind us!

We should also continue to complain about the fact that our attendance is steadily decreasing while we never seek to venture outside the building and into the neighborhoods and downtown streets…in this way we might as well place blinders on our eyes just as horse riders do to prevent the horse from looking around…why should we look around when all we seem to do is look back into the past? (insert sarcasm here)

2) Pursue More Constricting Federal Dollars, it’s all about the money anyway!

We have become very good at modernizing our social services and our national images, so much so that we are recognized as the most respected charitable organization…but is that all we are? A charity? Do fight for souls of men, women and children? Or do we simply run to the next fund raiser and spend countless dollars on better social services programming? I understand we must do both. I understand that without one we cannot do the other, however is it unequally balanced? Can we pull back from the “pursuit of money” cliff and say “enough“?

Have our hands become more and more bound because of the red ink we have placed on federal and local agreements to service? Are these agreements now preventing us from engaging spiritually those with whom we serve? If we desire to become more disconnected with modern culture, we should continue to chase those federal dollars. We should also continue focusing so much of our efforts on increasing social services programs and inflated staffing while decreasing the size of our worship spaces and perhaps some day leave the bibles and penitent form out of the chapel because we “wouldn’t want to offend or bite the hand that feeds us”. Again, if we want to become further disconnected from culture…and even worse disconnected from God and His purpose for us, we will push for these things and strive to become the best social service agency in the nation when being a social service agency was never the sole mission of The Army.

3) Forget About The Long-term Needs, Focus Only On The Immediate Needs Of People…And DON’T Offend!

As stated at the beginning, our Founder’s methodology was to engage culture, change lives and win souls for Christ. William and Catherine Booth didn’t just stop at the “Soup & Soap” of immediate needs, NO! The souls of people, “Salvation” were the primary targets! We will cease to be a movement and an Army of Salvation should we lose the focus on “Salvation”! If we become more concerned with offending people than we do with loving them and longing for their hearts to be changed as well as their physical conditions, then we will have become disconnected! “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV) I don’t propose that we go looking for fights, but we must engage society and that of modern culture if we are to win souls! We cannot simply worry about offending people because we ask about their spiritual well being…this will (on occasion) take time and trust, but we mustn’t shy away from the long-term needs of those with whom we serve! We will have done a great disservice to those we are commissioned to serve as well as the Holy Spirit if we merely hand out the immediate “bread” of the day without the lasting impact of His Living Bread! But…if we wish to disconnect from culture, the world and most importantly our mission for Christ, just hand out bread and food boxes and forget to pray and discuss spiritual things with those we serve.

Finally…
We need to continue to fight! We must be engaged in culture so that we not only understand culture but we can have the tools to reach those who are lost living in that culture! We must continually evaluate our “modern methods” and how effective they may or may not be. We must be willing to take risks, to, at times, throw caution to the wind. We, as an Army, should not be so bound by governmental constrictions that we place gags on the gospel. Get out of the corps buildings. Get out and love others. Get on with evangelism, relational connections and its vital importance to the lost. Do not hold back, dear soldier! We will face opposition. We will face those who will seek to silence the gospel…but fight on with the power of the Holy Spirit as your guide! We need holy leaders, holy soldiers, a holy Army if we are to avoid the allure of disconnecting from our mission field! Go for souls, and go for the worst! To God be the glory!

-Something more for the Army to ponder today!

August 4, 2014 3

Author: Pastor'sPonderings