Dear Salvation Army – Are Brass Bands Dying A Slow Agonizing Death?

I grew up playing in a brass band.
I was forced (lovingly of course) at the age of 7 to learn how to play a cornet.
I have played in brass bands for most of my life…yet I often find myself asking the same question over and over again – “Is Brass Band music still relevant today?” In a world of pop music, and trendy dubstep dance beats how does the genre of brass banding fare?

I enjoy playing in the band but if I’m honest I would rather listen to a worship band with guitars and keyboards and drums over another “rousing march”. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m the one who has the problem here. But when I look out into groups of people in corps halls or large gathering places (as I play in the band) I can’t help but notice that although the older people are tapping their feet and occasionally clapping their hands, the younger generations of people aren’t that into it. They just don’t get the attraction of brass banding. Other such evidence of this trend is that fact that the total corps who still have a band in them are dwindling. This could be contributed to possible leadership shifts and band members moving on but generally if you’re not from a major metro area you’re not likely to see a brass band play on Sunday morning during holiness meeting.

Are we seeing the slow agonizing death of brass bands?
What will the Army look like in ten years from now? Will this trend continue?

The Pros to Brass Banding:
-Playing music actually helps with math skills (studies have proven this correlation)
-Education in actually reading music on a music page. Most guitar players in worship
bands only play chords and do not read musical notes. In brass bands they teach
music theory and a band member has to sight read and watch for accidentals, key
signatures and dynamics.
-The comradery and team work. This is a learned process and the band becomes a team
working together. There is fellowship that occurs through such a task of playing
music.

The Cons to Brass Banding
-Music seems outdated to younger generations – they find even a contemporary worship
song seems forced into starchy staccato notes blown through a brass instrument
instead of played by guitar or keyboard like it was intended to be played.
-Less and less students of brass bands are being trained up and if they are learning
an instrument it takes places primarily at music camp or in a metro corps where more
resources including instructors are available to teach them.

I love playing in the brass band…but I am fearful that they won’t be around much any longer as older generations are passing away or unable to play anymore and younger generations are more attracted to modern forms of worship. When The Salvation Army was founded they put together little traveling, mostly unorganized ragtag bands that consisted of guitars, brass instruments and woodwinds (ok maybe even the occasional bagpipes)…they were out making a joyful noise in open air meetings (which by the way we have also lost mostly in our army). Then these bands got organized and modeled themselves after military bands of the day. Later an entire movement called “the big band” era rose up and brass bands were more popular than ever…these were the glory days…but…we aren’t in the glory days of brass banding anymore.

It might become quite a tragedy if we allow these bands to simply pass away…but is it time to let go and move on? I don’t wish to kill a sacred cow here today, as I have said I love playing in the band…but I don’t necessarily enjoy listening to them. Call me crazy. Call me a number of hurtful things because I might have rocked the boat here – sorry about that. But in regards to effective ministry and evangelism – are brass bands cutting it anymore?

I look out into our community and world and see the rise of newer more relevant uses of music and I wonder if we are so steeped in tradition that we can’t see beyond it and into the eyes of people who just don’t get brass banding anymore. I don’t wish to be hurtful and if it works in your community then I am overjoyed and happy, but by and large are we seeing a slow agonizing death of brass in our Army? I have mixed emotions about this, but as time rolls on I can’t help but think we’ll be seeing less and less of these groups in corps throughout the territories of our Army.

Questions to Ponder:
What can be done?
Can we save them?
Should we save them?
Should we adapt?
Are we already adapting?
What will our Army’s music look like in ten years? Twenty years? The next generation?

Something more to ponder today for our Army.
P.s. the key to any music we play whether in brass bands or modern praise bands is to glorify God and help usher the active worshiper into the presence of God. Regardless of what styles we may use or prefer may that be our constant aim in our music ministries!

July 18, 2014 22

Dear Salvation Army – Where The Saints Are Afraid To Tread

“Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18

What is the cost of leadership?
What is the cost of following Christ?

The answer to both of these questions is everything.
He wants our hearts, our lives, our everything.
Leadership within our Army requires a full submission to Christ. It is personal, yet corporate. Full submission to the Lordship of Christ is never easy because our own selfish ambition, pride and gain creeps in from time to time. Our Army needs fully surrendered leaders. Our Army cannot settle for mediocrity in leadership, nor can it settle for part-time surrender Christians.

This is not just another church.
This is not just another nonprofit organization.
This is a movement. A mission. There was purpose behind the founders starting such a cause with the passion to help the poor, wretched souls find Christ and restoring lives through better living conditions. They went where others feared to go.

There is still purpose behind our Army today..there better be. Dare I say though that this purpose gets muddied and blurred as our army at times has a polarized vision. We have accomplished much and gained much…could it be at times that we are afraid to risk because it might disrupt our investments? Any organization or church that has been around for a while faces a crucial decision – are we going to keep pushing forward and driving our mission or are we going to rest on our laurels and protect that which we have already accomplished? The latter is a very tempting proposition. It is comfortable. It is familiar. It is the already blazed trail. But if we push on in our mission, if we break new ground, if we go where the saints are afraid to tread…what then?

There is a risk involved. There was great risk involved when the founders began this movement, but even more so now. We have much more to lose if we fail. Which begs the question how much do we trust God to lead us into the unknown, into those places that are unfamiliar? Those places that others are afraid to tread? How much say are we allowing God to have in our leadership decisions and in our vision for the future? Are we willing to risk it all as He prods us forward? We could lose everything, and yet is following God, despite the threat of losing everything enough for us?

Places We Are Afraid To Tread:

Where are we called today to share hope, compassion, love and Christ’s grace?
Where are we afraid to tread?
These places used to be the bars and brothels on the lower east end of London.
What are “those places” today?
Homosexual/Transgender communities?
AIDS Hospitals?
The Plight of Human Trafficked children and adults throughout the world?
A plea for governments to cease genocide in villages in Africa and other troubled regions?
Ministering to people who are addicted to online porn and other “secret” addictions?

Where is the Lord leading us today?
Where are those places that we may be afraid to tread?
Are we afraid of losing our reputations?
Are we afraid of losing our past investments?
Are we more afraid of what might happen to our sacred traditions of yesterday as opposed to those who are hurting today?

There are places that the Lord is leading THIS Army that other churches and organizations would never dare go. I do not say that with pride or arrogance but with assurance that God has placed this Army on the front lines for a reason. He needs leaders who are fully surrendered to Him for the purpose of leading us into these regions of the lost, the lonely and the hopeless. He hasn’t called us to protect our past, as wonderful a heritage as it may be, but to serve Him today regardless of where that may take us. Regardless if other saints are afraid to tread there. There is risk in following Christ. There is surrender in following Him. Are we prepared, truly prepared to answer that call? Not just part-time. Not just “once in a while”. Not just when it’s comfortable…but all of the time. There is a very real spiritual battle going on in our world still today. We can either get going and be faithful, even if we are afraid. Or we can get out of the way and allow those who are faithful to go in our stead. I would rather be an Army that risks much for the present than protect the investments of our past.

Yes, we still have a relevant vision thrust upon us since 1865…that is what we must take with us into the fight today. Go for souls, go for the worst…and love as Christ has called us to do. Don’t simply rest in your halls, looking at old pictures of saints who have gone on before us. Be a saint today in our Army and serve Him faithfully with your everything!

Just something more for our Army to ponder today.
May God continue to bless our efforts as we faithfully serve Him with our everything.

July 18, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Brengle, Holiness and All That Jazz…

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” -Psalm 51:10

Sometimes one has to wonder where holiness has gone to in our corps. I don’t mean to be harsh but have we forgotten this vital, vital element in our ministry? Isn’t Holiness that which continues to transform the soul into the image of Christ? Doesn’t the work of the Holy Spirit still have the power to transform lives far beyond our wildest human imagination can fathom? Have we grown up so much as an Army that holiness has taken a back seat to service and good works? Dare I say that if that ever becomes the case we will have lost the most vital component of our mission.

For Thy Mission Make ME Holy!
Samuel Logan Brengle has been the most influential writer of The Salvation Army to me on this topic of holiness. Yet we need additional theologians to boldly step forward in our Army to pick up the torch of Brengle. I do not believe that the Holy Spirit is static, nor is His mission for our lives. He transform us because we are imperfectly marred by sin. The Holy Spirit transforms our hearts and lives for the purpose of cleansing us completely. This work might take a lifetime. Many times the transformation and cleansing is dependent upon our willingness to relinquish and surrender that which we have held onto even after initial sanctification.

Questions to ponder for our Army:

How often do you preach on holiness in your corps?
How often do you hear bible studies or sermons on holiness in your corps?
Is holiness and the desire to be like Jesus in every way, shape and form truly something which you personally strive for. I do not wish to imply that doing works will bring us holiness but doing what the Holy Spirit prods us to brings us into an attitude of full surrender.
How full and complete is your surrender?
How willing are you to remain on the altar despite the challenges that come your way?
What still remains in your life that needs surrendering?
What is holding you back?

All That Jazz

The topic of holiness may seem like a very deep theological conversation. Some may even steer clear of it because it just seems too “heady” of a conversation. Our Army is a holiness movement. We believe in the moving of the Holy Spirit. We believe He can make us like Christ through a surrendered life. We believe that it is possible to be holy people of God. Holiness is not physical perfection but it is desiring to be like Christ and the determination to live for Him in every facet of life.
As a Solider of this Army, may it be our mission to live holy lives in every area of it. Don’t just be a Sunday Soldier and then leave the corps and live a completely different life apart from the fellowship of other comrades of salvation. Don’t assume that putting on the uniform makes you holy, or that because your parents believe and are saved it is good enough for you. This personal relationship with the Lord is vital. He wants you all to himself! He doesn’t want to share you with the world and with anything else that would hold you captive. God desires a right relationship with YOU! He is jealous for you. He loves you so deeply that He cannot allow you (us) to remain unfinished as we are now. Thus the Holy Spirit longs to complete this work within us…but are we willing to allow Him to poke and prod us? Are we willing to reveal those tender areas of our hearts that we have not yet been relinquished and given to God? The Christian walk doesn’t end at the altar of salvation…it is just the beginning.

“Holiness is not absolute perfection, which belongs to God only; nor is it angelic perfection; nor is it Adamic perfection — for, no doubt, Adam had a perfect head as well as a perfect heart before he sinned against God. But it is Christian perfection — such perfection and obedience of the heart as a poor fallen creature, aided by almighty power and boundless grace, can give.” -Samuel Logan Brengle

Prayer: Lord it is our desire to be like You! Reveal to us that which is still unsurrendered in our lives today. May Your Holy Spirit fall afresh on us again. Protect us from apathetic hearts and slothful minds. Renew in us a right relationship with You. Oh Lord create in us a clean heart once again. Give us a heart for You and for others. May we be available to extend your grace and mercy to those around us in our communities and in our ministries. Lord for Thy service make us Holy. -Amen.

July 17, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army, The Super-Officer Needs To Die!

“As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Ephesians 4:16 NLT).

“Superpastor is always available to everyone and accomplishes great things but always has time to stop and talk and never misses anyone’s birthday and if you are sick he’s at the hospital and you can call him at home whenever you need advice and he loves meetings and spends hours studying and praying and yet you can interrupt him if you need something – did I mention he always puts family first?” (Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis) Bell’s advice:Super-Pastor Must Die.
Let me borrow something on that train of thought, ministry and leadership:

R.I.P. Super-Officer:

Faster than a speeding EDS Canteen.

More powerful than an action packed Youth Night.

Able to leap tall problems in a single bound.

They are…SUPER-OFFICER.

But is Super-Officer realistic? -NO.

Are expectations of such a character unobtainable and unhealthy? -Yes.

Will performing these heroic acts lead to burn-out? -Most definitely Yes!

Sometimes it is a matter of pride to some Officers. It doesn’t start off as an unhealthy role, it progresses due to buying into the lie that Super-Officer must be and do everything. I am not begrudging responsible duties and the role of Officers, but I am taking aim at the unhealthy approach at times to the jobs some feel they must perform ALL THE TIME. Everyone needs rest. Everyone needs time away. Even Jesus, in all of His glory, took time away to be with The Father. If we eat, sleep, dream and breathe these unhealthy roles without rest we will lose our identities within the yellow, red and blue. More importantly we will crash and burn and leave nothing left to further the kingdom of God.

Can we put an end to the Super-Officer? How can we slow down and recognize that we were never intended to do everything by ourselves? Oh sure we have important responsibilities, of that there is no doubt, but can we relinquish our red, yellow and blue capes? There are five steps that I would like to outline today that might help us to put to death the “Super-Officer” mentality.

5 Steps to eliminate Super-Officer- S.U.P.E.R.

1. Share the burden of leadership!

trust others to help shoulder the load of leadership. We have an important task to perform, but we do the Army and those we minister to a great disservice when we do not share the workload with those who are capable around us. A shared vision is mightier when the entire body is collectively working together to accomplish it. Allow others to come alongside you and put the cape down.

-Trust Issues and “I can do it better”-…These two crucial detractors of sharing the burden of ministry can, at times, force us to put our capes back on. Have faith and let others help. Don’t let pride or being “in control” stop you from sharing the burden of leadership with those who should take up a certain measure of responsibility within the ministry.

2. Utilize and delegate roles to others!

Moses quickly realized that he could not lead and perform every task required to meet the needs of God’s people. With the help of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses begins to delegate authority and roles to the able bodied leaders. (Exodus 18) Moses had to utilize and delegate roles to others with an entire nation, we in our ministries, need to do the same in a slightly scaled down model.

Let the YPSM be the YPSM.
Let the Women’s Ministries Secretary be the Women’s Ministries Secretary.
Allow the CSM to lead and shoulder some of the “elder” responsibilities of the Corps Council and guidance to soldiers and adherents. Use The Army’s structured system to help better strengthen our corps. I recognize that at times there are some corps or ministries that are operating out of many many weaknesses including very few able bodied souls to help in the delegation process. These issues are complex and frustrating, but similarly to a link of metal chain, we are only as strong as our weakest link. Pray for additional leaders to join you congregation or ministry. Pray that the Holy Spirit provide you with the right opportunity to ask others to come along side your ministry in a capacity of leadership and help.

3. Prepare personal retreats to recharge and reflect.

This is one downfall of many Soldiers and Officers in our Army today. We are so engaged in warfare and the front lines of ministry that we begin to neglect our bodies and minds as they scream out to us for rest. Rest is vital to our continuance in the roles that God has placed us in. Without such scheduled or unscheduled personal retreats, we will grow tired, weary and we will lose a step. Burn out is a very real danger to the Super-Officer. We cannot go full throttle all the time and expect to last. Ministry is a marathon not a sprint. We must get away at times to recharge, disconnect and at times heal from the battle wounds and bruises.

Don’t merely wait for Divisional or Territorial scheduled events which only come around once or twice a year, make time – take time! You will find rest, the Army will survive without you for a little while and you will come back to the tasks at hand having rested and perhaps having gained a better perspective on issues facing your ministry.

4. Expect to be taught by those you lead!

Take a back seat at times and let those you teach, teach you! This is a growing process that we sometimes lack in our army. Along side delegating responsibilities we need to allow soldiers of our army to expand their horizons and teach Sunday School or even preach on Sundays. This not only enables us to free up some of our Super-Officer Schedules, but it also allows vital moments of investment for soldiers and local officers! It provides a testing of what soldiers and possibly future leaders are learning in the corps setting. Take the initiative and take a back seat from time to time in the ministry and allow others to teach, leader and share the gospel. You will be edified, your leaders will be challenged and another voice from the lectern or pulpit might fall upon ears that hadn’t been open in a while.

5. Respect the Kryptonite of failure but don’t let it dictate your life!

Don’t be afraid of failure it is only kryptonite! The Super-Officer that is only success driven looks at failure as something to avoid and at times will only take small manageable risks, but leaps of faith in programming and evangelistic outreach opportunities may be avoided because the risks are far too big. Failure is only an opportunity to learn and to grow. Dare I say, in leadership, we have to be willing to embrace failed risks. If we don’t dare to risk we will never learn. Super-Officers will only go so far. Super-Officers will only risk so much…because failure keeps them from testing the waters in communities that may reject the ministry. If we fear rejection of the gospel, at times we will refrain from even venturing out of our corps. If/when that happens how will people hear of the hope and love of Christ? We cannot be afraid of the Kyrptonite of failure. If we always fear it and its wrath we will have shackled the mission of The Salvation Army to dwindling, vacant pews and outdated ministry…for to be held in fear is to be held captive by protecting the “investments” of the past rather than looking to investments in the future. (Matt 25:24)

It’s time to put an end to the “Super-Officer”!
The pace and vision of it has never been manageable!
Christ has called the entire body to share in His love, hope and grace…don’t sell the army short by being “Super-Officer”! Be holy leaders. Be godly examples that are humble and servant leaders. We were never appointed to ministries to be “Super-Officers”…so stop draping the red, yellow and blue capes of an individual crusade that was never intended to be a solo mission.

Something more for the Army to ponder today! God Bless You and may we allow the “Super-Officer” to die and in its place the body of Christ within our Army to rise up stronger and healthier.

July 16, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Share The Hope To The Discouraged!

I met with a retired officer yesterday. He called me up on the phone and asked if I could meet him for coffee. I had just spent a few days having been discouraged, frustrated and done with it all. His phone call seemed to be out of the blue, but he mentioned coffee and I’ve been known to share in a cup or ten.

We sat down in the little diner in a vinyl booth and ordered our cups of hot coffee and some toast. I was still unsure of the reason for the phone call yet in my spirit I was a little worse for the wear. The retired officer had his large study bible open on the table across from me and as we sipped and chit chatted about family, the corps and even troubles, I found myself pouring out to him that which had been eating at my heart for days. That small vinyl booth became a sort of confessional to me. I knew that I was in a safe place and in safe company and so I was able to find the words to speak. As I did it felt as if a burden was being lifted from me. What a joy it is to experience such a deep moment of encouragement and to begin to see again a glimpse of hope and understanding! We all need these moments of confiding. We all require, whether we realize it or not, someone who is willing to seek us out and to encourage our spirit. These moments become a salve to the soul. What a sweet encounter of fellowship!

Receiving Hope –
Many of us need to receive hope today. Some are downtrodden. Some are hurting. Some may even feel as if they have reached the end of their ropes. Perhaps that’s you. Perhaps you are in need of a safe place with safe people to confide in. Do you have someone to talk to? Someone to share these burdens? Hope is a precious commodity and so much more valuable are those with whom we can sit and just receive the salve that our souls require. Christian brothers and sister, fellow soldiers of our Army we need dispensers of hope, but we must also recognize when we are the ones in need of replenishing, rest and an ear to listen to our burdens. We ought not carry our burdens around with us thinking no one cares or that we aren’t important enough to have someone in whom we can confide in. Secondly it is not a matter of weakness when we share these burdens with people who care for us. Relish those moments. Embrace them. Allow those safe places to exist in your life! If we are to be an Army of hope we must accept hope from others with humility and thankfulness. Without these moments of respite, and safety to confide we may not be prepared to dispense this vital commodity to others.

Dispensing Hope –
Fellow Soldiers once we have gone to this fountain of hope and have drunk of its healing we then must take up again this mighty cause to sharing the hope of Christ to a broken and hurting world. Some may never experience such peace and love if we are not prepared to dispense the hope of Christ. We, as an army, should be a beacon of hope to the single Mom who is barely making ends meet and has to raise her children up without the help of their father. We should be a beacon of hope to the drunk and the abuser who only see the end of the bottle to drowned out the ache of hopelessness in his heart. We should be a beacon of hope to parent who is waiting anxiously for a rebellious child who may or may not return home again.

We must be beacon of hope to so many more lost and hurting souls in our communities who just need to know that someone truly cares. Oh Army, we are so much more than just another social service organization. We are so much more than just another community bridge to homelessness. We stand at the cross roads, the intersection of lives who need to receive hope. These are the front lines where souls can be saved or souls can be lost. We need you to dispense the mighty hope of Christ so that not another soul will be lost! We need each other so that we can pick each other up when we have weakened from these heavy burdens. We do not do this mighty work alone. No we are never alone! We have His Holy Spirit present with us, guiding us and prodding us onward.

Lift up your head –
The retired Officer that I was sitting with in that vinyl booth, my confessional, began to read a brief passage of scripture to me:
Psalm 20:1,2
“May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.”

He then looked at me and told me about the various entrances and exits of the temple in Jerusalem. He told me that when those who were discouraged needed encouragement they needed only to walk into the temple through the exit gate while the worshipers who had just been in temple exited. There amongst the exiting worshipers the discouraged soul could lift his head up and see the faces of those who had just been blessed. The discouraged could lift his head up and look upon the blessing coming forth out of the house of God and be enveloped in the very blessing of God himself.

If you are discouraged today and need hope – receive it. Lift up your head. Take in God’s encouraging hope and love. He loves YOU! He wants YOU! YOU matter to Him. Receive His hope and blessing today!

Secondly if you are able to dispense His hope to others who need hope – DO IT! Be a blessing to those who need to be filled once again with the hope of Christ! Be an encourager. Be available. Be honest. Be real. Share Christ and Be a safe place for others to receive Him. Oh Army of Salvation…Be Hope! Be Peace! Be God’s ambassadors where ever He may send you today!

-Just another thing for our Army to ponder today! May God

July 15, 2014 0

Devotional Pondering For Today – An Intimate Moment With God

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” -Colossians 3:23

Lord do I have a heart for You in all that I do?
Too often the answer is “no”.
Too often I am far too busy to include You.
Many times You are an after thought…A prayer as I go out the door.
Why do I forget You? How could I do such a thing after all that You have done for me?
Are You not the One who sustains me in the midst of trials, despair, heartache and sadness? Are You not the One who lifts my head and allows me to see Your beauty that encompasses Your world? How could I relegate You to a backseat in my life?

Renew my heart dear Lord.
Renew my mind.
Restore in me a right relationship to You.
It is my desire to intentionally seek You out in my day.
It is my desire to do ALL things through and because of You.
Teach me to walk in Your way today…Please take it slow because I am still learning, I am not complete, You have much to do within this heart of mine. Grant in me Your passion to the things that I must do today. Grant in me Your heart for other people, including people I do not see eye to eye with. Fill me with Your holiness once more. My desire is to reflect You. My desire is to be Your child before I engage the world around me. Heavenly Father, plead for You to remain in my day (each step of the way) as I do both the most mundane of tasks as well as the challenging. Allow me to display Heaven in our world to those who are lost and without hope of a future. Use me to shine Your light today. I long to be complete in Your holiness, reveal to me that which still lingers within my spirit that is not of You. Capture every fragment of who I am for Your glory. May my heart be Yours and Yours alone.

-Amen.

July 14, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – On Authoritarian Leadership – Healthy Model or Faulty Model?

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

I have heard it said that the leadership model for The Salvation Army is authoritarian, meaning it is a hierarchical model of leadership. This system of leadership is modeled after the military not only in ranks but also in orders and regulations. One could argue for or against this type of model quite easily, but that isn’t the intention of this article. I would, however like to explore the affects of this type of leadership model within our corps ministries, divisional and territorial ministries.

The Good:

We have a chain of support and clearly outlined protocol to follow. There is no question who is in charge within this leadership mainframe. A Corps Officer reports to his or her leadership/department head either the divisional secretary/general secretary and then the divisional commander. This model insulates and protects all involved. We all have a chain of command to report to which keeps things moving and hopefully progressing within our mission to “meet human need in His name”.

The Bad:

Abuse of power sometimes takes place within this leadership model. If accountability (which is paramount here) isn’t utilized for both subordinate as well as superordinate, then respect as well as power will deteriorate. I do not begrudge those in authority over me. I recognize the biblical truths to godly leadership and that of servant hearts for both leader and one who follows. However when abuse of this relationship takes place, as it sometimes does, it can and will disrupt the fellowship and mission of our Army.

Questions to ponder:
Is Authoritarian leadership the model Jesus utilized with His disciples? Is there a negative impact to this style of leadership model? Catherine and William Booth founded The Salvation Army in the Victorian era, that being said, is this model of leadership still the best style to follow? Don’t misunderstand these questions or my intent. I merely ask them to get our minds thinking on the bigger picture.

How do we overcome the “my way or the highway” mentality within such a leadership model? Do/can we stunt the growth of those we lead within authoritarian leadership? Do we limit or control “questioning” leadership in a healthy way? Is questioning leadership a bad thing? Is punishment still dispensed to some subservient members of our army when they have questioned leaders who have felt threatened (perhaps by their own insecurities)?

Unhealthy Dependence – The Corps Level:
One of the detractors of the authoritarian model within corps ministries is an unhealthy dependence on the corps officer to do everything. This may not be true of every corps but many have been led by very strong leaders in the past but perhaps these leaders were not equipped or interested in discipling and honing proactive leaders within the local officer base. One of the unhealthy side effects of dependence is total dependence on the Officer to plan, execute and control the local mission. Though there is some merit to this, Officers ought to be skilled in the area of delegation, and have a willingness to develop a healthy team of leaders who are willing and able to lead in and of their own right.

Corps Officers still should maintain a level of authority but Officers shouldn’t be expected to run everything within the corps ministries. For far too long new officers would come into many of our corps newly appointed there and find that the Officer was expected to run, lead, plan and execute everything. Shouldn’t this corps ministry be a shared venture? Shouldn’t our teams of local officers have more of a say in the local mission having served and lived within that community for most if not all of their lives? Who better to understand the pulse of that community than the local officers? That being said Officers should also be mindful to appoint proactive people for these local officer positions. It may be very easy to appoint “yes” people who will do as we say, but is that what your corps needs? This doesn’t mean that we should appoint strictly “no” people but rather select the strong leaders who are willing to make hard decisions and at times disagree with leadership and differing visions and plans. This kind of healthy conflict sharpens iron provided it is done with in a manner of respect and love with the mission ever in focus.

The unhealthy dependence on the Officer in some corps leads to frustration and burnout to some who lead. Secondly the danger of authoritarian leadership within the corps is that corps members stop thinking for themselves. Unhealthy dependence on the Officer can also lead to a stagnation of internal vision and a crumbling mission for outreach and evangelism. Having a shared vision with multiple team leaders within a corps usually indicates a collective thought process but also strong individuals willing to shoulder the burden as well as encourage and push one another on to greater things within their ministry.

Authoritarian Leadership of Officers:
For far too long our Army operated under the old iron fist which, at times was more concerned about the mission over the individual needs of its officers and families. For far too long the “My way or the Highway” edicts were handed down to officers from above, and to question was to be punished. Sometimes compassion seemed vacant. Some officers felt trapped, for to relinquish their role within the army meant that they were turned out with little to no personal affects or possessions. At times appointments were made to send a message to some who had perhaps disobeyed…dare I say this practice still occurs. Yet…I am hopeful. I am confident. I am willing to go out on a limb and proclaim my faith in a new army. Not a compromised army. Not a “soft” army. Not a complacent army. But a compassionate army. A more loving army. An army that finally gets it. An army that finally see the investment in its officers. An army that finally begins to shepherd its officers with more care and more effort and more expressions of pastoral edification. After all, who shepherds the shepherd? Who cares for the hurts of officers who in turn have to shoulder the care of many, many broken people in their corps? I am hopeful in this army. THIS is the kind of army I WANT TO BELONG TO! This is the kind of army that will see less and less of an attrition rate among its ranks…if they are cared for and shepherded in this way and not with an iron fist. I am confident in leaders who will rise up and learn from past mistakes. I will boldly follow such leaders who take into account the hurts of hurting officers. I will serve faithfully and love fully those leaders who take the time to listen, truly listen to their officers. Our army needs more and more leaders who are servants first and holy…Lord we need more holy leaders in our midst! Our army needs more leaders who will lead with compassion, who won’t play favorites, won’t entertain the follies of gossip, will maintain respect and integrity and will make the prayerful hard decisions not because they are popular but because they are right.

“If we are growing we are always going to be outside our
comfort zone.” -John Maxwell.

Perhaps we need to grow a little…we still have room to grow, right?
Perhaps we’ve remained in our comfort zones for far too long.

Probably more questions, but also more for our army to ponder today.
“We cannot become what we need by remaining what we are.”
― John C. Maxwell

July 14, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – Officership: Are We Settling For The Willing But Not The Able?

In a continuation of the conversation yesterday –
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/07/10/warning-dear-salvation-army-we-are-losing-our-young-people/

Perhaps another discussion could be broached within this specific topic…Officership.
It might sound raw and perhaps it may sting a little but here goes…

We have probably all witnessed the struggle our Army has had in some regions of the world recently to recruit and commission able bodied Officers. As the “World for God” extends into new communities and frontiers we find more and more that we are running low on willing and able personnel to fill these appointments.

Questions we must ponder on this issue:
Why are we so short on soldiers to fill our ranks as future officers?
What can be done to continue to “fill the world with glory” and still produce quality officers to boldly proclaim the name of Christ? Are we out of touch with younger generations? Could it be that the uniform is to blame? Are there just more opportunities now that weren’t there before to other generations?
Are we losing quality soldiers in our Army who could be future officers because new opportunities outside of the Army in other ministries and even vocations takes them away?

Secondly, has it become quantity over quality?

All too often I question if we as an Army have pushed too hard to produce in quantity new red trimmed Officers while at the same time we have failed to adequately prepare them for the work ahead. I question whether this push has elevated some who are willing but might never be able to fulfill such a calling. Please don’t misinterpret that statement to sound pretentious or arrogant, but perhaps at times we do settle for the willing over the willing and able to meet certain “quotas” of officers in territories. I also do not want to short change the work of the Holy Spirit here within this “calling”. I know full well that the Holy Spirit can and will call those to lead in our Army but within our methods of recruitment towards potential future officers are we forcing results?

Sometimes there is this atmosphere of panic in the Army. Perhaps it is never spoken but it is felt when the list of accepted candidates comes out and for some reason it seems rather small (compared to other “more bountiful years”). Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying and I don’t wish to imply anything negatively here, but there is a perception of numeric success even within these lists of potential future officers. It makes me question if at times our push for more and more candidates creates a notion that Officership is for everyone, when it is in fact a calling not specifically a profession. I don’t mean to elevate this position above anything else within our Army because everything serves a purpose, but when we commission some who really weren’t called but simply signed up because it was convenient or pushed upon them…are we selling ourselves short? Are we really being faithful to God? Will God honor this sort of selection? To be fair we must recognize that this isn’t always the norm…but have certain territories hit the panic button in recent years?

Wrong Reasons For Becoming An Officer –
(Erroneous Ones As Well)
#1 Free House
#2 Free Vehicle
#3 The Pay
#4 The Adventure of Moving
#5 Pressured into it
#6 No Other Prospects of Employment
#7 Always Wanted to Wear Red Trim

There are many more wrong reasons why some want or have become officers. Some on this list may seem silly to you, but I have heard some of these rationales from real people. Granted in some territories the concept of becoming an Officer may seem like a safe, comfortable choice of vocations. Many fail to recognize the demands of such a calling. The life of an Officer is not glamorous or flashy. It is not easy at times. Sure there are blessings associated with the calling to become an Officer but there are burdens as well. <<This is why I will probably NEVER be asked to become any kind of candidate secretary>>>…I do not want to sugar coat the ministry of our Army.

Honorable Reasons For Becoming An Officer –
#1 You have felt God’s calling on Your Life to make this decision.
#2 This isn’t “plan B” but a passion to serve the Lord as an Officer.
#3 You have strong desire to serve other people from every walk of life.
#4 You are prepared to serve in the good times and in the not so good times.
#5 You have a passion for holiness and are currently responding to God’s prodding on your life.

There are more honorable reasons for becoming an Officer but these are just a few the spring to mind while in this conversation.

TWO WARNING SIGNS:
For Territorial, Divisional, & Corps –
Beware of pushing people into “the ministry” of Officership. We all recognize the need to fill appointments and to have sufficient personnel on the field…but perhaps at times we have to trust in the Lord more than we do. We have to trust that He is going to provide the right people for the right appointing. This doesn’t mean we don’t put that call out for more candidates, it simply means that perhaps we wait a little longer on the Lord to provide willing AND able Men and Women for this sacred duty.

For Soldiers & Potential Candidates –
Beware of jumping too quickly into a full-time ministry as a Candidate or potential Officer. Pray in earnest for the right direction. Pray for God to reveal to you His path for your life. I am not discouraging anyone from becoming an Officer but make sure your decision to “sign up” is for the right reasons, not the wrong ones. Talk it over with family and friends and talk it over with your Corps Officer. We need Officers in our Army but at the same time do not sell yourself short or sell the Army short and settle for being willing but not able to fulfill such a arduous calling.

“Get On With It!”
Perhaps the panic button has been hit a time or two in various territories, but I also know that there are some very godly men and women leading the charge to recruit and to commission new Officers of The Salvation Army. It is not a glamorous lot, but it is a vital role to play. Are you willing AND able? For soldiers and officers who are neither willing nor able I would advise you do one of two things – Pray for the Lord to restore your ministry and passion for the lost souls in your communities and get on with it or get out of the way so that others may rise up and take your place. This may sound harsh, but if we do not have holy sanctified officers or future holy sanctified officers rising up we will have lost our mission and vision as an Army. God forgive us if we lose sight of His purpose for our lives and for the hope of restoration to the lost. Get on with it!

I never thought I would be discussing this today…but praise the Lord for His leading! Something further for our Army to ponder.

July 11, 2014 6

WARNING…Dear Salvation Army, We Are Losing Our Young People!!

“Pasadena Tab Youth Chorus at IHQ”

It is a common scenario: An Officer family moves into an inner-city or even rural appointment and finds little to no adult role models that they can trust to instruct their children. In a similar situation a married couple joins the Army corps to serve and to help but also finds little by way of adult, spiritually mature, role models to guide their children while at the corps.

Yes, it is a parent’s job to train their children up (Prov 22:6) but are we lacking strong, spiritually mature leaders within our corps today to assist in this? Is it detrimental to children of Officers as well as families coming into corps who encounter this problem? Where have all of the godly Local Officers and Saintly Sunday School/Corps Cadet teachers gone? Admittedly many of them have been promoted to glory after decades of faithful service…but the question remains why aren’t others stepping up to lead? Where have all the saints gone in our corps?

I have heard from a number of faithful local officers as well as Corps & Divisional Officers who share this sentiment. What are doing wrong? Why are we losing so many pillars only to have no one to take their place?

Edification of our Youth:
We mustn’t neglect this portion of our ministry! As an Army, we are losing young people in droves as they become young adults because there is little keeping them at our corps. This is one of the biggest threats facing our modern Army world. Who will step up to lead them? Who will hold them to godly standards? How can we stave off such a tremendous loss?

We need strong local officers! We need discipled leaders! We cannot settle for warm bodies in Sunday School classes solely because they “show up”. This is an epic crisis. It might not be felt currently in some of the larger metro corps where leadership is in abundance, but drive a few miles away to one of the younger supporting corps or further out into some of the rural communities and this crisis will become more and more evident.

An extension of this crisis begins to reveal itself in local officers, who are spiritually mature, who are there to help serve, who have children at the corps and are beginning to question if, perhaps, it is time to find another ministry to belong to because the edification of the youth (and specifically their children) is sadly vacant due to the lack of leaders.

Are we doing something wrong?
Have we lost a step?
Can we recover from this?

Solutions:
It is certainly not my intention to criticize or direct any blame without attempting to offer some kind of solution or corrective steps. I will be the first to admit that I do not have all of the answers here, but I do want to begin asking these very important questions. What I do know is that if something isn’t done to help local officer families and Officer families, a large portion of the next generation will be lost to the Army…and it has already begun.

We have territorial and even divisional events to send our children to, but coming home to a corps that lacks the kind of leaders our children are seeing at the divisional or territorial level can be debilitating and discouraging. It is rather telling of the quality of leaders we may have when we have to employ our teenagers to teach a class because none of the adults are equipped or mature enough to handle this responsibility.

Solution #1 Discipleship, Discipleship, Discipleship!
For years we have done our corps a disservice by not adequately discipling our adults and youth properly. Jesus instructed and lived out model discipleship to His followers. Officers and currently leaders need to continually think of who will replace them when they are gone…who will follow in their footsteps? Who will carry on the legacy? Who can WE train up? We must invest our time in those who need to grow and have the potential to become leaders so that future generations will have someone to look up to and emulate within the corps setting.

Solution #2 Divisional and Territorial Support
A few years ago the Eastern Michigan Division created a program called “The Ambassadors Program”. What this program did was take young adults and send them out into corps that needed young leaders and role models within their youth programs. They helped conduct lessons, tutored young people during after school, played sports with them in gymnasiums, in essence they became mobile young adult disciples and role models. We need more mobile young adult discipleship programs that are sent out into these frontline ministries and rural corps to help with the mission! We need to consider such opportunities as a two-fold solution. (1) The young people being sent (Ambassador or Disciple what ever you call it) are learning how to become strong(er) leaders of our Army by actively participating in ministry as a divisional missionary! They learn through hands-on training and it is a trial by fire. (2) The youth that these Ambassadors/Disciples are instructing and taking under their wing begin to see active and loving leaders who are committed to the Lord and have a passion for what they do! This is the kinds of role models our young people in problematic corps (where leadership is vacant) need.

There are probably many more solutions out there to help with this crisis. My hope is that in writing this and sharing my frustration and fear others will begin to offer ideas and share further solutions. We are losing our youth in the Army. We can probably all share in the blame. Beyond the “blame game”, however, we need to get up, we need to mobilize and begin developing leadership networks to help properly instruct our youth once again so that we do not lose another generation and their parents who are currently testing the waters of other ministries.

Something else for the Army world to ponder today.

July 10, 2014 18

Dear Soldier, Just Quit, You Can’t Possibly Win…

World Cup – Brazil Vs. Germany

I watched the World Cup yesterday and witnessed what many are calling the worst lopsided game in World Cup history. It started off quite competitively. Each team was passing and pushing the football into each other’s territory, and then something happened. First the German team scored one goal, and then another…and finally another all within the first twenty nine minutes of play. Before the first and even second goal, the Brazilian soccer team were running and fighting for the ball, they were pressing and forcing plays…then it all changed.

Before the third goal there was fight in their eyes, they were serious about playing the game, and more importantly they were still serious about winning. But…by the third goal, that “fight” look in the eyes had completely evaporated. The effort to press and to win had dissolved as well. The camera panned into the mostly Brazilian crowd and there were tears and weeping, shock and dismay, sadness and grief. It was visually epic, yet disheartening as well. They had been a team with such promise and now they were floundering around, lost, defeated and numb.

The game ended with a historic defeat of 7 – 1. But the game was truly over before halftime. I knew it and so did those watching in the stands. It was all in the eyes. The fight was there, and then it was gone surrendering itself to sunken hearts and defeated souls.

So what does this have to do with Salvation Soldiers? What could football possibly teach us in The Salvation Army? Here’s an epiphany that I had while watching this historical match – Satan would love nothing more than for Soldiers of the Army to capitulate, to pack it in and to walk away from this spiritual battle that we wage. In fact he attempts to convince us everyday to “just quit because there is no way of winning.”

the “fight” had left the fan’s faces as well…

Has the fight gone out in your eyes?
It was a very sad moment when I knew that it was all over for Brazil. That fight had gone out in their eyes. Conversely, I have seen soldiers who seemingly walk around having lost the fight in their eyes. Dare I even say that there are Officers in our army who walk around having lost the fight in their eyes too. Perhaps, at times, we have bought this lie from the father of lies. Perhaps we have encountered an obstacle in our ministries and we have failed miserably. Perhaps we barely salvaged the burning wreckage that is our pride and dignity but we have little else to show for our efforts.

There have been times in my ministry that I have felt the burning sting of defeat because soldiers and fellow comrades of the cross have walked away surrendering their uniforms and even their faith. How it hurts the very heart of God when our ranks buckle under such adversities. Has the fight ever gone out in your eyes? Are you nearing that point right now? Perhaps the pressures of appointment has taken its toll on you. Perhaps it seems that the enemy is winning and you were never capable enough to handle this battle. Perhaps you, as a soldier, have witnessed officers come and officers go and the corps never seems to get any larger and a community still seems unreached.

Is it really about us winning?
Is that all that matters in our army? Have we solely hedged our bets on statistical success as we lean covetously looking over the fence at other ministries who are booming and exploding with numeric success? Are we walking around with vacant stares singing the old battle songs of our army while the “fight” in our eyes is strangely missing? Have we lost a step as we utter the words to “keep in step all the time”? It was never about how good we look in our uniforms. It was never about how one man and one woman founded such a movement.

It has always been about faithfully allowing God’s holy presence to prod and to prompt us into action. It has always been about God’s glory and never about our glory! It was always about God’s victory, not our victory, though we share in His mighty triumph. Somewhere along the way, perhaps we lost that fight in our eyes because we lost sight of Him. Perhaps somewhere along the pathway of duty we became so focused on “meeting human needs” and worrying about public perceptions that we forgot the “in His name“. I don’t mean to say that human needs are not important but if we do these workings without the passion and fight of Christ behind them, we might as well become just another charity without mission and heavenly aim.

I have seen that look in those footballers eyes in many places in our army. I have seen them in local officers who have served faithfully for years yet question if they have ever produced enough fruit for the kingdom. I have seen them in the tired eyes of officers who, after long days of raising money at Christmas kettles, come into corps where a spirit of dissension and sin has become rampant. I have witnessed that look in the eyes of battle weary employees who wonder how many more days they can make it as the need never seems to find an end. I have even seen that look in the eyes that stare back at me in the mirror from time to time.

Oh dear Soldier…do not buy the lie from the father of lies!
Don’t allow his cunning words and slippery speech to invade your hearts. There will be days when we see defeat. There will be moments where we feel like packing it in. We may even consider walking away from it all…but don’t. For what really matters is faithfulness first to our God, no matter where and with whom that takes us to. Are you prepared to fight on despite the opposition’s tauntings? Are you ready to get back on your knees and wage a spiritual battle that involves more than just our human gifts, abilities and talents? The battle truly does belong to the Lord! If you have exchanged the victorious look of a soldier for that of defeat then get back your knees! Without our humility, supplication and penitence we will be nothing more than a hollow uniform taking up space in a slowly diminishing corps hall.

Soldiers of our Army…get back into the fight! Pray in earnest for His victorious might! It has never been about what we can do, but what the power of the Holy Spirit can do through selfless servants of the cross! Do not give up, do not listen to Satan’s lies, face Christ and embrace His victory! Look into the enemies eyes and declare “the world for God!”

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

Article is also available here – http://salvationist.ca/2014/07/keep-the-fight-alive/

July 9, 2014 0