Salvation Army – 7 Scriptures To Live By

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

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

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

7 Scriptures To Live By:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 4, 2014 3

Sometimes Hope Sucks…

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

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

Another occasion >>

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

But…

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

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

The question?

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

The Answer?
Is amazingly – “YES“.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Something more for us to ponder today!

August 29, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Favoritism & Leadership

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chosen Last On The Team:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Something more for our army to ponder today!

August 27, 2014 4

“My Wife Is The Pastor Too…Breaking The Old Molds”

My Wife and I are both pastors. We both went to seminary. We both earned our ordination…in fact (as humbling as it is to admit it) my wife had a higher GPA than I did.

A number of years ago, however, my wife received a phone call from a parishioner who refused to talk to her but instead demanded to talk to “the pastor”. Even among duel ministries where equality of leadership should be present, there is still an old, tired, stubborn mold that hasn’t broken yet. Just because I was a man, it was assumed that I was the “head/lead” pastor. It wasn’t about me not wanting to be a leader, but as a co-leader in our ministry, my wife’s role should have been perceived as equal but it was not. Let me just tell you that when I received that phone call, I wasn’t a happy camper. This subject actually comes up more than I care to admit. When crucial decisions have to be made in church, for some reason all eyes fall on me…the guy…and I hate that! I’m not trying to abdicate my role as pastor and leader, but my wife is also the pastor and leader in our church. We’re co-leaders together! (okay…stepping off of my soapbox, but only a little)

This is probably more frustrating to me than it is for my wife. She is an easy going type of pastor, who is full of compassion and hope. I guess she might be better at forgiving an indiscretion such as this, I am sure this wasn’t the first time, nor will it unfortunately be the last time. I struggle with this though. I desire others to see how vital this wonderful, loving, smart, gifted woman (whom I’m truly lucky to call my best-friend, partner and wife) is to this ministry. We are serving in this church together! She is just as important of a pastor as I am!

We may think we are all equal in an ever evolving, progressive, “all inclusive” world…but we still have a long way to go…especially among the Church. Ironically, the body of Christ ought to be progressive when it comes to equality with whom serves as leaders and worshipers as well as those we are reaching out to. But it isn’t always the case. Why do we have such a hard time allowing women leaders to preach? I don’t personally have trouble with this at all, but I have witnessed this resistance. Is it only generational? Are we only meeting resistance from older generations where the predominant thought of that generation was that a woman’s place was in the home? I don’t mean to start a generational war, because I have a deep respect for those who have blazed a trail for our present generation both in ministry and in our society…but how can we move forward when some of these deeply entrenched thoughts still exist?

Questions to consider:
Why is it so hard to break out of these old gender roles as Christians? Does the bible actually say Women shouldn’t preach or be church leaders? If we believe that to be true then how do we then reconcile the fact that Jesus had female disciples? What is the Church afraid of? How can we change this conversation?

Breaking the Old Molds:

If we truly believe that God has made all of us equal, regardless of gender, why are these old molds still lingering? That same question about the bible and why the apostle Paul wrote seemly so harshly towards women in church comes up from time to time. What did he mean? Does that include all women everywhere? The answer is absolutely no! Yet many churches still today use passages such as those found in 1 Corinthians 14 to justify it’s stance on women in ministry. Where is the context? Where is the appropriate interpretation?

Fact: Paul was addressing one specific church, the church in Corinth. They had some specific issues and Paul was speaking directly to THOSE Christians. My fear, when it comes to biblical interpretation and application (especially when it comes to Women in ministry) is that people can and will pick and choose passages and apply them to suit their needs. This too is another mold we must break!

Jesus had disciples who, not only included men but also women. Jesus was truly counter-cultural in His day! Jesus was revolutionary. If we are to be like Christ in every way, shape and form, then even in the “who” of leadership we ought to be inclusive beyond the “traditional” gender roles of leadership.

Dear phone caller from church…my wife is also THE Pastor too.

Something to ponder today.

August 25, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – Salvation Isn’t Enough!

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

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

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

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

The Goal: Christ-likeness!

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

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

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

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

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

August 25, 2014 2

Jesus is Crooked (A Poem)

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

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

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

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

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

August 20, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – The Walking Wounded…

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

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

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

What do I mean by walking wounded?

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

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

Frustration:

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

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

Love, Grace & Sanctification:

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

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

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

-Something more for our army to ponder today.

August 15, 2014 0

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

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 – 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

Category: Christ