Imprisoned By Fear?

There is all sorts of types of fear.
Fear that propels you into action.
Fear that keeps those you love safe.
Fear that weighs the outcomes of decisions yet to be made.
Irrational Fear
Phobias…

When we say the word “fear” sometimes it evokes different interpretations and understandings of this little four letter word. Some see it as a challenge, while others dread.

Fear, when used right can be helpful, but when it is not it can imprison, immobilize and prevent all forms of progress in life.

Our Faith Walk:
The Apostle Paul, after taking those first step in following Christ, post his roadside theophany, could have fear what others thought of him. He could have been held captive by fear following the first time he was thrown in prison or flogged for his outspoken faith…but he didn’t. He rejoiced while in prison. He and Silas sang songs well into the night. Although Paul was imprisoned, he certainly wasn’t imprisoned by fear.

How about us?
How is our faith walk?
Do we find ourselves shouting “Amen” during Sunday church service, meanwhile on Monday at work we whisper to a quivering fearful heart? Does fear hold us back? Are we afraid of how others might perceive us if we professed our faith out loud? What about our attitudes and intentions toward others? Isn’t it harder to remove self from situations than it is to be selfish? So it is with overcoming fear and replacing it with faith. It is not that the fear is removed completely, no, instead we learn to use that fear to our advantage. We recognize when that fear is rising in us and we must consciously decide to step out in faith…or leap. Harnessing fear places us “out on that limb”. We say, yes, I am afraid, but I will trust in God to lead me and direct me. I do not know where this path will lead me, but I will follow the Lord…I will put my trust in Him.

…“I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing Your praises in the congregation.”13And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” Hebrews 2:12-13

Make this your prayer today:
Lord, where you lead me I will follow.
I am afraid, I admit that…but I will not run from
your calling on my life.
I want to live for you in every moment of today.
Lord, take this fear of mine and use it
motivate me into action.
Let me love those around me.
I will become less and you, dear Lord become more.
I struggle with trusting you with all there is of me,
but I acknowledge this and I ask you to remind me of your presence with me
today.
Grant me your boldness, your courage, and your love
as I walk this path that I cannot see.
Lead me Lord.
-Amen.

No Longer Slaves

August 11, 2016 0

Dear Salvation Army -4 Ways To Include “Outsiders”

The Preamble:

Like any Christian organization or church, there is a sense of familiarity which comes from “belonging”. By that I mean there are elements that we come to expect in worship; there are things we do to make ourselves feel comfortable – including those we involve within our “circles”. You know what I mean – those with whom we share those familiarities with. We have history. We have commonality…but what about the outsider?

The Outsider
What do I mean by “outsider” you may ask?
Consider these questions:
Does this person go to my corps?
Am I familiar with them?
Do I even know the first thing about them?
Have I taken the time to get to know them, let alone include them in my circle?

If the answer to any of those questions is – “no”, then perhaps that person is an outsider and your group/corps is not as inclusive as you once thought.

Why Be Inclusive To Outsiders?
Now say that question above ^^ out-loud
-That question is about as dumb as asking the following questions:
Why be nice to people?
Why walk that old lady cross the street?
Why help the poor?

It’s pretty obvious isn’t it?
We were never created to be a “members only” social club.
An outpouring of our faith is works, and those works include helping the poor and welcoming outsiders into our groups within our corps and Christian social circles.

To help us become more conscious of our inclusion of “outsiders”, here are 4 ways to include others. Obviously there are many more ways, but perhaps this is a primer of sorts in an effort to help us oil the cogs of our brains.

4 Ways To Include Outsiders:

1. Be Intentional:

Go out of your way to welcome new comers into your small group, corps, youth group, bible study class etc. Remember it takes more courage, strength and intelligence to be welcoming than it does to maintain a fickle group or clique. Take extra effort to get to know the new member or visitor, even if they are different from you and your friends. When we make it a point to be welcoming and inclusive of others, we begin to bring to mind the feelings and fears of these visitors in our midst, and in so doing, we stop viewing them as outsiders altogether.

2. Be Mindful Of Insider Jokes, and social tendencies that tend to exclude:
New comers in your midst will not understand your “inside” jokes or even “catch phrases” you might use within your circle. Keep these things in mind as you begin to integrate these new comers into your groups. Newcomers have a learning curve already as they settle into this new environment, so help them by limiting your insider interactions which will alienate them and make them feel as if they do not belong. Also, our “army” jargon may be a part of this. Keep this in mind as you help them acclimate to this new place, and perhaps explain things to them in a way they will understand.

3. Become a student of other people:
Study new comers. This requires us to give special attention to them, their mannerisms and personalities. When we take the time and effort to study people, we will become more in tune with what may help them become a part of the group. Assimilation is never easy, but we can help them decide whether we are worth them investing themselves in our corps and/or group.

Remember, welcoming new comers doesn’t stop at shaking their hand at the beginning of the service – no, perhaps invite them to sit with you, don’t point them to a chair that seems like the “outsider’s section”.

4. Flip The Script:
Pretend for a second that you are the outsider looking in.
Would you understand some of the terminology that we use in The Salvation Army? Would you comprehend what a DC, YPSM, LOM, CO or CSM means? Take a moment and pretend that you are an alien and that you know nothing about church, let alone The Salvation Army. How would you feel as you experience this army scene for the first time? Would you feel intimidated by the sea of blue or the words we use? Can you honestly say “I feel at home here?” Don’t get me wrong, I imagine there are places one might feel welcome in our corps and other “Army” places, but it helps to flip the script and imagine what might be going through a visitor’s mind as they experience the army for the first time.

New comers will pick up on the cliques and the groups of friends. They will immediately recognize if you are being genuine or providing a faux-friendliness. If we want others to come join our army, we have to be a warm sunny day, not a frigid mid-winter.

Colossians 3:11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Questions To Ponder:
Am I intentionally making newcomers feel welcome?
Are there cliques that I belong to that prohibit outsiders either intentionally or unintentionally?
If so, how can I/we change that?
Do I need to flip the script so I can relate to outsiders?
Do I even want to welcome newcomers?
If not why do I feel this way?
Am I comfortable with newcomers?
How can I become a better student of people and help them acclimate to this “Army” environment?

Hebrews 13: 1 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

So How About it?!
Am I overthinking this topic or do you think this is an issue in the Army?
You tell me! I would love to hear from you! Please join the conversation and tell us your opinions & comments!

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

August 8, 2016 2

A Psalm Of Ascent…

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
²But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

³Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forevermore.

Read this scripture passage again and envision all of the things in your life right now that distract you from connecting with God. Are there “great matters” in your life that trouble you, that seem to pull you under, things that toss you about and make you live in constant tension? What is this life truly about? Do we struggle for a paycheck to pay for the things we want and things we can’t afford? Is life only about the jobs we want, the trips we long to take and the acclaim we long for? Doesn’t that sort of get old after a while? I mean, what happens when you achieve that next goal, and that next promotion? Or…what happens when you don’t? Is this what life is all about?

I’m not saying that we don’t work hard and we don’t care for our families – we should. But there has to be more to life than just those important things. We were created to have fellowship with God. We were created to consider who He is to us. In the Bible within the collection of Psalms are psalms known as the psalms of ascent. These Psalms of ascent were used to help worshipers prepare their hearts and minds to enter into the Temple – there place where God’s presence would dwell. So as they went up to the temple, these verses would be read or brought to mind through memorization. Is it no wonder there are powerful lines like: “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from?” (Psalm 121:1) The worshiper would keep these verses in mind and on their heart as they prepared themselves to be in the presence of God.

How are we preparing our hearts?
Howe are renewing our minds?
Are we consumed with pride?
Are there areas of our lives that we do not allow God access to?
Can we come to God as little children – totally vulnerable?

God desires fellowship with us every moment of every day…how much time are we willing to give Him?

Something more to ponder today.
God Bless you!

August 5, 2016 0

Should Christians Be Outliers?

Jesus was popular, but He wasn’t mainstream…
The disciples that Jesus called were certainly not insiders…
Many times they did the unexpected, the unusual, the unprecedented, they were outliers.

Jesus even reinforces this when we says: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19)

As Christians we are called to be outliers in society…ones who are set apart, not blindly accepting of all things, but perhaps viewing everything through the lens of holiness, or the vantage point of Christ-in us. Does this change things, perception of how we see theworld around us? Absolutely! This vantage point doesn’t make us “holier than though!” or better than others, instead it grants us the very compassion of Christ in us to love those around us. In essence, true Christian outliers are completely humble to God and are willing to submit all for His holy purposes on this earth regardless of the outcome. “He must become more and I must become less” should be our mantra, our aim, our goal.

If our goal is to merely become an outsider or outlier and it is devoid of full submission to God, we are fooling ourselves and our purpose will be misaligned. Being an outsider just to be different isn’t the purpose at all…the same can be said for merely becoming counter-cultural in practice – does not make one holy or even a Christian. These things can exist apart of from God’s purpose for us…but if we approach this faith with the understanding that God will have all there is of us – we will be on the right path, a path marked with sacrifice, suffering and even death sometimes. I do not say this to scare anyone, but we must acknowledge that granting God access to the entirety of who we are is a scary proposition. For in that declaration we will be led to and from places we never would have dreamed or even wanted to go. God desires an obedience that isn’t founded in part-time Christianity , but rather is rooted and formed in the servant heart which is sold-out and fully submitted.

Dare I say, many will call themselves outliers and Christ-followers, but few are truly willing to mean these words found in an old time song:
“Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.”
Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907

Something more to ponder today!

August 2, 2016 0

Dear Salvationist, Does Nepotism Still Exist In Our Army?

From the start, some of us might shirk at the idea that nepotism still exists in The Salvation Army. But we must recognize that even the Booths promoted family to places of authority. William Booth viewed his Generalship to be something he would pass along to his children, and perhaps his children’s children. Could it be that this sort of family promoting still occurs in our Army today? And if so, should it? Are there checks and balances in place to prevent nepotism in our Army?

Growing up in the Army, I recall many times where my parents were extremely cautious with even the appearance of favoritism towards my sister and me.

Speaking of Favoritism…can this type of behavior come into play with promotions and appointments in our army? Should it? Another question to ask along this line of pondering is – if favoritism does occur in our army – aren’t we then shortchanging our movement of possible movers and shakers who could make a difference, but some have chosen to choose people who are familiar and even safe?

The argument can be made that we in the Army ought to trust and leave this up to God to sort out and perhaps these appointments are “His will”. Honestly, I don’t know how I feel about that. I have sincere faith in a Mighty God that He can make something that was meant to harm into something beautiful. I believe God makes all things new, and He provides in spite of our own efforts and human decisions. But I don’t know if I really trust human authority as I do God’s authority (nor do I feel we should)…for that matter what defines “God’s Authority”? I’m curious what your answer might be to that. I’m not looking for a fight, I’m genuinely interested in how we define this! I have to be honest, I have always been suspicious of human authority in the guise of being 100% God’s authority. It’s not that I’m overly cynical of leaders and authority, I just question sometimes if our personal feelings do not play into many of the decisions that are made on the behalf of others – and thereby we sometimes or often show favoritism.

Submission to Authority
Does this mean that I do not submit to authority? Absolutely not! We are told to submit to authority in numerous scripture verses. For example:1 Peter 2:13-17 says; “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.“

Does this mean that we aren’t allowed to query decisions and ask pertinent questions? Of course not! It does, however depend on our attitude and motivation! I am certainly not proposing that we become rebellious by any means, please do not come away thinking that at all! I will say that as a leader of sorts in my own right, I do recognize that I will never please everyone by the decisions that I have to make from time to time. This is the heavy mantel of responsibility and leadership that is thrust upon us. It does take a toll, and I would ask you to be in constant pray for your leaders, whether it be at the corps level, the divisional, territorial, national and international levels.

Back to the initial question:
Does Nepotism and Favoritism still exist in our Army?
My short answer is yes it does…
But I would also caution anyone from making rash judgments unless you have all of the information.

Questions to Ponder:
Does Nepotism still happen in our Army?
Should it happen?
If so, what does this say to those who aren’t related or chosen for specific duties or tasks?
How can we sidestep issues like this? Is it possible to sidestep them?
What about favoritism?
Could showing favoritism diminish the ranks our ranks and morale?
Can we submit to authority and still question?
How do we reconcile some experiences of flawed human authority with the expectations of God-led authority?
Am I praying fervently for my Corps Officer, Local Officer, Divisional, Territorial, Leader?

I look forward to your constructive conversation on this topic!
Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
*Disclaimer: The thoughts and views of the writer are not necessarily the thoughts and view of The Salvation Army, reader discretion is advised.*

August 1, 2016 6

Dear Salvation Army, Is Holiness The Cure?

The cure to what?
Sickness?
Loss of Soldiers & Officers?
Depression?
Loneliness?
Defeat?

What do you mean?

Here’s A Calculated Guess:
Holiness is not preached and or emphasized enough in our Army today!
I think before we answer the “cure” question we have to consider why we are not making Holiness a priority anymore? Why does it play second fiddle to elaborate musical numbers in our corps and the other modern “elements” of worship? Is what we do on Sunday mornings still fit to be called “Holiness Meetings”?

I would venture a guess that perhaps the statistics of decline in the pews can, in some places, be lined up with the lack of holiness preaching and teaching. This sounds like an oversimplification of a wider spreading problem in most protestant churches, but the truth of the matter is Holiness has, in many places, taken a backseat to other things.

The Cure?:
So how does Holiness cure us you ask?
How could it possibly fix what is broken in our lives and in our corps?
Perhaps the answer is that as we shift our focus from the problem to being Set-apart once more. As we do this, we change our mindset, we are no longer living for just ourselves; our own pleasures; our own desires and selfish gains; No, we begin to understand and comprehend this deeper, more lasting calling in our lives! Holiness supplants our old way of looking at things and our entire lives and replaces it with the desire to be what God has called us to be through and through – the very image of Christ.

Some wonder if this is even possible in THIS life – and many Holiness theologians would say that it is indeed. We often get this notion that in order to be entirely sanctified – we have reach human perfection, and this misnomer holds many back from even pursuing Holiness. Many believe that holiness is an impossible task and that perfection is beyond them. And if Holiness = Human Perfection, then I would completely agree with those people. None of us would or should pursue holiness, because human perfection is unreachable, it is unobtainable. BUT, what if Holiness and even entire sanctification, for that matter, isn’t human perfection at all? Ah, then we have something tangible, something realistic to pursue and reach for.

Yes, this is the work of the Holy Spirit, but we are also required to make certain steps in dying to our old ways of life and embracing fully this new life. And when we fully embrace this new life and run after it with reckless abandon, we will then recognize that this world and its problems will become less and less, and that we have never been alone in our human struggles at all! You see, Holiness is the cure to much of our plight in our Army struggles and in our personal struggles! When we fully embrace what needs to happen, what must become our daily, even moment by moment pursuit, we open up our minds and hearts to the Eternal, and in doing so, we can begin to see things around us more clearly.

I am not saying that immediately our problems will evaporate, we may have to, like Paul, endure thorns in the side, we may have to endure hardships, but our focus will no longer be trained on hardships and our pains, but on the prize and on this pursuit.

Mark my words, if Holiness becomes extinct in our halls, corps and territories, we too will soon follow its path…

So how about it?
Do you want the cure?
Will you seriously pursue Holiness?
It’s not human perfection – it is God’s very presence living in us – longing for us to live for HIM through and through…one step at a time!

“…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace...”

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

Additional Recommended Reading:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/has-authenticity-trumped-holiness-2

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Brengle%2C%20Samuel%20Logan%2C%201860-1936

Click to access HDM0348.pdf

http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/dead.footnoted.htm

July 25, 2016 1

Dear Salvation Army, Blood & Fire!!!

I have met so many struggling Officers recently.
I have also met some tired and weary soldiers.
Questions frequently come up about why so many are abandoning their posts as Officers and even as Soldiers within the corps. When viewed this can be very disheartening to many of us. We have been engaging in these battles in our communities. We have seen lives come to Christ, decisions made, life choices altered…but we have also shared in the heartache of those who have fallen away. We have witnessed strong Christians washed away because of sin issues and moral failures. We are not impervious to such assaults by the enemy. We must constantly be on guard because the Father of Lies has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, and he will use them to divide and conquer us. Be aware of this, do not, for a minute grant him a foothold in your life!!

Encouragement:
I say these things to you today because I feel that in some places in our Army morale is low. I can sense the rolling tides and currents of life pulling some of us under, and it threatens our very calling as Officers and Soldiers. In some places even our charge forward into the fray has waned and we have become static…no longer pushing out into our communities, having no longer the strength to care for others because our hearts and our spirits are worn. I am here today to tell you that you are not alone! Although it may feel this way from time to time, although you have frustrations in leaders and in situations beyond your control, you have both an Advocate in the Holy Spirit and a wealth of power at your disposal – all you need to do is cry out to Him and He will sustain you, He will empower you once again. “Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you!” (James 4:8)

I am also here today to encourage you in the Blood and Fire of this Army…for it is the very soul of who we are. It is our very life-source, and if we stray from the Blood of Christ and the Fire of the Holy Spirit, we will lose strength in every attempt to do things on our own. This Blood and Fire is both our source of Salvation and Holiness. It hangs as a constant reminder upon our Salvation Army flag. It ought to resound in us as we move about in our day, regardless of the tasks, both big and small; insurmountable and the mundane. This Blood and Fire is more than just another motto we spout out while wearing the uniform, it is a strength and doctrine firmly rooted within the Scriptures! We can cling to His unfailing love and His Divine presence with us not only daily, but moment by moment.

The Misnomer Of Worldly Ambition:
While others might view this organization with ambition and a desire to climb imagined ladders of power and position, may we be constantly reminded of our First Love and our true purpose of being called in the first place! And, though evil might still abound and even dress and look like “Soldiers and Christians”, do not be swayed, do not be perplexed…stand firm and cling to the Blood and Fire!! We will be known by our fruit, and judgement is reserved for God alone! So be persistent in your faith, do not waver, you are never alone and our purpose is for Others, while we strive to live out-loud which is Holiness: the very Image of Christ in us!

To the weary Soldier today I say: Blood and Fire!!
To the weary Officer currently penning their resignation letter, I say: Blood and Fire!!
To the Soldier faithfully teaching Sunday School for over thirty years and is still persevering, I say: Blood and Fire!! Keep up this fight, and do not resign or quit, or back down…We are an Army with Blood and Fire!

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

July 18, 2016 12

Family Time: Pokemon Go…

I will admit it, I was very skeptical of walking around looking for imaginary creatures with my cell-phone. Everyone looks so funny holding out their phones like they are looking for cell service in a mountain pass somewhere remote. I will also admit that I looked like this – when my older son came home talking about this new app that has been blowing up social media and places all around the world:

I mean really? Kids and even adults staring at their cell phones while they are outdoors…what could ever be wrong with that?
Don’t we already have enough of that already with our families all laying around looking like this:

The cynical side of me says, “oh yeah, that’s all we need, something else on our phones that will distract us from what is right in front of us…”

I honestly felt that way about Pokemon Go…past tense, I don’t feel that way anymore, and I’m ashamed not to admit that I was wrong.

Here’s what I mean:

We Need Family Time!
Families who have had trouble getting their children outside during these beautiful summer days need not face this struggle any longer. All you have to do is embrace this craze called Pokemon Go! Check it out for yourself. This app is available on both the iOS app store as well as the Google Play store. Another great incentive – IT’S FREE!! Once downloaded (and hopefully the servers aren’t overloaded anymore) you can begin walking your neighborhood with your kids looking for these Pokemon. Granted I know nothing about the whole Pokemon story-line, but I do know that my kids are excited to journey outdoors and ACTUALLY walk and get some exercise…

I was impressed that even my 15 year old son who is a “cave dweller” that loves to watch YouTube and hang out in the basement all day unless I force him outside, was excited to go discovering with us using the Pokemon Go App. This is great! We talked, we walked and we found more than just imaginary creatures using a fun little app, we found family time again! The kids were yelling and were only too excited to run towards the next stop on our journey. I’m finding that we are not the only ones caught up in this craze, there were hundreds of kids and families out all over our downtown with their phones out laughing and exploring.

Educational:
Another cool tidbit is this: your children will learn about locations and history as they go exploring. We learned that in our community within one of our cemeteries the first American soldier killed in World War I is buried. This is really cool! Not only is it fun to go exploring but many historical locations house information and education for our kids to discover. That alone makes this not only fun to use, but a tool to teach and to connect with my children.

If you haven’t already, give Pokemon Go…a go.
I am not embarrassed to say that I have enjoyed exploring it with my children.
My first impression was wrong, and I don’t mind if we look like a bunch of nerds walking around with our cell phones out…we’re together, and that’s what really matters.
Have fun, and don’t forget to spend quality time with your children in whatever activity you decide to participate in.

Something more to ponder.
Check this crazy video out – Central Park Filled With Pokemon Go Users

July 18, 2016 0

God’s Justice

“Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” Revelation 22:11

There are news reports from around the world, all sorts of stories, let alone here in the US, stories about injustice and evil. Stories about victimization, the strong overpowering the weak, those without a voice or advocate at the merciless hands of evil people. Life, at times is wrought with injustice and acts of evil.

Even David, one after God’s own heart, proclaimed:
“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
²How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?”

We witness news stories when we turn on our televisions, and perhaps even in our own interaction with other people these injustices, these wrongs that seem to go unpunished. We cry out for help. We become angry. We rage and decry these evil people and these evil acts. There is a bitter taste in our mouths, as we come to the conclusion that life is not fair…and sometimes we’re absolutely right. This is a fallen world. This is a broken place full of broken, horribly marred people. I won’t defend the actions of evil people – for they do exist. I also know that many innocent people face life and death situations and there seems to be no justice.

I would not want to simply boil it down to God’s final judgement.
I never want to short change, and thereby cheapen these injustices found all over the world. In fact, if we are able to, we ought to fight with every breath in our lungs for justice for ALL people. We ought to wage a war against injustice at every turn. Those without a voice, or a voice drowned out by the noise of silence, ought to have advocates and people willing to stand up.

The Day of the Lord is coming.
When that day does come, we will all be held accountable for our actions or lack there of…in the mean time, let us shine a light into places of darkness. Let us bring a loud voice to the voiceless. May we fight against injustice at every turn, and as we do, may we display how we ought to love in this broken world, because God first loved us. This kind of love is needed in our world, more so than ever.

Something more to ponder today.

July 7, 2016 1

Perspectives: Featuring Lieutenant Blake Fewell

“Officer’s Covenant: ‘Called By God…'”

The Officer’s Covenant begins with one statement that carries through the rest of the Covenant: “Called by God…”. This is the foundation from which the rest of the Covenant is built upon. It is a statement of affirmation that the officer has listened to and discerned that the Lord’s will for his or her life is for full-time service as a minister of the gospel within The Salvation Army.

MY CALLING

The way in which God calls people to service can vary from person to person. I will tell you of my experience, but I do not claim this to be the only way that God may call someone.

I knew from the time of my salvation that God had a purpose for my life – there was a reason why he saved me from certain death at my birth. When I was somewhere around the age of 12, I began thinking that maybe God wanted me to be a Salvation Army officer. I am sure I had thought about it prior to that age, but I cannot nail down a specific date in which I was “called”. I also never had an “aha” experience – I never heard God’s voice audibly speaking or had some magical vision or anything like that. I had grown up in The Salvation Army and was always open to the idea of officership. So around the age of 12, I set my sights on becoming a Salvation Army officer. Again, there was no specific time when this happened, it just happened.

One thing that played a huge role in discerning my calling was watching the examples of various officers, active and retired, within my corps. I loved listening to their stories about the joys and challenges of officer ministry. Through those examples, I was encouraged in my pursuit of officership.

Since I never had any sort of divine revelation regarding my calling, I ultimately stepped out in trust. I knew that if it was truly God’s will that I would be a Salvation Army officer, then he would provide whatever was necessary for that to happen. I knew he would open doors where I needed them in order to guide the way. He certainly did! He provided countless opportunities and opened numerous doors that solidified his calling on my life. Looking back on those times, I can see God’s work through my life in making my calling sure.

Did I ever doubt my calling? Of course! I would even dare say that it can be healthy to have times of doubt because when God provides the answer to that doubt, it strengthens our sense of calling. In the times that I doubted my calling, God provided people and environments in which I was encouraged. Again, when I think back to those times of doubt, I see God orchestrating ways in which my calling would be strengthened.

I would like to share a few insights about calling in general and specifically for officership. Some may agree and some may disagree with these statements, but I hope these can stimulate our thinking and understanding of calling.

CALLING IS BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE

When we talk about calling, we seem to always discuss the individual side of calling. “Tell me about your calling.” “When God called me…” I think we, for the most part, understand that God calls people individually for certain things. He may call one person to do one thing and another person to do another thing. Our responsibility is to be responsive and obedient to our individual calling.

There is also a corporate aspect to calling, specifically for calling to ministry. In the first three verses of Acts 13, we see this corporate element at work. God had called Barnabas and Saul to go and proclaim the gospel. The church at Antioch responded by praying for them, fasting, and sending them off. This is the corporate response to calling to ministry. The church body is responsible for recognizing God’s call on a person’s life, affirming that call as evidenced by the person’s fruit, and sending that person off with their prayers.

It is important that we do not neglect the corporate aspect of calling. I know that God has called me to officership, but I need to know that others see evidence of that calling in my life. This keeps our individual callings in check and accountable to the Church.

CALLING DOES NOT REQUIRE DIRECT REVELATION

I think I have indicated this already through my calling experience. Calling does not mean that a person has to audibly hear God speak to them or have some other sort of divine revelation from God. This is why the term “calling” can be confusing to some. We need to make sure that when we describe calling, we do not restrict it to a specific time or a specific experience.

As I said with my calling, I never had that one moment where I said, “Yes, I’ll be an officer.” I also never had a defining point in which God spoke to me or revealed it to me. It was a process of observation, reflection, and acceptance in my life which was not grounded in one moment. I think it is dangerous for us to insist that God’s calling must take place in a “crisis” manner.

I don’t mean to say that God does not call people at a specific time such as at Youth Councils or during a Candidates’ Sunday. I don’t mean to say that God does not work in a “crisis” manner to call people, but it is not something that happens to all. We do not want to exclude or alienate those who have had aspirations toward officership but may not have had such a “crisis” moment.

CALLING MAY OR MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC

God’s calling comes in a variety of forms. Calling is not restricted to officership – people are called by God to all sorts of professions, careers, and ministries. With that said, God’s calling may not always be specific.

I was speaking with a young lady in one of my classes at Olivet this spring. She was studying children’s ministry and knew she wanted to be actively working in ministry with young people, but she did not know where. She was aware of God’s calling on her to minister to children – that was specific – but she did not know in what manner, degree, or location God wanted her to serve. I also know a number of people from my time at Moody who may have been studying pastoral ministry or theology or biblical studies and have been specifically called to full-time ministry, but the details of how that would happen had not been made clear to them.

I know that God has called me to specifically be an officer within The Salvation Army, but that much detail is not always the case for all. God calls people, but the specifics of that calling may not always be evident.

I want to write for a moment about our recruitment of Salvation Army officers as it relates to this. I appreciate what our divisional and territorial leaders do for recruiting and equipping candidates for Salvation Army ministry. The process, though challenging, is much needed so that we invest in the right candidates and cadets for officership. I do believe, however, that we have an untapped resource for officers. As I said, there are a number of young people who know that they are called to full-time ministry but do not know where to turn. The unfortunate result is that many do not end up in full-time ministry positions. Could these be our future Salvation Army officers?

I think we can focus a lot of our attention on internal recruitment, and that is not wrong in any way, but there may be future officers out there who simply need to be introduced to The Salvation Army and to officership. From my experience at Bible college, there are thousands of students in this nation who are zealous for ministry and the gospel who are searching for their ministry outlet. These could be our next officers.

There is so much more that could be said about the topic of calling and I hope to write more on this subject. Turning back to the Officer’s Covenant, it is important for every officer to understand that officership is not of our own self-will or desire, but because of a God-instilled, Holy Spirit-directed calling on our life. The manner in which we are called may vary, but the God who calls remains the same. He is still calling men and women to officership – we must continue to be responsive. With the prophet Isaiah, we resound, “Here I am! Send me.”

**Check out further writings by Lieutenant Fewell via his blog site at: Blake Fewell**

July 4, 2016 1

Category: Faith Ponderings