Taking A Drink Of Living Water!

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)

It’s funny how one small thing could be so important.
Take water for example, if one were to go without it for three days, the consequences would be terminal. Vital organs would shut down and the body would die. Water is THAT important to each of us. Sometimes we might take it for granted, especially those of us who live where fresh water is in abundance.

I recently suffered a mild bout of heat exhaustion…and it wasn’t pretty. It happened this week while taking my children to a theme park in Orlando. The temperature was well past the 90 degree mark, and we were in the throws of a typical Florida summer: HOT. Like a typical guy I thought I could “handle it”. We went from attraction to attraction and I apparently did not drink enough water nor stay out of sun as much as I should have. By the evening, as crowds continued to ebb and flow and we lined up for one more long wait on a new attraction, I had a pounding headache and became horribly sick to my stomach.

Yes, water is THAT important.
I learned a valuable lesson that day.
(It’s good to still learn lessons, and I hope we never stop learning them…however hard they may be from time to time)

I also have a new found appreciation for a nice cold glass of water.
If you have ever been truly thirsty while working out in the hot sun, you too will understand.
Nothing quenches your dry throat and deep thirst like a cold cup of water.
Water brings with it life…a spark to carry on…a refreshing spring to desert land.

Similarly, Jesus uses this cultural understanding of a dry and thirsty land to explain what He had come to do for all who were seeking. He would quench the thirst of the heart and soul. He could bring a refreshing like no other known to earth. His “living water” would provide life – true eternal living – to the soul! How could we not wish to drink from this source of living water? How could we not yearn for His presence in our lives when the world around us at times is a rather arid and lonely place? His living water can heal our brokenness. His living water can restore our static and sun burnt lives. He provides this freely…and the beauty of this living water is that we can come to this source of real life and drink over and over again.

Are you thirsty today?
Have you been to the living waters? It will quench the thirst of your soul! Jesus longs for us to come to Him and stay beneath his fellowship and beside these living waters. Sometimes, I must confess, that I have thought (like my bout with heat exhaustion) that I could handle it on my own…but I was wrong. Perhaps you’re a bit like me. Perhaps there are days where you feel that you require no such support and that this living water is not really needed. May we run to these living waters once again. Don’t wait too long! Don’t assume you have it all “worked out” and that you don’t need His help. Drink from these living waters again…and be healed!

Something more for us to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

July 16, 2015 0

Ponder Cast #5 “Moving Into The Unknown”

A new “ponder cast” is up, click on this link to listen, download, subscribe and share:
Ponder Cast #5 “Moving Into The Unknown”

May 6, 2015 0

Ponder Cast #3 (A Pastorspondering.org Podcast Series) “Diligence and Perseverance”

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:15,16)

Please click on the link below to listen and download our latest “Ponder Cast” – #3 “Diligence and Perseverance”.
Also please share, and subscribe! Thanks!

Podcast Link:
http://scottstrissel.podomatic.com/entry/2015-04-30T10_51_44-07_00

April 30, 2015 0

I Don’t Want A “Grown-up” Kind Of Faith!

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1-5)

When I look back at my childhood, it is with a sense of joy and regret. Joy in the fact that I live it, regret in the fact that I grew up. How simpler life seemed as a child. Children aren’t weighed down by the complications of life. Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to have friends as you grow older? As a child you could be in a new neighborhood and make friends all in the same afternoon…but now it could take months even years to gravitate to a few close friendships. As a child, everything seemed possible, tangible realistic..as an adult things are much more complicated, some things have become impossible, immovable and life has its boundaries.

I believe the same can be said about our faith as well.
As a child, faith is as vast as the galaxy around us. Everything is possible.
There are no limits to it. Child-like faith breathes life everlasting into our lungs.
Child-like faith returns the impossible into the possible, the unrealistic into the realistic. Child-like faith turns the up close view of our problems back into the grand scheme of God’s plan and assures us that we are not alone! With child-like faith, the God of the Universe IS capable of ALL things once more…and He cares for you and for me.

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want a “grown-up” kind of faith any longer.
Grown-up faith has to boil everything down.
Grown-up faith has to see before believing.
Grown-up faith has to complicate everything more than it was ever meant to be.
Grown-up faith comes with its own set of filters, ambiguities and personal discrimination.
Grown-up faith places self into the equation when selflessness is really what is needed.

Grown-up faith shouldn’t be confused with “maturity” of our faith, rather it is the over complication of this thing we call faith.

I regret losing that child-like faith when I grew up.
I regret allowing the world around to seep into my perception of God and His relationship to me.
I regret taking that child-like faith for granted.
I regret…regretting what used to be.

BUT…
I know that it is not too late.
I…
We…
can begin again with Child-like faith, but first we have to release all of those Grown-up complications that we have associated with our faith. We have to release the baggage of guilt and regret. We have to let go of the wrongs this world has inflicted upon us. We have to move past ourselves as we embrace Christ for all He is in and through us. When we can begin to live only for Him instead of us, so too begins this path of Child-like faith once more.

Something more to ponder today.
May we run with child-like abandon after Christ and in so doing embrace that child-like faith once more.
To God be the glory!

April 16, 2015 2

Dear Salvation Army, 3 Healthy Habits For Soldiers

“To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” Ephesians 4:12-13

We as an Army are in the Kingdom building business.
~~Our employer~~…no, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given us this great commission.
We are more than a church…
we are a movement.
We are more than just another social services agency…
we are a part of the body of Christ committed to reflect His image in the corners of the world that we are called to.

This is a tall order.
We are to be like Christ
…and yet in our own strength we cannot accomplish this calling in our lives.

In our own strength we will fail.
(Trust me, I’ve fallen flat on my face far too many times to count.)
In our own strength we will fall horribly short.
So, with that being said, what sort of attributes do we need in order to make this “reflection of Christ” visible?
What do we need to do in order to be the best soldiers for God?

Today I would like to offer just three healthy habits for Soldiers.
This is not an exhaustive list, nor are these the only healthy habits to commit to, but these will perhaps get us all on the right track if we aren’t already there.

3 Healthy Habits For Soldiers:

1) Prayer Never Ends!
Make prayer more than a scheduled time in your day.
I’m not saying don’t have scheduled time, but don’t put prayer in some sort of manageable box that you keep those conversations with the Most High in. Don’t leave the conversation. Yes, begin it in the morning, but don’t ever end it. Take the conversations with God with you into every moment of your day. Obviously to be seen talking out loud to yourself might be frowned upon by some who might think you might be losing it…but instead, in your thought patterns, keep your conversations with God going. There shouldn’t be an “on/off” switch with heart talks with God. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us and He is always there, so why not begin to include Him in your every day routines both big and small! Eventually, the inclusion of God in your thoughts and conversations will change the way that you see the world and others around you.

2) Feast Only On That Which Edifies!
You have most likely heard the term “garbage in, garbage out”. This term implies that if you put garbage (rubbish/trash) into your life, gargage (rubbish, trash) will be what you produce in the world as well. If you wish to become healthier in life, you wouldn’t feast on high fatty foods from fast food chains every day now would you? No, instead you would begin a rigorous attempt to eat right and to exercise. The same can be said of the heart and soul. These attributes of the body requires maintenance and they require the right kind of nourishment. If we claim to be a disciple of Christ but we constantly binge on garbage with only a sprinkling of His Word, then we are seriously starving our spiritual life! It should be no surprise when we find ourselves spiritually dry and lacking fortitude, we haven’t been working out and staying in shape by feasting on the right kinds of things!

Listen, if we wish to walk in faith with Christ BUT we haven’t surrendered our old ways of life, then something is terribly wrong. The old must pass away in order for this rich, new life to thrive and grow! We just cannot hold onto both.

From the Word:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

“from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (James 3:11)

Make sure that you are feeding your souls with the right kinds of things! Don’t starve your spirit with junk food and things that will only stunt the potential growth that God has in store for you!

3) Step Up And Out!
When we take prayer seriously and we include God in our daily routines things will change.
When we begin to feast on the edifying fruit of God, things will change…
Stepping up and out will not always be the most comfortable thing you ever do, but it does become a true test of who God has called you to be! It not only benefits other people, but it also improves our skills and abilities in sharing our faith!

The real the tipping point in it all is this:
Do. Not. Keep. It. To. Yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step up.
Lead.
Share.
Proclaim.
Help others along!
In the words of General William Booth – “Do something!“

It is like that old Sunday School song “This Little Light of mine”:
One of the verses goes – “Hide it under a bushel, NO I’m gonna let it shine!!”
When we include God in our daily conversations and we are feasting on the things that edify this new creation within us, we can’t help but proclaim His goodness and love!

Will there be discouraging days? Of course.
Will we ALWAYS feel like proclaiming, and ALWAYS be in the mood to share? No, not always.
Will we be happy all the time? No way!

BUT…
When we invite God’s presence to travel along with us both with the important and the less important things in our lives, we begin to see how much He loves other people around us. This love will propel us forward into service.
We are saved to save!
We are saved to serve!

This is NOT an army of mediocre washouts and wishy-washy salvationists!
NO! We are here to be Christ’s hands and feet!
We are here to proclaim His name in both the good days and the bad days!
We are here to serve the lost, the poor, the widow, the orphan.

If you are reading this today, chances are you long to improve your soldiership as well!
If you are reading this today, you, like me, believe God is calling us to a deeper service and a deeper understanding of the sin-sick world we serve.
We all have room for improvement. We all have room to grow. We can all reflect more of Christ and less of ourselves…but only through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit!

Question:
Do you long to be a healthier Solider for Christ?

Perhaps these three healthy habits can help you on your way to becoming the Soldier Christ has called you to be!

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

April 13, 2015 2

The Ministry Tool Kit, 5 Tech Tips And Tricks

There is something to be said about working smarter not harder.
That doesn’t mean that we don’t work, mind you…it just means that perhaps there’s a smarter, more effective way.
Today on Pastorsponderings.org, I would like to explore some of the tips and tricks of ministry.
I would caution you though that these are simply tools of ministry and that these elements ought never take the place of person/pastoral studies as well as hard work and scholarly thought.

I remember in seminary (College For Officer’s Training) instructors expressing the need to have ministry files and preaching calendars. These elements, if prepared ahead of time, can save pastors from rushing around on the weekend or when a crisis hits they have spare messages and/or bible studies to reach for. Preparation is key!

1. Prepare!
This is the first tip to ministry. Don’t get blinded sided by how busy the life of a pastor can be. Work ahead of schedule, stockpile thoughts and ideas. Prepare to be bombarded, at times, by the “hecticness” of life. The Boy Scouts were right…”Be Prepared”…if you plan ahead, the late night cramming session won’t be necessary.

2. Dropbox/Cloud Storage.
I am sort of a tech-head. I use technology when it suits me. It has saved me at times when my computer has frozen up or crashed. Saving my sermons and other such pertinent information on a cloud based server can help preserve needed information in the future. It may seem tedious saving it twice…but it doesn’t hurt to have a backup, especially if the information pertains to finances, sermon prep and other administrative documents.

Make sure you pick a cloud device that has lots of free space, and if desired you can always purchase additional gig space in the future if the need arises. Most of the time, however, the start-up free space offered is more than sufficient. There are numerous platforms by which you can use these cloud based sites and applications for both android, windows and apple.

Save onto the cloud, make sure your password is complicated enough but not too complicated to forget…and save often!

3. CCLI/Songselect Subscription
For just over a $100 a year, you will have access to a plethora of worship songs both old and new.
There are other subscription based worship groups out there but none are linked like Songselect is to CCLI…and since there are the occasional audits from CCLI anyway, it doesn’t hurt to have an inventory of your songs already available to you. There are a couple of subscription options to choose from. Since I’m predominantly a guitar player, I utilize the basic membership which includes unlimited guitar chords to thousands of worship songs as well as traditional hymns. The beauty of this subscription is that you can link it to other software that perhaps your church already has such as MediaShout, ProPresenter…etc.

4. MediaShout
There are numerous song/scripture/lyric presenters out there for Sunday worship that do a far better job than the traditional Powerpoint software. I have used some, but admittedly not all. I cannot comment on the ones I haven’t personally used, but the ones I have used I can say that it can make life a lot easier. Again it comes back to the principle of thinking smarter not harder. Having software like this at your church can ease the load of having to build worship sets from scratch every week. I cannot tell you how great it feels to have a library of worship songs that are ready for me to choose from, and if it’s not there yet I can link my Songselect account to MediaShout and pull up that new song I need for the up and coming Sunday. Some might consider the cost of this software to be too much, and I certainly don’t work for this company or others I’ve mentioned, but I can tell you that they do certainly pay for themselves in the amount of use I get out of them.
I know that there are many other such software companies that offer similar services and I would imagine most of these would work just as well within your ministry.

5. Tablet For Ministry
Again, don’t get tempted to lean too much on technology, but don’t be afraid of it either. Take a risk from time to time…these modern devices can help to improve your ministry or provide you resources at the touch of a finger or two.
I personally use my iPad to preach from. I bought an app about two years back called ‘Documents to Go’ (before Microsoft Word was available on an Apple device). I usually write my sermons from my computer, save it to Dropbox and upload it into Documents to Go. I find it easy to use, it stays lit when I am preaching and I potentially can go paperless while still maintaining a library of my written sermons on my device or on the cloud.

I do have Bible Apps on my tablet, but honestly, I still use my personal Bible for study and while I’m preaching on Sundays…somethings won’t ever change for me. Perhaps you already feel comfortable using these devices, perhaps not. If you think you can use it, then give it a shot…if not, don’t sweat it. These are just a few suggestions to help you in your ministry.

How About You?
Do you have any other “Tech” Tips and Tricks for ministry that you can offer us today?
Leave your comments below…share, and join in the conversation. I promise to post your suggestions in the future, and I will have other tech tips and tricks in the coming weeks that perhaps can aid you in your ministry right now.

Something more to Ponder today.
God Bless!

March 31, 2015 2

Dear Salvation Army Soldier, Don’t Forget Your Children!!

I write this pondering today because it is personal.
This is something that often weighs on me.
I have four beautiful children.
I don’t just say that, but if you were to ask me about them, I might just gush about the things they do that make me laugh, and how talented they are and how proud I am of them. In case you couldn’t tell, I love my kids. For those of you out there reading this who have children too, I am sure that you love your children as well!

my kids2 — My older boys – Isaiah (15), Zechariah (14)

Ministry and Kids:
Growing up in the Army had its ups and downs, it’s joys and its not-joys…but my parents were very keen on the need to instruct and love their children in the midst of the busyness of officership.
They carved out time.

They made sure we were not left behind.
We did ministry together at times.
We helped during hectic Christmas seasons (though honestly we hated it sometimes).
We led songs. Sang solos. Played in the band. Helped out with youth programs…and yes we were “the example” to other kids (although we often chaffed at that). In and through it all we were not left behind.

The Dangers of Ministry:
We can get lost in the deep waters of savings souls.
We can thrive upon our “success rate”.
We can puff ourselves up with importance in the roles and positions we are appointed to.
The waters of ministry are as vast as they are deep.

I have heard of officers who put in 50-60 hours a week in the office while their families never see them.
I have seen these over-worked soldiers of our army face to face. They are good people. At times I have caught myself in this trap as well. I am certainly not saying “don’t work”…but I am saying be careful not to get lost in “the work”. Be aware of the burnout cycle of soldiers, and signs that accompany it. Take time away. Take your days off. Spend quality time with your families. Do what is necessary. Help the hurting first…let the paperwork and reports wait til last if you have to.

Secondly, don’t get buried by the crashing wave of performance and approval. This danger caters to our need to make others happy. We can easily become people-pleasers all of the time. We might waste valuable quality time with our families because we are so concerned about making sure leaders, soldiers and others all happy with us and our work. Beware of this danger.

“I saved souls but I lost my children!”
I would forever live a life of regret if this became my response to the Lord when I see Him face to face.
Can feel the anguish and pain in attempting to say this?
Sure some will argue that it’s not a parent’s duty to save their children, no, but it is a parent’s duty to “train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it“. (Proverbs 22:6) Just because we put on our uniforms and walk out into the “mission field” doesn’t mean that we no longer have this first mission field to care for.
Our first mission field IS OUR CHILDREN!
I really don’t care what others say about this.
If your opinion differs from mine then so be it.
If we have the capacity to procreate in this world, then it is our responsibility are parents to train our children and to teach them.

Will there be others there to help teach them? Of course.
Will we need help? Absolutely!
Will there be difficult days? Naturally.
BUT…We bring our children along with us in this ministry!
Don’t leave them behind.
Don’t neglect them.

Things to consider (and please don’t get discouraged):
There are some officer’s kids and soldier’s kids who are growing up hating the Army because they never see their parents.
There are some officer’s kids and soldier’s kids who, once grown, will never darken the doors of a corps building ever again.
We only get so many years with our children and then they grow up and leave our homes, make those years count!
Sometimes it is necessary to be parents first and soldiers/officers second.
Sometimes that priority list has to take a back seat to the home life.

Questions:
How can I be a better parent? (There is always room for improvement, but don’t beat yourself up!)
How can we incorporate our families into our ministry more efficiently?
When my soldier/officer priorities need to take a backseat to my family will I show up and be present to them?
What are the needs of my family right now?
Am I fervently praying for my children, my spouse, my family?
Do I show my love to my family enough or do I need to be more intentional in this display?

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

March 25, 2015 0

The Beauty of Faith And Fear Living Together.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

The truth is, we DO face fear in this life.
The truth is, we DO suffer from paralysis from time to time because of fear.
If we allow fear to take up a permanent place within our hearts, we rob ourselves of experiencing the joys of life that God offers to us. Fear can only have power if we allow it to have power in us.

That is easier said than done when all of a sudden a moment of crisis takes place and our hearts plummet over that jagged cliff of trepidation and dread. It is easier said than done when we come to the end of our ropes and we have nothing else to cling to. It is easier said than done when we exhaust all hope and resource and still we can’t afford to make ends meet.

Fear is real.
But so is faith.

Questions to ponder today:
Is fear ALWAYS bad?
Is there ever a place for fear?
Does fear ever coexist with faith?

I once heard a phrase that I still struggle with.
The phrase was spoken to a group of us in a church meeting once.
It goes like this: “Faith and fear can’t exist in the same space”
I’m not sure I agree.
Sure, it sounds good on paper and all.
It’s a good mantra to utter in the face of adversity.
But is this saying really true?
I just don’t think it is.
It could be an awesome “battle cry” to rally the troops and help encourage the discouraged…but I think faith and fear sometimes go hand in hand.

I suppose the word fear has to be defined in this conversation.
I think there are varying degrees of fear to think about when we talk about “faith AND fear”.
We don’t want to generalize fear to mean something all encompassing when it comes to “what we are afraid of”, rather I believe the kind of fear that is present within faith is a trepidation rather than a full blown paralyzing fear. I like one of the definitions of the word “trepidation” because it sort of crystallizes to me how faith and fear can coexist together in us.
The definition I think that fits is this:

‘Trepidation’ – a trembling motion.

To me this means that although we do not know what the future has in store for us, there IS STILL MOTION in us.
It sort of sums up that coined phrase “stepping out in faith” for me.
Although we have said “yes” to Christ and we have made that proclamation to the world around us, there is still the motion that is needed…and within that motion is a trembling.

Perhaps some of us dig deep and that trembling isn’t ever noticeable.
While in the rest of us that trembling aspect of faith is extremely evident.
It is more than mere nervousness of the unknown, it is a moving fear that propels faith to action.
It is more than reverence for God “fear and trembling”, it is an action verb that puts fuel on the fire of our faith.

Do you have fear today?
If you do have fear, I want to tell you that it is okay.
Don’t ever think that just because you’re fearful that there is something wrong with your faith walk.
Fear CAN exist within faith, and if understood and utilized correctly, it can help us to put feet and movement to our faith!

Something more to ponder today!

March 17, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 5 Wrong Ways To Disciple (part 1)

Discipleship is important.
Jesus lived with His disciples for 3 years, and in those three years He taught them through both words and deed. They were not mere students in a classroom learning some “concept”, they engaged humanity and encountered the Divine as He loved and led. Our prime example of discipleship should Christ and how He instructed His followers.

Some within the The Salvation Army, as well as other denominations, have never been properly discipled.
One might contend that soldiership classes count as discipling, but I believe it is only a drop in the bucket and is not enough. Others might contend that youth classes like junior soldiers and corps cadets are a form of discipling, again, a good start but not enough.

Discipleship is more than a passing grade.
Discipleship is more than completing a work book with a mentor.
Discipleship is SO much more than these things.

We begin this two part series on discipleship with the wrong ways to disciple.
Some of these might be obvious to you, but it never hurts to put these down in writing…so here goes:

5 Wrong Ways To Disciple:

1. “Do as I say, not as I do!”
This is can be a very slippery slope. Mentors and Disciplers want to be good leaders of others, but sometimes putting into practice what is preached (even to the leader) is easier said than done. We all find it much easier to tell others how to live while experiencing the same struggles of daily temptations of old habits that haven’t quite passed away. If we live by this principle within our leadership model, we could very well be leading people astray because they will inevitably watch us closely in how we conduct ourselves and they WILL notice our inconsistencies in faith and practice.

2. “Fake it”
“I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice..“. (2 Timothy 1:5a)

This is inexplicably linked to the above “wrong way” of discipling.
Discipleship is vital to our pathway of holiness. What I mean by that is: we cannot become like Christ if we do not first long to emulate Him in every way…we cannot simply fake it! A true disciple of Christ is willing to place the great commission of Christ and the needs of others above them self. If we, as leaders, mentors and instructors don’t first walk with Christ in every way how can we expect those that we disciple to walk with Christ? Faking it is not an option. For a time we can fool others, but we again, will not fool God!

Secondly, and quite obviously, we cannot either by word of action teach disciples to simply plod through and fake it. “If you don’t know the answers, just fake it.”, “If you have no faith, just fake it!”, “If you don’t like that person, just fake it!”

Perhaps you think this sets the bar too high, and maybe unobtainable to everyone.
Jesus isn’t asking for our human perfection, just our faithfulness and authenticity.

3. Abuse Scripture
“not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock...” (1 Peter 5:3)
Disciplers and Leaders, be mindful that although you have authority over those you lead that you yourself are also being held accountable to God! Do not utilize scripture for the purpose of making the disciples your servants. It sounds funny saying this, but in placing these disciple under you the temptation is there for you to make them do things for you or by forcing them to lead things in church when perhaps they are not ready to do so.

Another way in which we might abuse scripture is through plucking out specific verses in order to fit our needs. Be aware of the this! Look at the context of verses in scripture. Do not try to force scripture verses to imply something that they were never intended to imply. Also, do not use scripture as weapons against those you disciple. Isn’t it interesting how scripture can be weaponized sometimes? Please don’t do this. It not only serves to make scripture become something its not, but it can and will drive people away from the faith!

4. It’s all about the uniform (Outward Appearances)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25)

Please know that I am not calling you Pharisees today, that is not my intention with the above verse.
What I am implying is that we in the Army can become so “uniform” focused that we can run the risk of being outwardly focused on appearances than about the internal cleanliness of the “cup”. We want to be one Army strong and focused on the battle to win souls for Jesus, but if we skip the sacred step of consecration in lieu of appearances and numbers we will have already lost the war. The uniform, like baptism and communion are merely (or should be) an outward evidence of an inward change. Sometimes we might get the cart before the horse. Many times is this deeply personal and at the same time extremely corporate. If we strive as leaders to just those we disciple into uniforms for the sake of numbers (I hope this doesn’t happen very often) we will have done true discipleship a great disservice.

5. It (Discipleship) should only be taught in a classroom with a book.
“Please turn to chapter six in your work books and let’s finish this fill in the blank section…”
Discipleship isn’t only some class you might take part in.
Discipleship isn’t about filling out sections of a book.
These things can certainly help, and I am not discounting these as elements or tools for discipleship, but discipleship is SO much more than the classroom setting! If there is no challenge outside the walls of the classroom to actively engage and put into practice in daily life what was learned, then it is all for naught.

Jesus took His disciples out into the field. He didn’t do everything for them. He had them put into practice all that they had learned. They (the disciples) were still a work in progress, but Jesus lovingly pushed them along in hands on training with real life situations.

Disciplers, mentors, how do we do this for those that we train to become disciples of Christ?

These are just five wrong ways to disciple, I am sure there could be more to discuss.
The key is to recognize what a privilege and responsibility that we have been given.
Let us disciple with sober intentions, love, compassion and grace…
Something more for Army to ponder today.

To God be the glory!

March 9, 2015 5

Perspectives Day #5 Featuring Lieutenant Sean Wise “What is Truth?”

What Is The Truth?

My son (age 3) came to me in tears the other day. He was distraught because my daughter (age 5), in a moment of frustration, told him, “I’m not your sister anymore!”

There’s a line my wife would often use in instances like this, and given her absence at the moment, I decided to try it out. “Mitchell, what’s the truth? Is she your sister?”

“Yes. But she said she’s not!”

“Mitchell, no matter what she says, she will always be your sister. That is the truth.”

I love how quickly a 3-year-old can be receptive to statements like that. As soon as we had finished that conversation, my kids were back playing together as if the entire ordeal had never even happened. A hurtful lie was meant to tear them apart, but truth, love, and forgiveness brought them back together.

Within the past few months, I’ve learned all too well that someone somewhere is lying about you. Until this past June, I had always lived in the kind of cultures where people, for the most part, kept to their own business. Gossip was generally relegated to the latest celebrity news.

But then, I moved to a small town of just over 8,000 people.

I had only been in this appointment for just about two months when I started hearing rumblings around town. Rumblings about Salvation Army business. Rumblings about my employees. Rumblings about me personally. If it was just one or two people saying something occasionally, I don’t think it would have bothered me as much. But when it got to the point where I was hearing things from people in restaurants and stores, or when my own employees were telling me everything they were hearing regularly from the community, then I had a much harder time dealing with it.

And it bugged me for a long time. But then a question popped into my head.

“What is the truth?”

People are going to talk. Sometimes because they believe what they’ve heard. Sometimes because they’ve convinced themselves of something. And yes, unfortunately, sometimes they genuinely have malicious intent. But ultimately, none of that matters in the end. When I was able to focus on the truth of what I was doing here, and what the Army was doing here, I became more able to tune out the rumors and just live. No matter what people are saying or believing, if I don’t give into the hype, then eventually the negativity will dissipate from being disproven. In the end, the truth will win.

Rotary International begins their “4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say, or Do” with, “Is it the truth?” It’s often said that there are three sides to any story – what the accuser says, what the accused says, and the truth. Jesus Christ Himself, to those who held to His teachings, said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, NIV)

So what is the truth? Are we allowing truth to run the way we think, or are we perpetuating the rumors and mentalities of negativity that are so blatantly poised around us? Let’s ignore the lies, rumors, and deception. It’s time we stepped away from their bondage and rooted our hearts, minds, words, and actions in the freedom that comes only from the truth.

March 6, 2015 2

Category: Faith