Dear Salvation Army, A Post-it-note Over The Problem?…

When I was in college my roommate told me about a friend of his who headed home for for the holidays. She was unaccustomed to car maintenance and while on the journey a “check engine” light came on. She wasn’t sure of what to do, but the light became an annoyance to her. Did she stop at a gas station and ask for help? No. She just kept on driving but the little “check engine” light still glowed and caught her eye and was more of a nuisance than a problem.

What was her solution?
Call home? No.
Finally stop? No.
Her solution: She placed a post-it-note over the glowing warning light.
Problem solved right? Out of sight, out of mind…wrong.

It may have been covered over by the post-it-note, but it was still there. The problem was still real. The inevitable was certain without appropriate action.
Sure enough, while on her journey home for the holidays, her car’s engine seized and became a pile of non-running junk.

Dear Salvation Army, is there maintenance, real spiritual maintenance that we are ignoring? Are we placing post-it-notes over the real problems, all the while pretending they don’t exist? They won’t go away if we just ignore them. These warning lights are real. Will it cause us some discomfort by actually looking at the cold hard truth of the situation? Yes. But what will the result be if we simply place a post-it-note over that glowing warning light?

Whatever that glowing light may be, we have to peel off the post-it-note and face the problems at hand head on. We cannot hide from these warning lights. We cannot shirk these responsibilities as an Army.

Dear Soldier, what are the warning lights in your life right now? Have you placed a post-it-note over them? Personal holiness is not easy. Personal holiness requires us to peel back that which we cover the vulnerabilities of our lives, the personal sins we do not want to let anyone see let alone God…and so we cover them over and refuse to acknowledge that they exist. We talk a good talk about holiness, but when it comes to truly allowing full surrender to happen we hold back, we refuse to allow God access to the areas in our lives that need the most work. How can we grow if we don’t surrender all? How can we mature and become like Christ if we simply ignore the warning lights?

I am right here with you, dear soldier. I do not claim that I have it all worked out in my life either. I too have ignored these warning lights on this spiritual journey. I too have withheld this full surrender while blatantly ignoring the warning lights.

Dear Salvation Army,
I don’t know if these post-it-notes are covering up unacknowledged sins, leadership failures, financial loopholes, unethical behaviors, policy standards, etc… How can we peel these post-it-notes off? How can we finally look at the problems, acknowledge them and finally move forward? What will it take? Will we have to wait for Christ’s return? Will we still be here by then if we have to wait? Are we missing out by not addressing these warning lights?

Dear Soldier,
I don’t know what your post-it-notes are covering either. It’s an extremely personal thing, I know. We all must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)…but we don’t do it alone. We have the help of the Holy Spirit to guide us and to lead us. He will help us to peel back these post-it-notes as we finally see the un-addressed issues for what they are – opportunities for God’s healing to cleanse us fully and for us to finally be healed completely.

Let’s peel back the post-it-notes together…let’s finally see the trouble, the sin, the issues for what they truly are. Let us be healed completely!

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

October 27, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – The Pathway Of Duty Is Agony Sometimes!

It is not our Salvation that keeps us Holy. It is but a component of this saving grace. It isn’t our intellect that saves us either. It is the work of Christ and the continuing fellowship of the Holy Spirit within us. We are but instruments of His peace, His love and His encouragement.

Times of Trial And Wounding:
There will be times when we are accused, slandered and wounded while serving Christ. I am not saying that we look for the opportunities to be persecuted or wounded, but they will indeed come our way if we are living out kingdom priorities as kingdom people!

There will be some who will stand in our way.
There will be some who will betray us along the pathway of duty.
There will be some who will laugh when we face out trials and wounds.
Some, even unknowingly, are ambassadors of hell as they entertain and execute malicious attacks on those who are faithful.

I am not saying we are perfect by any means.
We are all faulty, we are all in need of a daily washing of God’s grace upon us. Yet, if we choose to walk this narrow path and are led by the Holy Spirit, we will face opposition, persecution and wounds along the way. It is inevitable.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4

I’m sorry, what was that?
Pure Joy? In the midst of trials of many kind?
That doesn’t sound like a joyful or fun opportunity does it?

Yet pain comes to us.
Faith produces greater faith and reliance on God, but the side-effect in this “growth process” (for lack of a better term) is that we will experience discomfort, trials and hurt along the way.

No Pain, No Gain…
I’m not a glutton for punishment, really I’m not…but I do know that there is a desired outcome to this “faith” thing. We wish to be more like Christ is every way! Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as afragrant aroma” (NASB)

Becoming an imitator of God will take a journey through pain and suffering. Why? Because our fallen world won’t allow it to happen. Because our fallen, old sinful selves and habitual wanderings will trip us up. Because imitating God and becoming like His son Jesus will take immense sacrifice…sometimes more sacrifice than most of us realize at the beginning of the journey.

We will suffer at the hands of others.
We will suffer at the hands of ourselves at times.
We will experience discomfort and even pain at the lengths in with we are called to sacrifice!

Without pain we will not gain our freedom within His holiness!
It sounds sadistic doesn’t it?
It’s not. It simply is.

Your Path Right Now…
How is the pathway of duty right now for you?
Are you experiencing any discomfort along the way?
Is it because you have had to make sacrifices?
Is it because you are at times alone in your convictions?
Is it because you have faced (or you are currently facing) persecution and ridicule from others and felt the sting of it?

We are soldiers of Christ.
We have been set apart for His holy purpose!
We will find ruts in the road. We will find agony, bruised shins, and distressed hearts at times along this journey.

Do you need to come the well of refreshing again?
He is able to refresh and restore you!
He is able to replenish your spent reserves.
He can and will carry you when necessary.
He wants to encourage us today and to spur us onward even in the midst of persecution, suffering and the onslaught of those who would see us destroyed because of this faith.

Be bold.
Be strong.
For the Lord your God is with you today! (Joshua 1:9)

Carry on and know you are loved, encouraged, and supported by the Father himself!

-Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

October 15, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army – Motivational Leadership Vs. Coercive Leadership

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

A long time ago…I was in a meeting with a particular leader and a discussion about the usage of funding came up. It had been a cordial meeting to begin with as a group of us gathered in the meeting room with this leader. One particular person spoke up about the allocations of funds and voiced concerns that we had little knowledge of where or why our funds were being cut and siphoned from our local programs. Further voices also chimed in until this particular leader cut the conversation off by pounding his fists on the table and declared “enough, you will do what you’re told. This isn’t up for discussion anymore.” This was my first experience with coercive leadership…and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I mean no disrespect, but I have served under some very capable leaders who didn’t have to “pull rank” in order to get the message of their leadership across. They led through conviction, encouragement and decisive, yet compassionate grace…dare I say at times, this “gem” of leadership is quite rare in any organization…yet so desperately needed!

There is a time and a place for everything…or so Ecclesiastes says (and often misquoted). We must recognize that there are times when the authoritative style of leadership is necessary. We do operate within an organizational system modeled after the military after all. That being said, let’s look at two very specific styles of leadership that is often represented in our army still today.

Motivational Leadership Vs. Coercive Leadership

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” ― John C. Maxwell

Motivational Leadership:
When done correctly this style of leadership can be the most effective means of communicating mission and vision. Motivational leaders don’t have to go around declaring their authority and pulling rank. They are respected because they are right there in the trenches with those they lead. It takes real courage and energy to be a motivational leader. It is often the harder of the two because it can demand more of our effort and time. Leading in this manner, one engages in their subordinates by showing them the way to success through encouragement while still holding them accountable. There are still outcomes to be accomplished but striving for these outcomes becomes a team lead journey where all are important and often times the leader is in the back prodding their subordinates along through encouragement and praise…picture the “little train the could” as it declared “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can“. Only within the motivational leadership style it isn’t about leadership saying “I think I can” but rather “I know YOU can!”

Other elements of Motivational leaderships include – active participation along side those they lead, recognition and praise when missions and tasks are accomplished, and lastly (less used because of the prior elements) motivation through strictness (discipline). When all else fails, the last resort (not the first) is discipline and accountability. We should not begrudge this element of motivational leadership or even its existence. We all need prodding from time to time. When the other elements of this style of leadership is exhausted and there is no other recourse, this “last resort” must be employed.

When subordinates come to this outcome through one who is a motivational leaders, it can be hard to accept, though the respect of such a leader should motivate the subordinate to get back on track in the hopes of accomplishing the team effort and desired goal(s).

In comparison:
Coercive Leadership:
Coercive leadership is forceful, demanding and often times requires others to do that which the leader themselves would not do. This style of leadership may be more effective in the short term, but in the long term may cause dissension, bitterness, attrition of the “team”, and could ultimately result in loss of vision and mission.

The “iron fist” is much easier to employ. One leads with fear. It takes less time to lead in this manner. A coercive leader can simply declare “you will do what you’re told” but this isn’t motivational, rather it is leading through fear as the primer or surrogate for motivation. This style of leadership isn’t about positive reinforcement. Dare I say it isn’t about developing good leadership for the future either. It is about “having it your way” as a fast food chain has famously turned into a slogan.

What About Us, Dear Army?
What kind of leaders do we aspire to become in our ministries?
Perhaps this topic scratches the surface of some tender areas within us. We chafe at this. Perhaps we cough nervously and look to cast a blaming glance upon others…but it does come back to us too. Leadership requires soldiers and officers of all kinds. We guide the vessel, which is this army. We can implement change within our leadership. We can set the precedent and the need for change. We do not have to lead out of a coercive leadership model any longer. It might be the easy route but what is the trade off? The trade off is that we can and will lose people that we lead along the way.

Dear Army, in order to make more disciples…in order to make more soldiers and further equip future leaders in this army, we must become the kind of leaders that others aspire to emulate and become themselves. We must set the standard all the while motivating, encouraging and strengthening those we lead. Only then will we be able to look upon the generations coming after us and pass on the mantel of this great army of salvation!

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

October 14, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army: Why Quality Is Better Than Quantity

Jesus had more than 12 disciples…yet many left Him. (John 6:66)
Did Jesus call each one of these “AWOL” disciples? No.
Some joined the band later during the rise of Jesus’ popularity. But Jesus wasn’t looking for popularity. He hadn’t come to be lauded and complemented. He hadn’t come to start a Roman incursion. He came for so much more. He taught that purpose to His disciples, those with whom He confided in and hand-picked for such an important calling.

Dear Salvation Army, why is it that we feel it necessary at times to place quantity of soldiers and officers above quality? I don’t think anyone intentionally does this. I do not think we rush out and pick people off the street and throw uniforms on them just so we have “numbers” the next time the General or anyone else important in our Army comes to town. But we do see success within our Army as something of a quantitative thing don’t we?

Have we been going about this all wrong?
Could it be that instead of sheer numbers and all of these “Corps growth” initiatives we must first focus on the ones we already have in our pews who are undiscipled and unequipped for the battle? We serve many individuals who are marginalized and wounded by life. Some might be incapable of ever achieving the standards of “Christianity” that other churches expect of their parishioners. I have heard it said that the church is an emergency room for the sinner. It should be a place of triage and shelter for the broken and the imperfect. We serve many in our Army who not only need the spiritual emergency room but also long-term spiritual care! Some may never walk upright within the spiritual realms of leadership. Some may only crawl towards incremental spiritual achievements in their lives because they have been crippled by sin, shame and/or other spiritual, emotional and physical wounds in their lives. Can we accept them for who they are, where they are and mark these limited steps of growth? Are we patient enough to develop these wounded soldiers with grace, love and at times looooooooooooong-suffering? Or are we so focused on getting “others” more “capable”, desirable people into our corps buildings? We, unintentionally, stick up our noses at the uneducated, spiritually inept and broken cases already before us.

I don’t mean to make this an indictment because I too would wear a crown of guilt in this witch-hunt of pointing fingers. I too have walked the fine line of measurable growth and statistically accomplishments while unintentionally leaving the spiritually crippled of the corps in my dust. Shame on me. Forgive me.

What I’m Not Saying:
I’m not saying don’t seek out others to bring into your corps.
I am not saying don’t work to improve the spiritual conditions of your corps.
I am not saying don’t preach holiness and hold the standards high for all who come to the corps.

What I am Saying:
-Don’t forget those that God has already placed in your corps and on your ministry pathways.

-Don’t lose the emphasis on teaching and discipling your vital few who come week in and week out.

-Don’t lose heart when you look at statistical sheets and only see the same numbers associated with the same faces.

-Love your corps members even if they are incapable of loving you back (as hard as that may be).

-Be the very best representation of Christ to your corps, in your leadership and in your living examples.

-Don’t wait for more educated, better looking and polished people to come through your doors. Focus on the ones that God has placed within your ministry right now to love and to lead.

Why Quality is Better Than Quantity?
When we become satisfied and confident with loving and serving the few we take off the burden of false success driven ministry concepts. It’s not about packing your corps building to the brim every Sunday morning. It’s not about attempting another evangelistic ploy to rope the unchurched into your doors.

When we begin to love and to focus our attention upon those we already have within our corps (the “quality“, no matter how far from quality we may view our corps members) we will begin to truly love them, appreciate them, long to better disciple them, and serve them as Christ would the Church. When we focus our attention on the “few” and feed them spiritually, the love and “curb” appeal of our corps will become all the more evident in our communities.

We get it all wrong some times in our attempt to become like other churches. We look over the ministerial fences and long to be like “that” church that boasts 400 or more members on a Sunday. But the truth is we aren’t THAT church…we were never called to be THAT church. Our ministry and mission as the Army is very, very unique. Our mission will contain more elements of serving wounded soldiers day in and day out and maybe, just maybe we will see incremental or phenomenal life improvements both physically and spiritually. I am not discounting the work of the Holy Spirit here, He can and will perform miracles, and we must be diligent and faithful to His calling. Yet in other occasions we must also not give up on soldiers and corps members who never seem to move from their one position of initial conversion.

We know there is more to be had within the realms of spiritual growth and holiness for our corps members…but sometimes it may take a lifetime for that corps member to achieve this understanding as well. DON’T GIVE UP ON THEM! DON’T QUIT OR LOSE HOPE!

**Yes, fight for the weak, the hurting, the lost.
**Yes, keep up the evangelistic methods within your communities.
-But don’t forget to employ quality love, support and leadership to the few as well!

Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

October 13, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Two Roads Diverged…

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;”
(Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken)

Do you know what an intersection is? It is a point at which two or more things intersect, especially roads…and in our case within The Salvation Army and every other Church, Movement, Organization – these “roads” of intersection represent one’s motivation for “signing up” or joining, our reason for remaining and our reason that we don the red trim and we call ourselves “Officers”.

I’m a picture kinda guy.
By that I mean I see things within snapshots or photographs. How things appear or ought to appear. If I can boil down the essence of something it can help me to process what I have seen and allow me to understand it. Are you a picture person too?

A colleague of mine posed this question to me and I thought I would ponder it, write it down, scatter its ashes around and piece the puzzle back together again…here goes.

The Question: “What are the intersections between being “employed” and being “deployed” in the context of a SA Officer?”

As I considered this question over and over again, it is assumed that there are multiple entry and exit points to such an intersection (e.g. “intersections”). Automatically I envisioned this picture of a four way intersection out in the country, a sapphire blue canvas sky, where all four roads diverged and then carried on their way out into the dusty, sunlit horizon.

I have written on a similar topic before – “Why I Quit Being Employed By The Salvation Army” but that was personal…to me this posed question is like a scientific dissection of sorts. We must take it slowly and layer by layer…again I’m thinking in pictures here.

To help us all understand and gain a clearer picture of this intersection of employment and deployment, we must take it picture by picture…and hopefully we can then decide what these intersections look like to us and where they lead.

The Intersection of Employment:
Within this pathway comes little by way of true passion for The Salvation Army and the mission. I will already assume someone will erroneously take this to mean that all “employment/employees” are the target of this dissection, but it is indeed not the case. I am speaking of primarily Officership of The Salvation Army and possibly potential future Officers.

Some would treat this “calling” as a place to gather a paycheck, a safe place to reside and bide their time until retirement or something better comes along. Others within the “employment” path would hinge all of their identities on their rank, their position, the power. Some who either consciously or subconsciously view their position within the Army as “employment” and attempt, at all cost, to climb the corporate/organizational ladder. When this ideological view point (either by intention, circumstance, or unintentional means) occurs the passion for one’s calling and the intention of fulfilling the Army’s mission and that of Christ’s great commission goes out the window. God forbid we find ourselves there, but if we do I pray that it becomes the crossroads to either realignment and course adjustment or an exit from the mission of The Army.

Do not misunderstand me here, I do not mean to say this is an easy fix nor can it be summed up simply with nice pretty pictures of a country intersection. It is certainly a complicated matter to discuss. Much should be done within one’s own personal time of soul-searching and a diligent prayer life. But…if we are simply employed by This army of salvation and we no longer possess the desire to serve the lost in Christ’s name, and our heart no longer belongs to its mission, then perhaps it is time to consider moving on. I do not say this lightly, but we cannot afford to become so top heavy with administrators while the well runs dry with salvation servants humbly willing to serve anywhere regardless of power, position and pride. (This is a gut punch to even my own ego and pride)

We ought to recognize that though we are an organization we are also a movement and a church (Cue the dissenters out there, sorry a continued discussion for another time). That being said, though structurally we possess the infrastructure of every other “top-down” organizational blueprint, we are an Army of Salvation hell bent of pull lost souls from the fires of hell and standing up for those without a voice. Therefore, all of Salvation Soldiers are called to serve and all are called to be holy and to possess within them a heart for Christ which extends outwardly towards others.

The Intersection of Deployment:
This is the seldom traveled route. I have long stood upon such a crossroads. I cannot conceal this or hide the fact that there have been times that I have taken a detour, driven for a mile or two on the route of employment…looked guiltily in the rear view mirror as dust plumes engulfed and temporarily obscured my view of the path that I knew I should have traveled a little while longer upon…

It should be noted that it is far easier to travel the employment route. It is far easier to sleep at night having put to bed the mission of the army, when lights have been extinguished in the tidy offices, and after the corp’s doors are locked and the parking lot has emptied. When we have compartmentalized what we do from 9 to 5 from who we are “off the clock”. This route paints a smoother road to travel on. To become “deployed” often takes us upon the rougher roads, with numerous potholes and disturbing setbacks. We face other people’s pains, heartaches and regrets. We come face to face with failure because we risk much and are willing to “go the extra mile” down this seemingly deserted road.

The path is littered with blown tires and wounded travelers. It resembles battle and war and often takes us to many a dark place where the lost are aimlessly wandering seeking guidance and direction.

Dear Salvation Army, this is the road less traveled because it is not easy, it is not desirable, it is not glamorous…and yet to journey upon it is to imitate how Jesus walked and lived. To be frank, it is saying “to hell with prestige, power, image, perceptions…and to hell with pursuits of selfish gains”, while saying “yes to humility, holiness, selflessness and Christ-like gains.” It is whispering a prayer chorus in our hearts “to be like Jesus this thought possesses me, in spirit and in deed, like Him I’ll be“; while reclaiming, from selfishness, that swampy quick-sand, getting our feet stuck kind of battle ground which is located in our minds and causing a spiritual paralysis and a stubbornness of will.

Questions for us to ask and answer within ourselves:
-Am I traveling upon the road of employment or deployment?
-Am I thriving upon the intersection of power, comfort, complacency?
-Why do I serve within this Army?
-Am I currently traveling upon the right road in my life, in my spiritual walk, in my Officership?
-Is it my life-long mission to be like Jesus and to serve and live for Him?
-How does this effect everything else I am and what I do?

I know there are other callings in life.
I recognize that The Salvation Army isn’t the only path to serve the Lord within.
I also understand that sometimes we will not always see eye to eye with policy and leadership…yet where does that leave us? Where are we going? Why do we do what we do as Officers…and even Soldiers?

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
(Robert Frost)

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

October 1, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – A Word From General William Booth

“And now, comrades and friends, I must say goodbye. I am going into dry-dock for repairs, but the Army will not be allowed to suffer, either financially or spiritually, or in any other way by my absence; and in the long future I think it will be seen – and I will not be here to see – but you will, that the Army will answer every doubt and banish every fear and strangle every slander, and by its marvelous success show to the world that it is the work of God and that The General has been his servant.” (Excerpt from Booth’s 83rd Birthday Speech at Clapton Congress Hall. From: “Farewell to the Founder” by R.G. Moyles pg 6.)

General William Booth was in poor health at this time (1912), he was nearly blind and could feel his body slowly giving out. Though he initially started with these farewell remarks, he concluded this speech with the now very famous quote: “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go into prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – I’ll fight to the very end.”

Questions For Our Army Today:
-To what depths and lengths are we willing to fight?
-Can we confidently say that in uniform and out of uniform that we would fight to the very end for the marginalized, the poor, the outcast, the sick and the dying?
-Are we still up to the challenge or are we just dead weight clinging onto life?

Last week we explored a prophetic quote by Booth (see earlier posts: Part I & Part II)…If a nearly blind man could plainly see the direction of our Army and the constant need for God’s reliance, are we able to see this need as well?

Let me expound here for a moment. It doesn’t matter if you’re a soldier of the Salvation Army or not. What matters most is if you will serve the Living God first and foremost. If we clear away the other concerns and focus on this relationship first, all other issues will then become so much clearer. With that being said, Dear Salvation Army how goes the fight? Are we still equipped to “banish every fear” that we encounter? Are we brave enough to “strangle” every slanderous word that we and others face? Can we still win the world for Jesus? Is that in our power? No! But it is in the power of the Holy Spirit, who is mighty to save!

A Jump Start?
Sometimes I feel that we all need to good swift kick in the backside from time to time. We need to be reminded of our motivation. We need to prompted to “go on in victory”. We also need to be reminded that we are not alone in this fight. We are an Army, not on a renegade solo mission. We need each other to stand beside us. We need the encouragement of leadership. We need the mighty arm of the Lord to spur us onward. Without Him we can do nothing. Without Him we fall flat on our faces in failure. I believe we have been ordained by the Lord to serve those within our world. I truly believe our founder felt this way as well. William Booth didn’t quit or surrender in his day even in the midst of failing health. We shouldn’t quit either in this daily, even moment by moment endeavor. If we must be reminded of anything here it is that without the constant need for holy living in and through us we can lose our way. Holiness is the key. A disciplined life is our road map. A world for Christ is our goal.

Fight on dear Army, we are saved to save and to serve Him while reaching out to all who have lost their way; all who have given up hope in this life; all who need to see and experience Godly love and compassion in our world. Fight on!

September 30, 2014 5

5 Reasons Ministries Fail In The First 5 Years…

I grew up in “the ministry”. My parents served faithfully for over 40 years in ministry. I seemingly followed in their footsteps upon hearing God’s calling for my life. Since that time I have spent the last 15 years in ministry in positions such as youth pastor, church manager, worship leader and a full time pastor (Salvation Army Officer). I have seen ministries come and go in that process. I watched some wonderful ideas seemingly crash and burn, while other evangelistic ideas that I thought would never work stand the test of time.

Within my span of being “in the ministry”, please allow me the opportunity to highlight some reasons ministries fail in the first five years:

5 Reasons Ministries Fail In The First 5 Years:

1) The “Blue-print” Transfer Ideology:
“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” ― Dwight D Eisenhower

Within this church-growth ideological vein comes the preconceived notion that if something works in one community, it will undoubtedly work in another. This translates into moving an evangelistic plan or possibly key “event” from one functioning church location to another. Some of the factors that can be easily overlooked in this kind of “Blue-print” transfer, however, can include specific community demographics, the leadership factor, and adequate planning. This leadership ideology and “idea” transfer can lead to failure in a ministry. Just because something worked in one location doesn’t always mean it will transfer successfully into another completely different ministerial environment. This shouldn’t be taken to mean that we shouldn’t try these ideas, but before plunging headlong into such a campaign, do the research, ask the questions, count all of the variables.

2) A Lack Of Vision & Planning
“Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.”
― V.S. Naipaul

This goes hand in hand with doing the above recommendation of doing the research! What are the needs of the community that you minister in? Who is your target audience? Why is such a ministry needed? How will it be executed? What are the outcomes of success? (meaning, how will you know that this ministry has reached its potential and succeeded?) In order to prevent failure of any new ministry these (and more) questions need to be answered. It is one thing to have a brilliant idea and have a “pie in the sky” vision…it is a completely different thing to execute that idea with precision and proper planning. This shouldn’t be taken to mean that we ought to be planning everything to death and the need to micro-manage, but it does mean that some forethought must be put into any formation of a new ministry.
Here is a simple SWOT analysis link that could help you if you are planning to begin or revitalize a ministry: SWOT Analysis Tool Worksheet

3) A Polarized Leadership Vision/Lack Of Stable Leadership Team
“A leader who produces other leaders multiples their influences.”
-John Maxwell

These two vital issues can cause a ministry to fail in the first 5 years or much, much sooner. What happens when the senior pastor doesn’t share the same vision as the church board or council? What happens if the youth pastor or the worship leader cannot catch the vision of the senior pastor? These polarizing views of what the mission should be can cause a ministry to crash and burn. Without a clear vision (as listed in #2) that is shared by all of the leadership team, the ministry will the run the risk of failing gloriously. Coupled with this sharing of the same vision, is the crucial component of possessing a stable group of leaders. Without the team, “super pastor” will fail. Without the “core group” who do the initial grunt work to get a ministry off of the ground, it can become next to impossible to succeed in something new. The “core group” must possess the same shared vision and should be willing to not only work together to accomplish great things, but ought to be fervently in prayer and in support of one another to do “all things in Christ who strengthens me (you, us, the team)…” -Philippians 4:13. The fastest way to fail in a ministry is to possess a murky, vague vision while possessing an unstable, sub-par team to execute this new, fuzzy ministry poorly.

4) Rigid Iron-fisted Leadership Model
“If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.” ― Jeff Bezos

Once the vision is caught and the plan is executed within the realms of a new ministry, there is a tipping point that can occur that will either make or break any and all potential future success. The tipping point begins and ends with the need to adjust, change and become flexible without compromising the overall mission and vision. Do we, as church leaders, possess the ability to be both firm within the vision while maintaining an element of flexibility in outcomes? I would venture a guess that “flexibility” is often the most difficult element to maintain when striving for success in ministry. Things can and will change in the team environment. Strategy needs to be re-tooled to offer better chances at succeeding. Often times pride and stubbornness have caused ministries to fail miserably. The evidence of true leadership is the willingness to let others lead from time to time. True leadership allows for adjustments of the plan and letting go of the Iron-fisted grip while maintain and upholding the vision and the intended outcomes. If we, as church leaders, allow our pride and stubbornness to blind us to the necessity of flexibility and adjustment mid-stride in the execution of the plan, then we will inevitably fail.
Note to self (and perhaps this applies to you as well): Wake up, it isn’t about me…it’s about the mission!

5) No “Next Level” Plan..
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” —John Maxwell
Once the new ministry is off the ground, and flexibility allows for course adjustments and moderate re-shuffling and successful outcomes are reached what happens next? One of the crucial needs of the church is to recognize when a plateauing of a ministry is taking place and a plan to take things to the “next level”.

Corporate Examples:
Samsung and Apple (among others) are corporations that are notorious for providing the “next big thing” when it comes to portable technology such as telephones and tablet/computer devices. They stage public media day events to attract world-wide attention and get people interested in their products…and people keep coming back for more. Why do people come back for more? Because these companies know how to make things relevant, marketable and desired. They do the “next level” really well.

A Word Of Caution:
We must be careful here to identify with “business models” because our motivation isn’t centered on financial gains and success in this way, but the principle of how it is done can assist us in planning the “next level” within our church ministries.

Tools for the “next level”
* Re-visit the vision of the present ministry.
Ask questions such as: –Is it still working?
–What should we do differently?
–Have we met our yearly outcomes?
–What can we do better this next year?
–Are we reaching the targeted audience?
–Do we need to re-tool our leadership base?
–Do we need different teaching materials?
–Can we write new materials?
-Are we meeting the needs of our community?

These are just 5 reasons that ministries fail in the first 5 years and some tools to help us stave off the “crash and burn” hall of fame awards.
Do the research.
Spend money and time on a quality core team around you.
Plan, plan, plan…but be flexible!
Look to the future, prepare for the “next level”…and get ready to execute it well!

-Just something more for us to ponder today!

September 29, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army – Do Something…But Do It Well!

William Booth, founder and first General of The Salvation Army, recognized a need when he saw homeless people huddling under a bridge. He looked at his son Bramwell and said “Do something!”. Since the early days of our Army we have been doing something to help those in need. This is nothing new to most of you reading this because you, as a Soldier of our Army, are actively participating in “doing something”already. We understand that there is a need and if we can help, we should.

But is doing “something” enough?
What I mean is, are we doing what we are doing well?
Do we strive for excellence in our “Somethings”?
Is our motivation for program and activities propelled only by maintaining or numbers and statistics? I would hope not. We are not the army of maintainers. We are not the army of programs. We are The Salvation Army, and our mission for Christ should propel us constantly forward. Our “somethings” what ever they may be ought to be provided out of need and necessity not strictly tradition and maintenance. Similarly, General Booth advised that if Corps were not growing or producing they ought to be closed immediately and the officers should move on to another town or location.

Are our roots of tradition and staunch “status quo” too deep today?
Does this prevent us from being that revolutionary Army we once were in Victorian England and subsequently the US and Canada and many, many other regions in the world? In our striving to do not only “something” but EVERYTHING are we unintentionally aiming for mediocrity in mission as we spread ourselves too thin?

Do “Something” Well!
Perhaps as our Salvation Army movement has grown we have evolved into an entity too big to micro-manage…is that such a bad thing? I say no. But we are so large and power/financially hungry that we must delve into every aspect of social helps? In so doing (if this is indeed the case) have we spread the “service” and “something” so thinly that we cannot possibly begin to expect long-term and life-changing results in those we serve?

Yes, we ought to do something, and do it immediately to help those in need. That is without question…but are there certain tasks that we currently perform in our ministries that perhaps we ought to discard? What purpose are some of these tasks still performing? If we were to look at specific programs and line them up with our community’s needs would they serve a purpose? Is THAT specific program or service needed and does it help save souls and serve suffering humanity? If the answer is “no” and it is just something we are required to do or something we have always done perhaps it’s time to let it die. Even Soldiers and Officers of our Army carry around sacred cows that no longer serve any purpose in our present ministries. This is a top-down issue but it is also a local officer and corps issue as well. I would imagine if Booth were around today there would be far more corps closing, a lot less sacred cow keepings going on and possibly a few more fires burning to prompt all of us to get on with it. We just don’t have time to dwell on these less important things when there are broken lives who need this army in the here and now!

If we’re going to do “something” I pray that this something is worth it! Don’t misunderstand, it isn’t about perfection in programming, but it is about sincerity, compassion, intentional ministry and effort. One might argue that the life of an officer and a soldier is really, really busy to get it right…and that’s exactly my point in writing this today. If we are so consumed with all of the mundane and the unimportant tasks (insert those here as they vary from location to location) what time is left to that which is critical and vital to meeting human needs in His name?

Dear Salvation Army, we aren’t an army of mediocrity.
If we cease to perform those tasks of reaching souls for Christ because we are too busy chasing funding and worried about our image and perception, I fear God will replace us with those who are willing to do the impossible. Consider this a shot across the bow. Consider this a warning. We are not an Army of doing “everything” but we ought to be doing “something” and that something ought to be done as best as we can! Perhaps it’s reaching one family or one soul at a time.

Forget about numerical success and financial success. Although these are often indicators of “success” they are secondary to our mission of doing “something” well. Our first order of business is to be in constant prayer with the Father to guide us and to send us a re-ignition of the Holy Spirit. Without His guidance on what must be done we will flounder and fail. It sounds basic…because it is and yet this discipline can get lost in the busyness of our Army. Secondly, as we are constantly praying for guidance and direction we must venture out of our walls and comforts of these corps buildings and centers. We must engage those in need at where they are. The bars are still open to the drunkards and the socialites, they did not close because the War Cry sales have ended. The grocery stores still operate to the public long after the red kettles are put away for another year. Nursing homes still provide services to the shut-ins and sick long after those care teams come during the holidays. That single parent who barely makes ends meet by working two or three jobs still needs someone to talk to after our social service office closes for the day. There are many avenues for intentional “somethings” that could mean everything to the hurting, the marginalized, and the broken.

Yes, Dear Salvation Army, do something…do anything…but do it well! Make your efforts count, and make sure it is done with love and compassion not obligation of uniform or service! This is spoken from my heart and my own convictions today. I am equally guilty of spreading my efforts far too thinly. I am equally guilty of chasing that next funding source (though important) or worried about others perceptions of me instead of what God is calling me to do for Him right here and right now. Let’s get on with the important stuff and let the sacred cows and mundane tasks take a backseat for a while.

-Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.

September 19, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army, Do We Shoot Our Wounded?

We are an Army of Salvation.
An Army of Holiness.
An Army of Hope.
An Army of Compassion.

But do we shoot our wounded?
Those who have worked on the front lines…
Those who have fallen…
Those who have broken ranks…sometimes..

This is probably an uncomfortable topic. This is most likely similar to picking a scab…but I think we should.

Years ago, and in some places still today farmers will treat the wounded horse if they can. Many will send for veterinarians. Most will find means to help the wounded animal…but every now and then there are just some wounds that won’t heal. Every now and then a break in the horse’s leg is irreparable. Sometimes this is done out of compassion. Other times because the animal is now more of a liability than an asset it is shot and killed. There are far better solutions. I am not a hippologist or an equestrian by any means, but it seems to me that others have found ways to save these animals. Some have sent these wounded horses “out to pasture” to become therapy horses or they are donated to petting zoos or camps. Most of the time there is a way to save these animals besides shooting the wounded.

Dear Salvation Army, are we seeking out ways to save the wounded, the weary, the broken, the ones in need of reconciliation and spiritual saving? Or…are we shooting the wounded?

Can an Officer or Local Officer Admit To Sin & Temptation?

It almost seems like a “hush, hush” type of topic. “Well we don’t talk about sin in the corps and in our leadership”, one might utter under their breath grimacing as they do. “We can’t admit we too struggle with this sin. We can’t let anyone know.” Why is this such a touchy subject? Why can’t we all admit that we are still sinners saved by grace? I must be careful here because I do not wish to imply that we just go on sinning, but we can be redeemed and given the power to overcome…but why are we hesitant, why do we pretend and hide these things from each other? Are we not to keep each other accountable? Are we not to be vulnerable before each, those in whom we can trust? Ah, I think this is the crux of the situation…because there are still many within our Army that shoot the wounded.

Changing Our Focus
All too often we focus so much on the mission and saving the lost that we neglect the solider. I do not intend this to mean that we cater and prop up and pamper, but when all of our energies are focused outwardly into the world we possibly run the risk of weakening our ranks. There must be edification, concentration and preparation of spiritual care given to our soldiery or our Army. We cannot allow temptation to take hold where we are able to prevent such a decay to occur in the first place. There must be pastoral care given to both Officer and Soldier. It must be intentional. It must be emphasized. It is brother helping brother, sister helping sister as we fight shoulder to shoulder. When one of our brothers or sisters slips and falls we must help to pick them up, we must help to carry them not shoot them! We must lovingly restore them! (Galatians 6:1)

Is There A Sin That Is “Shootable”?

Yes there ought to be consequences to sin. Immoral behavior, which includes slander, and gluttony (Thank you General Cox), must be dealt with and addressed. In so doing, can we still restore a dear soldier or officer within our ranks? In the past such situations were dealt with harshly and people were turned out of our army with nothing. I am thankful in some circles who have seen the error of this response and have begun to deal justly but with compassion and grace.

What happens to one who is “tossed out” or thrown out? Is there some measure of a restoration plan in place or are the Army’s hands washed and done with such an individual? Is there any sin that is shootable?

Grace & Compassion

Grace, which Christ bestowed upon us has to be evident in how we deal with others. Grace and compassion is beyond our human grasp and yet the Holy Spirit can and will provide this to us when we love instead of shoot those who are wounded. Do you remember the parable of the unmerciful servant? He was forgiven by the master a sizable debt and then he goes and attempts to viciously extract the debts that were owed to him. When the master found out that unmerciful servant was punished. I do not want to be an unmerciful soldier and officer of this army. We cannot operate solely within a mind set of stiffness, legalities and policies and procedures…where does grace and compassion fit into this?

Punish? Yes.
Shoot? I sure hope not.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 3:23-24)

Dear Salvation Army, we are so outspoken about the need for more soldiers and officers, could it be that impart we have already shot some of our wounded who could have facilitated some of our need? We do need more able bodies on the front lines, but do not forget about those who are wounded and are in need of loving restoration when this is possible. God’s grace still outshines the grace that is evident in our Army today.

-Just something more for our Army world to ponder today.

Lord, you grace is enough!
Come Lord Jesus fall afresh on us again!

September 18, 2014 8

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

Category: Leadership