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

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

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

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

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

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-Music seems outdated to younger generations – they find even a contemporary worship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

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

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

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

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

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

July 18, 2014 22

Dear Salvation Army – Where The Saints Are Afraid To Tread

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

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

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

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

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

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

Places We Are Afraid To Tread:

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

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

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

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

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

July 18, 2014 0

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

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

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

R.I.P. Super-Officer:

Faster than a speeding EDS Canteen.

More powerful than an action packed Youth Night.

Able to leap tall problems in a single bound.

They are…SUPER-OFFICER.

But is Super-Officer realistic? -NO.

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

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

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

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

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

1. Share the burden of leadership!

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

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

2. Utilize and delegate roles to others!

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

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

3. Prepare personal retreats to recharge and reflect.

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

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

4. Expect to be taught by those you lead!

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

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

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

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

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

July 16, 2014 0

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

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

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

The Good:

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

The Bad:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 14, 2014 1

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

"Pasadena Tab Youth Chorus at IHQ" — “Pasadena Tab Youth Chorus at IHQ”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Something else for the Army world to ponder today.

July 10, 2014 18

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

World Cup – Brazil Vs. Germany

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

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

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

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

the "fight" had left the fan's faces as well... — the “fight” had left the fan’s faces as well…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 9, 2014 0

A Slow Death In The Church…

Some churches die suddenly because of disagreements, immoral behavior, and financial ruin. It is a tragedy when God’s bride falls victim to sin, arrogance and pride. What should have been a beacon of light to those still wandering in the darkness without hope has become a victim of the father of lies and to sin. It truly is a tragedy!

There is another kind of death in the church. It is a slow agonizing death, the kind that begins with seemingly harmless words, behind the back comments, and half truths that go unchecked or verified. The idle, never edifying chatter of assumptions and sometimes made up notions. It is a coward’s conversation because very rarely do those suggestions fall directly on the ears of its intended target.

On the topic of gossip and the tongue:
“…Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.…” -James 3:4-6

Confession:
I have been both a victim and at times a proprietor of this deadly vice. When this harmful drug of choice enters the church it (sometimes it has already been in your church for years and years) can lay waste to integrity, honesty and even our moral compasses. How damaging and hurtful gossip, slander and biting words can be to fellow believers in Christ. Brothers and sisters, we ought to know better yet why do we allow this sort of thing to continue? Why allow it to remain? I have been deeply wounded at times because of the words of other Christians…and dare I confess, a time or two I wished I could have withdrawn the words that flew swiftly from my tongue and past my lips before I could catch them.

How devastating such a small thing can truly be.
Is there a cure? Some sort of remedy? Can we stave off this infection before it consumes and kills us? Gossip slander, and malice WILL kill the Church slowly, agonizingly yet just as deadly as the instant immoral failings. This cancer of the verbal kind can be treated…it can be stalled, maybe even cured.

The Remedy:
Here are a few verses to remind us of this remedy –
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

“For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.” Proverbs 26:20-22

Don’t allow these embers to burn. Don’t linger in the company of those who wag their tongues and scorch the earth with their words. Such thinking and speaking are never edifying to the body of Christ and with it the church will die a slow death. Think on the edifying things. Remain true to our calling. Do not become bogged down by the negative thoughts and words in regards to others. Be a source of hope, light, goodness and grace to fellow believers as well as those who have yet to believe. We ARE the body of Christ…so start acting like it.

I have been equally guilty of this slow death…have you?

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive us when we have failed you and fallen victim to the trappings of a loose and slanderous tongue. Forgive us when we have hurt You and those You have created in Your image through gossip and thoughtless words. Guide us on the pathway of right living and right thinking so that we can be a more effective source of Godly love to the world around us. Help us to serve You through our thoughts, words and deeds. Restore us, renew us and make us Holy. -Amen.

Something else for us to ponder today…

July 8, 2014 1

There’s no question that General and Founder of The Salvation Army William Booth was a man on a mission. He and His wife Catherine Booth were pivotal in starting something powerful within the World, yet I have to wonder if there was ever a trade-off with his passion. We know some of the famous speeches like the “I’ll fight to the very end” speech and the phrase “do something” in speaking to Bramwell about a homeless situation. There is no doubt both William and Catherine Booth were visionaries and innovators within a mission that ignited the foundation of this Army. They are both revered and loved…

But…

There is a danger of being a visionary.
There can be a trade-off and sacrifices can be made along the way of blazing a trail.
Without a doubt we know Booth to be a great General, albeit our first general, but was he a good father as well? From most historical accounts one might draw a startling contrast from founder to father.

Truth:
If Ballington Booth had not resigned within the Army the Volunteers of America would not have been founded, but why did Ballington leave the army? He and his father did not see eye to eye. Sure disagreements happen in families, but basically William Booth labeled his own family member a deserter to the cause. In essence Booth excommunicated his own kin. I certainly don’t think this is “father of the year” material. However, in the heat of the moment, I can see regrettable comments being said and the damage being done.

Still…
Family is our first ministry, our first priority. I am not blaming our founder, but I do see warning signs of overworking oneself and sacrificing family for the sake of a cause. Two things can take place when we overwork ourselves –

1) Loss of perspective.

Have you ever worked on a project so hard that you just had to step back from it to gain better perspective? It seems to me that everyone of us can be guilty of tunnel vision from time to time because we are so success/vision focused. If Jesus had to get away and be alone with the Father, so too must we. We need to have a clear perspective, but if we overwork ourselves we will sacrifice something in the process. It is like staring at the bark of a massive tree, but we wouldn’t know how great a tree it is until we took a few steps back so that our vision could refocus and we gain a broader outlook.

2) Misalignment of Priorities

Secondly, we can lose the true order of priorities when we overwork ourselves. Suddenly the mission becomes the only thing that is important, and we begin to lose the support cast (and family) around us. God first, family and then our mission…if we discombobulate these we run the risk of losing everything.

These are just two lessons that I see when I consider The Salvation Army’s founder William Booth. Yes he was a great man. Yes his wife Catherine was the true driving force. Yes an Army grew and lives were changed…but could family matters have been handled better in the process? Is there something for us to learn from this as well? Perhaps for starters stop placing Booth on some sort of deified platform. He was, after all, still a man with imperfections like the rest of us. I’m not saying don’t admire what he and Catherine accomplished, but be careful how much you revere the man. Secondly, yes hard work does pay off, but be careful not to sacrifice your children and families in the process.

Live a disciplined life but find rest and grace in the process.

-Just some random ponderings of The Salvation Army today.

June 20, 2014 6

“You’re Reading It Wrong” – 2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture

Admit it, at one point or another you have misinterpreted what the Bible has said. Sometimes we do it by accident while other times our intentions are quite clear.

The Bible was written by many different people, but we do believe that the Bible was “God breathed”. That being said, Jesus was the only perfect human to have walked the face of the earth, therefore all other people, including those who wrote the bible, were imperfect. Each writer experienced life through their own filter and each writer faced their own imperfections. This doesn’t mean that all the writers of the Bible were bad people, but rather that each struggled with the realities of life and with their own humanity. Understanding this is important when we read the Bible. Though we know that God is the same today as He was in the past as well as the future – He is being written about through the life experiences of very human (sometimes very earthy) people.

This brings me to my point – be careful how you interpret scripture! Many cults have begun just by taking one single passage in the Bible out of context and applying it to something it was never intended for. If we are true seekers of The Way then we will want to pay extra attention to the ways we apply scripture and its meanings both then and today! There are two mistakes that I would like to highlight today for us here (I know there are more) and I hope it will help you as it has helped me.

2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture:

1. Context –
New Christians and even “seasoned” veterans of the Word often do not do the “homework” when reading passages in the bible. The context of what is written is vital to our interpretation of what is being said. I have known people (myself included) who at times have simply opened the Bible and pointed to a passage and thought “this verse was meant for me” without studying the initial context. Of course God can work that way but we should spurred on to really study the deeper meanings and implications of what is being said.

Questions to ask when studying a passages might include:
a. When was this written?
b. Who was this written to?
c. Why was this being written?
d. What did it mean for the people then?

Once we have asked these questions (and possibly more) we can then ask the question – “What does this mean for me today?”
Context is extremely important!

2. Culture –

Culture in the Bible was vastly different from our culture today! This doesn’t mean that the Bible is obsolete or out of date it simply means in order to interpret the Bible correctly we have to understand the culture of biblical times. For instance in Jesus’ day Women were not equal to men nor did they possess many of the rights that men possessed. Jesus was counter-cultural (even revolutionary) in His day to include disciples who were Women.

Secondly this becomes apparently clear through the writings of Paul when He says things like – “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.” 1 Corinthians 14:34 To understand this we need to understand the Apostle Paul a little bit more and also the context of what is being written. Paul addressed numerous issues in the early church including a few women who were causing trouble and creating dissension. The problem becomes worse when many traditional churches take these specific passages of scripture out of context to mean in our day and age Women should act the same when in fact Paul was writing to very specific situations. There is a danger in painting with large brush strokes here because then we begin to lose the detail and meaning of the words written in Scripture.

Culture played a big part in biblical times and it still does today. That doesn’t mean that culture shapes the Word but rather humanity continues to change and alter yet Biblical truths and the words of God are always consistent despite the seemingly inconsistencies of some of the biblical writers. Make sure when we interpret scripture that we attempt to understand not only context but the culture of the time that passages were written.

Wrapping it up:

Be careful not to take liberties with scripture! Don’t pick and choose passages that best suit your needs, but rather read it for what it was intended for. Some are historical narratives, others are prophetical for a specific people and time, while others are meant for instruction of an early church. One truth should always stand out above the rest: God desires a right relationship with us. Throughout the Bible God is always seeking this with those who encounter Him. There is punishment for those who disobey yet a remnant always remains because God never gives up on us. In the finality of things Christ comes into full view and we can see just how far God’s Divine love will go to reach us. The rest of scripture leads us to this place through some very imperfect writers and people – and so are we.

I could write so much more on this topic…but for now I am thankful to the many instructors and teachers that I have had along this journey…and I am still learning.

Just something else to Ponder today

June 18, 2014 2

The Salvation Army – Women in Ministry…are we as Progressive as we think?

Please don’t misunderstand my question. I don’t mean to incite a riot or start a fight. It’s a genuine question that continually needs to be re-examined.

If the question was – “Is The Salvation Army more progressive than most churches?” The obvious answer would be “YES”. Absolutely we are progressing more rapidly than most churches, but we aren’t most churches are we? Our mission is slightly different than most churches. We adhere to communities of lost, need, poor, broken and we will use any and all available personnel in the trenches. We are certainly progressive in the utilization of women in ministry.

But…

if the question asked – “Is The Salvation Army as progressive as we can be?” I would have to say “no”.
Certainly we are absolutely heading in the right direction. Certainly we have made great strides in the egalitarian department (wait we don’t have that department yet at THQ?…sorry I couldn’t help myself).

But…

When it comes to leadership and the selection of leaders how progressive are we then?

One can make the argument that our last General was a Woman – and I couldn’t argue with that. One can also make the argument that more female leaders are being appointed to key leadership roles. However, there are still appointments that occur that make me scratch my head. Don’t take this the wrong way but sometimes gifts are seen in one of the married couple but the other partner in the marriage is appointed to some odd appointment or a place that they lack any gifting.

Perhaps it’s not always inequality in the sexes, perhaps its because of specific giftings that are seen in one of the married couples…let me just be frank here – not every female officer wants to be appointed to the women’s ministries department, or the community cares department or another department that didn’t exist until recently. As I say this it should also be noted that the same can be said of male officers who are appointed because of the giftings of their spouse. We as an Army are getting better at this but we still have quite a ways to go as well.

Breaking Old Molds

Old excuse: “This is the way we’ve always done it“
This excuse isn’t exclusive to corps deeply entrenched in traditions but is also evident in certain leadership models. Others would say it another way – “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”…but sometimes what that means is if it appears nothing is broken…sometimes we don’t see the fractures that have appeared over maintaining the “status quo”. Sometimes we gloss over these cracks with fresh enamel of “Salute and go”.

Officers are still people!
They have hurts, aspirations, ideas, gifts and abilities. Sometimes these gifts and abilities compliment the marriage team, and other times it is best to allow them to serve in separate appointments. Every person regardless of their marital status is unique and can operate in many different appointments. Their voice should matter in appointment decisions. I recognize that more than ever Officers are being listened to. I’m also not a fool in to thinking that Army politics “never” plays a part in some decisions that are made. But if The Army is truly interested in stopping the attrition rate in its Officership core then intently listening to its officers should be at the top of the list.

Humbly Serve!

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8).
We are, without a doubt, saved to save (and yes saved to serve)! Humility doesn’t mean that we don’t discuss our gifts. Humility doesn’t mean that we don’t sometimes disagree with decisions made. Humility doesn’t mean that we are “happy” all the time. But it does mean that where THE LORD leads we will go. That’s why it is imperative that both leadership, department officers, corps officers and other officers appointed else where serve the Lord first, seek His face, pray earnestly, do what He says, and from that right relationship – lead in whatever capacity is appointed to us.

Thoughts and Questions:
How progressive should we be when it comes appointments and gender?
Are we there yet?
What are the indicators that will be present when we have accomplished true egalitarian ministries?
Does “pigeon-holing” in the appointment process still take place today?
How can we change this? (Can this be changed?)

Here’s my purpose for writing this today.
Not to cause trouble…that’s not my intention at all. Not to ruffle feathers – sorry if I did.
Not to sound militant or rebellious – I will serve as the Lord leads me.
But…
Jesus had female disciples in a very male dominated world. He was progressive in ministry and egalitarian in his choice of followers. Shouldn’t we be as well? We have made great strides thus far in our Army…let’s not stop now!

-Just something else to ponder today.

June 6, 2014 2

Category: Leadership

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

Dear Salvation Army – Where The Saints Are Afraid To Tread

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

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

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

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

A Slow Death In The Church…

“You’re Reading It Wrong” – 2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture

The Salvation Army – Women in Ministry…are we as Progressive as we think?

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