Dear Salvation Army – Salvation Isn’t Enough!

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

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

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

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

The Goal: Christ-likeness!

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

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

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

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

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

August 25, 2014 2

Dear Salvation Army – 5 Reasons New People Leave The Corps

Every church struggles with keeping members. Jesus never said anything about filling chairs in a church building but He did say a few things about making more disciples. Every church, from time to time, struggles to find its place in the community. Needs have to be met. Souls have to be sought. A ministry niche’ has to be cultivated. What is your corps’ niche’? I don’t mean some sort of lure or hook to pull people in. What I do mean is this: who is your corps targeting to minister to? What do your services look like? Are they geared for a multi-generational audience? If we follow the instructions of Paul and become “all things to all people” (1 Cor 9:22) what does that look like in our corps today? What happens when our corps must make crucial decisions to change and adapt for the sake of becoming all things to all people (for the purpose of sharing Christ) because presently they are not? Can this change take place? How do we adapt? What sort of steps are required? How can we prevent new people from leaving and keep them coming back and getting involved in our ministries?

Here is a list of 5 reasons new people leave the corps. This isn’t the end all and be all of lists, it is just a primer to an often more complicated topic. I am sure as you read this list there will be more that come to your mind. The intent of this article is to help us figure out why some are leaving our corps and how we can stave off this decrease in fellowship. I do not want to make this point and emphasize only numeric success by any means, but it is the purpose of this article to help us see why some are leaving our corps after only a few visits. Perhaps we can change our corps’ perspective on things and how we engage with one another as well as with new people.

5 Reasons New People Leave The Corps

1. Felt Unwelcome
It seems so obvious and yet visitors to our corps for the first time need to be shown friendliness. They would like for people to remember their names after telling it to a few people. Generally they do not want to stand up and be recognized as a “new visitor”, but they would like a few people to talk to them and to show an interest in who they are. The feeling of being unwelcome in a corps should be the last feeling one should get in our buildings. After all, we are here to minister to the whosoever…right?

2. Lack of Fellowship
Personally I love it when, after the service, people just seem to linger and talk. It is a sign that people generally care for one another. It is also a sign that there is real fellowship going on among the corps’ soldiery. When the corps is unbalanced and there is division instead of unity visitors can sense it. I’m not talking about some sort of “sixth sense” here, it is just obvious in certain types of body language that something is off about the fellowship…or lack thereof. New people want to feel a sense of belonging to something. A place for them to fit in. They would like the chance, at times, to go out for coffee or lunch together following a service. But if real fellowship is not taking place in the corps and instead division is causing quick exits after services, you can be sure new people will attempt to find the exit very quickly too.

3. No Ministry Geared for Their Generation
We serve many generations in our corps. There has to be a balance and in so keeping with the idea of the Apostle Paul we must attempt to “be all things to all people” in how we proactively minister. If you have thirty young adults in your congregation there ought to be something specific to reach them at a deeper level somewhere during the week. If you have a primarily senior corps and only a hand full of teens make sure you have something for both the majority of seniors as well as the teens. When a new comer visits our corps is there something for them to become engaged in? What keeps them coming back? I don’t mean to say that we bribe them, but do we have relevant applicable ministries that they can not only serve in but be spiritually fed by?

4. Army Lingo Not Explained
Sunday announcement: “next week the DC will be here to install the YPSM, oh and don’t forget about DYB coming up shortly in preparation for Youth Councils.” No offense but I knew what that announcement was about, you probably did too but that new person sitting in the back pew who is barely catching on to how we Army folk worship has no clue what we’re talking about. This doesn’t mean that we have to stop the announcements and/or explain everything but perhaps we could be a little helpful to new people and clue them in once in a while. Hearing foreign terminology in a new place can be intimidating and a new comer can begin to feel like an outsider who doesn’t really belong and is not wanted. It is very easy to get into army lingo in services and bible studies and forget that some new people won’t have a clue to what we are saying without taking the time the properly explain or have someone there to help as these terms are being shared.

5. Members feared new visitors
It sounds dumb, but it’s true. Some corps members do not like change, and change can come in many different forms even in the form of new people. Some corps members will complain that we need “new blood” in our corps and yet when that “new blood” walks through that door they treat them with as much disdain as a new worship song being sung for the first time. Change is hard, and yet how can we keep new people coming back if members are afraid of change – even for the good? Education needs to take place. Some corps members may not even know they are acting this way towards new people. It intimidates some corps members. Perhaps some even feel that they might lose power because a new person seems more energetic, charismatic and even more educated. These intimidated corps members begin to show outward, yet subtle aggression towards these new comers, and the new person won’t have a clue why they suddenly feel a sense of hostility. Change, even with new members, can suddenly cause fear and unfriendliness to occur.

Beware:
Be sensitive to the needs of new people. We don’t have to cater solely to them, but we ought to make our worship spaces available and friendly so that all are welcomed – the new and the not so new. Beware of possibly hurdles new people might have to jump in order to “fit in”. Find a new place to worship isn’t easy, especially if this new person as NEVER worshiped in a church in their lives and this is their first attempt. We are the body of Christ and as we extend His love to new people may we display to them and each other genuine love, compassion and grace. May our fellowship be so sweet that we linger in each other’s company. May we seek to minister to all people. Finally, may we be open to change and, with the grace of God, usher in new soldiers for this mighty work!

Something more for our army to ponder today!

August 21, 2014 15

The Salvation Army In Ten Years…

More Questions Than Answers:
I do not wish to get all philosophical or be someone who always looks to the future while missing out on the present, but what does the future hold for our Army? Where are we heading? Are there doctrinal shifts occurring? Which countries will be be opening the work in next? Will Holiness continue to be emphasized throughout the Army world? (Lets hope so!) Will we see a revival within our Army?

I pray for our Army as I know many of you do as well.
This is more of a dialogue blog and I would like to ask you a few questions here and I hope that you respond:

Questions for you the reader:
What would you like to see within the Army in the next ten years?
What area of improvements do you see the Army tackling?
What area does not need improvement?
How can you help your corps succeed in the ministry and evangelism of Jesus Christ?
What one thing is still lacking in your corps that needs attention?
What are you praying earnestly for within the realm of The Salvation Army?

I know that the Lord has placed this Army here on this earth and if we continue to be faithful to His leading He will not only sustain us for the journey ahead but He will continue to shine His blessings upon us.

Let’s continue this conversation together – Please respond below:

August 15, 2014 10

Dear Salvation Army – The Walking Wounded…

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

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

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

What do I mean by walking wounded?

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

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

Frustration:

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

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

Love, Grace & Sanctification:

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

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

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

-Something more for our army to ponder today.

August 15, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Reinventing “Revolutionary”

It doesn’t have to be complicated. We sometimes think that reaching others for Christ is all about new program, but once the shine wears off that “new” program just begins to look like every other program. Don’t get me wrong, we do utilize some effective methods from time to time that are lasting, but sometimes we roll out programs that are just dressed up models of the old ones.

STOP TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL!

Uncomplicated Hard Work:

Let me touch on a sensitive topic for a moment. It isn’t about new programs. It isn’t about having more money in our corps, although at times that does help. But it is about investing time and effort into children and adults in ministry. We have to show up. We have to work hard. Most importantly we have to love and care for those we minister to. Yes we must be prepared to meet their needs. We must invest something in foundational biblical teachings, but being present in their lives means a whole lot more than just attending a class at the corps.

It takes hard work to invest yourself in people. Jesus lived with His disciples for three years. Most of us can’t do the same today, but we can certainly invest ourselves in other people’s interests and extra-circular activities outside the corps walls. We can visit them in their homes and invite them into ours. This is uncomplicated hard work because it takes a concerted effort to be intention about our “free time” away from corps activities.

Programs The Work: (YOUTH)

Sports anything. Children and teens love competitive activities. If done correctly these activities can be done with a spiritual intent and can mold and shape lives. There are many stories of professional basketball players who got their start through Salvation Army “biddy-basketball” programs. Some of these youths need an escape from their home-life. Some, in order to survive the streets need these sports programs to continue to exist because it is their only source of joy and encouragement.

Be intentional about these sporting programs though. Make sure there is an organized method to the madness and that there is incorporated in the time a spiritual element whether it’s prayer, scripture reading or even a short devotion. Children and Teens respond to this kind of program.

You don’t have a Gymnasium you say?

Is there a park or field near your corps? How about Soccer? Provide something that allows these children to feel self-worth and fun. Ministry shouldn’t be laborious, mundane and boring. It will take more effort at times on you the leader, but it is worth it to think outside of the normal “Corps Program”. If there are not any fields near your corps, perhaps an indoor activity would also suffice. Provide some measure of “home” to the youth that come into your doors and they will come back again and again…also providing food doesn’t hurt either! Food always seems to entice the hungry.

Programs The Work: (Young Adults)

Be intentional about opening up your home. Many young adults and those young married couples with children need connections and friendships. Set aside a night of the week like a Friday night to have fellowship with food and the Word. Make it personal. Watch a movie together. Share some scripture or a devotion over a home cooked meal. Take turns going to each other’s homes. I think we can confuse “ministry” with something that only happens in the corps building, but from what I have witnessed ministry can at times be more effective at informal settings like the home. Be intentional about these moments. Don’t be so informal that you forget the purpose for meeting, and at the same time have fun. When the leader is having fun those who are attending will also have fun. When we open our homes up for fellowship and ministry it speaks volumes to those we minister to, and it gains entry into some unguarded barriers of lives we could not cross while at a meeting in the corps.

Be Revolutionary In Worship:

If there was one place that we often meet resistance in corps and in our Army it is within the structure of what we know worship to be. I am not about making worship un-sacred by any means. These intimate moments with our God is vital to not only corporate worship but to our individualized worship as well. We must ever be diligent in how we present the gospel and its truths, but the tools in which we convey the message should be creative and fresh. Again we don’t have to reinvent the wheel but think creatively when we formulate our worship service schedules. If you have modern technology such as projectors and video, use them. If you do not, utilize dramas and other forms of the arts. Remember we are striving to usher the worship into the very throne room of heaven in our worship. We must introduce the sacred while we disturb the present in our holiness services. Don’t alienate your worshipers, include them!

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!

Music:
Let me touch on music for a moment too.
This can be a sensitive topic, because we have a tune book and a red song book. Some of the words within that book are wonderful and we will not find the depth, at times of those powerful words in any praise song out there…but that doesn’t mean we must only use the red song book. We should find an even balance of both in our services. Remember it’s not about our worship style that is important it is about how we can draw the people who come to our services into worship through the songs we select and sing. We want to be revolutionary in our worship and in our music but we cannot leave our worshipers in the dust without instruction and teaching them. William Booth is quoted in saying “Why should the devil have all the good music” and he was revolutionary in his approach to “street music”…shouldn’t we be as well? Find ways to creatively present the gospel through modern songs if that works for your community.

Reinventing Revolutionary:

We do not need to reinvent the wheel in order to be revolutionary. We do need to know the people we serve. We do need to be revolutionary in the ways we love the people we serve and minister to. We must rethink the way we consider what “revolutionary” to be. It will take more of a concerted effort than just doing another program. It will take more effort on our part…but the return will be so worth it! Revolutionary means we care. Revolutionary means we long to invest ourselves in other people’s lives not just at the corps building. Revolutionary means at times without uniforms we show up and simply love.

How is your ministry revolutionary? What takes all of your efforts? How are you investing yourself in those you minister to? Are you more invested in program or people? Can we rethink “ministry”?

Something more for our Army to ponder and genuinely live out today!

August 12, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – My Deepest Fears For Our Future…

“Christians, and dare I say Salvationists, run the danger of putting up barriers today in order to ‘protect’ themselves from the world ‘out there’. God, by contrast, wants to meet with people...”
-General Andre’ Cox. (The Officer, p 4-5, July-August 2014)

What are your deepest fears? Everyone has them. We all struggle with them from time to time, not always but every once in a while they loom large and foreboding before us and we must either confront them or run away from them. Fears are real both the individual fear of one and the collective fears of many. I do not wish to reside within our fears, nor do I wish that we thrive upon our fears, but rather that we confront them for what they are.

The Fears For Our Future:

The Disappearance of Youth and Young Adults:

Every church struggles with young adult losses. It happens when some leave “the nest” and head off to college and begin to live life on their own. How can we, as an army, stave off these losses within our ranks? The army is home to many. No matter where a soldier goes in most of the world, they can walk into a corps hall and feel like they are welcomed and home. Where are our young adults going? Are we intentional in making them feel at home in our corps? Are we ministering to their demographic through relevant, active, interpersonal ministry? Do we really get them? (I don’t want to insinuate that there is an ‘us and them’ here) Do we have the time to do so? Could it be that we MUST employ active and loving youth workers/pastors within all of our corps to help connect with these young adults?

Young adults don’t need bible studies thrown at them or printed materials from Sunday school books, they need godly relationships, pastoral shepherding, people who are investing their time and energy and homes in them. They need a place to crash, a place to do their laundry (college is expensive)…and maybe an open kitchen to eat food from.

I fear we are losing so many of our young adults as they branch out and explore the world around them. Can we break our old molds of “ministry”? Are we willing to risk much to reach our young people? Perhaps we must start rethinking how we minister to this demographic in our army…because presently, by and large, it isn’t working.

Decaying Moral Standards:

I struggle with articulating this one because I don’t wish to imply that I am in anyway perfect – far from it! I understand we as an army are triage to the sick and hurting. We must diligently to be an extension of God’s compassionate grace, and yet within our ranks of soldiers and officers we must also strive to keep the standards high! We cannot allow immoral behavior to destroy lives and to disrupt our mission to the lost. We must be brave enough to lovingly confront it when it rises up, we cannot allow it to take root within our army. We stand so close to the front-lines that at times in attempting to ‘be all things to all people‘ (1 Corinthians 9:22) we run the risk of slipping back down into the depths of our ‘old lives’…we must be strong enough in our faith for the battle we wage as soldiers of this army! We must exercise accountability with our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, and we need to beware of the slippery slopes of the front-lines.

In contrast, we must continue to be salt and light to the flavorless and darkness. We as soldiers should recognize that we cannot look so much like the world that we are indistinguishable from it. There is a fine line between relevancy in evangelism and becoming re-grafted into the world…walk carefully these necessary roads on the front-lines, and do not walk it alone, take His holy presence with you!

Anchored To The Sinking Past

I do not wish to imply that our rich heritage is sinking, nor do I mean that our army’s efforts in the past were in vain. What I do wish to imply though is that we cannot be ever looking back, ever insulating heritage, ever trying to recreate it with the same methods. Certain methods in William and Catherine Booth’s era were geared specifically for that era and for that specific demographic in that period in history. Our Founders were revolutionary because they were willing to try new methods that were almost unheard of in churches of that day. They took to the streets and employed these risky methods to the common people who probably never darkened the doors of a church.

I do not want you to take this to mean that we ought to scrap the brass bands, or do away with our doctrines, by no means am I saying this. But have we taken our outward evangelistic methods into our corps and refused to leave the walls of our buildings? Are we afraid to fail? What if simply remaining in our buildings instead of going out IS FAILING? What are we risking today? Are we willing to employ modern methods to reach the culture and people of today? There is certainly risk involved, but we cannot afford to continue employing old methods from eras gone by and expect them to still work like they once did. It isn’t that God’s Word isn’t relevant because it will always be, but rather how we convey that message to an ever changing culture.

Recommendation: Take risks. Get outside. Use modern-relate-able methods. Do not be afraid to fail. Do something!!! Unlock the anchor to our past and look to the present and future! Our rich heritage will always be there, we don’t need to protect it. The founders were progressive and forward thinkers…THAT is the kind of heritage we must protect!

Confronting These Fears:
We can hide away in our corps and headquarters and pretend these fears aren’t real. (I’m not sure anyone is truly willing to do that!) We can pretend that things will get better if we simply ‘stay the course’…or we can take action and confront these fears head on. I for one did not sign up to be included in the ranks of outdated antiques. I signed up to fight this fight and to be the best soldier that I can be. This includes being revolutionary and utilizing new techniques. If we are to continue being a viable fighting force for the Lord we must be willing to adapt to the enemy’s changing battle tactics and most importantly listen to the Lord’s leading. Break the mold, and fight on!

Something more for our Army to ponder today!

August 11, 2014 7

Dear Salvation Army – 3 Surefire Ways To Succeed In Our Mission

Please do not misunderstand these letter that I have felt compelled to write. They are not meant to injure or cause strife within our Army. Instead, I have felt rather strongly that we can improve, we can do better, we still have room to grow. If you have read one of these letters and perhaps interpreted these thoughts as destructive or harsh, please rest assured I hold no ill will towards the army, I only wish to dialogue and discuss ways we CAN adjust our vision and pathway.

Today I would like to discuss ‘success’.

What Success Is Not:
Success in our Army isn’t about some sort of “name it and claim it” prosperity theology. We have faith in God through both the prosperous times and in the not so prosperous times. Success is not about statistics either…statistics alone are only the evidence of positive trends. These can be helpful as tools towards realizing our mission, but should not be our “mountaintop” conclusion.

Success is not measured in wealth of our army. Money is also a tool that can do great good but also has the potential of doing great harm if mismanaged. Wealth in our army should be measured in the health of corps, divisions and most importantly its Soldiers. Success should not be based upon the financial stability (though as mentioned already money is a very helpful tool).

Having set aside some of the erroneously preconceived notions about success, let us now delve into the 3 surefire ways to succeed in our mission as an Army…

Our Mission As A Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian
Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

3 Surefire Ways To Succeed In Our Mission:

1. Love For Christ And a Love For Others

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:35)

The principle of a successful mission begins and ends with love. It goes beyond our “lovey-dovey” kind of love that was evident in summer camps as teenagers. It goes beyond a simple “like” of people. We must love God first. Simply put, without this love and devotion to Him we will never contain the capacity of love for others that is required of our Army. We administer God’s grace to some very unlovable people from time to time. Some have been hardened by the world around them and through horrendous circumstances that no one else knows. Loving the unlovable is not possible unless we possess, retain, frequently reconnect with the love of God. Our relationship to Him and our love for Him must continue to be the catalyst of our mission. Without His love we can do nothing. Without the love for “Others” our mission is incomplete and will not see continued success. We mustn’t lose this connection with our first love, because from it pours the compassion and grace to love those around us that He has called us to.

2. Be An Avid Reader And Student Of God’s Word:

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

We must not misplace our desire to know more about our wondrous Savior. Secondly we must not ever get to a point in our spiritual formation and education and say within our hearts “I have learned it all, nothing more can be taught to me.” God help us if we ever become so prideful of our own human wisdom and foolishly think that the Holy Spirit can not instruct us more. The Word of God is living and active and we must ever be good students of His Word. This goes far beyond going to bible studies or even teaching Bible studies. This takes us to a place that we intentionally carve out blocks of time in our daily schedules to feast and meditate on His Word. Do not take it lightly or only pick it up in preparation for a sermon or for Sunday morning. God’s Word is our life’s blood and our source of truth in an often very murky world. We cannot and will not ever success in our Mission as an Army if we are not first students of His Word. Becoming a student of God’s Word will not only give us passages to share with the hurting and lost but also provide us deeper insight in God’s presence with His holy people.

3. Holiness, Holiness, Holiness:

I keep coming back to this point of ‘Holiness‘ in my life and perhaps there are implications here for all of us. More and more I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit that I still have more to give, more to surrender to His will in my life. This isn’t a ‘One and done’ deal or some sort of check-off list of action steps this is living a life of holiness everyday. Some days I succeed, while other days I am a complete and utter disaster of holiness. Becoming like Christ in every way shape and form in our sacrificial living as an Army MUST be first our individual goal and then our corporate aim. We can “go through the motions” of works. We can walk the pathway of duty and never reflect Christ in our hearts. We can be very good at pretending sometimes around other soldiers, officers and even those we serve, but we cannot fool the Lord. If we do not have our hearts bent and rent to the will of our Savior we cannot be prompted into a deeper surrender by the Holy Spirit. Every day we should have words similar to “I surrender all” on our lips and in our hearts. Every moment of every day we should attempt to include God’s Holy presence with us in whatever task we perform until we can walk, live and even breathe holiness. You might consider this impossible. You might view a full surrender of your heart to God as something of a dream that could never come true…is God not capable? Can He not perform this miracle in our lives? We must be willing – Yes, this is true. We must possess some measure of faith. He can transform us and make us new. He has already begun this great work within us.

Dear Salvation Army,

Our Mission is Christ and Others! We cannot perform these tasks here on earth without our first love and the love of others. We cannot complete our mission without sound doctrine and becoming students of His Word. We cannot realize the vision of the lost within the sea of sin and drowning hopelessness without individual and corporate holiness in this army. We need each other as accountability partners. We need reconciliation when brokenness of organization has occurred. We need soldiers willing to fight and to stand in the gap even when it seems all hope is gone…because God has not departed from us. He will ever be our guide. He will always lead us if we are truly listening to our first love…are we?

Something more for our Army to ponder today.

August 7, 2014 1

Dear Salvation Army – The Blood and Fire!

For those unfamiliar with this phrase, let me clarify:

The Blood –
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is not glamorous. He bled and died for our sins and for the sins of the “whosoever”. His blood covers our iniquity, our sinfulness, our fallen selves. The blood of Christ provides a way for us to stand before God because Christ has redeemed us and reconciled us to Him.

The Fire –
The Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples of Jesus as they waited and prayed. His Holy Spirit provides us direction, insight, inspiration and guidance. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that prods us to live sacramental holy lives. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that requires more of us…more than we ever thought possible…more than we ever knew could exist within us. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit which demands us to surrender everything, to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice so that we can get back up and serve the Risen Savior and do it with every fiber of our beings.

Dear Salvation Army,
how are you living Blood and Fire today?
I don’t mean wearing the uniform and hoisting and waving the flag, for these are simply outward expressions of that inward change…but how are you truly living ‘Blood and Fire’ in your communities and to ‘the whosoever’?

To the Blood and Fire Salvationists – You keep up the fight! Keep waging this war, keep fighting in Jesus’ name for those who are still blinded and lost in sin. Keep pressing onward. Do not quit…we need you! Do it all in love, be love and grace and compassion to people who have never felt the kindness and grace of Christ. Be reflections of Christ in not only word but most importantly deed, because eyes can perceive far faster than ears can understand. Continue to be that witness not only in your corps’ and homes but in the streets and in the parks and in the schools. We must not allow that fire to dwindle or burn out. Satan would love nothing more than for this army to become weary and ill-equipped and bogged down by the drudgery of it all. Dear Salvation Army, the World still needs you! The world still needs fighters and soldiers and officers and volunteers to administer God’s grace and hope. The world still needs YOU!

To the Weary Tired Salvationist Who Is Ready To Quit – DO NOT!
There are times when people will fail us. There will be times when even leadership may succumb to the ravages of this war, for whatever reason, but do not quit. We need you! You may be tired. You may be burned out by seemingly stodgy politics and meaningless banter. You might have witnessed professions of Christ yet seen little evidence of Christ in others, but do not become disillusioned and walk away! You are vital! You are needed! I have walked that tired and heavy burdened trail. Many a time I have considered leaving as well. Many a time I imagine a far simpler life…in fact that “many a time” is very, very recent for me. I still walk with these burdens and my heart is not yet healed…but I know the Lord will provide! Stay the course, rest, but fight on!

To the “Soldier” Only By Rank Or Name…
If you have no passion to live “Blood and Fire”…if you only acknowledge Jesus with your lips but do not serve Him in your hearts consider these words – Either fall on your face at the Altar and pray for forgiveness and seek His healing in your life or Step Away from the front lines! The world has seen its fair share of falsehoods and phonies, it can sense insincerity and half-truths. There are already vipers in the grass, do not become another for other soldiers and would be soldiers. I only use these harsh terms to indicate that this is no game. This is life and death to souls of men and women everywhere and the business and ministry of Christ is not to be trifled with. I hope and pray there are very, very few remaining of the mere “Solider” by title alone. I am also confident that in time the Holy Spirit will reveal those who must be removed from our ranks or reconciled (if possible) those who are not living Blood and Fire.

BE BLOOD AND FIRE!

Dear Salvation Army – It is not just a flag that we wave, it is freedom, redemption, grace, peace, hope and love to many who have understood or received this unmerited gift. Continue to live Blood and Fire! Continue to declare God’s redemptive love to all who will hear. Be His holy hands, provide His holiness in both word and deed to this world around us.

To God be the Glory!
More for our Salvation Army to ponder today!

August 6, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Let’s Turn Things Upside Down!

For far too long there has been this imaginary ideological organizational structure which told us (erroneously) that the corps and front-line ministries were at the bottom of The Salvation Army pecking order. Honestly I don’t really get caught up in “who is first” or “who is most important”, yet at times there is this unspoken notion of “climbing the corporate ladder” even in The Salvation Army. As if corps ministry and front-line evangelism is somewhat lacking in prestige and importance. Let me make this absolutely clear – If anyone in our Army has signed up for the express purpose of “climbing the ladder” and to “get out of corps ministry” then perhaps that person should consider finding another army to belong to.

The Army isn’t the only place this happens (obvious statement, I know). The disciples of Jesus had witnessed many miracles and wonders performed by their Rabbi -Jesus and they began to argue amongst themselves about who would be greater. You can almost hear their ego driven argument, “No, I’m clearly the better speaker”, “But I’m better looking in uniform” (I had to put that in there), “Well, I am so much better with finances”, “Oh yeah, but I have better administration skills“…

According to Luke 9:48 Jesus knew their thoughts and cut them off -“Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Holiness & Humility:
If we could only stop this petty self-defeating ladder climbing mentality. If only we could keep our eyes on what is most important – Being Holy people and from this allowing the Holy Spirit to transform lives through our actions of evangelism. If only we could stop looking over the fence at that other corps which seems more prestigious and more prosperous than ours as we covet what they have. If only we could stop looking at DHQ or THQ as “the next step in our careers”. If only, if only, if only… Why is it that we humans, as imperfect as we are, always seem to be so success focused? Shouldn’t we consider what the Lord said to Samuel when anointing the next (God appointed) king of Israel; “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

How are our hearts? Isn’t serving God with our everything enough? Isn’t being loved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords prestigious enough?

I have included a couple of diagrams today to help us understand how the true model of leadership and ministry SHOULD look like…and I hope this helps:

What this diagram represents is the way most organizations and businesses are run in our world today. From the top down. But, if we are led by humility and holiness, we would understand that “the least of these” must begin from the bottom – up. Not to imply that we place leadership at the bottom or that administration isn’t important, but rather for us to understand that without active evangelism and the dispensing of God’s love and grace we run risk of losing everything and having nothing to show for our polished efforts. If the terms are confusing to you then let me illustrate this (in my best hand writing

…please don’t laugh)

The "traditional" organizational flow chart/hierarchical structure model — The “traditional” organizational flow chart/hierarchical structure model

How leadership and administration (and soldiers) ought to view the structure active ministry and evangelism.

Turning Things On Its Head:

For far too long men and women of our Army have gone about “position” all wrong. Yes we need administration and leadership but what is our primary purpose? What is that one principle upon which we are an Army? Christ-then Others! If we only look at Salvation Army structure as ranks and office then we are only reflecting worldly hierarchical organizational -money driven, success oriented models, which are rife with politics, maneuvering, ego-driven leadership, power hungry people. Are we an Army dependent upon these things? NO! It cannot be that way with us! It should not be that way with us…and yet at times it has become inexplicably linked with our internal identities. We must continually turn this identity upside down! We must guard our hearts from pride and arrogance and the pursuit of “position” within our Army. It was never about what rank was placed upon our shoulders. It was never about what position we held at the corps or divisional headquarters, or territorial headquarters or any other “headquarters”…it IS about serving Christ humbly and from this one vital relationship (our first love) all things ought to flow in our ministries.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This is something further our Army must continuously ponder…to God be the glory!

Please, tell me what you think by commenting below and leaving responses…let’s continue this dialogue together!

August 5, 2014 8

Dear Salvation Army – A disconnected culture or a disconnected Army?

Before I begin, I must say to those who might remark “why would we worry about our current culture?” That it isn’t the Army’s place to become so immersed in our culture that we lose our mission…however, having said that, there is something to be said about being culturally relevant and engaging of those immersed in it while still preaching the relevance of Christ, salvation, holiness and His wondrous grace! Do not misunderstand me here, I do not long for an Army fully immersed in culture, but I do long for an Army who understands modern culture and is continually equipped to engage souls who live within modern culture.

While it is true that some of our Founder’s methodology from Victorian England might not work today in terms of evangelism, the mold of modern day evangelism is still very much intact! William and Catherine Booth began a movement that addressed the current needs of their day while engaging the souls of people for Christ. Their methods were edgy and risky, many “high churches” would never have dreamed of embarking on such methods, yet it met people where they were at and many joined its ranks and the movement swelled.

Today, dare I say, the employment of Victorian era evangelism techniques may not work the way it once did. I don’t mean to say that we should give up or that we have become an obsolete army, but that we need to modernize and become equipped to engage modern culture.

Questions:
How do we do this? What sort of methods do we employ? Which should we avoid? What are the needs of “the lost”? Who are the lost? How do we become more engaged in this culture yet maintain the holy principles and godly purposes?

3 Easy Steps To Becoming More Disconnected With Our Culture:

1) Stay In The Corps And In The Facility And Never Venture Outside Its Walls.
Long gone (at least in the West) is the use of open-air services and even bar sales of “The War Cry“. If we wish to become more disconnected with this modern culture then we should further insulate ourselves within the walls of our community centers and corps while we pine for “the glory days” which will inevitably forever be behind us!

We should also continue to complain about the fact that our attendance is steadily decreasing while we never seek to venture outside the building and into the neighborhoods and downtown streets…in this way we might as well place blinders on our eyes just as horse riders do to prevent the horse from looking around…why should we look around when all we seem to do is look back into the past? (insert sarcasm here)

2) Pursue More Constricting Federal Dollars, it’s all about the money anyway!

We have become very good at modernizing our social services and our national images, so much so that we are recognized as the most respected charitable organization…but is that all we are? A charity? Do fight for souls of men, women and children? Or do we simply run to the next fund raiser and spend countless dollars on better social services programming? I understand we must do both. I understand that without one we cannot do the other, however is it unequally balanced? Can we pull back from the “pursuit of money” cliff and say “enough“?

Have our hands become more and more bound because of the red ink we have placed on federal and local agreements to service? Are these agreements now preventing us from engaging spiritually those with whom we serve? If we desire to become more disconnected with modern culture, we should continue to chase those federal dollars. We should also continue focusing so much of our efforts on increasing social services programs and inflated staffing while decreasing the size of our worship spaces and perhaps some day leave the bibles and penitent form out of the chapel because we “wouldn’t want to offend or bite the hand that feeds us”. Again, if we want to become further disconnected from culture…and even worse disconnected from God and His purpose for us, we will push for these things and strive to become the best social service agency in the nation when being a social service agency was never the sole mission of The Army.

3) Forget About The Long-term Needs, Focus Only On The Immediate Needs Of People…And DON’T Offend!

As stated at the beginning, our Founder’s methodology was to engage culture, change lives and win souls for Christ. William and Catherine Booth didn’t just stop at the “Soup & Soap” of immediate needs, NO! The souls of people, “Salvation” were the primary targets! We will cease to be a movement and an Army of Salvation should we lose the focus on “Salvation”! If we become more concerned with offending people than we do with loving them and longing for their hearts to be changed as well as their physical conditions, then we will have become disconnected! “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV) I don’t propose that we go looking for fights, but we must engage society and that of modern culture if we are to win souls! We cannot simply worry about offending people because we ask about their spiritual well being…this will (on occasion) take time and trust, but we mustn’t shy away from the long-term needs of those with whom we serve! We will have done a great disservice to those we are commissioned to serve as well as the Holy Spirit if we merely hand out the immediate “bread” of the day without the lasting impact of His Living Bread! But…if we wish to disconnect from culture, the world and most importantly our mission for Christ, just hand out bread and food boxes and forget to pray and discuss spiritual things with those we serve.

Finally…
We need to continue to fight! We must be engaged in culture so that we not only understand culture but we can have the tools to reach those who are lost living in that culture! We must continually evaluate our “modern methods” and how effective they may or may not be. We must be willing to take risks, to, at times, throw caution to the wind. We, as an Army, should not be so bound by governmental constrictions that we place gags on the gospel. Get out of the corps buildings. Get out and love others. Get on with evangelism, relational connections and its vital importance to the lost. Do not hold back, dear soldier! We will face opposition. We will face those who will seek to silence the gospel…but fight on with the power of the Holy Spirit as your guide! We need holy leaders, holy soldiers, a holy Army if we are to avoid the allure of disconnecting from our mission field! Go for souls, and go for the worst! To God be the glory!

-Something more for the Army to ponder today!

August 4, 2014 3

Category: Salvation Army