Dear Salvationist – 5 Things Leaders Shouldn’t Do

Dear Salvation Army Soldier, it would seem that we are at a turning point in our Army.
Perhaps some of you have seen this coming for years, perhaps some are seeing this for the first time. Our organization, built on the fire of The Holy Spirit and the Mission to reach souls for Christ through “Soup, Soap, & Salvation” is in need of a second and possibly third blessing from the Lord.

What do I mean by that? I mean we are in need of a Pentecost type renewal once again among our ranks. We need a deeper resolve within our prayer lives. We must preach Holiness from the pulpit BUT more importantly live holiness in our lives and be an example of Christ-likeness to those around us!

This turning point is like the Israelites of old who renewed their covenant with God over and over again only to forget its meaning and stray from their faith and relationship to the Author and Sustainer of life. Do we stray sometimes? Have we lost our way upon this pathway of duty? I don’t think this Salvationist thing is solely about duty…no, it’s so much more than that! To me, the word “duty” implies something arduous and required of us. Something that allows us to plod along as long as we are performing our required/expected responsibilities. That word only goes so far…we as Salvationists need more the duty in our lives and in our ministries, we need passion, faith and perseverance too!

That being said, allow me for a moment to delve into a very important topic of leadership.
This topic is not exclusively for our divisional/territorial or International leaders, this is a broad brush stroke that transcends position and status within our Army. I say this because I do not want anyone to assume I am directing this at anyone specifically…if I did that, I would have to seriously contend that my abilities within leadership is perfect…they most certainly are not. I am still learning. I have a lot of room for growth here. I am no fool, I recognize this in myself. I write this for me…and perhaps, in some way – you might also benefit and relate from it as well.

My Master’s Degree is Organizational Leadership…despite all of that, degree and all, I’m still a work in progress…how about you?

5 Things Leaders Shouldn’t Do –

STOP –

5) “Do as I say, not as I do!”
We might find ourselves barking orders and giving commands that we seldom or have difficulty following ourselves. Weren’t the Pharisees of old really good at that too? They were the enforcers of laws that they themselves didn’t necessarily keep. Allow me to just say…”those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” This kind of behavior within leadership is tempting – We lead, we should expect people to follow us, but if we don’t first lead by example, chances are those that follow will either resent our leadership or stop following all together. THIS is extremely detrimental to our Army. Beware of this leadership trap!! If you find yourself here, please, please stop – you’re hurting the army more than you are helping it!

DON’T

4) Cast An Unrealistic Vision
This too is easy to do!
We set the standard SO high that no one can reach it and many will find themselves disillusioned and discouraged. We are an Army, but we are also an army of compassion and hope. We can’t expect a new convert to the faith to become Brengle overnight (for example). Set your vision – YES, but be mindful that you don’t lose your people in the process. Make your vision and your goals attainable, whatever they may entail. Don’t lose sight of the sheep you shepherd and get so far ahead of them that they aren’t able to keep up or follow you. Thankfully Jesus never His disciples in the dust, He helped them along, even explaining certain parables to them when they were confused or off base.

STOP
3) Discipline Without Compassion
Stop this, please!
Jesus said this of the earthly model of leadership –
“Among the heathen, kings are tyrants and each minor official lords it over those beneath him.But among you it is quite different. Anyone wanting to be a leader among you must be your servant. And if you want to be right at the top, you must serve like a slave. Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah,* did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”(Matthew 20:25-28 TLB)

The Army doesn’t need more iron-fisted leaders, it needs leaders who lead with compassion as their strength! Discipline? Yes – but fairly and with the intention to correct and restore. Don’t discipline out of anger or misaligned points of view. Some of the best leaders that I know are those who have a servant’s heart and are concerned about helping those they lead to attain levels of personal growth in their lives!

DON’T

2) Lead In A Way That’s Always Been Done…”
It’s an excuse to lead in this manner – “The Army has always led this way” – False, men and women have led this way, but we can lead in ways that improve upon what has already been built! Don’t hang all of your experience upon the coat hook of tradition as your standard. Instead glean what worked and what didn’t…Adapt! I will take a prayer warrior leader over one who wishes to climb the ladder by stepping on people any day! Don’t think for a minute that there haven’t been those consumed by the compulsion to lead or driven by personal ambition…it’s a human flaw, and we all have our own personal egos to contend with.

Gut check time – I think the words of Ezekial 34:4 could apply to all of us as a warning to leaders who are not fair or lead by “how it has ALWAYS been done” – “You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

Let’s not lose sight of why we need leaders in our army, and why we exist in the first place!
1) Stop Blaming Loss of Membership Solely On Those You Lead!”
This is critical.
It goes hand in hand with the whole setting the vision too high thing…be mindful of casting blame. Officers – stop blaming all of your corps people on the loss of members (you might be warranted sometimes – go to specific people!) Soldiers – stop blaming your corps officers or the officers before the current ones! We all have a responsibility in the here and now to lead and to shepherd people to Christ.

If we lose a battle, claim it and move on to the next! To use the euphemism again – This war is not over! We have much ground to gain and we need to persevere and fight on! Leadership – where ever you may be, if you take credit for the victories, take ownership for defeats as well! You are the ones to set the vision and assist in seeing that vision to fruition.

You might agree or disagree with me, that’s fine.
At the end of the day I want all of us (myself especially) to examine our places of authority. Whether it’s in the corps or at headquarters. We either do this together, or fall apart trying to do our own thing!

Something more for our army to ponder today!

Stay tuned to tomorrow’s pondering on 5 Things Leaders SHOULD do!
***Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this pondering are the writers thoughts and opinions, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of The Salvation Army…read discretion advised. ***

February 17, 2016 5

Dear Salvationist – 5 Reasons Your Corps Needs YOU!

I haven’t always been convinced of these, but as the Lord has convicted me in my own life of things I have needed to deal with, it has become more and more apparent that there are a slew of reasons your corps needs you! (Phew, that was run on sentence!)

These are just 5 reasons that your corps needs YOU (Starting with #5):

#5) You are more than just a number in a roll book, your story matters!
I don’t just say this to be nice, I mean it! If you are a soldier in good standing in your corps, you matter! Your story might just be the one that leads someone else, who is similar to you, to Christ! You might feel insignificant at times, or perhaps even unwanted sometimes, but please know that regardless of what others might say or how you might feel – You are loved by the Almighty and He can and will use you in your corps right now! So don’t give up!

#4) Your corps needs mentors and disciplers!
Perhaps you are not called to become an officer, but you, dear soldier, play a vital role within your corps! If you are mature in your faith, and you know of others who are young in their faith – YOU can help them develop into tomorrow’s leaders! The corps officers can’t do it all, and we are so much stronger when soldiers are invested in the corps’ mission and we begin to work together instead of separately on our own “projects”. You can help shape young lives. You can help transform would be street thugs into kingdom people! You can fill this role, dear soldier!

#3) Your Corps Desperately Needs Prayer Warriors & Sunday School Teachers!
What ever happened to prayer meetings? Are we too busy to pray together any more? Are prayer meetings now considered old fashioned and unnecessary? I sure hope not!
Never, ever discount the need for prayer warriors in your corps! If you have devoted yourself to the spiritual discipline of prayer then use it to empower and protect the soldiers, adherents and leaders of your corps! Pray earnestly for God to provide miracles in your neighborhoods. Don’t just pray for corps members and what you already have in your corps, but take it out into the streets and pray for the new souls that God will lead into your midst! We need faithful, devoted, godly Sunday School teachers to lead our Sunday Schools and Bible Studies! Many of your corps already have faithful teachers who have taught for years – and if you are one of these beautiful souls, we say Thank you! Many a child has been brought to Christ because of your faithfulness! Do not for minute think you are not contributing to young people’s lives! Keep offering those prayers of salvation in your classes! Keep sharing the love and acceptance of Christ with those that you have the privilege to instruct. This is serious business – Kingdom business, and you are needed in your corps!

#2) Your Corps Needs Hospitality and Welcome Sergeants!
Do you know that the first persons a new comer sees will determine if they will stay or flee your building? Some of you have this amazing gift to make people feel wanted and welcomed. It’s a warming sense of belonging that people desire when they seek out a place of worship. You can touch the hearts of many by serving your corps in this capacity! Sometimes we take these roles for granted in our corps, and when we do, we run the risk of people experiencing a cold shoulder instead of a warm hug at the door (sorry to my Swedish friends who don’t hug). There are many roles behind the scenes that matter – sometimes much more than even the elements of worship on Sunday mornings. You can lead people to feel at home at your corps. Hospitality is needed in every corps…and sometimes it’s a lost art.

#1) Your Corps Needs Workers In The Fields Who will Roll Up Their Sleeves!
This should sum up all of our corps’ needs in soldiers (and even adherents). We aren’t social clubs or socials services – we still have a mission! We still have a purpose as an Army. Some have forgotten this. Others have neglected this. Sometimes, if we’re honest, we (I) fall into one or both of these categories. Kingdom building is hard work. It is labor intensive! I might mean you go out on late night calls to help someone in need. It will mean that we don’t just leave people at the altar, check off another seeker on our stat sheet and never disciple them – only to have them figure it out for themselves or wander away still lost and hopeless. True soldiers of Christ invest their lives in the lives of others. True soldiers of Christ love unconditionally. True soldiers of Christ must become mindful of the things which trap us apathetically into patterns of comfort and carelessness.

Dear Soldier, your corps needs you!
God has breathed into you at the moment of your conversion His presence. The Holy Spirit is our guide. He will provide us with His strength, discernment and perseverance along the way. This commitment will be difficult sometimes. There will be victories and heartaches. Unlike many of our professional sports teams today – your corps needs a lifetime contract from you – thick or thin! This is a mighty, mighty ask – I know. Some of you have experienced some heartache through fall out in leadership, or faced hardships because not everyone sees eye to eye. Some of you might be glancing at the exit doors right now…but I urge you to reconsider. I know with all my heart that we are stronger together than we are apart. I don’t presume to know your story today, but I know God understands. I also recognize that we often carry wounds and burdens…He can and will help to lighten your load. Your corps needs you…the question is will you faithfully serve?

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

*Disclaimer – The opinions of the author expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Salvation Army.

February 12, 2016 5

Dear Salvationist – Die Faker, Die!

“Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 The Message Version)

I don’t want to be known as a faker to God.
It’s not my intentions to ever appear to be something that I am not.
We can’t fool Him.
He knows us so intimately – better than we know ourselves. Why? Because He made us in His image. He’s the Creator. He’s the Author of our story, our lives.

Brennan Manning said in his book The Ragamuffin Gospel “Authentic faith leads us to treat others with unconditional seriousness and to a loving reverence for the mystery of the human personality. Authentic Christianity should lead to maturity, personality, and reality. It should fashion whole men and women living lives of love and communion. False, manhandled religion produces the opposite effect. Whenever religion shows contempt or disregards the rights of persons, even under the noblest pretexts, it draws us away from reality and God.”

So why do I try to fool Him sometimes?
Perhaps it’s not so much me – fooling God, but rather – me fooling, or attempting to fool, others. We can become so good at this fakery, this mask that we wear that no one around us would ever suspect – that’s how good we can become at it.

I’m not accusing anyone of faking it today – that is never my place or intention.
All that I am pointing out is that sometimes, in MY own life, I attempt to fake it spiritually…and it never goes well. Have you ever been there? Please tell me that you have, I don’t want to be the only one.
——————————–
I can sing all the right songs.
I can read all the right portions of scripture.
I can dress and look the part.
But deep down inside, the real me, the one that is genuine has taken a back seat and there’s the fake me putting on a show.
———————————
I don’t say this so that you’ll have pity on me, or that you’ll judge me (or think of me differently, “What?! a pastor/officer/soldier – admitting to faking it, how dare he!”) …I’m just being honest. AND -In my honesty, I hope that there are those who also can relate, and perhaps come to terms with this fakery in their (your) own life.

Like me:
-You don’t want to just go through the motions of merely existing.
-You want to impact the world for Christ.
-You want to be authentic instead of a plastic soldier that looks awesome on the outside but is hollowed out on the inside.
-You want to reach real people for Christ because of your sincerity and genuine faith in Christ.
-You know anything less than authentic faith will NOT fool God. – He wants us to live for Him (die to self, become selfless just. like. Him.) He doesn’t want our lip-service and platitudes.

Die Faker, DIE!!!
Dear Salvationist,
I will not be a faker.
We cannot be phony about this faith, these uniforms, this army and especially WHOSE we are.

“Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that he lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you.²⁰For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God because he owns it.” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20 TLB)

So perhaps you can join me as I casually, ever so silently, rather quickly – put to death my fake-self once more. Let’s cast it aside and get back to what really matters: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Luke 10:27 – in reference to the Shema)

With ALL my heart.
With ALL my soul.
With ALL my strength.
And with ALL my mind.

From this flows everything else.
Die Faker Die.

Something more to ponder today.

Disclaimer: The ponderings and opinions written here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Salvation Army.

February 10, 2016 1

Dear Salvationist, On Removing All Doubt!

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.“-1 John 1:7

The Biggest Pondering to consider for Salvationists – “Do you believe God can cleanse you from ALL your sins?”

This was a revelation and turning point of Samuel Logan Brengle, and perhaps it should also be a turning point for all of us! We are very good at saying that God can cleanse us completely, but believing in our own hearts and minds can prove to be at times elusive. We live with regrets, and often times, dredge up the past and those sins we would be embarrassed of if anyone ever found out.

Those deepest darkest regions of our hearts, those hidden sins – are often the only things preventing us from a spiritual explosion of growth in our lives.

Do we (I) truly believe that God can cleanse us (me) from ALL your (my) sins?
If so, why do we hold back?
Why do we doubt?
Even in my own life, I catch momentary glimpses of Peter walking on the water towards Jesus. And as he begins to walk he is ACTUALLY doing it – he’s walking on the water, an impossible feat, yet it’s happening. Then something happens. Something catches Peter off guard. He looks around him, perhaps reality (his reality – men don’t walk on water) sets in. He sees the tempest of the waves, the power of the surging waters. He feels the billowing gusts of the winds. What had been an absolute conviction of faith, has now become a glimpse of mortality and human frailty. Like the deep rumbling of storm clouds, doubt settles onto Peter’s certainties. His absolutes turn into “maybes” and then into “no ways”…His eyes shift from Divinity and Eternity towards uncertainty and self-doubt. Excuses then enter – “I can’t do this,” “Who do I think I am?” “This is impossible” -Peter begins to sink. As he is facing the tempest and the horrific certainty of death by drowning, he calls out to Jesus, “Lord save me!”

According to Matthew 14:31, Jesus IMMEDIATELY reached down and pull Peter up…Jesus immediately saves him. Notice that the text doesn’t say that Jesus sinks in as well. He doesn’t stop walking on top of the waters. No, he pulls Peter back up above the surface of the dark watery depths. What might have been the certainty of the grave by drowning, turned into a salvation story. Then Jesus says to Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

To me, this portrait is how I see this cleansing grace of God.
It is but a window into the portrait of our immediate cleansing.
God can and will cleanse all of our sins…IF we let Him.
It has never been about if God is able to cleanse us…
It has never been about God having enough power to cleanse us through and through…
It has always been about our doubts, our uncertainties, our inadequacies, our convictions of guilt and shame.
It has always been about our penitent hearts unwilling to see that He will cleanse the worst of sinners – including you and me.

Jesus died for ALL – His blood cleanses ALL.
Knowing and believing this truth makes all the difference!
We can have all of the wisdom of scriptures at our disposal, but if they are not employed and believed in our lives – they mean nothing, and God’s cleansing will not touch our deepest darkest sins.

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Still applies to you and me today.
Can we consecrate our lives again to Him?
Can we recognize that God can and will purify us from ALL sin?
Perhaps this is what has been holding you back all of these years.
Perhaps you have felt unworthy of this cleansing.
Maybe you don’t feel as if you deserve it, or you doubt that you could ever live up to God’s complete and utter cleansing.

**Warning: words that are harder to live by are contained within the next statement!!**
He has made you whole, now live out that wholeness for Him!
Accept this complete cleansing.
Lay all of your sins, all of your guilt, all of your shame before Him.
He will immediately lift you out of the depths!!

By the love that never ceased to hold me
In a bond nor life nor death shall break,
As thy presence and thy power enfold me,
I would plead fresh covenant to make.
From before thy face, each vow renewing,
Strong in heart, with purpose pure and deep,
I will go henceforth thy will pursuing,
With my Lord unbroken faith to keep.

By the love that never ceased to hold me,
By the blood which thou didst shed for me,
While thy presence and thy power enfold me,
I renew my covenant with thee.

-Will J. Brand/Bramwell Coles

The Lord desires an Army of Salvationists consecrated and given to His mission completely. The Lord desires all lives fully surrendered to Him…then and only then can He cleanse us through and through!

Something more for our Army world to ponder today!

February 8, 2016 2

Dear Salvation Army, Convenience or War?

“We are not sent to minister to a congregation and be content if we keep things going. We are sent to make war…and to stop short of nothing but the subjugation of the world to the sway of the Lord Jesus” – William Booth

Today I wish to ponder upon our identity and that of our action as a Salvation Army.
I believe the chief dangers of our Army currently is comfort and prosperity. I speak primarily to the Western world “Army”. Not as an indictment, but rather as a conviction of mine. We are comfortable. We have where places in the world does not have even a roof to worship under. We can call it blessed, and it certainly is, but within that “blessing” there is the real danger of becoming lazy.

-Lazy with Jesus’ teachings.
-Lazy with the need to leave our buildings.
-Lazy with the necessity for Holiness.
-Lazy with the Officer or Local Officer in their preparation for Sermons and Teachings.

Comfort can produce these dangers if safe guards are not in place, and spiritual disciplines are absent. (I am not calling anyone lazy in this pondering, merely warning all of us of its lure and harming effect it has on our mission)

General Booth’s quote here seems to indicate that it is not The Salvation Army’s mission to maintain . Are we doing this right now? Are we simply playing it safe and maintaining the status quo? What of Spiritual and Corps Growth? What we are we doing within the context of Suffering/Serving Humanity that leads to lives being transformed? Our Army is NOT about becoming like another Church…or is it? Is it an erroneous thought that we are Church or that our evangelistic approaches should mimic that of other churches? What are the dangers of such an approach? Do we get it wrong sometimes when it comes to this train of thought (Distancing ourselves from being just another “Church”)?

I know that the Booths truly believed that they could win the world for Jesus, and i’m not doubting that this is possible, BUT…was this quote simply used to rally the forces in some sort of pep talk/rally OR are we to wage spiritual warfare everywhere we look?

Some Truths:
We have become slightly (maybe more than slightly) comfortable in our cozy corps and structured programs. We have sort of evolved, funding sources have more guidelines, we have more to lose and so we protect the ground we have already gained and risk much less often…tell me is this Booth’s vision of our Army?

I do not wish to sound like a militant Salvationist, but are we lacking something in this current approach? I know that I’m not the only one asking this. I know that there are leaders all around the world in our Army seeing this very same danger. So…how do we fix it? How do we go about turning the ship (sometimes Titanic-like behemoth) around?

I Believe…
*I Believe we are not to be an Army of Convenience.
*I Believe we are not to be an Army of Comfort.
*I Believe that if we barricade the corps doors and insinuate ourselves with program and “play” church, and look like all the other churches – we will have lost our Blood and Fire Souls!
*I Believe this generation needs to step up our efforts in the fight against sin in our communities.
*I Believe a little civil disobedience in order for deaf ears to hear of the hope of Christ needs to be utilized once more.
*I Believe that we need to rely less on where our next funding source is coming from and more on the Great Provider to grant us these gifts.
*I Believe that Holiness in our Ranks means that our mission will not face extinction.
*I Believe that without prayer in the pews we will not have warriors for Christ in the streets.
* I Believe that without spiritual disciplines employed in our personal daily walks, we will be greatly weakened, Christ’s image not realized, and more susceptible to the lures of temptation.
* I Believe that our Army is in need of a revolution which can only begin on our knees in full submission.
*I Believe what make us an effective army is the Holy Spirit’s power, and the obedient-servant hearts of soldiers!

I do not belong to a convenience Army…do you?
May we continue to wage war in our communities on sin.
The darkness is very real in towns and cities.
Suffering because of sin still occurs…and we cannot, we will not turn a blind eye to those who are suffering!

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

Disclaimer: The Opinions and thoughts of the writer do not necessarily reflect the opinions and thoughts of The Salvation Army.

January 27, 2016 2

Dear Salvation Army, Is The Battle Mantra Dead?

“FIRE A VOLLEY”

I am not attempting to bash our dear old Army, but I wonder if our Battle Cries have become tired, old and in need of retirement?

Just as the military fatigues from around the world change, are we in need of some changes too? (and certainly changes have been made, and continue to be made)

I do not mean that we stop proclaiming our war against sin in our world.
I do not mean we halt our efforts in the streets, for these are vital, needed, and intrinsic to who we are…but what of our “Battle Mantras?”

“What do you mean?” You might be asking me.
Do you ever wonder about the “catch phrases” at large rallies and events…sometimes they are impromptu (which is fun to witness), while other times they appear forced and half-hearted. I wonder if there are times when our battle mantras sound more like an old zoo lion who has been put out to pasture…he roars every now and then, but years of comfort and “zoo care” has dulled his senses and made him more tame than he was ever created to be.

I wonder if we are like that old zoo lion sometimes in our old Army?
We know all the right mantras, we wave our flags at the appropriate times…someone grabs the old drum and beats it to the appropriate rhythms of the brass band…but what does it mean to us in the here and now? Have we become far too tame, and have we lost our missional edge in the process? Do these mantras still have the same purpose? Do they still serve a purpose? And if they do, how do we properly educate new generations?

There is little doubt that these mantras ought to be a side effect of a motivated and “on fire” army. So, perhaps a better question is – “Where is your fire?” In perfect “army speak” – What (or who) are you on fire for?

Personally, I do not think our army hinges on the mantras itself, instead it hinges on our passion to win souls for Christ! If our passion is gone, we have no purpose or motivation to “win the world for Jesus”. We can mumble whatever we want at rallies, we wave a thousand flags rapidly in the air…we can beat that old drum like it was dead horse – because without passion for Christ, and His Holy Presence to guide us – we will be a dead army drumming up the past in order to comfort us in the present.

So how about it?
What new songs of warfare do we have?
What new testimonies of transformed lives can we declare?
What street corner ravaged by sin and depravity can we claim for Christ this week?

We don’t need new mantras, instead we need to fall to our knees daily in order to be refilled with His Holy Presence and injected with His might and power. This war is still ongoing…and this Army doesn’t need the roar of zoo lions, instead we need the wild ferocity of Soldiers bravely claiming the streets in Jesus name.

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

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of the writer does not necessarily express the view and opinions of The Salvation Army.

January 25, 2016 0

Dear Salvationist, Let’s Talk About Sin…

It’s something that is often easier to discuss when it’s about other people, BUT if it’s about us, we can and probably will become uncomfortable and even indignant. “How dare you talk about sins especially while looking at me”, one might mutter.

It is easy to become offended when sin is mentioned in conjunction to us.
That’s for “those” people over there. (and we point our fingers in the hopes that we will be forgotten.)

Dare I say that just because we are Soldiers of the Salvation Army it doesn’t make us impervious to the lures and trappings of sin. In a very real sense, we become more susceptible to it. Do not, for a minute, assume that we will not face temptation as Salvationists (some of you are saying, “well duh”!) these temptations can lead to sin if we allow them even a small space to reside.

When it comes to temptation, we must be vigilant and aware of it at all times.
General William Booth once put it this way: “We are a salvation people – this is our speciality – getting saved and keeping saved, and then getting somebody else saved, and then getting saved ourselves more and more until full salvation on earth makes the heaven within, which is finally perfected by the full salvation without, on the other side of the river.”

Are “keeping saved”? To end do we protect ourselves from temptation?
I should clarify that temptation is not sin, these two things are connected, but one spurs the other on. It is not a sin to experience temptation…it only becomes sin when we give into temptation.

Sins Unrecognized…
A friend of ours recently mentioned a statement someone had posed to them in regards to sin and the Church (our Corps included). Their statement was this: “it’s the hidden sins of the people that cause this (turmoil) in the Church.” A further pondering from this friend issued a followup question and statement – “perhaps what makes this statement true are the sins we don’t even consider or recognize as sins in our lives.”

Could this be true? Do we have unrecognizable sins in our lives right now?
Within our hearts, are there sin still left to be dealt with?
Are we flat-out ignoring our sins instead of dealing with them?
Is it just easier to ignore them instead of dealing with them because that would take a tremendous amount of courage, effort and strength?

Furthermore, what do we consider to be “sin”?
and a follow up to that question is – “have we rationalized some things in our lives that are sins so that they no longer guilt us or cause us to fret over our souls?”

We Are Good Liars!
I would venture a guess that we are amazing liars sometimes.
No, I’m not calling you a liar to others, but we can be very, very good at lying to ourselves about sin. We might gossip about someone, and yet we chalk it up to casual “fellowship” or mere “conversations”. We might use our words to speak harshly towards others while failing to see how harmful those words have become. Some might even look over the fence at others “committing sin” while they themselves are living with someone they aren’t married to.

I don’t want to make some sort of arbitrary list here today on this pondering, but I would say that we must be very, very careful when pointing out the sins of others when we have sins roosting in our own lives. Jesus called those people hypocrites and actors…I don’t want to be labeled an actor or hypocrite…do you?

Sometimes I wonder how much damage we as Christians do to would be followers of Christ when we are so quick to point out sins in others…use your words with compassion and hope instead of judge and jury!

Perhaps I am again stepping on toes today…let me assure you none more than mine!
We are still in need of salvation daily!!
We are still under construction daily!!
We are still sinners who have been saved by grace…daily!!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to recognize the hidden or forgotten sins in my life today.
But more than that, help me to confess them to you. Help me to work them out of my life, to embrace forgiveness and deliverance from even my worst of sins. You know my heart and my life – reveal to me that which still has yet to be confessed. Grant me your strength to make the necessary changes in my life, and in so doing, guide my life to be the very hands and feet of you in all that I say and do! In your name I pray.
-Amen.

I would like to know what you think about this topic.
Your thoughts, comments and questions are solicited and appreciated!

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

Disclaimer: The writings and thoughts expressed by the writer are not necessarily the thoughts and opinions of The Salvation Army.

January 21, 2016 2

Dear Salvationists, The Mercy Seat

“The hope of the Army is in the penitent form. As soon as that goes out of use, we go out” (General Albert Orsborn)

We call it the Mercy Seat, others call it the Penitent Form, still others call it the Altar.
Why is it there?
What is it’s purpose?
Is it still valid and needed today?

Perhaps these are just a few questions that you’ve wondered about as you have participated in a Salvation Army service or meeting. Some have, perhaps, been soldiers for years and never quite understood why we do what we do when it comes time for the “altar call” or “time of response”.

Is this practice outdated or is it still useful?
What is the biblical understanding of the “mercy seat”?

I believe Major ViJay Boda puts it rather succinctly; ”

“The International Spiritual Life Commission affirmed to the whole Army world that the mercy seat in Salvation Army meetings symbolises God’s unremitting call to his people to meet with him. It is not only a place for repentance and forgiveness, but also a place for communion and commitment. The report emphasises, ‘Here we may experience a deep awareness of God’s abundant grace and claim his boundless salvation.’

Encouraging the use of the mercy seat, the commission says, ‘The mercy seat may be used by any one, at any time, and particularly in Army meetings when, in response to the proclaimed word, all are invited to share loving and humble communion with the Lord.”

This is a good explanation, and perhaps some of us are good at explaining this to new comers or new soldiers…but sometimes I think we need a refresher course. We need to break old patterns and old molds in order to better understand what we are doing at the Mercy Seat or why we have these moments of commitment at all.

Biblically speaking, the Mercy Seat is first mentioned in connection with the Ark of the Covenant. It is the “kapporet“, or the “atonement piece”. Later it was the ornate golden cover to the ark with two cherub corners. Imagine that, the “atonement piece” covers the opening to the very presence of God.

Symbolically speaking, Jesus became our once for all- atonement piece – our mercy seat. His blood makes us clean, and his provenient grace cancels our debts/sin. When we kneel at this place of repentance that we call the Altar, or Penitent Form, or Mercy Seat, we are essentially placing our sins on Christ. We lay them down, and in so doing, we are invited to pick up new clothes, a new life, this unmerited grace and forgiveness that Christ has prepared for us in His death and resurrection.

This Mercy Seat can be a sacred place.
We can kneel upon it in our corps buildings during Holiness meetings, we can find it at special events where seats have been turned around waiting for those willing to repent or seek reconciliation. These sacred spaces are not necessarily holy in and of themselves. They are just structures, constructed with human hands, but purposed for Divine encounters.

BUT WAIT…
The Mercy Seat is so much more than a specific place.
We, being the very essence and the body of Christ, now have access to this mercy seat anywhere at anytime and anyplace. No, it’s not some new application found on our cellular devices or on our computers. This Mercy Seat is never far from us, even when we find ourselves at home or bedridden with illness – it is there! This Mercy Seat is found in our hearts. When we receive Christ at a place of forgiveness and new life, such as the Altar, we also receive the blessing of His Holy Presence. The Holy Spirit takes up residence within us. Not in some sort of alien “body snatchers” way, but rather in a Creator meets and communes with Creation sort of way. With His presence comes the mercy seat of our hearts, where we can come at any time before Him to confess, commune and grow in Christ’s image.

Samuel Logan Brengle once said, “I have carried a penitent form (mercy seat) around in my heart half a century or more. And if there is ever any need, I constantly fly to thee.”

1 Mercy Seat – Many Uses (Not Just A Place For Sinners!!!)
Before I close this topic today, (honestly, this is a primer for further discussion), I would be remiss not to mentioned that the Mercy Seat is SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A PLACE FOR SINNERS. It takes real courage sometimes to come before the ecclesia (body of believers – A.K.A. The Church) and kneel at the Altar. Sometimes many worry about what others might think or say (Shame on anyone who would say anything towards a brother or sister penitent before the Lord). Sometimes this erroneous thought that keeps on circulating spoken or unspoken – is that once one has gone to the Altar they shouldn’t have to go back anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth!!

If one of our more esteemed first theologians (Brengle) went to his Mercy Seat frequently, how much more do we still need it in our lives?

The Mercy Seat still beckons us to:
-Come and Reconnect with our Savior.
-Come and bring petitions and prayers as intercessors.
-Come and cast our prayers of thanksgivings to Him.
-Come and seek forgiveness again.
-Come and find reconciliation and re-ignition.
-Come and pour out those deeply secret spaces of our hearts before the Holy Spirit who has been prodding us to let Him in.
-Come to surrender, or surrender again.
-Come and bring your brother or sister who needs encouragement and assurance.
-Come and bring your brother or sister who needs a friend.
-Come and bring your brother or sister who desires new life and is sick of sin.

So is the Mercy Seat pointless in our modern, sophisticated age?
Yes, it’s as pointless as the Son of God stepping down out of heaven and taking our sins upon himself…if that is truly pointless – then so are our lives.

No, in fact the Mercy Seat is so much more than just a kneeling place for sinners or saints…it is the exhalation of sin and in the very same moment, the inhalation of salvation, new life and holiness. It ought to be perpetuated, preached on, and emphasized over and over again – with clarity, sincerity and truth.

For more reading on this topic check out another post: Is Your Mercy Seat Broken?

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

January 19, 2016 8

Dear Salvationist, Why Rank Doesn’t Matter…

“One of the outstanding ironies of history is the utter disregard of ranks and titles in the final judgments men pass on each other. The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office he has held, but only the quality of his deeds and the character of his mind and heart.” -Samuel Logan Brengle

I am not wishing to pick a fight – not my intention.
I am not shaking my fist at “the establishment” either.
But…I do think Brengle was right – when it’s all said and done your rank, your position in life, your amazing accomplishments mean absolutely nothing. It won’t matter if you were a General, a Major, a Colonel, a Captain, an Adherent (I am purposely putting this in a nonsensical order)…it will not matter at all. You could have been a Divisional Commander, or just an A/V sound booth guy on Sunday Mornings – it all won’t matter.

Why Rank Doesn’t Matter:
Because like this life…
like your current cellular phone…
like the computer you use at home or at work…
like the food in your refrigerator…
IT. IS. ALL. TEMPORARY.

What we do with these temporal things and titles, however, is what truly matters.
If we lord over others because someone has given us authority – then we are certainly unwise with these temporal things.
If we squander our time and our talents, we too are unwise with that temporal thing or gift.
If we are good stewards of what and where God has placed us, however, and we live for Him in and through all things – we are wisely using these temporal things.

What we do matters.
How we live matters.
Where God places us matter.
Our Attitudes, Pride, Humility, Love, Hate, Generosity or Greed – It all matters.

Dear Salvationist:
Just because you wear a uniform doesn’t necessarily mean you are God’s soldier. It boils down to your heart, and where you stand with your Savior.
Despite the facade, even the uniform (duh) will not save us.
Dare I say some become Officers or Soldiers because of the assumed power it provides them. It is simply a tool to misuse and abuse. I am confident that this is not the majority of us, but be mindful of the snakes and vipers sometimes posing as Soldiers (even in our Army). We still live in an imperfect world though now as Kingdom people we can bring hope to those seeking.

We all must be sober of thought and honest with God.
In other words “check yourself, before you wreck yourself”.
Rank and Power in our world will fade – they will mean nothing when we stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…though, what we do with what we’ve been given WILL matter.

“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.…” Psalm 24:3-5

Should there be ranks and order in our Army? Of course…I’m not talking at all about anarchy…but what I am talking about is something deeply personal for all of us. Are our heart and motives clean? Are we living for God or are we living for ourselves? Is there work still needing to be done in our lives? Changes needing to be made in our attitudes and our hearts? This is an ongoing mission…with an ongoing need for personal holiness.
I am only scratching at an itch that begs to have the whole salve of the Holy Spirit upon it. Without Him we can do nothing.

When it’s all said and done, the heart of our mission and our purpose will be evaluated by the Most High. This isn’t said to scare us, but rather to provide us a reality check.

So…how are you doing?

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

January 15, 2016 6

Dear Salvation Army, Short Changing Tithe?

This is a pondering that attempts to meddle – I’m sorry.
I was asked by one of our readers to do a pondering on this topic…it’s a good one. It is a rather relevant one too, isn’t it? If we were truly honest with ourselves (and no one else) – we might admit that there are times when we take our resources and our blessings for granted.

Individually
In a world, currently that is consumed with who will win the next Powerball lottery jackpot, we don’t often fathom what we already have to be a true blessing…because we crave more.

I do not mean to step on anyone’s toes today, any more than I am already stepping heavily upon my own – and this hurts. But I can confess that I have, at times, neglected to give the Lord the best…instead I’ve given Him what’s left. Why would we do such a thing? How could we neglect the Author of Life our first fruits? Life does happen. Bills sometimes pile up. Children, like vacuums, suck the dollars right out of your wallet. But are those just excuses sometimes? Am I just attempting to rationalize my spending or my haphazard, inconsistent giving? -Yes.

You might say that I’m being hard on myself…perhaps I am. But who ought to take responsibility for what we do or don’t do? Will anyone else take that blame from me? Is it someone else’s fault when I short change God with my tithes of time, talent and treasure? Of course not.

Corporately
I am not shifting blame, please don’t take it that way.
I wonder sometimes if, as leaders, we set the bar higher for others and yet that bar suddenly doesn’t apply to us? Does this happen? Are there times (in any organization and/or church) when leadership decides these are the guidelines for those under them, but those same guidelines do not apply to the administrators of those same guidelines? Do double standards apply to financial giving from Administration to Subordinates? Does this happen from IHQ/THQ/DHQ/Corps? I certainly hope not, this is not necessarily my experience.

Where does financial accountability play into this?
How important is it to be consistent from Administration all the way down to volunteer and soldier/adherent/attendee?

Let me give you my opinion on this subject – Accountability matters from the top down, and from the down to the top. We must be accountable with the big things, we must also be accountable with the small things regardless of rank or lack there of.

Back To You And Me
We can not, however, afford to look over the fence at anyone else other than ourselves when it comes to being good stewards of the things God has given to us to take care of. We are accountable first to God, then to those He has placed above us. What we do with our time, talent and treasure matters. How we spend any of that – matters. Who we are in and out of church or the office – matters. There isn’t a time clock that we sluggishly punch each day then get home and take off our masks to become someone else. We are His – that should be our identity.

Questions to Ponder:
I find it very interesting that other “churches” (and I know we’re not specifically a church) support the ministries they do through tithing…It is equally interesting that most Salvation Army corps cannot fully support the ministries they do in their communities, let alone World Services through tithing alone…is that a good thing or bad thing? Is it because many of our corps members do not have the financial resources to consistently tithe? (this could very well be the case)

Have I, or am I (on a personal level) short changing God in my tithing?
Am I building MY kingdom here with stuff, trophies of my accomplishments, hoarding my resources…is this who I am?
Are there areas of my life where self-denial is lacking?
Can I be honest with myself and with God when it comes to my tithing habits?
Are there other places in the world that could use my financial contributions?
Do I give consistently to World Services?
Do I give consistently to my Corps?
Do I care about poverty in my world? What can I do to help?
Do my contributions matter?
Am I giving enough? Is it Net or Gross Pay?

There is much to discover and ponder in this topic today…I hope the shoe prints on our toes fade…then again, maybe not.

Something more to for us to ponder today!

Disclaimer: The opinions and thoughts expressed in Pastorsponderings.org are the expressed opinions and thoughts of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Salvation Army.

January 13, 2016 8

Category: Salvation Story