Dear Salvation Army – A Parable Of US…These are OUR People!!

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” -Matthew 25:35

The Story:

In the frosted air of mid December, where ice is forming, melting in the midday sun, only to refreeze in winter’s kiss at dusk; a man zips up his camping tent for the night. It will be another bitterly cold attempt at sleep, which has proven elusive and wrought with lingering aches in limbs and ligaments. The man wraps himself up in multiple blankets of mismatched colors, extinguishes the insignificant blue flame from the juniper green propane camp stove, and settles in for another volatile night of shivering slumber as the constant freeway noise clambers on.

As dawn slips past the horizon of the army green tent flap, which has been frosted and now baptized in a hopeful light; the man untangles himself from the layers of blankets and additional coats laid down in the middle of the night, a stop gap that offered little to no help. Having survived yet another night languishing in hypothermic rest, the men unzips the tent and stretches out the pain of cramping muscles and battered tendons. Shivering noticeably through the noise of his chattering teeth, he moves as quickly as his lumbering joints can move as he seeks out somewhere to warm his tired bones.

A few blocks away, the crimson glowing lights of a red shield inscribed with the words “Salvation Army” calls out to him. The backdoor to the gymnasium has been opened, and there will be warmth within. As he steps inside, the man encounters the soup kitchen cook, draped in a white billowing apron and a broad smile. “Good morning friend!” The cook says in a deep gravelly voice by way of greeting, “would you care for some coffee?” The shivering man nods and shuffles towards an open chair as others also begin to arrive. They too have anticipated this moment, and their search for warmth, food, coffee and conversation is at an end.

The homeless man, still shaking off the bone-seeping coldness in his body, has finally found a safe haven, and with it – his dignity and hope once more…

…The Rest of the Story (As Paul Harvey used to say)
This is just a glimpse into the lives of those we serve. Some have had it better than others…
I have sat in our gym and listened to the stories some of our patrons can tell.
Some of them have truly been through hell on earth.
Some battle with constant addictions.
Some with physical or emotional trauma.
All are God’s…they are His…and He speaks to us through their stories of brokenness, pain and sorrow.
He also prods us to do something about their suffering.

Yes, Dear Salvationist, it seems like an impossible and never ending task because poverty, addictions and homelessness seem to be constantly knocking on our doors. The situations are the same, but the faces change over time! The question is – are we available to help and are we receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading? Are we here to be a light when the rest of the world has turned the light off, given up and walked away? Can we still provide hope and love even if that person is stuck in the cycle of crisis? Can we offer it without judgement? Yes, we ought never put a band-aid on deep wounds, but can we serve first then minister? Or can ministry truly be found IN the service and care of others?

Here is a reality check: Some may never darken the doors to our sanctuaries on a Sunday morning, but are they not still a member of our congregation if they are at our facility EVERY DAY for a warm meal and a safe place to sit and rest? I think we miss a far greater opportunity that can be found on Sunday morning if we don’t engage during these moments feeding and conversing. Dear Salvationist, these are our people too! They come to us because we are the harbor and they have been shipwrecked by life. What we say, how we show love, and what we do – MATTERS!

The story I shared with you today, is real.
This man came to our corps and community center years ago, homeless, suicidal and at the end of his rope. And because the doors to our gymnasium were open, and he found warmth in the company of people in our corps, he is alive today. His life (literally his life) was saved! I know that there are many more stories just like this one wherever a Salvation Army facility is located. Doing the most good isn’t some prideful declaration to the public, instead is ought to be a phrase we ask ourselves every day both personally and organizationally – “Am I/Are We – Doing the most good”?

Make a difference in the lives you reach for Christ, and know that our “congregation” is so much larger than just our soldiery on Sunday mornings!

October 2, 2016 1

5 Qualities Of A Great Officer

I must say right off the bat these are qualities that I have seen in Officers that I look up to, and I know that there are other fine qualities that we should all aspire to. With that in mind, I also know that every Officer is fallible and not always perfect.

5 Qualities of a Great Officer:
Here they are –

5. Others
“...do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4
The marks of a good officer must include the deep desire to help others see Christ, to be like Christ, but it takes intentionality and passion to do this! Officers, and anyone in leadership for that matter, must take the time to actually care for others. This is why we exist as an Army: Christ and Others!! Without these two things we are just another social services agency. It can be tempting to think of an appointment as a stepping stone, but if we ever entertain those notions we will forget about others and in turn we will lose our personal mission as an officer.

This doesn’t mean that we do not do self-care from time to time, but it does mean that a good officer is not self-indulgent, prideful and aloof from the people we are supposed to care for. Great officers stay connected to others, they engage others and they prompt others challenge themselves and to grow.

4. Quality, Intentional Family Time

Another mark of a great officer, is the ability to carve out intentional quality time with the family. We have all heard of horror stories of that Officer Brat or rebellious child who just left or made poor choices in life. I’m not saying that a great officer can always prevent this, because children will grow up, become adults and make their own decisions. What I am saying is that when parents take the time to be parents, and spend quality time (I know it can’t always be quantity time), we will have children who are healthier, better connected and well rounded. There are no absolutes to parenting, I know this, but I also know how important it is for officers to be parents to their children! I’ve heard it said, and I’m sure you have too that an officer’s first ministry is to their children/families.

A great officer is intentional about spending quality time with the family. Christmas time is difficult in many places in the Army, but perhaps it’s that hour you spend reading a book to your small children, or it’s the going out to get that hot chocolate.

Note: Married Officer- this includes spending quality time with each other, no matter how hard or insane your schedule is – make room!!

3. Decisiveness Even When Others Disagree

“A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.” -A Chinese Proverb

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” — John C. Maxwell

The marks of a great Officer might also include listening to others and taking good counsel, but when the rubber meets the road, a good officer must be decisive in decisions and in the direction the ministry should go. So what if it fails? So what it we make mistakes? If we are prayerful, and we allow good counsel in, we fail knowing we did what was right. Great officers don’t just lead by consensus, but they keep to the mission, and if the mission could get lost because of consensus, they steer decisions with mission in mind.

It is much easier to lead when everyone agrees with you, but when there are dissenters and you must still make the right conscious decision, it becomes hard. Great Officers will lead sometimes despite those who will disagree. Leadership with conviction and the doing right thing, amidst conflict or opposing thought is true leadership!

*Disclaimer, if an Officer has wise counsel that is missional and good, and it is ignored, perhaps one should reconsider the above conclusion. Great Officers don’t lead like dictators and push their own selfish agendas through – this would be the antithesis of “great leadership”.

2. Compassionate and Gracious

“A leader is not an administrator who loves to run others, but someone who carries water for his people so that they can get on with their jobs.”

— Robert Townsend

Another mark of a great Officer is the capacity for compassion and grace. This is closely related to the care of “Others”! Compassion and grace can often be set aside of efficiency and “getting the job done”. When officers run through their administrative duties as well as their pastoral duties, the first thing that seems to go is the capacity to slow down and care for people. Being a great officer means that one will take the time to hear about other people’s problems, to show compassion and to be involved in the lives of their corps members or those they lead. If an officer wants others to follow them, it won’t be conducted through declarations of power and asserting authority, it will be done by gentleness, kindness, compassion and genuine care. The great officers that I have known possess this certain type of seemingly endless patience and grace, that kind that I can only hope to achieve. Admittedly, I am often impatient, short with people, and sometimes my capacity for compassion is lacking…But I don’t want to remain here, no, not at all! I aspire (as I’m sure you do too) to be like those Officers that have displayed this remarkable characteristic to me (us).

1. Great Officers Admit When They Are Wrong
Here is the “pride-swallowing” conclusion to this very short list.
Great Officers admit when they are wrong. There, I’ve said…the end. (Just kidding) If they make mistakes, a good officer will own up to it. If they say something to offend, a good officer will go to that person. Great Officers, from those that I have observed, are able to humble themselves and admit to missteps. This confession allows for vulnerability and makes leadership more human and accessible.

There are, of course, underlying currents and themes here within this list:
Things like: Mission, Humility, Love, Holiness, Faith, and Wisdom.
The Characteristics are necessary for the development of Great Officer. I know that I’m not there yet, but I do strive to be the very best follower of Christ that I can be – and admittedly I fail many times. Do you? I guess it is in how we learn and grow from those failures that define us. We ought not strive to be a mediocre anything! Do not settle for mediocrity in life!

Dare I say, mediocre officers can be a dime a dozen…but Great Officers – they can be a real rarity in our Army…Dear Officers, let’s strive to be Great Officers. Not in some sort of prideful, power-mongering way, but through these qualities list above. Let Christ be seen in you every day. I must decrease, and He must increase! (John 3:30)

Something more for the Army world to ponder today!

Further Readings on this topic:
Colonel Allen Satterlee’s latest Article
Commissioner Jim Knaggs
Commissioner Harry Read’s Heart Talks Selection
and Kinda -sorta off topic, but not really:
From Good To Great by Jim Collins

September 2, 2016 5

Dear Salvationist, Does Freewill Conflict with God’s Foreknowledge?

We sing songs in our Army that speak of God’s plan for us.
We recognize that there is a plan in place…we just don’t always understand it.
A part of the question came becomes specific and personal – Is God’s plan specific, is that they way He works in every individual on the planet? Or is it more of a general plan that God has for every person – that all of them might choose Him and live according to His will?

There are some phrases that might suggest that God’s plan is specific. For instance, in the song “I’m in His hands”, the writes states: “The days I cannot see, have all been planned for me...” (Stanley Ditmer)

Does this suggest that God already knows the outcome of our lives? Is everything then, predestined to occur? Is every step that we take, every decision made, has it already been decided for us? Is free-will a farce? Or is this out of context? Is it specific to believers who have chosen to follow Christ? Is it more to do with Holiness than it is to do with the choice of man?

More to Ponder….

How do we understand passages like:
^“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:29

and;

“Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,…” Ephesians 1:4-5 ESV

Does this cancel out our supposed freewill?
Do we really have a choice in this world?
How do we reconcile our Free Will and God’s Foreknowledge?

Undoubtedly someone will take me to task (again) for using a beloved song from The Salvation Army to ponder this question. Some might read only the first few sentences and assume I just thrown down some sort of gauntlet in the face of what is “Army”.

My Take:
Does it limit God when we consider that we have freewill?
Does this then mean that God is not all powerful and all knowing?
Can we really put limits on God like that? -Absolutely not, that sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?

Does Freewill conflict then, with God’s foreknowledge?
I do not believe this to be the case.
Can we have both a God who is omniscient and His creation who, through His amazing love, is given the freedom to choose? I believe so.
God can know us completely, even the decisions we might make in the future.
But, He doesn’t force us to make the decisions that He desires for us, and knows will bless and benefit us. This is truly the defining love of a wondrous God!

A Parent’s Perspective:
Your child is about to make a crucial decision in life.
You, being older and, perhaps wiser, can see the variables in each decision. You can see the outcomes that will transpire in each. Do you help them make the decision? Do you force them to make the right one and then they resent you for it? Or, out of love do you direct them, but ultimately leave the choice in their hands, which allows them to learn in the process?

Now we can begin to scratch the surface of this God – Creation/Human existence. We can begin to see how hard it must be for God to watch us make our choices sometimes.
He hopes that we choose Him. He hopes that He will be included in our life choices.
How it must break His heart for Him to see His children to go astray, knowing the choices that got them there could have been altered.

Ponder This:
Does Freewill and God’s Foreknowledge conflict with one another?
Are there really an Elected few? Those He specifically chooses?
Do we limit God when we perceive Him to not be omniscient?
And what of His involvement in our lives – does He have a specific plan for you and me, or is it more generalized? What do you think?

Please leave your feedback, ponderings and thoughts below or on this social media thread.
I look forward to hearing your take on this topic.

Something more for the Army world to Ponder today !

September 1, 2016 2

Dear Salvationist, Does Nepotism Still Exist In Our Army?

From the start, some of us might shirk at the idea that nepotism still exists in The Salvation Army. But we must recognize that even the Booths promoted family to places of authority. William Booth viewed his Generalship to be something he would pass along to his children, and perhaps his children’s children. Could it be that this sort of family promoting still occurs in our Army today? And if so, should it? Are there checks and balances in place to prevent nepotism in our Army?

Growing up in the Army, I recall many times where my parents were extremely cautious with even the appearance of favoritism towards my sister and me.

Speaking of Favoritism…can this type of behavior come into play with promotions and appointments in our army? Should it? Another question to ask along this line of pondering is – if favoritism does occur in our army – aren’t we then shortchanging our movement of possible movers and shakers who could make a difference, but some have chosen to choose people who are familiar and even safe?

The argument can be made that we in the Army ought to trust and leave this up to God to sort out and perhaps these appointments are “His will”. Honestly, I don’t know how I feel about that. I have sincere faith in a Mighty God that He can make something that was meant to harm into something beautiful. I believe God makes all things new, and He provides in spite of our own efforts and human decisions. But I don’t know if I really trust human authority as I do God’s authority (nor do I feel we should)…for that matter what defines “God’s Authority”? I’m curious what your answer might be to that. I’m not looking for a fight, I’m genuinely interested in how we define this! I have to be honest, I have always been suspicious of human authority in the guise of being 100% God’s authority. It’s not that I’m overly cynical of leaders and authority, I just question sometimes if our personal feelings do not play into many of the decisions that are made on the behalf of others – and thereby we sometimes or often show favoritism.

Submission to Authority
Does this mean that I do not submit to authority? Absolutely not! We are told to submit to authority in numerous scripture verses. For example:1 Peter 2:13-17 says; “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.“

Does this mean that we aren’t allowed to query decisions and ask pertinent questions? Of course not! It does, however depend on our attitude and motivation! I am certainly not proposing that we become rebellious by any means, please do not come away thinking that at all! I will say that as a leader of sorts in my own right, I do recognize that I will never please everyone by the decisions that I have to make from time to time. This is the heavy mantel of responsibility and leadership that is thrust upon us. It does take a toll, and I would ask you to be in constant pray for your leaders, whether it be at the corps level, the divisional, territorial, national and international levels.

Back to the initial question:
Does Nepotism and Favoritism still exist in our Army?
My short answer is yes it does…
But I would also caution anyone from making rash judgments unless you have all of the information.

Questions to Ponder:
Does Nepotism still happen in our Army?
Should it happen?
If so, what does this say to those who aren’t related or chosen for specific duties or tasks?
How can we sidestep issues like this? Is it possible to sidestep them?
What about favoritism?
Could showing favoritism diminish the ranks our ranks and morale?
Can we submit to authority and still question?
How do we reconcile some experiences of flawed human authority with the expectations of God-led authority?
Am I praying fervently for my Corps Officer, Local Officer, Divisional, Territorial, Leader?

I look forward to your constructive conversation on this topic!
Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
*Disclaimer: The thoughts and views of the writer are not necessarily the thoughts and view of The Salvation Army, reader discretion is advised.*

August 1, 2016 6

Dear Salvation Army, Is Holiness The Cure?

The cure to what?
Sickness?
Loss of Soldiers & Officers?
Depression?
Loneliness?
Defeat?

What do you mean?

Here’s A Calculated Guess:
Holiness is not preached and or emphasized enough in our Army today!
I think before we answer the “cure” question we have to consider why we are not making Holiness a priority anymore? Why does it play second fiddle to elaborate musical numbers in our corps and the other modern “elements” of worship? Is what we do on Sunday mornings still fit to be called “Holiness Meetings”?

I would venture a guess that perhaps the statistics of decline in the pews can, in some places, be lined up with the lack of holiness preaching and teaching. This sounds like an oversimplification of a wider spreading problem in most protestant churches, but the truth of the matter is Holiness has, in many places, taken a backseat to other things.

The Cure?:
So how does Holiness cure us you ask?
How could it possibly fix what is broken in our lives and in our corps?
Perhaps the answer is that as we shift our focus from the problem to being Set-apart once more. As we do this, we change our mindset, we are no longer living for just ourselves; our own pleasures; our own desires and selfish gains; No, we begin to understand and comprehend this deeper, more lasting calling in our lives! Holiness supplants our old way of looking at things and our entire lives and replaces it with the desire to be what God has called us to be through and through – the very image of Christ.

Some wonder if this is even possible in THIS life – and many Holiness theologians would say that it is indeed. We often get this notion that in order to be entirely sanctified – we have reach human perfection, and this misnomer holds many back from even pursuing Holiness. Many believe that holiness is an impossible task and that perfection is beyond them. And if Holiness = Human Perfection, then I would completely agree with those people. None of us would or should pursue holiness, because human perfection is unreachable, it is unobtainable. BUT, what if Holiness and even entire sanctification, for that matter, isn’t human perfection at all? Ah, then we have something tangible, something realistic to pursue and reach for.

Yes, this is the work of the Holy Spirit, but we are also required to make certain steps in dying to our old ways of life and embracing fully this new life. And when we fully embrace this new life and run after it with reckless abandon, we will then recognize that this world and its problems will become less and less, and that we have never been alone in our human struggles at all! You see, Holiness is the cure to much of our plight in our Army struggles and in our personal struggles! When we fully embrace what needs to happen, what must become our daily, even moment by moment pursuit, we open up our minds and hearts to the Eternal, and in doing so, we can begin to see things around us more clearly.

I am not saying that immediately our problems will evaporate, we may have to, like Paul, endure thorns in the side, we may have to endure hardships, but our focus will no longer be trained on hardships and our pains, but on the prize and on this pursuit.

Mark my words, if Holiness becomes extinct in our halls, corps and territories, we too will soon follow its path…

So how about it?
Do you want the cure?
Will you seriously pursue Holiness?
It’s not human perfection – it is God’s very presence living in us – longing for us to live for HIM through and through…one step at a time!

“…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace...”

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

Additional Recommended Reading:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/has-authenticity-trumped-holiness-2

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Brengle%2C%20Samuel%20Logan%2C%201860-1936

Click to access HDM0348.pdf

http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/dead.footnoted.htm

July 25, 2016 1

Dear Salvation Army, Blood & Fire!!!

I have met so many struggling Officers recently.
I have also met some tired and weary soldiers.
Questions frequently come up about why so many are abandoning their posts as Officers and even as Soldiers within the corps. When viewed this can be very disheartening to many of us. We have been engaging in these battles in our communities. We have seen lives come to Christ, decisions made, life choices altered…but we have also shared in the heartache of those who have fallen away. We have witnessed strong Christians washed away because of sin issues and moral failures. We are not impervious to such assaults by the enemy. We must constantly be on guard because the Father of Lies has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, and he will use them to divide and conquer us. Be aware of this, do not, for a minute grant him a foothold in your life!!

Encouragement:
I say these things to you today because I feel that in some places in our Army morale is low. I can sense the rolling tides and currents of life pulling some of us under, and it threatens our very calling as Officers and Soldiers. In some places even our charge forward into the fray has waned and we have become static…no longer pushing out into our communities, having no longer the strength to care for others because our hearts and our spirits are worn. I am here today to tell you that you are not alone! Although it may feel this way from time to time, although you have frustrations in leaders and in situations beyond your control, you have both an Advocate in the Holy Spirit and a wealth of power at your disposal – all you need to do is cry out to Him and He will sustain you, He will empower you once again. “Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you!” (James 4:8)

I am also here today to encourage you in the Blood and Fire of this Army…for it is the very soul of who we are. It is our very life-source, and if we stray from the Blood of Christ and the Fire of the Holy Spirit, we will lose strength in every attempt to do things on our own. This Blood and Fire is both our source of Salvation and Holiness. It hangs as a constant reminder upon our Salvation Army flag. It ought to resound in us as we move about in our day, regardless of the tasks, both big and small; insurmountable and the mundane. This Blood and Fire is more than just another motto we spout out while wearing the uniform, it is a strength and doctrine firmly rooted within the Scriptures! We can cling to His unfailing love and His Divine presence with us not only daily, but moment by moment.

The Misnomer Of Worldly Ambition:
While others might view this organization with ambition and a desire to climb imagined ladders of power and position, may we be constantly reminded of our First Love and our true purpose of being called in the first place! And, though evil might still abound and even dress and look like “Soldiers and Christians”, do not be swayed, do not be perplexed…stand firm and cling to the Blood and Fire!! We will be known by our fruit, and judgement is reserved for God alone! So be persistent in your faith, do not waver, you are never alone and our purpose is for Others, while we strive to live out-loud which is Holiness: the very Image of Christ in us!

To the weary Soldier today I say: Blood and Fire!!
To the weary Officer currently penning their resignation letter, I say: Blood and Fire!!
To the Soldier faithfully teaching Sunday School for over thirty years and is still persevering, I say: Blood and Fire!! Keep up this fight, and do not resign or quit, or back down…We are an Army with Blood and Fire!

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

July 18, 2016 12

Perspectives: Featuring Lieutenant Blake Fewell

“Officer’s Covenant: ‘Called By God…'”

The Officer’s Covenant begins with one statement that carries through the rest of the Covenant: “Called by God…”. This is the foundation from which the rest of the Covenant is built upon. It is a statement of affirmation that the officer has listened to and discerned that the Lord’s will for his or her life is for full-time service as a minister of the gospel within The Salvation Army.

MY CALLING

The way in which God calls people to service can vary from person to person. I will tell you of my experience, but I do not claim this to be the only way that God may call someone.

I knew from the time of my salvation that God had a purpose for my life – there was a reason why he saved me from certain death at my birth. When I was somewhere around the age of 12, I began thinking that maybe God wanted me to be a Salvation Army officer. I am sure I had thought about it prior to that age, but I cannot nail down a specific date in which I was “called”. I also never had an “aha” experience – I never heard God’s voice audibly speaking or had some magical vision or anything like that. I had grown up in The Salvation Army and was always open to the idea of officership. So around the age of 12, I set my sights on becoming a Salvation Army officer. Again, there was no specific time when this happened, it just happened.

One thing that played a huge role in discerning my calling was watching the examples of various officers, active and retired, within my corps. I loved listening to their stories about the joys and challenges of officer ministry. Through those examples, I was encouraged in my pursuit of officership.

Since I never had any sort of divine revelation regarding my calling, I ultimately stepped out in trust. I knew that if it was truly God’s will that I would be a Salvation Army officer, then he would provide whatever was necessary for that to happen. I knew he would open doors where I needed them in order to guide the way. He certainly did! He provided countless opportunities and opened numerous doors that solidified his calling on my life. Looking back on those times, I can see God’s work through my life in making my calling sure.

Did I ever doubt my calling? Of course! I would even dare say that it can be healthy to have times of doubt because when God provides the answer to that doubt, it strengthens our sense of calling. In the times that I doubted my calling, God provided people and environments in which I was encouraged. Again, when I think back to those times of doubt, I see God orchestrating ways in which my calling would be strengthened.

I would like to share a few insights about calling in general and specifically for officership. Some may agree and some may disagree with these statements, but I hope these can stimulate our thinking and understanding of calling.

CALLING IS BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE

When we talk about calling, we seem to always discuss the individual side of calling. “Tell me about your calling.” “When God called me…” I think we, for the most part, understand that God calls people individually for certain things. He may call one person to do one thing and another person to do another thing. Our responsibility is to be responsive and obedient to our individual calling.

There is also a corporate aspect to calling, specifically for calling to ministry. In the first three verses of Acts 13, we see this corporate element at work. God had called Barnabas and Saul to go and proclaim the gospel. The church at Antioch responded by praying for them, fasting, and sending them off. This is the corporate response to calling to ministry. The church body is responsible for recognizing God’s call on a person’s life, affirming that call as evidenced by the person’s fruit, and sending that person off with their prayers.

It is important that we do not neglect the corporate aspect of calling. I know that God has called me to officership, but I need to know that others see evidence of that calling in my life. This keeps our individual callings in check and accountable to the Church.

CALLING DOES NOT REQUIRE DIRECT REVELATION

I think I have indicated this already through my calling experience. Calling does not mean that a person has to audibly hear God speak to them or have some other sort of divine revelation from God. This is why the term “calling” can be confusing to some. We need to make sure that when we describe calling, we do not restrict it to a specific time or a specific experience.

As I said with my calling, I never had that one moment where I said, “Yes, I’ll be an officer.” I also never had a defining point in which God spoke to me or revealed it to me. It was a process of observation, reflection, and acceptance in my life which was not grounded in one moment. I think it is dangerous for us to insist that God’s calling must take place in a “crisis” manner.

I don’t mean to say that God does not call people at a specific time such as at Youth Councils or during a Candidates’ Sunday. I don’t mean to say that God does not work in a “crisis” manner to call people, but it is not something that happens to all. We do not want to exclude or alienate those who have had aspirations toward officership but may not have had such a “crisis” moment.

CALLING MAY OR MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC

God’s calling comes in a variety of forms. Calling is not restricted to officership – people are called by God to all sorts of professions, careers, and ministries. With that said, God’s calling may not always be specific.

I was speaking with a young lady in one of my classes at Olivet this spring. She was studying children’s ministry and knew she wanted to be actively working in ministry with young people, but she did not know where. She was aware of God’s calling on her to minister to children – that was specific – but she did not know in what manner, degree, or location God wanted her to serve. I also know a number of people from my time at Moody who may have been studying pastoral ministry or theology or biblical studies and have been specifically called to full-time ministry, but the details of how that would happen had not been made clear to them.

I know that God has called me to specifically be an officer within The Salvation Army, but that much detail is not always the case for all. God calls people, but the specifics of that calling may not always be evident.

I want to write for a moment about our recruitment of Salvation Army officers as it relates to this. I appreciate what our divisional and territorial leaders do for recruiting and equipping candidates for Salvation Army ministry. The process, though challenging, is much needed so that we invest in the right candidates and cadets for officership. I do believe, however, that we have an untapped resource for officers. As I said, there are a number of young people who know that they are called to full-time ministry but do not know where to turn. The unfortunate result is that many do not end up in full-time ministry positions. Could these be our future Salvation Army officers?

I think we can focus a lot of our attention on internal recruitment, and that is not wrong in any way, but there may be future officers out there who simply need to be introduced to The Salvation Army and to officership. From my experience at Bible college, there are thousands of students in this nation who are zealous for ministry and the gospel who are searching for their ministry outlet. These could be our next officers.

There is so much more that could be said about the topic of calling and I hope to write more on this subject. Turning back to the Officer’s Covenant, it is important for every officer to understand that officership is not of our own self-will or desire, but because of a God-instilled, Holy Spirit-directed calling on our life. The manner in which we are called may vary, but the God who calls remains the same. He is still calling men and women to officership – we must continue to be responsive. With the prophet Isaiah, we resound, “Here I am! Send me.”

**Check out further writings by Lieutenant Fewell via his blog site at: Blake Fewell**

July 4, 2016 1

Dear Salvationists: The Army Of The Broken

The day of The Salvation Army’s Birth or as we call it “Founder’s Day”, I thought it fitting to offer a pondering on who this army is.

We are an army of the broken.
This is not an insult, this is a complement…hear me out:

There are many who come to this Army to serve and to offer themselves, and they come with all of who they are. Many have stories that will break your heart. Many have grown up with all shapes and sizes of brokenness. Brokenness isn’t all that we are. This is how we lead. This is our catalyst that propels us and spurs us onward into this mighty fight, as we pull others who are broken – out of their brokenness through the power of The Holy Spirit. We are broken and yet because of this brokenness, we can be an effective Army for the Lord!

Jesus selected disciples who were not the best in their field.
These disciples also had stories.
They were not the most educated.
They were not top of their class.

Gideon was told by God to select an Army to fight the Midianites.
They started out as 22, 000 strong but ended up with only 300 warriors.
God used this small force to defeat an entire army.

God is still using the small, the weak, the burdened, the broken and the vulnerable.
In our weakness He is truly strong.
His marvelous acts become evidenced in transformed lives living for Him and serving Him every day within This Army of Salvation.

So, dear soldier of this Salvation Army,
do not be ashamed of your scars.
do not be embarrassed by your story.
do not think less of yourself because of your brokenness.
This is our Army!
This is how God works!
He takes our experiences, those hurts, those things that were meant to do us harm and cause is ill and makes them beautiful again! He restores us, and in the restoration process, we are sent out to help others who are broken, because we speak “broken”, we know “broken” and we can shine a light into the unspoken broken places of this world!

In recognition of our Founding today, may we continue to allow the Savior work within our hearts and lives. In our brokenness He is strong! Allow Him also to begin to restore you, as we desire the very image of Christ in our lives!

Happy Founder’s Day you Broken People of The Army – May God continue to Bless This Salvation Army!

July 3, 2016 1

Dear Salvation Army, Answering The Call

“Here is the principle – adapt your measures to the necessity of the people to whom you minister. You are to take the Gospel to them in such modes and circumstances as will gain for it from them a hearing.” –Catherine Booth.

How far do we go in answering the call for help?
Are we truly listening?
All around our communities, there are hurting people.
Regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances, our mission is to help, and in so doing, we can open the door to offering spiritual aide as well. But how far will we go? Do we still adapt our measures to the extreme of the need of people?

A Snoozing Army ?
Are we alert to the ever present need to adapt to our changing communities?
Are we awake? Or are we happily slumbering in an Army of bygone eras and rusting instruments in a chapel only marginally attended? This may sound harsh, but perhaps we have been caught snoozing. In our attempts to play “Church” which we are not, or more than – we have forgotten this principle plainly outlined by our Co-founder Catherine Booth. While we have been polishing our awards and photographs of yesteryear, we have lost sight of the present dangers ruling our streets and pulling the helpless into the very pit of hell, lined with addictions, abuse, pornography, apathy, hatred, human slavery, and all kinds of other horrors. Is this you? Is this me? I pray it is not. I pray if it is, we would wake up and recognize the reasons we may be dying are directly related to our missing vision and mission. Our origin story. Our principle for being an Army in the first place. To go for souls and go for the worst. To combat the forces of evil that still ravage our communities, and do so without fear of reprisals and attacks of the enemy.

I fear we have slipped because we have failed to adapt.
I fear we have stopped being revolutionary in our methods to reach the lost.
Perhaps we have grown too comfortable in our offices and in our perceived places of power and authority. Perhaps we have grown lax and lost some of our vigilant passion. If we are to continue winning souls for the kingdom, we won’t find them banging on our doors to be let into our Sunday services – No! We must adopt other means to seek souls out. William and Catherine Booth didn’t start the Christian mission in a pristine church ornately decorated with stained glass, NO! They went to the Pub, they went where no other church would go. Are we as bold as they were? Can we, perhaps, pray for such a boldness in our Army today? Oh Lord, grant us the courage to go where you send us, and the conviction to remain steadfast despite the intimidation of the evil one. For I fear that currently the evil one is perfectly happy with our lack of zeal in the streets, as we usher ourselves away quietly in our corps halls to worship and nothing more.

No, a new revolution must be waged!
A new passion for souls must be prayed for, not just in our hearts but in every soldier’s heart. This isn’t just an army that preserves a heritage of the yesteryear, this is an army that carves out its destiny in the present and future through faithfulness and reliance on the Holy Spirit! We must recognize this need! We must reorganize, realign, re-imagine and act upon this mission of ours! We are not an army to sit on our backsides and do nothing! No! We MUST be a forward moving army, who has accepted and adapted to this modern spiritual war we are in. We cannot capitulate, grow soft and comfortable – to do so will bring about our fall, and someone else will take our place! I say we still have a war to wage! I say we support our Officers not just in prayer but action. I say we support our Soldiers not just in flowery words on Sunday mornings behind the pulpit but with deep compassion, love, truth and by God’s authority. When we are united as one Army, we are so much more effective than just solitary entities running around in the streets trying to do good.

Are we ready?
Let’s Go!
Let’s fight to the very end!
Let’s continue to wage this war – and through God’s power, we will prevail in this generation…and the next!!!

Questions to ponder:
What can we do that is revolutionary to reach our community?
Are there “out of the box” methods we have yet to employ?
What is holding us back from employing them?
How much prayer to you devote to your mission and your community?
Are there burdens or unaddressed issues in your corps that need tending so that you can unite and move out into the streets?

I know it is easier said than done.
I know we all have so much to do.
I realize there are programs to “maintain”…but can we do ONE thing that impacts new lives for Christ? Can we focus on individuals, not numbers? Can we develop connections with people, not statistical figures? Perhaps set a goal with your corps council or your local officers…or even just with yourself – to make one impactful relationship in the next three months. Pray about who that will be. Ask the Lord to lead you to that one person…and watch out! When we are alert and aware of our surroundings, those people God places in our path will not be too hard to find.

Are you ready to answer that call?!

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

June 24, 2016 2

Dear Salvation Army, Baptism & The Great Commission?

^16″Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Salvation Army Doctrine #1: “We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.”

I do not mean to stir the waters, pun intended, but I have often wondered what your Salvationist response would be on this topic. I must confess that I have often struggled with reconciling our doctrine with the lack of fulfillment of the great commission as described in verse 19; “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Yes, I understand that we are non-sacramental in religious practice, but one wonders why even such a discussion often evokes the same response one might expect from a discovery of a sin issue. Seriously, it’s generally frowned upon, knee-jerk reactions abound every time Communion and Baptism are even mentioned. It almost seems like we treat such conversations as heresy and equate such talk to sin. Why is that?
Why such harsh attacks on even the mention of these religious practices?

I bring the topic of Baptism up today in this pondering so that we can dialogue together, so that we might bring a deeper understanding of our theology to the forefront and that we do not linger amongst the shallow answers of “Because that’s how we have always done things“…but why?

Historical Context:
We ought to recognize that Industrial England, the birth place of The Salvation Army, certainly had it dichotomy of the upper class and the poor. Many within the lower East-end would not have been welcome in The Church of that day. Also, within the lack of practice of Baptism and Communion, we know that our theological tradition precludes the need of such symbolic practices because we are “baptized by the Holy Spirit” and “The Sacrificial life is more important than participation in the Sacraments”. Understandably so, but I wonder if such staunch views have prohibited some in recent years of full membership? What I mean is, does our lack of practice or participation in these fundamental “Christian” elements, distract some would-be soldiers in joining our ranks? There are certainly many views on the subject. On one extreme – there are those within other denominations who feel since one was never “properly” Baptized they cannot claim to be Christians. And then on the other side of the spectrum, there are those who view practices of water baptism to be archaic and unnecessary.

So back to my original question…
If we believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice, Why do we fail to include parts of the “Great Commission”? Again I don’t mean to stir up controversy, but I would like us to answer this…I want you to help me fill in the content here that I struggle with. No, I don’t have a baptismal in my corps building, no I don’t baptize my members, but I’m curious how we decide to fulfill some of the “Divine rule of Christian faith and practice” while excluding others? Why is this topic so taboo?

Another question that comes to my mind then is this: Are we a fluid moving Army or are there somethings that cannot change within our structure and practice? I am in no way advocating we change our stance on Baptism or Communion; but is there a point where the reasons we refrained from such practices in another age and era should be reconsidered in another age and era? Would this be going backwards or progressing forward? Or perhaps there is too much emphasis on the baptism part and there ought to be more emphasis made on the “make disciples” component to the Great Commission. Perhaps this is the “happy middle”?

Again, I’m curious on your answers here.
As always, I look forward to the responses that sound off with shock and awe that such a question should ever be asked within the Army. Again, it is surprising to me how we often treat this topic as “hush, hush“, almost as if we’re talking about a sin. Why is that? Couldn’t we even deepen our understanding of our own doctrine by talking out-loud about such things and there by adding clarity to the topic for others? Also, I am not looking for a lecture here either, simply a dialogue and what your response might be on this specific topic.

Something more for the Army to ponder today, hopefully you don’t label me a heretic for even asking the question. Blessings on you today!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are not necessarily the opinions and views of The Salvation Army, but rather the writer’s own thoughts, questions and opinions expressed. Reader discretion is advised.

June 21, 2016 50

Category: Salvationist