Christmas Chaos Calmed By 4 Words…

In the early six am hour, I stumble from my bed. And my very first priority is to, with eyes half open – and long drawn out yawn, stand before the coffeepot with cup impatiently in hand.

Yesterday still reverberates and echos loudly in my ears, but I must be prepared for the onslaught that is this new day. What can I expect from this new one? Perhaps more hectic phone calls of fires I must put out? Most likely more kettle money to count, as well as a host of other public appearances…the day will eventually join all other days, which slowly blends and bleeds together becoming a cacophony of noise, fast driving, and not enough hours to complete every. single. task. It (my day) can become quite frustrating.

At the end of the day…

It is in the late night hour, when the lights have been extinguished, and the sounds of exhausted snores begin again, that I wonder if THIS is what I have signed up for? The restlessness, the anxiety, the stress, the responsibilities, the burden that they (whoever “they” are) has called the “mantle of leadership”. Is it worth it?

For I am drawn to the unfinished homework down the hall that my child needed my help on. That growing stack of dirty dishes, now elbow-high in the sink. The Mount Everest sized heap of laundry, a mix of colors and whites all blending together in some stained and stinky gym-socked odors that still remain downstairs- largely ignored. “T’is” the season” we say (laughing it off), as we run out the door having not eaten as much as we should and hoping we can spend more time with our children today than we did yesterday…or the day before that.

These are the things that guilt my slumber…but still I sleep (and snore), only to repeat the same maddening schedule all over again the next day, “Dear Lord, please either return today or make Christmas Eve speed up in my direction” I breathlessly, and continuously pray. This has become my mantra, my hope to cling to, my “light at the end of the tunnel” (which happens to sound a lot like the ringing of bells and the clanging of loose change from a crimson bucket).

I keep telling myself that this makes a difference, that what we do in these restless weeks matters, but it offers little comfort when fielding that phone call from an irate store manager, or a raging parent unsatisfied with the toys that we have to offer them (while we always put our best foot forward)…The mantra “We make a difference” is even a cold comfort when having to terminate another ringer for having sticky fingers and blatantly lying about it even when managers and customers have witnessed it a time or two.

Are we making a difference?
Am I making a difference?
Did I sign up for this?
Is this what God has asked us to do?
Better yet, am I really giving my all to God in the places and spaces that matter most?

And that’s when it hits me…
I have been going about this all wrong…
What is “this” you ask?

My attitude…
My motivation…
My determination…
My gifts and abilities…
ALL “MY”s….

But there are days when I must get away and recharge…
there are days when I must reconnect with the family…
there are days when priorities and responsibilities of ‘self’ wins out.

But here…
In this moment-
I feel the Holy Spirit breathe into me four simple words that strike the cord of truth deep within me. It lays to waste all of my hesitations, temptations, guilt and fears. It puts everything back together again. It restores my faith in humanity even after getting burned SO. MANY. TIMES…

He whispers those words into my busy day.
He whispers them into my chaotic heart and mind.
He whispers them and though the bell ringing continues, and the change from crimson buckets still falls, I find some clarity and solitude. (How ironic is that?!)

What are the four words you ask?
Perhaps it is something for all of us and all of our furious paced lives right now…

The words?

Thy Will Be Done…

Are you feeling the Christmas chaos yet?
Have you asked similar questions?
Do you feel the guilt of a crazy paced life right now?
You’re not alone!!

A Prayer We Can All Pray:
Lord, I want to be your servant today.
You know that I feel betrayed at times by those around me.
You know that I feel cheated out of a calmer life sometimes.
You understand the chaotic mess that is my life right now.
I pray your silent strength and shielded hope would surround me.
I pray you would increase as I decrease in all of these efforts today.
Grant me your strength and discernment for the tasks at hand.
Lead me Lord into Thy will.
-Amen.

Something more to ponder today!
By the way….you got this!
God Bless you!

December 8, 2016 3

Dear Salvation Army, Why Not Alcohol?

It might seem like an open and shut question to you, but it is certainly more complicated than that.

Scripture does not condemn the consumption of alcohol, many times it calls for the drinking of wine in celebration and as medicine (for Timothy – 1 Timothy 5:23). Of course, there is the warning of drinking too much wine – ^‘Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…”(Ephesians 5:18). Even the disciples and Jesus drank wine. Some will contest that the wine of Jesus’ day was not very potent when it came to its alcohol content…but it still contained alcohol.

Some might contest that the position statement of The Salvation Army on alcohol is not necessarily based on Scripture, but rather societal experience:

“The Salvation Army encourages an alcohol free lifestyle as a way of enhancing the well being and health of all people. As a witness to this, Salvation Army soldiers choose to live an alcohol free life. The Salvation Army recognises the harm alcohol causes in individuals, families and communities. It advocates for reducing the consumption of alcohol, and it offers its services to support and restore people negatively impacted by alcohol use.” (The Salvation Army International Position Statement: “Alcohol in Society”)

It should also be noted that many other denominations have a similar view on alcohol and their church members.

Some might then ask the question “Why not alcohol?”
What harm could it do?
Perhaps it opens the door…
Perhaps it makes one vulnerable…

Sometimes I wonder why we don’t talk much about the use of Alcohol?

History:
The Booths, upon founding the Christian Mission, and subsequently The Salvation Army, witnessed the effects of alcohol on society, especially the poor. Children were literally stumbling out of bars drunk. It was a blight on the east end of London.
How could one stand by and witness a whole generation of people ruining their lives by drink? Thus, one of the pillars of soup, soap, salvation was teetotaling discipline.

The Present:
I serve in a corps that is surrounded by drunks.
Just across the street is a closed liquor store, and in front of it an even bigger now OPEN liquor store. There is nothing innately wrong with that liquor store. That store owner works hard to support his family. BUT what is wrong is that this store is located in one of the poorest neighborhoods in our community – right across from The Salvation Army. On the other side of our corps, kitty-corner to us, is a Bar…

We witness the habitual effects of alcoholism in our very parking lot, when we have to pick up a drunkard (almost daily) and escort him/her to a detox location. It is disheartening to see the utter waste of human life devoured by the bottle. It is very sad to see families ripped apart because of abuse brought on by intoxication and poverty due to the supporting of a habit.

There is nothing wrong with alcohol, but there IS something broken with people, and there is a genetic disposition to addictions…

Drinking is not a sin, although we as The Salvation Army certainly treat it that way…mainly because we receive many who have lost it all because of the affects of alcoholism. That liquor establishment across the street near my corps, is not illegal or wrong, but the affects it has had upon the poor in our neighborhood certainly does not make it right either. Our city will benefit from those tax revenues, but we unfortunately must meet human need in the streets that are bent and broken by it.

My family, a few generations ago, struggled with alcoholism…
My wife’s family has history of alcoholism in it…

Statistics:

100,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes: drinking and driving crashes, other accidents, falls, fires, alcohol-related homicides and suicides. (NCAAD)

Of the 3.9 million Americans who received treatment for a substance abuse problem in 2005, 2.5 million of them were treated for alcohol use. (Drug Free World)

Teen alcohol use kills 4,700 people each year – that’s more than all illegal drugs combined. (MADD)
(Source: https://talbottcampus.com/2015-alcoholism-statistics/)

So…
why not alcohol?
You tell me.
Tell us what YOU think as we explore this topic today.

Something more to ponder today.

Additional Links to check out:
Tom Canfield Story

November 19, 2016 17

Dear Salvation Army, Is Policy Killing Our Mission?

“There’s no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another.”
― E.B. White.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
― Confucius

Today I would like us to ponder policy and if we have become so policy heavy that as a movement, are we at risk of killing our forward momentum and even our mission?

Like any organization, church, or movement, as they grow they develop more investments to protect and preserve…is that where we as The Salvation Army are today? Could it be possible that we are more concerned with the progress that we have already made as an Army? Are we afraid to push ever forward because of past investments, government monies and grants that have tied our hands and now prevent us from serving God to the fullest? Are we to the point that we must protect dying programs because they have always existed instead of risking it all and doing what the Lord is calling us to do?

And what of policies, regulations? Have we internally bound our hands so tightly within rules and regulations that we can no longer effectively be “Saved to Serve”? Now, before you write me a nasty note (again) and chastise me for this question, please know that I am in no way seeking anarchy within our ranks. I know we have rules and orders that we must abide by, but sometimes I wonder if we have made our organization SO complicated with regulations and rules that we have become like the ancient Greek Senate that could never make a rapid decision as their kingdom fell around them by outside forces.

I don’t believe we are there yet, but could this path that we are on currently be killing our movement? Has policy become the passion killer in our Army…and just like a stringent weed-killer, has it killed the fruit-bearing plants along with the weeds?

There was a time that William Booth would pull up its corps/outposts because it wasn’t working in that community…today it would take over a year (at least) to close a dying or dead corps and plant a new one elsewhere. I understand that there are many variables to consider, I know we have so many more hoops to jump through, and the right forms must be submitted, and the right studies have to be done…and the list goes on…and it is far too complicated, perhaps more complicated than it ever should’ve been. I wonder if this is why we aren’t growing anymore? Because our hands are bound by massive amounts of red tape and far too many hands have to touch the paperwork as it passes over many desks at various levels of responsibility. Is it no wonder that some just given up? Is it no wonder that some grow frustrated at the snail’s pace? Granted we ought never make rash, uninformed decisions, but are there times when the amount of red tape becomes utterly ridiculous?

Could this be why younger evangelistic churches seem to be having more success in growing their church plants – because they have far fewer restraints and hoops to jump through? The building process doesn’t take 3-5 years, instead they work a church plant that tithes and contributes to the building campaign? I understand we are not just a church (we are so much more – we are a movement)…but are we a stalled movement in this regard? Or is this the proverbial story of the tortoise and the hare, where wisdom and time win out?

Policy Keepers & Creative Challengers
Sometimes I feel that we as an Army have become so policy heavy that we strangle creativity and the potential for real, sustainable growth. The problem is like this scale, too heavy a balance of policy keepers will lead to a diminished level of creative challengers. On the other side of the scale, too many creative challengers will lead to a diminished level of policy keepers and lack of order and policy.
We need both!! Without a healthy level (and balance) of both types of people in our Army, we face a lopsided army and a potentially failed mission.

I hope I am not painting a dismal picture within this pondering today, because that is never my intent. I am simply curious if we will reach a turning point where we think smarter instead of working harder within our structure of this movement. This Army of Salvation should be a powerful tool for Christ in this world, but I fear there is a tipping point of balance happening. The kind of imbalance that places restraints we that prevent us from reaching our full potential. Have we presently become an army too afraid of upsetting our investments and our previous accomplishments? There must come a point in which we admire the past and our rich heritage, but also press forward as a movement and focus on generations still in need of help, hope and salvation! A healthy balance of both the policy keepers and the creative challengers must be present.

Perhaps we have taken our focus off of the mission and exchanged it for regulations and rules.
Perhaps, in some places, we have exchanged mission for overly creative risks that have created a polarizing mission and have completely missed the mark.
Could it be that we are not fully relaying on the Holy Spirit for our guidance?
Perhaps we must reevaluate why we do what we do within our mission and purpose.
I hope this makes sense to you. I hope this finds its mark.

If we are not serving suffering humanity in the name of Christ through the things we do then we must shift our priorities and refocus it. Perhaps it’s time to uncomplicate things.

Tell us what YOU think? Do you identify as a Policy Keeper or a Creative Challenger…or Both?
How can we uncomplicate things? In your opinion, does policy sometimes overrule and supersede mission, or do you find that the opposite true? Let us know what you think, we value your comments!

Something more for our Army to ponder today.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are not necessarily the opinions and views of The Salvation Army’s but the writer’s own opinions…reader discretion is advised.

November 15, 2016 4

4 Dangers Of Autocratic Leadership In The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is modeled after the British Armed Forces…its model from uniform to leadership is very similar. Officers, when under orders, must move to new appointments based on need and abilities. When orders are passed down, by and large they are expected to be followed. This is understood entering a college for officer’s training to become an officer. Cadets and Officers are expected to submit to authority…but what happens when that authority is abused or misused? Does that happen in The Salvation Army? Like any organization or movement, we openly acknowledge that people, even leaders are fallible and are still vulnerable to making mistakes. But what happens when mistakes go unchecked or unaddressed? Who holds leadership accountable?

This style of leadership can be useful, especially when decisions must be made and the movement is at risk. It is most effective when it is used to empower, encourage, validate and serve those that leadership leads… Autocratic or Authoritative leadership can provide a clear, concise direction and vision. This style is evident not only in a Divisional or Territorial, National or International setting, but it is also evident to some degree in individual corps, harbor lights, ARC’s and other appointments. Each of these locations autocratic leadership is usually found – and with it at times, abuse of that model can take place. Please note that I don’t say “will” but I merely leave it open to the possibility.

“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.”
― John Steinbeck

Ponder This:
But what happens when autocratic leadership does fail and/or is abused?

4 Dangers Of Autocratic Leadership In The Salvation Army:

1. Disagreement Leads To Punishment
“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

In an absolute authoritative leadership model, if followers or those subservient to the leader disagree and are outspoken about it they are punished. Even in The Salvation Army, this can happen. New appointments are given or created to mute or limit those voices of dissent. It must be noted here that our army has many instances in our brief history of dissension among the ranks from the very beginning. Historically, even in the founder’s day Ballington and Maud Booth were practically excommunicated from the army when they refused to take another appointment away from the U.S. Thus they left The Salvation Army and began their work as the Volunteers of America. Understandably there is more to this story, but even then family couldn’t disagree with the authority of the Army without fear of reprisal or punishment. Does this still happen today if one were to disagree with the current vision or a decision made by leadership?

In the autocratic model of leadership, a chief danger of such a model is the fear of ever having a dissenting opinion because it could be construed to mean one is insubordinate or perhaps lacking submission altogether. But perhaps there are times when disagreement proves commitment to mission over authority. By that I mean there are times when boots on the ground understand situations of community needs and the furtherance of the movement far better than those in leadership because they have a front row seat and they have their hands directly in those community pots and engage daily with direct services.

The abuse of the autocratic leadership model begins with a zero tolerance for disagreement and the repaying of such engagement with punishments or reassignment or appointment.

2. Talent Flees and Mediocrity Remains
When this abuse is allowed to continue, and it does from time to time, there is inevitably a loss of talent. By that I mean some within the ranks of soldiers and officers alike might leave. Why would they stick around when abusive leadership would seem to go unpunished or addressed and instead is rewarded and only those who are completely complicit to that leadership style are given appointments of authority themselves? In essence an abusive autocratic style will promote the “yes” people, while those with talent (and who had the passion and zeal) but did not always agree might never be rewarded or acknowledged. What could remain would be a hollowed out version of an organization. It wouldn’t be the vision that failed but rather the internal issues of the organization that cannibalized itself.

3. Buy-In Is Limited
“Growth inside fuels growth outside.” – John Maxwell

When abused, autocratic leadership limits the buy-in for the follower or subordinate. In our Army the buy-in for a soldier at a corps who is not invested in but instead ignored would be grossly limited. Why would they want to participate or engage in the vision if they were not included in the initial vision casting in the first place, but instead the authoritative officer controlled everything? The buy-in on such a model is a malnourished form of commitment to those in the corps council and anyone else wishing to make a difference in this movement.

This example is true from the soldier in the corps all the way up to IHQ.
If corps members, office staffs, corps officers, divisional officers, territorial officers aren’t allowed some investment and ownership within the movement and have some say in how it can continue to be relevant and innovative then disillusionment and abandonment could soon follow. Why waste their time when the decision will be made for them? Why invest of themselves when they will inevitably be told what to do anyway?

An abusive autocratic system will leave constituent left behind and or abandoned altogether.

4. Generational Losses
“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” — General George Patton

Dictators of militant nations who rule by fear, will eventually have a younger generation growing up in anger and frustration and eventually revolt will ensue. This is an extreme example, but the iron-fisted autocratic leadership model might bring along a generation or two, but eventually a younger generation will rise up and consider this model to be antiquated and disconnected with reality. They might become disenfranchised and disillusioned and seek out other ways to serve and be useful in society. In The Salvation Army, perhaps the style of leadership that was once useful to us as a movement in its infancy is not longer what is needed today. Some might say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but what if it is in some ways broken and in need of fixing (or modifying) but we’re just ignoring the systemic issue because it seems a titanic, daunting challenge? Could it be that the younger generation is leaving the Church (big C) in general because of disillusionment and inconsistency in leadership and vision? Is society just the scapegoat?

Could abuses of the autocratic or authoritative leadership model be affecting our movement today? This is a very big question, I know that, but isn’t there a part of you that wonders if we shouldn’t even ask the question in the first place? Why is that? Do we fear that if we ask it we might face punishment or be considered “rebels”? I believe a healthy movement is one who has innovative, creative and outspoken members. A movement is just that, something that continues moves forward, not backward. A healthy movement should be one that accepts constructive criticism and takes corrective steps when needed. A healthy movement is propelled not by unhealthy models of leadership and fear, but by the Holy Spirit prompting and leading His followers onward into the fray.

Can abuses happen in our Army? Yes, and I believe they still do! From the lowly corps ministry all the way up, but I do not believe it is the norm and I am hopeful that such trappings can be avoided with prayerful consideration, holy living and servant leadership always at the forefront.

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

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

Disclaimer:
The thoughts and opinions expressed here are the writer’s own thoughts and opinions and do not necessarily reflect that of The Salvation Army as an organization and movement…reader discretion is advised.

October 18, 2016 13

Dear Salvation Army, What’s The Reason For The Holiness Table?

Why do we have this large table in the front of our sanctuaries? What is it for? Is it for decoration? Is it to accompany the old modesty rails? What purpose does it serve?

Have you ever wondered these questions? -So have I!
So I pondered on this, I did a little digging…and here’s what I know:

Phoebe Palmer’s “Altar Theology”

Sometimes we see the term “theology” and automatically stop paying attention because some theologies are either so convoluted and dry or they are way too complicated. Palmer’s Altar Theology is neither. In fact, it is the very life-blood which gave birth to The Salvation Army’s Holiness theology. Much of who we are, theologically, can be traced to the turn of the century Holiness/Higher Life Movements. These evangelists, Palmer being a major contributor, incorporated a major focal point in their service: a call to take a stand, come forward to the Holiness Altar and receive the second blessing, i.e. Entire Sanctification. This was less a place of kneeling (like our modern day Altar) and more a place to literally take a stand and receive this second blessing.

A lot has changed since the days of Palmer, yet this Holiness table still remains, but predominantly in the United States and England.

Is The Holiness Table Just A Relic Now?
Few understand its significance anymore.
Very little is taught on it. Is it still important to the Army, or is it just a relic of a bygone era?
This table has now become a place to put flowers, where the offering plates most likely reside, and perhaps a very large Bible with illustrated pictures. Have we lost some of our understanding of Holiness because we no longer understand what a Holiness Table is for?

Major Phil Davisson, author of Revelation: A non-scary approach Volume 1 put it this way when I asked him about the Holiness Table;
“We should teach about holiness but emphasize Coutts (General Frederick Coutts) more…The table itself has had little resonance because it has become a display table, and because no one–neither soldiers nor officers–have a very deep experiential knowledge of holiness living, and have been put off by second-blessing / second work of grace confusions…” Could it be that our lack of teaching is to blame for its near extinction?

Major Jim Garrington recently told me that he himself has given little to no thought of the Holiness Table itself and stresses the education of our soldiers as a must have in worship. If we are to use it, our soldiers ought to know what is going on. He went on to say that he is more interested in the outcomes and less the methodology of getting there. I would tend to agree with Major Garrington, as well as the thoughts of Major Davisson.

Am I making too much of this modern day center piece?
I requested more information from other scholars and historians of The Salvation Army and very few responded to my requests, which makes me wonder even more as to its perceived relevance in our modern worship and/or even historian’s understanding of such an item. Perhaps it is understood that the Altar (mercy seat) has, in some way, taken the place of the Holiness table as the site of repentance and commitment (or re-commitment to Christ)…but what of the Holiness table then? Has it become a sacred cow of sorts? A glorified decoration table?

Steve Simms, author of Beyond Church: The Lost Word Of The Bible – Ekklesia, is also a faithful Soldier with the rank of Sargent (Envoy) in the Nashville Tennessee area; I asked Steve his take on the Holiness Table, its significance in our Army today. Here’s what he said; “Personally I believe the holiness table was “sacramental” for the early Salvationists (in the best sense of the word). It was a physical object (location) that they could approach to help them release their faith beyond their physical environment and circumstances and touch the supernatural presence of the living, resurrected Jesus…Thus, the table itself is not the goal. The goal is to go beyond the table, encounter, and surrender to the living Jesus…Although the early Salvationists set aside the official sacraments of church, they (unintentionally, I believe) raised other things to the level of sacraments. Truth is, sacramental objects and/or actions are not supposed to be the center of attention. Their purpose is merely to lift our attention beyond our natural surroundings and focus it on the real presence of the living Christ. Once we are enthralled in the presence of Jesus, those things fade into the background. (examples of things treated like sacraments in TSA are the holiness table, the uniform, the soldier’s covenant, and various ceremonies we conduct.”

Steve raises an excellent point here as well!
Perhaps in exploring and even maintaining the Holiness Table we have inadvertently made it a sacramental item – and something it was never intended to be. Also, Garrington’s point is further solidified by Simms, in that it was never about the object, or in this case, the furniture in our worship halls – it is, and always should be, about the very presence of God living amongst His people. The outcome of worship, and every element within, should point to a glorified Christ preparing us to be like Him in every way!

Steve Bussey, who wrote an extensive article on the History of the Holiness Table entitled Discovering The Origin of the Holiness Table , and with whom I hope to interview next time, writes this at the end of his article that I believe summarizes where I believe we stand currently, “General Paul Radar is quoted Nigel Bovey in The Mercy Seat Revisited (2010) as saying, “The presence of the Holiness Table is a constant reminder of the central importance of the holiness of heart in the life of our Movement – a reminder that we are and must be a holiness movement. Ours is a gospel of Blood and Fire!” (p.90)

Army Ponderings Continued…
I do not believe we have finished this discussion, I believe we have only just begun.
Next time, I will have some additional contributors as we delve further into this topic.
But for now here are somethings to ponder:
* Is the Holiness Table still significant in modern worship?
* Do we inadvertently make certain objects and practices into our own sacraments – even though we perceive ourselves to be non-sacramentalists?
* Should we educate our soldiers and officers more about the Holiness Table and perhaps even reconsider our Holiness Approach and make more of an effort to circulate more of General Coutt’s ‘take’ on holiness?
* Where do we go from here? Do we remove the Holiness Tables from our halls if they have become decorating tables? Or do we overlook this so that our outcomes and focal point is always Christ?

Something more for our Army world to ponder today!
For more reading on this subject, please check out these sources:
Discovering the Origin of The Holiness Table – By Steve Bussey
Called to be God’s People – by Robert Street
Articles & Blog – by Steve Simms
Phoebe Palmer’s Altar Theology – by Lampstand Restoration
Phoebe Palmer History – by Barbara A. Howie

October 11, 2016 5

5 Ways To Combat Salvation Army Burnout…

With all of the news of mega church pastors leaving, taking sabbaticals and burning out, I thought it fitting to discuss helpful ways that The Salvationist can combat burnout as well. Burnout is real, it is not something imagined or evidence of a weaker person simply giving up. We all face exhaustion from time to time, and we also face critical, stressful situations that leave us looking for the exit sign…trust me, I’ve been there on numerous occasions.

But as an Officer and Salvationist, we have a mission to serve, but what if along the way we face difficulties, discouragements, and suffer depression and loss of passion? What then? I can assure you this is nothing new, and many have been to this point…many have also walked away because of it.

I will also boldly say that The Salvation Army must recognize some of the lasting structural inconsistencies. The quasi military approach that once thrived is not as appealing as it once was to a very individualistic thriving culture. Sometimes old models of leadership need to be challenged in order for real change to take place and so that we can once again get back to mission instead of policy. So, right off the bat, understand the Titanic turning of a large, global organization (movement) is daunting and sometimes frustrating to face.

Harvard Business Review had an article that identified six virtues of a dream company, which was compiled by hundreds of business executives. For our purposes, imagine this “dream company” to be The Salvation Army…see if these virtues match:

1. You can be yourself
2. You’re told what’s really going on.
3. Your strengths are magnified.
4. The company stands for something meaningful.
5. Your daily work is rewarding.
6. Stupid rules don’t exist.
(Source: HBR Article Link)

Apart from the organizational issues, what can individual salvationists do to combat burnout while serving within its ranks (soldier, officer, employee ect.)? Here are just five ways to combat burnout in our Army. Take them for what they are, a primer that allows us to face real life issues happening all around us. This is just a “starter list”…there is much more that can be said within this topic.

5 Ways To Prevent Salvation Army Burnout:

1. Have an Identity apart from the Army
Sometimes this goes against conformity doesn’t it? We are told to dress alike, be of one army, one mind, yet we are also people who need to know who we are as God’s children who are called by Him. We must find out who we are apart from the uniform, apart from the mission. Sometimes this requires us to take a step back and reevaluate who we are and why we do the things we do. Self identity is vital to combating burnout because without knowing who we are we can become washed away by the powerful tides of stress that are rampant in any organization. When you go home, when you spend recreational time away – be yourself!

2. Find Hobbies To Enjoy
Not everything is about mission sometimes (gasp!), in order to combat burnout is a fast paced thriving movement such as the Army, we must be able to relax from time to time. Some are excellent wood workers and carpenters and they relax by doing what they love. If you paint – then paint. If you enjoy geocaching, then get out and do that! Find things to enjoy, to look forward to on your next unscheduled day. Plan for these hobbies. Be intentional in taking the time to enjoy them. This will enable you to disconnect from the everyday stress of “work”.

3. Leave Your Work At The Office!!
Seriously, we have a lot of work-a-holics in our Army. That’s not all bad. Hard work is wonderful! But when it jeopardizes your families, when they don’t know who you are anymore because you constantly work, there is something wrong with that! I would even go out on a limb and tell you overworking yourself is a sin. STOP IT! When you can, leave the work at the office. This will not always happen, I know that, but when you can leave it! Combating burnout requires us to take drastic steps, and for some of us, leaving unfinished work at the office is very, very drastic!

4. Switch Things Up!
We all get stuck in ruts sometimes. So change up your schedule. Go for a walk, spend more time talking to people instead of staring at your computer screen. Flip your schedule so that some of your work gets done at the end of the day. Do something different so that the ruts are broken, and in so doing, you might experience a little bit of perspective within your day. When you do this, take time to breathe. I own an apple watch and I laughed at first at the new update on it. It’s a new app called “Breathe”…what it does is remind me to take a full minute and focus on my breathing. It was dumb at first, but then I started doing it, I switched up my schedule in the process…but now I look forward to that moment where I just breathe and relax. Combating burnout in your life takes an effort to switch some things up. So don’t just talk about it…do it!!

5. Take Your Sabbath Seriously!
This, I consider to be one of the biggest sins in our Army.
Far too few of us really take a Sabbath. Yes, it’s our day off, but we’re still “catching up” on work. If God rested on the seventh day, don’t you think we should too? Or are we essentially saying, “I’m better than God” in our actions? When you plan your Sabbath days – TAKE THEM! Don’t bring work or ministry into your Sabbath! This is the time that you need personally to recharge your “batteries”. You need to plug yourself back into the Power source which is God Himself! Whatever that reconnection looks like to you, don’t take it for granted! Get alone with God, find the time, stop sinning in overwork and do it! If we really want to combat burnout, we must begin to realize just how important that Sabbath is for us. It’s not just another day off, it is a day (or a matter of hours) to recharge and rest.

I know that there are other ways that will help combat burnout, what are some tools that you have used in your ministry? What has helped you? Why not share them here and help all of us as we ponder this together! As always, thanks for reading! Something more for our Army to ponder today!

God Bless you!

September 14, 2016 3

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!