Perspectives Day #3 Featuring Major Leti Crowell

Perspective on God’s Timing- Is He Slow or is He Patient?

Ingredients of the Soul

2 Peter 3:9 (New Living Translation)

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

Value Meal

John Wesley says this about God; “Therefore “he is long-suffering:” he gives us space for repentance, without any inconvenience to himself.” How wonderful to know that God always wants the best for us. So what is the best for us and how is repentance best for us? He wants all His children to enter the Kingdom. I look at it this way, when I make a mistake, big or small it changes me for the worse and I feel horrible and full of remorse, so when I ask God to forgive me I not only ask Him to forgive me, I ask Him to change me and not back to how I was before my mistake but to change me and make me even better. It’s simple, I want to practice living my life here on earth as I will live it in heaven. God wants that for all of us, to change us for the better to not be destroyed and wind up in eternal hell but to have an eternal life in the kingdom of His Heaven. We can never understand God’s timing in the moment of our petitions to Him but we do come to realize His timing when our petitions have been answered. How wonderful to know that he is not being slow but being patient on our behalf His promise will happen in His time and when it does we must be ready.

Prayer

Dear God, How amazing it is to me that you are patient for us. A thousand years is to one day for you. You give us chance after chance to get it right. Thank you for sending your Son our only way to you so that we can confess our sins to Him. Amen.

November 19, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army Officer…

I wanted to talk with my fellow Officers for a moment today.

Just a simple dialogue.

Success:
Spoken or unspoken there is, within our officership, this need to prove ourselves worthy of more responsibilities and ministries to the point of unholy ambitions in our Army. I am not saying don’t work hard, don’t do your best but if our intention is to “outshine” other fellow officers…If our intention is to “look better” than everyone else…if our intention is aimed at solely pleasing our leaders regardless of how we do that…we will have aimed at the wrong goals.

Outcome Based Success…
Much of the time, our success seems to be based upon “goal oriented” outcomes. In a business world this is understandable because in the business world they deal with numbers and figures. Our primary purpose as an Army and as officers is for people and helping those people with the physical and the spiritual needs. We cannot simply use goal oriented outcomes. There is a danger of seeking success solely through these means of outcomes. The danger is that we can lose focus on the very people we are attempting to save and serve. It is often a fine line to walk.

What if we feel Unsuccessful in an Appointment?
What happens, dear officers, when all that we feel about the place that we have been appointed to is failure and defeat? What occurs in our hearts? Is our self-worth tied up completely in living and dying by some sort of “success” meter in Officership? If we do not have 100+ people coming to Holiness meetings on Sunday mornings then we are utter failures as officers? Is that how we are to view appointments? More than likely, on average, your Sunday services are a lot less than 100 people. But why do we play the numbers game and think this is our measure of self-worth? Were we misled to think this way?

I do remember coming out of Training College sort of living and breathing the song “We’re gonna fill, fill fill the world with glory! We’re gonna smile, smile smile and not frown…” But then the real world hit me square in the face. The world, where in order for some people to receive the glory, hard work and love needs to take place first. We serve in a mighty army but many that we serve are hurting, broken, spiritually wounded and stunted. Miracles do happen but we cannot expect this calling to be a cake walk either.

But Be Encouraged…
Although we face a lot of difficulties as Officers and often times we take the burdens of others home with us, we are not alone in this fight! We are soldiers and we serve, first and foremost, the Commander of this Army – Jesus Christ! He has commissioned those Christ-followers to make disciples…and in our Army, perhaps this translates to one or two people in our corps right now. Perhaps it’s not so much about absolute victory in our communities right now, but rather the healing and restoration of a few hurting souls that we already know.

Let earthly success worry about itself…take off that heavy burden that sometimes has been thrust upon us by misleading notions of heavenly success. Let’s do our best, but don’t forget to keep the main thing the main thing in the process. Losing sight of our principle relationship to the Lord ~~can~~ will cause us to lose sight of every other priority!

We are One Army…be encouraged dear Officer, we serve a mighty God who will provide us the means and direction for the future with and sometimes in spite of those who lead the way.

Something more to ponder today in our Army.
To God Be The Glory!

November 18, 2014 3

Perspectives Day #2 Featuring Captain Deb Thompson

“CREATION STORY”
By Captain Deb Thompson

“The Canvas And Paint Already Existed, But… The Painting Was Created”

I was raised in a home that taught that all Scripture was to be taken literally. It seems like a popular way of interpreting Scripture. It’s also an extremely dangerous way of interpreting, especially when a specific passage was intended by the author to be read differently. For example, one such passage that is often taken literally, in a desire to refute science, is the first chapter of Genesis. This chapter was never written to be taken literally, nor was it ever meant to argue Evolution in its original context.

Currently, I’m taking a college course in Pentateuch and it has challenged me to look at Creation in a completely new way, by looking at it through the eyes of the original readers.

The first thing to note is that creation stories involving deity/deities were not rare in the Ancient Near East. Mesopotamian, Akkadian, and Egyptian were cultures that had their own creation stories as well, just to name a few. The sole purpose of creation stories was to answer the big questions of life, “Do/does gods/God exist?”, “Why is there a human race?”, and “Do/does gods/God interact with humanity?” Genesis 1, in the form of the Creation Story, gives us the answers to these questions.

The first two verses of Genesis were extremely eye-opening for me. I grew up hearing that verse 2 is where we see the fall of Satan, although, there is no mention of Satan falling out of Heaven in this passage or anywhere else in The Bible, for that matter. One thing we want to take into account is that in the Ancient Near East, people weren’t interested in the structure of the Earth, as much as they were interested in the function of the Earth. Therefore, the original readers wouldn’t have read Genesis 1 to tell them how the Earth came into existence (as we read it in our culture today), but instead, they would have read Genesis 1 to tell them about what the Earth’s functions and roles were. Most importantly, the Earth’s function was to be God’s Temple where God’s people were to worship and serve Him. Later, in the Old Testament, we see this concept illustrated by the Tabernacle and then through the three Temples. This order, function, and role came out of chaos, or as the second verse states, had been “formless…empty… darkness… deep”.

Next, let’s move onto the word, “create”. “Create”, in the original Hebrew is “bara” which means to, “create, shape, form”. When we read the word, “create” we often confuse it with the word, “manufacture”. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch explains the difference between these two words with the example of art. We manufacture paints and canvases, but to paint a picture is to create a function and purpose for the paints and the canvases, and to create a painting is the role of an artist. Therefore, the manufactured item is the day and night, but the function of it is time, and the purpose of time is to fill it with worship and service to God. Therefore, to create time was the role of the Almighty God, and He is powerful enough to create time out of the pre-existing chaos. The original readers would not have read this as a structured 24 hour period being manufactured, but rather to answer what was the function and purpose God created for the 24 hour period.

Another intriguing phrase to look at in the Creation Story is, “and God saw that it was good.” Throughout the book of Genesis we read God “seeing” and in response “providing” for those He saw. One example is in Genesis 16 with the story of Hagar and the near death of Ishmael from thirst while in the desert. Hagar names Elohim as “the God who sees me” and she names the water well, which was provided for Ishmael, “Beer Lahai Roi” respectfully.

At first glance, having a God who sees may not seem too important; however, I think there is something extremely significant in it. I have a passion for Deaf Ministry, and something I have read in several places is that sometimes Deaf can feel like they cannot communicate with God because us hearing people like to use clichés such as, “hearing God’s voice”, “listening to God” and “taking time to speak to God”. However, to inform a Deaf person that God sees us, then communication is provided for everyone. There’s significance in knowing that God not only hears us, but sees us too!

The second half of the phrase tells us that what God saw was good. I had always thought this meant that it was good for God; however, that isn’t why it was good. This phrase isn’t listed after everything that was created, only things that were created good for mankind. For example, after the creation of light and after the creation of land, it is said to be good because it is beneficial for mankind.

God creates man and woman in His image. Man and woman have the roles of ruling over creation (fish, birds, animals, etc…) and to multiply. Humanity was also created to commune and have relationship with God. This is important because other creation stories (as discussed earlier) have other purposes for humanity, such as one saying that humanity are to be slaves to the gods, alone. To have a relationship with God was pretty unique to the Genesis 1 story.

Well, actually, there are a lot of things that are unique about the Creation Story of Genesis 1 that we don’t find in other creations stories. For example, our Creation Story is monotheistic, meaning “one God”. And since it’s monotheistic, it’s a peaceful, beautiful, and simple story. All other creation stories were polytheistic, meaning “many gods”. Their creation stories are complex and tell of wars and violence between the gods. Genesis 1 starts out with, “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth…” There is no explanation of where God came from because He wouldn’t be confused with other gods, and more so, because He is eternal. Other cultures had to give an explanation of where their gods began.

In conclusion, the number one purpose of the Creation Story found in Genesis 1 was to be theological and to teach the Jews about the Hebrew God and the functions, purposes, and roles He gives to creation. Genesis 1 was not written to teach of the structure or the manufacturing of creation. If we take this passage literally, we miss out on theology and a deep understanding of God that sets the tone for the rest of Genesis, and consequently, the rest of The Bible.

In conclusion, I believe science explains the manufacturing of Earth, and Genesis gives Earth a purpose and function. I believe science answers how the Earth is structured, and Genesis tells me how it functions. I believe science tells me how it all began, but Genesis tells me what the purpose of it all is. I believe science cannot answer Genesis’ questions and Genesis’ question cannot answer science’s questions. I believe science and Genesis complement one another.

I am the heart, You are the heartbeat

I am the eyes, You are the sight

I see clearly I am just the body, You are the life

I move my feet I go through the motions, but You give purpose a chance

I am the dancer; You are the Lord of the Dance

–“Lord of the Dance”, Steven Curtis Chapman–

November 18, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army, The Shunned

I have written a little bit about this topic before:
Officership, A Calling for a lifetime?

But…
It’s an assumed notion.
Something that we do not generally speak of in our Army, and yet it dates back to our founders, William and Catherine Booth. What of the shunned?

What do I mean by ‘shunned’ you ask?
In Booth’s day some disagreements led to the departure of family members from The Salvation Army. William considered this to be abandoning the cause. Our founding general in a very real sense shunned these family members and no one was to have anything to do with them. It didn’t just end there, however, for when family members (not Ballington Booth he is buried in New York) did not please the family with their choice of ‘leaving the work’, were in essence even shunned in death and were not allowed to be buried with William and Catherine Booth at Abney Park cemetery in London. Some of these members are buried in the same cemetery but there was explicit instruction as to not allow them to be facing William and Catherine.

I seriously doubt (I hope) that our Army “shunning” doesn’t go that deep today, but it is still present. It is in the unspoken glances. The momentary intake of breath when a former officer is seen. The look of uncertainty as to what to say. “How have you been?” “What’s new with you?“…these pleasantries just don’t seem to cut it.

Perhaps there is a disconnect between commonalities now…sometimes.
The accepted methods for “dealing” with those who have left the work varies. Some soldiers and officers are very compassionate and display grace and love and sensitivity in such situations. Others do not.

The Hypocrisy:
It is rather easy to chalk all who have left “the work” as abandoners of the faith. But are they? Do you really know this? Or, do we sometimes make hypocritical judgement of situations and circumstances that we know nothing about. I would call that ignorance at the very least.

Others would simply say “well they knew what they were getting into when they signed their covenant as an officer…” Well, “yes” and “no”. I am sure many who have signed the covenant have done so with the best of intentions. Many who have committed to the cause at that time thinking this was all that they wanted to do in their lives. There were some who, I am convinced, didn’t truly know what they were getting into even after the rigors of Officer’s training. You see the real world begins following the service of appointment. The real world doesn’t look much like the bubble that is training college. It isn’t the college’s fault…they do their very best to prepare us, but some training has to take place in situations that have many variables and consequences other than a grade in a class.

I think we ought to be careful of hypocrisy in our Army when we rush to judge those who have decided to make difficult life decisions that do not include Officership anymore. It isn’t black and white, right and wrong. Life, unfortunately has more color schemes than these. The assumed notion that all officers who have left or are leaving are due to sin issues or terminations is also hypocritical and ignorant. Opportunities come to some former officers and they choose to leave to pursue something else. There is life after officership believe it or not. There are other ministries as well other than the Army ministry.

We partner with pastors in almost all the communities that The Salvation Army is in…what if that pastor is a former officer? Can we say “well they weren’t truly called?” Um…no we can’t. In fact how dare we say something like that. Who are we to judge the lives of others, especially if their decision had nothing to do with sin or moral failures.

Questions:
Do we actively shun people who have left the work today?
Do we shun people subconsciously in the way that we act around them?
Have we closed the doors on people because of their decision to leave the work?
Is it our place to cast judgement?
Is there life outside of officership?
Is officership a calling for life to all?

I do not presume to have all of these answers… but I do know how I feel when I hear these very sad stories of officers who have chosen to leave for many different reasons and the lack of support and/or negative responses they have received which has felt like public shunning. Does it happen to all who have left the work? Of course not. Should shunning happen at all? Absolutely not…so why is it still lingering? Why do we glance a precursory judgmental stare at former officers? Why the stigma?

Sometimes I wonder if we have missed the point as we attempt to reach those who are marginalized when from time to time we are marginalizing former comrades and fellow soldiers of the army.

All I know is that if we conduct ourselves with grace, love, compassion and understanding even if we do not completely understand we can stave off this “shunning” persona in our Army…but it’s going to take some time.

Just something more to ponder in our Army world.
To God be the glory!

November 17, 2014 4

Dear Salvation Soldier…shhhhhhh

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

This is a call to deeper holiness, not a chastisement.
This is both personal and corporate.

How many times have I struggled with this problem?…I’m not telling…How about you?

In the Corps:
There is nothing that hinders corps growth more than loose lips and mindless gossip. Often it is also the hardest to remove as well. Why is gossip, slander and unkind talk such a difficulty? Why can we not control our tongues?

A number of years ago, we had a salty individual who came to our corps. This person would constantly say unkind things to us as well as behind our backs…and it got worse. New people began to come to our corps. Fresh faces, eager to learn more about Christ…then it happened. This individual looked back at the new couple and said, “who the hell is that“? Let me just tell you that there are no words that one can find to describe our shock and horror. We confronted this person. Asked them to apologize. This person refused and they couldn’t believe we had come to them asking for something that seemed outrageous in their opinion. Finally I called that person, they answered, I talked and told them it had to stop (there had been many more incidents), I was told in no uncertain terms where I could take my words and where to put them. This person has since left the corps altogether but not before driving away new members and potential members.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,
fellow Soldiers of our Army, the tongue is a mighty and dangerous weapon! We MUST be careful and aware of how sharply words can cut. Gossip, slander and biting attitudes can dissolve a corps fellowship faster than nearly anything else!

Remedies:
1) Don’t ignore it in your corps.
If we ignore this virus of words, it will not go away.
It will still remain and it will only increase because ignoring it actually gives it more power. Address it appropriately. Privately, if possible. Do so with other Local Officers and elders who are trustworthy and upright. (This is scriptural!)

2) Stinkin’ Thinkin’ or Edifying Thoughts?
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Do not even entertain stinkin’ thinkin’! Don’t allow it to be consumed into your life! Cut off the mindless gossip of others, or just walk away. Don’t let it gain even a small foothold in your thoughts and lifestyle. Whatever you consume in your thoughts becomes who you are!

If we are a body of Christ then we have to put to death these thoughts along with all of the other idolatrous, sinful things. (Colossians 3:5)

3) Accountability!
If you struggle with negative, unhealthy thoughts and speech, then talk to a trusted brother and sister in Christ! Talk to someone who will hold you to your promises and convictions, not someone who will placate you. Seek out someone who you can be challenged by and who will commit to holding you to your word.

4) Baby Steps…but don’t quit!
Sorry, Bill Murry’s performance in ‘What About Bob‘ just came to mind. “Baby steps, baby steps” We will not conquer this blight of negativity from our thoughts and tongues immediately. Certainly the Holy Spirit can alleviate this immediately, but more than likely we will have to work very hard at conquering this issue. We will have to take baby steps or small victories one at a time. Don’t get frustrated if you stumble now and then, but don’t use that as an excuse either! Remember we are called to this higher calling and if we are to be truly set apart then we have to submit everything to the will of Christ including our thought process and our tongues.

Dear Salvation Soldier,
Can we submit this sword (our tongues) completely for the cause of Christ?
We will face resistance.
We will face trials.
It will NOT be easy.
We will be tempted to share juicy gossip or respond with biting words.
But seriously, we need to just stop and SHHHHHHHHHH, when all we can think about saying will injure, cause harm and damage this vital fellowship of Christ.

Don’t overlook this dangerous foe!
Don’t underestimate it’s power on your corps either!
Something more for our Army to ponder today!
To God Be The Glory!

November 14, 2014 5

Dear Salvation Army, When Orders And Regulations Get In The Way…

Acts 151,2,7-11 “Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:“Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ²This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question…⁷After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. ⁸God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

I am not sure who these “certain people” were…but today I wonder if our “certain people” wear uniforms and act the part of the pharisee from time to time. I don’t wish to sound judgmental…truth be told, we have all played this role a time or two…and we’re not proud of it (I hope).

The Early Church
There were certain fundamentalists within the early church; rule abiders, standard bearers, orders and regulation holders. When new comers (Gentiles) came to the faith proclaiming to be Christ-followers, these traditionalists demanded they be made practicing Jews in every way including circumcisions (yowza!). You see, in order for these new comers to be accepted as members of the faith in the eyes of these traditionalists, they had to change everything about themselves. The law had to be upheld, and these stiff regulations followed to the letter. It was practically impossible for these Gentile followers to obey the law completely. In essence these “certain people” were setting them up for failure.

Grace & Law
^{8 “}God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:8-9)

Peter tells it like it is to those gathered in Jerusalem.
We are given the Holy Spirit…He purifies our hearts. We do not need additional ritualistic practices or outward performances to meet regulations of salvation. We have been saved through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been purified through and through.

Do Orders And Regulations Get In The Way?
Yes. At times.
Sometimes, even in The Salvation Army, we can get so caught up in the law and the ritualistic practice of the law that we can lose sight of a grace that purifies and transcends common practice. Are new comers joining our Army? Do they understand this Army? Are we helping them to understand our forms of worship? Do we lose them because of lack of grace, compassion, judgement, appropriateness?

I am not advocating anarchy, in fact just the opposite.
Could it be that the grace of the Holy Spirit is all the law we need? I am not saying that we throw out our orders and regulations…but do we hold far too tightly to these? Have they become our “Jewish law”? In order for visitors to truly believe and worship as Salvationists, do they have to meet our requirements of dress and practice?

Sound Doctrine?…yes…Rigid Rules?…no.
Again we should be mindful, as Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James were in Acts 15 of the trappings of ridged Law abiding practices that strangles growth. The Apostles didn’t say that they were throwing out sound doctrines, but they did loosen the stiff regulations for Gentiles coming to the faith.

Questions:
Can new people & visitors truly come to your corps “as they are”?
Do we judge new comers based on their appearance and practice?
Have we lost potential soldiers and even officers because we rigidly follow our orders and regulations and “accepted” practices in worship (excluding foundational doctrinal beliefs)?
Do we really mean for new Christians or would be Christians to “come as they are” into our Holiness meetings and Salvation Meetings?
Are we exhibiting grace, love and compassion to the “whosoever”?
Have we ever discriminated (consciously or subconsciously) people because they didn’t fit OUR Salvationist mold?

Warning: Don’t Get In The Way!
Don’t be the “certain people” found in Acts 15.
Our world already contains enough judgement, condemnation and discrimination. If ~~the Church~~ The Salvation Army cannot be a beacon of hope, grace and holiness, then a I fear we will have lost our way and God help us if we turn away individuals because they aren’t “our kind of people“.

The Remedy:
If you have been a part of the “certain people“…I pray you can reconcile yourself once more to His grace and love. Ask Him once again to soften your heart. Ask the Lord to make you holy. True growth of our Army begins upon our knees in penitence as we seek to be inclusive of the whosoever regardless if they wear a uniform or look just like you and me.

Prayer: Lord make us holy. Set us apart for your missions here on earth. May we seek to love and to serve everyone regardless of their differences. Give us your eyes so that we may see others the way you see them. May we exude your grace, peace, love and acceptance of those who are so desperately in need of these qualities here on earth. May we be your people who will help usher in your kingdom here on earth today through our faith in action. In your name we pray. Amen.

-Something more for our Army world to ponder today.

Additional reading on this topic for your consideration:
Cookie Cutter Christians
Christians and Racism?
When Christians Get It Wrong

November 13, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army, A Salute To Veterans Of The Spiritual War…

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Today many salute veterans who did not come back and those who simply endured the horrors of war. I do not wish to cheapen these remembrances today. It is not my intent either to draw any parallels…but there is a spiritual battle in this world still today that is ongoing. There are many who have fought the good fight and have been “Promoted To Glory”. I honor these dear soldiers today as well.

Some Salvation Soldiers have been sent to some very difficult places in our world to help share the love of Christ. Some of these salvation soldiers have given their lives for the cause of Christ. We honor you as well, you have fought this good fight.

We do not honor death.
We know that death holds no power over Christ and His followers.
We know that death has been defeated.
We know that true victory lies in Christ Jesus, the conqueror of sin and death.
We know that the dead in Christ shall arise…we are confident that no matter what evils that we may face, we know in whom we have believed and we can overcome through His name!

We honor life.
We honor the fallen who have gone on before us and have set an example for us to follow.
We honor the faithful who have exemplified holy living as their legacy and we have witnessed Christ through them.
We honor the martyrs who stood upon this faith despite the certainty of death.
We honor the lives of countless soldiers and friends who would stand in the gap for the poor, the hungry and the hurting.
We honor the doctors and nurses who have gone into villages and townships wrought with the AIDS epidemic and have cared for the sick and the orphaned.

Dear Soldier,
though today commemorates fallen soldiers and veterans of war, we too honor the soldiers of this army of salvation and that of the Christian world who have walked the path of selflessness and given up everything for the cause of Christ.

We do not celebrate death. We celebrate life, new life given to all of us through Christ. We celebrate the path blazed by the saints who have gone on before us. We celebrate as kingdom people declaring that kingdom to be here and now. We celebrate that we do not have to look forward to heaven “someday” but can help bring heaven to our world here and now.

I will fight on, dear soldier…will you?
I will fight to keep the banner of Christ held high through acts of love, grace, peace, hope, compassion, charity and reconciliation. I will fight to bring these qualities to those who have not heard or are unable to through their hardships of life. I long to fight along side you…if you will remain at my left and right. We cannot move forward into the fray without unity of this body. We cannot proceed onward without soldiers willingly equipped for the battles ahead.

Will you fight on?
Will you stay strong?
Will you stand firm?

Today we do not just remember…but we fight on!
Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

November 11, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army, Rituals And Sacramental Living

Our founders, William and Catherine Booth got away from the observances of Communion and Baptism…did they go too far?

I know that this blog has covered the sacraments in the past…I’m will not shy away from such conversations.

The question still remains, did our founders go too far in regards to the sacraments? I am not disagreeing with our doctrinal stances, I wish to ask the question. I also understand that they weren’t condemning anyone who participates in communion or baptism, but has it become something of an elephant in the room?

RITUALS
One could argue that anything could become ritualistic and routine within worship practice. Thus, if our only argument against communion or baptism to be “ritualistic” in practice then perhaps we could look at certain practices we in the Army already participate in.

Can sacred moments in worship become routine and ritualistic? Yes. Have they become so in our services? Yes, at times.

A SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE
If anything that we do within the practice of worship becomes something that it was never intended to be, should we cast it out? Or, should we bring it back into alignment? Whatever “it” may be?

When we have our altar calls and the Mercy Seat is open, do we make it less significant if it is over emphasized…every.single.Sunday? I do not wish to diminish its importance in worship, but has it, at times, become our surrogate “go to” for the sacramental life? Is the Mercy Seat and the “sacramental life” one in the same, or mutually exclusive? Are there other representations or manifestations of the sacred that we over look and/or ignore in the process?

Please do not misunderstand me, I do not wish to downgrade the importance of the Mercy Seat, but is there a danger of IT becoming ritualistic and thereby causing its loss of significance? Isn’t that partially why our founders moved away from the Sacraments in the first place?

“Outward Expressions of the Inward Change”
I believe that all of the external representations of holy or sacramental living are NOT as important as the inward relationship. This should not, however, eliminate the outward practices. It’s like a love relationship with a would be spouse or soul mate. You want the world to know that you are in love with that person and you want that person to know it too. So we express our love in many ways. We put our love on display for all the world to see. This is what the sacred should look like! It isn’t about appearances, or a statistic for Holiness meeting. It isn’t about anyone else but our relationship with the Lord in a corporate setting.

How are our outward expressions today, dear Soldier? Are they bound up in appearances and/or ritual practice? Have they lost some of its true meaning? Are we running the risk of having these become more about practice than about significance within our hearts?

Anything can become rituals devoid of meaning and significance if we allow them to develop as such. What kind of fruit are we producing from our spiritual walk with God? Can we be honest with ourselves as we reevaluate our priorities, our practices, the outward expressions of our inward change?

If we are called to be set apart and to live out holiness in our lives, how can we avoid the ritual, the mundane, the loss of spiritual emphasis?

These questions are worth pondering today in our Army world.
More to come…
To God Be The Glory!

November 10, 2014 9

Dear Salvation Army, Healing A Broken Mercy Seat…

IF…
If your Mercy Seat is broken, how can it be fixed?
If your the spirit of your corps is tattered and wounded, how can it be healed?

Eyes wander and rove the Mercy Seat.
A weary soul is kneeling down before that altar of submission and some within the chapel are wondering what they are kneeling for? What sins could they be confessing? What will happen next? Who will go up and pray with them? Someone might be smiling to themselves and thinking “it’s about time they confess their sins!”

Do you see what is broken with this Mercy Seat?
I don’t wish to imply this is happening everywhere, but sometimes I don’t think I’m too far off the mark.

To the wandering eyes and the gossip laden hearts, here’s a hint – it’s none of your business.
Shame on anyone who questions the motives of another’s heart in a pure attempt of seeking Christ at these sacred spaces. I fear that the cause of these broken Mercy Seats is the hardened hearts and calloused souls of those gathered in other seats around the chapel. This isn’t an indictment, this is just a cautious observation.

Hope & Sensitive Spirits:
I had numerous people write me yesterday describing how beautiful these places of consecration were in their home corps. How marvelous to hear of lives being transformed as we maintain this element of holiness in our services. This gives us all hope to hear. This provides an insight into repairing that which is broken in other places – sensitive spirits and hearts open to the wondrous workings of the Holy Spirit.

Healing The Mercy Seat Means Softening Our Hearts:
“I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.“—Ezekiel 36:26

Frequently, we can become desensitized to the workings of the Holy Spirit. We can also become desensitized to the formats of our Holiness meetings and/or the use of the Mercy Seat. Perhaps we have grown up in the corps we attend. Perhaps there are times where we are simply just going through the motions. Perhaps there are times when we have grown tired with our meetings and hearing the same people uttering the same prayers and the same testimonies. Perhaps we even wonder sometimes if we are just practicing worship but we are never really engaged in worship.

Is there a hardness in your heart today dear Soldier?
Is there a place within you that frightens you because you feel numb to it all?
Are you harboring a grudge or bitterness for someone else in your corps?

If our hearts are hardened our Mercy Seats could become broken.
If our hearts are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading anymore, then the Mercy Seat will simply gather dust and become an idle piece of furniture.

Oh, dear Soldier may our hearts be softened by the Divine!
May our spirits ever thirst for His fellowship!
May we stop looking at others as we used to when we belonged to our old patterns of living; but may we, instead, look upon others with softened hearts through the living, thriving love of Christ.

The Mercy Seat:
Is not just furniture.
Is not just a ritual or a surrogate for sacramental practice.
Is not just frequented by sinner, but also by saints.
Is not a place of weakness, but a place of great strength.

The Mercy Seat is the practice of softened hearts.
The Mercy Seat is consecration, reconciliation, salvation and holiness.
The Mercy Seat is about living holiness as a corporate body of Christ.
The Mercy Seat, dear Soldier is more than furniture, it is a matter of our hearts.

May we ever be sensitive to His holy moving.
May our hearts ever be softened first to the Lord and then towards others regardless of friend or foe.
Thus begins the healing of our Mercy Seats.

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

(Cover Image: Felix UK, New Mercy Seat circa 1923)

November 7, 2014 3

Dear Salvation Army, Is Your Mercy Seat Broken?

Recently in our corps something happened.
No, it wasn’t another rousing chorus of “O Boundless Salvation”. It wasn’t another meal around the table, although those are rather nice.
Instead, there in the sanctuary of our corps, in the place where lives are changed and hearts transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, in that very room…something was damaged – The Mercy Seat.

It happened because some corps kids were playing through out the building…scratch that. It happened because not “some” kids, but MY kids happened to be playing in the corps building (Why is it always the Officer’s Kids? Really??). They ended up in the sanctuary. Perhaps the lure of the microphones and musical instruments were too much. Regardless of how they ended up there, they were there. In the process of scaling the mercy seat, my eldest’s foot got caught on the lip of the seat and tripped. As he tripped, the mercy seat came with him. He tipped it over completely, and with it the top was pried off.

Upon inspection of the mercy seat, I quickly realized that it was not going to go back together without a little help from a hammer and some new nails. Currently, repairs are underway.

It’s a Metaphor…
It dawned on me last night while laying in bed, and it all began with a broken mercy seat. Perhaps in our corps we have lost what the mercy seat used to represent. Perhaps, it is broken today and in need of repairs.

Question: Is your mercy seat broken?
I don’t mean physically, but emotionally, tangibly, spiritually, is it still intact?
Does your corps still call people to penitence, repentance and reconciliation?
Or have we gotten away from holding each other accountable for fear of offending others? I don’t mean “accountability” in the sense of judgmental attitudes and condescending “I’m better than you” behavior, I mean is that standard and call to the mercy seat still available to all who would seek it? Is there an invitation to it?

My Fear:
I fear that we as an Army have gotten away from it in some places. If your corps still introduces people to Christ through the mercy seat, I applaud you. The mercy seat in and of itself isn’t magical. It isn’t really even about how nice it looks or how old it might be in your building. What matters is the emphasis of repentance, reconciliation, and holiness. The mercy seat could represent more than just that piece of furniture in our chapels…but do we emphasize it anymore? There are times when I wonder if, in the next ten years, will it still be a part of our Army’s identity? Will we have discarded it as some ancient Army relic of times gone by?

Is your Mercy Seat Broken?
Perhaps it has gathered dust from lack of use.
Perhaps it needs some revitalization and fixing today.
Perhaps, in order to revive this Army, we ought to seek it out…but more importantly we ought to seek out the power behind our faith.

I believe the Holy Spirit isn’t finished with us yet.
I believe that He longs for us to linger upon that mercy seat as we reconcile ourselves to Him once more.
I believe that in order for us to possibly regain our passion and fire for the world, we have to go back to it and start once more upon our knees.

I fear that if we do not repair these broken mercy seats, our Army will soon follow that same fate as well.

-Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be The Glory!

(Cover image: Mercy Seat at Exeter Temple, UK)

November 6, 2014 32

Tag: The Salvation Army