Tag: The Salvation Army

Dear Salvation Army, Are Position Statements Set In Stone?

Recently IHQ in London released an updated Position Statement on Alcohol:

“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 recognizes 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.”

drinks

Even though it still does not endorse the use of alcohol and encourages its members to remain “alcohol-free”, the last paragraph seems to allot for it in some lifestyles.  Is this just me reading into this revised position statement?  Is the first paragraph for members and the last paragraph for those we serve and help?  Is this, in someway, a means to make everyone happy?  Can both ACTUALLY exist within the same position statement or is it contradictory?  Being alcohol-free is of course not the same thing as “reducing the consumption of alcohol.

Other questions come to my mind.
Culturally speaking there are some places in our world where drinking alcohol at various ages is perfectly acceptable and does not, in general, lead to alcoholism.  Is this position statement clarification meant to include these previously mentioned cultures and countries?   Another thought comes to my mind – is this a cultural shift in the Army?  Does this mean that little by little these Position Statements will change or are they set in stone (so to speak)?  What happens in another generation?  Will these position statements still be intact as they are now?

I am certainly not criticizing the Army today, I am just wondering what this means.
Could this indicate a larger shift in the Position Statements in the future?
Something more for the Army world to ponder today.

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Dear Salvation Army, Leading Through Grace Or Fear?

Recently I wrote on the topic of being a leader or a manager
Click link here to read: Are You A Leader Or A Manager?

Today I wanted to expound on this topic. 
Just because we are modeled after the military doesn’t mean we are now equipped to bark orders.
If we look hard at our mission and the purpose for which we were created, we would recognize that our mission is about grace and love to those we can reach.  I wonder sometimes if we forget our purpose from time to time.  Sometimes when power and authority is given to a person it can taint that person, make them “too big for their britches” (as my Grandmother used to say).  Power and authority, if not handled correctly, can cause more harm than good.  An added measure of humility is needed, as well as the constant reminder that the Holy Spirit is really who is in charge…and drives us to do the mighty work that we do.

Let me dissect this issue this morning, and I’m not saying this happens all the time, but it does happen from time to time in our Army and we need to be aware of it!

Leading through Fear:  fear
When a leader (Local Officer, Corps Officer, Divisional Officer, Territorial Officer) leads through fear and intimidation a few things take place – sure, the “fear of God” is put into those they “Command”, but so does resentment, reluctance in making any further decisions, and innovative/creative thinking takes a back seat.  This goes back to being a manger instead of a leader.  A manager has the tendency to micromanage everything and does not allow those who work under them to claim part of the ownership within the mission.  When the micromanaging takes place the workers or those subordinate to the manager feel as if the manager is lurking over their shoulder all the time and will pull back from being proactive for fear of not adhering to the manager’s vision.  You see when leading through fear, generally it’s not about a shared vision, it is about perceived forced vision that only one can manage and the rest must fall in line.  This is not a consultative democracy by any means, rather this model represents a fearful authoritative model of management.

Leading through fear might garner results, but it also suffocates ingenuity, creative planning and incorporating others into the vision.  As an Army, many of us have witnessed this type of leadership whether at the corps level, at the divisional level or beyond.  Sure, perceived strength in that “leader” might occur, but a stronger model brings others along to accomplish the mission not by wrangling, forcing and demanding.

graceLeading through Grace:
I recall one such leader in my life.
He was giving me feedback on my performance, and in the midst of his honest and candid critique he actually wept when praying for my wife and me.  It was touching, it was genuine…it wasn’t business as usual, this leader actually cared for us and wanted us to become the best leaders we could possibly be.   Was this leader a “pushover”?  No way!  He could be firm when he needed to be, but many times his leadership exuded a godly example of grace and love for those he led.

Leading through grace doesn’t mean subordinates can do whatever they want and there is little to no accountability, rather this type of leadership (not management) provides kind and loving direction so that not only the mission can be completed but a shared vision can be cultivated.

It is weakness not strength that dictates to managers that they must exert their authority and “put the fear of God” into a subordinate.
It is weakness not strength that commands respect, when respect is earned by working alongside one another.
It is weakness not strength that requires telling people what to do over consulting them and finding the solution to issues together in order to accomplish the same holy mission.

Let me say something controversial here for a moment –
The Salvation Army needs fewer managers who lead through fear and intimidation and more leaders who will lead by example and lead through grace!  Perhaps that isn’t so controversial at all…perhaps this is already happening.  I believe that the time of fear mongering “leadership” within our Army is at an end.  I believe that if we are to better our Army, more grace must be exercised.  More love exuded.  More honesty and ownership of the mission.  We cannot rely on some of our failed models of leadership to usher us into the present and future.

Some might think this is completely and totally directed and executive leadership, but I beg to differ.  This is directed at anyone and everyone who might pick up a mantle of leadership from the local officer level all the way up to the office of General.  How we choose to lead makes a HUGE difference!
leadership
So what will it be?
Leadership built on Fear or Leadership built on Grace?
Grace still has accountability.
Grace still has difficult conversations.
Grace still commands respect (more so than fear ever did).

I hope we all aspire to be the kinds of leaders that exude grace and love…let’s put down the iron fist.
Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

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Dear Salvation Army, Forget About The Fanfare!

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‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ -Matthew 25:40

Dear Soldier of this army…
news1
It doesn’t really matter if your “15 seconds” of fame only lasts for 5 seconds.
It doesn’t really matter if your community doesn’t truly appreciate you for all the good that you do.
newsIt doesn’t really matter if none of the “important people” ever take notice.
It doesn’t really matter if your work within this mission is overshadowed by someone else’s work and they seem to get all of the glory.

So what DOES matter you ask? 

Here is what matters: 
serve“Do everything without grumbling or arguing…” Philippians 2:14
Allow the bitterness and jealousy that can creep into our hears unannounced to leave the way it came in.
Tell that bitterness that it has no place in a Soldier of God!
When we work “for God” with a chip on our shoulders and we think that everyone owes us something we will eventually realize that we haven’t been working for God at all but for the glory that we think we should get.

NEWS FLASH – The work that “we” do has never been about us, it is about Christ’s redemptive love and how it can transform lives in others.  We are simply humble servants…who often forget what it means to be humble.  Sometimes power (or perceived power) can go to our heads.  Sometimes we forget who it is we serve and how we are to love even if there is no fanfare or earthly incentive.

Dear Salvation Army, 
Dear Salvation Soldier…
So what if no one sees you doing the work that you’ve been called to do.
So what if all that you do for the kingdom is unseen.
So what if no one ever truly thanks you or appreciates you.
We aren’t in the people pleasing business.
We aren’t in it for the glory of ourselves…and if we are we might wish to reconsider our motives within this mission.

Is this a common struggle amongst our ranks?
Yes…no…maybe?
Perhaps it’s never spoken but deep down we resent the lack of accolades.
Perhaps sometimes we go home after a long and weary day and feel as if no one even cares.

What matters more to us? –
People’s praises of our deeds?
God’s rewards and praises of our faithfulness?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Forget about the public notoriety.
Forget about fretting whether you are in someone’s “good” graces.
Forget about pleasing people while forgetting to help those in need.
Do everything that you do (even/most importantly behind the scenes) ALL for the glory of God!

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

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Dear Salvation Army, A Practical Guide To Personal Holiness

Before  you click away from this article and judge this post as “too boring” let me ask, do you want to be like Christ?  Is being like Christ important to you?   If the answer to both questions is ‘yes’ but you don’t know where to begin, let me help by offering a few suggestions today.  This is not an exhaustive list, this is merely a primer, a starter for all of us.   Dear Soldiers of our Army, we need to be a holy Army for God!  Holiness is available not only to officers or older adults, it is available to ALL of us!  Without holiness, without the Spirit’s transformation in us, we cannot be all that He has intended us to be!  Dear Salvation Army, we still are in need of Holiness today!  We still need a fresh anointing of His presence.
Do you believe Holiness is possible?

Let me clarify here as well about the topic of Holiness –
Holiness Might be IS possible for all believers in Christ.  
BUT Holiness is NOT human perfection – so let’s get that false notion out of the way right now.  Human perfection is something many people chase after in order to make themselves “better”, but does human perfection actually exist?  NO, the only perfect person to walk this earth was Christ…and even that statement at times troubles me because if Jesus were fully God and fully Man…well let’s leave that conversation for another time.   Human perfection does not equal holiness!  We are created in the image of God but because of sin we have a marred image of God within us.  Human perfection or the pursuit of such a goal can lead to arrogance, pride and even self-defeat.

Holiness is first personal before it is corporate…
1. SET ASIDE TIME IN YOUR PRAYER CLOSET DAILY closet
Understandably the prompting of such a transformation can be prompted within the corporate setting, but real transformation and change BY the Holy Spirit often takes place within our own private prayer closets.  The deeply spiritual moments, if we allot time for them, can be pivotal in our understanding of what the Holy Spirit longs to do in our lives, and the strongholds we have yet to surrender to Him.  Without our daily prayer closet moment with God, we can compartmentalize and push aside its importance within our busy lives.  The prayer closet can be an actual location that you go (usually alone) to and meditate on scriptures as well as prayer.  Some people write in journals, some people draw, some people express this moment differently.  Our prayer closet moment each day can be something that prods us, something that spurs us onward, and something that allows us clarify in a deafening world as it puts us in tune again with the Holy Spirit.

ear2.  INTENTLY ASK, BUT ACTIVELY LISTEN!
When we set aside this time within our prayer closet, we must be intentional in its purpose.  Naturally we will want to tell God everything (which He already knows) and sometimes it can become a gripe fest (trust me I’ve had my share), but instead – how much listening do we actually do in these possibly sacred times?  I’m not saying we don’t ask for help in specific areas of our lives, but we should also actively listen to the Spirit’s voice.  He can and will guide us if we can stop talking for ten seconds and listen to Him.  Be attentive to the prodding and pleading of the Holy Spirit.  He longs to transform us, and He will help us!

3.  BEGIN TO LOVE  love
This begins with our friends and colleagues, but should extend to those who are not friends but rather enemies.  Loving people despite what they do to us can transform any situation into an evangelical moment for others to see Christ in you.  Love without strings attached.  Love without stipulations.  Love because Christ first loved us, and if we ACTUALLY want to emulate Him we must put aside our preconceived notions about others, our judgments, our phoniness and simply love (which is ironic because loving our enemies is never “simple”).  Love anyway, despite our grudges, our differences, our former prejudices…love.  When we can tear down these old strong holds of resistance with love, we open up molded walls that the Holy Spirit wants to remove in our lives.  Breaking these old tired barriers allows us to be vulnerable and yet available to His Spirit’s transformation of our lives.

potLord, break me, melt me, mold me, use me!
Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.
May it be so with us!
Something more to ponder today, to God be the glory!

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Dear Salvation Army, If Only My Corps Had…

Photo Jul 08, 8 08 52 AM Photo Jul 08, 8 07 19 AM
Dear Salvation Army, there might be the instance (from time to time) where we might begin to compare ourselves with others.  Sometimes the comparisons we draw from are from outside our denominational walls, while other times we covetously peer over the “hedge” of our corps and into the properties of another corps which seems to have it all put together.   Thus we can be tempted to play the “If Only” game.

It goes like this: 
If only we had more financial contributions…
If only we had more people…
If only we had a better building…
If only we had more resources…
If only…
If only…
If only…

This is a game that I too have played.
It can be self-defeating and self-destructive.  The “If onlys” can lead to disillusionment and a surrendering to a false identity.  The body of Christ ought not compare itself to another part of the body.  It sounds rather silly when we think of it like that – A Hand of Christ looking at a Foot and wishing it too was a foot…but the reality is that this unfortunately happens all the time.  The “If Onlys” crosses cultural and international lines.  It doesn’t matter what location in the world that one resides in, this game is still played out.   Social media can be a boon as well as a bane.  We can peer through our tiny windows within our computers and see Salvationists from all walks of life.  We can envy the opportunities that they have and we can sometimes covet.  Salvationists this ought not be!

RX3 Prescriptions To Combat “If Only”: 
1) Be Confident That Christ Has Called You To Your Specific Place!
I believe in Divine Appointments.  I recognize that at times the Lord places people at just the right location for His might purposes.  Recognize that where you are right now, even if you serve in a tiny corps in the middle of nowhere, that you are serving the Almighty!  He longs for our faithfulness in the small things as well as the large things.  Accept this ministry in faith and know that God has appointed you there!

2) Claim This Mission Field That Christ Has Given You!
Look around your community, there are many souls who need YOU! Regardless if you have the financial resources or not, God is still on the throne and He will take care of you and this mission field!  Be faithful to God and to the mission field you have been placed in.  We are to be good stewards of what He has entrusted with.  Claim the streets around your corps.  Claim the ministries as opportunities for more people to come to Christ.  Walk those streets in uniform.  Get to know the people living there.  Do not be afraid to be the influence of change and hope in your community!

3) Work Together, Not Against!
Stop peering over the hedge at other corps or other churches that seem to have all of the “if onlys”.  If we are truly the body of Christ then we ought to be working together not against one another through coveting and jealousy.  Share resources when we are able.  Ask for help.  Be mindful that we are all in this together and together we are a much stronger army for God!  Petty Jealousy has no place in our Army.  It is a tool the father of lies wishes to use in order to divide and conquer us.  Keep a clear head and may we fight the good fight with other fellow soldiers at our sides.

So What?
What am I trying to say today?
Don’t allow the “If Onlys” to penetrate and disturb your ministries.
Don’t play this destructive game.
Get on with loving your communities through the power of the Almighty!
He is faithful and He will always provide what you need, when you need it!
Get on with meeting human needs in His name!

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

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Dear Salvation Army, Are You A Manager Or A Leader?

Dear Salvation Army, many of you have just come from the mountain top while at Boundless 2015.  God is moving in our army is He not?  He has also entrusted us with such a great responsibility within His kingdom here on earth!  I feel compelled to write on this topic today for all of us.  A lot of what I am about to write on today comes from my own struggles…but I’m willing to venture a guess that I am not alone.

So here goes…
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The Parable:
Do you remember the parable of of the talents (or minas)?   The Master was going away for a while on a journey and so He entrusted his three servants with parts of his wealth to take care of while he’s gone.  To one the master gave five talents, to another two, and the last servant was given one talent.  Then the master goes on his long journey and these servants, whom he entrusted with his valuables, are on their own to be good stewards.

If you know this parable, you will know that to the servant who was given five talents he went out and multiplied the five into ten, thereby doubling the master’s wealth.  The second servant took the two talents and doubled it to four.  But the last servant took the one talent and buried it for safe keeping…(Matthew 25:14-30)

Leaders / Managers:
This is a story about stewardship.
This is also a story about faithfulness and boldness.
Lastly, this is a story about Leaders and Managers.

I would like to tackle the third topic today here on Pastorsponderings.org.
Managers are those who “look after” things, but usually their intent is to preserve not increase.  It is not in the manager’s “makeup” to invest or risk or to explore any kind of future vision.   For a manager, the risk of failure is too great, and so investing in what has been entrusted to them is not possible.  A manager keeps the status quo and does not upset the “apple cart” when change needs to take place.

Leaders on the other hand, take calculated risks.  They cast the vision for others to follow.  Leaders are good stewards of the gospel, they recognize that this “investment/talent” is not static and was never meant to remain static.  They go out and produce fruit for the kingdom.  They invest in other people.  Leaders set the pace for real tangible results that equate to success for the kingdom.  It is more than just statistical “numbers” on Sundays.  It is more than preserving the Women’s Ministry or the Men’s Ministry or whatever ministry…it is about developing disciples who will in turn make other disciples.

The road to a Manager is relatively easy.  They watch over.  They order.  They take care of “what is theirs” to take care of…but it is predictably easier than the road of a leader.

The road of a leader is wrought with conflict.
Conflicts about fear.
Conflicts about stumbling blocks and those who would oppose them.
Conflicts about change (even the color of the carpet in the sanctuary…really?!)
Conflicts about the vision.
Conflicts about uncertainty and worry.

soldierDear Salvation Army, 
We were never called to be managers within this army of salvation!!
We were not appointed in this army to bury the talents and to simply “hold on”.
Sometimes this happens more often than not.
Sometimes we fall into the trap of “holding down the fort” while we wait for someone else will do the hard work.
We are not should not be managers of this Army.
There should not be managers within our ranks.
We cannot afford to simply preserve the accomplishments of yesterday while outside our walls in our communities people are still in need of food, of clothing and of the good news of Jesus Christ.

A Call For More Leaders:
This is a call to all the managers out there (including me from time to time)…STOP!
Stop burying the talent.
Stop “holding down the fort”.
Stop squandering the resources of your corps or offices.
Stop wasting time by just sitting in your offices.
Stop pawning your responsibilities off on someone else.
INSTEAD
Pray, pray, pray!
Invest in the lives of those around you.
Set the pace for a mighty moving of the Holy Spirit by ACTUALLY believing He will move in your corps!
Set the vision.
LEAD!
Don’t maintain.
Don’t preserve.
Get up and lead!

Leaders are not static.
This Salvation Army is not static.
I don’t want to be a manager…do you?

Something more for this Army to ponder on today.
To God be the glory!  uniform4

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Dear Salvation Army, 150 Years!!!

Since its inception, The Salvation Army has been a beacon of hope to those in need.
It is hard to believe that 150 years has gone by since its start.  I am proud to be an Officer within its ranks while at the same time I know that we still have room to grow, adapt and improve.  Like any form of ministry, time passes, culture and customs evolve, and with it so should the delivery of the same message of Christ.

booth1The Past
I recognize the innovators in our army who were bold and unabashed in their proclamations of faith and salvation for all.  We need this fervor today.  Sometimes we still need to be civilly disobedient and unafraid of being arrested.  We need to be reminded of where we came from and why we are still an army.  We STILL have a mission as soldiers of this army.

pray

We STILL fight for those without voices.  We STILL ought to be the safe harbor for people to go.  We STILL should “do something” for those who find themselves in hopeless situations and cannot find their way out.

The Present 150
There are many social platforms within which we can fight for those in need.
There are many single mothers and fathers out there struggling to do “right by their kids” and have hardly enough food to put on the table for them.  There are countless drug addicts in our communities who need to get clean and who need someone in uniform who cares for them despite their current behaviors. Taking the strain There are so many outliers in our communities, those who have been ostracized, marginalized, brutalized and victimized…they need us!  Where ever we look we can find poor souls who need our help.  Where ever we look we can find poverty, rejection, dejection, panic, sadness and grief…and we can still help bring relief to the many with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Questions:
Are we still a sanctified Army or is there still further cleansing to be done?
Have we given ourselves entirely to the will of the Father or are we still holding on to remnants and identities?
Are we lacking passion and zeal for His purposes within we as soldiers of this army?
Are we asking for His direction and guidance through these turbulent and often volatile times?

1501Today I celebrate the 150th Anniversary of this Army…and yet I know that we have much work to be done.  I do not wish to downplay all that we HAVE done already, but rather I recognize the work that STILL needs to be done.  We can only do so much in our own strength, but when we allow God’s holy presence to take up the fight within our faithfulness, we can do anything…I truly believe this!

To my comrades who are in London today, and have gathered with 18,000 other soldiers for Boundless 2015, I say please spur us onward!  Let us run and not grow weary!  (Isaiah 40:31) May we be on our knees earnestly praying for the many souls we can reach in His name.  May we begin to witness the miracles again for an Army filled with His Holy Spirit…renew us, reignite us, cleanse us, and spur us onward Dear Lord!

To God be the glory!

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Dear Salvation Army, Stories About Humanity And How We Make A Difference!

Today I have been challenged…and I hope this challenges you too.

We’ve been challenged to love.
love is pure.
love is true.
The greatest form of love for God comes through how we love and serve humanity.
It is a calling to participate in practical holiness…
It is this kind of love that should be a fragrant offering.
This kind of love is (not always an immediate response, mind you)a response to being unlovable, hopelessly lost in our own sins, and yet receiving this unmerited grace, this undeserved love.  We respond in the practical.  We respond to this love in how we love others.  We attempt to reciprocate this love to God, and we are consumed by this desire to serve a mighty God here where He has placed us.

God has placed a very special man in our corps building recently…
His name is Bill.
He came to us first to volunteer, and we kept him.
He has this sort of passionate fire in his heart to serve people around him.
Strangers will come to our corps for help with food and find a friend where they might least expect it.
They find Bill.
He usually wears a red Salvation Army Emergency Disaster cap on his head and with a big smile he begins to engage the down and out in our foodshelf…but this isn’t the end of the story…

foodRecently, our foodshelf coordinator Linda was contacted by a non-profit organization that helps special needs adults find places to work, contribute and volunteer.   They were looking for locations that they could send about two or three special needs young adults to work.  Linda recognized an opportunity and agreed to be a host site here at The Salvation Army’s foodshelf.  Most of these special needs adults are slightly withdrawn and they can take quite a while to warm up to new environments.   Change is extremely difficult for most of them.   One such young adult was Anthony.  Anthony is naturally shy, and because of his disability, he doesn’t welcome change easily.  He is uncomfortable with meeting new people and his anxiety sometimes is too much to bear.

food1Anthony’s first day at The Salvation Army just so happened to be Bill’s regular volunteer day in the foodshelf.  Imagine this shy, quiet adult meeting this big gregarious red capped man…you’d think Anthony would have run away…but he didn’t.   Within that first day of volunteering in our foodshelf, Anthony became Bill’s good friend.  Bill took him under his wing, showed him how to pack food boxes, how to clean the floors, how to meet and greet clients coming to us for help.  Bill became Anthony’s mentor as they worked side by side each week filling boxes with food, sharing much needed breaks, taking out the trash, laughing together in the hallways, and engaging families and individuals in need who came to the door for food.

Bill is a servant of Christ, and to see him and Anthony together meeting human need in a very practical way here in the foodshelf is heart warming!
When Anthony comes in now to volunteer, he always looks for Bill.
He wants to work right there beside Bill, to emulate him.
Anthony feels comfortable there.  He feels safe.  He feels accepted.

Perhaps we need more Bills in our corps.
People who aren’t afraid to engage. food3
People who have this passion to serve Christ in any aspect both big and small.
People who make a difference in lives without even having to preach a sermon because their lives are that sermon.

We do make a difference in people’s lives, dear Salvation Army.
I hope that we never ever forget this.
We sing these wonderful battle songs of “fill the world with glory”, and these are great, but sometimes I think we lose the tree for the forest around us.  We lose the little things that make differences in people right in front of us.  We are so busy looking “out there” when all along we can make a difference, we can make an impact right here.  It is a practical holiness that transforms lives.  It is a practical holiness that preaches sermons that touches lives without even having to stand in a pulpit.  We need more practical holiness in our corps.  We need more people willing to do both the big tasks as well as the small mundane duties…both matter!

To Anthony, Bill became the representation of Christ in his life.
Bill became the very reflection of Christ that Anthony needed.
There are many more stories just like this waiting to be told in your corps.
There are many more lives that can be impacted for the better because of what you do next.
We do make a difference…and it starts with the execution of practical holiness in our lives.

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

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Dear Salvation Army, 10 Helpful Tips For New Officers (And for the rest of us)

New Officers have just been made.
The Salvation Army world has new editions to join in this fight as Officers of this Army.
It is a privilege as well as a tremendous responsibility to live up to the covenant that you have just signed.
So, Lieutenants, I imagine you cannot wait to get to your first appointment and get started…I was too!
I could not wait to plunge right in and  change the world!  I know many will indeed do just that.  It is a hard road, there will be numerous heartaches along the way, but please allow me just a few moments of your time to share this with you now.

10 helpful tips for New Officers (and the rest of us)

change11.  Don’t Rush In and change everything right away!
Change doesn’t always come quickly and everyone of us, once out of training college, is gung-ho ready to go.  Don’t ever lose that fervor but temper it with patience and wisdom as you embark on new ministries and attempt to change things within your new corps.  Don’t rush to change everything right away because the unfortunate side-effect will be you will most likely scare some people away.  Not that this is all bad, but if we share the vision and implement new changes incrementally we will have better success in bringing corps members along instead of driving a wedge between you and the corps family.

2.  Listen to your corps people! listen
These faithful corps members have most likely been in your community much, much longer than you will ever be.  They will have greater insight into the community than you will have as you arrive in this new appointment.  Listen to these faithful few and discern what is just fear of change and what is credible wisdom shared with you the officer.  If we as officers plod along without actively listening to those you minister to, we will once again lose some along the way “because this officer just doesn’t hear us“.

uniform23.  Fall in love with those you serve!
You cannot minister properly to your flock if you don’t first pray to the Lord to give you a love for them.  Falling in love your flock is vital.  When you fall in love with them, their wounds, struggles, concerns becomes yours as well to minister to and to address.  As their pastor/officer you have this tremendous blessing and responsibility to be there for them and to guide them.  We cannot adequately minister to our corps members without first loving them.  Learn to fall in love with those you serve.

4.  Don’t bad mouth or publicly criticize the Officer you are following badmouth
I could spend an entire article on just this tip.
Openly criticizing the former officer on specific things or issues in your corps is easy to do.
Be aware of this trap.  It’s not helpful.  It may, for the short-term, make you feel better about yourself, but this type of criticism will not build the body of Christ no matter what the perceived infraction might be.
Keep these concerns to yourself, don’t share them with your corps people, and if your corps people bring these type of “gripes” take them with a grain of salt and don’t get sucked into these destructive conversations.

Everyone of us Officers make judgement calls and decisions that sometimes others will question after the fact, but if you weren’t there or you don’t know the whole story beware of stepping into the waters of “bad mouth-dom”.

5.  Get to know your community, walk in your uniform EVERYWHERE!  
hands1Another helpful tip is to get into your community.  Learn the names of people, both influential as well as “the regular Joes”.  The uniform is recognizable, and even if you aren’t “partial” to it, use it to better your ministry and corps…after all it is your uniform, the one you are to wear as the corps officer in that community…so wear practically wear it out.  Let people see you, but not in some puffed up way, but in a way that lets the community know you are there to help serve suffering humanity in Christ’s name without discrimination!

6.  Delegate and lean on your Local Officers! uniform4
Remember that you aren’t Super-Officer!  Don’t try to do everything yourself.
Be wise in the things that you do, but also bring others along in your worship services as well as other practical ministries.  Assign responsibilities.  A part of discipling your corps people is to involve them in the ministry and get them acclimated to being used in these capacities.  Have a corps member lead a song or teach a Sunday School class.   Rotate leaders so that they are overwhelmed in leading.  Invest your time in them in these practical ways, it will not only give them ownership of the corps’ ministries but through this you will get to know them better as well.  Also recognize too that some may not be able to lead, but give them other smaller responsibilities – like handing out bulletins or welcoming visitors or even taking attendance.

consist7.  Be consistent
Set calendar dates and follow through with them.
Be consistent not only with the things you say you will do but also in how you do them.
Be consistent in your personal life as well as when you are at the corps or in an “official” capacity in your community.   People are watching you, and not in some creepy sort of way, but when you wear the uniform and people call you by your rank you are a person people will look up to and want to follow.  So, lead consistently, honestly, and prayerfully!  It’s not a competition, or a celebrity function, it’s a vital ministry, it’s about changing lives for Christ…You are Christ’s hands and feet and His appointed pastor to your flock.  Be consistent in this to the best of your abilities.

8.  Finances Are Important to the Mission  finances
Regardless if you love a financial spreadsheet or you don’t, money makes a difference.  Be good stewards of what you’ve been given.  Use it wisely.  Don’t ever take it for granted.  I know most of us get overwhelmed during the Christmas season and at other fund raising seasons…recognize that without those funds you will have to limit the services that you could have provided to additional families and individuals.

Secondly, don’t spend frivolously.  There are numerous charge cards and other means of purchasing things, but again, be good stewards of these limited funds.  Make every penny count.  Some of you will unfortunately enter some appointments where finances may not be in abundance, or your appointment is in debt for whatever reason.  Be patient.  Be prayerful.  The Lord always provides what we need when we are faithful.  Do not become discouraged, but take each day at a time and ask “Lord what would you have me do today”.  Use it as a ministry opportunity!


hearts9.  Fall in love with those you serve AGAIN!
Have I mentioned this already?  Let me say it again…Fall in love with those you serve!
Sometimes there will be disagreements and people who you will butt heads with, but pray for those situations.  Sometimes hard decisions will have to be made, and sometimes grace has to be given.  Learn over and over again to fall in love with those you serve.  When we show Christ-like love, we show our flock that they matter, that they are important…that this appointment isn’t some sort of “stepping stone” to us.  Fall in love with them daily because you are devoted first to Christ and He can and will make all things new.

10.  Preach from what you know and be faithful in that!  preach
Don’t preach sermons that you have no context preaching.  Pray.  Be diligent in your devotional life.  Study the scriptures.   Be honest with things you struggle with.  Be relevant, be clear.  Take the time to write your sermons during the week.  God will guide you and give you inspiration…just have ears to hear and write your messages based on what you know not what others know.   Don’t discount the work of the Holy Spirit to both give you the appropriate words to speak as well as move among your people (no matter how hard living some may be).  Step boldly into this ministry and let God lead you – you are capable and called!

These are just ten helpful tips for new officers that I would like to share with you today.  There are far wiser officers out there than me, and I would strongly recommend you to find other mentor officers who can help and guide you!  Please know that no matter where you are sent to, you are not alone!  You are loved, and I want to encourage you today that this Army needs you!  This army needs new direction.  This army needs your fresh perspectives.  This army needs additional people who are in pursuit of holiness and long to change the world for Christ!

This is something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!  

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