ONE Day… Eradicate Indecencies
excerpt
by Captain Danielle Strickland
'…that we
would have effective ministries to eradicate homelessness,
human trafficking, prostitution and other indecencies
currently common in our society.'
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray he told them to pray,
'Our Father who art in heaven… Your Kingdom come, your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.'
That's a powerful prayer—and an even more amazing thought. For
years the Christian church and, dare I say even The Salvation
Army, has had a 'survivor' posture. We thought if we huddled
together and stayed 'holy' inside the church, perhaps we'd be
safe from the evil that permeated every aspect of the world.
After all, the 'devil prowls around like a lion'.
Perhaps spurred on by the 'pre-millennial rapture' theory (if
we hang on tight Jesus will zap us out of here before the real
disaster), we bought the lie that the world would infect us
with sin, and missed the essential truth of the gospel
message—the Kingdom is for now. Jason Upton (a worship leader)
used to say that everywhere he went people were praying for an
open heaven. He suggests heaven has been open since Jesus
returned—what we should be praying for is an open earth.
Infectious holiness—one that is radically based in the
gospels—is one that infects the earth. We are called to be
light and salt. We are born to be influencers—world changers
and shapers. Catherine Booth used to tuck her children into
bed every night and remind them that they were going to change
the world. I wish as spiritual children of that mother we'd
turn our ear to overhear! We
are called to advance God's kingdom (where every wrong is put
right) on the earth.
The Word says that the gates of hell cannot stop the advancing
kingdom of God on the earth. Every great revival was
accompanied by great social reform. Our own radical history
was a social scheme birthed out of laying hold of the kingdom
and bringing it to earth.
Every great social reformer had tasted heaven. Even Gandhi
admitted that in his amazing social movement to free India all
he really did was put the words of Jesus into action.
What I like about this dream is that it's aggressively
kingdom-focused. God doesn't just want to make a dent in
poverty; he wants to eradicate it. He doesn't want only one
prostitute welcomed into community and redeemed; he wants the
oppression of prostitution to be removed. He wants the
systemic realities of evil (the human slave trade, economic
prejudices, war and refugees) to be dismantled and righteous
ones raised up in their place.
When economics expert Jeffery Sachs writes about the end of
poverty he believes that with applied effort we can see
extreme poverty wiped out in this current generation.
Mohammad Yaris, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize this
year (2007) for his amazing micro-enterprise bank for the
developing world, said he believes his grandchildren will have
to go to a museum to see extreme poverty.
These are dreamers, but how beautiful the dream, for it's not
a new one, it's an ancient one—the dream of Heaven itself.
This dream is echoed in the pages of scripture and in the
prayers of the saints for generations. It's time to see
clearly now.
This kingdom vision says, 'Your kingdom come, Your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven'. And it is happening right
now. God's kingdom is coming—join in! I believe, with
Commissioner Knaggs, that this generation of Salvationists
will rise up and fight for the advance of the kingdom of
heaven.
It looks like the Spirit of the Lord upon every willing and
obedient soldier empowering them to preach good news to the
poor, bind up the broken captive, release the prisoners and
heal the blind.
It looks like government advocacy, brothel chaplaincy, rescue
homes for trafficked victims; it looks like every quarters
becoming a mission station for the poor; and it looks like
every soldier living in direct contrast to the ways of the
world, leaving behind lives of excess for simplicity in order
to celebrate kingdom generosity! It looks messy, dirty,
colourful and free. It looks like long days and
short nights full of prayer and then the obedience to get up
off our knees to advance the war. It looks like right now. Can
you hear heaven's heartbeat in the rhythm of the Dream itself?
This is good news. Join in. We are not fighting flesh and
blood but principalities and powers in the spiritual realm.
William Booth said Salvationism was simply this: the banishing
of wickedness from the earth forever.
God grant it. Now to live the Dream.
Brainstorm:
Some campaigns already started:
The fair trade principle:
In action right now. The Salvation Army in Australia
recognises its potential (both as an example and a consumer)
to consume fairly. In our coffee, tea and chocolate
consumption, we can make a difference in the lives of some of
the world's poorest people. As an organisation we are
convinced it's time we led the way to new economic strategies
to help relieve poverty in the world. What if every
Salvationist determined to buy fair trade? We could make a
huge difference in the way people live (both those in the
developing world and the developed world) and give the world
the truth, 'there is nothing like an Army cup of tea!"
JUSTLose:
The thing that causes the most slavery in the world is our
excesses (coffee, chocolate and sex are three of them, but
there are many more). Those same things that enslave people
physically are the very things that enslave us as well
(obesity and desire). We are rising up as the people of God to
say 'No' to excess so that others can be literally freed. Join
the campaign today!
What if 100 Salvationists led teams of ten to confront the
cultural disease of excess? Could we free thousands and effect
change the world over?
JUSTPray:
Freedom Fridays: Salvationists called to fast and pray
every Friday at noon, asking God for his help to end the
sexual slavery of thousands of young women and children.
JUSTLive:
Salvationists hearing the call of our roots to
re-establish the 'slum sisters and brothers' movement of our
beginnings—called to incarnate themselves among the poor, as
Jesus did. Imagine the worst 100 post codes being invaded by
light-bearers and God's people bringing hope into the darkest
places! How about mobilised grassroots movements that
determine to shape the policies instead of react to them
(affordable housing, addictions, indigenous communities,
refugees and poverty rates both within Australia and around
the world).
Every Salvationist home open to the 'stranger' and 'alien'—a
refugee family relocated and embraced by the community of God.
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