JAC
Interview with Stephanie Parker Chagas
JAC: Tell us, who are you?
SPC: I am a mid-twenties brazilian/british
daughter, sister, friend, soldier and servant on a life-long
discovery of myself, others, the world. I’m compassionate,
caring, sensitive, seeking to be at the heart of God’s will,
set apart for Him and his purposes…
JAC: How did you get saved?
SPC: Growing up in a family of Salvationists, my church has
always been The Salvation Army. I feel that my personal
encounter with Jesus and experience of the Holy Spirit
happened when I was about 10 years old at the Children’s
Convention at the UK Territory’s Roots Conference.
There was an appeal and I felt the desire to stand up
and go to the front. As I was doing so I felt my legs weak and
a strong sense of fire within. I remember I couldn’t speak
much after that but just cry. That was an awakening moment for
me. I felt the difference as I returned to school after that
weekend and was excited to tell my friends about the time I’d
had.
JAC: What have you been up to over the last few years?
SPC: I studied Journalism in Brazil and
worked in the area in a couple of corporate firms. As much as
I enjoyed my job I didn’t find total fulfilment and wanted my
work to have a longer lasting impact upon people. I soon moved
cities and had the opportunity to work for The Salvation Army
in the communications department of the Thrift Store
Programme. To cut a long story short, one day out of the blue
God called me, took me out of Brazil and placed me in London
at the International College for Officers and Centre for
Spiritual Life Development where I’ve been for the past two
and a half years nearly helping to create spiritual life
resources, promote the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer, support
events on and off campus, network with Salvationists
worldwide, develop my own relationship with Him…
JAC: What has been the impact on you of this experience?
SPC: I’m still trying to take it all in. It’s been amazing. I
have learnt so much in these past two years about God’s
provision, timing, guidance. I have learnt how to better
nurture my relationship with him, understand myself better to
be able to serve Him better, see God at work in the lives of
other people from all around the world. I have been truly
blessed.
JAC: How has your work with the Centre for Spiritual Life
Development affected the world?
SPC: I often sit
in my little office on the outskirts of London and think how
effective the CSLD truly is. However, in these five years of
it’s history, I feel that through the participation in events
on and off site all around the world, the resources that are
available online and also sent to the different S.A.
territories, contact with hundreds of officers through the
International College for Officers, networking with Salvation
Army personnel in this role from different territories, the
start of the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer and hearing
testimonies of what’s happening is encouraging. The CSLD is
inevitably transitioning at the moment and I do feel quite
excited to see what will happen. I know there is so much more
for me to do and learn and there is so much more for the CSLD
to do, but I am confident for the future.
JAC: How can the CSLD benefit salvationists and corps around
the world? (SPC - maybe suggest resources...)
SPC: I think firstly, Salvationists can benefit through the
resources on the website – www.salvationarmy.org/csld. There
is a diverse range of Bible studies, spiritual formation and
prayer resources; articles related to justice issues; weekly
online devotional and video news updates; audio prayer tracks
and the CSLD’s monthly newsletter along with specific content
related to the Vision and links to other useful resources and
websites. Salvationists can benefit by reading the book Army
on Its Knees (Major Stephen Court and Colonel Janet Munn), a
great resource on prayer and spiritual disciplines. They can
‘Like’ the CSLD and Global Call’s facebook and twitter pages
to receive daily news and resources about what’s happening.
They can take part in the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer –
a day and night cry for justice, create a place of prayer in
their corps, social centres, divisions etc. The CSLD is also
available to help with teaching and providing resources at
events.
JAC: How has discipleship - both being discipled and
discipling - influenced your life and war fighting?
SPC: I’ll always be grateful to the people
who took time to invest in me as a child and who first called
me to help out with Sunday School. I have no idea what they
saw in that extremely shy, introverted, self-conscious
thirteen year old, but as I grew, those times I spent with the
children teaching and helping them were sometimes the best
moments of my week. I am grateful that today, some of those
children who are now adolescents remain firm in their Corps
back in Brazil. This was an open door to me in terms of having
the confidence to discover my own ministry and gifts in other
areas and being able to use them for the sake of the kingdom.
In my youth I felt the need to have someone more present
helping me at a personal level in my spiritual growth. More
recently I feel this need has been better met and I am more
aware of what to look for in a discipler and how to be one
myself. Presently, there are a few people, near and far, who I
try and be a role model too, simply listening, trying to make
myself available and helping them in their spiritual journey.
JAC: What has God been teaching you about prayer?
SPC: One thing I have learnt is to identify
the different rhythms of prayer in my own life and to try and
understand what God is saying and what he wants me to do for
him through prayer. There are times when my prayer life seems
dry, other times where I find myself praying all the time,
there are times when I rejoice in prayer, times when I weep
constantly in prayer, times when I feel immensely burdened in
prayer. My constant prayer is that I may have faith to believe
in prayer, for the small or the huge things and to be
persistent as I do so.
JAC: What does the future look like for you?
SPC: I’m not too sure, but I think that’s
ok for now! My only desire is that my ears and eyes by open to
know what the next step is.
JAC: What's your favourite move of God that you have
experienced first-hand?
SPC: I feel that a personal favourite move of God happened
while I was taking part in the mission team of Salvationists
that came together during the Pan-American Games in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil in 2007. In just two weeks of teaching and
mission on the streets, in parks, shanty towns etc. God truly
opened my eyes to others and their needs. This was such a huge
thing for me, something ‘clicked’ inside. Another move of God
was the way he brought me to the U.K. His guidance has been so
evident from and since then, it still amazes me every time I
think about it. It’s my Ebenezer stone that I always look back
to for faith and reassurance for the future.
JAC: Does God often impact you through preaching and teaching?
If so, what are some outstanding examples?
SPC: I am often
impacted through preaching, teaching and simple observation of
what people say and do. I learnt a lot through simply
observing how my parents related to people, how they fully
engaged themselves in everything they did and guided me in the
right way. More recently, I have been impacted by the teaching
and preaching of Colonel Janet Munn who I had the opportunity
to work with closely. Her spiritual authority, biblical
knowledge and general lifestyle, whether in the small mundane
things or the big events would always challenge and inspire
me.
JAC: What do you see as the great opportunities for The
Salvation Army in coming years of the salvation war?
SPC: I feel society is reaching a point
where people are realizing that having jobs, cars,
technological gadgets, isn’t really that fulfilling. With the
economic crisis that has hit some countries in the past years
things haven’t turned out quite the way they were expected
financially socially. I see these things as a great
opportunity to reach out to those in need of a meaning,
purpose, intimacy. At the same time, used wisely, I do think
media and communications are a great tool to share the gospel
all over the world and at a more rapid pace. It’s a great way
for people to be encouraged, connected and receive the Word in
so many creative forms through videos, audios, websites etc.
JAC: If you could write a quick letter to salvationists around
the world, what would you say?
SPC: There is always more than meets the eye. Do not fall into
a position of contentment and complacency with the way things
are in your life, with the things that are presented to you by
the media, society etc. Seek. Take time to be holy. Try and
fast at least once a week from things that can be overpowering
your life, time and energy – food, facebook, phone…Set
spiritual goals and ask someone to help keep you accountable
to them. Be resolute in knowing who God is and who you are to
Him. Find ways to relate to him according to the way he has
created you – in solitude, in silence, through music, through
dance, through writing, through spoken word, practical service
– and use these tools.
Live a lifestyle of worship, be conscience of God
wherever you are and in whatever you do, think and say. Don’t
be too hard on yourself, receive His love. Expect Him.
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