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Covid: A Time For Cleaning House
by Captains Diane and
Peter Hobbs
Throughout Covid19 God has been giving
us the best education and the main lesson being that God is in
control, and we should never drop out of the Salvation War.
God promises in His word that He treats us like His dear
children and while for many Covid19 might have felt like a
punishment, we have seen it as the best discipline, training
that we have fully embraced. What is to be learnt from this
experience? What needs to change? What is to remain the same?
But always the most important underlying question of why?
For a decade my wife Di and I have
almost been prepared for this lockdown as we were strongly led
to make disciples, growing faith wherever life happened. For
us that meant simply immersing people in the reality of the
Trinity and teaching these new first generational disciples to
immerse themselves in Scripture, to pray, listen to Jesus and
do what He says. This prepares us for events like: pandemics,
wars, persecution, lockdowns. Any circumstance where
Salvationists will need to be ready and prepared to be led by
the Spirit.
We have embraced the training of 2020
and discovered disciple making alone truly leads to being the
best way to live. The fruit has been transformed lives and
disciples raised, disciples who are now also making disciples.
But ultimately 2020 has been like a
thorough housecleaning, and we believe this year God has been
re-prioritising us especially within The Salvation Army
internationally, so that the unshakable essentials stand clear
and uncluttered: Jesus and His Great Commission.
Stripping back what Church is to the
main thing: The presence of Jesus, amongst his spiritual
family on mission together.
So in 2021 we see Disciple making
continuing to be the main focus as it has been. When we make
disciple making the main thing, we see God doing what is best
for us, training us to live God’s holy best. In the process we
know we will continue to see transformed lives spread
throughout community. Leading to organic missional networks
which are forming all around the world!
“God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning
house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit
until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!”
Hebrews 12:49 The Message
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