Armybarmy Blog

July 4, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2TH)

How's your soul?
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Our American readers are celebrating today and here is a short article by Chuck Colson on the Source of Liberty for the occasion:

http://townhall.com/columnists/ChuckColson/2008/07/03/the_source_of_liberty
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Eleanor Burne-Jones (see her blog at right) suggests that we honour Founders' Day by finding someone near us who is in a loyalty versus faithfulness dilemma in The Army today, and help them and/or The Army to find a way out of it.
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Evelyn Clark (blog at right) has stumbled on to an old JAC issue on the Five Books That Shaped My Life - a great issue that heard from interesting warriors (including the current General). And she blogs (the first?) one of those lists in a recent post. Enjoy.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Remember not to teach people how to act like Jesus by working on demonstrating certain fruity characteristics in their lives ("this week I'm really working on the fruit of patience") but to teach them to get sanctified so that Holy Spirit nuetralises their natural inclination to do what is selfish and grows the fruit of patience in them.
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Andrew Bale (blogs at right) is still providing us with the old Handbook of Doctrine chapter on sanctification at his blog.
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I had occasion to hit thewarcollege.com site recently. The new Chicago campus looks like a great place to go (as does Vancouver). AND, they have a great coat of arms. Check it out. And maybe apply for the Conquerors Session (starts in September).
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I read in ON FIRE (it is blogrolled at right but this article might not be available there) that scores of AUS soldiers responded to the call to officership at a recent candidates weekend. Praise God. The number given was 65. We could use 65 Cadets in January. If you haven't signed up yet, you'd best get your application today!
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Remember the poor.
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"To save a soul is better than to command an army, to win a battle, to rule an empire, or to sit upon a throne" (SLB). So, have at it today in your evangelising.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Kings 15-16; Hosea 1; Hebrews 1.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

July 3, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2HM)

How's your soul?
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It is still Founders' Day for many readers so here is a jolt in the arm from each of the founders:

'The Army, by its very success, is ever in danger of drifting away from the great ungodly mass for whose salvation it was expressly raised up, and to whom it is essentially sent. The only remedy is attack. The gulf must be crossed, and re-crossed, and crossed again. Aggression is the key to the indispensable, nay, the only means of conquest.... We must go to the
people.... New methods must be invented if the old ones do not bring us into contact with the godless crowds. For, no matter what the cost, we must get at them. We must attack.' (William Booth)

'There is no record since the Apostles of a body that has so
encompassed the Divine idea, all its members being taught to make all the other objects and aims of life subservient to the one grand purpose of preaching the Gospel to every creature and striving to win every soul with whom they come in contact to its salvation.... I believe that this Movement is to inaugurate the great final conquest of the Lord Jesus Christ.' (Catherine Booth) - from Eastern Victoria Divisional newsletter, hat tip Cilla B.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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The May OFFICER just arrived (!) and there are some gems. I'll share a few over the next few days.

"Sensual, dishonest, sanctimonious and hypocritical scoundrel," "brazen-faced charlatan," "pious rogue," "tub-thumper" and masquerading hypocrite." Major Jonathan Roberts indicated these are just a few of the accusations aimed at William Booth in the press.

Roberts concludes that in response to Bramwell's attempts to persuade William to defend himself, Booth replied, "Fifty years hence it will matter very little how these people treated us. It will matter a great deal more how we dealt with the work of God."
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Remember the poor.
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"Without personal dedication to soul-winning no one can be a good Salvationist" (The Salvation Army - it's origin and development).

Now, I know we feed you some classic lines most of the time and it is easy to take them for granted and scan on down to the bottom before hitting the blogroll on the right. But today how about reading that one-line assertion one more time.

Having re-read it, look in the mirror.

And act appropriately in your evangelism today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 26-27; Isaiah 6-7; Philemon
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Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

July 2, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Holy Founders' Day!

Now, you'll note that the apostrophe is after the S in Founders. It used to precede the S. And then people realized that there were two founders (not one - William, and not three - as the Year Book strangely suggests - can't someone correct that Year Book mistake? If BB must be included then GSR must be). So the apostrophe moved (hat tip Commissioner Wesley Harris).

Commissioner Harris showed me a photograph of a dedication stone for a church in Ninfield, Sussex from 1871 that notes, "this stone was laid by Mrs. Catherine Booth, assisted by her husband Reverend William Booth, founders of the Christian Mission" (for those not up on their dates the Christian Mission became The Salvation Army in 1878). It is nice to see that "assisted by her husband" bit, too.

The date marks the first preach at Mile End Waste (try googling "Mile End Waste" with "Salvation Army" for more; or, for an alternate take, "Mile End Waste Blessing"). And, I'm led to believe, Founders' Weekend is becoming a big deal in some cities. What are you doing this Sunday to advance the Salvation War by playing up the big date?
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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"You must make the children understand that God expects them to do their share of the fighting, and encourage them to do it" (William Booth, The Training of Children).
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"Children should be taught that there is an inseparable connexion between goodness and happiness." (WB). My Dad (and his dad) always say, "Life is more fun when you're good!" They are on the same page (hat tip GNP).
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We're big on the Junior Soldier war. Let's train them up and deploy them. I know some pre-JSs (they are a bit young to be JS yet) who are memorising the doctrines and JS pledge and evangelising their school mates and seeing results. Hallelujah! Let's not wait until they get old. And, God forbid that we don't promote Junior and Senior Soldiership for our children (which, believe it or not, I've actually heard about - secondhand, of course - most don't drop that type of mutinous scandal on me firsthand).
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The Army seems to be pressing more books these days. IHQ is on a publishing rampage. AUS Territory is not far behind. And others are producing titles as well. I look forward to the day when the average Salvo anticipates the next title by Major ______ as much as the forthcoming album by HillSong or Matt Redman. There is good stuff out there. Read some of it.
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Remember the poor.
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Eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. I have an old article on this - The King's Gifts and the Emperor's Clothes (I'd try JAC archives if you are intrigued). Anyway, the suggestion there is that if you are 'open' to the most whacky gifts, that is a sin, since we're meant to eagerly desire them and not just be open to them.

I stumbled on to a 1978 book called Scriptural Light on Speaking in Tongues by Lt.Colonel Wesley Bouterse. It is interesting that The Army in the States produced a pretty balanced take on things in that high-charged era (there was a lot of controversy in the 70s around this kind of thing. I'm suggesting balanced because it provides guidelines in use of tongues in meetings. One is that there needs to be an interpretation. This is a cart-before-the-horse issue in that there is not necessarily any guarantee to the tongues speaker that the person to whom God will give the interpretation will have the guts to obey and provide that interpration and not leave the tongues speaker out hanging. But that is another issue).
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"The world of godlessness is never won by being ignored; it needs to be invaded and captured for Christ" ("The Salvationist at Work", Brown). Keep that in mind during your evangelising today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Isaiah 4-5; Psalm 115,116; Jude.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

July 1, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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In Canada it is Dominion Day! For appropriate blogging on Dominion Day and its origin in the Psalms, check previous July 1 blog posts at the armybarmy blog archives (top right) or check Michael Ramsay's blog tomorrow (when it is July 1 in Canada) woh can be relied on to come through on these kinds of topics.
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And tomorrow is Founder's Day (July 2)...
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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I heard recently the take that The Army is the Christian movement most naturally characterised by servant leadership because every leader is submitted to someone else (the General is submitted to God and accountable to some extent to the High Council). For many this is a counter-intuitive perspective because the militant reality of The Salvation Army manifest structurally in a command and control structure seems to lend itself to other kinds of leadership. I'll buy the servant leadership angle (and I don't have much against command and control, trusting God to provide godly leadership in the roles of command and control). Hat tip Genevieve Peterson.
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General Orsborn:
'I regard the officer as the mind and soul of our work. He is also the main target for Satan's attack. The Founder was aware of changing values in the minds of his officers: "I see our principal danger is in our very best agents settling down... They constantly need stirring up and setting on fresh tracks. Lord help us!' And then he goes on quoting General Bramwell: 'Is the Army going to be ruined like everything else, by its priests? No! Not if we can help it!"
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So, Officers, stir it up! Don't settle down! Live up to what you have already attained - your most pure season, your most compassionate episode, your most powerful battling, your most effective evangelism, your most important discipling, your most inspired dreaming, your most disciplined praying, your most transformative teaching, your most compelling preaching, your most consequential strategising, your most faith-filled hoping. And don't be unaware that you are a main target of satan's attack. Get/stay holy. Get/stay accountable. Don't be flippant with temptation. Immerse yourself in prayer and the things of the great Salvation War.
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Remember the poor.
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Brengle on holiness: "It does not produce a perfect head, but rather, a perfect heart!"
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All Black legend Wilson Whinnevay has this advice on leadership: "Surround yourself with innovation and competence." These sounds like good components for building a Corps Council.
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"The Salvation Army is an Army for the purpose of carrying salvation through the land. It is neither more nor less than that" (William Booth, in SALVATION SOLDIERY). Nice definition. And it is consistent with Anthony Castle: "If we are a metaphorical army in a metaphorical war, then we are not really an army and this is not a war." Of course, I like this definition: The Salvation Army is a revolutiona ry movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus.
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Hat tip to Andrew Bale for his daily Salvation Soldier's Armoury reprints (this was a classic daily dose of rations for the average warrior), available here:
http://salvationarmoury.blogspot.com/
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And your daily evangelism plug:

"Too long at ease in Zion
I've been content to dwell
While multitudes are dying
And sinking into hell
I can nomore be careless
And say there's naught to do
The fields are white to harvest
And labourers are few.

(W. Walker SASB)
Bust some souls.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 30, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Brengle Institutes have a great history in The Salvation Army. They annually call Salvos to the holy life. They are normally intense affairs. While they are aimed at Officers, by invitation. I know of exceptions that include Soldiers Brengle, and Youth Brengle Institute (YBI). Both are fantastic ideas that could be replicated the frustration of the enemy in every territory.

Related, there is a shorter but equally Kingdom-effective tradition in The Army of Booth-Tucker Institute (BTI). It draws leaders from various countries to live in slum-conditions for a week of intense spiritual warfare, goodnetworking, and stretching experiences. So far it is exclusively available in Vancouver. If you are interested, see thewarcollege.com. If you are interested in starting another campus, contact revolution @ mmccxx.net.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Tonight is the long-awaited launch of BOUNDLESS SALVATION, a four-DVD introduction to The Salvation Army by John Cleary (with video work by Cory Baudinette). Did you know that if you type boundless salvation into facebook, you get this prompt: 'did you mean painless salvation?' While the launch will be painless, the Salvation which it celebrates caused our wonderful Saviour, Jesus, much pain, for which we are eternally grateful to Him (hat tip SA).
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Big news is that there is a new Anglican Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans within the Anglican Church. This has been developing for some time but is now a reality, following the Jerusalem Declaration:

http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2008/06/theologian-call.html#more

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4231023.ece

"The new fellowship will return to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the 39 articles of religion, train its own priests and insist on more orthodox practices in its churches. Although the instigators claim they are focused on reform from within it is said to represent the worst blow to church unity in the West since the Protestant reformation of the 16th century."

"Central to the announcement was a "Jerusalem declaration", which will form the basis of the new fellowship. In the declaration the archbishops and bishops said: "We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed." It accused the leaders of the Episcopal Church of the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada of proclaiming a "false gospel". The fellowship's first task will be to create a new Anglican body in North America."

Theologian James Packer is even calling for the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign:

'I would say with great respect Archbishop, I believe that the way of wisdom is for you to resign. Now that of course is very bold and tough talk and if I wasn’t in my 80’s, I might not feel that I had the gall ... but that is what I would like to say to the Archbishop and I believe that it would be the kindest thing to say to him. He really is over a barrel on this matter.’

(background) http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=53442

So, this is an item for prayer - that God will use this for His glory and for the purification of the Bride. And, for Salvationists, let this be a cautionary warning of what happens a generation after people write off the Authority of Scripture (ie behaviour associated with 'false gospel'; and potential rip in the fellowship). The solution to this process, which has already begun in The Army, is a universal embrace of Soldiers Covenant. Seriously - read up on your Articles of War and your Handbook of Doctrine and your Orders and Regulations.
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On a lighter note, here are two lists:

Top 10 religious treats:http://timesonline.typepad.com/faith/2008/04/my-sweet-lord-t.html

To 20 religious t shirts: http://timesonline.typepad.com/faith/2008/03/httpwwwilmwearc.html
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Remember the poor.
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Titus 2:11 is on about the grace of God that offers salvation to all people (not my point, but the 'all' must not appear in the limited atonement folks's Bibles). But it isn't just GRACE and salvation. The next verse connects that grace to self-controlled, upright, and GODLY lives and away from ungodliness and worldly passions. As Jesus, said, Repent and Believe.
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Some people appear to have it together. This some times can disincline a would-be evangelist. Again and again I am reminded by others or personal experience) that most of these people, once you scratch the surface, are as fragile and uncertain and confused as the more obviously messed-up in our society. This should offer you confidence in your evangelising today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Amos 7-9; Psalm 104; Titus 2.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 29, 2008.

Christian Non-Violence Continued...

Some excellent must-read thoughts on Christian non-violence (and Hiroshima) over at the War College blog (to the right, in the Canadian section). Here's a teaser:


"The professions and trades of those who are going to be accepted into the community must be examined. The nature and type of each must be established...brothel, sculptors of idols, charioteer, athlete, gladiator...give it up or be rejected. A military constable must be forbidden to kill, neither may he swear; if he is not willing to follow these instructions, he must be rejected. A proconsul or magistrate who wears the purple and governs by the sword shall give it up or be rejected. Anyone taking or already baptized who wants to become a soldier shall be sent away, for he has despised God." - Hippolytus, 218 AD

"We ourselves were well conversant with war, murder, and everything evil, but all of us throughout the whole wide earth have traded in our weapons of war. We have exchanged our swords for plowshares, our spears for farm tools...now we cultivate the fear of God, justice, kindness, faith, and the expectation of the future given us through the crucified one...the more we are persecuted and martyred, the more do others in ever increasing numbers become believers." - Justin, martyred in 165 AD

Grace,

Aaron

June 28, 2008.

June 27, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JHE)

How's your soul?
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Major Nigel Bovey breaks down the Mercy Seat for us - 14 years ago he wrote a book on it and he is planning an update:
http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/vw-issue/23A334EB3B2798748025746E00488F73?opendocument&id=1590A95CD9F7ED378025746E00477633
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N.T. Wright Responds to Richard John Neuhaus, here: http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=6253

Recently I was describing John Fletcher's Checks to Antinomianism (classic, blistering polemic from the man Wesley called the holiest guy he'd ever met). And then I stumbled upon this current exchange between N.T. Wright and Richard John Neuhaus. This is a modern day taste of what Fletcher used to do...

Major Harold Hill, in Clericalisation in The Salvation Army: Whence and Whither? paper presented this month in New Zealand, has this from E.L. Mascall on the Reformation: "What Protestantism did to the religion of Western Europe was simply to substitute a clericalism of the Word for a clericalism of the Sacrament."

So with Wright and Neuhaus, you have grandchildren from each of these clerical lines duking it out.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Here are some Year Book stats on AUS Territory:
1968 - 727 active; 63 cadets; 208 corps; 322 outposts
1978 - 565 active; 54 cadets; 186 corps; 231 outposts
1988 - 659 active; 178 corps; 52 cadets; 36 outposts
1998 - 586 active; 179 corps; 28 cadets; 24 outposts
2008 - 466 active; 161 corps; 39 cadets; 18 outposts
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From June 24, 2008 WSJ.
"But Does God Believe in Atheists? The Washington Post reports on a shocking finding from a new Pew Research Center poll: "Twenty-one percent of those who describe themselves as atheists expressed a belief in God or a universal spirit."

"How can you be an atheist and believe in God? Gregory Smith, a Pew research fellow, speculates that "some people may identify with the term atheist or agnostic without fully understanding the definition." But maybe the culprit here is the ambiguity of the term believe.

"The finding reminded us of a 1980s song, "Dear God," by a band called XTC. It's a petulant protest of suffering in the world:

"Dear God, Hope you got the letter And I pray you can make it better down here I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer But all the people that you made in your image, See them starving on their feet 'Cause they don't get enough to eatFrom God I can't believe in you.

"The lyrics also complain of sectarian "fighting in the street," "disease," "wars," the drowning of "babes" and "those lost at sea and never found." The narrator repeatedly asserts his unbelief in God--but the entire song is in the second person. If he doesn't believe in God, who's he talking to?

"The obvious answer is that the XTC atheists' attitude toward God is like the Arabs' attitude toward Israel. They don't deny that God exists, but they blame him for all their problems, and they refuse to recognize his right to exist."
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Remember the poor.
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Here's a word from a very old armybarmy blog:

"My buddy lives in South Africa and laid this one on me: "The British Army suffered one of its greatest defeats at Isandlwana. More than 1500 soldiers died at the hands of the Zulus. A combination of pride, arrogance, and foolishness led to this defeat. They thought the Zulus would line up and play fair when the invaded Zululand. Word got back to a mission station at Roarkes Drift that the Zulus were coming. A small group of people held off the Zulus through the night and 14 victoria crosses were handed out because of that battle. It remains the battle that has had the greatest number of victoria crosses handed out. I could not help but wonder if God wanted me to learn something from that history. I have see arrogance in The Salvation Army and I really believe that as a result we have seen some defeats. Perhaps we have in someways faced our Isandlwana - or perhaps we are still facing it. I wonder if we are heading to our Roarkes Drift. If we in The Salvation Army will face a battle in our future where only heroes will survive. Ultimately the British did win the war with the Zulus, but they had to go through both kinds of battles before they did win the war. I have no doubt of our ultimate victory, but neither do I have any illusions about the challenges of the road."
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Here's an Officer's covenant - pray about signing it:

CALLED BY GOD to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as an officer of The Salvation Army
I BIND MYSELF TO HIM IN THIS SOLEMN COVENANT to love and serve him supremely all my days,
to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life...
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And, from Xander Coleman's blog, William Booth writes on the doctrine of entire sanctification:

"Holiness to the Lord is to us a fundamental truth; it stands in the front rank of our doctrines. We inscribe it upon our banners. It is with us in no shape or form an open debatable question as to whether God can sanctify wholly, or whether Jesus does save His people from their sins.

He goes on to say,

"In the estimation of The Salvation Army that is settled for ever: and any officer who did not hold and proclaim the ability of Jesus Christ to save His people to the uttermost from sin and sinning, I should consider out of place amongst us."
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Bust some souls.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 3.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 26, 2008. (updated!)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
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Several Training Colleges are networking together for 24/7/5 (non-stop prayer in all five Salvo zones). New Zealand just joined Pakistan, Zambia, UK, USS, and AUS. If you are a Cadet elsewhere and are interested in parntering, we can hook you up (revolution @ mmccxx.net).
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There aren't too many testimonies to sanctification floating around these days. A couple of warriors pointed one out to me from an article in an old JAC issue (#2). The deal was gnawing frustration at a lack of consistency between Acts and SLB on the one hand and the testifier's life on the other. Six months of reading and praying and consecration culminated in a picnic table sanctification experience (what the scholars called crisis - preceded and followed by process) that was tipped off from the human perspective by total consecration and capped by Holy Spirit in neutralisation of the natural inclination to do what is selfish and in filling the person up. According to the testimony, friends and family affirmed a big change in the formerly shy introvert who became somewhat gregarious, inwardly frustration was washed away by peace, satisfaction, and confidence, and there was a lot more fruit in terms of conversions. Praise God.
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Anthony Castle wrote the definitive word on this issue in a fairly recent JAC: ARE WE A METAPHOR? You can google it (use quotation marks). It's worth looking up as I'm continually surprised by the Salvos who don't buy it (and some who are flabberghasted at the thought of someone even thinking it possible!). We are not a metaphor, or this is not an army, and we are not in a war. And this would be all make-believe, pretending. That's fine for six year olds. But is is embarrassingly pathetic for anyone much older.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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I was recently in a formal discussion about the future of The Army. A point was made about the politics of power and 'the loudest voice wins' (sounds a bit like a recent post on s/he who believes most wins). So we asked what the loudest voice - that is, the winner - is, and one voice in the salvosphere asserted that it was that with "the most skewed view of our history'. When asked which one, Primitive Salvationists received a backhanded complement when it was clarified to be Primitive Salvationism.
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Hallelujah. I'm not sure he's right. The loudest voice might still be a squeak against the massive movement called The Salvation Army. We'll see (and all you PSs out there need to work on your vocal chords!). Primitive Salvationism = charismatic-flavuored, mission-focussed heroism.
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And don't forget, I put the 'fun' back into fundamentalism.
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Some new Officers in the North are being commissioned and heading to their first appointments in several territories. Here are a few pieces of unsolicited advice:
- stay close to Jesus;
- you are not your appointment;
- you are not your rank;
- live up to what you have already attained;
- training college is the easiest time you'll ever have (so said General Wickberg's Training Principal). So get fighting.
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Remember the poor.
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Sin. It sucks. Don't gloss over it in your evangelising today. People need to REPENT and believe.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Jonah; 2 Timothy 2.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 25, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2DE;TGT)

How's your soul?
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I heard some good teaching recently and here is its summary regarding the way forward:

Episcopalian: We will want to emphasise this truth in our structuring for mission to understand the manifestation of it in practice and to optimise its strengths. That is, local Corps do not stand alone. They are components of a Division. And Divisions do not stand alone. They are components of a Territory. And Territories do not stand alone. They are components of the international Salvation Army.

Catechistic: We need to reclaim the important strengths of our training programmes such as Directory, YP Company, Junior Soldiers, Corps Cadets, SAGALA, and even Home League (teaching life skills to the single, unemployed, addicted, young mothers, amongst others) - not to mention League of Mercy (which kicks when stripped of its cultural baggage). This will deliver to God a spiritually-committed, practically-trained, doctrinally-sound, and theologically-informed Soldiery and Officer Corps in the next generation, should we take longer than that to complete the mission (see following point).

Missional: Doctrinal laxity has led to missional drift. Our mission is to win the world for Jesus. That means we evangelise and disciple. We preach holiness towards that end. And as a means of our evangelism and a (super)natural overflow of our divine compassion, we help people in various ways. These helping activities are not our mission though they help it immensely. But it is more difficult to save and disciple people than it is to feed and house them. And it is easier to sleep at night if you can tally up a number of meals served or beds filled than if you are forced to count the numbers saved and discipled. And our doctrinal laxity has facilitated a drift in mission from being SAVED TO SAVE, which is William, Catherine, and Bramwell Booth's intention with the Ss, to SAVED TO SERVE, the illegitimate liberal cousin of the original Ss. The destinations are completely different. We must be SAVED TO SAVE.

Vanguard militancy: There was unanymous support at this event for an emphasis on vanguard militancy, whether described as SAS elite fighting corps or God's Commandos or the Fist of the Body of Christ. This is a return to our prophetic calling. Prophetic trumps relevance. That is, it is more important and effective to be prophetic than to be relevant and we need to get up off the altar of relevance and return to our prophetic role.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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I've heard that in a few Territories single Candidates who have been accepted are sent a list of the other single Candidates of the opposite gender.
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Remember the poor.
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Do you ever get someon on the verge of respentance and faith and leave them, undecided? Frustrating. But is amazing what God can do in a short period of time. I've heard of people gettign converted in teh fast food line and in the elevator. You never know how close someone already is, how much work Holy Spirit has already completed. Take every opportunity today in your evangelising and try to avoid the frustration of the undecided.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Joel; 2 Timothy 1.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 24, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(ha2A/JN;R/J-CC)

How's your soul?
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There is a news feed that provides headlines for The Salvation Army. Here are the top three from yesterday:

Commentary: Salvation Army takes its mission to people in need
Local business hopes to help Salvation Army, Red Cross
Salvation Army taking applications for summer camp

These are probably not above the fold! But, praise God.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Ravi Zacharias is a great one. Here is a taste of his teaching:

http://search.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?dedupe=1&index=5&col=en-all-public-ep&e=19554154&il=en&num=10&s=PZSID_pods_pod5_3_9_0002;Let+My+People+Think+(RZIM)&mc=en-all&start=0&expand=true&match=query,channel&filter=0&y=0&x=0----

In this podcast is the following quote from Andrew Fletcher, the eighteenth centuries political Scottish political activist:

"Let me write the songs of a nation and I don't care who writes its laws."
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Amen. Our culture today reflects the efficiacy of Fletcher's position. And, not to get to provincial, the paucity of SA songs in the weekly worship repertoire is an indication of a partial abdication of our Salvationist mission and doctrine.

So, sing Pearson and Orsborn and Gowans/Larsson, and the others. And sing Laeger and Rowe and Mikles and Hood, and the others.
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Remember the poor.
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"The worst man who ever lives will go to heaven if he obtains it (salvation) and the best man that ever lived will go to hell if he misses it. Oh, publish it abroad!" (William Booth).

Publish it abroad today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Kings 11,12; 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 6.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 23, 2008. (updated)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JR)

How's your soul?
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Have you read JAC yet? Have you considered contributing to the next issue?
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“A set of nine postage stamps has been produced in The Netherlands to celebrate the life of the country's most famous Salvationist – and one of its best-loved citizens – Lieut-Colonel Alida M. Bosshardt OF. The Colonel was Promoted to Glory in June 2007 after a lifetime serving the poor and needy.

"She is particularly remembered for her work in Amsterdam's red light district. The nine stamps, each worth 44 eurocents, feature a variety of photographs or illustrations of 'De Majoor' ['The Major'] – as she was known even after promotion to Lieut-Colonel – in her famous Salvation Army bonnet. Royal TNT Post, the main mail delivery service in The Netherlands, has also produced a special booklet which includes the new stamps and many more photographs of Lieut-Colonel Bosshardt through the years. A biography of the colonel is included in Dutch and English and makes it very clear that her inspiration to work with the poor and dispossessed came from her love of God.

"The front cover includes – again in two languages – the motto by which De Majoor led her life: 'To serve God is to serve people and to serve people is to serve God.'” (hat tip Robyn Clinch)
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There are many other worthies that have faithfully fought in anonymity and so we give glory to all of them represented by the Colonel. Paul said, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
----
I saw five new Junior Soldiers enrolled this week - Hallelujah! The Cause advances. (hat tip Reservoir Salvos).
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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On the retirement age thread, hat tip to Major Harold Hill for news clipping coverage of Commissioner Ross Kendrew, retired and now reinvented as a free budgeting advisor in New Zealand with great opporutnities to meet ordinary people at their point of need. Praise God.
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Obviously believing a bit in the real thing is spiritually better than believing a lot in something not worthy of the belief. But from a human standpoint it isn't so much what you believe but how much you believe. And s/he who believes most, wins. And by 'most' we include longevity - the longest. This goes for clash of civilisations as well as differences of Salvo philosophy and mission (the keeper quote - s/he who believes most, wins).
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mmccxx is recruiting partners to network to see new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 countries, in 20 years. Are you compelled (revolution @ mmccxx.net)?
----
Don't forget to pray for the General at lunch today.
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Remember the poor.
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"Here is the greatest truth of all: God saves man." Evangeline Booth.
Spread the truth confidently today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Kings 10 (see v16a); 2 Chronicles 22-23; 1 Timothy 5.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 22, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JR;FT)

How's your soul?
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So the nod to John Norton's blog as stirred some interest in his other writing. He's quoted in recent SA books such as Rightmire's SANCTIFIED SANITY and Harold Hill's LEADERSHIP IN THE SALVATION ARMY: A case study in clericalisation. And he's in just about every issue in the first few years of JAC (Journal of Aggressive Christianity) - all available at top right and through the archives. Here's just a taste of John in the last century, ahead of the curve, on social justice:

"Social justice must be felt in our personal lives as well as in the lives of our organizations and churches. It is the flip side of social service. The former addresses the larger questions of politics and cause, the latter addresses the needs of the individual and attempts to meet needs. One works within the paradigm while the other changes the paradigm."

Enjoy the rest (hat tip GNP).
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Sinners sin. It's true. Let's not be shocked when they do something we'd do if it wasn't for the transformative mercy and grace of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. They are sinners. And sinners sin. It's what they do. Let's fight the urge to force them to conform their outward behaviour to our standards and in so doing possibly confuse them that they might be pleasing God when they really need to repent and believe.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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There has been a blackout in a part of town that affects us. It will be a couple/few days before there is power. Without light, power, screens, or sound it makes the Sunday night salvation meeting pretty attractive. It helps you understand how The Army flourished in the old days and today in some parts of the developing world. At those times and in those places it is the best show in town. Now, of course, when we're locked in to God's heart and overflowing with expectant faith The Army's the best show in any town - electricity or not. But praise God for the simplicity that helps people move toward Him.
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Remember the poor.
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"God's holiness demands the condemnation of sin; God's love and mercy demand the salvation of the sinner" (Brengle). Let's push for the latter today for the people we meet.
----
God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 2 Kings 8-9 (Jehu!); 2 Chronicles 21; 1 Timothy 4 (which, after I read today, I heard Captain Kylie Collinson preach faithfully and effectively).
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 21, 2008.

June 20, 2008.

June 19, 2008.

June 18, 2008.

June 17, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MH)

How's your soul?

The young guns are the ones who turned the discussion on extending retirement age into younger leaders. Here's another perspective on their desire:

How many people know the top few leaders of the Southern Baptist Church? And yet how many people know the leader of the Southern Baptist Church called Saddleback?

How many people know the top few leaders of the Aussie AoG? And yet how many people know the leader of Hills Church (HillSong)?

Organisational leadership isn't necessarily the key to widespread influence.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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I heard that some Cadets got deported from their country of training backc to their home country where they immediately set out to try and start The Salvation Army - as you do! Good training! (hat tip NM)
----
BOUNDLESS SALVATION, the long-awaited four-volume DVD series on The Salvation Army by John Cleary is being launched June 30 at the Melbourne City Temple. You'll want to get your orders in early.
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"The Army's future depends upon The Army. If she is energetic and faithful and steadfast she will go from great to greater things. If she is slothful and slacks in her zeal she will perish. Yes, I hope she will perish and be swept away, for dead things should not encumber the ground but should make place for the living." (William Booth) (hat tip John Cleary)

"The Salvation Army has grown so rapidly and evolved so many agencies, built so many edifices, and created in short so substantial a temporal skeleton and material tabernacle that even if it lost its soul its corpse would be terribly long in decomposing." (W.T. Stead) (hat tip John Cleary)
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Remember the poor.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 1 Kings 20,22; Colossians 3.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 16, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2NB)

How's your soul?
----
Here's another round with JC on retirement age and leadership in The Salvation Army:

JC - Substantial leaps in responsibility are not unprecedented. The current General went from a division with around 1,500 soldiers (junior + senior) to a territory with 75,000. Ratio of 50-1. Is that an equivalent jump for a CO with 200 to a territory of 10,000? Of course there are factors such as finance and structure to consider but you see my point.

sc - Fair enough. But the General is exceptional (there is only one at a time). And what is much more impressive than the faith placed in him by the General inappointing him to Pakistan was the historical growth rate while he was there (if I had to guess I'd say 13%). So the success backed up the General's decision. Interestingly, the current General's next appointment was back down to mayeb 6,000 SSs/JSs. It isn't the size of the territory but the size of the leader.

If you want a bigger appointment make your appointment bigger. (then you have a bigger appointment)

JC - 5. So this long-term leader development would hopefully lead to a number of other "insert name effects". Is that happening on the scale it should? Probably not.- Still interested to hear what the existing LTLD (long-term leader development) is. I guess the ICO fits into that somewhere. What's the average age of those sessions?

sc - I'm guessing ICO is about people in their 40s. Is it about leadership? I don't know. As for 'LTLD' North America has traditionally had a system of experiential appointments where, still in one of those territories (it seems), you have to 'sit in each seat' along the hierarchical trail on your way to senior leadership. Another example is what I'll call the protege system, where a leader picks his (or her) person to groom for senior leadership. Another territory tracks it back from the current retirement age (65) , reckons that you want a four-year term as TC and probably want to have someone serve in two territories as TC (gets you back to 57). Then, aside from Moretz, CMac, Brown, Burrows, and Clifton (any others?) you get some experience as CS (works you back to 53). Cabinet Secretary experienced in this territory is valued and that runs you to mid/late 40s. You prove yourself at the DC level (that means you need to become a DC in early 40s). And normally you prove yourself ready for that by success in leading a large Corps (so CO of large corps in late 30s). And usually it is good for DHQ experience (so, DS in mid-30s).

So, if you get commissioned in your mid-20s, you'll have a decade of Corps appointments to prove your mettle. Such a model, followed systematically, could provide a dozen possible TC candidates in their early 50s.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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In 1951, General Orsborn said this to kick off the International Training Councils:

'We meet to re-state, re-examine, clarify the particular aims of our Training, which is as unlike the training of theological seminaries as our corps are - or ought to be - unlike churches.'
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War, violence, and peace are issues that have been appearing in the Salvosphere recently (Aaron on this blog has been active with it). Here is a different view - I put it out respectfully, not to win arguments:

http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7965
The Cross and the Man in Combat
By Preston Jones5/26/2008
"A Christian Reflection on War"
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'How to live with just 100 things' is the title of this TIME Mag article that might challenge a few of you:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812048,00.html
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Here's a piece on slums and the future which may interest you:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/10/slum.city/index.html?iref=intlOnlyonCNN
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Peter Lublink (blog at right) has a post on his covenant day leading to commissioning as an officer. You will want to read it (and pray for those entering that life-long covenant in terms of Matthew 9:37). And to counter it graphically, you might want to read the post just days ago by a former officer of which this is a snippet:

"I now realise that the way my life unfolded is the consequence of my own decisions, and I can’t blame anyone but myself. When we hear from Session mates, even those having difficult times and/or from those working in third world countries, I know full well who are happier and fulfilled… those who remained true to their call.

"So I still have my calling, but can no longer fulfill it. The moral is obviously that, by doing the right thing in a wrong way, I didn’t do the right thing at all,. And by deciding for myself what God wanted, instead of having faith to wait for Him to facilitate the outworking of the calling He gave me, I didn’t do His will.

"Having said that, I could live with it more easily if we were still Officers, given that as above, I know He called me to the Army to be an Officer, but it can’t be... ; I’m not in a position to go back." (http://fsaof.blogspot.com/ - former SA officers)

There's the challenge for those signing away their lives this week...
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Remember the poor.
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I heard recently about a guy who'd been invited to a corps for a few years but never got saved. He moved and connected with a church and quickly got saved- totally sold out. He called the old CO who asked how he got saved. The convert confided that no one at the corps ever talked to him about Jesus or how to get saved, but nearly everyone at the church did. Let's be intentional in our evangelising independents who are hanging around our community but haven't slipped in to the Kingdom yet - today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 15, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MM)

Happy Father's Day (in the north).

How's your soul?
----
The retirement thread continues to unravel. Commissioner Noland, over at his blog, seems to think we should give them young guns a shot. Meanwhile, if we follow our idea (backed by JC in yesterday's post) of upping the retirement age to 75, Noland would still have four more active years to stir up those explosive salvationist exploits you'd be expecting from him.

What follows is JC's rebuttal to my points yesterday, along with my comments on his points (numbers refer to yesterday's post):

JC - 2. Still doesn't give you the structural authority, and that's what we're looking at, I think.

sc- spiritual authority is not to be sneezed at. And it allows you to avoid the heavy administrative workload of a DC. It also allows you to cultivate those corps that share your strain of Salvationism (since you or you guys started them, I'm assuming they'll share that).

JC - Anyway, if you plant a load of corps, other officers will be appointed there!

sc - not always a bad thing. But not always inevitable, either. There are effective bi-vocational outposts out there that should not get and have not gotten officers. But I hear you.

3. (on term in General's office) If 5 years is not enough, either we're electing them too late, or the retirement age is too early. Since the retirement age is partly dependent on the government, my conclusion is that we elect them too late. Let's face it, even if the retirement age increased to 90, we'd probably just elect them when they're 85.

sc - :-) It hasn't worked out poorly for the Catholics on that score.

4. 40 year old TC - there are plenty of 40yr olds I could name that I think would make better TCs.

sc - If so, I'm guessing the General would be interested to hear. But I'm also guessing you are speculating a lot here since there are very few 40 year old DCs. And it is very rare to become a TC without having been DC (off the top I'm thinking Brown and CMac). So you are basing your guesses on the success of 40 year old COs. And I'm also guessing that you are limiting your guesses to Western Corps (I might be wrong here), which, almost without exception, are under 500 people. So, I'm very interested to hear (probably not bloggable) your list of plenty of 40 year old COs who have proven themselves to you as worthy, having led fewer than 500 soldiers, of leading 20,000 soldiers.

JC - But the question is this: if 40 year olds are capable, why are they not being given the responsibility? Lack of openings? Easily solved = make new territories. Adjust the structure. ie. For Zimbabwe, make a structure like the USA, a number of territories with a National Commander. Lack of experience? That relates to point number 5.

sc - so we carve up Territories just to give 40 year olds Territorial leadership responsibility? That seems a drastic move - financially, structurally, symbolically, and culturally - so that a 40 year old can be a TC. While Kenya and Zimbabwe might fit such a multiplication scenario, most of the Western world might better fit a consolidation plan (e.g. a Scandinavian Territory; Western Europe Territory; Easter Europe Territory [maybe even just a Continental Europe Territory]; An Australia Territory [or even Australasia Territory]; etc. - not that I'm necessarily advocating each of these suggestions).

CJ - Secondly: I suppose there needs to be some "requirements" for Generalship. How about they must have been a CO, ...

sc - so much for Bramwell and Brown.

JC - DC,

sc - so much for Burrows (and a Comm like CMac).

JC TC

sc - there are a couple of high profile Comms who would need a transfer before the next high council in this scenario...

JC - (in a '3rd world' and western territory).

sc - alright - there goes most of the Generals (Wiseman, Burrows, Rader (?), Clifton being exceptions). And it means that we need to transfer around a lot of our leading Officers.

JC - The hierarchy, since we seem to be sticking with it (rightly so), would allow for the advancement of the most appropriate. We therefore need to have it defined what the most appropriate is. How about saved, sanctified, and capable of providing and communicating methodological, ideological and theological direction amongst existing confusion.

sc - I am guessing that there is some existing measurement. I hope that it is consistent with your list.

JC - 5. If it was being done (properly), wouldn't we expect to see the fruit of it? (You refer to the "Noland effect" in your blog.)

sc - Yes - Noland is a great example. We've blogged over the years about his legacy in senior Officers and Territorial impact. It continues today with a second generation of Officers impacted by him (and his crew of leaders). And, as we've suggested before, the Noland Effect can be traced back to a fewer others, including Rader.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Remember the poor.
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I heard of a Western Corps with more than 30 conversions so far this year. Hallelujah. I'm guessing that they meet up with independents (those who don't yet depend on Jesus) and give them opportunities to get saved. That's a great example for us to follow in our evangelising today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 4.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 14, 2008.

June 13, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(JPDT;HW;CGH)

How's your soul?
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Some of you might be acquainted with the shots fired at some Salvo meetings. It turns out there are regional discrepancies, but here is one formulation:

Fire a Volley - AMEN!
Fire a Broadside - Hallelujah!
Fire a Salvo - Blood and Fire!
Fire two - Blood and Fire, Blood and Fire!

If you know of a Salvo Salvo guide for such things, please let us know at revolution @ mmccxx . net).

This is how it works. Someone is exhorting the troops and the troops respond. If they were well-drilled, they could respond based on the nuances of the exhortation (ie Volley for corporate affirmation - amen, broadside for corporate praise - hallelujah, salvo for corporate war cry - Blood and Fire). But since we're out of practice, we usually get only the first one (or, a progression through the three).

I know it sounds a bit goofy to many people, but it is an indication of corporate discipline and esprit de corps to have this as a feature of your corps or division or territory (or global Army).
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Some older Salvos, still tender from Ballington's bailing (and sneaking off with people and symbols...), used to interpret 'volley' to mean 'Volunteers of America' and would reply, "fire all the vollies!" (hat tip m)
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Written to a Junior Soldier:

As far as being an officer, that is a laudable aim. I encourage you in it. It will help if you begin by preparing now. Here are some ways:
- I assume that you are born again. Obviously this is essential (repent and believe);
- get holy. God commands it and He also enables it. Your COs and JS Sergeant will be able to help guide you on this point;
- throw yourself in to Junior Soldiers and Corps Cadets;
- pray and read the Bible every day. We call that Rations. And it is important that you don't miss a day;
- evangelise. Learn how to present the Gospel persuasively and then start doing it. You can begin with your friends who don't know Jesus yet;
- it sounds from your letter that you are already praying - that is excellent. Build on it;
- memorise Scripture. Once you hide God's word in your heart it will help you not to sin against Him, it will help transform you into His likeness, and it will help you represent Him to others;
- fight hard in your Corps.
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An outstanding Salvo worship leader wants some of you out there to read this:
http://www.intervarsity.org/studentsoul/item/being-a-worship-leader (hat tip L)
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2 Corinthians 6:7 (a verse from the Crusaders of Christ Session): "... in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness."
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Evangelism. Jesus died for every person you will meet today. Let's try hard to get some people saved today. When you are working, at school, shopping, at the bus stop, on the train/tram, picking up the mail, wherever you are, go for it. Let's see how many get saved today!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 1 Kings 13,14; 2 Chronicles 12; Philippians 3.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Military Spending and Hunger...

Just a quick note to encourage people to check out Michael Ramsay's blog (Canadian, below at right). His June 10th entry contains some excellent info on the cost of military spending, the reality of desperate hunger around the world, and the Christian responsibility to this crisis.

Grace,

Aaron

Canadian PM apologizes to Residential School survivors...

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080611/national/ native_apology

I encourage you to check out the link, particularly if you are Canadian. This is a chapter of our history that is far from closed, and our neighbourhood amongst many others is still facing the aftershocks of such a destructive system.

Grace,

Aaron

June 12, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2GNP; CM; JB)

How's your soul?
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The new armybarmy demo of the week is New Thing by Danielle Strickland. You can catch it on the front page of armybarmy.com or here:

http://www.armybarmy.com/audio/Music/WarCollegeBootleg/09%20-%20New%20Thing.MP3
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General Wiseman: "SA officers might be described as idealists without illusions. Even when their heads are in heaven, they are required to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground."
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Though Wiseman has no illusions, General Clifton is dreaming (see previous post) ... of 1,500 cadets. I'm dreaming of 1,000 cadets in Australia Southern Territory. How about it? 1,000 in AUS is a stretch. 1,500 next year is something we can gift wrap and hand to the General on his desk on the first day of 2009, surely. Godspeed, Candidates Secretaries.
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There is a fair bit out recently about devotional books that people are working through for their rations. Here's my take: cook your own food.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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A mistake on S2S has also re-emerged. For the record, S2S - those Ss on your collarbones - stand for SAVED TO SAVE.
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As the old Salvo saying goes - every hour and every power for Christ and duty.
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Capture Train Deploy.
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Here's a paraphrase of something heard in a lecture this week: Every Corps greatest need is the holiness of its officers. (hat tip RR)
----
Also heard, from a veteran senior leader: the two things that kept him in during the hard times of officership? 1. covenant; 2. appointment.
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As you peruse your 2008 SA Year Book you may note on page 77 the following report on the Kenya Territory. In the previous year this leading Territory established one new division, five new districts, 26 new corps, and 78 outposts. Hallelujah.
----
The HUB CityWide in Melbourne is tonight at Ringwood Salvos, kicking off at 7:15pm. If you are in the state, feel persuaded to make the trip...
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Remember the poor.
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Have you read the current issue of JAC, yet? We're also looking for submissions (revolution @ mmccxx . net).
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An afterfact to the discussion on retirement age of officers...
Did you know that the life expectancy of retired officers in the UK is ten years longer than the rest of their age cohort? Researchers put it down to the clean lifestyle. Regardless of the cause, maybe I'm shooting too low on the bumping retirement to 70. Maybe we should bump it to 75.
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Gordon Cotterill has an intriguing post at his blog (rightside) on The Salvation Army fifth column.
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Remember that you are saved to SAVE while you serve and evangelise today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: 1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10,11; Philippians 2.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

note from the General...
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PASTORAL LETTER EIGHT

CADETS

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

I offer warmest Christian greetings to you all from London.In this eighth Pastoral Letter it has been laid upon my heart to speak to you about cadets. There are about 1,130 Salvation Army cadets today across the world undergoing training to become officers of the Army. Their ages range from 19 up to the mid-50s. Their backgrounds are as varied as you can imagine. Some become cadets with a modest educational experience, while others have university degrees including post-graduate degrees. Most of the cadets are in residence in a training college, with others being trained in off-campus settings.

However, the one thing all cadets have in common is that all have been called by God to leave their secular walk in life to devote themselves full time to the ministry of an officer of The Salvation Army. It is a privileged calling.Unless that divine calling has been experienced no person should offer to be trained as an officer. The life of an officer, whilst immensely rewarding, is also demanding and often stressful.

At certain times of challenge and difficulty your abiding, settled sense of a sacred calling is all that will hold you secure and keep you pressing forward in your officer service. That is why much emphasis is placed upon the testing of callings. Each candidate applying to become a cadet in training is invited to submit, in appropriate humility, to the process of having his or her claim to a divine calling gently but clearly tested through the screening process for candidates.

It is a wonderful privilege to encounter candidates in this way and to learn from their accounts of God whispering into their hearts and minds. He speaks so graciously, so gently, but also so clearly until that first fleeting thought of officership grows and grows to become an abiding, settled conviction that you simply must obey if you are to have peace of spirit deep within.

I want to share with you lots of good news from around the Army world about candidates and cadets. In July 2007 we were in Hershey in the USA Eastern Territory and when we called for those offering for future service as officers to come to the platform 140 people came forward. It was breathtaking. The THQ is now processing 95 formal application cases. Praise God! In Sri Lanka, where the Army is far from great in number, 33 came forward in a similar manner. It was thrilling. In the USA Central Territory recently 40 stepped forward for officership. Wonderful! In the Australia Southern Territory it began to seem as though the next intake of cadets would be numerically tiny, but suddenly there were 20 to make up the next training session. God still calls, still speaks into the lives of those he has chosen in this way.

In the India Northern Territory there are 40 ready to enter training, but the capacity of the college cannot hold them all. In the USA Western Territory the territorial commander tells me that there are 300 candidates ready for application and possible acceptance in the next few years. The United Kingdom Territory has received 44 cadets into the latest session, a huge rise on recent years. The USA Southern Territory has received no fewer than 59 cadets in late 2007. Spain has five cadets, the first for some years. Marvellous! Japan anticipated having no first-year cadets at all this year, but suddenly three fine young people have stepped forward for acceptance. God is good!

I have a dream that the total number of cadets in the world will increase from 1,130 to 1,500 in the next few years. Leaders are needed. Is God calling you?

Please make time to offer up a sincere prayer for the cadets of future training college sessions, whose members are as yet unknown except to God. In 2008 the sessional name is 'Prayer Warriors'; in 2009 it will be 'Ambassadors of Holiness'; in 2010 'Friends of Christ'; in 2011 'Proclaimers of the Resurrection'; and in 2012 'Disciples of the Cross'. I have faith to believe some reading this Pastoral Letter will be part of these sessions in obedience to Christ's call.God bless the cadets!

God bless the candidates! God bless those involved in screening and training them!God bless you all!

I commend you once again to the perfect love of Christ.
Shaw Clifton
General
http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_ihq_general.nsf/vw-local/pastoral-letters
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grace
sec

June 11, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2RL)

How's your soul?
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One large territory just sent all of its officers a letter asking for suggestions for Cabinet Secretary appointments and similarly distinctive roles. What an interesting idea to get a broad range of input? I'd love to hear the range of names proposed... (hat tip CW)
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My buddy's corps received it's Flag at the USS Holiness Congress last week in front of 8,000 Salvationists. It is the _______ ________ (Non-Traditional) Corps. Thank God that they didn't put all of that on the Flag! The 'non-traditional' isn't part of his name of the Corps but what The Army calls it.

When are they going to start calling all of the other corps the ______ ______ (Traditional) Corps? (hat tip CH)
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At that Congress, the National Commander, Commissioner Gaither, gave the newly commissioned Officers (it was Commissioning, too) their first assignment - walk around your district, pray, and claim it for God.
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Major Judith Soeters interviews a few ICO delegates here:

http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/vw-issue/7D15CB6BAEC0D1758025745F0034FBC3?opendocument&id=FBC9DECCF39221728025745F00336DC7

One of them, Captain Jong, has a classic bit here: He "spoke with his parents about wanting to do ministry and be involved in the Church, but his mother reminded him that he was the grandson of a martyr: his grandfather, a Salvation Army officer, was taken by the North Koreans and never seen again. Communists had also killed other members of his family because they were Christians. This meant that his 'blood' was Salvation Army, and it really touched Jong's heart."
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His blood is Salvation Army so he has no choice as to where to serve and fight. For those of us with forebearers whose blood bleeds yellow, red, and blue, who died to sin and lived to Christ, who took up their Cross and followed, who overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, who did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death, for us, like Jong, our blood is Salvation Army.
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Commissioners Francis, leading the Canada and Bermuda Territory, now have a website: http://salvationarmy.ca/ourleaders
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Remember the poor.
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If you're not a sports fan, skip this section (unless you like books or know a sports fan):

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/06/08/offseason/1.html
Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me

"I love this one: Super Bowl hero David Tyree has a faith-based autobiography, More Than Just a Catch (Strang Book Group), coming out this September. One of the two forewords is by Rodney Harrison, the New England safety who will be inextricably linked forever with Tyree. (Eli Manning wrote the other.) Harrison, of course, played great defense on Tyree and was as close as you can be to separating a receiver from the ball when Tyree made the greatest catch -- "the greatest play," NFL Films poohbah Steve Sabol says -- in Super Bowl history.

"... Harrison, through his time in the NFL, has been a lightning rod and a player of sometimes over-the-top intensity. But with rare exception, one thing he always has been in victory and defeat is a guy who will congratulate the other guy after the game and live by the result. So I asked him why he wrote the foreword for Tyree. He will, after all, be the Ralph Branca to Tyree's Bobby Thomson for the next 50 years. When you lose, Harrison said via text message Sunday, learn from it, congratulate [the opponent] and move forward. They won. They beat us. It's part of the deal. God has blessed me through the whole ordeal. I think the message of faith, belief and trust in God needed to be heard. That's why I did it.

"Classy move."Who better than Eli and Rodney to bring perspective on this monumental play?'' texted Tyree. "Both have faith in Christ as well.''" (hat tip JM)
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When you are evangelising today, don't forget to tell the people that Jesus loves their socks off!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Song of Songs 5-8; Philippians 1.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

June 10, 2008. (updated)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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(news release)
General Clifton Calls Salvation Army to Prayer
General Shaw Clifton has issued the following calls to prayer:

GREETINGS in the name of Jesus.

Salvationists are praying people and we have cause to be deeply grateful for the devoted prayer which has supported God's children through many situations in different areas of the world during this past year. Sometimes there is a need to call the whole Salvation Army to prayer on a specific issue, and this will happen again this year in the month of September.

Call to Prayer for Peace, Sunday 21 September 2008 (International Day of Peace)As last year, The Salvation Army around the world is called upon to mark the above date by praying for peace. Not only is there conflict between nations, but many countries have suffered internal tension and political unrest. Inevitably, the innocent suffer, and there is tragic loss of life and displacement of people. Our intercession is for the leaders of the nations, striving for peace and justice, and for the victims of war, suffering pain and bereavement. Our heartfelt plea to the Lord is: 'Guide our feet into the path of peace' (Luke 1:79, Today's New International Version).

Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking, Sunday 28 September 2008Once again, the victims of sex trade trafficking need our prayer and ongoing action for their release and restoration. Befriending those entrapped in the sex trade has been a continuing mission of The Salvation Army. Addressing the issue of demand is also on the agenda as we speak and teach around the world. Society's attitudes can and must be changed through the power of prayer and godly intervention. The Salvation Army is called upon to pray even more earnestly than ever before, for those who are abused and who need protection. Jesus said: 'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me' (Matthew 25:40, TNIV).

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer.
Yours in Christ,
Shaw Clifton
General
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Promotional posters for the two calls to prayer have been prepared by the International Headquarters Communications Section. PDF files of the posters – with text and without text so that non-English-language versions can be created – are available to download from the International Headquarters website:

Call to Prayer for Peacehttp://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/documents/Call-to-Prayer-Peace.pdf (with text)http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/documents/Call-to-Prayer-Peace-no-Text.pdf (without text)

Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Traffickinghttp://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/documents/Call-to-Prayer-Trafficking.pdf (with text)http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/documents/Call-to-Prayer-Trafficking-no-Text.pdf (without text)
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Here is a take from the States by a preacher on how preachers have affected the US election and on how the US election will affect preaching:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/HarryRJacksonJr/2008/06/09/pulpits_in_peril
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Remember the poor.
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2008–2010 Prayer Warriors
2009–2011 Ambassadors of Holiness
2010–2012 Friends of Christ
2011–2013 Proclaimers of the Resurrection
2012–2014 Disciples of the Cross
Sessional names for Officer Training Colleges around the world (contact candidates secretary).
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03-04 - Death and Glory
04-05 - Martyrs
05-06 - Holy ____
06-07 - Revolution
07-08 - Incendiary
08-09 - Conquerors
09-10 - War Cry
Sessional names for campuses of The War College (see thewarcollege.com).
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It is not too late to sign up for either of these training systems. In several Territories, graduates of the latter have ended up in the former.
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General Arnold Brown opened his remarks to the International Training Principal Councils in 1974 as follows:

"OUT OF ALL IN THIS ROOM, only Captains Akpan and Southwell and Major Booth will still be active officers when the 20th Century becomes the 21st Century. If Majors Rader and Tillsley are Commissioners, and the retirement age remains at 68-years (which is doubtful), they also will just make it. All things being equal, as they say, quite a number of those present will undoubtedly welcome in the Year 2000, but it will be as gerontocrats, as elder statesmen, as retired officers filled with wisdom - and perhaps a few aches and pains as well."

He was Chief of the Staff then. Tillsley, Rader, Burrows were all at the event, and all became General (as Brown did). Of course, Brown was also prescient in his doubt that we'd keep the retirement age at 68 and so none of the delegates, save Akpan, Southwell, and Booth, made it 'active' to 2000.

It's too late for them. But it is not too late for the next batch of international leaders.
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Test for Self-Examination (from O+R) #6 - Am I doing all in my power for the salvation of sinners? Do I feel concern about their danger and pray and work for their salvation as if they were my children?

That's a good question to ask before we hit the day evangelising.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Song of Songs 1-4; Ephesians 6.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

June 9, 2008.

June 8, 2008.Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MWRC; JG; SAT; PP)
How's your soul?
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More on retirement...
Bassett, Braun, Clausen, B Davis, Devavarram, DuPlessis, Edwards, Frei, Goodier, Gulliksen, Harita, Hughes, Kang, J. Kellner, Kendrew, Lalthanngura, Lang, Cho, Luttrell, Mabena, Makoumbou, Masih, Needham, Patras, Rangel, Roos, Shipe, Yohannan.

These people are 70 or under and would be active today if we upped the retirement age to what appears to be the norm for Generals (see Friday's post). That's 28 Commissioner couples, or 56 votes at the High Council, well more than half of the 48 Territories in the world. What a wealth of healthy, experienced leadership! Let's change the retirement date.

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And, more...

One outstanding SA leader responded to Friday's post this way:"We find that the Lord does not give out retirement certificates. In fact his Word tells us in military terms, "There is no discharge in this war!" (Eccle. 8:8 KJV)

"As an addendum to Steve's list of Generals, regarding the 'post-retirement' service of some:

- Arnold Brown kept an active regimen in retirement, including becoming the first General to visit China and then to write the historic biography of Major Yin.
- Eva Burrows continues to be indefatigable with speaking, teaching, writing, travel, and active corps service including even street collecting and money counting!
- Paul Rader in 'retirement' served as President of Asbury College for four years.
- John Larsson, two years into retirement is writing his second book, and traveling and specialing."
- (to which we'd add) Wesley Harris is finishing up 15 years of post-'retirement' religious education teaching at the local primary school and is on the verge of publishing two more books right around his 80th birthday.
- and Henry Gariepy has published 10 of his 28 books, served as CSM, taught at the Training College each year, and won a Senior Olympics medal this year in swimming.
- And so on.

"Of course social security's escalating age status in (some countries) will legislate what O&R has not been able to do, extending active service."

"It all proves that it is now how old you are, but how you are old. Longfellow has reminded us:

"For age is opportunity, no less/ Than youth itself, though in another dress,/ and as the evening twilight fades away/ The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. And we can claim the promise of 2 Cor. 4:16: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." With the Lord's help we want to live until we die, and then we're going to live forever!" (hat tip HG)
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The Kingdom of God is at hand.
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Don't worry, all of you younger types who think you might get squeezed out by the extension of active service. There are still probably more than 4.5 billion people who need to get saved.
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Remember the poor.
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Capture, Train, Deploy (our MO).
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Let's aim at those 4.5 billion people. If each of the readers here gets one person saved today and invest the rest of the year discipling that person such that s/he can replicate the process along with you next year, and so on, and so on, we'd hit all of those people in 21 years. And THEN you can retire early. So, let's start today, God helping us.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

Spiritual War...

"William James campaigned for a 'moral equivalent of war' - something that would arouse all the prowess that war evokes in us, but without the carnage and the waste. Nothing much came of his campaign. St. John had much the same idea, but his was a spiritual rather than a moral equivalent, and went much deeper. His vision arouses aggression against wickedness without using any of the weapons of wickedness. It has not eliminated the use of those weapons by others, it is true, nor is it likely to, but it has recruited millions into the action of salvation. It is impossible to calculate the large tracts of salvation that have been recovered from evil dominion without anyone's blood being spilled, except by martyred Christians in voluntary service."

(E.H. Peterson, Reversed Thunder, p.165)

This is one of the things I do love about The Salvation Army - its unabashed romanticism, its acknowledgement that we are in a war for the world, and its call for people to do and die for Jesus. That can definitely be taken the wrong way, but it can also be taken the right way, and inspire people to the same kind of bravery and heroics and sacrifice we see in times of physical warfare, but without becoming complicit in the evils of killing, maiming, and looting for king and country.

I find it generally strange that people are now wanting to do away with the romanticism and heroism of the Salvation War language, while at the same time not fighting with the same passions against actual war and bloodshed. And the most dedicated non-violent activists I know love the militant imagery that many in our movement are trying to get rid of. Very, very odd.

Grace,

Aaron

June 7, 2008.

Biblical Scholar John L. McKenzie on Non-Violence...

"The statement of the renunciation of violence as a means of dealing with other people is clear enough. Christians have never questioned either that Jesus said it or that it admits no qualification. Christians have simply decided that they cannot live according to these sayings of Jesus. To put it more accurately, they have decided that they do not wish to live according to these sayings...If the Roman Catholic Church were to decide to join the Mennonites in refusing violence, I doubt whether our harmonious relations with the government would endure the day after the decision."

The same could clearly be said about The Salvation Army. A harmonious relationship with governments is certainly not a bad thing - many people have worked long and hard to prove that our organisation is trustworthy, helpful, and good for society. However, where the Way of the State and the Way of Jesus disagree, we have to follow the Way of Jesus unequivocally.

So, is it that we don't believe Jesus taught and lived a Way of Non-Violent Love? Or that we agree he did, and find it too hard, too impractical, to idealistic for the "real" world? Or that we agree he taught it and that it could and should be practiced by Christians, but believe it would cause too many difficulties in our relationships with governments and militaries?

Grace,

Aaron

June 6, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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My buddy celebrates nine hours/week of face time with parents of their kids who are playing football together. The kids are 10/11. That is significant evangelism time, I agree. I