Armybarmy Blog

January 30, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

The Many- The Holy Spirit Dispersion Acts 8:1-25

On the heels of the Charismatic Deluge the disciples of Jesus enjoyed much success. One observer noted that they experienced favor with the people. Encounters with the Jesus People resulted in citizens being filled with wonder and amazement. The people held them in high esteem. People from towns all around brought their sick people to be healed.

In other words, it was growing pretty comfortable to be in the Hero Army.

It may even to have been possible to forget what this was all about in the first place! You’ll remember that Jesus told them to wait on the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room until the Holy Spirit came down on them all so that they could be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. They were stuck in Jerusalem. 

It is uncanny that the Holy Spirit Dispersion sent them to Judea and Samaria, and, ultimately, to the ends of the earth. God is on message here. He is actually answering His own instruction for prayer. Jesus told the disciples to, “beseech the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” The idea of ‘send’ here is to thrust, force these warriors onto the battlefield. And this is exactly what He is doing. 

The Holy Spirit allows persecution to oppress the disciples in Jerusalem. And the disciples merely obey Jesus’ instruction: “Whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next.” They left.

This isn’t the most positive angle on the Holy Spirit Dispersion. One early church father offered this contrasting perspective:

These holy fugitives were like so many flaming lamps, lighted by the fire of the Holy Spirit, spreading everywhere the sacred flame by which they themselves had been illuminated.

Admittedly, this was the effect, whether it was the intention of the participants or not. And so the Gospel spread beyond the borders of Jerusalem. Christianity grew to more than an exclusive, ethnocentric religion. It reached out to half-brothers, and to enemies. 

Granted, the persecution was fierce. Saul began ravaging the church, literally wreaking havoc. Children were left terrorized and at least temporarily orphaned as, house-by-house, the persecutors dragged mothers and fathers away to prison and worse for maintaining fealty to the King of Kings. Most of the Christians fled. And yet again, they followed Jesus’ instruction to the disciples: “As you go, preach, saying, ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand’. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give.”

Philip, one of the deacons, made it to Samaria and began to so preach. The masses showed up to hear what he had to say. Or, more likely, they came to see what he did, for signs accompanied his preaching. Evil spirits were dislodged from people with screams, paralyzed people walked, and the lame were healed. And all of this made for good crowds, and a joyful city.  

The last comment may be the most miraculous of all- that the whole city would be rejoicing because of something that came out of Jerusalem! 

Samaria proved to be the first beachhead for the invasion of the world by the Hero Army. It was not the beginning of a wonderful manmade plan. It was the result of God demonstrating His interest in His dreams and promises for the world. God is not merely dabbling in humanity. He is intensely committed. He provides a serious punch line to the old joke:

The chicken and the pig loved their farmer and decided to do something special for him on his birthday. The chicken suggested bacon and eggs. The pig responded, ‘that’s not fair. For you that means only participation; for me it means sacrifice’.

For God, this whole venture of a humanity in fellowship with Himself goes far beyond mere participation to total sacrifice. 

This committed God would not sit idly by while His people lost the plot. He literally had to thrust them out of town at the end of a sharp sword to get them to implement His plan to take the world.

And Samaria was the first step. As Jesus’ Acts 1:8 prophecy was executed, the Old Testament principles of justice, righteousness, and compassion were pervasively implemented. Contributions were gathered for stricken Jerusalem. Aliens were reconciled with Jews and morphed into the ‘new man’. Widows and orphans were cared for. The invisible people became people people. And the concern for social justice in the waves of revival became institutionalized, as Paul, in his meeting with the original apostles, acknowledged that their one condition was that he remember the poor, something dear to his heart.     

Of the Holy Spirit Dispersion it can clearly be asserted that the face of the earth is changed as the hearts of its people are transformed.
posted by Stephen Court

January 29, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Peter and The Many- The Charismatic Deluge Acts 2ff

High and holy days were big in Jerusalem. Merely 50 days after Passover, the granddaddy of them all, devout Jews were back at it for the festival of first fruits, the feast of weeks, Pentecost. At least on their good days, it was out of the goodness of their hearts, out of their deep gratitude that they returned their first fruits to God in a great big party. 

By the first day of the feast, 120 followers of Jesus had been pressing in for ten days in an upstairs room in obedience to Jesus’ instruction before He ascended to heaven.

As you know, the Holy Spirit showed up in a historic way on Pentecost. Tongues of fire, rushing wind, an early morning ‘drunk’, and a Babylon of languages all drew a quick crowd of curious religious observers.

And these 120 pray-ers were not cut from the ‘bless me’ cloth. The reason they’d cooped up for a week and a half in the first place is because Jesus had commissioned them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. He told them to stick around until they received power from on high, until the Holy Spirit came down on them all. Well, now that they had received power from on high, now that the Holy Spirit came down on them all, they could start fulfilling their commission to be His witnesses. This crowd was a great start.

Peter stepped up to the ‘mic’ and preached up a storm. He camped out on the Gospel and their culpability for the death of Jesus. The crowd was cut to the quick by the inspired words, and Peter urged them to repent. Fully 3,000 listeners responded that day by repenting and being baptized! 

This was the start of the most famous revival in history, the Charismatic Deluge. The Holy Spirit poured out on these believers and they took the Holy Spirit to the masses.

It was said of those involved in this revival that they turned the world upside down. This episode marked the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ, the one body that most metacized history. Society was transformed. Many Jewish priests converted. Religious ritual was substituted by relationship. Legalism was exchanged the Spirit. Law was supplanted by grace. System was swapped for community. Words were accompanied by power. As the Holy Spirit, for the first time in history, became available to everyone who trusted Jesus, a new term for victorious living came into vogue- the abundant life. All of this is the result of the Charismatic Deluge.

O God, unleash in our streets, across our kitchen tables, in our hearts, a deluge of that dynamic vintage which will animate our lives, our dreams, and our warfare, please.
posted by Stephen Court

January 28, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.


Elijah- The Mount Carmel Soulquake 1 Kings 17,18


From Corybantic orgy to Bloody Justice

King Ahab pursued peace with the northern Kingdom because he wisely recognized the political and military threats of the Arameans and the Assyrians. He also forged a relationship with Ben-hadad of Damascus. This is strange, because they'd already fought three times. But they united with other western rulers to thwart a coastward thrust of the Assyrian Shalmaneser III. The treaty was temporary as Judah's Jehosophat and Ahab joined to fight Ben-hadad of Armam.  

It was into a maelstrom of political opportunism and religious pluralism that Ahab’s foreign wife Jezebel imported her god Baal Melqart (god of the city) and with it, hundreds of false prophets dedicated to it and to Asherah. Israelites were generally swept into the spirit of this exotic religion, adopting cultic worship that allowed them to go whole hog into, "riotous drinking and sexual incontinence," that were part and parcel of religious duty to Baal. By having sex with male and female cultic prostitutes they were apparently encouraging Baal to enjoy intercourse with his consort, and so ensure fertility of the whole land.  

Infant sacrifice was another feature of the worship of Baal and his goddess wife, Ashtoreth. In fact, in Megiddo, the cemetery was conveniently located adjacent to the Ashtoreth Temple, where jars of infant remains have been excavated. “The prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth were the official murderers of little children.”

The law was discarded on the dung heap as the royalty set the precedent for situational ethics, arranging through intrigue for murder and upheaval just to adjust property holdings. Oppression was the order of the day.

The situation was so dreadful that the most eminent of the prophets concluded that he was the last one left. This is understandable, since the others were forced to hide for their lives. The righteous power of Elijah was a bane to the royal couple, but they relaxed, knowing that the whole country had turned from God to their imported gods.

At this spiritual nadir Elijah challenged King Ahab, his gods, and his 850 pagan prophets to a duel on Mount Carmel. He addressed the people of Israel, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” The people held their hand. They awaited more persuasion.

You’ll know the details of the encounter. Ahab’s pagan prophets were given opportunity to call fire down from their god to quench their sacrifice. The Biblical account is comical. Hundreds pagan prophets carry on a corybantic orgy, full of feverish dancing, self-mutilation, and stark “raving” madness. All the while Elijah is sitting by, humored by the futility of their binge of insanity. Occasionally Elijah couldn’t help himself and would interject biting sarcasm. “Try screaming louder! Maybe your god is teetering under a hectic schedule. Or maybe he slipped away on long-weekend vacation. Cry out at the top of your lungs! Maybe Baal is on the toilet!” mocked Elijah. Their response was to increase the intensity of their lunacy, leaping higher, whirling faster, gushing more and more blood from pagan arteries. 

Baal sent no fire.

When Elijah stepped up to the plate, his first act was to repair the abandoned altar of Yahweh. This was a bold reclaiming of the religious site for the God of Israel. It was like raising your flag in the capital of enemy territory, in the presence of the enemy monarch! Elijah was drawing a line in the sand.

During this drought that he himself had called, Elijah extravagantly poured 16 pitchers of water all over his sacrifice, the altar, and the wood, until the surrounding trench was full. Only then did he pray a faith-filled prayer with the expressed purpose that God turn the people’s hearts back to Him.  

The fire of God fell and consumed the sacrifice, licking up even the buckets of water in the trench.

The people of God saw the power of God, fell on their faces, and confessed, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God!”

Elijah rounded up all the pagan prophets and killed them.

The drought ended.

Did you catch that? Watch again:
• A hero confronted evil.
• God manifested His presence and power.
• People submitted to Him and acknowledged His sovereignty in their lives.
• They got rid of the sin in their lives.
• The drought ended.

I know that is not supposed to read like a formulaic set of directions to follow. But God demonstrated His sovereignty over the weather! As in Almolonga, Guatemala, God changed the weather patterns to the benefit of the populace. In the mid-1990s this small town in the midst of decline experienced supernatural provision. Where unemployment, crime, and crop failure reigned, spiritual and physical rain brought prosperity, peace, and abundance. Almost comical clips of outsized fruits and vegetables stamp the claim to God’s blessing. The Transformations’ Video shows carrots as long as a man’s forearm and as thick as his wrist! Fleets of Mercedes trucks carry out loads of vegetables and fruit several times a year! God not only increased the size of the crops, He increased the number of crops each year! And so with Elijah. For the first time in years, crops were not only planted but also harvested! The black market and grey economy gave way to formal and legitimate forms of trade and employment. People went back to work and regained dignity. Families united and enjoyed deepening community. The blessing of spiritual revival was accompanied by the physical blessing of God.

The episode touched off a series of incidents that culminated in social revolution, as Jehu rode into town, assassinated King Ahaziah and Jezebel, and then wiped out Ahab’s progeny.  

The face of the earth is changed as the hearts of its people are transformed.
posted by Stephen Court

January 27, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

We need to be aware of some things as God raises the temperature. Revival draws clear lines of demarcation between pre- and post-deluge experiences. Things go public. Back in Acts, persecution became an immediate expectation after conversion. No longer could leaders like Joseph of Arimathea follow Jesus in secret. He was outed by the drastic circumstances. No longer could people nurture private sins. The Holy Spirit exposed them, as with Ananias and Sapphira, and the costs were very high. No longer would religious people merely argue subtle complexities of the law. Old opponents like Pharisees and Sadducees could unite against a common foe whose success threatened their influence and lifestyle. No more was Caesar going to be able to count on the obeisance of the Jews. While converts would respect and obey the emperor, he took a back seat to their first and foremost fealty and obedience to their new King Jesus Christ. No longer could casually religious Jews count on their Jewishness to save them. It would take repentance, and a public one at that.

There was a singleness of focus and purpose as disciples of Jesus gave up all to follow. As Ananias and Sapphira died for their sin, the fear of the Lord was on all of the Christians. It seems that whenever God is doing a new thing, He establishes an uncompromising standard for holiness, and the costs of disobedience were high, the consequences of sin are immediate.

• So it was with Moses on the way to Egypt. God was doing a new thing in rescuing His people Israel. He insisted on circumcision of Moses’ first-born son as remainder of ownership and covenant. Failure to immediately obey almost cost Moses his life.

• So it was with Uzzah who tried to steady the tottering the ark. The new thing in which God was engaged was the establishment of the ark in Jerusalem. The people had been too familiar and casual with the presence of God, and God was restoring a sense of His holiness. The treatment of Uzzah sets the standard. The other consequence is that the ark went to Obed-Edom’s home for a while.

• So it was with Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire. God was doing a new thing with the priesthood, and prescribed an exclusive perfume for sacrifice. This odor was the olfactory identification of God. Their sin was to offer an imitation perfume to God, and the fire from the altar consumed them. Right after Aaron’s sons died God imposes the law of abstinence for priests, suggesting that probably Nadab and Abihu’s judgment was impaired by alcohol.

• So it was with the 50,000 Jews who presumed to look into the ark. God’s new thing was restoring the ark from Philistine occupation. Symbolically, God was returning to His people, and the terms were His to establish.

• So it was with Achan, who stretched God’s rules and paid for it with his life, the lives of 36 otherwise innocent Israelite soldiers, and the lives of his extended family. God was doing a new thing, taking His people into the Promised Land. In Joshua, the people of God fought 34 battles and lost only one! This is the one! And yet, God invests two whole chapters articulating the story of Achan. Achan only took a small booty, by booty standards. I mean, he didn’t take any slaves. He remained mobile. God’s instruction is that He’d fight for them, but He’d get all the spoils. And so there was much bloodshed in judgment.

When God is doing a new thing the consequences of sins are immediate. With revival there is no room for compromise. None. We say that we want God to do a new thing in our midst, in our day. We say we want Him to mobilize an end-time Hero Army. But are we prepared for the immediate consequences of sin, for the uncompromising standards of holiness? Will we pay the price of heroism?

The positive effects are worth it.
posted by Stephen Court

January 26, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus’ name, friends.

I wasn’t planning to go on about this today, but in some research I came across an encyclopedia entry for The Salvation Army that was exactly the same as the one I modified a while ago. So I looked up William Booth’s entry, and what do you know- exactly the sameas my modified version:

“General William Booth (April 10 ,1829 -August 21 ,1912 ) was a prominent Methodist evangelist and the founder of The Salvation Army . The author of many books and composer of several songs, Booth catalysed the merging discontent of the industrial revolution and the Victorian era through the 'submerged tenth'.

“His book In Darkest England And The Way Out not only caused a sensation after its 1890 release, but it set the foundation for modern social welfare schemes.

“Booth himself explained, "Salvationism means simply the overcoming and banishing from the earth of wickedness". His mission was to win the world for Jesus. The Salvation Army was a classic 'ultra-revivalist movement', preaching repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the means of forgiveness and regeneration.

Hallelujah! Who knows where else it is going.

What I meant to go after today was The War College. This is our first year and it is going according to dream. We’ve got a bunch of warriors here living surrendered Kingdom life and it is inspiring. They are real slum sisters (and brothers), as real as the originals that we almost idolize from yesteryear. I esteem them highly.

A year ago at this time we had one accepted applicant. Today we have nine accepted for the coming session (in September). We ultimately accepted 22 for this first year (though not all made it in). And we’ve got heaps of other applications for this coming year. But we have more room!

So this is what I’d like you to do- ask Jesus if you should come in September. We want as many warriors in here as possible to be trained up to win the world for Jesus.

Who cares if you’re old (our average age is 24 and the oldest is 56)?
Who cares if you’re young (if you can keep up with the rest, that’s no worry)?
Who cares if you’re married (I mean, congratulations, but, we can accommodate both of you)?
Who cares if you have a couple of degrees and have been to seminary (I can practically guarantee you that you’ll be stretched both spiritually AND intellectually)?
Who cares if you’re starting off your career (take a year to seek God and see what a difference it will make for the rest of your life)?
Who cares if you’re tied down with a job and… (eternity is too long and earthly life too short to throw years away doing something that isn’t eternal)?
Who cares if you are a bit scared- spiritually and socially- by what you’ve heard about The War College (a part of you should be scared)?
Who cares if you don’t have the cash (throw some spaghetti dinners)?
(Look, I’m just borrowing some of Booth’s best stuff- Who Cares?).

It is what you dream about when frustrated after a tough day, when inspired by a great preach, when convicted by a hardcore bit of Scripture.

So, even if this doesn’t apply to you, it probably does apply to your sibling, friend, disciple, discipler, comrade, parent, child, or… So check out thewarcollege.com for the basics and email me for more (address on the site).

We’re recruiting martyrs.
Posted by Stephen Court

January 26, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I wasn't going to go on about this today, but as I was researching something else I stumbled on an online encycolpedia reference for The Salvation Army. Though a different site than the one I told you I modified in a primitive Salvo sense awhile ago, it included the same comments. So I jumped to the entry for William Booth, and sure enough:

"William Booth

Article last updated: 0:26am, November 09, 2003
Database last updated: 3:20pm, January 09, 2004


"General William Booth (April 10,1829 - August 21,1912) was a prominent Methodist evangelist and the founder of The Salvation Army. The author of many books and composer of several songs, Booth catalysed the merging discontent of the industrial revolution and the Victorian era through the 'submerged tenth'.

"His book In Darkest England And The Way Out not only caused a sensation after its 1890 release, but it set the foundation for modern social welfare schemes.

"Booth himself explained, "Salvationism means simply the overcoming and banishing from the earth of wickedness". His mission was to win the world for Jesus. The Salvation Army was a classic 'ultra-revivalist movement', preaching repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the means of forgiveness and regeneration.

:- ) I wonder who else has picked up this bit!

Anyway, I was going to talk about The War College a bit today. This is our first year. It is going according to dream. God has blessed us with students who are really living a surrendered Kingdom life. They are real slum sisters (and brothers), as real as though we idolize from our history. I esteem them highly.

Last year at this time we had one accepted applicant. Today we have nine accepted applicants for next year, with several more than that number in the pipeline. We ultimately accepted 22 for this year (not all could make it). But you know what? There is still more room!

Why not ask God if you should come? I mean, this is what you dream about when you've had a hard day at work, when you've been inspired by a great speaker, when you've been convicted by God's Word. Who cares if you're not a kid anymore (the average age is 24 and the oldest student is 56)? Who cares if you're married (I mean, I am happy for you, but what I'm saying is that we can accommodate both of you)? Who cares if you're tied up in a job (take a years leave, or a lifetime's). Who cares if you've been to seminary and have a few degrees (it's not about that at all and I can guarantee you'll be stretched spiritually AND intellectually)? Who cares if you don't have any degrees (I don't, care, that it)? Who cares if you're broke (throw a few spaghetti dinners)? Who cares if you're afraid- spiritually and socially- from what you've heard (part of you should be afraid- it is very intense)? (I'm just stealing from some of Booth's best stuff- Who Cares!)

And, if this isn't for you, it is likely to be for your friend, sibling, comrade, child, parent, or ... So, whatever the case, check out thewarcollege.com for the basics and email me for more (email is on the site!). We're out to turn the world upside down. And we're recruiting martyrs. Come as we wing (can you hear the tune?)
posted by Stephen Court

January 25, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Here are a couple of words I don't want to exercise: 'sentimental' and 'nostalgia'.

'Sentimental' is second-hand emotion squeezed out of vicarious livers, people whose boring lives are supplanted by television and film.

'Nostalgia' is properly, homesickness. Now, I've been guilty of a corporate homesickness, wanting to live in the mid 1880s with Railton and the crew (except with indoor plumbing). But come on now. We stand on dead guys' shoulders, set ourselves resolutely toward Jerusalem, and fight on (ahead, into the future, looking forward).

God is here now. And He feels a lot. I've figured that compassion (to suffer with) is about contact. And when you touch you feel. That is the kind of feeling I want, not some used emotions. May God fill us all up with enough of our own feeling that we don't have borrow, rent, steal, or scam anymore.
posted by Stephen Court

January 24, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets" (Paul, 2 Corinthians 7:10).

I wonder how that's going to work. I mean, isn't Paul going to regret all the wasted years of his life before he submitted to Jesus, all those years that could have been used to the Kingdom's gain? Isn't Paul going to regret lacking the fruit of that period which his gifts, abilities, and talents could have generated? Isn't he going to regret his murder? Isn't he going to regret his persecution of the saints? Isn't he going to regret his argument with Barnabus, forever preserved in Scripture?

Don't get me wrong. The guy is a legend. The world was not worthy of him. He did all things well. He was a champion, a hero.

"Let me remind you- and it makes my own soul almost reel to think of it- that God holds us responsible. He holds you responsible for all the good you might do if you had (the power of the Holy Spirit). Do not deceive yourself. He will have the five talents and their increase... Where are the souls you might have saved? Where are the children I would have given you? Where is the fruit? (Catherine Booth. PAPERS ON AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY. 1881. p191)

I don't know. If I step back or a minute and note everything that could be happening and is not happening, I wonder if there won't be a whole pile of regret. Somehow this won't happen, I believe, but I don't know how.

In the interim, let's struggle with all of His power at work mightily in us to present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:29), and leave no regrets.
posted by Stephen Court

January 23, 2004.
The Lead Of The Leper

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
God is moving us into a new season these days at 614 Vancouver. It seems to me to have started last week during a Freedom Day focusing on deliverance. The next day was a pretty free knee drill. Saturday was a whacked day of 'training' with our friend Faytene, an urban missionary. She was supposed to teach on spiritual mapping and territorial spirits and they opened in prayer at 10:15 am. I think the opening prayer wrapped up around 5 pm, without a lunch break. Things picked up this week. God is intensifying things. One of my friends got injured at VHOP (Vancouver House Of Prayer) dancing. Knee drill last night was a joy for me on a personal level as I got to worship along with Tim Bartsch, one of my favourite worship leaders. But on a corporate level God kept taking us deeper into His holiness.

And the fear of the Lord either scares people away or attracts them (just like when people initially figured Jesus out in Luke 5- Peter responded by saying, 'get away from me', while the leper said, 'make me clean!'). In times like this, everyone recognizes His holiness and our standing before Him. Either we can cower and hide ("I'm a sinful man," said Peter) or we can call out for cleansing ("make me clean," said the leper).

There are casualities in war. Not everyone is going to make it through this battle. The enemy is trying to pick off the those on the margins. But we press in.

What ticks me off, in light of this increased sense of God's holiness, is the stories I've been hearing about sin in the camp (and I mean the wide Army camp). I hear reports of pathetic excuses for soldiers getting drunk, and horror stories of sexual immorality amongst soldiers. It's disgusting. GOD IS HOLY.

He doesn't wink at any sin.

He doesn't overlook breach of covenant.

It makes Him puke (Revelation 3:16).

A uniform doesn't make you saved.

I appeal to you who are solid Christians and solid soldiers to demonstrate love to any such sinning people you know and confront them with exhortation to repent, and if they refuse, report them Biblically for Biblical discipline by the leadership. An old Methodist divine (Sangster?) taught, 'the blood only covers what we uncover'. In other words, if you want forgiveness you need to confess and repent (and that incolves STOPPING YOUR SIN).

Don't think that you can carry on in some hidden sin and God will ignore it. Catherine asserted, "Jesus came to save us FROM our sins, not IN them." If you continue in intentional, habitual sin, you are going to hell. There are no 'ifs, ands, or buts'.

God will not put up with this type of behaviour. The wages of sin is death.

So, look. Maybe this is the season God is spreading things for all of us, whether we're in Birmingham or Adelaide or Philly or Manchester or Lagos or Hong Kong or Cambridge or the Punjab or Tampa or Vancouver. Let's follow the lead of the leper, not the example of Peter. Let's press in for cleansing. Let's get it. Let's uncover sin and get covered with blood. Let's taste and experience the holiness that God both commands and enables. Let's be so overflowing in it that it spreads to contaminate our families and friends, our neighbours and neighbourhoods, or districts and cities, and beyond. It is a time for serious warfare.
posted by Stephen Court

January 22, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Time flies by and I miss great opportunities to commenet on current events. I've missed the tenth anniversary of the Toronto Blessing on the 20th, the American state of the union also on that day, some interesting things happening locally, and so on. Sorry. I do have a war on my hands on this front, too! :- )

Anyway, my wife is away preaching and so I am taking the liberty of blogging on her behalf. She ran an article in a great Australian magazine last month answering their question, "What would you do if you were general?"

So here she is:

What would I do if I were the General?

Once I got over the initial hilarity at the mere thought of me dawning the golden trim, I took the time to weigh the question. What WOULD I do if I were the General?
Here’s a quick glimpse of the initial hilarity stage:
• All official officer rank to be identified by facial piercings (the higher the rank the more risqué the piercing).
• All soldiers identified by tattoos (preferable the founders signature on their holy bottoms)!
• How ‘bout some style to the uni? (idea: see Gap to sponsor the renewal…)
• Institute ‘Salvo’ as the worldwide nickname for the Salvation Army! (yeah Australia!)
• Make Adelaide the new IHQ (why not hold high council on the beach?).
• Mandatory sabbaticals for ‘SA leaders’ every 10 years - in the Caribbean!!

Anyway, you get the idea. Great question meets with silly and slightly ‘off balance’ young (or likes to think she is) officer.

That said, once I let the silly stuff slide, I got down to really contemplating the changes possible from the top. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about change and how to lead it lately (a course I’m in at the moment), so it’s kind of funny you asked!
According to some leadership experts I’ve been reading – there are essentially two levels of change:

#1. The hardware.
These are the facts of change. It’s the ‘policy and procedure’ kit. It’s the rules, the standards and the letterhead colour. It’s the stuff that even when you change it – it has little (or no) impact in the actual substance of the company. Rank, uniform style, music type – all of these are important and yet are merely the ‘hardware’ issues of change within The Salvation Army. You can change the style, colour and rules about the uniform and leave the heart of a soldier, unmoved, untouched and unmotivated. You can change the music type over and over and never move the heart of God in worship.
You can level out the ranks and still watch officers treated differently because of their gender, race or marital status.
Why?
Because the second level of change is the one that matters most.

#2. The software.
These are the guts of the system. This is where the change isn’t in the programme but in the programmer. It’s when transformation comes to the head through the heart, not in spite of it. It’s where people are treated equally because they FEEL equal. This is the world of REAL change. And it’s not the stuff that tinkering, wanabee officers like me can do by imagining what it might be like if I were the General.
It’s the stuff that tinkering, wanabee soldiers like you and me can do by imagining what The Salvation Army might be like if we were to be the soldiers that God would have us be. Dream with me:
The Salvation Army (in my army) would weep for injustice.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would serve Jesus with JOY.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would get a life (live the abundance that Jesus died for – see John 10:10).
The Salvation Army (in my army) would look out for each other (in particular – the backs of other soldiers).
The Salvation Army (in my army) would be unified, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, and our bodies offered as living sacrifices.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would love the fight, love the thickest of the fight, and want to die in the fight.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would consider adaptability it’s only tradition.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would love colour and see unity as the celebration of diversity.
The Salvation Army (in my army) would be educated in Grace, heart first – head later (only if necessary).

The trick of the software change is that I don’t have to be the General to dream. Neither do you. Here’s the real clincher. I don’t have to be the General to live the dream. Neither do you. I am The Salvation Army. So are you. The revolution now begin? Join me, in the radical, abandoned, pursuit of God lived out through the forces of The Salvation Army at war in the world. Go on, leave the cynicism and live the dream. I can’t order you, but I dare you.
Danielle Strickland
_______
There she goes again. Just in case you're new around Captains' Blog and you wonder how that works, Danielle and I are the two captains, and although she's forever chasing me on blogging consistency, you do still frequently get to read her thoughts (as morphed through me- but don't blame her for what you dislike!). :- )
posted by Stephen Court

January 21, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Recently I was privileged to attend a youth conference that gathered three territories together. God blessed it profusely. One of the neat sidebars of the event was the fact that the brains responsible for leadership and direction of the youth (and adults) from the three territories, while there, were nowhere to be seen behind a microphone all weekend, and those behind the mics were young leaders with titles like 'lieutenant' who were obviously called and empowered by God. It is very impressive to take a back seat and watch a 21-year-old run the biggest international youth event of the millennium in your part of the world (from my perspective it is actually an excellent sign of the successfulness of your leadership).

There were so many swell aspects of the weekend, but here was the best line. It is from one of these young leaders- I'd guess 20ish- who was asked how the Army would be different if she was General. "There'd be a lost more punk rock, I reckon, and a return to the radical prophetic calling of The Salvation Army" (quoted as close as I can recall-I've not heard the CDs yet. Oh, and they WERE handing out ear plugs for the meetings!). Yahoo. God is wedding brains and hearts, old and young, conservative and extremist, and is molding a unique Army of covenanted warriors overflowing with holy passion exercised to win the world for Jesus. It's the punk-prophetic anointing. It's good, old-fashioned primitive salvationism- chari-flavoured, mission-focussed herosim. Let's celebrate it.
posted by Stephen Court

January 20, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Interesting day. Not only is it a day when I hear that $1.5 bil(usd) is given to the Army in the USA, but it is the same day I hear of talks to self-impose a gag-order on evangelism on the Christmas kettles.

One issue at a time. $1.5 bil! What could you do with $1.5 bil? We could get 50,000 years of missionary service. This could be broken down any number of ways:
1. 1,000 missionaries spread through the 10/40 window for 50 years (and probably transforma whole generation in the darkest part of the Gospel world);
2. 1,000 missionaries in 10 countries each (pick through Middle East and North Africa, for example) for 5 years (and focus our energies and concentrate our forces strategically to transform the world);
3. a big splash of 50,000 missionaries for one explosive year (and just go crazy busting the Gospel everywhere you look).
and so on.

Wow.

Then I heard third hand of talks to manage risk on Christmas kettles by prohibiting evangelism by people on the kettles.

Now, don't jump out your windows yet- these are just talks (but they may be by the same brains who come up with positions on other clear-cut Christian positions such as abortion).

But are you smelling what I am stepping in? We're thinking about self-imposing an evangelism gag-order? Of course, if it is wrong to evangelise at a kettle it is wrong to evangelise over a coffee (and Paul was wrong to say that we should preach only twice a year- IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON). So, we're basically thinking about imposing the Christian equivalent of sharia law on ourselves in a free country!

Why don't we just move to some closed country where they already have laws saying that we cannot tell people about Jesus with the intent to persuade them to repent and believe? North Africa, Middle East, Indian sub-continent- I'm sure we could find some countries that fit the bill, that already won't let us evangelise.

Oh wait! Aren't those the same areas that we could send our thousands of missionaries? I guess they can save the air fare and just come here (but whatever they do, don't stand on a kettle- or join groups that do- just in case 'they' decide to sharia themselves...).
posted by Stephen Court

January 19, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Picking up where I left off yesterday, the letter concludes:

"The Word of God is clear that you have chosen a course of separation that leads to spiritual destruction (there's that uncomfortable bit about loss of salvation again!). Because we love you (Yah!), we cannot let that go unanswered. If your hearts remain hardened to what the Bible clearly teaches, and your ears remain deaf to the cries of other Christians, genuine love demands that we do not pretend that everything is normal (Oh, that we would all act that honestly!). As a result (hammer drops again) any delegation you send cannot be welcomed, received, or seated. Neither can we share fellowship or even receive desperately needed resources (WOW!). If, however, you repent and return to the Lord, it would be an occasion of great joy (I love this guy!).

(the end).
posted by Stephen Court

January 18, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I got a copy of an open letter, one of the best letters I've ever read. It is from last month, to a leader in the US Episcopalian Church from a leader in the Uganda Anglican Church. Here it is, in subtance, with comments parenthesized:

"Greetings to you in Jesus' name (I like the start!). This letter comes with deep regret and pain over the great loss that your actions have caused (I like a letter that gets to the point. No beating around the bush here). It expresses the strong feelings and concerns of the Archbishop... and the _____.

For many years, the Church of Uganda has enjoyed a wonderful partnership with the Epicopal Church of the USA. Sadly, that relationship ended when the General Convention chose to ignore cries from the rest of the Anglican Communion (excellent dropping the responsibility on them for the split. The 'cries' is a nice touch). You officially recognized same sex unions the Bible forbids (this is the crux of the issue), and installed as candidate for bishop someone the Bible clearly shows to be in an unsuitable lifestyle. As a result of these decisions, the Church of Uganda has recognized your departure from the faith (hardcore) and declared:

a. The Church of... Uganda (Anglican) cuts her relationship and communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States... on their resolution and consequent action of consecrating and enthroning an openly confessing homosexual (Cheers!)... as the Bishop of New Hampshire... (unpopular, but Biblical, just as an openly confessing adulterer or openly confessing pedophile or openly confessing liar would disqualify them from this relationship). (you 'ain't seen nothin' yet'- read on!)

Considering these things, we were shocked to receive a letter from you informing us of your decision to send a delegation to the enthronement of our new Archbishop in January, and your intention for the delegation to bring aid and assistance for the people who live in desperate conditions in the camps in Gulu that you have ignored for years (OUCH!!! The Americans are shameless here).

Recent comments by your staff suggesting that your proposed visit demonstrates that normal relations with the Church of Uganda continue, have made your message clear: If we fall silent about what you have done promoting unbiblical sexual immorality and we overturn or ignore the decvision to declare a severing of relationship with (you), poor displaced persons will receive aid. Here is our response: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for sale (YAY!), even among the poorest of us who have no money (somebody send these guys some money!). Eternal life, obedience to Jesus Christ, and conforming to His Word are more important (I love this guy!).

- then there is some solidarity stuff with the faithful people stuck in the American group, and promise of prayers...

... ah, more tomorrow- I've got to go to street combat!
posted by Stephen Court

January 17, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I saw THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST today. It was an advance screening (my first).

The official website is passion-movie.com. In Canada we've got a cool accompanying strategy at sharethelife.com (for Christian types) and thelife.com (not-yet-Christians).

So, anyway, the film:
overwhelming
brutal
challenging
grotesque
captivating
shadowy (a la Caravaggio?)
sub-titled
serious

I'll quote the Pope again: It is as it was.

And like you've never seen before (with a nod to MATTHEW and the JESUS FILM). I've got a piece in HORIZONS this month on using cultural windows to engage the culture. This film is the biggest window we may see in our lifetime. Invite your friends. Visit the sites and become familiar with what's going on. Pray. Use it as a jumping-off point into spiritual discussion. Spin it off into ALPHA or something. It comes out on Ash Wednesday.

Who would have thought that the two most famous (I'm not saying 'most effective') evangelists of the early millennium would be Mel and Bono (an action actor and a pop star)?
posted by Stephen Court

PS about spelling 'Phil Laeger' wrong (sorry Phil- typo), and SALVO, yesterday- oops.

January 16, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
On my worship kick, I don't know if I mentioned Phil Leager's new album, ALL I HELD ONTO (phillaeger.com). You should buy that too.

This slavo is the USS Territorial Worship Specialist! And God has given him some excellent talents and great songs. Two I heard that aren't on this album are Boothian remakes- with a rousing 6/8 tune for Send The Fire and a Street Corner Medix collaboration of O Boundless Salvation.

Again, we need to be celebrating the great worship that God is giving us in the Army. taht means buying albums, inviting worship leaders to lead worship, etc.
posted by Stephen Court

January 15, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
So I recently acquired I'LL FIGHT by Soteria Music Ministries in Adelaide Australia.

I love it. We're talking about some top-flight SA worship here. I was privileged to be at a conference where they led worship, too, and these guys kick. The songs that God is giving them are right out of the Boundless fountain! They are re-digging wells of Pearson, Slater, Fry, Orsborn, and Cox. Man o Man! Buy it at Illfight.com.

It is so heartening to see what God is doing in the Army with worship. Yes, it used to be a desert. But God is establishing an oasis here and an oasis there, almost everywhere you look there is an oasis of fresh worship to God. The beautiful thing about Soteria is the SALVO DNA. It's fight songs for the third millennium (more evident with the newest stuff- that is, all of these aren't on the album, but some are).

Let's speak life into the Army concerning worship. And let's worship like we're adoring the King!
posted by Stephen Court

January 14, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

By the way, it is supposed to be 'Captains' Blog' since it is supposed to be both Danielle Strickland and me blogging. So her usual absence is making my grammar bad (You can email her to improve it at danielle@thewarcollege.com).

I've been on a bit of a heroes kick recently. For a long time I've signed off some of my letters, "Keep fighting as a hero." And I've defined our strain of salvationism- primitive salvationism- as chari-flavoured, mission-focussed heroism. And I've more recently been working on a project with my partner on heroes, about which you will definitely hear more in the next little while.

Fairly recently I wrote this little thing based on the old Salvation Army song- WE'LL BE HEROES:

A capacity crowd bustles in the stadium. Generations of saints - famous
greathearts and unknowns - mingle. The conflict has intensified since their
day. The air is bristling with expectancy. The war is peaking to its
eternal climax and the veterans are cheering us on (see Hebrews 12:1).
Daniel and Josiah are shoulder-to-shoulder with John Wesley and Charles
Grandison Finney, a few rows up from the Army's own Railton and Catherine
and William Booth, all cheering and praying for us to step it up. As the
old song says:

"We'll be heroes, we'll be heroes, when the battle is fierce; When the raging
storm louder grows will our courage increase by the cross."

They gave their lives to this cause and left us a legacy of example,
inspiration and instruction. The world was not worthy of many of them (see
Hebrews 11:38) and now they are looking to us to seal the victory.

Are we interested in being heroes? 'The shields of His soldiers are red',
says the Word of God (Nah. 2:3). Red with blood: blood from the enemy and
the blood of the Lamb. Faith is our shield. Until we exercise it in
confrontation with the enemy we have no defense. We will have no wounds but
we will have no victories either.

"We shall conquer, we shall conquer through the blood of the Lamb; and we
ne'er will retreat, though we die, Till the conquest we've won by the cross."

The Bible gives us our orders; "Get up, you officers, oil the shields" (Isa.
21:5) Who is going to rise up? Who will attack, with polished faith, to
demolish the enemy?

"We are rising, we are rising, and the foe shall be driven, as warriors brave
lt us sing, we have victory and heaven by the cross."

Our heroes wished they could be in place. William Booth prophesied that
heaven's saints dream of being in our situation, willing temporarily to pass
up the pleasures of paradise for the glory of one last battle. But they
can't. It's us to us.

"When we're dying, when we're dying in the arms of His love. On the wings of
faith we'll ascend to the palace of God by the cross."

There's the battle cry. It's a call for heroes. An invocation for wholly
devoted warriors to engage the enemy in the name of our great
commander-in-chief, "by the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness"
(see 2 Cor. 6:7). I don't want to let Daniel and Josiah down. I'm going
all out for Wesley and Finney, Railton and the Booths. I'll win for Jesus.
Won't you join me? We'll be heroes!
posted by Stephen Court

January 13, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
By now many of you will be familiar with the 24/7 SA prayer network that is winding it's arms around the world. Birthed in England at Roots in 2000, this thing has mobilized prayer all over.

I first came across it in Australia where the eastern territory was just finishing up a straight year. Canada is now on the bandwagon and is signing people and corps up as we speak.

Basically each territory runs a non-stop prayer meeting, passing it on from corps to corps to corps to corps to corps, etc. each corps taking a week each.

It was started outside the Army by some firebrands at www.24-7prayer.com.

Our corps is doing a week next month. We're game to see what God has in store for us. Why not check it out in your territory? If nothing is going, you can start it.
posted by Stephen Court

January 12, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus's name, friends.

Some warrior once exclaimed:

We’ll be heroes, we’ll be heroes
When the battle is fierce;
When the raging storm louder grows
Will our courage increase by the Cross

We shall conquer, we shall conquer
Through the blood of the Lamb;
And we will never retreat, though we die,
Til the conquests we’ve won by the Cross
Anonymous, 811 Salvation Army Song Book, number 811, 1970

I wrote an article on this somewhere years ago (SALVATIONIST). It is true. I believe it. When we actually get down to it, it no longers sounds goofy when we're singing it. As Railton warned, "Merely to recommend revoutlion is contemptible."

Let's make it. We can do it. If we take serously God's call on our lives; if we train ourselves up; if we purify ourselves from unrighteousness; if we live the words of that song, we can start a revolution.
posted by Stephen Court

January 11, 2003.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Whereas Eastern Christianity and the monastic tradition have recognized the spiritual benefits of freedom from ‘things’, Western Christianity has somehow hallowed poverty, partly because it runs so counter to the prevailing ethic of consumerism. What is so blessed about being poor? We don’t get it, so we categorize it with celibacy, martyrdom, and some of those other gifts that we respect but really don’t want ourselves! But the blessing isn’t in the form of a gift. The poor are not blessed intrinsically as poor people. They are blessed when they are poor because their poverty graphically shouts out to them the need for something more.

"Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit because they are poor in spirit.” He did not think, “What a fine thing it is to be destitute of every spiritual attainment or quality. It makes people worthy of the kingdom.”… Those poor in spirit are called ‘blessed’ by Jesus, not because they are in a meritorious condition, but because, precisely in spite of and in the midst of their ever so deplorable condition, the rule of the heavens has moved redemptively upon and through them, by the grace of Christ (Dallas Willard. THE DIVINE CONSPIRACY. 1998. p116,117).

Yes, apparently we’ll always have the poor amongst us, but this is more a clarion call to warfare against evil than an excuse for comfortable carnality.
posted by Stephen Court

January 10, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Some people question the importance of the written word in the great commission.

I think that it is significant.

Sure, Jesus wrote nothing that has stuck around, but Moses did. And David, and Isaiah, and Nehemiah, and Paul, and James, and several others, all of which has become canon.

The early Church fathers are remembered most by what they wrote. They distilled parabolic Biblical teaching and varied post-Biblical instruction into doctrine. Thus, orthodoxy.

The Gutenburg Press made the dissemination of Biblical truth to the whole literate population possible. It wrenched interpretation from the hands of the elite few who possessed special interests, and gave it to the faithful majority.

The pamphlets and books of Christian revolutionaries throughout history since have spread the Gospel, spurred Christians on to love and good deeds, taught and trained people, and glorified God.

Today, a surprising many don’t know the Gospel. From internet chat rooms to Every Home For Christ strategies, the Gospel is spread by the writing. Truth is also clarified. Christians are taught. Saints are inspired. Warriors are mobilized and deployed. The written word continues to play a key role in the great commission.

God grant us more and better writers to help in this role.
Posted by Stephen Court

January 9, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I attended a great seminar by Colonel David Grossman, from killology.com, a couple of years back. He told a story from his book, ON COMBAT:

"During the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazi SS spearhead units had broken
through American lines in the Ardennes Forest in December of 1944, and the
demoralized American units were fleeing in terror down the little roads coming out
of the Ardennes Forest with the Nazis on their heels. My old unit, the 82nd
Airborne Division, was brought out of reserve to help stop the enemy advance.
The paratroopers of the 82nd marched day and night to establish blocking
positions on the roads leading through the Ardennes Forest, and they had the mission,
the authority and the responsibility to rally together the fleeing Americans
and stop the Nazi advance. And that is exactly what they did.

"There was an American tank, 30 tons of death, fleeing down one of the little roads leading through the forest. One lonely paratrooper stood beside the road. A photographer captured the image of this young man with hollow sunken eyes, a three-day growth of beard, an M-1 Garand in one hand, and a bazooka slung over his back. He raised his hand to stop the fleeing tank. After it had ground to a halt, the weary paratrooper looked up at the tank commander, and asked, "Buddy, are you looking for a safe place?"

"Yeah," the tank commander replied.

"Then park your tank behind me, because I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this
is as far as the bastards are going."

"Do you understand how this story applies to you, my fellow warriors?

For the rest of your lives you are going to be faced with people who are
fleeing. They will be fleeing drugs, crime, poverty, violence, terrorism, and
the fear that lurks in the hearts of every man and woman. And you have the
mission, the authority and the responsibility to stand up and say, "Friend,
neighbor, brother, sister, buddy... are you looking for a safe place?"

"And they will say, "Yeah."

"So you tell them, "Then get behind me, because I'm a cop--because I'm a
soldier--because I'm a warrior--and this is as far as the bastards are going!"

"You see, it is not about killing, and it is not about dying. We are not
all called to kill, and we are not all called to die, but we are all called to
serve our civilization in this dark hour. It’s about preserving and
protecting. It is about serving and sacrificing. It is about doing a dirty, desperate,
thankless job, every day of your life, to the utmost of your ability, because
you know that if no one did that job our civilization would be doomed.

"So now as you do that, for the rest of your lives, may God bless you,
your families and your every endeavor. Amen.
That about says it all. Grace to you tonight.
posted by Stephen Court

January 8, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
For those of you not too far away from Vancouver (that counts North America) I'd like to invite you to FULLNESS: A Prayer And Fasting Council, in The Firs retreat centre in northern Washington.

March 23-25, The Firs will host a bunch of keen fasters and pray-ers, led by Majors Janet and Richard Mun (DCs in northern New England). The Munns are model salvationists, the cover couple for millennium three leadership in The Salvation Army. And they can pray (see their new prayer CD, A VAST ARMY, for proof, at www.servingnewengland.com)! And they can fast (no puns here).

They'll be joined by worship leader Mark Hood of PraiseWorks! in Orange County California. He'll be mostly responsibile for facilitating the entrance of delegates into God's presence and the expression of affection and adoration of delegates for God Himself (he can make CDs too- from GOOD TO BE IN THE HOUSE through AND CAN IT BE? and the forthcoming BOUNDLESS vol.1, he is a veritable album machine).

Anyway, the whole shindig goes for $79cdn, including food (remember, we're all fasting here!).

If you need a spiritual refresher, a relevation on spiritual discipline, or maybe just an alternative place to spend your hard-earned money (figuring that you could easily drop $79 on three days of food, especially if you go out once or twice during that time, on gym fees, on a film, on a couple of lattes, on a worship CD...), then sign up at cariboohill@telus.net (604 525 7311).

God seems to go for this kind of thing.

How's that?
posted by Stephen Court

January 7, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
First up, let me thank my friend Heather Wright for blogging in my absence. Judging from your responses she should set up her own blog as she effectively pushed some buttons (if you missed it, read below back to the 29th of December).

I was directed to a great site to support the poor in Haiti (http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/Haiti/sponsor.htm).

Haiti is the poorest part of the western hemisphere. The upside of investing in this way includes getting the most bang for your buck and knowing that all the money goes directly to the item (The Salvation Army is in 109 countries already so the infrastructure doesn't need to be built).

Anyway, here are some nice post-Christmas gift ideas (just in time for Saint Valentine):

EDUCATION SPONSORSHIPS
(US Dollars)
$550 One classroom for one year (10 months)
$450 Teacher salary for one year (10 months)
$250 Books for a class of 25 students
$60 Writing tables and pencils for one class
$55 One classroom for one month
$45 Teacher salary for one month
$10 Books for one child
$2.50 Writing tablets and pencils for one child

OTHER SPONSORSHIPS
(US Dollars)
$2000 Generator
$1000 Dig a well
$750 Hand pump
$100 Agriculture tools
$85 Pig food for one pig for one year
$50 Pig
$25 Goat
$25 Seeds for one crop
$10 Turkeys
$5 Chickens

Knock yourselves out.
posted by Stephen Court

I was talking with a young Salvationist friend of mine tonight about the Army. He indicated to me that he planned on church shopping in the new year. When I asked him why he would leave the Army, this is what he said:

"I agree that the Army needs to get out being a middle class church, and I think that it's great that it's getting back to its roots and all, but that's not really my thing, so I'm looking for another church, maybe pentecostal or non-denominational. Something more modern, more youth, a more understanding senior church and less penny-pinching for no reason and hypocrisy."

I wonder what that looks like to God. For some reason, the image of a young child comes to mind, standing with their hands on their hips, stamping their foot and declaring in a whiny voice...but it's just TOO HARD. I don't WANT to keep going. I want it to be easy.
But if we don't keep going, who will? How does that saying go? Be the change you want to see?
But no, these days, religion is all about convenience...what I can 'get' out of it. And we are an accommodating bunch in the church aren't we? Expectantly and hopefully asking newcomers after a service/program "So, what did you think?" as though our time worshipping in the House of God was a newly released movie to be given the 'thumbs up'.
We 'review' it...the soloist was 'off', the preach was bland...harsh...not grounded in the Word...too theological...
What are we even here for? Who are we even here for?
I am reminded of Paul's words in Galatians 1:10

"Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave." (The Message)

"He (Paul) did not, in his doctrine, accommodate himself to the humours of persons, either to gain their affection or to avoid their resentment; but his great care was to approve himself to God. The judaizing teachers, by whom these churches were corrupted, had discovered a very different temper; they mixed works with faith, and the law with the gospel, only to please the Jews, whom they were willing to court and keep in with..." (Matthew Henry Commentary on Galatians 1:10)

...whom they were willing to court. We, the body, also have that willingness to flirt with the world. Like a prostitute will paint herself up with garish makeup and package her body into ill-fitting, vulgar clothing to attract a date, so will we the body...the bride of Christ...prostitute ourselves to the world unashamedly to bring in the numbers, to fill the pews.
Don't pretend to be shocked, you know we do it.
Trying to be trendy, attractive, appealing and cutting edge. When did we slip from being just in the world to being of it? Where was our imaginary line in the sand?
Looking around my neighbourhood, I see women, 'working girls' in one of two situations. Firstly, they have become so blinded to their own situation that they don't even realize their own hideousness. Beauty is gone. They're not fooling anyone. They are a hideous deviation of God's plan for their lives. We can see it, but they can't. They are blind to their reality, lying to themselves. Are we like that?
Then there are the others...they see what they've become. But there have been too many wrong turns, and they are living out of habit. Too many dirty deeds in back alleys, too many tricks in infested hotel rooms. Where did they wander astray? To them, it doesn't matter. They've been in bed with the world for far too long, there's no turning back now. How could they be forgiven so much?
So, how is that like a church? People can see right through our garish disguse...and even if we succeed in deceiving the people, we certainly aren't fooling God. He sees what we've become, distorting His Word, bending the rules to better 'attract' sinners. We think we are beautiful, when He's recoiling from us. Or on the other hand, we may know we're off track. But hey, it's paying off right? Large congregations, public favour, big money...so what if we glazed over some stuff from the Word...what counts is butts in the seats...besides, if we changed now what would we do with ourselves?
Where do we fit in?
Or can we honestly say with Paul that if we were still trying to please men, we wouldn't be a servant of Christ?
As the New Year approaches, let's challenge ourselves and not take the easy route of conforming to the world instead of transforming it for Christ. Let's cast off our garments and approach our Father unadorned, repentant and expectant - for when we are in a position of surrender, that's when we'll really see the Kindom advance.
posted by Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session