Armybarmy Blog

August 30, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I've been meeting some people recently and am gobsmacked (well, maybe not that gobsmacked but I read this word in a newspaper interview with a British Olympian and have wanted to sneak it in to my blog for a couple of days now) by how they describe themselves.

Once we get beyond name and city of residence and so on, I ask, 'who are you?'

Answers run the gamut:
student
truck driver
professional musician
fast food guy
etc.

None chose to define himself (all males), even when coaxed to move beyond a functional description, based on relationship with God or God-given mission (though all are card carrying members of our favourite Movement). So, no one said,
'I'm a Christian guy'
'I'm a salvo'
'I'm a warrior committed to winning the world for Jesus or dying trying'
'I'm a humble servant of King Jesus entrusted with important missions to save the lost'

Nothing like any of that.

Just truck drivers and professionals.

This is a greater sign of our weakness than divorce statistics or skirt length or meeting attendance (and likely a contributing factor to these latter conditions).

How can we change this? How do we get people identify themselves as warriors of Jesus? I guess the first challenge is to get them to become warriors of Jesus (to easy an answer). We must define the terms of discussion. The world has settled that we be categorized by our employment, stratified by our income, and esteemed by our conformity.

We need to raise up an army of people categorized by commitment, stratified by experience (if at all), and esteemed for victories and faithfulness. The covenanted (read 'soldier' in most cases today) burger-flipping dead raiser should not be disdained for making minimum wage at a fast food joint but should be respected for covenant and esteemed for exercising God's delegated authority to raise dead people back to life (although, don't forget the 10.17.17.10 bit from Luke- only doing what we're responsible to do).

Or here's one: we pigeon-hole people based on their place in community. However, we're looking at the wrong community. We look at the society/neighbourhood instead of the spiritual community. And so the blame is shared by the object and the subject.

Let's change our mindsets and worldviews.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

August 29, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
One of the keys for us (Salvos) in winning the world is to get ourselves united in covenant and able in training. A warfare culture goes hand in hand with these conditions.
One of the neat things about our corps is that we recognize that we're in a war. It isn't just because we use the terms mercilessly (The War Room, Warrior Academy, The War College, etc.). It is because our people actually live their lives as if they are in a war- which they are.
I am learning again how starkly different that is than many corps (and other congregations). I suspect that many involved in church subculture are more influenced by independent (don't depend on Jesus yet) friends and media and the world than by the Kingdom (and, in our case, the Army). For too many their lives are about something else (fill in that blank any way you'd like) and their Christianity is a component of the whole, at best (instead of everything).
We've fostered a culture at our corps in which people know they are fighting. This is aided by the obvious hurt and evil in our neighbourhood, by the lack of distractions of those in need (distractions like materialism and consumerism and other 'ism' 'things'), and by our conviction (we're 'true believers' in the naive sense of the term) that God has both commanded and enabled us to fight this war for His glory.
Those are just a few ramblings on a Sunday night at camp. Maybe you can determine to foster a similar culture within your corps...
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

August 28, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
There are more than 60,000 homeless children in Canada. They are Crown wards. So they live in group homes or as foster kids. When they turn 16 we kick them onto the street.

Next Year is the International Year of Children and Youth. We've got a campaign on right now to raise up 10,000 heroes. Many of these will be Western Youth changing the lives of Children at risk.

But those kids are overseas.

These 60,000 kids live in our borders, in our cities, some, in our alleys. They are Canadians.

Wouldn't it be powerful to mobilize all of The Salvation Army's good will, all of the experience and skill, all of the infrastructure and organization, all of the networks both in and out of the Movement, and all of the guest rooms we can lay our hands on to put these kids into families next year?

For God's sake!

There's something for you and me to think about...

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

August 27, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
For those of you who are new to Captains' Blog, we're about Primitive Salvationism. We define it as charismatic-flavoured, mission-focussed heroism. Do you want to experience some of it? Try BTI July 5-11, 2005 (Booth-Tucker Institute has a page on thewarcollege.com).
My friend was asked to write a new tune for an SA classic. While so doing, he adjusted the words ever-so-slightly, adding a comma in the second last line. As the urban legend goes, the original composer was played the tune on his death bed and exclaimed, "I've been singing it wrong all these years." Praise the Lord.
Another friend was bouncing his new version of an old classic off of a famous composer. He finished and the composer's eyes were shut. My friend began to apologise that it was incomplete and maybe not that hot and... and the composer told him to be quiet. After a pause, he looked up and said, "the old tune means nothing to me anymore."
Besides being warm and fuzzy stories, these partially fulfill prayers by my other friend for years that we would re-dig the old wells of Music. Apparently God wants us to use all kinds of music to worship Him.
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

August 26, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Well (following yesterday's blog), just for you string combo fans, there is another category called 'Other musical group members'. So, two things: 1. the senior bands are indeed growing at 17%; and 2. there are heaps of other musicians exercising their gifts for the edification of the Body and extension of the Kingdom. In fact, there are the same number of other musical group members today as there were senior bandsmen in 1980. In other words, there are tens of thousands MORE SA musicians in the midst of the fight today than there were a generation ago. Hallelujah.

But look out Euphonium players! It turns out that some of the cuts in the US Military of gays, according to TIME Magazine, have left a gap in key specialty positions. For example, the US Army indicates that it needs to fill 15 musician slots, "including two trumpeters, four clarinetists, three saxophonists, and a euphonium player." Confronted with this Army weakness, one government representative asked, "Is there not a way to do without the euphonium player?"

The fired brass players can join The Salvation Army bands!
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court
PS my fave piece isn't picked just because it includes "We'll Be Heroes" and I like a book with almost the same name (BE A HERO).

August 25, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I saw some sobering statistics today. We all celebrate that The Salvation Army is growing in number of soldiers around the world. Hallelujah! We're on our way to the 2 million goal to which General Larsson has called us.

Tragically, though, most of our sections are not growing.

Surprisingly, the exception is the senior band.

Senior Bands experienced decline over the last two decades of the 20th century and most people have written the benediction on them. Those people should hold their pens. Senior Band membership is the only traditionally kept sectional statistic that is growing in this century, according to raw data from The Salvation Army Year Books.

Not only that, but senior band membership is experiencing significant growth, a veritable explosion, made all the more outstanding by surrounding decline. Look at the situation:

Songsters have shrunk about %15 in four years between 99 and 03. Singing Company, less than 10%. Actice officership is statistically about the same (as it was in 99). Home Leagues have lost about 7%. Corps Cadets are down about 40%. This is a saddening statistical landscape.

But in the midst of this decline shoots the senior band membership, up a staggering 17% in four years!

Are we on the verge of another golden era, the 60s redux, of Salvation Army banding breaking through the windows and hearts of sinners, of lifting a sound bath of praise to our great King and Redeemer, of protecting our preachers and 'Storm(ing) the forts of darkness (and) bring(ing) them down!'? God grant it.

Whence this rebirth, this re-emergence in the vanguard of the great Salvation War?

It cannot be that our growth in soldiership consists mostly of brass band enthusiasts and instrumentalists (if true we'd have to give full marks to great evangelising bandsmembers!)! Could it be that the brass band is serving its purposes to play out the Gospel on the streets and in the halls in a manner that fosters community and a sense of belonging for its members while demonstrating a laudable Christian standard for soldiers throughout the ranks?

May it ever be! May the Bands and Band members proclaim the Kingdom and heal the sick and cleanse lepers and raise the dead and kick demons! And may the Home League, the Over-60s, the YP Band, the Singing Company, the Songsters, the Junior Soldiers, and the Corps Cadets all experience such commendable improvement in numbers (and with it, the prayed for Matthew 10 accompaniments - demon kicking, dead raising, etc.) in the rest of this decade.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court
PS Eric Ball- World Wide Witness is my favourite band piece (right up there is Bill Himes' Milestone)

August 24, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I just read an editorial in National Post about the application of hate-speech crime to preaching on homosexuality from the Bible by a pentecostal preacher in Sweden. He was found guilty (disclosure- my thing on this subject is 1. Christian rights are beeing frayed away; and, 2. politics seems more important that truth).

satan (lower case intentional) has succeeded in trumping freedom and speech and freedom of religion with gay rights. In Canada, 1.7% of the population is positioned to shut down 3 million people from hearing the whole counsel of God.

Bill C-250 has passed, extending hate-speech law to specifically cover homosexuals, in Canada. In 2002, a federal court concluded that certain passages of the Bible were hate literature.

The bill has an exemption for beliefs in a religious text. But the Swedes, leading the way in this kind of thing, are pointing the way forward.

The editor suggests that it is only a matter of time before someone starts publicly reading the Bible just to get arrested.

I know that our warfare is a lot more confortable than that in countries in which Chirstian persecution is physical, but hte tactics of the enemy here are subtle and insidious and we must not be unaware of his schemes.

Thank God that our King can blow the enemy away with a sniff from His nostril! Hallelujah!
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

August 23, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
We had a blast the other day with some DJ-led worship. I recognize that it is common in some countries and circles but it isn't that where we live and fight. We've done it when the gifts have been available and it has invariably kicked.

The feedback I got was like people were coming home- they were feeling comfortable in native musical surroundings. It is the heart-style for some parts of a generation.

It's not better than a great band piece or songster selection for a certain crowd. But it taps into a group in a way I've not seen other things. There is a release.

By the way, I've just heard of a conference the weekend of September 25 in Vancouver. It is going to kick. David Demian and Nolan Clark are preaching. The Wildings and Heather Clark are leading worship. And it is free. If you're in the vicinity (and by that I mean the next couple of states or provinces) you should pray into coming.
And finally, PROVERBIAL LEADERSHIP is now out! It was properly released today (and arrived). So if you're looking to buy into this new resource by Commissioner Wesley Harris and me, contact us at info@thewarcollege.com.
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

August 22, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I had the opportunity to speak a few last words to some friends of mine from The War College the other day (Friday). There is nothing new under the sun and so I bit some old stuff from the original brochure (which you can still download form thewarcollege.com) and the powerful text of Matthew 10:7,8 (that was first pounded into my head by David Hogan, and was actually stolen by Rob Dolby in his final presentation that morning!):

Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

In the late 1940s college-aged
Christians gathered each summer at the
Forest Home Conference Center, east
of Los Angeles. There, challenged
by the Holy Spirit, they consecrated
themselves in the “Fellowship of the
Burning Heart”. The fruit of this
fellowship is counted in the tens
of millions of souls. The Fellowship
included Henrietta Mears, Billy
Graham, Bill Bright, and Richard
Halverson, among others.
In the early third millennium
college-aged Christians are gathering
each year at The War College in
Vancouver. There, challenged by the
Holy Spirit, they are consecrating
themselves to the mission of world
conquest. What will be the fruit?
What will be the impact?

That's the end of the brochure excerpt. I wonder what the impact will be as these friends of mine go out to take on the world. Yesterday I was on about the children's generation. Today I look forward to 20 years from now to celebrate the victories won through these warrriors and their disciples and their disciples' disciples and their disciple's disciples' disciples, and so on.

We're looking to see outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. These guys will be doing great exploits for the Kingdom because they know their God intimately (to bite Daniel). If you're interested in joining up for the 2,000 in 200 in 20, give me a shout at info@thewarcollege.com (and I will be in touch with you in mid September - I'll be remote blogging for a short while...).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

Augusts 21, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

My friend told me that we recruit officers too late. This goes against common wisdom, which has us hitting up middle-aged people mid-career, and even post-career (this pertains to the last bit of the blog). He figures we should hit them up when they are little kids (2+). I love this. So he is creating claymation (sp?) shows of Captain something and the blankettyblank of doom (or something similar). I love it. This officer character will be the superhero battling the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (sorry to any liberals still reading but we mean actual demons). Isn't this classic? Let's feed our youngsters on this kind of thing and they'll grow up wanting to be like Captain (place name here). Wonderful.

It is never too early to start. Our Warrior Academy is doing some amazing things. One is that these toddlers (2+) are laying on hands for healing. They pray for Jesus to heal people and He does (nothing limb-lengthening yet, but you'll hear- stay tuned to Captains' Blog). I love that these kids are going to be SO DANGEROUS when they are our age. It won't even be funny to compare (it may be funny to compare how dangerous our War College grads will be when they are my age- man, they will be God-glorifying, devil-defying, slacker-sanctifying, sinner-justifying JEDI standing heads and shoulders above our generation).

Now, the footnote to this, and the encouragement to those of you in the Baby Boomer generation or older, goes like this... I am about to explain something that is astoundingly obvious to those who know the greying and receding hairline, but here goes: I'm getting old.
Yah, I know (those of you who read THE OFFICER still see the decade old training college grad photo!).
This shocking realization struck me one night at a camp a couple of weeks ago. I was chewing the fat with a bunch of leaders (LOs and mostly officers) one night after curfew. And I looked around at these guys realizing that I was by far the oldest guy in the room. I mean, I had a solid five years of officership more than the next oldest person.
This is the first time I've found myself in such a situation.
I've normally considered myself a young officer (although, admittedly, I've given up on young-across-the-baord about twenty pounds ago). But there it is.
I'm middle aged!
In the last five years, the headstart I've had on the other officers in that camp room, Heidi Baker has started 5,000 churches. Major Friday Ayanam has raised the dead, brought hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind. Todd Bentley has seen hundreds of thousands saved.
And in my WHOLE life, I can't even compare to any of that fruit. Ouch!
There is a charming naivete often exuded by younger people. There is sometimes a stodgy resignation in older people. I want to avoid either pigeon-hole.
We've got to get some billions saved.
And I've been chewing up the years with not a lot to show for it. Let's not waste the time we've got left. Let's invest in the next generation to accelerate our children's advancement of the great Salvation War!
God help me to generate, in the next 65 years or so, as much fruit as You dream and enable. And help my friends who read this do the same.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

August 20, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Short blog tonight- long day. This is the graduation of the Death and Glory Session of The War College. yahoo- Praise the Lord. The TC (legend in the country for something like 17 years in our neighbourhood) came along with a bunch of other leaders.
The worship party followed with Glory Fix and DJ Chris Michel.
God was pleased. Prophecy, footwashing, anointing, prayer, testimony, praise. Hallelujah! Mission accomplished (for year one!). Glory to God!
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

August 19, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Short plug day.
Look, The Salvation Army has this neat thing called The SA Worship Leaders Network. It connects some crazy-gifted worship leaders and song writers around the world (spotty at this point in time- several countries, but certainly not a blanket).
These are many of the people who lead the large congresses and meetings in worship and who are writing the songs of this generation's Army.
They've got a compilation CD coming out this week called BOUNDLESS volume 1. Praise the Lord.
It contains 14 songs from 10 cities in a handful of countries. I expect that you and your corps will love it, will hum it, and will start singing songs from it.
You can order yours from armybarmy.com.
More details to follow.

I was asked this question today- how do you love the Lord with your mind? My quick response is this: recognise that my wisdom is foolishness to Him and that my ways are way lower than His ways; and to humbly and obediently submit to His Word. I expect that I've missed something. Here's how I don't love Him with my mind- conforming His Word to my understanding so that I can persuade sinners to buy in.

Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

August 18, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
We're back! Praise God. Thanks for your patience.
It will likely take you a handful of days to catch up on some of the meaty stuff posted by Heather Wright and Rob Dolby in my absence. Be challenged.
Look, I'll just clean up a couple of things on our first day back (Captains' Blog has been out of service due to techincal issues for a short while).
If you haven't read JAC yet, you should do yourself a favour. Start with the exclusive interview with Major Friday Ayanam. Why, you ask? HE RAISES DEAD PEOPLE! HE MAKES BLIND PEOPLE SEE! HE MAKES DEAF PEOPLE HEAR! I'd say that is worth a read. I asked him once if he raised dead people and he humbly replied, "I don't raise dead people. But God does it through me!" Hallelujah!
The BE A HERO Campaign advances. We're trying to raise up 10,000 heroes. You've heard the shtick (if not, scan back for a while). Anyway, in Oklahoma, heaps of people signed up. This included 40 children's homes and 170 children sponsored. Hallelujah! In Australia, as we speak, more are being mobilized. Why not sign up today?
God continues to bless our socks off and we press in, aiming for primitive salvationism experience- charismatic flavoured, mission focused heroism.
Remember that The Salvation Army is a revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus.
Listen closely for upcoming news of the International League of Prophetic Justice, founded by Aaron White. More to come.
We're psyched to be back. I hope you enjoy it, too. Much grace.
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posted by Stephen Court

Christian greetings!

Some changes have been made with the webhosting of armybarmy, which should make the website respond faster for better viewing. That's the good news, the bad news is that in the last couple of weeks, this has caused a couple of problems with some updates such as to Captains Blog. Thank you for your patience.

May God Bless you real good today. Keep close to Jesus.

Posted by armybarmy webmaster

August 9, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Fresh back from some war fighting down south. Yahweh bared His mighty right arm and vanquished the foe! Hallelujah.

Heather did some outstanding blogs in my absence but most of them didn't go up so I am testing to see if it might have been a filter thing (although 'vanquish' might have been a bad choice for a test).

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

In Isaiah 37, Hezekiah (King of Jerusalem) is trying to figure out what to do about Sennacherib (King of Assyria) who had been mocking Hezekiah and his leadership team through correspondence and to his face.
Not knowing what to do, Hezekiah takes the message from Sennacherib into the sanctuary and spreads it out before God. That’s the thing – he just left his office and went into the Holy place and laid it all out before God.

How often do I do that with my struggles?

Then he praises God and reminds himself of who God REALLY is, His Sovereignty, His Creation, etc.
(It’s like the psalmist – praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not His benefits. How easily I am swept away by the adversity at hand and forget all of the victories of yesterday! Praise the Lord for journals…)

Then he asks God to bring down deliverance and justice, but for His glory, not Hezekiah’s.
“Let all the kingdoms of earth know that You and You alone are God.” Is. 37:20

Not only that, but it’s also cool to note that Hezekiah listened to the counsel of his staff, consulted the prophet of God as well as taking the matter before Yahweh himself. He is rewarded for this:
“Isaiah, son of Amoz sent this word to Hezekiah: ‘God’s message, the God of Israel. Because you brought King Sennacherib of Assyria to me in prayer…he won’t enter this city, won’t let loose a single arrow.” Is. 37:33
WOW!

I am drawn to the image of the enemy, pointing his finger at us as a Salvation Army and in pride mocking our God and His ability. satan doing his contemptuous best to bring the children of God into fear and doubt, whispering lies like “Look around, the poor are getting poorer, man is becoming more depraved, your numbers are shrinking, you aren't making a difference so why even bother” and so on and so on. Man, it’s easy to become discouraged in ministry these days.
How do we cope?
Well, I believe that Hezekiah was onto something – he had a progression:

1. realizing his inability to deal with it by himself (that's a toughie for me!)
2. stopping everything and laying ALL the burden down to the Lord
3. in the midst of it all, praising God for who He is, and recounting His true character
4. giving honour and glory back to Him who deserves it

Also, he strategizes with his leadership team. Humbling himself, even though he had final say in his appointment, and didn't have to ask for help, he decides to make use of those he has surrounded himself with.
He also consults the prophet of God, and if anyone read the blog by my brother Rob, you would get where I’m going with this one right off the bat.
Besides, it's 'proverbial leadership': (heehee!)

“Form your purpose by asking for counsel,
then carry it out using all the help you can get.” Proverbs 20:18 MSG

So Hezekiah is totally in the zone, he’s strategized with his staff, received the Word of the Lord through the prophet as well as meeting God himself. So God shows up and rewards Hezekiah and then He does something cool - The Lord promises to take of Sennacharib - no worries, and then He actually begins to bless the people of Judah, by sending crop difficulties for the next two years. What’s the blessing in that? Well, He’s teaching them the value of self-denial, personal sacrifice and praising God through both abundance or scarcity.
“But in the third year farming will be back to normal, with regular sowing and reaping, planting and harvesting. What’s left of the people of Judah will put down roots and make a new start. The people left in Jerusalem will get moving again. Mount Zion survivors will take hold again.” Isaiah 37:30-32

I wonder how often in the Bible and today God refines His people through hardship because He’s about to do some serious work or to get everybody back on track.
In our Army, I understand that we are going through a time of scarcity – soldier enrolments, officers comint out of CFOT, availability of skilled Christians to work in our social work field and spread the Gospel as well as financial resources - all at a territorial level, as well as at the corps level.
I wonder, have we followed Hezekiah’s example? Have I? Have you?
What has he drawn out of your life to draw you closer to Him through personal sacrifice and self-denial?
Better yet, if THIS is a time of refinement, what are His plans for those of us who will be the "Mount Zion survivors" toughing it out till the time of the 'new start'?

I’m EXCITED. What a time to be a Salvationist!
God bless the Salvation Army!

posted by:
Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session

BELIEVE in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in His prophets, and you will succeed. 2 Chronicles 20:20 b

Against an army immensely more strong, more fierce, and more well positioned the singers marched, singing "Give thanks to the LORD ..." There are two key elements vital for us to get here. One, we must have faith, our faith is the only thing that will allow us to stand firm against this, surely crooked and vastly depraved generation. Two, we must hear the Voice of the LORD, through His prophets.
One might argue we lack faith, but I have been priveleged to sit under some of the greatest Army leaders of this century, and all of them had a fierce faith.
However, I do wonder where is the Voice of the LORD ? Sure we can say it is found all around us, in Scripture, in creation, in Hallmark greeting cards, but where is His Voice spoken through the Prophets ? According to Scripture without it Israel would have been lost. It is that essential to an entire peoples survival, and is equally important to that of our Army's.
Where are the Railtons ? Sure when they show up in sackcloth it causes us some embarrasment, but what happens when we are faced with a battle too great for our faith alone, which is coming, (yes, that's Prophecy.)
The original name of the first Salvation Army training college was The School of the Prophets, look it up.
I love The Salvation Army, I was saved off the streets as a heroin addict and today serve under her flag so believe me my intention is not to point and accuse.
At our fiercest, we had these two elements, we were lisening with both ears, but we stand in this battle for the world with one ear shut !! Without the return of the prophets we will go out to meet our enemy less armed than we were meant to be.

LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS ... HEAR WHAT the SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE SALVATION ARMY.

Surely the Sovereign LORD does NOTHING without reavealing His plan to his servants the Prophets.
AMOS 3:8

posted by:
Rob Dolby
The War College
Death and Glory Session

test- we're having technical difficulties...

I have just finished reading through the most recent edition of "Horizons" magazine, a Salvation Army leadership publication. I just caught the third installment of a series of articles between a Salvation Army officer and a non-denominational guy regarding the Army's position on abstinence from alcoholic drink, tobacco, non-medical use of addictive drugs, gambling, pornography, the occult, and all else that could enslave the body or spirit, but mainly focusing on alcohol. Needless to say, I'm glad I get to blog this week, cuz if I couldn't get my thoughts out on this one, I'd probably throw up.

The non-denominational guy's main whine - I mean concern - is around covenant(uniform-wearing) Salvationists drinking and then hiding it. Well then for crying out loud, start holding them acccountable! That's the big Big BIG part of being in this Covenant community that we shy away from - accountability. The argument "I don't know exactly WHO is doing it, but I know that they are out there" is both ridiculous and flaccid. If God is giving you eyes to see your brother or sister caught up in a sin then get on board with the James 5 Scripture:

"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." because there are consequences for breaking Covenant with God, it's biblical and if you truly love your neighbour as yourself, you'll have that desire to speak the truth in love.

If for whatever reason you don't feel as though you could possibly step up to the plate like that and draw someone back from the fiery pit of temptation that leads towards sin, then call yourself the coward that you are and content yourself with 'sitting idly by while the heedless millions die". Recognize this though, "if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their deaths. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman accountable." Ezekiel 33:6

Stephen's been on about covenant a lot lately, so I know that you all have become experts in the area. After reviewing the Soldier's Covenant as a whole, one would think that it's an obvious attack from the enemy on our Articles of War that the abstinence thing gets SO much play. It's one of the easiest portions of the covenant to maintain. No grey area there, it's black or white. Just don't drink. Compare that with one of the other declarations like "I will uphold Christian ideals in all my relationships with others: my family and neighbours, my colleageues and fellow salvationsts, those to who and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community." and really compared to the weight of that, the 'tremendous burden' of staying dry is blown WAY out of proportion.

I've never been one to lower the bar if not enough people meet the standard. If you don't choose to honour God with self denial when it comes to alcohol - fine by me. Just sit down and shut up when the rest of us are singing "I surrender all".
Further, if you are willing to acknowledge that drugs are bad, smoking is bad, gambling is bad, pornography is bad and the occult is bad and that they are vehicles of the evil one to enslave God's holy people in their body, mind and spirit, it's only common sense that alcohol fits into that category as well in its very nature clouding one's judgement and blurring your spirit which is the part of you that communicates with the Holy Spirit.
What's that you say? I don't drink to get drunk?
What do you drink for then? To get a little tipsy? To get a buzz on? To "relax"? Try putting on a worship CD and hanging out with Jesus. Throw the crutch away. Set a different example for your kids.

My non-denominational friend also laments that it's unrealistic to expect young people and adults to not drink, given the society we live in, so it should just be dropped from the Covenant. It's just too hard. It's not realistic.
I see.
So then what happens when we pamper the people and drop the alcoholic abstinence requirement. What next? I like to watch a litte porn in my free time...it's just art, the human body - a beautiful creation and a gift from God so it should allowed? Or: I don't approve of the work the Army is doing in my neighbourhood, so I don't want to give any kind of proportion of of my income to support the Army, I'll write a cheque to the United Way instead? It goes on and on. Where do you draw the line?

I drew mine at the bottom of the Articles of War.
Then I signed it.

posted by:
Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session

Some thoughts on ministry style from Mark 6.
The disciples though that their job was to walk and be taught by Jesus. They gave up their previous occupations because He summoned them. Yet in Mark 6 in the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand we see a minsterial pattern that continues to this very day. The apostles had been out doing visitation and holding open airs in different villages, preaching and giving altar calls and doing deliverance ministry and healing sick people. So they all gather back up to where Jesus is to debrief and have a fellowship meal. But, as often happens when people get a taste of Holy Spirit and a revelation of Jesus, they SEE that the Lord is good and they want more. So the people, hungry for more of the Word of God and the signs and miracles and wonders, followed the disciples. I envision it sort of like the Deadheads that used to follow around the rock band the Grateful Dead, except in a righteous way, but with the same compulsion. Now the polite thing for these people, (we'll call them 'seekers') to do would be to call first and make an appointiment to see the Apostle Peter in his corps office on Monday to discuss their miraculous healing of leprosy and how they want to know more about this Jesus guy - oh wait, it'll have to be Tuesday, Monday is his day off- and then to only presume to stay for 20-25 minutes because the Apostle Peter is a very busy man, in charge of a small but growing corps that has a such a shortage of willing leadership that he is forced to do everything himself and what with all the paperwork and numbers that need to be turned in to the Council at Jerusalem, how can you blame him if the relational style of investing time and sowing energy into individuals that Jesus modelled goes by the wayside?
In this Scripture, the disciples' response to the 'seekers' is: "look Jesus, it's late." Right off the bat, it seems as though they are setting some definite boundaries: "this is outside of my 'ministry time' or 'what's wrong with you people, can't you respect that I can't always be available to pray for healing or to cast out the demonic? Seriously, when do I get MY solitude time with Jesus? ME ME ME." Ahem.
One thing that I noted here, is that when the disciples wouldn't meet with the people, Jesus bypasses them altogether. He has compassion. He has eyes to see that they are more than just Bob complaining about the sermon again this week, or Gladys putting in her two cents on the girth of the Apostle Peter's wife and how if she could just cut back at the pot luck luncheons, maybe she wouldn't look so dreadful in her uniform and Tom with his book of morman in hand ready for some proselytizing. No - He sees them as simply sheep without a shepherd. So He does a work in their hearts and begins to teach them many things.
At this point, the disciples approach Jesus and having pulled out their day planners and consulted with their weekly schedule, of 25% sermon prep, 10-15% visitation, 25% fundraising, 25% administration and then 10% community endeavours and counselling they were satisfied to note that they had adequately served out the 40 hour ministerial work week. (for basis of these numbers, please refer to The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territorial Small Corps Taskforce, October 2002, Appendix D, page 4) Seeing as it was late in the day and if they didn't leave now they were all in danger of missing their favourite TV shows, they came to Jesus and said, "Hey, it's getting late and we haven't even had our dinner yet, so sing the closing song and pronounce the benediction so that we can get home to our dinners. But Jesus says: "You feed them."
At this point, the corps treasurers begin to wring their hands nervously, "it would take a fortune to buy food for all this crowd."
"What are your resources?"
Jesus took what was offered and made more. He creates something where there was none before. Imagine if Simon had given the granola bar that was in his pocket and Thomas that stick of gum...if they'd absolutely given ALL until there was not one thing left. Christ creates more. The people are fed. The disciples are stretched and they learn. Imagine if we took every last ounce of energy and handed it to Christ if instead of dividing the hours of the week into 'work' time and 'self' time and made it ALL Jesus time. Our ministry would feel less "workish" and be less "selfish". A scary thought.
Just when you want to put up a boundary and say this is my home, please don't come here, or I need solitude with Jesus, go find your own shepherd. Jesus says what are your resources? Or,realistically, because He already knows, what do you think your resources are? And when we offer it to Him, He creates more. He promises it in fact in Isaiah 58.
"I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute...(do this) and the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy, too and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring." Isaiah 58:7,11, TLB
Even though it's difficult, every day when you just want to shut your door and keep them all away, hear Jesus saying "what are your resources?" He'll surprise you every time, especially especially when you pour out every ounce of your energy into the Kingdom. Don't hold back. Remember:


Jesus, said "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

So don't shut your front door. Don't close your office door, instead:

"open wide the gates and let the King of Glory in." Psalm 24:9 TLB

posted by:
Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session

I have a comrade here who has joined us in the fight to win the world for Jesus starting in the Downtown Eastside for a time. As our fearless leaders are currently absent, we've all been delegated tasks that Stephen or Danielle would normally do. My comrade was assigned the task of compiling our 'celltalk' which is the weekly battle plan used in our cell groups (it's based on the Scripture that we have all read over the past week as the members of our corps all use the same guide to read through the Bible in one year). My comrade is intelligent, theologically sound and entirely capable, yet after completing his first celltalk, he asked me if I would read it over to make sure that he'd done it in the same way that Stephen would have.
Hmm.
One of our favourite sayings down here is "unity is not uniformity". We have found that we can all be going in the same direction and be of one mind and Spirit and not do things exactly the same.
The deal with our leadership is that their goal is not to manufacture sycophantic little robots who are experts on outdated etiquette, or who can perfectly polish their shoes in under 3 minutes, but to emulate a healthy body in that we have all caught the same vision:
- that we are saved to save and saved to serve
- we have all falled totally head over heels in love with Jesus
- that love compels us to pour out our lives in compassionate service to the lost
That's the unity. Those are the sinews that bind this body together. Beyond that, they don't expect me to assimilate to all of their opinions, to dress/look like they do or regurgitate their own words back at them for optimal grades and approval. What they DO expect is that I will actively utilize each and every gift that Holy Spirit has already given me to the uttermost and fervently pray for those gifts I have not yet received. Therefore, we all work within the same parameters, but each with our own distinct flavour.
I refuse to fault my comrade for his way of thinking, he comes from a different kind of training college, which, according to my interactions with its students, graduates and instructors appears to be the antithesis of the leadership model/training styles that I enjoy.
So what's the point? Am I merely puffing up my program? It may seem that way if I have alredy offended you, but really, that's not where I'm going.
Although, I would like to point out that if you train soldiers to be militant, warring, highly driven boundary pushers, then those are the kinds of leaders you will end up with. Conversely, if you make sermon preparation and inane obedience/rule-following the focus, accompanied with a healthy dose of false submission and a helping of 'don't think for yourself unless you think the same as me' then you sholdn't be surprised to end up with leaders who are disenchanted and mistrustful of those in authority over them, who focus more on getting the exact number of hours in sermon prep in rather than brainstorming and then confidently implementing bold new God-inspired minitry ideas, because that concept may be completely foreign.
Here's the thing - people always say that if you're not willing to exercise your right of opinion and vote, then you'd better not complain about the governent. So, accordingly, if you are not willing to make your stand for change in our training systems, then shut your piehole on the current Army leadership.
I once heard one officer say to another: (paraphrase)
"We've trained them to be militant, sold out, full-on warriors for Christ and we're not going to turn around and then expect them to be polite."
We would naturally conclude, what would be the point in training someone one way and then turning around and asking them to behave in a manner entirely opposite?

Similarly, how could you expect someone who has been trained to be polite, acquiescent and ingratiating to the rest of the body of Christ - or the lost for that matter, (wouldn't want to tick off potential donors) to step out boldy, provocatively, and in total abandonment for God's Kingdom?

posted by:
Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session

BELIEVE in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in His prophets, and you will succeed. 2 Chronicles 20:20 b

Against an army immensely more strong, more fierce, and more well positioned the singers marched, singing "Give thanks to the LORD ..." There are two key elements vital for us to get here. One, we must have faith, our faith is the only thing that will allow us to stand firm against this, surely crooked and vastly depraved generation. Two, we must hear the Voice of the LORD, through His prophets.
One might argue we lack faith, but I have been priveleged to sit under some of the greatest Army leaders of this century, and all of them had a fierce faith.
However, I do wonder where is the Voice of the LORD ? Sure we can say it is found all around us, in Scripture, in creation, in Hallmark greeting cards, but where is His Voice spoken through the Prophets ? According to Scripture without it Israel would have been lost. It is that essential to an entire peoples survival, and is equally important to that of our Army's.
Where are the Railtons ? Sure when they show up in sackcloth it causes us some embarrasment, but what happens when we are faced with a battle too great for our faith alone, which is coming, (yes, that's Prophecy.)
The original name of the first Salvation Army training college was The School of the Prophets, look it up.
I love The Salvation Army, I was saved off the streets as a heroin addict and today serve under her flag so believe me my intention is not to point and accuse.
At our fiercest, we had these two elements, we were lisening with both ears, but we stand in this battle for the world with one ear shut !! Without the return of the prophets we will go out to meet our enemy less armed than we were meant to be.

LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS ... HEAR WHAT the SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE SALVATION ARMY.

Surely the Sovereign LORD does NOTHING without reavealing His plan to his servants the Prophets.
AMOS 3:8

posted by:
Rob Dolby
The War College
Death and Glory Session

My friends are laying in the street tonight.
And I had to leave them there.
I don't have a placeto invite them to that is big enough. And even if I did, it would be 'inappropriate' because I'm just a girl, and they are mostly men.
But if the slogan is true, then I AM the flippin' Salvation Army - and all that means to them is that I'm there like clockwork to open the door at the drop-in - eight pm, and I'm all smiles serving coffee, warming up donated muffins, slathering on extra butter and jam while I greet my neighbours by name and we sing along to worship music. Some ask for prayer, some share their sufferings, some bless us.
Then, it's ding ding ding everybody OUT, there's a whole 'we don't care where you go, but you can't stay here. Oh wait- you don't have a home? Well, sorry man but it's 10:45pm and because of policies and propriety we have no choice but to usher those whom we've SO warmly welcomed INto our 'safe refuge' OUT into the street to join the queue of men outside the doors, languidly waiting for 12:15am when the emergency mat shelter opens. To ensure a spot (it's first come first served) many will arrive at 9:30pm, toting their cardboard boxes and plastic bubble wrap and other items designed to make the pavement a little more comfortable until they can lay on the luxury of a dirty plastic mattress 3 inches thick and a smelly wool blanket.

As I walk down the line offering out the last drops of juice, I notice how creative my neighbours have been with building their makeshift bed. It reminds me of a hamster using bits of fleece and straw and yarn to do the best he can in his tin can shell of a home, until the person in charge of his life offers up something a little bit better.

So then we lock the door and I walk home to my warm bed. To a fridge where there is food and a shower that is clean.

I can't take them all with me. Being mainly men, I can't take any of them home with me.

But you could.

If every Christian in my neighbourhood welcomed one of God's lost into their homes we would see transformation faster then 5 new detoxes or one hundred open airs.
But they don't.
Do you?
I have a friend who does, bless his heart. As the Spirit leads him, he invites our neighbours from the street who are homeless into HIS home to share in the comfort of a bed, a sink and any food scavenged from our Corps Officer's fridge. How does he do it you ask? Take in perfect strangers! It's easy - he's obedient to God and serious about the James 2 faith and deeds thing. Does he have stuff they could steal? Absolutely. Does he worry about it? Not at all, HE'S not so in love with his MATERIAL posessions to bar other men out for fear that is precious something-or-other may go missing. Does he put himself in a position of potentially having harm done to his physical body? It's possible. But he knows that He has a Sovereign God who charges His angels in concerning him, and he listens to the Voice of the Holy Spirit directing him to certain people.

Now I imagine you're all saying (or in my cynical mind I imagine you all saying) How shocking! Imagine the very idea of me allowing some freakshow addict/mentally ill/sex trade worker/convicted felon into my home ON PURPOSE!
SCANDALOUS!

Fair enough, we weren't all meant to be fully abandoned like Jesus was. (!)

So instead invite someone from YOUR neighbourhood. Someone lonely. Someone old, someone new , someone who stares longingly at your homelife from afar because it's what their heart desires most. Community. Family. A sense of belonging.
You start inviting the normal people and we'll keep on with the undesirables and then we'll all meet in the middle.
Until then, my friends will keep on lining up...

posted by: Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory Session

August 1, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
So, the new issue of JAC is out- don't miss it- go back once a day until you've finished reading every article. Then go back to the 31 archives!

Heather Wright is going to be admirably filling in for the Captains' Blog for the next week as Danielle and I will be off preaching. Heather was so popular last time she blogged for me that I received email suggesting that these were my best blogs ever! Thanks! So check in regularly with Heather, as she's got loads of provocation and controversy up her sleeve.

There are competing views about The Salvation Army out there. My friend suggested I come up with a definition for clarity of our position. Here goes (this is an ideal):

The Salvation Army is a revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion toward winning the world for Jesus.

There you go. Where do you fit?

I've not blogged my 10.17.17.10 thing yet. Here's the gist. Both are verses from Luke (10:17 and 17:10). We're blessed to taste a bit of 10:17 (When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!"). It is important that our reaction to this is 17:10 (In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.').
posted by Stephen Court

July 31, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus 'name, friends.
Have you checked out the Free Shooters yet at armybarmy.com? It is a new SA worship leaders and speakers bureau of and for Salvos (in North America).

It's your one stop conference shop as you plan your divisional meetings, youth councils, a conferences. The idea is that you are getting proven, solid, preachers and worship leaders who are on the same page theologically, missionally (I know the term is awkward), and who are (or can be) in relationship with you.

It scores big on all counts. Unlike other speakers bureaus, this is free! Yahoo.

So, check it out.

But look, this isn't what I wanted to blog today. I wanted to tell you a little about Major Friday Ayanam. He is a cabinet member leading th Nigeria Territory. I had him pray fo rme recently, and I am looking forward to the answers! This man isn't your ordinary Secretary for Business Administration (absolutely no slight towards any SBAs in the readership!). God uses him to make the blind see, the deaf hear and all of that jazz. Oh, wait, one other- the dead rise.

Come on!

Praise the Lord! (and I know he's not the only one in the Army - its not about what a great guy the Major is, it's about what a great God Yahweh is).

Why am I whetting your appetite like this? Because the new issue of Journal of Aggressive Christianity features an exclusive interview with Major Ayanam. JAC comes out August 1 (in the PST zone). You'll want to read the interview and a load of articles, including a clutch on covenant (which we all need to be preaching, discussing, networking, blogging, praying about and so on). So, read it soon, and tell ten friends.
posted by Stephen Court