Armybarmy Blog

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

Life is not fair. It's just not fair. Few people get as blessed as I do. I mean, we had our comrades, Major and Captain Roberts from NYC here all week long, teaching, praying, and strategizing together. What a blessing for all of us. They must have prayed with individuals for 36 hours this week and taught a dozen more. And that doesn't count any of the fellowshipping with families and strategizing with us. I slipped in on about four hours of intense dusting off, myself, today. Yahoo.

One of the things Charles challenged us to do is to pick five life verses- verses that have impacted our lives heaps. Now, this isn't a set-in-stone thing but here is my tally as of tonight:

7 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 9

This is a nod to my Campus Crusade for Christ days being discipled by Brad Thompson (happy birthday Tuesday, Brad) and really getting my head around the harvest and the mission. The verb send is stuff like force, thrust, push... Brad kept pushing us to pray it, knowing that we'd be the answer to our own prayers.

2 and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2

This is another CCC verse. It is all about multiplication and how we can win the world. You've got your discipling generation and the next, and the next, all in that short verse.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Psalm 2

This one slips into the 'renewal' and charismatic circles I hit in Williams Lake. Let's go for the whole thing! The promises are big (not just this of course, but in Isaiah, etc.). While CCC had me thinking one group (and my involvement with Navigators emphasized even smaller- ONE) this meta- mission stuff was about nations.

I send you 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' Acts 26

I can't remember when I took this on as my mission verse, but this is it for me. It could have been during training college. It is cool because it chock full of meaning. Jesus is sending. We're to open eyes (blinded by the god of this age). We're to turn them from darkness to light (and all that entails). We're to turn them from the kingdom of satan to God (fun stuff, but exlicitly involving repentance here). We're to see that Jesus forgives them. We're to push theough to see that they get sanctified. So you have mission, conversion, and holiness all in one sentence.

14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12

This is an example for me of hardcore holiness. At some point back in the day I took on the phrase, 'holiness is the solution to every problem'. I've been mocked for it, but it remains true. And, I'll add, I don't believe that the writer is upping the standard for salvation, but merely observing the consequences of those who don't press on to sanctification.

So, there's a quick five for you. I can sleep well (those without kids, enjoy the extra hour from the daylight savings switch).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

humble

more...
I've had URBANArmy all alone as my blog link for awhile and thought I should add some more that I like to check out when I get a break in the action. (URBAN Army is Captain Gordon Cotterill, of course, giving up some thought-provoking stuff on community on a poor front as it relates to post-modernism) I recommend these new ones as well to you for your edification and pleasure...

Raving Lunatic: http://www.phillaeger.com/blog.html

This is Phil Laeger's blog- Phil is the circumspect, intense, confident Salvo in Atlanta who is digging old wells and new ones. It is worth a dip in for some refreshing drinks...

Estonia SA Blog- TARTU: http://tartu.blogspot.com/

This is Captain Evelyn Clark's blog- Evelyn takes you to street level in this pioneer fron for The Salvation Army in eastern Europe.

Jamie Smith Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=soulful_sallie

Jamie Smith is a Martyr at The War College in Vancouver, all the way from Arkansas.

Jaime Reifer Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=thawesomest

Jaime Reifer is a Martyr at The War College from Florida.

Rebekah Barnum Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=martyrforchrist

Rebekah is also in thewarcollege from BC.

Alex Coleman Blog: http://xander.lifewithchrist.org/

Xander is a bloggin' War College student from Australia.

Linsey New Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=lindizzle_lizzard

Linsey is also a Martyr, out of Texas.

Joel's Warrior Blog: http://canadiansalvo.blogspot.com/

Joel is a Mission Team guy in England - Timothy.

I'LL Fight Blog: http://illfight.blogspot.com/

Phil and Josh occasionally get around to posting something (also War College)- currently an 11 day old photo of an open air.

I will soon get these up on my link column at the top right, but now you've been officially introduced.

Much grace,
stephenc

more...

I just wanted to let you know I am excited about the upcoming JAC issue (December 1!). It will be the first-ever INTERVIEW ISSUE. You'll be surprised who some of our roving interviewers have captured. Everyone has been asked to comment on the impact of soldier's covenant on their warfare...
grace,
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more today...

Here's a plug from my friend Corey Baudinette's new photo gallery at baudinette.com. Check it out. This is like the high end version of that Christmas present suggestion I sent out about buying pigs in Haiti.

You can pick up limited edition, signed and titled shots from some of the world's cities, all by Corey, and all with the proceeds backing The Salvation Army's international campaign to end slave trafficking.

Give it a look. It's very sharp.
Much grace
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Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I think some of you might remember me mentioning a guy saying that signing the articles of war kept him from drinking as a teenager. My comments led someone to conclude that I might soften from my 18 year-old rule for making senior soldiers.

It doesn't. Make the kid a junior soldier. It can as effectively keep him from drinking (shameless plug- this blog is 21 months old, and monotonously consistent. If you've missed a day over the last 610 blogs or so, feel free to check the archives).

Alright, get a load of this, from the intro to Chapter 3 of the old O+R, entitled 'HOW TO CAPTURE A TOWN'.

1. "The fact that many young officers have succeeded in taking complete possession of whole neighbourhoods in a few weeks, and forming Corps which would bear comparison with the best existing, whilst it shows the mighty Divine power that is with us everywhere, must not in the least prevent our seeing how much more striking and overwhelming successes might have been gained everwhere had we better understood beforehand the very system we were working out.

sc- this is a mindboggling paragraph. Basically, Booth (or, probably, Railton) argues: Sure we take whole neighbourhoods in a few weeks, succeeding so resoundingly that the new corps are as good as any anywhere. But just imagine if we intentionally apply the orders and regulations to follow! How quickly, how outstandingly will God accompany our efforts with success?

Wow.

But there is a bit more (#2!).

2. "But henceforth no one will be excusable who misses any part of the victory anywhere, or does not win it in even less time, for want of attention to Orders.

OUCH. Did you catch this? Not only are you in trouble if you don't win the town, you are in trouble if you don't win it as fast as has been done in the past! (a few weeks). If the reason you don't succeed is because you've not followed the O+R there is no excuse for you. I assume that you will be cut from the officer ranks and returned to soldier ranks.

Now, you think, Stephen is off his rocker (again) here. No one wins neighbourhoods in a few weeks these days.

True. But how many of us follow the orders and regulations to a 't'? How many of us actually expect to win the whole neighbourhood? How many fight and pray to that end?

There are not examples in our living memory because, I submit, we've not followed.

There is one out- if we follow them and we still don't win. But, again, I doubt we can find example of these among us today.

So it comes down to this, again. How much do we want it? Do we want it enough to turn off reruns on tv? Do we want it enough to make ourselves risk looking foolish to tell someone about Jesus. Do we want it enough to sally up for mundane activities (I'm asking myself these questions, too). Do we want it enough to follow the instructions in a century-old book? Do we want it enough to have our lives and lifestyles overturned by the inevitable destruction of habits and pastimes, of luxuries and conveniences, of reputations and honour?

I guess we face another make or break blog here. Either we read it and click on over to MSN chat or some other distraction, or we join an army of world-changers.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 28, 2004.
hb2JE
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I hope you didn't think that this old O+R ride was going to be a verse by verse commentary. It isn't. I am skipping some stuff on buildings and negotiations to section 3, still on capturing a town.
"The more drinking, swearing, and fighting amongst the people, the more valuable they are likely to be to us, and they are those for whom God especially stirs our sympathy, and for whose salvation we must desire to labour."

sc- now, look, here is an unvarnished example of our 'Jesus bias' for the poor. We're looking especially for the poor, as they are more valuable to us! But read on... (elements to consider when doing reconnaissance):

3. "The prosperity of the town. This, especially if it arises from classes of trade which are almost always in a good state, gives good prospect of a self-supporting Corps.

sc- so we don't mind there to be some money! :- )

4. "But, on the other hand, the utter stoppage of business is also an advantage, as was marvellously shown in Merthyr in 1878. Men who are in trouble, and have nothing to do with their time, are very likely to be overcome.

sc- I have to admit that we didn't optimise a similar situation when there was a tent village on our sidewalks (and in a park). It was tough doign evangelism (none saved).

5. "The fact that there are gentlemen likely to help with money is not unworthy of notice...

sc- :-)

6. "The extreme deadness of a town, religiously speaking, is one of the greatest possible advantages. A place where there are no open-air services, few, if any, bills announcing religious services on the wallk, is sure to fall rapidly before a spiritual force.

sc- God grant it. It seems that the war was different back in the day, in many ways.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today...
At my cell we did a straw poll (a short ice-breaker) asking people who they thought would win the US presidential election next week. Now, note, this wasn't who they wanted to win but who they thought would win. And it wasn't a big political thing either (most don't follow it too closely).
The results?
2- undecided
0- Kerry
9- Bush
I expect that the actual results next week will be a little closer...
grace
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October 27, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Two shameless plugs:
THEME Magazine- the Canada and Bermuda Territory's music and gospel arts periodical- has a cover story on Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts (formerly, 'National'). It reports the Holy Spirit's acts during taht week which are continuing through today in the lives of students and in the cities in which they fight. Praise God. If you're one of them and are not connected- get plugged in!

It also reviews BOUNDLESS, our new SA worship compilation CD and includes this bit from Kim Gareffa: "Thsi is the most powerful Army-produced contemporary worship CD I have heard in a long time. The arrangements and performances are professional and delivered with passion and skill. I have already taught some of these songs to my own congregation..."
You can buy yours at armybarmy.com's eStore.

And CARING (USA West's magazine covering 'The holistic ministries of The Salvation Army') ran something, in the brand-spanking new issue, I wrote they call Entrepreneurship: In Darkest England- The Way Out? Their site is caringsa.org.

More later. Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 26, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Here's a bit ore midrash of the old, old O+R...

Chapter 2, intro: "We are commanded to go everwhere, and we mean to do so. But in order to do this most speedily, we must first choose those points for attack which are more easily overcome, and which, when overcome, are most likely to be of the greatest help in reaching others.

sc- This is important for us, today. Usually we lean towards big cities. Fair enough. I think I blogged about three couples going on reserve (formerly, retiring) in one edition of our War Cry, all from Monkstown Corps (city population, something like 62). That corps and town pumps out officers like their going out of style. My DC is a fan of small town corps. I think he sees potential Monkstowns throughout the province.

The key to the order is that 1. we can easily overcome them; and 2. they will offer up their recruits as city-pioneering warriors.

Ch2, sec.1: "We go to those who never enter a place of worship. There are thousands of towns and districts in which, say, 5,000 such people are to be found, besides church and chapel-goers. It is therefore, a mistake to go to a less number, whilst these large ones remain untouched."

So, the number is 5,000 sinners.

Look, we're piecing together a plan for a vision God is giving us for an international campaign. Some of you wil help us, I hope. More on this later. Suffice to say, for now, that we need to nail our invasion strategies and tactics for a real war, coming soon.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 25, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Great times here at The War College, with Major and Captain Roberts from NYC in town for a whirl-wind week of teaching.

One of many wonderful bite this morning while teaching about Nehemiah- 'if you want to get a burden, hang out in the king's court.'

Here's another one: 'You're either a missionary or a mission project."

And on and on. You can hear these guys live this Saturday at 5pm at the Anchor (email me for directions- info@thewarcollege.com) or on armybarmy.com in the weeks to come (assuming the MP3 recorder works!).

Oh, by the way, Booth Tucker Institute is coming up fast (next July). Book your spot while they last.

Oh, and we accepted our 16th student for next year's session of The War College (historically, not everyone accepted can make it). So get your applications in soon (thewarcollege.com).

God' got a lot on the go. More later.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 25, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

My buddy Peter sent me to globalrichlist.com today. You can pump in your income and it will place you on a scale from poorest person in the world to richest person in the world. Then it asks you, "How do you feel about that?"

It goes on to ask for an hour's wage from you for a worthy charity (the current one is CARE International).

How about it?

Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

October 24, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I'm picking up the SHEPHERD'S ROD again, the bit from Bob Jones and Paul Keith Davis on next year (I started a week or two ago on this):

"A Salvation Army

"Part of the mandate for this generation is to recapture and restore to the Church our lost heritage. Many forerunners and pioneers obtained a testimony from God and blazed a spiritual trail that left an indelible mark upon their generation.

"There were Heavenly commissions given that carried the authenticity and weight of Heaven. Many of those mantels and mandates can be recovered today.

sc- God grant it.

"One such individual was William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. This distinguished organization is quite different today than its early history.

sc- ouch. Not for long- again- God grant it.

"The beginning years were marked with supernatural power encounters and waves of evangelism.

sc- Hallelujah

"Great healing evangelists such as Smith Wigglesworth discovered God in awesome ways during the late 19th century through the Salvation Army.

"In the 1885 publication "All About the Salvation Army" it is written that—

"“General Booth became a minister of the Methodist New Connexion and traveled in a great many parts of England, seeing great success in winning souls, until the year 1861, when he resigned his position as a regular minister, and gave himself up, with his wife, to evangelistic work. After this their labors were very largely owned of God, thousands being received into the various churches as the result. In the year 1865, Mr. Booth was led, by Province of God, by no plan or idea of his own, to East of London, where the appalling fact that the enormous bulk of the population were totally ignorant and deficient of real religion, and altogether uninfluenced by the existing religious organizations, so impressed him that he determined to devote his life to making these millions hear and know God, and thus save them from the abyss of misery in which they were plunged, and rescue them from the damnation that was before them.

"The result of this vision was the East London Christian Mission, which in 1978 became the Salvation Army. At the meeting where the change took place, Booth and his colleagues announced—

"The Christian Mission has met in Congress to make war. It has organized a Salvation Army to carry the blood of Christ and the fire of the Holy Ghost into every corner of the world."

sc- there is a proto-mission statement. It is invigorating to read without the committee speak, the descriptions of activites, the policital correctness, and the blunting of the bottom line.

"This commission echoes the heart of God that has been released during this Day of Atonement revelation. The Lord is looking to enlist an army to carry the His salvation through the proclamation of His blood and blazing Holy Ghost demonstrations of power.

sc- I believe it. What a shame if we weren't all in it.

"Without the shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness of sin or end-time plan of redemption. (Hebrew 9:22) This empowerment will likewise be carried to the four corners of the earth. They will be a "salvation army."

sc- come on! Preach it!

"The enthusiastic preaching of Christ’s shed blood will be recaptured in the Church. Great revivalists in the order of John Wesley and George Whitefield will emerge. Pastors and teachers will discover notable anointing on messages that stress the importance of the Lord’s sacrifice and the great price of redemption. The movie, “The Passion of Christ,” is only the first in a series of forums to once again bring this truth to the forefront of the Church.

"God is about to download, through his governmental design, messages that teach and preach Calvary’s cross in profoundly powerful ways. The Body of Christ has scarcely touched the great redemptive truths of the cross; these will prepare the bride for her union with the Bridegroom.

"The Lord is coming with the now “opened” book of redemption in His hand. We are called to “eat it” and prophesy great mysteries of the Kingdom to every nation, tongue and people. (Revelations 10:8-10)

"As in all wars, liberty and freedom are acquired at a cost. These realities will be imparted to those willing to consider the cost and pay it freely. We pay the price by allowing the pruning of the Holy Spirit so we may know Christ, the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. There is power in the blood of Jesus Christ.

(end of Shepherd's Rod segment on the Army).

Hallelujah! It isn't just nice that it mentions the Army. IT is a powerful call to us. Let's answer.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 23, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I just read this in TIME Mag (October 25 issue) about a study of the brains of worshippers:

"The deeper that people descend (sic!) into meditation or prayer, Newberg found, the more active the frontal lobe and the limbic system became. The frontal lobe is the seat of concentration and attention; the limbic system is where powerful feelings, including rapture, are processed. More revealing is the fact that at the same time these regions flash to life, another important region- the parietal lobe at the back of the brain- goes dim. It's this lobe that orients the individual in time and space. Take it off-line, and the boundaries of self fall away, creating the feeling of being at one with the universe. Combine that with what's going on in the other two lobes and you can put together a profound religious experience.

Now, don't get me wrong- I don't buy all of it. I might not buy any of it (it isn't necessarily writing off spiritual experience but is explaining what happens in your head when you have one!). But it sounds like a scientific explanation of a glory fit. You lose track of time and space (and balance). And, it asserts that spiritual intensity is not a mindless experience (frontal lobe of concentration and attention).

Now, watch Commissioner Elijah Cadman's description of a glory fit and compare:

"The soul itself has nothing to do with the body. It is wholly superior to the body. When the soul is not the first concern it can be hindered by the body. The soul of the saved man or woman cannot be controlled by the body. A 'Glory Fit' is nothing more than the complete conquering of the body by the soul in its reach upward to its Creator and Redeemer. It is the condescension of Infinite Love in Christ to so uplift itself to Himself in a foretaste of joy with Him in heaven. Doctors often examined people in this state but could not explain it. The fact is, I believe, the soldiers were 'absent from the bdy and present with the Lord'. These 'Fits' and bodily cures were nothing to do with any of us. They were manifestations of the power of God... we only saw them as signs of HIs presence."

I think science might be catching up (a little) to primitive salvationism. May the study lead to the experience.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today

I just read Captain Stephen Poxon's article in the new SALVATIONIST: http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/en/Publications/salvationist/Sal041023p06.htm
It speaks to Army identity and futures. It is challenging. It saves me blogging. Why not give it a quick read and fire it around to your friends?
Much grace,
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October 22, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Hree's a shameless plug. SALVATIONIST (which I shamelessly rip off in my blogs- with reference) is running a review of BE A HERO in tomorrow's edition. It happens to be online today at http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/en/Publications/salvationist/Sal041023p07.htm but to save you the visit I am running it completely below! We're honoured that Chick Yuill reviewed it.

This battle needs heroes
'Be a Hero - The Battle for Mercy and Social Justice'
reviewed by Major Chick Yuill

THE shelves of Christian bookshops are lined with books that demand little from the reader in either concentration or commitment. There is any number of fast-paced Christian biographies, sentimental devotional aids and witty paperbacks that offer the alternative entertainment of the evangelical Christian subculture. Be A Hero by Wesley Campbell and Stephen Court is most definitely not one of them! This is a book that will demand a good deal of your time and, if you take it seriously, all of your treasure and talents.

The purpose and nature of the book are clearly set out by the writers in their preface:

‘We are convinced that … the proclamation of the good news gospel must be combined with the prophetic action of the good news – mercy and justice. Because substantial proportions of the world’s population consist of the very poor and the young, our analysis and solutions give primary attention to them … We have produced a one-stop resource that addresses the biblical basis for mercy and social justice. Basically, it is an overview of the historical records and examples, the most up-to-date listings of statistics and facts on our present world, and it offers direction for what you, a hero-in-the-making, can do in response.’

The material that follows this preface is divided into three sections. The first presents a biblical theology of social justice, including Old Testament examples. The second focuses largely on the ministry and work of the early-day Salvation Army, presenting it as a great, if imperfect, example of the power of holding together the twin passions of spiritual revival and social justice. The third confronts us with the hard realities of the world in which we live today and calls us to be heroes for our generation.

It is hard to imagine a richer mix of fascinating stories, biblical references and carefully compiled statistics. Just a brief glance at the copious end notes will be enough to let the reader know that this is an intelligent and well-researched work. Campbell and Court are certainly passionate, but they are also well-informed and never fall into the trap of giving simplistic answers to complex issues.

This is a book that deserves – indeed demands – to be read and reflected upon. It is a pertinent and timely reminder that evangelism and social action must go hand in hand, and that the mission of the people of God is not just to reach individuals with the gospel but to transform society by the power of God’s love.

There are only two qualifications I would make to an otherwise wholehearted recommendation. First, despite the fact that the authors describe it as a ‘user-friendly text’, the layout is old-fashioned. A book which is so full of facts and figures would have benefited from a more imaginative and professional presentation. Secondly, the very in-your-face use of the military metaphor in such phrases as ‘awesome warriors’ and ‘the heroes of the wars of the Lord’ may be less conducive to those living in postmodern Europe than to the original North American readership.

But these are minor criticisms in the light of this book’s importance. We will fail to read it and to heed its message to our own detriment and to the detriment of a world that needs the good news of Jesus in word and deed.

Court and Campbell aim to recruit 10,000 people to be part of a ‘Hero Army’ and to embrace a fivefold commitment: to pray for the poor; to invest in the life of a child; to start, or at least help to sponsor, a project working with children; to become an advocate for the marginalised; and to ‘take a hero holiday – in other words, to take time to experience at first hand life among the poor and needy’.

I have not had the privilege of meeting Wesley Campbell, but I do know Steve Court well and this book accurately reflects his unique personal combination of high intelligence, deep passion and extravagant ambition to reach the whole world with the whole gospel for the whole person. His God-given enthusiasm is wonderfully infectious. As the book says, ‘We intend to deposit within your spirit inspiration wed with praxis to mobilise you to be a hero in the end-time Hero Army.’

Our response to this book will decide whether that ambition has been truly realised. (end of review)

There you go. We're still trying to get to 10,000 heroes so if you've raised some up, please let us know. Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

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

Sorry about yesterday- my internet died for awhile. But we're back up and running.

My friend Evelyn sent me these stats- not unlike some compiled in our book- BE A HERO (these are from World Christian Dictionary):
2.2 billion do not have access to safe water to drink,
700 million are shanty-town or slum dwellers,
2.0 billion live in poverty (under $2/day),
1.1 billion of these live in extreme poverty (under $1/day),
120 million are street children,
700 million children are sick,
30 million die annually from hunger (18 million of these are children under age 5).

That's just a little something to get you going today.

Now, I was to pick up the old O+R midrash:

Section 3; paragraph 1: “Your main object will naturally be the largest buildings- Theatres, Music Halls, Circuses, Town Halls, Mechanics’ Institutes, Temperance and Lecture Halls, used and fitted for buildings. But any large warehouse, storeroom, Rink, or other building standing empty… should be examined as well.”

I love the big expectations. I suspect that we'd go for BC Place or at least GM Place in our city if it were Cadman instead of me.

All is well on the western front. We're getting attacked in several ways, all blunt reminders of our success. The enemy is usually subtle but we're not unaware of his schemes.

In Williams Lake we did this wonderful thing called OPERATION HALLOWEEN, uniting the Body of Christ for a party and then hitting the streets in prayer with children going door-to-door, receiving no candy, and asking if they could pray with the residents. One guy even became a Gideon so we could distribute New Testaments throughout the town. And then we all gathered back together for worship. It was very cool. People got blessed, got Bibles, and a couple even got saved. Hallelujah! It was good because the Church didn't retreat, but actually engaged the culture in a redemptive manner.

This year, we living in a different kind of neighbourhood. The plan is coming together and I will let you know when/if it happens.

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 19, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Historically I've not liked change much. I've liked things to stay the same (Batman at 3:30pm every day of grade 13), dependable (counting on Mom and Dad and their habits and care), familiar (the same people in the same band chairs), friendly (this is all in the past, in case you didn't pick it up - friendly in that you don't have to meet new people- everyone knows and likes you. I know, I know, pretty funny, but true, especially in the past).

A comrade and I were just discussing tonight how it is not comfortable to live here. I'm not talking about the rain, or the bed bugs, or the lice, or the sirens, or the violence, or the drugs, or the prostitution, or the hockey strike.

I'm talking about 614 community.

These guys just keep stretching you. There's tension on the gluttony v. world hunger thing (see yesterday's blog). There's simplicity challenge (I think God keeps trimming us down). There is usually some struggle against some demons (some street-level, some territorial). There are SA issues (more complicated that they should be, often, as we try to save the world). There are issues with dreams and plans (God is giving us big visions, requiring big plans). There are personnel issues (the nature of this enterprise is that most people will be deployed elsewhere, after we've developed close relationships. Who wants that?).

And meanwhile there are the 'cow in the septic tank' issues that come up every day (as my friend in a poor region described, after a deep and large-visioned email, as literally having to get a cow out of a septic tank).

It's not very comfortable living here.

But I love it it- a lot.

Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

October 18, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Sorry about the order below- for some reason I posted the 16th blog to another blog I've got. It is now corrected.

Wow, lots of conviction tonight during a cell leaders cell at my place. We're on about fasting and one person has been Daniel fasting for a month or so and figured she's going to keep doing it until the starving people of the world have food to eat.

This was right after I suggested we celebrate Saints Days because there are Saints Days every single day of the year and so we can have a 'big' celebration daily (and many of our guys eat at the Army where there is often cake!- donated, I'm sure).

Oh, and right in the middle of it another person told us how she fasted speaking (idle words and so on) for the past fortnight.

Yikes.

So, the Daniel faster had stats and everything about what absolute pigs we are and how sinful the gluttonous Western behaviour is. One person even suggested that having an ice cream felt like breaking covenant.

Now- don't get me wrong. This isn't a bunch of legalistic woe-is-me types. These guys are gamers. They fight with integrity the war against the enemy. And they're often (as in this past weekend at a chari conference) the freaks - not your sit-on-your-hands types.

But this is extreme.

I've usually said that I want to feel tension about this kind of stuff.

And I do.
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

October 18, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Sorry about the order below- for some reason I posted the 16th blog to another blog I've got. It is now corrected.

Wow, lots of conviction tonight during a cell leaders cell at my place. We're on about fasting and one person has been Daniel fasting for a month or so and figured she's going to keep doing it until the starving people of the world have food to eat.

This was right after I suggested we celebrate Saints Days because there are Saints Days every single day of the year and so we can have a 'big' celebration daily (and many of our guys eat at the Army where there is often cake!- donated, I'm sure).

Oh, and right in the middle of it another person told us how she fasted speaking (idle words and so on) for the past fortnight.

Yikes.

So, the Daniel faster had stats and everything about what absolute pigs we are and how sinful the gluttonous Western behaviour is. One person even suggested that having an ice cream felt like breaking covenant.

Now- don't get me wrong. This isn't a bunch of legalistic woe-is-me types. These guys are gamers. They fight with integrity the war against the enemy. And they're often (as in this past weekend at a chari conference) the freaks - not your sit-on-your-hands types.

But this is extreme.

I've usually said that I want to feel tension about this kind of stuff.

And I do.
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

October 16, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Theme for 2005— Blood and Fire
Every year, prophetic types Bob Jones and Paul Keith Davis take time to fast and pray over the Day of Atonement to wait on God for revelation for the coming year. The news is that the coming year is themed "Blood and Fire".

I received permisison to break it down a bit for armybarmy readers...

"The church is entering an age of militancy and spiritual confrontation. The "end of days" is characterized with great conflict. The struggle between "light" and "darkness" will escalate. We are entering days that will introduce amplified revelations of God's kingdom and Heaven’s spiritual economy. The Bible plainly foretells this battle as violent and spiritually bloody.

sc- This is definitely SA DNA, not buying the Left Behind fiction but pressing in for end-time conquest, recognizing that a gigantic conflict awaits. Have you thought about it? Most haven't. Most are force-fed mainstream Christian media theology through books and songs. I know that the end-time stuff is speculative, that solid Christians hold differing positions. But this is clearly consistent with the position embraced by our visionary pioneers.

"The Kingdom of Heaven truly suffers violence and God’s army must take it by force. As was prophesied, “the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”

sc- we must be among 'the forceful' from now on in.

"Our adversary will not willingly hand-over his influence in this earth without conflict. We may as well come to an understanding of this reality and accept it as a part of our generational calling.

sc- this isn't to diss previous generations. They paved the way. We can stand on their victories and on their shoulders. It is to recognize that this is our inning in the game (the conditions are set- the relief pitcher, the men on base, the starters used up and replacements in the line-up, etc.). We can't change what we've been given. We have to fight this generation's war, not the last generation's war.

"Redemption was purchased in a most violent way. The shedding of the Lord's blood was brutal and unattractive to the natural eye. Nonetheless, it was the greatest demonstration of divine love ever expressed.

sc- Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Thank You for the Blood. Violent Love epitomised.
More to come soon. Consider how this plays into the Blood and Fire theme for 2005 and how you fit into it.

Don't worry, we're still midrashing the old O+R (I just thought I'd give you a little breather).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

Good morning!

psalm - a poetical composition for use in the praise or worship of God.

This is a modern-day psalm that a neighbour of mine (and recent convert) wrote. His words are culturally relevant and his experience is fresh and recent. It's one of the most effective evangelical tools I've seen for the lost of the downtown eastside. The testimonies of the 'just-saved' used to be maximized in our services. When one soul came forward to the mercy seat (whether at the Hall or in the open air) and received Jesus, he was at once invited to come forward and testify to the masses about the work that God had just done is his life.
Testimonies are hard-core warfare and a weapon that God gives us to use against the devil (Revelation 12:11)
Yet, when do we give opportunity for testimonies in our services?
When was the last time you gave your testimony or invited the newly saved to give theirs?

Here's Jared:


Jesus is Lord

Every time I sit and try to think about life, I feel like I'm being cut by a dull knife, then I remember what my grandfather said, "one day there will be a day when I'm dead." But don't sit there and cry, and ask God why did He have to die?
Go under my bed and grab the Holy Bible, the answers will be there but don't hold me liable. Because sometimes the truth hurts, sometimes you'll get mad and just want to kick the dirt. Just because you go through some rough times, doesn't mean you have to get high and snort a line, just pray to God that's all you'll need, even when your friends are all high on speed. Cause being a Christian isn't always easy, but going against the Lord that's just sleazy, so come for the ride with me, spread the Word around the whole galaxy.
When you're sitting there on the ground, sketching around trying not to be found, trying to get your last hoot so you can escape and get high, trying to remember every little and last lie, and then you get pissed off look at the sky and yell WHY!! Does this have to happen to me!
I just want to be able to run around the city free, without the cops looking for me. And people have been telling you your whole life that God is the answer and stop living beside that knife, thinking you'll have to stab the next guy that messes with you.
Cause you know Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God is true.
So please quit lying to yourself, thinking God will never be there, thinking your life is over and you shouldn't care, I pray everyday that the Light will shine on you, and that you quit getting high on what used to be glue.
God loves you and so do I, please I beg you stop living this life, that's only going to get you nowhere, and seriously I do care!
by Jared
October 7, 2004

What are your new converts saying?

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

October 17, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I thought I'd pick up where I left off yesterday with the Shepherd's Rod BLOOD AND FIRE theme. Here it is:

"The innocent blood of Abel cried out from the ground with a prophetic voice of recompense. Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant; His blood speaks better things than that of Abel.

sc- Hallelujah!

"No generation has yet entered the fullness of the new covenant. We have only seen isolated forerunners who introduced the more excellent way. A new day is upon us! This divine Life is in the blood of Jesus; our quest is for a more comprehensive apprehension of its power.

sc- how will it look? Amazing. Bring it on, Lord Jesus. The thing is, do we have the heart? Are we courageous enough to throw everything else that hinders away so that our Father can delight in giving us the Kingdom?

"Moving to Maturity

"The victory has already been won; it is now our place to appropriate it. This process is necessary for our spiritual development and maturation to rule and reign with Him as priests and kings. It would be quite simple for the Lord to eradicate every evil influence standing in our way. However, it is His desire to achieve it through us in a series of victorious battles that bring us to spiritual maturity.

sc- That means we're going to have to be prepared to defeat the enemy in every engagement. Easier said than done. The enemy is fierce and has defeated us too many times in the past. Talk is cheap. We need experience (and I encourage everyone to, once you've 'fessed up, confront the enemy in every 'little' daily situation- build some experience and faith).

"These will be days of "blood and fire."

sc- preach it!

"Greater appreciation of the redemptive virtue of God's blood and fiery conflicts between good and evil will prevail in coming days. Something truly noteworthy has been imparted into the spiritual DNA of this generation who qualify as overcomers— they are jealous for God in a militant way.

sc- Yesterday it was 'The Forceful'. Today, we're to be jealous for God in a militant way. Nice (oh, and by the way, those who figure the militant shtick is out, really need to get out a little more and read stuff like this, most charismatic conferences, 24/7 Prayer movement, and heaps of other hard-core warfare).

"The Lord is a Warrior and those joined to Him share in His warlike attributes. His ministers are as a flame of fire and the angelic host assigned to co-labor with us are as winds that fuel the fire. This anointing will begin to address the “lukewarm” condition prevalent in much of the Western Church.

sc- I have a few friends already doing this. Without sucking up, here's one- Michael Collins. It is tough to be around that guy if you are a hypocritical Christian. Yikes. He preaches for a pure Church. God grant it. And he's got some of God's warlike attributes. An attack doesn't make him afraid. It makes him angry (to use a very current example).

"Great warriors will emerge in this hour.

sc- well look at that. I just mentioned one.

"The Holy Spirit is preparing a body of people to expose spiritual gates and open everlasting doors that the King of Glory may come in. He will reveal Himself as the awesome man of war Who is strong and mighty in battle.
(Psalms 24:7-8)

sc- Hallelujah!

Many of them will be young worshiping warriors and powerful praying women. This company will be ferocious in the spirit...holy terrors identified by Zechariah 1:21.

sc- now 'The Forceful' are also ferocious. Wow. Holy terrors. I once wanted to call our corps Holy Terror (to align with the cell structure we use and suggest somethign as politically incorrect in our day as the cross was in Jesus' day).

God make us all into warriors like this, please.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 15, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Look, Christmas is coming and some of you will want to buy Christmas presents. Here are some gift ideas:
1. http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/Haiti/sponsor.htm will get you The Salvation Army in Haiti where you can buy a pig or a goat or a generator or a well or a teacher for a year or... An excellent idea- why not do it with the Army since you buy into the mission and have covenanted (most of you) to fight as soldiers til you die?
2. children's home. Look, the price went up on this one. You're now looking at about $5,000cdn (less than $4,000usd) for a children's home. A mother and her 4 children live in the one my family built – the mother is "Susan" who fled her husband and community (her husband is a witchdoctor and she became a Christian so he gave her the boot) – as in Africa the males own all the land, she had nothing, so was living in a mud hut until this orphanage – having the house we built allowed them to make space to take in other orphans. You can change a family's life. Email me for more information (info@thewarcollege.com).
3. pick up some armybarmy resources. We've got new stuff like BOUNDLESS (worship CD), PROVERBIAL LEADERSHIP (book), and BE A HERO (book). BE A HERO comes with an excellent Christmas idea- buy a box and sell them (I'll give you a big deal), paying for the books and covering the costs of a sponsor child (with The Salvation Army) for a year. The gift that keeps on giving.
4. Those of you who pick up gifts for your staffs and so on (or kettle volunteers, or...) can get a nice deal on big volume of the armybarmy resources.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 14, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I wanted a short one tonight but need to go a little bit longer. I usually hope that THIS blog will help change someone's life. I hope this one is no exception.

I left off with the midrash about listening to God.

Section 1 paragraph 10 "But everyone should be particularly on their guard against accepting as Divine impulse any impressions which go against the plain principles of the Service."

"It is very unlikely that He who sends us to all, and to do the utmost we can, should for example direct us to a small town or building when there is a larger one available..."

This is a tough one for me- since I've served in two small towns, already.

"Any man who excuses himself for some neglect on the ground the he 'did not feel led' to perform his futy, shows utter misunderstanding of the very nature of true service to God."

This is the bit that sounds like it could have been ripped from many conversations today. "Did not feel led" remains a copout for much of the western church. It is as pitiful today as in the 19th century.

Let's Trust and Obey (by the way, one of the Martyrs Session wrote a snazzy new tune to this old song, giving it new life).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today...

Here is an interesting press release from IHQ:

Iraqi 'hero' becomes first Muslim to receive top Salvation Army honour

On a day when Iraq was once again in the headlines of newspapers around the world, The Salvation Army honoured the Iraqi leader of its Emergency Services team in that country by admitting him to the Movement’s Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service. Mr Muntajab Ibraheem Mohammed, who received the Order’s certificate and medal from the hands of General John Larsson at a special ceremony at International Headquarters, is the first Muslim to be so honoured.

Describing Mr Muntajab as ‘a true hero’, General Larsson paid glowing tribute to his contribution to The Salvation Army’s relief work in war-torn Iraq.

The citation, read to the assembled congregation by Major Cedric Hills (International Emergency Services Coordinator, IHQ), declares:

‘In August 2003, The Salvation Army commenced an International Emergency Services operation in Al Amarah, southern Iraq. The decision to focus our community recovery efforts on this town was influenced by the fine relationship that had been built by our earlier team members with the local community. This had been largely due to the efforts of our translator, Mr Muntajab.

‘It was very quickly discovered that Mr Muntajab was far more than a translator. Muntajab assisted The Salvation Army to develop an extensive community programme, establishing excellent relationships with community leaders. Mr Muntajab, now our senior staff supervisor, has provided leadership to our 20-strong team of Iraqi staff and given management oversight to a large number of local contractors.

‘Under his leadership The Salvation Army has constructed more than 400 homes, 30 schools, 20 vocational training centres and five clinics. Water pumping stations have been refurbished so that thousands of families now have access to clean water. Sewerage, drainage systems and street lighting have been installed throughout large areas of the town – greatly improving the quality of life for hundreds of families.

‘During the period of operation, more than 40 Salvation Army personnel have been deployed to work in Al Amarah. Mr Muntajab has sacrificed his family life to ensure the personal safety of team members, making necessary arrangements for team security under very difficult circumstances. Mr Muntajab has not flinched from this task, even under armed attack, and serving the needs of our international personnel has been his priority. With short-term deployments leading to regular staff changes, Mr Muntajab has provided the consistent leadership that has underpinned our programme.

‘The deterioration in security led to the withdrawal of international personnel in April 2004. Since this time our programme has continued unhindered. Mr Muntajab has implemented on behalf of The Salvation Army a US$1 million "Returnees Recovery Programme" sponsored by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

‘Mr Muntajab, a Shia Muslim, has shown the highest respect for Salvation Army principles, promoting the ministry and reputation of The Salvation Army at every opportunity, ensuring that our programmes target the needs of the most vulnerable and that our objectives have not been compromised. Thousands of Iraqis in Al Amarah have had their lives improved by The Salvation Army’s community recovery programme. The good reputation currently enjoyed by The Salvation Army in Iraq is testimony to Mr Muntajab's distinguished and committed service.’


A spontaneous ovation from International Headquarters staff and specially-invited guests greeted the General’s presentation of the award to Mr Muntajab. In response, a visibly moved Mr Muntajab declared himself at a loss for words to express his appreciation for the honour.

‘The Salvation Army,’ he said, ‘has given the Iraqi people the hope, peace and love they have missed for 35 years.’ He and his fellow Iraqis are Muslims, he said, but there were no barriers between them and Salvationists. The forging of links between them had been God’s work. ‘The people of Iraq love The Salvation Army, because they have brought a message of love from God,’ he declared.

After the Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, prayed God’s blessing on the occasion, further spontaneous applause demonstrated the approval of the congregation for the historic honour bestowed on Mr Muntajab.

Before leaving the Assembly Hall of William Booth College, where the ceremony took place during IHQ family prayers led by Commissioner Margaret Taylor (IHQ), Mr Muntajab personally greeted the large number of Salvationists present who had served alongside him in Al Amarah as part of the Army’s community recovery programme in Iraq.

The Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service was instituted by General George Carpenter in 1941 to mark The Salvation Army's appreciation of distinguished service rendered by non-Salvationists who have helped to further its work in a variety of ways.

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 13, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I am quoting this not to delve into foreign party politics but to make the comparison to the salvation war (from Mark Steyn):

"The strongest force in international affairs is inertia. It's everywhere: a continuous pressure from the U.N., the EU, the Chinese, the Arab League, the State Department and half the federal bureaucracy to do nothing about anything -- do nothing about the Sudanese genocide until everyone's dead, do nothing about Iran's nuclear program until it's complete and the silos are loaded, do nothing about anything except hold meetings and issue statements of concern. To resist the allure of inertia will require enormous will, not just from the president but from the American people."

I thnk something very similar can be said about the salvation war. The heavy pressure is for us to do nothing. We're pressured by the world, the flesh, the devil and sometimes - no, often - it appears overwhelming. So we're tempted to cower in our corner and do our little bit, or worse yet, concern ourselves solely with our own salvation.

Here's one- get over your own salvation. Jesus already died for you. He took care of it. Now, follow Him. The world doesn't revolve around you. There are billions of people going to hell. And you - yes, you - can do a lot about it. Don't let inertia squeeze you into irrelevance. It will require enormous will. Exercise it!
Much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

October 12, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Old O+R midrash
Section 1 paragraph 3: "Never travel anywhere without a suppy of ... little pamphlets describing the Army."

How does that look today? Tracts? Cards with cell times and places?

paragraph 4: (sub heading- 'Know what you are about') "Observe that you clearly understand what you are going for."

Beautiful. 'Purity of heart is to will one thing' (Kierkegaard). It is easier to know what we're about when we distll it down to one thing. 'Save soul, grows saints, serve suffering humanity' is a great slogan. But our mission is one thing- to win the world. The three components of General Gowans's slogan describe not the mission but the means. That is the secret that we must understand to be effective. Otherwise we at best blunt our impact (that is by concentrating on the first two with our heads down and no comprehension of the larger war- still a graet result!) or at worst wander into eternal irrelevance (that would be if we camped exclusively on the third). 'Know what you are about'.

The section describes sezarching out the land and includes several small details. But the over-arching direction is powerful. ""I will lead the blind by a way that they know not," is always reliable, and whilst anyone is willing to be led by God, He will unfailingly direct their steps. Nothing in this chapter is to be understood as interfering with the clear duty of everyone to commend every thought and action to Him who is the only infallible guide, and to rely upon His light."

These days we call it the prophetic, but clearly here the primitive Salvation Army is directing soldiers - us (I assume most reading this are senior soldiers) - that the way forward is to follow the revealed guidance of God. "An Officer who goes to a town with such a conviction (certain particulars laid upon his heart) is far more likely to find or force a way into it than anybody else."

Paragraph 9 concludes: "A continual consciousness of Divine favour, help, and guidance is the greatest need of everyone on this duty."

May we all exprerience it this week in our warfare. Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court (info@thewarcollege.com)

October 12, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
When we switched names in 1878 this was the announcement to kick off the transformation:

"The Christian Mission has met in Congress to make war. It has organized a Salvation Army to carry the blood of Christ and the fire of the Holy Ghost into every corner of the world." (http://www.whitedoveministries.org/content/ArchivesItem.phtml?art=229&c=0&id=11&style=2)

Let's get our dreams big enough to encompass this birth mission of The Salvation Army (Yes, we still need to rescue cows from septic tanks, but...).

Ths source of the quote is Shepherd's Rod, an annual prophetic missive concerning the year to come. The first section is called BLOOD AND FIRE and features The Salvation Army (I hope to blog a bit of it in the days to come). It's worth a quick look and some longer prayer.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more...
Asked how to evangelise, theologian NT Wright responded (in http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wrightsaid_March2004.html):

1. As the questioner knows, there are as many ways of leading someone to a living, saving relationship with God through Jesus the Messiah and in the power of the Holy Spirit as there are people . . . one of the old Puritans (Baxter?) said, wisely, that `the Almighty breaketh not all hearts alike'. As far back as the Acts of the Apostles we can see people being converted in a variety of ways, from the gentle heart-opening of Lydia to the earthquake etc of the Philippian gaoler. That's where I start.

Having said that, there are of course constant features, which include the recognition...

a. that God is God, the creator, calling us to worship, love and adoration;

b. that the crucified and risen Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, is the world's true Lord, and hence MY Lord, calling me to gratitude (`the Son of God loved me and gave himself for me') and submission (`the obedience of faith');

c. that this God, and this Jesus, promise to send the Holy Spirit to live within us to enable faith, hope and love;

d. that this extraordinary and wonderful message finds us unready, unprepared, and, worse than that, in a state of idolatry (worshipping false gods), rebellion (submitting to other lords), and that fractured humanness (for which the biblical shorthand is hamartia, sin) which is the very opposite of the genuine humanness the Spirit longs to create in us, so that the appropriate response to the good news about God, Jesus and the Spirit is contrition, recognition of sin and guilt, repentance with intention of amendment of life, in gratitude for that full dealing with sin which has been effected through Jesus' death;

e. that in the Messiah and by the Spirit God has created and is creating a worldwide community of those now commissioned to shine his light in the world, and that this community, defined by the faith professed in baptism (Jesus is Lord, and God raised him from the dead) is the true home of all, equally, who share this faith and who together take forward God's mission to and in the world, the mission through which the Lordship of Jesus as the world's true sovereign (`all authority', he said, `in heaven AND ON EARTH') is put into effect. Any and every `seeker' needs at some point to be confronted with the challenge that if Jesus isn't Lord of all (including our social, cultural and political lives) he isn't Lord at all.

"That's already quite a mouthful, but if I were today leading a serious seeker towards full faith and commitment that's what I would be aiming at. One way of doing it would be to read a gospel with them, perhaps (but not necessarily) John. Another way would be to talk through what it would mean to pray the Lord's Prayer with each clause full of meaning. Another way would be to meditate prayerfully on the death and resurrection of Jesus (I have a friend who was converted from a liberal Judaism in his teens through a performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion). I take it for granted that at some point (d) above would need gentle exploration to see what repentance might mean in this case, and that at some point (e) would be introduced to see what appropriate church context this person could make their own, with a view to sharing the life of a community dedicated to glad worship of God in Jesus and to following him in mission in the world. Far more important, though, would be gently and steadily exploring (a), (b) and (c), stressing particularly that all our ideas about who `God' actually is need to be brought into line with who we discover Jesus to be through reading the gospels and through prayer (John 1.18). But depending on whether the person was ten years old or seventy, was male or female, rich or poor, well educated or uneducated, from a happy family or an unhappy one, all this would take a very different course. I have sat with some enquirers for whom (in Oxford!) it was natural to get out a Greek New Testament; and of course with others for whom that would be, well, all Greek to them. And, again of course, everything, but everything, needs to be soaked in prayer, the prayer of love which will give these people into the care of God himself, who is a far, far better evangelist and pastor than we ever will be.

(Steve again)- It is always nice to refresh ourselves on the basics of the Gospel, and interesting to hear it put a little differently by a brother. Samson flew through the first few of those steps last night during street combat with a couple of road warriors (Jamie and Michael). Hallelujah!
grace,
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more today...
For years I've been on about having my son learn Latin (even before he was born). I have friends who want their kids to learn Greek, Hebrew, and French (!).
I think my friends and I might be wrong and should consider jumping ship to Arabic as the language of choice to learn (not settle, but leaning- with a look to Mandarin, of course).
Much grace,
StephenC

more today... (from Fox news)
"Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (search), the department puts out an annual report on the state of religious liberty around the world... This year's report... — for the first time — includes Saudi Arabia among "countries of particular concern," those that engage in or tolerate gross infringements of religious liberty.

"The State Department's new list includes only seven such countries. Saudi Arabia, Eritrea (search), and Vietnam are on the list for the first time while Burma, China, Iran, and North Korea have been there repeatedly.

"The evidence justifying the designation of the Saudi regime is straightforward and concise: In Saudi Arabia, "freedom of religion does not exist."

These are seven target countries for our prayers. God wants the Gospel to be owned and grown in every country. These are the toughest. He may be identiying some of you to go there...
Much grace,
sec

October 11, 2004.
Thanksgiving greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
Hey, I found this great new SA site called The Rattling (http://www.therattling.com/). It is an English site run by Nik and Emma Pears. Not only that, but as worship leaders they've got a brand-spanking new album out called PEOPLE OF FAITH, and you can buy it at http://www.iccrecords.com/album.php?album=ICC857&ICCSess=81167ba1331fa459329b9318d283df05.

Check them both out. It is good to get new Army songs out there.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

Hello friends,

Let's look at a practical application of Luke 15 - the ever-popular parable of the lost son. Holy Spirit has just taught me a lesson on the Kingdom. As I mentioned in my last blog, I've been praying that God would open my mind to learn about the Kingdom as revealed in His Word. Well, praise God for His faithfulness. He not only taught me something but He convicted me as well.

In the above-mentioned Scripture, the son receives his inheritance from the father. Not long after that, the son decides to take off with that inheritance, so instead of using it to build up and extend what his family already has and to honour and edify them, he takes off and squanders it all among strangers. I'm confident that you are familiar with how the illustration goes. Where I'd like to focus (and where I can also identify with the text) is at verse 25:

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'"

The older brother, who has been working in the field all this time that his brother has been who knows where, sees everyone getting all excited about the return of his brother. Instead of joining in, he's ticked - "what's everyone celebrating for, buddy took off, wasted half of our families wealth, did who knows what with who knows who and now he pops back into our lives and we're throwing him a party."

So as I mentioned, this is where I identify. A friend of mine called me on it. This week, it came to my attention that a brother in Christ whom one might have called a 'lost son'' had returned home. Not only has he been welcomed back into the Army family, but he is undoubtedly wildly aflame with the zeal and passion of Holy Spirit. His fruit and character are the undeniable evidence.

However, instead of rejoicing with the rest of the Salvationist household, I was dubious. Unconvinced. I went on and on recounting to my friend about my brother's past actions (real or rumoured), his past decisions, etc.
Finally my friend turned to me and said:
"Quit being the older brother."
That was sobering.
So is this:

"The elder brother represents the self-righteous leadership, the Pharisees and scribes...or anyone else who claims to serve God and yet is harsh toward the possibility of forgiveness for sinners." Intervarsity Press Online Commentary

This is certainly not Kingdom behaviour.
Not only do us 'older brothers' lose out because of broken relationship with our brothers (and sisters) in Christ who have 'gone out' but been drawn back into the fold by a loving Shepherd, we can also become pouty and infantile and throw little tantrums:

"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen." Luke 15:28 The Message

Ultimately, this behaviour results in hostility towards our Father, because we feel like there should be some kind of punishment, or consequence. 'He shouldn't be able to just come back like nothing ever happened. That's not fair!'

That's the thing. We're talking in Kingdom terms now, so it's not about FAIR.
What's not FAIR is that Jesus paid with suffering and humiliation and abandonment on my behalf.
When I came Home, covered in pig slop and smelling like a hangover I was given the finest robe, a ring for my finger and my Dad gave me another chance to live in His House and entitled me once again to His inheritance.
I was shown grace and mercy. That's certainly 'not fair', but that's the Kingdom's way. It confounds the self-righteous and the Pharisees and convicts a misguided sister like me. Yet, unlike the pattern of the world, my Dad doesn't leave me there, He extends grace and forgiveness and welcomes me into the celebration.
Jesus said 'freely you have received, freely give." Freely I have received mercy, grace and a second chance, and so freely I will pass those gifts along to others.
I'm done sulking, I'm going in to join the celebrations.
Anyone else care to join me?

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

October 10, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I was asked to comment on a Canadian Press article from September 27 (you can google it- Study labels B.C. injection site a success) coinciding with the first anniversary of Vancovuer's safe injection site. Here are my comments:

It looks from the report that the measurable effects were no increase in drug dealing and a 50% decrease in street drug using and accompanying litter (which is expected since you can shoot it under the clean, dry lights of a medically supervised environment complete with a coffee bar/lunge). Meanwhile more than 100 people overdosed in 5 months- meaning that we can safely speculate that more than a couple of hundred people overdosed over the whole year.

So we poured $2 million to help people use drugs safely and every few days a couple of people overdosed.

From purely a technical standpoint it seems like a disastrous record. From an ethical standpoint it is even worse (how on earth can a medical doctor who took a Hippocratic Oath help someone jam poison into her vein? How can we pay for it?).

The whole exercise is a blotch on our city's reputation.

Clearly, the city has messed up. The first mistake is to treat everything as a sickness. My understanding is that most criminals (I am led to believe that some still access drugs in prison) in jail get clean, by necessity. So that approach works. I also know that repentance ad faith in Jesus is a proven method. So, there are a couple of options.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

More from Stephen...

This is the midrash on the O+R (I'm starting to think it isn't 1879 like someone guessed on an earlier copy, but maybe sometime in the 90s)...

"Some of our officers, how have not deeply enough studied the matter, have erred in the past, in aiming to satisfy the wishes of a certain of people, instead of striving to make the whole population submit to the will of God. Wherever this mistake has been made we have had little better than an ordinary church formed instead of a Salvation Corps, and every defect has been excused by the plea 'the people wished it so', reminding us of the Golden Calf of Israel. In future every officer must keep ever before him the fact that he is sent to conquer a town or district by Divine power, and it to carry out his instructions without much regard to the wishes of anybody."

Where do I start?

If some corps officers followed this advice certain corps would not exist today. The churches that have already replaced 'Salvation Corps' would rise up and quit. When we settle to satisfy a certain people things get imbalanced, or inward-looking, often. There are a smattering of these corps most places you look, all caught up in their own problems instead of trying to take the city. They make slim to no impact on their neighbourhood, let alone their city. It could be because they want to be blessed, 'fed' (an evil word in most contexts in Christianity), or entertained, instead of being trained and deployed. This is partly an issue of identity (am I a member of a congregation or a warrior fighting the enemy?) and partly an issue of the authority suggested by this portion of the O+R.

I read an appendix in SALVATIONISM 101 that I wrote in the early days of my last appointment, noting, with some surprise, that I'd reached the point at which I'd be fine if the Corps stayed the same size or even shrank if we won the town. I think I implicitly grasped this directive. Some didn't like it (neither, on the other hand, did we win the city- although church attendance was going up, crime and poverty rates were going down, etc.).

This gets us into a set of discussions that we tackled a year or two ago in JAC with the nature of soldiership. I won't rehash them here but you can look them up on your own (by the way, hundreds are reading the new issue of JAC- why not join them via the hotlink at the top right?).

A lot of it comes down to intent. If we're looking to work up a congregation of 800, we might actually hit it- praise God. But that's a drop in the bucket of most cities. If we're aiming at winning the world and fall way short, say, only seeing a _________ saved, we've finished better, and tried to be obedient, dying.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

G'day mates,

In Matthew 10:7, Jesus gives some instructions to His followers. I've been thinking about them a lot lately:

""As you go, preach this message: The Kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

In the past as I've read that, or had it read to me, the focus falls on the latter instructions, to heal, raise, cleanse and exorcise. That's understandable, they are all remarkable wonders and miracles and signs that God is at work in our midst. However, upon closer examination of the Scripture, the Lord convicted me on my lack of attention to the first instruction -

Preach this message - the Kingdom of heaven is near.

Now, I've had a myriad of opportunities to preach the Word of God, not generally within the House of God, more often the situation presents itself while I am out and about in the community or talking with friends, and generally, what that preaching looks like is sharing about what God is doing in my life and testifying about what He has done already and declaring aloud what He promises that He is going to do.
I feel confident preaching on those topics, because I have seen them, I have lived them. They are my experience.
Yet, preaching that the Kingdom of God is near? Has it been my experience? How do I know? Is it really near? If so, where is it and what does it look like?
So I started asking God to open my mind to learn about the Kingdom as revealed in His Word. It wasn't hard to find, Jesus tells parable after parable saying "...and the Kingdom of heaven is like, and the Kingdom of heaven is like..."
One of the parables He drew me to was in Matthew 20, that of the workers in the vineyard,
There was lots of revelation, but what stood out was this: the workers that start at 9am shouldn't be resentful or bitter towards the workers who start at 1pm or 3pm or 5pm. The idea being that those that get an earlier start with Christ have been pressing through the tough stuff that comes with persevering Christianity - the sunburn, the profuse sweating, the nasty insects that bite and sting and everything else that comes along with long hours spent toiling in the vineyard. They are becoming weary. In this vineyard though, new workers keep showing up throughout the day. When the new people show up it can be just the energy and enthusiasm boost the 9am'ers needed. As well, the 9am'ers are able to come alongside the new folks, who are new to the work and don't know quite what they are doing, or what tools to use and when, how to work the land the most effectively, and so on.
It's a beautiful picture of a discliping community.  
That's the Kingdom of heaven.
Is it near to you?

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

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

The new BOUNDLESS page is up and running. If you go to http://armybarmy.com/Boundless.html you'll find a bit of information on this SA compilation worship CD and then albums from which songs have been contributed. You click on the album cover and you can get an update on that project and purchasing information. It is a good resource, of which I hope you avail yourself. In other words, by the records of the worship leaders around the world! :- )

More soon. Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I wrote earlier about an issue with a worship leader contradicting the preacher at an event recently. I got a nice response by a famous worship leader and friend.

I think he disagrees with my position on holiness. But I expect that if I am ever blessed that we share the stage at some point we won't go disagreeing with each other behind dueling mikes! It's not the place for it.
Maybe this is the place?

Whether true or not, my position does enjoy the benefit of being official SA doctrine.
I believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, that their whole spirit, soul, and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe in a good God, one enables what He commands. Otherwise, He'd be mean-spirited. And so when He commands obedience, or holiness, or perfection, for example, He enables it.

I believe that the saints who testify to consistent holy living aren't, for the most part, decieved, deluded, or nutty. I believe that Enoch, Daniel, Job, Josiah, Paul, Silas, Fletcher, Weerasooriya, Singh, Brengle, Read, and the gang have more fruit that lasts than all of us put together (so far- unless Graham and Annacondia and Bonnke and so on read armybarmy blog, and even then...! - no offence) and that their lives are pretty shiny examples of victorious Christian living.

I believe what is good for them is good for us.
How about that?

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 7, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I've just finished the introduction to the O+R and so to continue the midrash...

"We have only to continue striving to perfect our work, and shall very soon have a force disciplined more perfectly than any killing army ever was."

Nice- I've already blogged about our size (number 3). Maybe we should tackle effectiveness one day...

Watch this, though:
"An organization which can drag a ruffian out of the public house and within twelve hours march him singing past the door, clean and tidy under the command of somebody who was just like his own former self but a few months since; which can train him, however ignorantly and stutteringly he may do it at first, to preach to the thousands of the town before they have forgotten his recent appearance as a drunkard; such an orgnaisation can safely defy criticism, for only the power of God could create or sustain it."

You could write a long time on this. Imagine the confidence that permits its inclusion into the official Orders and Regulations? I struggle to handle the time limits mentioned. Wow. I'm blown away. Oh, and how about the thousands? Hallelujah!

"What will it become? Whereunto will it grow? God only knows. Let us trust Him."

Amen. There is more to come...

In other news, my son just stomped on a mouse at his friend's place, killing it. Snakes and scorpions next?
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 6, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I just heard on Monday night that General Bramwell Booth prayed six hours a day. I have to confess that I didn't believe it. I had to check the source, and just now, can confirm, on page 65 of AT THE CENTRE OF THE CIRCLE (Brengle- compiled by Waldron) that he prayed six hours a day.

I'm normally pretty down on Bramwell for a number of reasons. He presided over the institutionalization and, not coincidently (I've thought), the cooling off of The Salvation Army. They include him with his parents as founder of The Salvation Army (which is ridiculous not only because he was nine years old when The Christian Mission took off, but because his inclusion necessitates Railton's inclusion, since Railton actually helped start The Salvation Army, and if there are four, where do you stop?). He also came out on the short end of the 1929 crisis. And so on. But I think that this new fact changes my perception of him, almost completely (29 won't go away).

The guy prayed six hours a day.

1879 O+R Midrash

"But can there be all this unity of system consistently with spiritual freedom? Are we not in danger of losing the Divine power on which our all depends, by seeking to move along certain particular lines?"

Good question. Many have asked this in the 126 years, few having read much of the response...

"We should be if we did not allow for some exceptions and leave every offier and every man a very large amount of discretion as to the course to be taken on any one occasion."

I've always felt more freedom to do what I wanted than you can shake a stick at- much much more than any freelance or denominational leader with whom I've come in contact.

"It is precisely under the absolute military system that it is possible to keel the greatest libtery for each one without losing the perfectly united action of all."

This sounds a lot like the freedom in covenant argument we make, or the freedom in slavery argument that Paul makes.

It's interesting what you find in revolutionary documents...
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 5, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
The War Cry carries short bios of officers entering reserve status (formerly retirement). Of the three sets, two came out of the Monkstown Corps. The thing about Monkstown is that there are about 63 people living there, or so. Last I heard, 62 were in the Corps. This tiny little blip has sent officers onto the field to refashion eternity and remains probably the best argument for small town corps. Hallelujah!

On to the O+R midrash...

After a cogent argument about system based on the experience of General Booth, the O+R moves quickly into an explanation of the Objects for which the Army is raised. This is merely an introduction. Part V fully describes them, and that section 'must be carefully studied by everyone who is anxious to excel in usefulness'.

But there are the objects of The Salvation Army, according to the 1879 Soldiers O+R: "in brief, to seize the slaves of sin and not only set them free and turn them into children of God, but as far as is possible in each case to make them soulwinners."

Hmm.

"This is, of course, a great and desperate undertaking, a real warfare, requiring all of the devotion, quick activity, ceaseless toil, and unbending determination, combined with the continually changing plans of earthly armies. Strange indeed that the children of God should never have fully recognized the fact that if they have to fight the world they must fight in the same systematic way that any of the world's armies fight, and this all the more, instead of the less, because our weapons are not carnal, but spiritual."

"We have to subdue everybody to Christ... We have neither arms, learning, worldly influence, nor money with which to subdue others, and must not and would use any of these to procure a single professed convert if we could. We have to do it all simply by the power of the Holy Ghost working through us."

All powerful...

"We are not and will not be made a church. There are plenty for anyone who wishes to join them, to vote, and to rest."
...
"We must write the military principles in every mind and heart."

More to challenge the worldview and lifestyle of us all. More to chew on and adapt as we prepare a cadre of revolutionary leaders prepared to invade cities and countries for Jesus.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 4, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
So our open air was interrupted by police responding to complaints about noise tonight. We had to go unplugged midstream but God blessed it and someone got saved. Hallelujah. My friend noted that the devil was probably behind teh sound issue, anticipating the godly sorrow leading to repentance. He also wondered how the meeting looked from heaven- probably more impressive than down here.

On to the O+R midrash. The first page is abbreviations. Rmember that the name has recently been changed to The Salvation Army. A synonym for 'The Army' is 'The Service'. Now this has fallen out of use - I've never heard it before. But how significant is that name!? I'm in the Service. It goes the whole 'others' vibe (certainly better than my old blog suggestion 'the helping group'!). All I know is that you can preach this one all day.

A point is made that the Army refuses to make distinction between men and women as far as rank and position and appointment and so on are concerned.

Look at #10: Every CO is entitled to be called the Captain- second or third being called Mates or Lieutenants. !

To wrap up tonight's blog I will sneak ahead to the next page- the proper beginning of the O+R, what Cory Harrison has found as his mission to implement globally:

"Every soldier of The Salvation Army must get thoroughly to know its history , that he may properly understand its nature, its objects, and the reasons for its peculiar organisation and ways of working. This history will be found in Heathen England.

I've read HEATHEN ENGLAND and I highly recommend it- the Founder orders it. Of course, you can't find it in print and must go to archives of the Army - maybe CREDO should re-publish it!

Suffice to say that this first order was easier back then than it is now- so much less to know, so much closer to when it was all happening. God help us fill the gaps.
Much gracesec
posted by Stephen Court

October 3, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
In the late spring I started blogging on our soldiers covenant. It took awhile to fight through the right hand column in the current article of war and the most recent version. I thought I'd give you all some brething space before I continued.

I thought I'd tackle the footnote to the right hand column- the Orders and Regulations for Soldiers. I've got a copy of the 1879 (unconfirmed on the date) version and thought it might be fun to start at the beginning. So, without further ado,

An O+R Midrash

We'll start at the title page. Under the title, and 'William Booth' is the following:

"General Order: The Orders and Regulations for the Army are not only to be carefully studied and strictly observed by all Commanding Officers, but no effort is to be spared to ensure their circulation in every Corps, and to cause them to be read and understood by every one (sic), so that every Corps and man may be brought up as quickly as possible to the highest standard of perfection. William Booth"

Some observations:
1. it is interesting that we called ourselves 'the Army' from the beginning;
2. the standard of holiness is exhilerating;
3. the faith in the effecitveness in the Orders and Regulations to help us reach a standard of perfection is possibly mocked by many readers, but is educational for those of us seeking restoration of The Salvation Army to first purposes and end-roles;
4. the distinction from the 1972 version (the one handy at my desk) is telling. The later one only urges that recruits read it before enrolment;
5. there is a sense of urgency. We were maybe a year or so into the new name and identity and the Founder wanted to bring everyone up to speed as quickly as possible. People were dying hell-bound, after all;
6. Another distinction from the 1972 version is that everyone is to read and understand them, whereas in 1972 every soldier is to be 'acquainted' with them.
7. 'No effort is to be spared' is the kind of language you'd use if given a direct order by your commanding officer in the midst of a battle;
8. Officers are to lead by example in this exercise, studying them carefully and following them strictly (until a couple of years ago I read the soldiers O+R, the officers O+R, and the handbok of doctrine annually);
9. This version was released at the start of the greatest revival outside of the Bible in the history of the world up to that time (is there a correlation?).

By the way, the fresh JAC is out (click at top right). You should give it a read. There are some new resources available at our eStore, too. Why not give it a hit?
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 2, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/ has a new video. Watch world on fire. It is a classic for those of you getting into the social justice/BE A HERO shtick.

We have Def Con 614 tonight out at Crab Park by the water, across from the mountains, not a cloud in the skies. Wonderful (we sand lift your heads- He is here, He surrounds us like the mountains). The Whites dedicated their baby son. Two of our leaders, the Evanses, preached their farewell, as they've headed down the highway to help get some cell-life going at another corps. We're starting a joint outpost together (if you're interested, email me at info@thewarcollege.com). Oh, and we cracked open a brand-slanking new song by Josh Ivany (music)- a reworking of TRUST AND OBEY- stay tuned for that one.

The other night during knee drill we prayed for our kids, because many of them were there and they've been under attack recently. Then they circled the adults to pray for them. And then Aaron prayed a child's blessing over the adults, that we'd have the gentleness of _____, the innocence of _____, and so on. It was beautiful.

God blesses. Live in such a way that God's love can bless you (James).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today...
I trust that blogs are an effective means of disseminating incendiary propgandda towards revolution. That's why I do it. Here are some Martyrs at The War College who've kicked in with a blog. Watch things on these get deeper!

www.xanga.com/soulful_sallie
www.xanga.com/thawesomest
xander.lifewithChrist.org
joshandphil.blogspot.com
armybarmy.com/blog.html

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

October 1, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

The new issue of JOURNAL OF AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY is out today! Read it. Pore over the articles. Email them to your friends. Invite your comrades to experience this for themselves (there is a link at the top fo this page but the url is armybarmy.com/JAC). Heaps of articles, new contributors, fire, edification. Yes, we're on a bit more about covenant (how many ways can you skin a cat? Let's find out!), but there is holiness, incarnation, etc. Enjoy.

Now, down to business...

I think that there are two extremes, both of which are, exclusively, wrong. One is relevance- we do everything to be relevant. These people are often ineffectively relevant (I think of corps that call themselves churches and officers calling themselves pastors in areas where 93% of the population votes with their feet against those two entities).

On the other end there are people overtly SA for the Army's sake. These people are ineffectively counter-cultural. I think there are enough examples of this that I can move on (people need to convert to Jesus, not to Shakespeare, John Phillip Sousa and Jesus).

I think the via media- the middle way- is the victory winning one. Let's call it prophetic relevance. An easy example is a good open air. Primitive Salvos sang dance hall tunes (pop songs), being relevant. But they preached an extremely hard-core gospel, being prophetic. My comrades do the same thing, singing modern music on guitars and loud sound systems down the street and on street corners, interspersed by gospel shots, testimonies, prayers regarding an omnipotent God who loves strongly and has a strong call on everyone's life.

I think we need to aim for prophetic relevance- strategically counter-cultural. Paul did the same thing. He was Jewish when it was expedient, and he was Roman when that served his purposes.

On other notes...

I was in the War Room the other day and noted that one of our guys felt led by God to challenge people to sign up for us to go 24/7 fasting to join our 24/7 prayer. The next time I went in I found a sign-up sheet with all of the days covered by people fasting (one day a week, for the most part). Cool, eh! So now we have not only non-stop prayer but also non-stop fasting. What a great Corps with which to fight!

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more- Speculation is flying around the internet about some cadet to whom I refered in a blog last week or so. Look, I am not going to nail it down any more than this- it is not any cadet that I've fought alongside (either in my corps or on summer assignment).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today...
"Their leader is a dangerous lunatic whose death (if he is dead,) doesn't seem to have slowed the spread of his movement. Though originating in the Middle East, they have no centralized organization and no single headquarters, meeting instead in small, local coteries or "cells," rendering them difficult to find and harder still to destroy. They exist more as a movement than an institution, bound not by ties of land or heritage, but a fanatical devotion to an obscure branch of a major religion, and this anomaly has allowed them to defy the best efforts of the world's only super power to destroy them. Al-Qaeda? No, the First Century church." Doug Jackson (http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=357)
Yah. We could do well to see things from the terrorist perspective- hated, hiding, extremely committed.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

September 30, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I found a letter last night I wrote early on in our War Room (we're just over 7 months now, praying around the clock).
Because there is some interest in 614 model, with four now, (welcome Melbourne and Manchester), I thought I'd replicate most of the descriptive part for you.
614 Vancouver
Mission: to win the world for Jesus, starting in Vancouver's downtown eastside.
Isaiah 61:4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated, they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Modus Operandi: Capture Train Deploy.
Vibe: Rebuild Restore Renew. Plans Hope Future
Battle Plan: Infiltration Integration Invasion.
Leadership Flow: Larsson > MacMillan > Copple > Strickland/Gillinghams/Court > cell leaders > cellmates
Philosophy: Primitive Salvationism= charismatic-flavoured, mission-focused heroism.
Networks: BC Division; 614; The War College Board of Reference (and teachers); PSN; SAWLN; BTI; JAC; armybarmy.com; Be A Hero; etc.
Prayer: that God makes us into zealous, passionate, covenanted, apostolic, prophetic, end-time warriors, strong in signs and wonders, miracles, healing, prophetic, deliverance, discipling, community, and salvation.
System: we've got that wheel, the basic version of which is on the front page at armybarmy.com right now (there are thicker versions that play out specific leaders and warfare tactics). And we've got the Growth Chart, a version of which is on the 614 page.
That might sum things up.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court
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