Armybarmy Blog

Tsunami death toll over 120,000.
Sri Lanka has stopped the rquest for food. They have more than enough. Now they need underwear.
Here is a release on the Army's involvement:
South Asia Disaster Relief

AS the consequences of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis continue to escalate, the total of homeless people being counted in millions, and with millions more at risk from hunger and disease - The Salvation Army continues to intensify its aid efforts.

Salvation Army personnel already serving in most of the areas affected by the disaster swung into action immediately the tidal waves struck, and these localised but intense efforts are now being co-ordinated by the organisation’s disaster relief experts, who flew out to Sri Lanka from their base at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London, UK.

The earthquake, registering 9.0 on the Richter scale, happened just off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra early on Sunday 26 December and set off gigantic waves which reached as far as the east coast of Africa. Vast coastal areas of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand were ravaged, and many small islands swamped.

The Salvation Army’s initial aid efforts have taken the form of practical help in rescuing people trapped in the wreckage of their homes or public buildings, providing immediate help in the form of water, food, clothing, medical supplies and temporary shelter, and counselling bereaved people and shocked holidaymakers. This aid has stretched around the world, with Salvation Army airport chaplains meeting many flights returning from the region.

The Salvation Army has also taken responsibility for a number of camps set up for people made homeless by the disaster, such as in Nagapatnam and Tanjavoor in India (see the localised updates which follow).

In the long term, Salvation Army aid workers will tackle the problems arising from the loss of homes and livelihood suffered by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have no savings, resources or insurance to fall back on. The economic cost of the tragedy is expected to reach billions of dollars.
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Much grace
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December 30, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Tsunami Death toll: now 114,000.

What the Kwanzaa, part 2.
My friend Charles fired me this article on Kwanzaa- http://christocentric.com/Kwanzaa/pagan.htm - this is a little more specifically dealing with the anti-Christian elements and purposes.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

What the Kwanzaa?
I don't recommend the source completely (the site), nor do I agree with all of the points in the article, but there are some facts in there to settle some confusion about one of the best scams in my lifetime (best in that it is impressive in its 'influence' not content or effect).
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=16474
It is a story about a man who made up a holiday. It has no roots at all in Africa. I question if anyone really celebrates it. But it's in my new daytimer.
Wild.
grace
stephenc

Anna, Simeon, and the Christmas Tsunami

Matthew 24:7-8 "
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs."

Matthew 24:42-44
"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."

This season during advent we were exhorted to look forward to the coming of Jesus. Much of our focus during this time of year is a "preparation" of ourselves for the coming of the baby Jesus. We spend a lot of energy reminiscing and focusing on the event of 2000 years ago and fail to look forward to His coming again.
I don't know about you but I want to be like Anna and Simeon who were so in touch with what God was doing during their time that recognized the incarnation in the form of a baby. Now that's having eyes to see.
What's more Simeon was told by Holy Spirit that he would "not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ." (Luke 2:26) Personally, I want to hear the plans and time of God.
In relation to this looking forward with expectation and recognizing what God is doing in our midst I've been doing a lot of thinking about the recent tragedy in the Indian Ocean. Thousands of lives lost in the blink of an eye with seemingly no warning.
One of our local papers referred to the Tsunami in Biblical terms. A likeness was drawn to Noah's ark and other apocalyptic imagery. I too saw an image of the days of Noah and the Scripture from Matthew 24 came to mind, "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. for as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Mt. 24:37-39)
A beach on a clear, sunny, hot day is the last place you would expect a problem. Everyone goes there to lay down in the sun and soak up rays. When you get too hot you walk leisurely to the water and take a refreshing dip to cool off. When you are comfortably satisfied you pop out of the water and lay down again - on the opposite side - and continue the baking process. This pattern is repeated continually until the desired brown shade is reached. In my mind this is total RELAXATION!
But then out of no where - literally - the water begins to rush in at an alarming rate. So much so that it overcomes you. You are unable to run from it because it is too powerful and overwhelming. You are engulfed and overtaken before you know it.
What's taking place in the water is hidden from view the whole time until it is upon you. The secret lies in the depths but it is there for those who are keeping watch like the seismologists.
So too with God's plans for the future. His plans and SIGNS are being released even now but many of us are like the people in the days of Noah - focused and trained on our daily lives. We are missing what is taking place behind the scenes in the secret places of heaven because our vision is not like Anna's and Simeon's.
Some of the birth pangs that are described in Matthew, Mark and Luke are coming with sustained consistent persistency. Even the intensity of the birth pangs seem to be increasing. Hmmmm.
The writers and believers of the New Testament wrote with an eye for the return of Messiah. The imminence of His return affected their daily lives. So that each day they lived as if it were their last. My husband recently revealed that a while ago the Lord challenged him to live his life in such a way. It's quite a challenge. For most of us it would revolutionize the way we live and how we handle our resource.
I don't want to be caught on the beach unaware. I want to be alert and ready upon His return. I want to be one like Anna and Simeon who expects, rejoices and is able to stand at His coming.
Elaine Gillingham

Response to Steve, and MORE THINGS YOU'D NEVER SEE IN ORANGEVILLE!

Steve rags a little on my choices for top 5 events in this century. He takes umbrage in particular with the mapping of the human genome, only the most significant medical, and perhaps scientific, advance in recent memory. Enormous potential here for good and for evil. So I'll stand buy it.

Fair enough with the Tsunami (the Wave of Terror! - man I dislike the news agencies and their infotainment.) It is probably a bigger story as of right now than the Sudan, though I suspect the Sudan will have more long-term implications. The Sudan is more a story of human violence and hatred, and, hopefully, the world's response to those things.

As for some team winning the World Series every year, yes, but the Bosox hadn't won in some time, yeah? And everybody, even non-fans of baseball, knew this was going on. Down from 3-0 against the hated Yankees and winning it in the House Ruth Built?! Come on! That's never happened before! It will not be long before Lebron or Steve Francis or Dwane Wade equals Vince's feat.

Anywho, suffice it to say that I'm completely right here. :)

Onwards and upwards...

One of my first weeks in Vancouver I was walking down the street with Danielle and Rob, and we noticed a very odd sight. On the sidewalk was a dead pigeon. "Strange, but not too weird" you say. Oh, but perhaps you shouldn't speak so quickly mister critic. Because beside the dead bird were some flowers,a cashmere sweater, and a little Hindu statue, all arranged very nicely indeed.

We stopped and goggled at this for a bit, and then a lady came rushing out and said not too worry, the stuff was all hers, and that she wasn't weird or anything.

Sure.

She said she was using the stuff to mark the place where the bird was dead.

Sure.

She again informed us that she wasn't weird or anything.

Sure.

We rushed away from the spot where the weird lady was practicing animal sacrifices with sweaters and hindu statues, and as we left, I distinctly remember saying..."Now there's something you wouldn't see in Orangeville!"

Interesting post-script: I have since been mocked for my comment that we should call the Vancouver Health Authority, because dead birds can signify West Nile Virus. This is absolutely what the Health Authorities say you should do. So please, if you do see any dead birds (even if they are not surrounded by sweaters and statues and weird ladies who do protest too much) make sure you notify the proper authorities, and let's all have a safe, non-West Nile Virus New Year!

Grace,

Aaron

How to Pray for Asia
Speaking of 24-7 earlier today, here are two instructional pages suggesting how to pray for the catastrophe there:
http://www.24-7prayer.com/canada/index2.php (on on the top right and one on the top left)
grace
stephenc

The Last Xmas Blog?
One of my favourite columnists wrote this bit on the de-Christmasification of America. Enjoy:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn26.html
grace
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Pagan explanation for the Tsunami
Hat tip to James Taranto of opinionjournal.com for this alternative spin on the catastrophe in south Asia:
"Believe it or not, today's New York Times carries an article by author Simon Winchester called "The Year the Earth Fought Back," which makes a similar argument, apparently in all seriousness:

In recent decades, thanks largely to the controversial Gaia Theory developed by the British scientists James Lovelock, it has become ever more respectable to consider the planet as one immense and eternally interacting living system--the living planet, floating in space, every part of its great engine affecting every other, for good or for ill.

Mr. Lovelock's notion, which he named after the earth goddess of the Ancient Greeks, makes much of the delicacy of the balance that mankind's environmental carelessness increasingly threatens. But his theory also acknowledges the somber necessity of natural happenings, many of which seem in human terms so tragically unjust, as part of a vast system of checks and balances. The events that this week destroyed the shores of the Indian Ocean, and which leveled the city of Bam [Iran] a year ago, were of unmitigated horror: but they may also serve some deeper planetary purpose, one quite hidden to our own beliefs. (end of quote)

"Winchester also notes that this year "has been that of the Monkey," as "the all-too-seismically-aware Chinese will remind us," and therefore it is "generally much prone to terrestrial mischief."
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what can I say?
grace
stephenc

more today...
Addressing Aaron's List...
Aaron gave us an interesting rundown of the most significant events of the 21st century so far. He was responding to my list, none of the items of which he duplicated (although there was some September 11 tie-in). My friend Peter wants me to add the Tsunami to the list.

Here is Aaron's list, with my responses...
1. 9-11. Signals the final death rattle of modernity. What we are seeing in the terror war is the final spasms of nation state imperialism (and if that doesn't get Steve worked up, not sure what will!).
sc- I'm not too worked up, since 'final spasms' may continue for generations. Aaron slides the remark in since a few of my items were national elections (Afghan, Iraq, Ukraine, and some allusion to American when I included Bush's response to the attack in 2001- the Terror War). We'll have to wait this one out.

2. The Sudan crisis. This is only going to get more significant. It's our generation's Ethiopia. How will we respond?
sc- excellent choice, but pressed, more and more each day, by the Tsunami (current death count- 76,000).

3. Death of Yassir Arafat. Will change the peace process, which will change the world.
sc- great point.

4. The mapping of the human genome. Probably a little late on this one, but little will change our immediate and long term futures more than advances in genomics.
sc- Maybe I under-rate such things, but I can't care as much about this as I did abotu Bonnke's 100 million harvest goal or the Anglican Schism.

5. The birth of the 24-7 prayer movement (and others). Let's be clear - it technically started in 1999 (I was blessed to be there in the dingy club), but it was the end of 1999, and the web site didn't kick off until 2000, sooooooo....maybe the world-wide development of 24-7 prayer would be a better one.
sc- many props to the 24-7 movement and its influence, which stretches to Aaron and our corps (The War Room started as a one-week 24-7 prayer experiment and today marks 10 months o fnon-stop prayer). The Salvation Army in UK just this week started it's first boiler room, converting a corps into one in London (Wandsworth). That's a show of guts. It is impossible to measure the impact of such prayer around the world, and so I can't argue with Aaron (especially when he adds 'and others' to it, so as to include every prayer movement known to mankind!).

Other notables: BoSox win the World Series; the advance of nano-technology (won't be long before these little creatures are inhabiting everything from toilets to clothes to cars); Canada wins double hockey gold in Salt Lake (ok, big for me); the fall of Saddam.
sc- I thought about the BoSox but was reminded by Peter Thackwray that one team is going to win the Series every year. My sports inclusion, Vince Carter's enormous one-step leap over the 7-footer to dunk in the Olympics is unprecedented in history. The Canadian gold is a ridiculous choice, since hockey is our sport and every time we fail to win it is a major embarrassment.

Much grace
stephenC

more on Tsunami relief
Canada and Bermuda SA Commits $1 million
Wednesday December 29, 2004 – The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda is sending $1 million to support its international relief effort in South Asia.  These funds will be used directly to provide relief to the victims of the tsunami. 

Salvation Army personnel in the affected areas are confirming the tragic news about the aftermath of last Sunday’s tsunami waves that slammed into the southern Asia region.  Salvation Army reports from Galle, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, reported finding the entire area, including Salvation Army properties, in total disarray.  Debris is reportedly scattered all over the coastal town which used to be home to thousands of residents.  The cost in terms of human life was also great.  Among the casualties were passengers on a commuter train and bus that were reportedly washed out to sea by the waves, resulting in massive loss of life.  Local Salvation Army personnel are not only providing relief aid and counseling to the survivors, but are also actively assisting in the recovery of bodies.

Similar stories are being heard in Indonesia, India and across the entire region.  Commissioner Johannes Watilete, leader of The Salvation Army in Indonesia, says “immediate and URGENT need at the disaster sites (Aceh and Nias island) are for body bags, medical masks, gloves, hand sanitizers and disinfectants.  Distribution of these items is being coordinated with the government.  That country’s 14 Salvation Army relief teams, known locally as “Compassion in Action teams”, are actively involved in North Sumatera and neighbouring areas conselling relatives and victims.  People are still in the state of shock, disoriented, and bewildered.”

The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda is appealing to the public to help us reach the goal of $1 million.  Salvation Army personnel are based in many of the impacted areas and, right from the beginning, relief teams have been in the forefront of offering aid and relief to the people suffering from this unexpected tragedy. 

Please support The Salvation Army’s work in South Asia.  Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769) or by visiting our website, www.salvationarmy.ca, mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area.  Donors should specify their gift to the South Asia Disaster Fund.  

For information on Salvation Army relief efforts in South Asia, please contact:

Jim Ferguson
Territorial Emergency Disaster Services Director
The Salvation Army, Ottawa
613-299-1761
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grace
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December 29, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
SA Sri Lanka Update
My correspondent in Sri Lanka has updated me on the destruction of SA centres there. "Yes, there are many damages to Dehiwala grils' home and evantide home. But at that movement suddenly we went there and saved all of grils and grand mothers. And sent them to Hevan home [Colombo 10 ] and girls to Rajagiriya Boys' home. These days S.Army is very busy. And also we are receiving help from our foreign friends. They called us and gave their condolance.
up to date
Deaths more than 60 000 
Missing more than 25 000
Displace more than 1 00 000
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Spiritual Applications
I got this from my friend Pam (spiritual mapper): c peter wagner said in the earthquake in turkey, where 20,000 or a lot more died, that we need to look at it a different way. he said that many die in turkey in, say, a month. and go to hell, possibly (probably). a tragedy strips the veil momentarily from our eyes, and we see mortality and eternity. (i loosely am trying to give wagners gist). there are no athiests at that moment.
he also said earthquakes are a sign, often of what is going on spiritually. my example is the san fransisco one right after azuza st. san fran wasn't receptive to the spirit at that time. there was an underground, a foundational shift. there was a conflict of belief systems. there was movement. and some wrote at the time that it was a judgement. wagner was heading a world prayer happening in turkey just after the recent earthquake there. it was about bringing down the queen of heaven, prob'ly the biggest demon, resp f/ more souls in hell than any other. turkey is also just joining the eu. it is the link btwn trad islamic and trad christian turf. it is also in both the 10/40 and 40/60 windows, and it happened when the prayer focus was shifting from the one to the other.
i think the indonesian earthquake is signaling the shift of power between islam and christianity. there are a few places of conflict where the two meet, at least, where we read abt in the news. sudan. nigeria. and indonesia, which is the largest muslim population in the world.
i read that islands have not just shifted according to the compass, but primarily have been lifted up.
i read that an native island lady who lost her girl said the sea had never looked like this. it was always calm. the sea represents unsaved humanity. and chaos. it is deceptive for it to be calm.
this is like 9-11. we are getting a brief look at the real.
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Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

last of the day...
Faking the Funk...
I encourage you to read Jonathan Evans (see top right) on Fake the Funk today. It reminds me of Curtis Cartmell's phrase 'fleshing out'.
much grace
stephenc

Article on SA involvement in Tsunami Relief
http://www.christianpost.com/article/society/1291/section/salvation.army.responds.to.tsunami.waves/1.htm
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grace
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South Asia Catastrophe – Update 2: Reports from the field
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 – Salvation Army assessment teams returning from the field are confirming the tragic news about the aftermath of last Sunday's tsunami waves that slammed into the southern Asia region. The team returning from Galle on the south coast of Sri Lanka reported finding the entire area, including Salvation Army properties, in total disarray. Debris is reportedly scattered all over this coastal town which used to be home to thousands of residents. The cost in terms of human life was also great. Among the casualties were passengers on a commuter train and bus that were reportedly washed out to sea by the waves, resulting in massive loss of life. Team members reported finding the corps officers and soldiers not only providing relief aid and counselling to the survivors, but also actively assisting in the recovery of bodies of the victims.

Emergency funds have been released in response to an appeal from relief teams in Indonesia. Commissioner Johannes Watilete, leader of The Salvation Army in Indonesia reports, 'Immediate and URGENT need at the disaster sites (Aceh and Nias Island) is for body bags, medical masks, hand gloves, hand sanitizers and disinfectants. Distribution of these items is being coordinated with the government. The country’s 14 Salvation Army relief teams (known locally as "Compassion in Action" teams) are actively involved in North Sumatra and neighbouring areas counselling relatives of the victims. People are still in the state of shock, disoriented, and bewildered. The government is supplying people with food, clothing and medicines. But even where there is food, people cannot eat'.

Reports from affected communities in India all are very similar in their findings of unprecedented destruction and enormous losses of human lives. Another common theme, though, is the selfless service being given by Salvation Army officers, soldiers and volunteers as they do all that they can to give practical aid and spiritual comfort to the thousands and thousands of people who have had their lives forever changed in one terrible morning. Whether it’s providing food, water, clothing and shelter to families, helping with the recovery of remains or just listening to the heartbreak of those who lost loved ones to the raging waters, The Salvation Army is a beacon of hope in this desperate situation.

Even as much is currently being done, though, there is still much more to do. An International Emergency Response Team has been dispatched from London to Sri Lanka to help coordinate the massive relief efforts there. Salvation Army personnel in the affected region (as well as those nearby) are currently working around the clock to demonstrate practical care for hurting neighbours. In order to be able to continue and expand the work currently being done, The Salvation Army is urgently appealing for donations to support our efforts in this enormous tragedy. Donations should be designated 'South Asia Disaster Fund' and may be made at our secure donations web site using your credit card. www1.salvationarmy.org
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grace
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SA Response on the Ground
(www1.salvationarmy.org)
South Asia Catastrophe – Update 1

Monday, December 27 – As the death toll from Sunday’s devastating tsunami soars past the 24,000 mark, communities in the affected areas are doing their best to cope with the needs of the survivors. The Salvation Army is in the thick of the action, meeting human need where it is greatest.

In India, The Salvation Army has set up mass feeding centres at its facilities in several locations. Salvation Army corps (community churches) and institutions are operating around the clock to provide shelter, food and clothing to families who consider themselves fortunate to be alive. But from the assessment teams still in the field it is becoming quite clear that much more remains to be done.

In Sri Lanka, the government has put out an urgent plea for assistance. Clean drinking water, tents, food, clothing and medicines are all in short supply following the tragedy. Hospitals are being overrun by severely injured survivors and communities are struggling with the grim task of disposing of thousands of decaying, dead bodies. Senior government officials are publicly saying that they fear widespread disease if aid is not made available quickly.

In the midst of this almost unprecedented level of suffering, The Salvation Army is well placed to make a significant difference in the lives of many hurting people. Throughout the region, Salvation Army corps (community churches) and institutions are strategically located in many of the communities that have been hardest hit by the killer waves.

Colonel Edward Daniel reports from Colombo, "We are concerned about people on the east coast and in the south especially. Our assessment team has already left Colombo to visit the southern coastal areas taking initial relief supplies of food items and water. Our emergency coordinator has requested that all Army centres in the coastal areas accommodate displaced people, provide them with cooked food and clothing, and offer counselling as necessary".

While Salvationists were among the very first to respond to the tragedy, their local resources are quickly being exhausted. There is an urgent need to ensure additional supplies reach the front lines of this disaster very quickly.

Meanwhile, in the U.K., The Salvation Army’s airport chaplains are providing practical and pastoral support for holidaymakers returning home from this popular resort area, which was struck at the height of its tourist season. In Manchester a number of charter planes are expected to land this evening, conveying hundreds of British survivors who were enjoying a Christmas break before the tsunami struck. Many of these survivors escaped with little more than the clothes they were wearing, as hotels and resorts were destroyed. The Salvation Army will be providing winter clothing to these men, women and children as soon as the planes touch down.

The coverage of this disaster is widespread and many countries have been impacted. The Emergency Services section at International Headquarters (IHQ) is coordinating the release of resources.

As the full extent of the disaster continues to be revealed, The Salvation Army is putting out an urgent appeal for funds with which to serve the victims of this devastating tragedy. Donations should be designated 'South Asia Disaster Fund' and may be made at our secure donations web site using your credit card.

Report by Captain Mike McKee
International Emergency Services Field Operations Officer
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grace
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SA in South India on Tsunami
THE SALVATION ARMY'S RESPONSE TO VICTIMS OF QUAKE WAVES IN SOUTHERN INDIA

The powerful earthquake on 26th December 2004 at 06.29 a.m. (IST) struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra and triggered giant tidal waves that slammed into coasts across Southern Asia swallowing villages wrecking death and devastation on seaside resorts. This particular quake is the fifth largest ever recorded measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale unleashed tsunamis that hit Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar and Malaysia.

There were scenes of mayhem in Tamil Nadu state where scores of villagers were under water. The local television footage showed bodies being loaded into ambulances. In Chennai the morgues at government hospitals are overflowing with bodies. Hundreds of children were buried in mass graves as their grieving parents looked on. The toll climbed to 4,500 in Tamil Nadu, 155 in Kerala and 106 in Andhra Pradesh according to the morning news by all India Radio on Wednesday 29th December 2004. Kanyakumari the southern district of Tamil Nadu became one of the worst hit areas and nearly 42 coastal villages were affected by the floods.

The Salvation Army has already started operation in full swing meeting the dire needs of the victims providing food, shelter, and clothing to families. It is feared that the death toll may rise while thousands were already under treatment. The web readers are requested to extend any kind of support towards the relief operation wherever possible. (IHQ website)
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grace
stephenc

Tsunami Blog
http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/ appears to be one of THE sites for breaking informaiton on this disaster. You can keep up to date there.

If you have any specifics on SA involvement please contact me at info@thewarcollege.com.
Thanks
grace
stephenc

Spiritual Consequences of Ignoring the Early Warning System...
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-974158,curpg-2.cms article called INDIA, SOUTH ASIA IGNORED TSUNAMI ALERT SYSTEM
"Many experts who were interviewed on the American network television said warnings about tsunamis in the Indian Ocean had been issued as early as three years ago but not much attention was paid.

Some of them pointed out that even the two odd hours that passed before the tidal waves hit India and Sri Lanka could have been used to warn people along the coast.

One Canadian expert said he found it hard to accept that so many lives were lost. He specifically said countries like India had advanced communications technology available with them to have created an early warning system.

“A key lesson to be learned from this disaster is the importance of early warning systems in reducing people’s risk and vulnerability,” ISDR director Salvano Briceqo said in a statement.

“A simple and timely message can go a long way and can mean the difference between life and death, not to mention between economic survival or ruin.”
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The applicaiton spirituallyis easy.
grace
stephenc

more on Tsunami damage...
Asia disaster toll hits 63,000
Wed Dec 29, 2004 02:22 AM GMT
By David Fox

GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Stricken countries on the Indian Ocean are working swiftly to bury thousands of bodies as experts warn disease could kill as many people as the 63,000 already dead from the violent crush of Sunday's tsunami.
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Keep praying. Funds in Canada can go to 1800 SAL ARMY. Internationally, online, go to www1.salvationarmy.org for credit cards giving.
grace,
stephenc

more today...
The Sad State of Canada (from foxnews.com)
We pick up O'Reilly midstream...
"But if the secularists can destroy religion in the public arena, the brave new progressive world is a possibility. That's what happened in Canada.
The facts:
• In 1980, 79 percent of Canadians said that religion was important for the nation there. That number has now dropped to 61percent.
• In 1971, less than one percent of the Canadian population reported having no religion. That number has now risen to 16 percent.
The fall of religion in Canada has corresponded to the rise in progressive public policy. Most Canadians now favor gay marriage. The age of consent for sex is 14 years. That means if you're an adult and you have sex with a 15-year-old, that's fine.
Welfare's double what it is in the USA. And the Canadian military is almost non-existent.
Drug decriminalization is a reality, as is any kind of abortion. The Canadian model is what progressive Americans are shooting for. Thus, Christian displays like Christmas must be scaled back because the connection with Judeo-Christian beliefs is bad for the secular agenda.
Now most people, of course, love Christmas and want to keep its traditions, but the secular movement has influence in the media, among some judges and politicians. Americans will lose their country if they don't begin to take action. Any assault on Judeo-Christian philosophy should be fought.
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Amen. Now, look, I love living here. In many ways it is a great place to live (quality of life is high, welfare system is strong, and so on). But we've totally dropped the ball in so many ways. We need to pick it up.
Much grace
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December 28, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
One More Bit on the Slip on Christmas (foxnews.com)
FDR's Christmas message in 1944. Roosevelt began by saying it wasn't easy to say Merry Christmas in a time of war, "Nor can I say Merry Christmas lightly," he continued, "to our armed forces at their battle stations..."

Then he said, "Here, at home, we will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way because of its deep spiritual meaning to us; because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives; and because we want our youngest generation to grow up knowing the significance of this tradition and the story of the coming of the immortal Prince of Peace and Good Will."
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I sent you Bush's remarks a couple of days ago, thinking he was hardcore preaching. But it looks like FDR did him one better. He mentioned the C word!
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today on Asia
Things are shaking. We lost time. Read this.
Quake rattled Earth orbit, changed map of Asia: US geophysicist
An earthquake that unleashed deadly tidal waves on Asia was so powerful it made the Earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map, US geophysicists said.
The 9.0-magnitude temblor that struck 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Sumatra island Sunday may have moved small islands as much as 20 meters (66 feet), according to one expert.
"That earthquake has changed the map," US Geological Survey expert Ken Hudnut told AFP.
"Based on seismic modeling, some of the smaller islands off the southwest coast of Sumatra may have moved to the southwest by about 20 meters. That is a lot of slip."
The northwestern tip of the Indonesian territory of Sumatra may also have shifted to the southwest by around 36 meters (120 feet), Hudnut said. (yahoo.com news).
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Is it too simplistic to think that prayer for a Tsunami of the Spirit might also alter spiritual maps and realities and invite chairos times and establish permanent change?
grace,
stephenc

Things you would never see in Orangeville...


Before moving out to the Eastside, my family and I lived in a little suburban, even rural, community in Orangeville (technically Shelburne). It's an hour north of Toronto, and parts of it are still utterly, and loveably, hick. It was possessed of its own brand of weirdness, but this is of a more down-home variety - the front page of the newspaper detailing tractor thefts, adventures with wildlife, people using lighter fluid as gasoline, insane local politics, that kind of thing.

In Vancouver's Dowtown Eastside, you discover a whole different shade of weird. I don't call it abnormal, because who defines normal? Down here, weird is the norm. But there are things that my wife and I would see, and then would say, "Man, you wouldn't see that in Orangeville."

So I'm going to start a blog series on "Things You Wouldn't See in Orangeville".

I'll start things off with a recent example. Everyday I walk past the provincial courts downtown. Last week, as some of you will know, hockey star Todd Bertuzzi was in the courts plea bargaining in his assault case. So as I walked past the court, on the other side of the street, there were cameras and newsmen hovering around the entrance, just waiting for a glimpse of the not-so-gentle giant.

Later on in the evening as I was walking home I did see bert and his wife walking out, whch is surreal enough, but not the real weirdness. The first time I walked past, I happened to notice a slim-built, youngish, red-haired man on my side of the road, and he was singing, nay, screaming, something at the top of his lungs in the direction of the cameras. It turned out to be someone in one of my cell groups, a self-proclaimed Apostle, and what he was atonally singing at the very edge of his lung capacity was an ancient hymn, complete with the extended Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-mennnnnn! at the end. As soon as he finished the amen, he would launch in again with the same song, this time with added gusto.

(I should add that this is a man who also regularly wears shoes with springs on the bottom of them, so he can bounce down the sidewalk at an alarming rate. This is close to the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. Tragically, he was not wearing these shoes today, or else he probably would have got on camera).

I thought for a moment about asking why he was doing this, but he seemed pretty into it and I didn't want to disrupt the flow. I also thought about joining in, but didn't know all the words. So I passed by in silence, launching up a quick prayer for whatever he was doing, and had a quick mental thought....

"You wouldn't see this in Orangeville."

Grace,

Aaron

Aaron's Alternative Top 5 Events of the Century (So Far)

1. 9-11. Signals the final death rattle of modernity. What we are seeing in the terror war is the final spasms of nation state imperialism (and if that doesn't get Steve worked up, not sure what will!).

2. The Sudan crisis. This is only going to get more significant. It's our generation's Ethiopia. How will we respond?

3. Death of Yassir Arafat. Will change the peace process, which will change the world.

4. The mapping of the human genome. Probably a little late on this one, but little will change our immediate and long term futures more than advances in genomics.

5. The birth of the 24-7 prayer movement (and others). Let's be clear - it technically started in 1999 (I was blessed to be there in the dingy club), but it was the end of 1999, and the web site didn't kick off until 2000, sooooooo....maybe the world-wide development of 24-7 prayer would be a better one.

Other notables: BoSox win the World Series; the advance of nano-technology (won't be long before these little creatures are inhabiting everything from toilets to clothes to cars); Canada wins double hockey gold in Salt Lake (ok, big for me); the fall of Saddam.

Many more besides, but I'll stop there. Enough room for debate, I should think.

Grace,

Aaron

more today...
Most Significant Events addendum
g. Can I add the collapse of the United Nations (after the largest financial scandal in history)?
grace,
stephenc

more today...
Most Significant Events of the Century (so far)

Here is a list of the top five (oh, it looks like the top seven) of the young century (not in order):
a. the Anglican schism (it may take a long historical view to appreciate this- if we have one)
b. the staggering progress of Reinhard Bonnke's goal of 100 million saved in this decade (unprecedented harvest)
c. George Bush's response to the World Trade Centre attack (Terror War will make cold war look lukewarm)
d. the Afghanistan election (unprecedented? impossible?)
e. the Iraq election (forthcoming- see comment to d.)
f. the Ukraine election (changes the geo-political map and offers alternative to tactics of c.)
g. Vince Carter's dunk OVER the French guy at the Sydney Olympics (possibly most amazing physical feat next to child birth)

I welcome your feedback (info@thewarcollege.com) and counter blogs (I'll read around).
grace,
sec

more today...
Tsunami of the Spirit
Not to be trival, but I am reminded of a prayer I offer daily in response to General Rader's direction a decade ago. I've attached it below:

Call to Prayer and Mission
by General Paul A. Rader (R)

God is calling our Army to prayer!
He is calling us to urgent, prevailing prayer for the renewal of our love for Christ, a recommitment to our spiritual priorities in mission, and a clearer vision of His purpose for the Army as we approach the year 2000.
The Salvation War in which we are engaged is real. The enemy against whom we fight is powerful. But he is not invincible. Indeed, he was defeated at the Cross and exposed to open shame (Colossians 2:15). Still, the battle rages on. Never has the conflict been more intense. Never has there been a greater need for prayer.
We rejoice in every evidence of a revival of prayer in our ranks - and beyond: prayer fellowship, prayer vigils, prayer marches, prayer support teams for musical sections, schools of prayer, nights of prayer, concerts of prayer and much more. In one hundred countries around our globe the voices of Salvationists in prayer ascend to the Throne of Grace every hour, day and night. We are a praying Army. But let us confess that for all too many of us, prayer may quickly become a lifeless routine, an empty and powerless ritual, if it is not neglected altogether.
Let every Salvationist take a personal inventory of the place, priority and power of prayer in his or her own life. Do I have a regular time for personal and family worship and prayer? What is the place of prayer in our planning and programs at our corps and centers? When do we pray? Who prays? With what expectation? With what result? Is God calling some of us to a specific ministry of intercession or spiritual warfare through prayer?
As General of The Salvation Army, I am asking that every Salvationist and every center of Army activity consider making a specific commitment to prayer for the next twelve months. The nature of that commitment should be negotiated personally with the Holy Spirit. I seek a commitment beyond our present routines. Let prayer be more disciplined, more specific, more consistent.

For what then, shall we pray?
Pray for peace and an end to tribal and ethnic violence, while confessing our own failure to be instruments of His peace. Ask God where we ourselves might bring healing as His ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20) - in our homes, our marriages, our corps, our communities.
Pray for unity among us, the two or three together in His Name, and as a global force for salvation and healing of the nations - Partners in Mission.
Pray for the salvation of the lost - for a new spirit of holy aggression in our evangelism.
Pray for world evangelization - the salvation of the unreached peoples of earth, according to 'the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey Him.' (Romans 16:26).
Pray for the growth of the Army in spiritual depth and devotion. Pray for new corps and new people, 'brought out of the dominion of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son He loves.' (Col. 1:13)
Pray that God will raise up an Army of senior soldiers, women and men, a million strong, around the world, marching under the one Flag.
Pray for Army leaders - for vision, grace and courage. Pray for them not just as leaders, but as vulnerable human persons.
Pray for the confusion and defeat of all the stratagems of Satan and for the deliverance of those held captive to his will.
Pray for the salvation and moral protection of our young people, for a love for the Word of God, courage to stand for Christ, and a willingness to give radical obedience to His will.
Pray for officer candidates, lay volunteers, and those who in mid-life will put their skills and experience at God's disposal.
Pray for our Army's world-wide ministries of helping, healing and wholeness among the sick, the powerless, and the poorest of the poor.
Pray for children caught in the crossfire of war, the homeless, brutalized and abandoned.
Pray for the beauty of the Lord our God to be upon us as a movement - the beauty of His Holiness. (Psalm 90:17)
Pray for a new appreciation of our royal privilege of coming to God at His invitation, for a daily audience with our Saviour King, 'that we might receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.' (Heb. 4:16)
Pray that a Spirit-inspired movement of prayer reaching the Throne of God will bring a mighty tidal wave of salvation blessing sweeping over our Army around the world, a Tsunami of the spirit, cleansing, refreshing, and renewing us for mission.
Pray that Jesus Christ will be glorified through this His Army.
On our knees, let us look again at our own homes, our communities, and our world, careening out of control toward the next century. If you believe with me that God is calling His Army to prayer, then decide now to do something about it - and do it now, for Jesus' sake, and for the salvation of the world for which He died. Let us go forward - on our knees!
General Paul A. Rader (R)
Westminster Central Hall,
London November 1994
________
grace
sec

more today...
Tsunamis extra
Salvation Army comes to aid of victims of tidal waves in Asia

Salvationists in south-eastern Asia and coastal India were tragically and unexpectedly called into service after a massive earthquake in Indonesia triggered tsunami waves in the region and caused widespread damage and loss of life. The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.9, making it the biggest in 40 years and the fifth strongest since 1900.

While early reports are still sketchy, field assessments indicate that Andaman-Nicobar Islands and Tamil Nadu (a Christian fishing community with many families and children) seem to be among the most severely affected areas in India, with estimates of over 3,000 people killed. In the city of Chennai 200 people are reported dead with hundreds more missing. Many other fishing villages and low-lying coastal communities were submerged by the waves. Initial reports of damage and deaths are certain to rise as more information continues to come in.

Salvation Army personnel are based in many of the devastated areas and from the outset Salvation Army teams have been in the forefront of offering aid and relief to the people caught up in this unexpected tragedy. Salvation Army volunteers have been feeding over 1,200 people in the Kanyakumari and Muttom areas and many Army facilities are being used to provide feeding sites and emergency shelter throughout the region. Teams of local Salvation Army assessment personnel have been dispatched to assist the government and other agencies in their efforts to determine what the most pressing needs of the affected communities are.

The coverage of this disaster is widespread and many countries have been impacted. The Emergency Services section at International Headquarters (IHQ) is coordinating the release of resources.

As the full extent of the disaster continues to be revealed, The Salvation Army is putting out an urgent appeal for funds with which to serve the victims of this devastating tragedy. Donations should be designated 'South Asia Disaster Fund' and may be made at our secure donations web site using your credit card.
http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf/vw-news/8AD9DAC74948892B80256F76008019AA?opendocument
_____
If you have any specifics on Salvation Army damage and relief efforts, please let us know (info@thewarcollege.com). The Sri Lanka information in the previous blog came from a War College student (next year's session) in Sri Lanka.
Grace,
sec

December 27, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Update on Tsunamis
Tsunamis Kill Tens of Thousands in 10 Countries
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  — Rescuers piled up bodies along southern Asian coastlines devastated by tidal waves that obliterated seaside towns and killed more than 22,000 people in 10 countries, and officials indicated Monday that the death toll could climb far higher. (FoxNews.com)
IN Sri Lanka alone these Salvation Army centres have been destroyed: [GALLE, HIKKADUWA, KALUTHARA, BATTIKKALO and DIHIWALA Girls' Home and Eventide Hostel.]
Please pray for the saints.
You can give money to 800 SAL ARMY for the hurting and relief there. Indicate that the money is to go to the Tsunamis relief.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Sunday, December 26, 2004
second blog on Indonesia in three days (tragically):
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Rescue and recovery operations are underway after a massive earthquake off the coast of Indonesia's island of Sumatra (search) triggered tsunamis that slammed into resort towns and seaside villages throughout southern and southeast Asia.
As many as 10,000 are dead in seven countries, and the number of casualties continues to rise.
The 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the largest recorded in the world in 40 years, occurred at sea shortly after 8 a.m. local Sumatra time on Sunday, or around 8:00 p.m. EST Saturday evening. Experts can't say whether it was the initial temblor or the nine aftershocks, including one on Sumatra's northernmost tip that measured 7.3 on the Richter scale, that sparked the tsunamis, or ocean surface waves, which reached as high as 20 feet.
The waves traveled more than 3,000 miles in all and at speeds that could have reached as much as 500 miles per hour, National Earthquake Information Center Scientist-in-Chief Harley Benz told FOX News.
The tsunamis hit Sri Lanka (search), India, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh (search), Malaysia (search) and the Maldives.
Eyewitnesses said the massive waves dragged people out to sea along with cars, buildings and bridges. (FoxNews.com)
_____
God, have mercy, please.
sec

more today...
more Song Book Gold
This is from Charles Wesley:

Thy hands created me
Thy hands from sin
have set me free
The mercy that hath loosed by bonds
Hath bound me fast to Thee
(old SASB 19)

Hallelujah
grace,
sec

December 26, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

The Day After Christmas
I just got back from the Harbour Light Corps holiness meeting where our corps was pinch-hitting. Ian Gillingham (FIRE) prached on the Second Advent (he figured that it doesn't get as much airplay as the first one). God gave him a poem this morning that he shared with us:


'Twas the day after Chrisstmas when all through the house every creature was stirring, yes, even the mouse!

The house being referred to is God's dwelling wiiht man- at present we worship not the Lion, but the Lamb

We herald His coming from long ages past but neglect to remember His name is the Last

It wasn't the first advent that will cause us to pray, for the old order of things is passing away

For the advent of heaven is descending this day. Now wake up, and join up, prepare ye the way!

When Jesus first came, we know He was slain. But upon His return He's the Lion to reign!

It isn't Christ's coming that will cause hearts to burn. It's the truth of the Scriptures- 'PREPARE HIS RETURN'.
______

What the Kwanzaa?!
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

more...
Song Book Gold
"Far from They Cross irradiates
A power that saves and recreates
(old SASB 87, Orsborn)

Grace there is my every debt to pay
Blood to wash my every sin away
Power to keep my spotless day by day
For me, For me
(H.Booth, old SASB 228)

Ever Only All for Thee
(F.R.Havergal, old SASB 476)

O Saviour of men touch my spirit again
And grant that They servant may be
Intense every day as I labour and pray
Both instant and constant for Thee
(old SASB 478, Orsborn)

Hallelujah!
grace
stephenc

more...
resolve, part 3
"When things are at their worst, sing Psalm 46 and let the devil do his best."
(Martin Luther)
Jump or be pushed (Lord of the Harvest).
And, losing my focus a little bit... "You cared for them with a brave heart and led them with skillful hands" (Psalm 78:72).
grace
stephenc

more today...
resolve, part 2
I blogged on resolve yesterday. 2 Cor 4:9 (Phillips): "We may be knocked down but we are never knocked out."
Churchill was invited to speak to the graduating class at his old school. After much fanfare in the introduction and much anticipation amongst the considerable crowd and a substantial pause on the part of the hero of WWII, he finally said, "Never, never, never give up."
And then he sat down.
grace
sec

December 25, 2004.
Christmas greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I found this nice little Christmas homily I thought I'd share:
"The times we live in have brought many challenges to our country. And at such times, the story of Christmas brings special comfort and confidence. For 2000 years, Christmas has proclaimed a message of hope: the patient hope of men and women across centuries who listened to the words of prophets and lived in joyful expectation, the hope of Mary who welcomed God's plan with great faith, and the hope of Wise Men who set out on a long journey, guided only by a promise traced in the stars.

"Christmas reminds us that the grandest purposes of God can be found in the humblest places, and it gives us hope that all the love and gifts that come to us in this life are the signs and symbols of an even greater love and gift that came on a holy night.

"Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.
(President Bush)
_____
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

more today...
this is for the complainers about Xmas (from John Miller at nationalreview.com):
How did Christmas become Xmas?

It's Greek to us — literally. The Greek word for Christ is Xristos. That's where the X in Xmas comes from. There's a Christian website called www.xristos.com. Here's what it says:
Xristos is a transliteration of the New Testament Greek word for Christ "criston." The Greek letter Chi 'c' was retained to insure a connection to the roots and original texts, as well as visually represent the centrality of the cross in all. The visual symbol Chi-ro is also employed at various places by Xristos, recalling one of the earliest practices of the Christian community.

So referring to Christmas as Xmas is no sign of disrespect, as many people believe. But it helps to know its origins.
_______
Much grace
sec

So this is Christmas...

Ok, still Christmas Eve. Nevertheless.

There is a kind of holy chaos going on in the rooms around me right now, but I felt the need to escape into a little solitude.

I am worried about Christmas. Not because of what the world has done to it. We shouldn't expect Christmas to be anything more than a chance to make good on commercials from a culture that does not honour Christ for the rest of the year. In that context, "Season's Greetings" actually makes a lot of sense. By and large our postmodern world is not celebrating Christmas, just a season. Might as well say "Happy Festivus."

I'm worried because the Church is, I think, fighting the wrong front. We want to make Christmas mean something for our society. But does it really mean anything to us? Giving presents is great, trust me, I love opening them, and I know people are very thoughtful in getting me stuff. But maybe we need to transform our own culture before expecting society to alter their perception of the "Winter Fest" season.

It's kind of my beef with much of what is called evangelism now. What are we wanting people to convert to? To Jesus? Or to the way we have grown accustomed to doing (not being) Church? Same with Christmas. I want people to grasp its meaning, but I have to be sure I'm living out its meaning in my own life first, else what I am trying to show people is not Christmas at all, but some modern bastardization of it.

Maybe by contributing to the social "bigness" of Christmas in our society, we have forgotten the "smallness" of what Christmas seems to be about. I asked my 2 year old daughter why God would want to become a little baby. She responded by saying that God didn't want to be big anymore. He wanted to be little. Tiny.

Let's at least remember the tiny people Jesus risked so much to identify with through his incarnation, and work towards celebrating Jesus' life that way for the rest of the year.

Mighty Christmas,

Grace,

Aaron

Christmas in Indonesia...
(from lgf)
The Islamic War on Christianity
Christians in Indonesia Move Underground.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Fearing bombings and shootings by Islamic militants, some Christians in Indonesia are abandoning traditional churches in favor of more unorthodox but secure confines, such as hotel ballrooms and office blocks.

With foreign governments warning of holiday terror attacks, tens of thousands of police officers will guard churches in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Metal detectors will be in place for most services and armed escorts will accompany parishioners, church officials said.

“It puts us at a lower risk for being a target for religious persecution,” said Pastor Steve Lunn, originally from Seattle, whose International English Service holds worship services for 1,000 people in a downtown Jakarta office building.

“People tell me they feel safer,” he said. “The facility itself is not the most important thing. It’s just a place to gather. The most important thing is being together and worshipping God together.”

The vast majority of Muslims in Indonesia practice a moderate version of the faith.

And the tiny minority of extremists practices wiping out Christians and other Westerners:

Four years ago, suspected militants from the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror group bombed 11 churches on Christmas Eve, killing 19 people.

The group was also blamed for the 2002 nightclub bombings that killed 202 people on the resort island of Bali, a 2003 attack on the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta and a blast at the Australian Embassy in September.

This year, more than 140,000 police will be deployed at churches, shopping malls and hotels where Westerners gather during the Christmas period, a police spokesman said.

“People are still afraid,” said Pastor Hengki Ompi, whose church was attacked earlier this month by suspected Muslim gunmen on the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi. “We hope the attacks stop so we can celebrate Christmas without fear.”

Plans to build new churches sometimes draw violent protests from Islamic groups, which view them as an attempt to convert Muslims. Church leaders also say a 35-year-old decree requiring neighborhood approval before new places of worship can be built is being used to discriminate against them.

Rev. Ruyandi Hutasoit has eight churches in office towers in Jakarta and a ninth that was closed following protests from Muslim radicals. His drug rehabilitation center and seminary were burnt down by Muslim mobs in 1999.
________
grace
stephenc

Hey,

There is a great article on the 24-7prayer site that everyone should check out -www.24-7prayer.com/canada (look for the link to the Rolling Stone article)

It's about the 24-7 prayer movement running missions in the high places of secular youth culture. It was originally written as an article for Rolling Stone Magazine that was going to print this Jan, but because the Rolling Stone readership are pretty down on Christians right now it got squashed.

So the author, who has started going to church as a result of writing the article, has posted it in full on Salon. You have to watch an ad for cell phones to get to the article, but it is worth it. Really good read (warning - it is long).

Grace,

Aaron

Oh, and HOLY CHRISTMAS to you each.
Much grace
stephenc

December 24, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
March 20-23 2005 is RAW (hat tip to Collinson in Box Hill), READY AND WILLING, a teen urban mission and learder training experience in east Vancouver. It is a chance to tackle a ready and wiling life.
It's only $50 cdn (all you northwest Americans), and that includes a place to sleep and food to eat. You can see the fancy graphics and download the application at www.cariboohill.ca/teens_downloads.htm . Sign upi before year end and you can always say you signed up befor eyear end!
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

I have heard that the original "Old English" meaning of the word "Merry" is actually "Mighty."

That is awesome. Think about it. "God rest ye mighty gentlemen..." and "Have a mighty Christmas!"

I've started wishing people a mighty Christmas now. People look at me strangely, but ah well.

Grace, and mighty Christmas.

Aaron

bored?
check out Sarah's video, world on fire at this link:
http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/

Peace. War. Fight fight fight.
Danielle

more today...

oh oh
You need to check out the first Christmas Card by Jonathan Evans at suburbanoutpost blog (click top right). OUCH
Much grace,
sec

December 23, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
It was interesting to watch a little fight going on to my right while we were singing Silent Night tonight on Hastings. Hmm. Heavenly peace- still to come.
resolve
We were going through a tough time at our corps in May and I noted something I scribbled to comrades during the strain of maintaining around-the-clock prayer with a skeleton (but heroic) crew.
"We haven't yet begun to test the waters of graec that the die hards splash in, that history's greathearts waded in, that our persecuted comrades drown in."
Then I was on about God making our forehedas like flint... Exekiel 3:8,9- I am going to make your RESOLUTION as hard as a diamond, and diamond is harder than flint. So do not be afraid (Jerusalem Bible).
We've got to show at least as much resolve toward our mission of winning the world for Jesus as Shackleton showed to the Pole, as Achilles to Troy, as Manning to the Super Bowl.
Remember Jesus in Luke 9:51- He RESOLUTELY set out for Jerusalem. ('with an iron will', 'set His face').
Next week you may be on about making resolutions (I can send Jonathan Edwards's 70 resolutions to anyone interested- I think- info@thewarcollege.com). Let's be flint-headed, iron-willed, and resolved to zealously do our part to win the wolrd for Jesus.
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

more today...
Mark Roberts (markdroberts.com) breaks down the favourite Christmas carols on December 20, and the the fave holiday songs the next day (all at markdroberts.com).
grace,
stephenc

ok - some people have shown great interest in the sponsor projects in Haiti for Christmas thing... but are having some trouble connecting the dots in the 'how to' department.
Let's clear it up:
Step one:
go to this web site: http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/Haiti/sponsor.htm
listed at this site is many, different projects that are worthy of christmas bliss and joy...
then use your arrow button to go back a page from that website and you can donate through USA south - just specify what project you are donating... i.e. a pig for 50 dollars (it's US dollars don't forget).
If you can't manage to donate through this site you can go to IHQ and donate there and specify your gift!!
EASY AS THAT!
Let's make it happen.
Great grace.
danielle
ps. look forward to next year when we hope to make it even easier to donate and use our gift giving power to change the world. :-)

December 22, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Some of you pomos will want to read this theooze.com article by Captain Charles Roberts from a handful of years ago: www.next-wave.org/apr99/SA.htm
Weigh it.
Much graec
sec
posted by Stephen Court

hi- I know it is a little long for a blog, but check this out from Rich Lowry, editor of National Review:
December 21, 2004, 8:42 a.m.
Bundle of Linguistic Confusion
From fetuses to babies.
In a spectacular murder case in Missouri, Lisa Montgomery strangled to death Bobbie Jo Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant. Montgomery cut open Stinnett's womb and kidnapped her child. This is a horrific crime that, like the Scott Peterson case, opens an uncomfortable window into our culture's tortured reasoning on anything related to unborn life.
During the coverage of the crime, the status of the Bobbie Jo Stinnett's unborn girl steadily changed. All at once on AOL News during the weekend, there were headlines tracking events in the case: "Woman Slain, Fetus Stolen"; "Woman Arrested, Baby Returned in Bizarre Murder"; "Infant in Good Health." Note how a "fetus" — something for which American law and culture has very little respect — was somehow instantly transformed into a "baby" and "infant" — for which we have the highest respect. By what strange alchemy does that happen?
An AP story effected this magic transition all in one sentence: "Authorities said Montgomery, 36, confessed to strangling Bobbie Jo Stinnett of Skidmore, Mo., on Thursday, cutting out the fetus and taking the baby back to Kansas." At one point, when Montgomery was still at large, an Amber Alert went out about the Stinnett girl, putting news organizations in the strange position of reporting such an alert for what many of them were still calling a "fetus."
Given that fetuses are routinely destroyed in America (and legally can be destroyed up to the point of delivery), it was odd to see such an uproar about the welfare of one. Indeed, it is tempting to say that from a pure legal point of view, Lisa Montgomery simply killed the wrong victim, taking the life of the mom instead of the fetus.
But that's not entirely true. Earlier this year Congress passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act partly in reaction to the Peterson case, making it a crime to harm an unborn baby while assaulting the mother. Kate Michelman, president of NARAL, complained that President Bush is doing "everything in his power to restrict a woman's right to choose." Right to choose what? To have her baby harmed by an assailant?
Pro-choicers realize that recognizing the legal status of a fetus in any way undermines a crucial philosophical support of the pro-choice position — that a baby in the womb has no rights that we are bound to respect. The Missouri "Unborn Child" law, which is in play in the Stinnett case, says "unborn children have protectable interests in life, health, and well-being." The attitude behind that law is impossible to square with the animating principle of Roe v. Wade, which protects any abortion, any time.
The Stinnett case is unusual, but violence against pregnant women — usually committed by the biological fathers — is not. According to the Washington Post, homicide is the leading cause of death in pregnant women. It is partly because the boyfriends or lovers decide they don't want the "fetus." As the Post put it in explaining one typical murder, the father "at first denied it was his child, then pressed for an abortion, then plotted murder." "It seems to me that these guys hope against hope for a miscarriage or an abortion, but when everything else fails, they take the life of the woman to avoid having the baby," Jack Levin of Northeastern University told the Post.
When we mourn not just for the women, but for the babies destroyed in such terrible acts, we commit a kind of transgression against the strictest pro-choice orthodoxy. Pro-choicers have a hard time explaining why, if Bill Clinton was right that abortion should be "legal, safe and rare," the practice should be rare. One reason is that there is a continuity between the "fetus" and "baby."
Otherwise, why do we rejoice over ultrasound images of the unborn? Why do we give them names? Why do we pray for their health and happiness? Why are we so quick to go from calling them fetuses to babies?
— Rich Lowry is author of Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years.
(c) 2004 King Features Syndicate
grace
stephenc

more...
One of our readers just discovered the demo of the week feature at armybarmy.com. I hope that you discover it, too, if you've not had the pleasure yet. Just go to our main menu page.
And, while I am adverting, check out JAC for the INTERVIEW ISSUE.
Oh, and don't forget to buy pigs, goats, and chickens at Christmas.

And my friend Xander, on the whole gardening, warring discussion reverberating aroung the blogosphere, concludes this (dno't attack me- I don't say I agree with everything he says): If you want be a gardener, join the Vineyard; if you want to be a warrior, join the Army."
Much grace
stephenc
info@thewarcollege.com

more...
My leader is great. I've pumped him up before and will continue to do so. One of his little things is the establishment of a 60-hour 'work' week in our division. Now, that sounds like a lot for some people (and not too much for several I know).
But Rob sent me a story that shames us on 60 hours. It is an account of ninety to a hundred hours each week at high tech firms that are exempt from Emplyment Standards. http://www.thetyee.ca/News/current/CreativeSweatShop.htm
It puots things in perspective on our spiritual fronts (no, I'm not suggesting 100 hour work weeks normally)...
much grace
stephenc

more...
two prayers from Ignatius (most recently, from Charles Roberts):
Surrender

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it
all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.

Generosity

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.
graec
stephenc

more today...
This is hot off the Holy Spirit press from Patricia King at extreme prophetic television- 12 prophetic directives for 2005:
http://extremeprophetic.com/content/ArchivesItem.phtml?art=265&c=0&id=11&style=2
grace
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more...
I just got a reference for someone in Africa with this life mission description:
"I am just doing my bit to depopulate the kingdom of darkness."
Nice
grace
sec

December 21, 2004.
Greetings iN Jesus' name, friends.
I don't frequent nfl.com but my buddy emailed me this short bit from it today:

By Gregg Easterbrook
Special to NFL.com


I Plan to Hire "Pew Pals" to Sit in Church for Me on
Christmas Eve

Can't spare the time to string those holiday lights?
Why not hire Christmas Décor, "providing professional
holiday and event decorating services since 1986."
Christmas Décor will deck the exteriors of homes or
businesses; "we also offer complete takedown and
storage services." Gwendolyn Bounds of the Wall Street
Journal reported that Christmas Décor charges a few
hundred dollars for simple home lights, but has billed
as much as $30,000 to decorate mansions of the rich.
Hey rich people who live in mansions: if you have
$30,000 to spend on Christmas lights, Jesus would tell
you to give the money to the poor. ("Whatsoever you do
to the least of them, you do unto me" -- not that Jesus
has anything to do with Christmas!)

Much grace
stephenC

Interesting news item from 24-7prayer.com...

"World's Leading Atheist Loses His Faith

British philosophy professor considered by many to have been the leading exponent of atheism for more than a half-century has - erm - changed his mind. He now believes in God more or less based on scientific evidence, and says so on a video released last Thursday.

At age 81, after decades of insisting belief is a mistake, Antony Flew has concluded that some sort of intelligence or first cause must have created the universe.

One distraught atheist this week said: "I'm not sure how to express what a big deal this is... Any halfwit can jump up and down denouncing God, but for a half century professor Anthony Flew has been considered probably the number one living intellectual proponent of religious skepticism and atheism."

Basically, over some period of time Flew has come to accept the "design" that there's simply too much complexity in DNA for life to have developed without some kind of intelligent guidance.

But before Christians start claiming Flew as 'one of our own', the man himself stresses that he's best labeled a deist like Thomas Jefferson, whose God was not actively involved in people's lives. "I'm thinking of a God very different from the God of the Christian and far and away from the God of Islam, because both are depicted as omnipotent Oriental despots, cosmic Saddam Husseins," he said. "It could be a person in the sense of a being that has intelligence and a purpose, I suppose."


Not a Christian yet, obviously, but very interesting nonetheless. C.S. Lewis was an Atheist, then Deist, before becoming a Christian. Not saying that will happen here, but might be a good idea to pray for Anthony Flew to have a revelation of Jesus now, one that goes beyond the perception of the Christian God as an "Oriental despot."

Grace,

Aaron

January 19, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
So, we're back in the saddle...
"Such a baptism of fire refines and sanctifies our life... throwing its halo over business, devotion, and recreation alike, so that every act and every thought reflects the image of our Lord. Is it not very plain that this is our great need? Our decorous coldness is our curse... Today we lack nothing but the fire." (Samuel Chadwick)

And, today.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

more today...
I saw this in littlegreenfootballs.com today...
“My mother doesn’t visit me in prison. If you see her, tell her she promised to bring me cheese curls and chocolate. And she shouldn’t forget to bring my red dress.”
Those pathetic words may be among the last utterances of a 19-year-old girl, identified only as Leila M, who has been condemned to death in Iran for “acts incompatible with chastity”.
According to Amnesty International, Leila has a mental age of eight. What evidence there is of her life so far records an existence of unrelieved misery and brutality.
She was sold into prostitution at the age of eight by her parents. She recalls the experience of when her mother “first took me to a man’s house” as “a horrible night. I cried a lot ... but then my mum came the next day and took me home. She brought me chocolate and cheese curls.”
Forced by beatings and threats to continue “visiting men” from that night onwards, she became pregnant and had twins when she was 14. She was punished with 100 lashes by the Iranian courts for giving birth to illegitimate children.
Leila was bullied back into her degrading and demeaning work. Earlier this year, she confessed to the authorities that she had been working as a prostitute since she was a child — perhaps because she thought that they might help her escape her miserable existence.
The courts did respond by pulling Leila out of prostitution, but they also imprisoned her and used her confession to convict her of “moral crimes”, for which the judges have decided the appropriate penalty is death.
____
And we're wrapped up in Christmas shopping and kettles, sports scores and trades (VC from TO), guests and errands.
And Canada has just opened the door to "muslim principles' ('not Sharia Law' wink wink) to be applied for Muslims in Canada (penalty for adultery is death, women's testimony worth half of man's, include civil and criminal law...).
And my oh my, it must be difficult being God (and Bruce Almighty was only responsible for about 10 square blocks).
much grace
stephenc

December 20, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Two items on my short agenda (well, maybe three...).
My friends Tom Freeman has thrown his hat into the blogging ring at http://1freeman.blogspot.com/ so I suggest you check him out.
Number two- Phil Laeger's new album is finished recording (not available yet) and he's giving us a sneak preview of all the songs on one track at http://www.phillaeger.com/songs/transmission_hifi.mp3 This is definitely something you should check out (and then pre-order at phillaeger.com).
Three... One of Tom's new blogs is about thinking about death. In class this week we studied Jonathan Edwards's 70 Resolutions (made when we was 19 and 20). JE is always, at 19, on about death, resolving to think about death, about how what he's doing now is going to go down when he's on his death bed, thinking about death and martyrdom and hell whenever he feels pain, and so on.
It sounds a little morose, but I suspect, when practised, it is an effective perspective through which to order your living.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Bubble Christians...

This is a term we coined in our cell today. It refers to the bubble that most of us grow up in (think Bubble Boy from Seinfeld). It is not just Christians that grow up in the bubble, but everyone. It is formed by the impressions we are given of what is normal, what is safe, what is acceptable, what is comfortable, what is desirable. These impressions are strongly reinforced by family, by school, especially by media, and yes, by church.

Anything outside of the bubble is abnormal, unsafe, risky, strange, wrong. The bubble is there, we are told, to help us stay alive. Going outside the bubble means death. And why would we go out? Everything we need, every comfort, is provided to us inside that bubble. To go outside means risking all of that.

But the bubble does not give us life. It actually prevents us from living. It is only fear and pressure that keeps us inside.

Another phrase for this specific to the West is "palatial prsions." We have created a palace for ourselves, for our society, wherein every need and comfort is provided for, but which we cannot leave, at least not easily. (I'm talking of course of a mindset, not physical captivity).

When I first heard the term "palatial prison", I thought immediately of the palace of Versaille. This sumptious palace, bedecked with every luxury and comfort, was created by the King of France as a "home" for the French Aristocracy. At Versailles their every whim was catered to, and they could spend their leisure time in any way they wanted to. But they could not leave, or at least were very strongly encouraged not to. In this way, the King could keep the nobles occupied while he went about ruling France without their interference. He created a fantasy world for them, in which everything centered around them. One notable luxury was a huge hallway full of mirrors (an uncommon sight in those times) where the "cream" of France could admire themselves endlessly in all their finery from every conceivable angle.

Sound familiar? It should. The West is our Versailles. We are busy staring at ourselves, while the real world carries on without us. Make a quick inventory of everything you encounter on a daily basis that is designed to make you feel like the most important person in the world, and to forget about everything else that is going on.

We need to smash the mirrors, burst the bubble, get out into the business of the real world.

Be warned though. When you do this, people get upset. It causes friction. They will want to lure you or drag you back to your bubble, telling you that you are not normal, that you are in danger. They will want you to get a normal job, so that you can get ahead (of what or whom?), so that you will be safe, so that your future will be secured, so that you won't flout society's conventions, so that...what?

Who says we have to live like that? Who determines normal? Why look for a safe and predictable life? The Spirit moves where it will, as unpredictable as the wind. How can our relationship with that kind of God be encased within any kind of bubble or palace?

Grace,

Aaron

more today...
Americans pray six time as much as they drink! (foxnews.com today). And, "Almost a third of the public say they pray several times a day, and two thirds pray at least once a day. Less than one in 10 Americans say they "never" pray.
Those most likely to pray on a daily basis include non-whites (83 percent), seniors (79 percent), women (75 percent), Republicans (74 percent) and Southerners (74 percent)."
While there's breath, there's hope.
grace,
sec

December 19, 204.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Did you know that we are a 'heavy-duty Christian group'?
I usually like to quote an old Funk and Wagnalls definition of us as an 'ultra-revivalist movement'. But heavy-duty Christian group is nice for the 21st C.
It comes from an article today about kettles catching the odd rare gold coin. The article (FoxNews.com) has this bit: "Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, a charity watchdog group, doubts the Salvation Army is planting the coins to create publicity. "They're a heavy-duty Christian group, so that may go against their principles," he said."

Indeed.
Hallelujah.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

December 18, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Someone asked for the new CUTTING EDGE url- it is http://www.vineyardusa.org/publications/cuttingedge.aspx
I used to joke that at some corps conversion was bigger than normal. Not only did you have to convert to Jesus Christ, but also to Shakespeare and John Phillip Sousa.
The response is a the knowing recognition that, of course, we're not to live and die as evangelists of WS or JPS.
However, I am growing more convinced that the culture thing is a very sticky date. We can be as pigion-holed in other music scenes as in marching bands, and in other styles as in Shakespearean English. Our jazz worship is as narrowly attractive as a hip hop or chamber music or grunge or choral or... Our NASB is as narrowly attractive as Message and AV.
Paul did try to be all things to all men so as by all possible means he might save some (yes, Paul saved people- get over it).
But Geoff Ryan is smelling better by the battle (see my blog yesterday).
Two thoughts:
1. We have to be who we are. Paul's chamelion tactics were within the bounds of integrity. We can't be hypocrites. Pagett suggests the same thing (and yet we need to be continnually transormed into His image).
2. Our mission is so comprehensively encompassing and our worldview so adversarial to the world system (and even slacker Christians) that it proves more difficult to persuade them to buy into Jesus on their terms, knowing, from personal experience, that He intends that we buy in on His terms (He's going to turn their world upside down, as the song suggests).
Any relevance is a means of accomplishing mission ('that I might save some'). I guess that means we should hold on to our favourite styles (of Bibles and worship and ...) loosely, and that we should aggressively love people and teach them the whole gospel (no cutting corners so that it is palatable or easy).
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

more today...
Chris Tidd has been blogging relevance for awhile now. You may want to hit him up at http://www.freewebs.com/christidd/fromthefront.htm
He's been on a bit about officership and the default call. There is an article on that subject in the JAC archives (see top right of the page). My position on officership is that we need heaps of officers. But you need to be good enough. Cory Harrison blogged the qualifications last week (see 242 top right). If you can't cut it, don't waste the Army's money. Although we need heaps of officers, we don't need specific people. That means, and no offence, we don't need you.
In fact, the shoe is on the other foot. You need us. You see, the Army provides the best means of you fulfilling the great commission. And if God is not calling you to anything else specifically, you need the Army. Bottom line.

We also need heaps of tent-makers. Tonnes of them. They, in the current climate, are more flexible and can get under the radar to places that we can't officially go.

Sign up for one or the other...
grace
sec

more today...
I just came across this nice line from a wonderful guy, an old friend of mine: "But, we've built a whole denomination... er, ah, I mean organization... I mean movement, on the warrior-military-hierarchy-come-join-the-army-to-battle-we-go jargon. We can't stop now. Don't buck the system, you rebel rouser."
This was part of a comment to something out there in the blogosphere.
What makes it fun is that he is being sarcastic.
And yet, I buy it at face value.
'a whole movement'... (hallelujah!)
'warrior' (The Salvation Army is a REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT of COVENANTED WARRIORS exercising HOLY PASSION towards WINNING THE WORLD FOR JESUS)
'military' (Army of God)
'hierarchy' (2 Timothy 2:2ff)
'come join our army to battle we go' (Geoff Ryan has a classic line about this: We didn�t just talk about evangelism and read books on it. We kitted up and headed for the front and never stopped to inquire politely of people �would you like to join us?� We lived our heroic lives amid the everyday and people flocked to our colors. The only question we asked was �can you keep up?� We were heroes, to saints and sinners alike. (TO BE OR NOT TO BE)
'jargon' (propaganda? frontline communication)
'We can't stop now' (amen- the end is almost in sight)
'Don't buck the system' (I love this, particularly because I am convinced that almost no one in this culture's generation has even whole-heartedly tried The System. Let's not buck it until we give it an honest atempt- maybe three years?)
'you rebel rouser' (may we all rouse the mighty warriors and rebels against this world system).

Have we identified a slight problem, in which one soldier's sarcasm is another's sincerity? One person's mocking is another's mission?
much grace
stephenc

more today...
The term 'baptism of the Spirit' is now a useless term because of it's varied meanings by different parties in years past.

The term 'second blessing', although relegated to retro status and only used by a sliver of salvos, is in similar danger.

Testimonies of second blessing that do not include repentance and consecration are generally not testimonies of second blessing but of anointing (both are great things!).
grace
sec

Warriors vs. Gardeners...

Are we called to be warriors or gardeners in our service of Jesus? Both. Its a false dichotomy.

Writers like Sine and Girard have talked about the need for the emergent church to grasp both sides of this equation. So, for example, in response to suffering and despair, we first learn how to mourn with those who mourn, to understand pain, to know sometimes that the best we can do, like Job's friends at the start, is to be present with people.

At the same time, we do have a message of hope, of a new future, of a promised redemption of all creation. We have the Victorious Christ (if Revelation is not a war metaphor, then I don't know what is. White Rider with a great wacking sword?) And this can be proclaimed as the ultimate solution to hopelessness. It probably isn't proclaimed enough (are we embarassed or something?)

The Army is actually well suited to hold the gardener and warrior elements in balance, just so long as we don't think we have to do away with one for the sake of the other. That would be cutting of our nose to spite our face.

24-7 prayer also does a good job of being garderners and warriors all at the same time. Check out "The Vision" for all the militancy you can handle, and then check out their values for how to be good gardeners. (www.24-7prayer.com)

Grace,

Aaron

December 17, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Look, I know that it is long, but I wish that every salvo involved some way in dealing with people messed up in drugs would read this article that just came in from the territorial sex trafficking commission. It crushes the pathetic harm reduction 'argument' in entertaining fashion.

Harm reduction is not the right road
Sun, December 12, 2004
By Harry Lehotsky
Winnipeg Sun

I've been hearing more and more talk about "harm reduction." At first I didn't argue because it sounded like a noble pursuit.

Then I heard some activists boasting that they've started a "Manitoba Harm Reduction Network." That's when I started getting more suspicious.

I thought to myself, "We were all in this together. Why would some folks want a separate network for harm reduction?"

As I talked with some of the members and proponents of this coalition, they made it clear that forming the network was one way of distinguishing themselves from those who "naively" obsessed over harm elimination rather than focusing on harm reduction.

They're advocating that we re-prioritize our collective efforts (staffing, programs and funding) into harm reduction. I'm wondering if it's purely coincidental that while government cuts treatment (harm elimination) they're talking more and more about harm reduction.

If pushed to be honest, many confess that they have given up on eliminating the harm. Some of them don't even want to discuss all the harms. And most of these activists are certain they want to avoid any appearance of judgment regarding the behaviour of addicts and criminals whose harms they seek to reduce.

But their rhetoric outstrips our reality. The philosophical propaganda of harm reduction is betrayed by lack of practical proof.

Do you see less harm to addicts and their victims? Do you see fewer prostitutes on the street? Have you noticed the decrease in violence and mayhem due to the "harm-reduced" version of crack addiction?

But these folks are unflinching in their assessment of their own importance. They insist that the only reason they haven't succeeded is that we haven't yet surrendered enough tax dollars, ideals and programs to their agenda of harm reduction. They dismiss or attack attempts to evaluate their philosophical claims of harm reduction.

Government is increasing distribution of crack kits to addicts who don't want to stop -- while decreasing the treatment options for those who want to stop.

Harm reduction activists won't bite the hand that feeds them. Their calls for adequate treatment are muted by their awareness of how they profit from government's perverted priorities.

Harm reduction makes the most sense when delivered by medical professionals. Not social activists, many of whom are philosophically opposed to some efforts at harm elimination.

Does it make more sense to fund more programs to tell addicts what they already know? Shouldn't we rather fund places that help them stop when they want to quit?

Harm-reduction activists won't advertise how "needle exchange" programs have deteriorated into "needle distribution" programs. The needles are still out there -- carelessly discarded and easily picked up or stepped on by kids and others. And how many of those addicts haven't contracted HIV or Hep C through some other aspect of their destructive lifestyle? Let's not exaggerate the harms reduced.

If the network is so concerned about reducing harm, why don't they introduce a condom exchange program? Folks could bring in a used condom (instead of dumping it out the window on the sidewalk) and, in exchange, receive two new condoms, a chocolate bar and a cigarette.

I've wondered previously why harm reduction activists don't distribute clean sniff rags for sniffers. The WRHA could publish lists of less harmful solvents and techniques by which they can be abused more "safely."

Government and agencies seem to be dedicating more and more resources to harm reduction rather than treatment.

In an article months ago, I mockingly postulated that perhaps unrepentant pedophiles should be given a condom and safe-rape kit before being released onto our streets.

I was shocked to learn that harm reduction activists in Cambodia actually admitted that they have counselled children as young as six in the art of servicing tourists.

They work to build relationships and encourage change. But in the end, the only practical help they offer is instruction in how to use a condom, and how to say "please wear a condom" in English, Japanese and German.

For children as young as six years old!

Some of these groups are so anxious to preserve their role in "harm reduction" that they refuse to jeopardize their relationships with brothel owners by getting them busted or ratting them out.

Donna Hughes, professor at the University of Rhode Island, provides a very appropriate analogy.

Imagine if 19th century abolitionists were willing to mute their protest against slavery in order to cultivate better relationships with slave traders. Imagine if they contented themselves with facilitating better conditions on slave ships.

I can just imagine members of historical "harm reduction networks" distributing bottles of sunscreen to alleviate sores and cancers caused by extreme exposure to ultra-violet rays. To get close enough to the slaves, they'd have to be sufficiently non-judgmental enough not to incur the wrath of the plantation owners.

Thank God for some folks who were willing to balance tolerance with sound judgment. Thank God for abolitionists who didn't content themselves with harm reduction.

As I survey the chaos, crime and agony caused by today's slavery to addiction and prostitution, I'd rather take my stand with the "naive" abolitionists than the "realistic" harm reductionists.

Harm reduction makes sense within a context of harm elimination. If you're not committed to the latter, you're not fully equipped for the former.

Rev. Harry Lehotsky is a founding member of New Life Ministries on Maryland Street. His column appears Sundays.
Letters to the editor should be sent to: editor@wpgsun.com
_________
Much grace,
Stephen Court
posted by Stephen Court

Posted by: armybarmy / 5:17 AM

December 16, 2004.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
My friend Baracah Walters-Wulfing started blogging- you can bookmark her at
http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=roaringlamb007

I just finished some quick blog surfing and want to highlight some money moments for you tonight:

Cory Harrison (nailing it again). He is at 242 up at the top right of the page. He must be quoting William Booth's Visions with some scandalous (for some) words of Samuel. Worth a look and a prayer.

Jonathan Evans throws down the gauntlet on the world with plans to win it. Instead of the minister of hard drink I suspect he'll get a noble title along the way (see his blog suburbanoutpost.blogspot.com at the top right).

And Steve Wiseman asks if you are a gardener or a warrior. He's at http://www.mississaugatemple.com/connexions/ It is a strawman argument, but nicely made. I mean, it is not one or the other, necessarily. For every fruity quote you can scare up a battle-ready one. Matthew 11:12 popped up this morning for us, that the Kingdom of God advances forcefully and the violent men take it by force. Now that verse smacks of warfare (not to get text-versey). But there are heaps of Jesus lines in the kingdom parables or John 15 or one Steve mentions, Matthew 9:37 (which, incidently, is preceded by a pastoral (sheep and shepherd) allusion, some demon-kicking (warfare or weeding?), healing (warfare or fertilizing?) and Kingdom preaching (warfare or sowing?), and continues with the request that God will thrust workers into the field (actually, that sounds just a little bit like a battle field?! : -) Jesus seems to make all kinds of different allusions)... that suggest we've got heaps to learn by living out the gardener way.

I think that the bottom line might be that 1. Salvos have a warrior anointing, and 2. This is a season of war. Inside and outside of the Army the Body of Christ is tossing in rakes and picking up swords (some exceptions, notably in the emergent stream- but hey, let me, at this juncture, not give up that stream, either, over to the planters, as my fellow blogger, Aaron White, when he actually gets around to blogging, can make a cogent argument (with almost anything, but, in this case...) that the primitive salvos were the proto-postmoderns!). We're perfectly placed and strategicaly blessed for such a time as this.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
info@thewarcollege.com

more today...
I just found a song by my friend Acacia Walters-Wulfing. It is called Sweet:
http://www.stompmachine.com/mp3/Tal%20and%20Aca%20Sweet.mp3
Give it a listen!
Much grace,
StephenC

hey- there is a brand spanking new demo of the week up by Josh Ivany. You may have heard of the words- TRUST AND OBEY (see the demo of the week feature at the armybarmy.com menu page).
grace
stephenc

more...
I just read this from SALVATIONIST online. Captain Christine Ord, a medical doctor and corps officer at Leicester Castle, reflects on a remarkable healing.
JOHN BUTTERWORTH is a soldier at Leicester Castle. John is a nurse by profession but after an accident at work that injured his right knee, he had to take early retirement. For the next three years he had an endless and depressing series of hospital appointments, investigations and consultations with a variety of professionals – with much indecision about the most appropriate treatment.
Worst of all, John experienced increasing pain and disability. A regular regime of painkillers partially relieved the problem but walking was so difficult that he went to Roots 2004 in a wheelchair. His wife and friends pushed him from the hotel to various venues during the weekend.
As we left the Big Top after Sunday evening worship a friend challenged John to accept prayer for healing. He agreed and, not wishing to miss the opportunity, 12 people ushered him into the nearby prayer tent. The group of friends gathered round his wheelchair and, led by Major Phil Garnham (Raynes Park/WBC), began to pray.
John’s leg started to tremble and he appeared to be in pain but, sensing the presence of God, we continued to pray. After about 20 minutes John stood up and then knelt down – he had not done that for more than two years! John pushed his chair out of the prayer tent and back to the hotel. He was completely healed.
Just as miraculous was the recovery of John’s personality which had become increasingly soured by his difficulties. God released him physically and emotionally from his pain and the next morning he was witnessing to the hotel manager about the miracle God had performed in his life!
Recently at the corps, members of the congregation were invited to write on a board things they enjoy and thank God for. John was first to respond, writing boldly ‘skiing and motorbike riding’.
Those of us privileged to witness this miracle learnt a never-to-be-forgotten lesson about the power and presence of God! John’s healing continues to have implications for our corps – which is going through a period of change including moving to a new building. We are being challenged to consider the essence of who we are and this is often a painful process.
As we prayed for John, Major Garnham felt God was saying to us that our corps was also going to step out boldly in new ways. The healing that we saw was a message from God, which said very clearly: ‘This is what I am capable of and, look, I am with you!’ It was an awesome moment.
It also taught us