Armybarmy Blog

In Darkest India...

Here is the London "Speaker" on the capacity of Gen. Booth for
winning the masses._

"Seeing from what the Salvation Army has grown, and to what it has grown,
we are extremely reluctant to denounce any scheme seriously and
carefully elaborated by its leader, as being "too big to be
practicable." We must remember who will be the "one head and centre" of
the scheme. There are many weak points in General Booth: he is only
human. But he is an earnest man; he has proved his talent for
organisation; he has proved his capacity for winning the sympathies of
the masses. We would say nothing against gentleness, and quiet, and
culture. We hope to attain them in the end. It is a pretty work to prune
the vine, a beautiful thing to let in the sunlight on the fruit, and to
watch the perfection of bloom, and shape, and color; but first of all
something has to be done at the roots, something at which we may hold
our noses, but which is for all that requisite."
____
amen.
grace
stephenc

March 31, 2005.
(playing U2)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Wow- My friend Darren just pointed me to IN DARKEST INDIA, by Booth-Tucker. Expect a flurry of blogs on this subject.

Here's one line about IN DARKEST ENGLAND Scheme:
"When Christ reigns as Viceroy for Jehovah for a thousand years, as the
Word of God so distinctly intimates, it may be that some such plan as
this, far more perfect and world-wide in its aim, will form part of the
inaugurative forces of that happy lot."
____
Bring on the blueprint.
grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

church growth?
Hi- I saw this at the TKS Blog about someone visiting Turkey:
"The call to prayer: I wonder if church attendance would be higher if five times a day, a loudspeaker at the top of the steeple blared, “Come to chuuuuuuurch… Come on, you know you ought toooooo…. God’s done a lot for yoooooooou, you can spare an hooooour…”"
___
haha
grace
sec

integrity?
(playing- 'Holy' on SOZO)
I just finished reading PREACHING WITH INTEGRITY by Kenton Anderson (sequel to Preaching with Conviction), a narrative on Biblical preaching.
I was stunned by some recent stats he quotes in the book:
- 64% of pastors confess to a sexual addition
- 25% of pastors confess to having sexual intercourse with someone other than their wives while married, and since they were converted to Jesus Christ
----
I'm sorry. I just don't get it. Basically two out of every three pastors are sexually addicted? One in four is an adulterer?
I'm flabberghasted. I'm dumbfounded. I am at a total loss for words (rare, I know).
It is entirely outside my understanding.
You do get that I don't get it?

How can this be?
I am guessing these are mostly non-holiness movement types (is that naive? I mean, you 'hear' about exceptions but they are very rare.

I'm not sure what they mean by sexual addiction. If they're using addiction to rationalise intentional, habitual sin, these 'pastor's' aren't saved. So we're looking at one Christian out of every three pastors. And, I expect, the adulters are within the confessing 'addicts'.

And people wonder why the Church doesn't impact the world (they do wonder, don't they?).

Here's what I observe. We've been blessed by some non-salvos who've come alongside us to fight. They're keen Christians who enrich our lives and increase our effectiveness. One early observation from one of them was that our little community of warriors was the holiest thing she'd experienced (disclaimer- this has nothing to do with me, as she doesn't know me that well. Before you think that's bragging, I lived in a place where it was discovered that two volunteers had sex in the barracks!).

A holy God commands and enables holiness. And He deserves it.
grace
StephenC

Hippocratic Oath

This is an update on the declension of the oath medical doctors traditionally take- relevant, I guess, due to the current travesty in Florida, from The Corner Blog:
"The old oath was inconvenient to modern medicine and so has been rewritten variously in different med schools. For more information, look here, but the important finding runs as follows: "According to a 1993 survey of 150 U.S. and Canadian medical schools, for example, only 14 percent of modern oaths prohibit euthanasia, 11 percent hold convenant with a deity, 8 percent foreswear abortion, and a mere 3 percent forbid sexual contact with patients -- all maxims held sacred in the classical version."
grace
sec

March 30, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus's name, friends.

"An Army without training, without drill, would be simply a loose, helpless mob, a source of weakness and danger, impossible to hold together, though every one of them may have hearts full of zeal for God and love to man; so we must train them, and that to the uttermost." General William Booth

Training needs to be mission-focused, charismatic-saturated, incarnationally-entrenched, covenantally committed, and doctrinally sound (!) (any absent elements weaken the results). Let's do it. We do it here in Vancouver...

Much grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

The Royal Bloodwashed...

Armybarmy Bloggees will know that this name describes the soldiers of the Australia #1 Corps, Adelaide Congree Hall. That book includes some amazing reports. Here is an interesting one: "July 1887: 13 souls for the week. Thank God for victory. We've had some glorious manifestations of the Spirit of God."
I wonder what they mean by manifestations...
grace,
sec

More on Florida...

From Nordlinger at NRO:
"the Wall Street Journal: "Demonstrating in her wheelchair with a 'Feed Terri' sign in Florida this week, Eleanor Smith — a self-described lesbian, liberal and agnostic — told Reuters: 'At this point I would rather have a right-wing Christian decide my fate than an ACLU member.'""
___
Amen.
grace,
sec

March 29, 2005.
(playing- Chicago blues- hat tip JP and EH)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Two of my friends, Ross and Darren Hailes, have started blogging and you should check them out (although Ross needs to raise his consistency game):

http://darrenhailes.blogspot.com>http://darrenhailes.blogspot.com

http://rosshailes.blogspot.com>http://rosshailes.blogspot.com

Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Hello again -

I was on my way over here (to 614 HQ) and I was talking with the Lord and saying that I truly DO believe that when I pray, powerful things happen.  I BELIEVE it.  I'm seeing evidence of that. Holy Ghost shows up and things get accomplished for the Kingdom. But ONLY when I pray in His will.  Otherwise I can listen to the sound of my own voice till the cows come home and things will remain stagnant. 
Alongside that, I've been meditating on Genesis 22 lately the whole Jacob's wrestle bit and in light of what a comrade of mine sent me today I feel that it fits with us and our intentions upon entering into prayer:

"Many a dynamic message has been preached using the words of Jacob as an example for what we should do in prayer: 'I won't let you go until you bless me' (see v.26). I've done it myself.
However, Scripture does not present this wrestling match as an example of how we are to pray. The reason it lasted so long is...God and Jacob were after different things. Jacob wanted protection from Esau; God desired a nature change in Jacob..."
pg. 155, Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets

The deal is, that our Father is always at His work, and we too are working - but we must be listening because we can do nothing by ourselves, we can only do and speak what we see and hear our Father doing. Outside of that we'll waste time praying for things that are outside of God's will and therefore, not on God's agenda. Instead, put on ears to hear and listen o what the Spirit is saying. Then pray that. Works every time.

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

Happy Resurrection Day brothers and sisters!

“I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.”

—POET ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING

that's how I feel about Jesus...

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

Mach 27, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

review of THE PASSION
(playing- Heather Clark, Dark yet Lovely)
(I'm still at steynonline.com and there is a classic bit you'll enjoy):
The headline on the Washington Post review sums it up: “‘Passion’ Is A Gory Take On A Gentle Teacher’s Violent End”. Somebody’s confusing their Scripture with Godspell. A few days before the “violent end”, the gentle teacher had been hurling tables around in the temple. And, even if you overlook the rough stuff, rhetorically Christ was as forceful as He was gentle.

That’s the real argument over The Passion Of The Christ. It’s not between Christians and Jews, but between believing Christians and the broader post-Christian culture, a term that covers a large swathe, from the media to your average Anglican vicar. Some in this post-Christian culture don’t believe anything, some are riddled with doubts, but even the ones with only a vague residual memory of the fluffier Sunday School stories are agreed that there’s little harm in a Jesus figure who’s a “gentle teacher”. In this world, if Jesus were alive today he’d most likely be a gay Anglican bishop in a committed relationship driving around in an environmentally-friendly car with an “Arms Are For Hugging” sticker on the way to an interfaith dialogue with a Wiccan and a couple of Wahhabi imams. If that’s your boy, Mel Gibson’s movie is not for you.

Indeed, though Mel is Catholic, his Passion is a hit thanks to evangelical Protestants – those who believe the Bible is the literal truth and not a “useful narrative” culminating in what the Bishop of Durham called a “conjuring trick with bones”. Instead of Jesus the wimp, Mel gives us Jesus the Redeemer. He died for our sins – ie, the “violent end” is the critical bit, not just an unfortunate misunderstanding cruelly cutting short a promising career in gentle teaching. The followers of Wimp Jesus seem to believe He died to license our sins – Jesus loves us for who we are so whatever’s your bag is cool with Him.

Strictly as a commercial proposition, Wimp Jesus is a loser: the churches who go down that path are emptying out and dying. Those who believe in Christ the Redeemer are booming, and Mel Gibson has made a movie for them. If Hollywood was as savvy as it thinks it is, it would have beaten him to it. But it isn’t so it didn’t. And as most studio execs have never seen an evangelical Christian except in films where they turn out to be paedophiles or serial killers, it’s no wonder they’re baffled by The Passion’s success.
____
True, true.
grace,
stephenc

religion in America and Europe

Mark Steyn (steynonline.com) distinguishes American religion from that in Europe:

"Anti-Americanism makes strange bedfellows. The Arab Islamists despise America because it’s all lap-dancing and gay-phone sex; Europe’s radical secularists despise America because it’s all born-again Christians hung up on abortion. They’re both right. The free market enables Hustler to thrive. And the free market in churches enables religion to thrive. In Europe, the established church, whether formal (the Church of England) or informal (as in Catholic Ireland, Italy and Spain), killed religion as surely as state ownership killed the British car industry. When the Episcopal Church degenerates into a bunch of wimpsville self-doubters, Americans go elsewhere. When the Church of England undergoes similar institutional decline, Britons give up on religion entirely.
____
What does it say to the Salvos?

Grace,
stephenc

March 26, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Gordon Cotterill brings it again this morning at URBANArmy (top right). Go there first, I'd say.

This might be of more interest to our American friends (it was forwarded to me via email this weekend- edited by me):

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and
only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish
but have eternal life. John 3:16

I send greetings to all those celebrating Easter, the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice and
triumph over death, Christ lifted the sights of
humanity forever. In His teachings, the poor have heard
hope, the proud have been challenged, and the weak and
dying have found assurance. Today, the words of Jesus
continue to comfort and strengthen Christians around
the world.

During this holy season, we thank God for His blessings
and ask for His wisdom and guidance... May the
joy of Easter fill our hearts with gratitude for our
freedom, love for our neighbors, and hope for peace.
gwb
____
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Good Friday and Terri Schiavo

I just saw this news piece about Florida Governor Jeb Bush, a Catholic, who pulled out of participation in a Good Friday service this morning at the last minute:

"As part of this event Jeb Bush would have publicly read from a printed program that includes the following text entitled the Fifth Station of the Cross;  "Lord Jesus, sometimes I don't want to do what is right or to help someone in need, but you want me to respond positively to the needs of others in my life.  Help me to say 'yes' and be willing to give heroic assistance to all who are in need."
____
God help him pray that prayer.
grace,
stephenc

March 25, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Isaiah 53:10- But the LORD was pleased to crush Him.

The Lord was pleased to Jesus.

This thing goes deeper than I think we'll ever understand, at least here on earth.
Hallelujah.
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court
PS see URBANarmy top right for a great blog on this good Friday

HERE'S A FANTASTIC LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE LEGALIZE PROSTITUTION DEBATE RAGING IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD... enjoy!
Danielle

Sweden's Prostitution Solution:
Why Hasn't Anyone Tried This Before?

In a centuries deep sea of clichés despairing that 'prostitution will always be with us', one country's success stands out as a solitary beacon lighting the way. In just five years Sweden has dramatically reduced the number of its women in prostitution. In the capital city of Stockholm the number of women in street prostitution has been reduced by two thirds, and the number of johns has been reduced by 80%. There are other major Swedish cities where street prostitution has all but disappeared. Gone too, for the most part, are the renowned Swedish brothels and massage parlors which proliferated during the last three decades of the twentieth century when prostitution in Sweden was legal.


In addition, the number of foreign women now being trafficked into Sweden for sex is nil. The Swedish government estimates that in the last few years only 200 to 400 women and girls have been annually sex trafficked into Sweden, a figure that's negligible compared to the 15,000 to 17,000 females yearly sex trafficked into neighboring Finland. No other country, nor any other social experiment, has come anywhere near Sweden's promising results.

By what complex formula has Sweden managed this feat? Amazingly, Sweden's strategy isn't complex at all. It's tenets, in fact, seem so simple and so firmly anchored in common sense as to immediately spark the question, "Why hasn't anyone tried this before?"

Sweden's Groundbreaking 1999 Legislation


In 1999, after years of research and study, Sweden passed legislation that a) criminalizes the buying of sex, and b) decriminalizes the selling of sex. The novel rationale behind this legislation is clearly stated in the government's literature on the law:


"In Sweden prostitution is regarded as an aspect of male violence against women and children. It is officially acknowledged as a form of exploitation of women and children and constitutes a significant social problem... gender equality will remain unattainable so long as men buy, sell and exploit women and children by prostituting them."


In addition to the two pronged legal strategy, a third and essential element of Sweden's prostitution legislation provides for ample and comprehensive social service funds aimed at helping any prostitute who wants to get out, and additional funds to educate the public. As such, Sweden's unique strategy treats prostitution as a form of violence against women in which the men who exploit by buying sex are criminalized, the mostly female prostitutes are treated as victims who need help, and the public is educated in order to counteract the historical male bias that has long stultified thinking on prostitution. To securely anchor their view in firm legal ground, Sweden's prostitution legislation was passed as part and parcel of the country's 1999 omnibus violence against women legislation.


An Early Obstacle in the Path


Interestingly, despite the country's extensive planning prior to passing the legislation, the first couple years into this novel project nothing much happened at all. Police made very few arrests of johns and prostitution in Sweden, which had previously been legalized, went on pretty much as it had gone on before. Naysayers the world over responded to the much publicized failure with raucous heckling, "See? Prostitution always has been, and it always will be."


But eminently secure in the thinking behind their plan, the Swedes paid no heed. They quickly identified, then solved the problem. The hang-up, the place where their best efforts had snagged, was that law enforcement wasn't doing it's part. The police themselves, it was determined, needed in-depth training and orientation to what the Swedish public and legislature already understood profoundly. Prostitution is a form of male violence against women. The exploiter/buyers need to be punished, and the victim/prostitutes need to be helped. The Swedish government put up extensive funds and the country's police and prosecutors, from the top ranks down to the officer on the beat, were given intensive training and a clear message that the country meant business. It was then that the country quickly began to see the unequaled results.


Today, not only do the Swedish people continue to overwhelming support their country's approach to prostitution (80% of people in favor according to national opinion polls), but the country's police and prosecutors have also come around to be among the legislation's staunchest supporters. Sweden's law enforcement has found that the prostitution legislation benefits them in dealing with all sex crimes, particularly in enabling them to virtually wipe out the organized crime element that plagues other countries where prostitution has been legalized or regulated.


The Failure of Legalization and/or Regulation Strategies


This Swedish experiment is the single, solitary example in a significant sized population of a prostitution policy that works. In 2003, the Scottish government in looking to revamp its own approach to prostitution enlisted the University of London to do a comprehensive analysis of outcomes of prostitution policies in other countries. In addition to reviewing Sweden's program, the researchers chose Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands to represent various strategies of legalizing and/or regulating prostitution. The researchers did not review the situation where prostitution is criminalized across the board as it is in the US. The outcome of that approach is already well known. The failures and futility of the revolving door of arresting and rearresting prostitutes is all too familiar the world over.


But the outcomes, as revealed in the Univ. of London study, in the states under review that had legalized or regulated prostitution were found to be just as discouraging or even more discouraging than the traditional all round criminalization. In each case the results were dramatic in the negative.


Legalization and/or regulation of prostitution, according to the study, led to:




A dramatic increase in all facets of the sex industry,



A dramatic increase in the involvement of organized crime in the sex industry,



A dramatic increase in child prostitution,



An explosion in the number of foreign women and girls trafficked into the region, and



Indications of an increase in violence against women.





In the state of Victoria, Australia, where a system of legalized, regulated brothels was established, there was such an explosion in the number of brothels that it immediately overwhelmed the system's ability to regulate them, and just as quickly these brothels became a mire of organized crime, corruption, and related crimes. In addition, surveys of the prostitutes working under systems of legalization and regulation find that the prostitutes themselves continue to feel coerced, forced, and unsafe in the business.


A survey of legal prostitutes under the showcase Netherlands legalization policy finds that 79% say they want to get out of the sex business. And though each of the legalization/regulation programs promised help for prostitutes who want to leave prostitution, that help never materialized to any meaningful degree. In contrast, in Sweden the government followed through with ample social services funds to help those prostitutes who wanted to get out. 60% of the prostitutes in Sweden took advantage of the well funded programs and succeeded in exiting prostitution.*



* The full Scottish government report on prostitution policies can be seen at www.scottish.parliament.uk




So Why Hasn't Anyone Tried This Before?


Why, then, with Sweden's success so clearly lighting the way, aren't others quickly adopting the plan? Well, some are. Both Finland and Norway are on the verge of making the move. And if Scotland takes the advise of its own study, it will go in that direction too. But, the answer to the question of why other countries aren't jumping to adopt Sweden's plan is probably the same as the answer to the question of why governments haven't tried Sweden's solution before.


In order to see prostitutes as victims of male coercion and violence it requires that a government first switch from seeing prostitution from the male point of view to the female point of view. And most, if not virtually all, countries of the world still see prostitution and every other issue from a predominantly male point of view.


Sweden, in contrast, has led the way in promoting equality for women for a very long time. In 1965, for example, Sweden criminalized rape in marriage. Even by the 1980's there were states in the United States that still hadn't made that fundamental recognition of women's rights to control her own body. The Swedish government also stands out in having the highest proportion of women at all levels of government. In 1999, when Sweden passed its groundbreaking prostitution legislation, the Swedish Parliament was composed of nearly 50% women.


Sweden's prostitution policy was first designed and lobbied for by Sweden's organization of women's shelters and was then fostered and fought for by a bipartisan effort of Sweden's uniquely powerful and numerous female parliamentarians. Nor has Sweden stopped there. In 2002, Sweden passed additional legislation bolstering the original prostitution legislation. The 2002 Act Prohibiting Human Trafficking for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation closed some of the loopholes in the earlier legislation and further strengthened the government's ability to go after the network of persons that surround and support prostitution, such as the recruiters, the transporters, and the hosts.


And Why Can't We Copy Sweden's Success Here?


While it's probably true that we and other countries are still much more steeped in patriarchal darkness than Sweden, there's no reason we can't push now for the policy changes that Sweden has made. The beauty of it is that once the ground has been broken and the proof of success has been established, it should be ever much easier to convince others to go down that path.

Peggy Noon on Terri Schiavo

Peggy Noonan can write. Here is a bit of her stuff on this important situation from opinionjournal.com today...
____
"God made the world or he didn't.

God made you or he didn't.

If he did, your little human life is, and has been, touched by the divine. If this is true, it would be true of all humans, not only some. And so--again, if it is true--each human life is precious, of infinite value, worthy of great respect.

Most--not all, but probably most--of those who support Terri Schiavo's right to live believe the above. This explains their passion and emotionalism. They believe they are fighting for an invaluable and irreplaceable human life. They are like the mother who is famously said to have lifted the back of a small car off the ground to save a child caught under a tire. You're desperate to save a life, you're shot through with adrenaline, your strength is for half a second superhuman, you do the impossible.

That is what they are trying to do.
...
I do not understand the emotionalism of the pull-the-tube people. What is driving their engagement? Is it because they are compassionate, and their hearts bleed at the thought that Mrs. Schiavo suffers? But throughout this case no one has testified that she is in persistent pain, as those with terminal cancer are.

If they care so much about her pain, why are they unconcerned at the suffering caused her by the denial of food and water? And why do those who argue for Mrs. Schiavo's death employ language and imagery that is so violent and aggressive? The chairman of the Democratic National Committee calls Republicans "brain dead." Michael Schiavo, the husband, calls House Majority Leader Tom DeLay "a slithering snake."

Everyone who has written in defense of Mrs. Schiavo's right to live has received e-mail blasts full of attacks that appear to have been dictated by the unstable and typed by the unhinged. On Democratic Underground they crowed about having "kicked the sh-- out of the fascists." On Tuesday James Carville's face was swept with a sneer so convulsive you could see his gums as he damned the Republicans trying to help Mrs. Schiavo. It would have seemed demonic if he weren't a buffoon.

Why are they so committed to this woman's death?

They seem to have fallen half in love with death.

What does Terri Schiavo's life symbolize to them? What does the idea that she might continue to live suggest to them?

Why does this prospect so unnerve them? Again, if you think Terri Schiavo is a precious human gift of God, your passion is explicable. The passion of the pull-the-tube people is not.

I do not understand their certainty. I don't "know" that any degree of progress or healing is possible for Terri Schiavo; I only hope they are. We can't know, but we can "err on the side of life." How do the pro-death forces "know" there is no possibility of progress, healing, miracles? They seem to think they know. They seem to love the phrases they bandy about: "vegetative state," "brain dead," "liquefied cortex."
____
This is far from a political battle. It seems to be the forces of evil in the heavenly realms that are pulling plugs here. You fight fire with fire. Prayer is the way to go.
grace,
StephenC

IJM
(playing collective soul)
Can I pump International Justice Mission again?

I get their prayer updates and visit their site. They are like the Incredibles and the other supers, running around and beating on the bad guys while rescuing the innocents.

I love these guys. You have to be a lawyer or a police officer, I think, to belong (but people like the rest of us can pray and give money). Anyway, they are bringing godly justice to many persecuted people. Check them out at ijm.org.
Much grace
sec

McAlister back in the saddle
(playing- wattershed- SOUL CANDY)
John is finally blogging again at Justice and Mercy (tragically, no longer up on the top right- but on my bookmarks at http://justiceandmercy.blogspot.com/). He's back with two fresh ones so far. I recommend them.
grace
stephenc

covenant keeping?

Over at Chris Hinton's blog there is a little debate developing on the importance of covenant- a topic dear to my heart. You may want to check it out and jump in the fray: http://www.sabooks.org.uk/blogs/chris/?p=201
Much grace
StephenC

In Response to Prophetic vs. Relevant...

Jesus - the place where the prophetic and the relevant meet and change the world.

Incarnation = relevancy

Grace,

Aaron

March 24, 2005.
(playing Psalm 23- Jason Upton)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I just read in the new SALVATIONIST online that Saturday is known as Holy Saturday. Did you know that? I don't recall knowing that. It is intended to be the quietest day of the year...
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Skype

Hey everyone. You should probably check out skype.com. It may revolutionise salvo warfare networks.

It is totally free. And it means you can talk (from computer to computer) free.

Then we can talk. Free.
Grace,
StephenC

March 23, 2005.
(playing- soteria)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
See Phil Laeger at Raving Lunatic (top right) for a way to respond to the terrible stuff happening to Terri Schiavo in Florida (you should read the comments to his blog for details).

Here are some facts on the case (lifted from nationalreview.com):  
"The mainstream media continues to use such phrases as “life support,” “coma,” “dying,” and “persistent vegetative state.” Let’s get something clear: Terri was not on life support. She breathes on her own and her brain can still keep her organs functioning. Terri wasn’t dying any more than the rest of us until her feeding and hydration tube was pulled on Friday. At that point, she started to die, just like you and I would if we were denied food and water for an extended period of time. Even those who willingly fast generally take water. But Terri isn’t even allowed ice chips for her cracking lips. And no mention has been made of pain relief for the agony that accompanies death by dehydration and starvation.

"Nor is Terri in a coma. It’s not even clear that she’s in a persistent vegetative state, since she’s never had the benefit of diagnostic exams such as an MRI or PET. The video and audio tapes of her indicate some awareness — an awareness reminiscent of a newborn infant who can’t yet clearly see, comprehend, or speak. Disability or lack of ability are not grounds for starvation."
____
This is the issue. Life is sacred to God. The slope is getting slippery.
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

infanticide in a neighbourhood near you...
I was blown away (I know this kind of stuff happens in Europe, but...).
This is information you'll want: http://nationalreview.com/smithw/smith200503220759.asp
grace
sec

Screwtape on ProLife
You'll want to read this: http://nationalreview.com/comment/gurdon200503220755.asp
Wow.
grace
stephenc

crucifixion
In our cell today we were asked what it means to us.
My quick answer is this:
The Crucifixion is the essential moment in history. Without it I'd be going to hell.
And so would you.
grace,
stephenc

March 22, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
(playing- delirious- world service)

Some are getting on me for not caring about relevance. I care so much that I am not participating in this teenager thing our guys are running called R.A.W. (ready and willing- hat tip boxhill).
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Good Afternoon.

"We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by the inspiration of God; and that they only constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice"

In his book "Doctrine Without Tears", General Larsson says this regarding our first doctrine: (caps mine)

"From the earliest beginnings of Christianity there has always been what we could call a 'mainstream' of accepted beliefs. These beliefs have often been exceedingly vague and 'woolly'.

They would probably have remained 'woolly' had not someone stood up and challenged them...

When we are challenged on a point we HAVE to start thinking. We HAVE to start defining. We HAVE to start saying what we really mean.
'Ought dancing to be allowed in the youth club?' Immediately ears prick up. Opinion begins to range for and against. Within a short while the mind has been sharpened. We know where we stand...

This is what happened in the Early Church-and has been happening ever since. When a point of doctrine was challenged, the Church rolled out its big guns. It's theologians armed themselves for battle. They thumbed the pages of their Bible, loaded their minds-and fired.
Sometimes a single shot would be sufficient. At other times it would turn out to be all smoke and no shot, with intensive re-thiinking as the result.
Each challenge made the Church stop and think, made it state CLEARLY EXACTLY what this 'mainstream' of beliefs contained." page 2-3

When I came across that, I enjoyed reading it so much that I read it twice. I wonder though, how many of us as covenant soldiers, or even members of a church ˆknowˆ what the doctrines of our denomination are nevermind have some kind of ˆopinionˆ (based on what Yahweh says rather than what Oprah or the Wall Street Journal or the Dalai Lama says)

These days when a point of doctrine is challenged, does the Church roll out her big guns, or find that her arsenal has been depleted because Her army has spent all its time glued to the TV, religiously watching the Sopranos or American Idol or other wasteful garbage instead of reading and reasoning out Scriptures?

Let's just say you were stopped and asked by someone on the street what your church's doctrinal view on death and resurrection is.
#1 Would you even know or care less what it is?
#2 Have you spend enough time reading your Bible and asking questions that you believe it yourself?
#3 Do you 'own it' in such a way that you could adequately share it with an unbeliever?

Down with vague and woolly I say!! Let's ChALENGE each other. Let's start THINKING. Let's start DEFINING.
My brother, my sister - know where you stand, because God's Word is SHARP! It'll cut you...Hebrews 4:12

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

primsalvo mission

While googling something else I stumbled on this from an editorial in SALVATIONIST five years ago:

"The question of identity - ‘What does it mean to be The Salvation Army?’ - is increasingly being asked. A hunger for ‘primitive Salvationism’ is emerging as a new Salvationist sub-culture takes shape. It is marked by informality and linear/relational structures - high on Army passion and ideals, low on form and existing tradition.
...
Whatever our personal perspective, God is on the move. So how should we respond? If our heart is for mission and the future of this Movement, it can only be positive. I believe our best days are ahead rather than behind. We will not find all our answers for the future in our past. We need new revelation, new prophets, new forms of ‘Army’ - and for all this we must trust God. Our prayer, despite fears and insecurities must be: ‘Lord, whatever you are doing, do not pass me by.’"
____
Amen. But where does this new sub-culture stand five years later?

I can report that from my perspective it is both deeper and broader, having spread into new relationships and new strategies and new understandings of God. We've seen on our front a whole load of new things in the last five years.

God is doing heaps. Let's pray that He doesn't pass us by!
grace
stephenc

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
(playing- Audio Combat - 614 Artists' Collective- only in demo version at this point)
My friend Eric has this signature at the bottom of an email I received this morning:

Two Questions:  As a Christian I must be asked: "How's your relationship with the Lord?"  
 As a Salvationist I must be asked: "How's your relationship with the poor?"
 Both want sincerity, not charity.  

Nice! Nice!
grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

big move of God

That Newsweek piece points this out:
In his book "The Rise of Christianity," the sociologist Rodney Stark calculates that the number of Christians rose from roughly 1,000 (or .0017 percent of the Roman Empire) in A.D. 40 to nearly 34 million in 350 (or 56.5 percent of the total population).
That's a big move of God.
grace,
stephenc

Jesus to Christ

Newsweek's version... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7244999/site/newsweek/

grace
sec

March 20, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

prophetic trumps relevant

grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

bball championship!
I played for a team a handful of years ago called the LakeCity Salvos. We never took the crown, though we talked a pretty good game and one season even imported a couple of young bucks from PW (CW and TF). Anyway, I have just heard that the LakeCity Salvos are the city champions for 2005, having conquered during that city's own March Madness (the fun bit is that the city's papers and radio stations cover the sport regularly and it is great media exposure for The Army- and free).
Yahoo!
They couldn't have done it with me!
grace,
stephenc

March 19, 2005.
(playing- switchfoot)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Here's a great line from General William Booth:
"No language can describe the mighty power an officer wields in a corps or neighbourhood who can truthfully claim the possession of a clean heart, and who absolutely confesses it. The cry of multitudes, at different periods of their livves, is: 'Who wil show us any good about holy living? We hate the sins that master us. We do the things we would not, and we leaev undone the things that we would do. But how are we to get delieverance?' To simply describe a method of deliverance to such people is very blessed, but the power of any such message is multiplied a thousand-fold when an officer is able to stand up and say, "I have this experience myself. I am a man or woman of like passions with yourselves; I have had a like bringing-up, and was once under the same appetites and sins; but I have been delivered; my chains have been broken. Sin has no dominiion over me. It is destroyed out of my heart. I walk with Christ in white.""
____
The same goes for a soldier.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

funeral songs...
The new SALVATIONIST is out and editor Dean Pallant has this bit:
"HAVE you chosen the music for your funeral? A recent survey of 45,000 Europeans suggests people prefer pop songs over traditional classics at funeral services. The two tracks most likely to be requested across Europe are Queen’s ‘The Show Must Go On’ and Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’. The funeral song most likely to be requested in the UK is the Robbie Williams hit ‘Angels’.

"The Times commented: 'Where, in this Crematorium Top Ten, is the inexorable tread of the "Dead March" from Handel's Saul? Or Chopin's incomparably baleful "Funeral March"? Or Elgar's soul-stirring "Nimrod"? Or those solemn but rousing hymns that fortified the bereaved for centuries?'
____
What? No mention of Promoted To Glory?
grace,
stephenc

photos
United Nations Environmental Programme celebrates photos of the year. You can view them at http://www.unep-photo.com/en/prize/general.html
grace,
sec

Naming corps
I think I told you that ACH was originally known as The Royal Bloodwashed. My first corps building (in Campbellford, 'the capital of the Army world') was formerly the home of horses and so we changed it to the Salvation Stables. Or last corps build was the SWAT Centre (Spiritual Worship And Training). Well, I just heard that the first corps in North America, after Eliza Shirley's two in Philly was called Blood and Fire New York #1 Corps.

Nice.
grace,
sec

Just when you thought you'd heard the last from me...


I wrote this thought in my daytimer a few weeks ago. It serves as Yahweh's reminder to me through these times of intense warfare:

"It was the Israelites job to tell the squatters dwelling in their Promised Land to leave and then to walk in and claim it."

God prepares my way, but I also need to kick in and be aggressive about my Christianity and kick out the demons, cry out for a deeper revelation of Jesus and pray without ceasing. To tell all the unlawful dwellers of the Promised Land of God's plan for my life to get out and then walk in in confidence.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified;Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

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

March 18, 2005.
(playing- delirious- touch)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
My friend Michelle Wikle has been blogging steadily for awhile- she's at http://thesource414.blogspot.com. Why not check it out?
grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

another blog discovered!

Drew Forster, a sometime contributor to JAC, has been blogging at www.coolsoundingblog.blogspot.com. Bless yourself with a visit.
grace
stephenc

new blog

Hey- one of The War College Martyrs, Aurora Atell, is blogging at www.aurorastefanyaatell.blogspot.com. Enjoy.
grace
stephenc

check out our war room...

Here's something I just read... "Relevance, dare I say it, is more important than academic ability, though the two are not, of course, at cross purposes. When the Army began there was no shortage of churches and well-trained pastors and priests. If 'qualified' preachers with 'theological' training had alone been the answer there would have been little need for a Salvation Army." -General Gowans
My only regrets is that I can't say it in Latin!
Greater Grace.
Danielle

talitha-and-acacia.com
My friend Acacia has a brand-new site up that supports their music ministry. You can watch and listen. They sound real (especially garbage).
grace
stephenc

March 17, 2005.
(playing- third day- wire)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Michael Ramsay has 2 cents' worth on Peterson, relevance, and our little exchange:

"I remember a quote from one 18 year-old who was studying evangelism in a
post-modern world:

""What do I need to know about the post-modern world; my whole life has been
[lived] in the post-modern world."

"I am not the biggest E.P. fan but I think he makes a good point re:
relevance.

"I would phrase it more as, it is more important to be right than relevant.

"Look at the Youth Pastor for a recent study on the effectiveness of "relevance". YP's, recently, are typically people in there mid to late 20s or 30s trying to look like people in their teens. A study was recently produced in the USA that suggested that as YP are becoming more 'current' or relevant, their average tenure has shrunk to...2 to 3 MONTHS! Months!"
____
so there you have it!
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Fair enough Steve. We'll try not to provoke each other, and withdraw with our swords down, allowing yours to be yours and mine to be mine. :)

Fiat Lux!

Grace,

Aaron

Now, now, Aaron...

Tetigisti acu

After all of that talk, mocking twc, Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit. Many will walk up to our lame attempts at relevance and sneer, Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

All I can say to a specialist like Aaron is, Age quod agis.

You know what Ovid says about relevance: Rident stolidi verba Latina.

Ex gratia, Labra lege, Omnia iam fient quae posse negabam, or at least, Quomodo cogis comas tuas sic videri?

As a modern speaking respectfully to a post-modern, all I can say is, Vos vestros servate, meos mihi linquite mores.

Of course, as salvos on the same front we will always share Vinculum unitatis. So, let's overlook our differences, and, in the words of St. Benedict, Ora et labora
gratia
sec
(legend- http://miljokes.com/lqote.html)

I-Gene, Eugene, We All Scream for...

I read that Eugene Peterson interview as well, and thought it excellent. I like that he differentiates between speaking the gospel in a language that can be understood (remember this is the guy who brought us The Message) and compromising the gospel in an attempt to be relevant. This can at times be a very thin line to tread, but it is very very important to mission. The Word of God was not ultimately spoken into a cultural vacuum, but into a particular time and place through a particular person.

Let's be careful here before we start knocking relevance over much. Being anti-relevant is kind of the new cool thing to do in the Church. But if we really were not interested in being relevant we should all be conducting our cell meetings in Latin. (Maybe I'll write the next ones in Latin...)

Finally, it should be noted that Steve is the headmaster of a "post-modern missions training school in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver." He is as pomo as they come. :)

(Great line from the Simpsons:

"What is that?"
"It's pomo"
"What?"
"Weird for the sake of being weird.")

Grace,

Aaron

War Covenant
This is another beauty from the old SA Ceremonies Book:

Concerned because of the wicked and wretched condition of the people around me, I desire here and now, with all my heart, for the glory of God and for the salvation of souls, to give myself afresh and for ever to the Salvation War.
I now pledge myself before God, before my dear Saviour who died for me, and before my comrades, to use my time, talents, means, and influence to advance the interests of the War in my own Corps or neighbourhood, or wherever I may go.
I promise to accept any position, do any work, or fulfill any commission that may be given me by my Officers, according to the Orders and Regulations of The Army.
I promise to sing, pray, or engage in any other duty, or to occupy any post assigned me, in any Meeting, whether indoors or out, whether among adults or young people.
I promise to give all the leisure time I can to the War, to be diligent in attending and working at all the Meetings possible.
I promise to wear uniform whenever I can, and at other times an Army badge, if possible. As I have opportunity I will sell 'The War Cry' and other Army publications, engage in visitation, and strive to make myself a thoroughly efficient Salvationist.
I promise to pray for my comrades daily; also for those in circumstances of persecution, poverty, or peril.
I will try to give every satisfcation to my employers, and to those with whom I live and work, so as to commend my Saviour and be a credit to The Army in the eyes of the ungodly.
I yield myself to God, to follow Him anywhere- as an Officer, should He so desire; and I will go to any country, or labour for the Salvation of any class, for which I may be thought best adapted.
In general, I here promise God that I will at all times obey Him, whatever cost or trouble, suffering or difficulty this may involve; and I ask God my Father for Jesus Christ's sake, to give me strength faithfully to carry out these promises. Amen.
____
grace,
stephenc

more Eugene...
"I think relevance is a crock. I don't think people care a whole lot about what kind of music you have or how you shape the service. They want a place where God is taken seriously, where they're taken seriously, where there is no manipulation of their emotions or their consumer needs."

Haha
grace,
stephenc

March 16, 2005.
playing- Planet Shakers
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Here is a tidbit from a recent interview with Eugene Peterson:

interviewer: "But many Christians would look at this church and say it's dead, merely an institutional expression of the faith.

EP: "What other church is there besides institutional? There's nobody who doesn't have problems with the church, because there's sin in the church. But there's no other place to be a Christian except the church. There's sin in the local bank. There's sin in the grocery stores. I really don't understand this naïve criticism of the institution. I really don't get it.

"Frederick von Hugel said the institution of the church is like the bark on the tree. There's no life in the bark. It's dead wood. But it protects the life of the tree within. And the tree grows and grows and grows and grows. If you take the bark off, it's prone to disease, dehydration, death.

"So, yes, the church is dead but it protects something alive. And when you try to have a church without bark, it doesn't last long. It disappears, gets sick, and it's prone to all kinds of disease, heresy, and narcissism.
____
His criticism of those against institution is interesting in light of the raving bandwagon jumping of the emergent crowd. :- ) (now, don't worry, I'm not against being with it, but the internet makes it difficult to convey sarcasm and so on. we do a lot of stuff that some pomos think is gospel truth, including 'community' and cells and no weekly public meetings and incense and the poor and so on. but come on...)
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

March 15, 2005.
playing- new song- LOVE (from SASB) by Phil Laeger
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Before I start, let me just give glory to God for nine conversions today through our guys doing a meeting at a local SA unit! Hallelujah!

Now, there is a division in one of my favourite territories with this official policy on refugees, recommending that corps:

as part of their annual corps review look at how best to help refugees

the corps maintain positive relationships with other faiths

explore sending one corp member to get training from a refugee centre

that a refugee and asylum seeker sunday be a part of every corps calendar

that the topic of asylum seekers and refugees be included in the curriculum at the training college
____
Nice, eh?
And for those of you in other countries, maybe ones in which abortion or gay 'marriage' or poverty or human trafficking are issues, you can consider adding similar actions to your corps schedule.
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

The War College update
We accepted our 36th student for the HOLY TERROR session today. There are more than 50 applicants to date. The average age is 23. Accepted applicants hail from India, Mail, Congo, Nigeria, Australia, England, USA, and Canada.
Not all will likely choose to come, but we're up in applicants to date.

We're still taking applications, at thewarcollege.com. If you have any questions, please contact me at info@thewarcollege.com. We hope that there will be four campuses by the end of 2006 (and plan for three, for sure) in various parts of the world.
Grace,
StephenC

March 14, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I've been reading up on Nestorius, branded as heretic by a council in 431 but labeled a hero in BE A HERO! My eagle-eyed, and theologically-well-read friend spotted the inconsistency.
So I thought I'd check. It turns out that the council waited two weeks for N's supporters, who were held up. They didn't show so they branded him a heretic. Then his supporters showed up and had their own counter-council and branded the head of the first council a heretic. Then the first council charted 12 anathemas to exclude Nestorius. So Nestorius made up his own 12 anathemas for the leader of the first council. And then...
It makes you wonder how much theology is politics...
The bottom line is Nestorius ended up banned to Persia where he started a bunch of churches, that numbered about 12 million Christians at their peak in some traditionally non-Christian countries.
So, he's a hero.
grace,
StephenC

Deep Thoughts...

Zeal without wisdom is dangerous. But so is wisdom without zeal.

Grace,

Aaron

raising millions
Bilaal Rajan, according to the Toronto Star today, has raised millions for Tsunami relief. Right on!

What's the big deal?

Bilaal is eight years old.

grace,
stephenc

Passion Re-Cut
There is a new version of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST coming out in time for REZ day. I've been blogging this since two years ago, when I first heard that Mel was filming the last hours of Jesus' life, but bear with me, as here are some interesting reviews from the original release
http://nationalreview.com/ponnuru/ponnuru200402201151.asp - The Movie and It's Meaning
http://nationalreview.com/lopez/lopez200312020843.asp - Mel Gibson, Feminist
http://nationalreview.com/comment/hibbs200402250836.asp - Unparalleled Passion

grace
stephenc

March 13, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
You know that I am big on covenant and the dedication of Jedidiah this morning gave me opportunity to review our SA Ceremony Book that includes a chapter on covenants. This is an old version (probably pre-1950) with cool stuff like Fix Bayonets!

There is a War Covenant and a Holiness Covenant and so on.

Here is the Holiness Covenant:
O Thou Everlasting God, my Father and my Friend, Thou has loved me with an everlasting love, knowing all my sinfulness, rebellion, and unfaithfulness, and didst give Thy Son to die for me on Calvary.
When I wandered from Thee Thou didst seek me by Thy Spirit, win me to Thyself, cleanse my heart, and give me power over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Since that time Thou has kept me by Thy power, supplied my need, conquered my enemies, and bestowed upon me unnumbered mercies; and now, through the merits of Thy love and death, I enter into the Holiest Place, and humbly make this Covenant with Thee.
Blessed Jesus, the world despises Thee, but I glory in Thee; the world hates Thee, but I love Thee; for Thy sake I separate myself from the amusements, friendships, fashions, and sins of the world, and promise to follow Thee with all my heart, obey Thee with all my strength, cleave to Thee with all my affection, and fight for Thee all my days.
Here now, in the presence of my comrades, deliberately and for ever, I give Thee my body, that it may be They temple; my live, that it may ceaselessly do Thy will and bring blessing to those around me; my possessions, that they may be unselfishly held for the good of The Kingdom; and my heart, that it may love only what is good, true, benevolent, and beautiful in Thy sight.
All I have, and all I hope to be, I lay upon Thine altar, for joy or for sorrow, for prosperity or adversity, desiring that I may have the high privilege of sharing Thy sufferings and the honour of bringing glory to Thy name and Salvation to the precious souls for whom Thous hast died. And I trust Thee, my Saviour, whose precious Blood does just now cleanse me from all unrighteousness, to keep me clean, and present me faultless on the Great Judgment Day.
And now, O God, seal by The Almighty Spirit this Covenant which I have made; and grant unto me that wisdom and strength which will enable me to keep these sacred vows even unto death. And so may the promises I make on earth be ratified in Heaven. Amen.
____
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

YET MORE THINGS YOU'D NEVER SEE IN ORANGEVILLE!!!

The DTES is an oft-used cite for filming companies, partly because it is made very cheap, partly because it seems it can be adapted to any major city for the purposes of a movie (Rumble in the Bronx, for instance, was filmed here in Vancouver).

As a result, you get to see some pretty strange things. Well, strange in a different way than usual. I believe I already blogged how I saw Jeff Daniels walking around painted entirely blue. It was for the movie Five People You Meet in Heaven. Apparently, one of the five people we should expect to meet in heaven is Jeff Daniels. Painted blue.

Well, last week I was walking downtown and could hear overhead the thunderous "whup whup whup" of what sounded like a very large helicopter. It took me awhile to locate the source. It was a very large helicopter. It was so loud that you couldn't hear anyone responding when you buzzed their apartment. A crowd of onlookers were busy onlooking below the helipcopter - which was there filming something or other, I think for TLC - when I noticed a sign beneath where the copter was operating. The sign said:

"Warning. Helicopter Overhead."

It would have been physically impossible not to notice the helicopter overhead. And, had I somehow not noticed it whilst standing directly underneath it and something tragic happened, what good would the sign have done?

We live in a silly world.

Grace,

Aaron

American View of the Neighbourhood...

Matt Labash has this in the current WEEKLY STANDARD (I'm just lifting a very small section below):

"To see Canadian progressivism in action, though, I trekked down to the East Side, Vancouver's Compton, where the storefront Supervised Injection Site caters to junkies on the government teat. With the surrounding streets hosting an open-air drug market, the Site was conceived as a way to rid the neighborhood of discarded drug paraphernalia and promote "safe" drug-taking practices. In typical Canadian fashion, it's a long way around the barn to get rid of litter.

"If the Site has in fact encouraged addicts to do their drugs off the streets, they still buy them right outside. To reach the place, I have to pass through a herd of about 100 junkies over a four-block radius. They offer to sell me all manner of substances my company won't let me expense. When I make it inside the Site, along with several itchy, twitchy customers in search of free cookers and needles and a clean booth to shoot themselves silly, an attendant tells me that unless I'm there to take drugs, I can't stay without a media relations escort. "What we do here is important, so we try to keep a low profile," he says, perhaps oblivious to the hypodermic needle that's embossed on the door.

"The staffers aren't rude, however, and retrieve for me a helpful government brochure called "The Safer Fix" that has made me something of an expert on the proper way to tie off. Though it's a bit mind-blowing to a law-and-order American, this is actually pretty small beer, compared with a new Canadian government-funded study called the North American Opiate Medication Initiative. While the Supervised Injection Site is strictly a bring-your-own-smack affair, the new experiment will study the effects of giving half of the drug-addicted research subjects heroin, while the other half get methadone. As a female attendant describes it to me, we agree that it must really suck for the methadoners. But for the other side? "Dude!" she says, stating the obvious, "free drugs for a year!"
____
brutal, but pretty true.
grace,
stephenc

March 12, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Canada is a great place to live but it has some serious issues. One current issue is this bill to legalize gay 'marriage' (regulars here will have read this issue for more tha a year).

Well, I loev Australia, and apparently it dealt with the same issue in a wise way just last year. I'm stealing lines here from
http://www.defendmarriagecanada.org/uficanada/newsletter31.htm...

"The Australian government�s response was totally opposite to the direction our Government is taking and
that should give every Canadian pause.

"Instead of moving to legalize same-sex marriage, Australia passed legislation to define marriage as only
the union of a man and a woman, specifically prohibiting same-sex marriage. This legislation was advanced by the Conservative Government and supported by the opposition Labour Party.

"Why would Australia respond so differently than our government? After all, it also is a commonwealth
country with similar cultural and legal roots (and one with which Canada increasingly is being compared these
days). Australians as a whole are certainly every bit as tolerant and concerned about legitimate minority
rights as are Canadians.

"The answer is simple, but vitally important for every Canadian to understand and carefully consider. It goes
beyond the fact that a majority of Australians, like a majority of Canadians, opposes legalizing same-sex
marriage, though in a democratic system that should be a significant consideration.

"Rather, as Australian Prime Minister, John Howard said he was pushing to define traditional marriage in law
and prohibit same-sex marriage in order to protect �a fundamental bedrock institution of our
society which has contributed massively to our stability and to our success.�

"The Australian Government and the Opposition both understand what our government does not: how marriage
is defined will profoundly affect our future stability and our success because it will directly affect
families. They understand that the future of Australia is tied to the strength of her families. Throughout
history and across cultures, strong families have always been the essential foundation of strong,
resilient and successful societies.

"And make no mistake about it. Legalizing same-sex marriage would profoundly and negatively affect the
future of the family in Canada or any other country that takes such an action. It would inevitably and
irreversibly change the way our children and future generations would look at marriage and its relationship
to the family.

"Instead of viewing marriage as we generally do today, as the ideal and desirable relationship within which to
form a family and raise children, future generations increasingly would view it as little more than an
official recognition of any two people�s professed affection for each other. If government
devalues marriage and the family, as our Government proposes to do through this legislation, then the
citizens will soon do so as well.

"We should be particularly concerned because in recent decades social science data increasingly and
overwhelmingly is validating the lessons of history. The traditional family, composed of the married
biological father and mother of the children, is by far the best setting to rear children. On any measure one
chooses, success in school or career, health, safety, avoidance of substance abuse or teen pregnancy, or any
other, children in these kinds of families do far better than children raised in any other situation.
____
Crazy.
I've just heard that behind my back people have tagged a new ending to my normal answer to 'what are you up to?' (just trying to win the world)- 'one email at a time'.
The nerve.
grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

Mystery Worshipper!
Hey- there is a great story in the brand new SALVATIONIST (http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/en/Publications/salvationist/Sal050312p05.htm) of a mystery worshipper popping in to a corps in Belfast. This MW practice is a theme of shipoffools.com. And, as is the habit, the MW wrote a report on her experience at the Army holiness meeting.

Check it out. It was a positive experience.
Much grace,
stephenc

messianic jewish outposts
Hey- I just heard about two flourishing Salvation Army Messianic Jewish outposts! This was news to me (they are in North America). Great news.
grace,
stephenc

MORE THINGS YOU"D NEVER SEE IN ORANGEVILLE!

The other day I saw a woman walking down the street dressed up as the Statue of Liberty.

Except all the parts of her costume were fire engine red.

I have absolutely no explanation for this event.

Grace,

Aaron

And a Little Child Will Lead Them...

In one of our kids' cells we have a little 5 year old boy in Kindergarten who told him mom: "I'm so busy. I have so much work to do."

She laughed and asked him how much work he really had to do in kindergarten.

He replied: "Well, there are lots of kids in my class who don't know Jesus, and I have to tell them all. I've got to a few already, but there are still lots more to go."

Don't tell me children aren't capable of being effective witnesses in their school.

Grace,

Aaron

March 10, 2005 (I know it is the 11th, but I tried to post this yesterday)

March 10-
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

My friend emailed me this celebratory prayer and I share it with you:

125 years ago today - March 10th 1880 - George Scott Railton and 7
Hallelujah Lassies walked down the gang plank of the SS Australia at
Battery Park, New York City waving the army flag and the Stars and Stripes
claiming America for God and the Army!

As the curious gathered to investigate this strange mutation of Barnum and
Bailey they were greeted with a hymn; "With a sorrow for sin, let
repentance begin." Those who stayed longer heard the man - once again -
get straight to the point: "You must be a lover of the Lord, or you won't
go to heaven when you die!"

What appeared to be a travelling circus was the beginning of a much loved
and respected movement that would one day encircle the globe. It has been
great pageantry ever since!

I thank God for the astounding vision and faith of those gone before us.

Lord, help me to be more than equal to the task and - by grace - in
their company.

Happy Birthday Salvation Army!
____
Much grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

The Salvation Army as a Prophetic Movement?
In an essay of the same name, Geoff Ryan (I don't know that this is GR Day but...) distinguishes between priestly and prophetic very nicely: "a priest is someone who talks to God on behalf of the people; a prophet is one who speaks to the people (society, culture, the church) on behalf of God. "
There you go.
much grace,
sec

March 9, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
A recent HORIZONS Magazine has a short feature on officership. Captain Geoff Ryan reflected on this gift from God (my phrase, not his) in this manner:
Why be an Officer?

"Good question. The standard answer is usually, in response to God’s call. I’ve never really believed in The Call, however - not in the manner that it was relentlessly pitched during my youth and early adulthood at youth councils and other events; not in the sense of God reaching down and fingering certain people for “full-time” ministry, while letting everyone else off the hook. I always considered this an Old Testament paradigm of “call and response” that ended with Pentecost - since then, nobody is off the hook. As a young officer, General Gowans (R) coined the term - “the need is the call” - and for me this has worked better than the “Damascus Road” experience, as a fourth-generation, “child-of-the-regiment”, call it noblesse oblige.

"Why be an officer? The short answer is that in order to make a difference in the world, to save lives, change the world, be significant, be a hero - choose whichever current usage you prefer - you need to join yourself to something larger than yourself in order to maximize what you have to offer and be resourced adequately to do what you need to do (note: I’m positing officership here as ‘doing’ rather than ‘being, ‘role’ rather than ‘status’). The Salvation Army provides this opportunity - international scope, relatively good remuneration for time served (with few quality controls), multiple areas of service, the weight and reputation of a respected organization for backing, a nifty dress code, etc. As creaky, archaic and often capriciously silly and cruel (by turns) The System may be, it still works quite well as a context for personal mission. Paradoxically, The Salvation Army provides a larger degree of freedom for those in the trenches, than most other denominations and mission agencies.
____
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

legalizing the prostitution of women...

For those of you still sitting on the fence with things like legalizing drug use and human trafficking, try read this study on the effects of legalzing the prostitution of women:

http://sisyphe.org/imprimer.php3?id_article=1596

Grace
StephenC

March 8, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Sorry about missing yesterday. Our computer was being repaired.
Our friend, Patricia King, leads an effective ministry around North America (and beyond) called Extreme Prophetic. Their new website is out today- extremeprophetic.com.
You should check it out. You can get saved, sanctified, healed, delivered, and discipled, all on one site! (of course, this doesn't let you experience authentic Christian community, but for those of you not catching that right now anyway...).
Enjoy.
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

March 6, 2005.
(playing Five Blind Boys of Alabama; Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee- hat tip to JimM)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Tongight we're resurrecting an old thing we started in Williams Lake. It was one of the best things happening in that corps when we were there. SWAT stands for Spiritual Worship And Training.

We'll gather for some worship and teaching (as at a soldiers meeting- but we don't have many soldier yet so...). Then we'll bust out into various courses available, such as The Quest, Cleansing Streams, Arrival Kit, Experiencing God, and spiritual Booth Camp.

For a cell-based Corps that doesn't normally meet corporately, this is a good opportunity to come together and engage in some intentional discipling.

What do you think (info@thewarcollege.com)?
Grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

March 5, 2005.
(playing- UNLIMITED)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
My friend asked me about this outpost kick we're on. After all, we're going for 2,000 in 200 cities in 20 years. So, he was wondering, what do I think it looks like? Is it a corps, a mission house, a house of healing, a permacultural commune, a library, a cafe, a tattoo parlour...? My response- yes. Then, 'how about an ideal one?'

I don't know. I expect here are some elements:
- authentic Christian community
- War Room prayer (it is MY ideal outpost)
- multi-faceted evangelism (through friends and cold-calling...)
- responsible simplicity (connotes global perspective)
- mission focus
- tent-making
- intentional discipleship
- covenant
- good cross-section of target group

What do you think?
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Talitha and Acacia
My friend Acacia is a worship girl and 'recording artist' and everything. March 13th Talitha and Acacia's debut performance will air on the Logan show. For those who have access to Christian cable networks, check your local listings, otherwise you may be able to catch the show streamed through the internet. Says Logan, "Every month we have had an indie/up and coming artist on. This month is Talitha and Acacia. I think you guys are going to be shocked when you hear them. They are going to be HUGE VERY VERY SOON!!!"
Bring it on.
grace,
stephenc

March 4, 2005.
(playing, tobyMac diverse city)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I just heard some exciting news. A few weekends ago a brigade from here joined with a corps in our division for a little campaign. Part of the fighting included strategic prayer walks through the district. One of the targets was a porn shop down the street from the barracks. Soldiers there haev been praying against it for awhile.

Well, what do you know? It shut down!

Hallelujah!
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

(playing- soteria)
hat tip to those who have been fighting hard on the edge for the last couple of years. Thanks. ;- )
grace,
stephenc

Praise Report...

I really don't like big Church services. Sorry about that. It's my own personal malfunction. So I don't normally find myself in a large praise and worship service anymore.

But I did last Saturday, and I'm glad I went. I was at the Worship Invasion meeting, (which rocked out pretty good), and sitting in a pew when someone passed me a bag and a coat to put at the end of the pew. On the bag I noticed a logo for a company I used to work for, The Rubbish Boys (we drive around in trucks and pick up your rubbish!)

So I leaned over to the guy and told him that I used to work for the Rubbish Boys. He grabbed my hand, and said: "Yeah, you're Aaron White."

"Uh, yeah" I intelligently replied.

He told me his name, and then said, "You're one of the reasons I'm here tonight. I need to talk to you afterwards."

Whoa.

Turns out he was a guy that I worked with for a month 6 years ago. I remembered him now. He was a pro-active atheist,and all he wanted to talk about as we drove around was Jesus. Fine by me. So we talked about Jesus for a month, and then I moved to England.

Flash forward six years, and he tells me that a month after I left he went forward at a church service and got saved. NOw he's a crazy mad worship dude living his life for Christ and influencing others to do the same. Hallelujah!

It really makes me think about the way I conduct even small relationships. He said that it was the peace in my life that convinced him of the power of God. I have not always displayed such peace. I have to wonder how many people were turned off by my actions. Still, I can rejoice that God has brought one of his children home, that I got to see at least one part of it, and that I get to see some of the fruit on this side of heaven.

Grace,

Aaron

March 3, 2005.
(playing- free- delirious)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
We've got some breaking new on the Competitive Rugby Stream of The War College, starting September 2005. Here it is:

COMPETITIVE RUGBY STREAM
Those who attend the rugby stream of War College will be full time War College students.

Rugby is just the tool

The goals for this stream are to win the world for Jesus, produce fruit-bearing disciples, end all suffering, and increase suburban corps partnership with urban ministry.

This stream will focus on intense Discipleship and cross-context evangelism. (urban-suburban). They will attend all classes in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and be involved in urban street ministry.
All members will play and coach rugby during their time in War College. They will affiliate with Bible Thumper Rugby Club and their varied outreach ministries.
(This includes competitive rugby First and 2nd division )

They will also-
↔ Live in community in Cariboo Hill area of Burnaby in a discipleship home
↔ Be involved in outreach to non-believers in Cariboo Hill community. This will take many forms including- Help coach rugby at high school and mini rugby level (Coaching training will be provided if necessary), after school programs, tutoring, helping run radio show at local university.
↔ Help facilitate suburban corps involvement in sports ministries as an outreach

↔ Help suburban corps connect with urban corps ministry. Other than just Cariboo Hill

↔ Their placements during the summer would be to help other corps/ministries in Canada, and infiltrate local rugby clubs with the gospel and the presence of Christ (The rest of Canada plays rugby during the summer).
For more information, contact info@thewarcollege.com. Interested players can apply at thewarcollege.com.
____
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Prostituted Persons in Vancouver
(playing- world service, delirious)
Melissa Farley,  Jacqueline Lynne, and  Ann J. Cotton have completed some important research about our neighbourhood that needs to be disseminated and used for ther purposes of terminating prostituion (not legalizing it, as some are advocating).

Among the startling figures:
1. more than half are first nations, even though only they make at best only 7% of the population.
2. 82% grew up being sexually abused, by an average of 4 idiots (my terms).
3. 72% have been physically abused in childhood.
4. 95% want to leave prostitution. Let me say that again. 95% want to leave prostitution.
5. 82% need treatment for drug or alcohol addictions.

Every one needs to be rescued. Every one needs Jesus.
grace,
stephenc
(for more information: Melissa Farley, Ph.D. Prostitution Research & Education. Box 16254, San Francisco CA 94116-0254
Phone 415-922-4555. http://www.prostitutionresearch.com)

March 2, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

This is a little mid-week reminder to all of you in the thick of it that we are engaged in a war with eternal consequences and that the enemy hates our guts. The Salvation Army is a revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus.

To get there we have to fight through a bunch of evil demons.

Don't get confused.

Don't get distracted.

War is on.
Much grace,
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

(playing- Cutting Edge, Delirious?)
another poem...
"ALLEY CATS LIVE HERE"
(Sheila New)

THE ALLEY DARK AND DREARY
FOUL ODORS FILL THE AIR
DIRTY NEEDLES STREWN ABOUT
JUST LAYING HERE AND THERE

THE DUMPSTER'S OVERFLOWING
THE HUNGRY PICK ABOUT
IN SEARCH FOR CLOTHES OR DRINK OR FOOD
SOMETHING TO JUST DIG OUT

TO SELL AND MAKE A DOLLAR
FOR THE NEXT HIT THAT THEY NEED
THE ALLEY CATS DO ANYTHING
TO MEET THEIR DRUG FILLED GREED

SOME LAY IN SLUMBER- SLEEPING
AGAINST A COLD HARD WALL
BUT DON'T DISTRUB THEIR SLUMBER
IF YOU HAVE SOME SENSE AT ALL

THIS IS THE ONLY PEACE THEY GET
WHEN NOTHING SEEMS TO HURT
THEY DO NOT CARE OF WHERE THEY LAY
IN NASTY, FILTHY DIRT

YOU'RE NOW IN THEIR TERRITORY
THEIR HOME- AS THOUGH IT SEEMS
WHERE RATS, AND PIGEONS AND BODY FLUIDS
CRAWLING ABOUT THEM WHILE THEY DREAM

THIS IS THEIR WORLD, YES, ALL THEY NEED
THE PLACE THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE
THEY ONLY TAKE FROM THOSE AROUND
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GIVE

OH YES, THEY DO GIVE TO OTHERS,
IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME
THEY SHARE THEIR GERMS AND NEEDLES
AND SOMETIMES HIV

THEY'VE LEARNED THE ROPES HOW TO SURVIVE
THE ALLEY IS THEIR HOME- THEIR PIT
THEY PLOT THEIR LIFE FROM DAY TO DAY
TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR NEXT HIT

SO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE- STAY AWAY
DON'T COME ANOTHER INCH
IF YOU DON'T CARE TO GET DIRTY
IF YOU CAN'T HANDE THE STENCH

SOME ARE WELCOMED- DO COME IN
REMEMBER TO WIPE YOUR FEET
NOT WHEN YOU ENTER IN THE ALLEY
BUT WHEN YOU GET BACK IN THE STREET. :)
____
grace
stephenc

March 1, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
My friend, Sheila New, visited the neighbourhood last week and composed a couple of poems depicting a couple of her experiences. Here is one of them:


AT A SPECIAL COFFEE SHOP

I MET A MAN, HIS EYES GLAZED OVER HIS CLOTHES NOT WASHED IN DAYS
A TATTERED COAT, SHIRT AND PANTS, HE'S TORN IN MANY WAYS

THE TRACKS THAT RACE DOWN ONE ARM, THE BONES THAT I EASILY SEE
THE UNCOMBED HAIR, HOLES IN HIS SHOES, ALL ARE PROOF TO ME

OF A LIFE THAT'S BROKEN, SHATTERED, NOT JUST A LIFE OF GRIEF WITHOUT
BUT MORE IMPORTANT, WHAT HE NEEDS - A CHANGE WITHIN - NO DOUBT

A NEED OF GREAT REDEMPTION , FREEDOM FROM ALL SIN
THE GIFT OF GRACE THAT JESUS GIVES, NOT OUTWARDLY- BUT IN.

HE'S BEEN TOLD ABOUT SALVATION, AND TURNING FROM HIS WRONG
HIS EYES AND HEART SAY YES TO ME, BUT THE FLESH, FOR HIM, IS STRONG.

NO ONE CAN SAVE HIM FROM HIMSELF, HIS STRUGGLE TO BE FREE
FROM ALL THE DRUGS AND BOOZE AND SUCH- NO, NOT EVEN ME

I CANNOT TAKE HIM FROM HIS PATH, ONLY THE LORD CAN BREAK THIS HOLD
I HOPE WHEN HE'S SUNK LOW ENOUGH, HE'LL RECALL WHAT HE'S BEEN TOLD.
____
Much grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

February 28, 2005.
(playing- every day- Soteria)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
This is a big day- it marks the one-year anniversary of the War Room, which also marks the first birthday of our longest non-stop prayer meeting.
Hallelujah!
The War Room's prayer meeting has been an adventure in adventure in exploring the character of YHWH to unleash Fullness on the world. It has been the hub of the 614 War in Vancouver. It has birthed all kinds of exciting tings, including MMCCXX.
So, praise the Lord. We don't despise the day of small things, and I give a big hat tip to the stalwarts who carried the three-hour shifts on your backs through the nights of the thinly-booked weeks during the hard going. You guys are heroes!
The meeting is still going, someone in there lifting up the name of YAHWEH.
Hallelujah!
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court