Armybarmy Blog

RevoDevos
This booklet of daily devotionals takes a revolutionary perspective through Exodus. Here is a sample:

read Exodus 1

These are the conditions for revolution. In Egypt, in that day, the people of God were enslaved. God was marginalized (the king didn’t even know Joseph!). And there was a culture of death. Pharaoh commanded the people to kill every Hebrew baby born. Every unwanted baby was ordered killed.

It sounds a lot like the situation in the West today. While Christians are not enslaved today, at least in the Western countries, God is marginalized. He’s not allowed in classrooms. He’s being booted out of courtrooms. He is legislated out of the public square. He is muscled out of politics. He is forced to play on the margins.

But that isn’t so bad. Because the children of the revolution are born out of despair. And despair is the language of the margins. The poor live there. Those discriminated against. The different. In Biblical terms, the widow, the orphan, the alien. In our chapter, the Hebrews. God has a bias toward the marginalized.

And God raises revolutionary armies from the margins. Just look at David. He was in exile, on the run from the powerful king. And here and there, defectors from various tribes gathered to David until he found himself in charge of a mighty army (1 Ch.12). As people grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, they will look for something better.

Let me put that another way: as you grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, you will look for something better. As you grow more and more dissatisfied with a lack of compelling purpose in life, with a daily and possibly meaningless grind, with video games and slushies, with half-decent grades (or even excellent grades) and a part-time job at the gas station, with re-runs and fumbling dates, you will look for something better.

Not only that, but we’re also a lot like this chapter in that we live in a society that has cultivated a culture of death. Kill the babies you don’t want, the babies who might be deformed or diseased, the babies of the wrong gender, the babies that are just plan inconvenient. Kill them.

And you know God hears what is going on, and hates it. You know that He is not sitting by twiddling His thumbs. He is looking to ignite a revolution from the margins. So what should you do? Get on the margins, if you aren’t already there. Identify with the marginalized- incarnate. Then catch God’s heart against the sin that is rampart and for the people He created for something much better. Then fight.

Q: How can you identify with the marginalized in your current living situation?
How can you stand up for the unborn? (try abortionno.org – the GAP page)
____
grace
stephenc

July 30, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
We've got a new, free resource from The War College students and staff that ties in with the Revolution campaign. It is a one month long booklet of daily devotionals called RevoDevos.
If you've got a group of teens who could use it, email me at revolution@mmccxx.net and I will fire it off.
To convince you, I will add a sample later today.
Much grace,
stephenC

REVOLUTION

I'm psyched to point you to the main armybarmy.com page for the feature on a new book by Aaron and me called REVOLUTION. It is aimed at the younger crowd. It is aimed at inspiring and mobilizing for a permanent Jesus revolution. It is not for the faint of heart.

That said, we'd love for everyone you know to read a copy and the largest likelihood of that is if you pick up a copy at our eStore.

All profits go to children-at-risk projects (so it is like you are investing in those projects!) (back-toback brackets!- If you are thinking of buying boxes of them, contact me at revolution@mmccxx.net).

Much grace,
StephenC

July 29, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Two things right now:

1. http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2005/07/29/1151642-sun.html (24hrs.ca) just finished The Eastside Story, five days living in our neighbourhood. It is informative, if you'd like to know about this front. Some of the conclusions are lacking supernatural hope. But it gives you a good idea (it isn't hotlinnked. You have to copy the url and paste it in your address line of yoru browser).

The money quote is from a police inspector who said,
"Two years ago the DTES (downtown eastside) was five blocks of holy hell."

Praise God it isn't any more (still a LONG way to go).

2. I've had the pleaurable experience of sharing the War Room for an hour each day this week with a 6 and a 7 year old. I was very impressed to watch this little children pray the Bible, and pray for the 100 Gateway Cities of the world. For any slackers reading this, if a 6 year old can pray for an hour a day for someone else (intercession), surely you can. On a more positive note, let's push our kids to realise their current potential in Jesus.

Much grace
StephenC

warning

Nations, consider this your warning: Zechariah 12:9.
grace,
stephenc

July 28, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

LIGHT BELONGS IN THE DARKNESS is a phrase Danielle has used a bit in the fairly recent past. You might have heard her.
Anyway, Patricia King, legendary extremeprophetic leader and massive supporter of The War College and 614 Vancouver, has just finished another book, published by a good company in the States, called LIGHT BELONGS IN THE DARKNESS (we're soon goign to heave her DECREE avaialble- powerful little book- a daily 45 minute praying the Bible exercise).

We just landed a supply of them and it is available at our eStore on armybarmy.com.

See if this applies to you, and then respond accordingly:
"Are you a radical believer who has answered God's call to leave your personal agenda at the altar? Then join the army of Christians who are taking their rightful place to shine God's goodness in a dark, decaying world. Light Belongs In the Darkness reveals the power of bringing God's glory into missions, media and the marketplace. The next great move of the Holy Spirit will not be found in the sanctuary, but in the secular arena. Now is the time for the Church to be poured into a new wineskin as a witness to the world. Extreme evangelism means ministering a revival of God's fresh fire."

Stay tuned. There is more coming.
Much grace,
StephenC
hpipdt

new blogger...

Check out Shane Miller at http://iamsavedtoserve.blogspot.com/

grace,
Stephenc

acc update

Aaron White, Captains Amy Reardon, Dave Allen are leading the streams in the poor, holiness, and covenant respectively.

Just another reason to sign up today. http://armybarmy.com/acc/index.html
grace
stephenc

absolute hero (second update)

I made some cuts but there is some stuff in which you might be interested:

Week 2 Update Hero Holiday Dominican Republic 2005 )Report from Wesley Campbell in the Dominican Republic):

Here we are at the end of week two of this absolutely amazing Hero Holiday! We had 150 high schoolers with us this week, and it has been a week none of us will ever forget!

Vaden (the founder of Absolute Leadership Development, and organizer of this Absolute Hero Holiday), and I spent the better part of the day meeting city officials, and getting the food ready for the final outreach ˆ a feeding program at the large Puerto Plata city dump. For these garbage scavengers, with the ocean visible in the distance, you might say that this is the end of paradise. Amazingly, to these Haitian refugees, even this is better than what they left behind. As was mentioned earlier, Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and, ironically, it is only a two-hour plane flight from Miami. Political instability, gross poverty, and a civic infrastructure in shambles drives thousands of Haitians to chance the three-day hike through tropical jungle to where they can sneak across the border of the Dominican Republic as illegal aliens. Once in the neighboring Dominican, they fill the squatters camps, work the cane fields, and some of the women are forced to descend into the dark world of prostitution.

At the Puerto Plata dump dwell the lowest of the low. Young and old alike live in humble shacks made of the same garbage they live in each day. In the smoke and filth they sort bottles, gather up mesh carrying bags, and generally engage in a harsh type of recycling.

At three o‚clock as the bus pulled in with the Hero Holiday students, the contrast could not have been more stark. Jumping on the bus, I announced the procedure: each student would walk into the dump, greet the residents there, and then after a time get one of the hot meals and give it to one of the poor. At first no one moved. Fear was in their eyes. Then, slowly, almost dream-like, they began to empty out of the bus. The smell was overpowering and instinctively many pinched their noses. Herding them on, the crowd headed straight down the road into billows of acrid smoke. It was ever so surreal - almost like going through a bombsite. No one spoke, and the only thing to be heard was the gagging and coughing of the group. Walking for 1000 meters it was like entering Dante‚s circle of hell, for indeed that‚s where hell got its name ˆ the smoldering garbage dump outside of Jerusalem. Coming out of the smoke and adjusting our eyesight we began to see more of the makeshift shelters. By now many of the girls were crying; some wanted to go back to the bus. The guys were very silent and serious. This was so far out of a Canadian youth‚s comfort zone.

Suddenly, we were in the middle of the dump, and a hundred scavengers looked up at the descending group. They had been waiting patiently as they had been told food was coming at 4:00. Trying to encourage our would-be heroes, we pushed them forward to introduce themselves and ask the refugees their names. Slowly the team began to mingle. Dominicans and Haitians were extremely happy to see us, and cheerfully exchanged greetings. After about 20 minutes the mood began to brighten. The team was no longer so shocked and scared. The men were making jokes with the bolder leaders who slapped backs and jostled them back and forth.

Now it was time for the feeding. About 75 men, women and children lined up. I shouted, „Who wants to give thanks for the food?‰ The whole line of men came alive as they shouted, „Yes! Thanks to God for the food!‰ Knowing their own, they pushed a young mn of 15 forward. It was evident that he had a glowing faith, and the others knew it. I hoisted him up onto the hood of the jeep. Then, right there in the middle of the smoking dump, with a voice loud and clear he began to pray in Spanish, thanking God for the food, thanking God for the gringos, thanking God for delivering them from their many problems. He prayed loud and long. Finally an amen came from his lips, and a chorus of amens echoed back from the others in the line.

The food was good, and they were so thankful. Twice we stopped to make sure we would have enough. And enough we had, to the last person and not a plate more. They ate perched on piles of garbage, almost reverently. When supper was finished they gathered for more celebration. They asked us to sing a song, and we sang „O Canada‰. The youth remarked later that it had never meant so much to them as it did at that time. Then the refugees began to sing ˆ the Dominican Republic national anthem, the Haitian national anthem, worship songs some of them had learned in church. They sang and danced and laughed with joy. Again our team started to cry, wondering at the fact that they had so little and yet they have joy. An older, wiser man stepped forward and asked a group of girls „Why are you crying?‰ The girls answered that they felt bad that the people had to live in such conditions, and yet even so, they were happy. The man began to explain „It‚s because we have faith in God, and He gives us hope. We can find happiness even here in the midst of this dump‰.

One of the mothers, whose son and daughter were on the trip, was still crying uncontrollably. I happened to look down, and noticed she was standing there in her little white ankle socks. I thought for a moment „what is she doing ˆ walking around in the dump in socks?‰ It suddenly hit me ˆ she had given her shoes away! Then I looked towards the bus. A whole line of youth was waiting to get on. They were all shoeless, in their short white ankle socks. They had all given away their shoes. I thought „Wow! These kids really are heroes!‰

At debriefing that night, there were many tears. Most want to come back next year. They all want to get their friends to come on a Hero Holiday. Perhaps you might even want to come∑

Vaden explained to me that some of the leaders of the group took out loans on their houses, and extensions on their credit cards to buy the materials for the homes, and make this trip a reality. We still have $21,000.00 USD worth of building supplies that were purchased on credit (faith?) and we don‚t know yet where the funds will come from to pay for them. The homes will continue to be built even after we are gone with the materials that have been provided.

If this mission has touched your heart, and you want to see another 5 or ten of these poor refugee families moved into a home, consider gathering a group of your friends and taking on the cost of one of the homes ($3,000.00) or a portion there of.

Bless you for your interest, and why don‚t you consider joining us for a Hero Holiday?

Wesley Campbell
founder, Be A HERO
reporting from the Dominican Republic
heahero.org

We will accept pledges, and any amount of donation you might like to give. As with all Be A HERO projects, 100% of your donation will go directly to the project.

Just think ˆ for $3000.00 you can rescue an entire family from the depths of poverty, and set them on the road to health, education, training, dignity and joy. For only $3000.00 you can provide a family with a home of their own, with electricity, lights, a bathroom, and running water!
____
grace
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SA billbouard

"Increased exposure to the Son decreases chances of burning" - Billboard of
an Edmonton SA Corps

grace
stephenc

July 27, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name.
Check this out:

http://www.worldrevolution.org/
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

MORTGAGES ARE METHADONE

Methadone is a synthetic Opiate given to heroin addicts, it is used as a method of control being that an addict must come every morning to the pharmacy to drink it, in order that they may not experience any withdrawl symptoms. Methadone deposits within a persons bone marrow and becomes infused causing great pain to the person if they stop taking it.
I have only lived in the suberbs for a few days, but have already been bombarded with adds, flyers, and suggestions to get a mortgage. I just have to go line up, at the bank instead of the pharmacy, and agree to spend all my effort, time and money on this one thing; a mortgage. And they promise me that maybee one day when I'm old and for many almost dead I can finally have freedom from this mortgage.
These mortgage brokers remind me of the local drug dealers in Vancouver, promising to give me this great gift for next to nothing, but in reality causing great bondage unseen at the begining of the deal.
Anyway for all the Brothers and Sisters considering this mortgage thing, I have to give you the same advice I give to the Prostitutes and drug addicts downtown ... DON'T DO IT, before you know it youll be at benjamin moore selling your jewellery for the new Martha Stewart line.
Anyway Im not saying mortgages are evil, I have some Godly friends with mortgages, Im just saying there marketed like Crack, so be carefull how you use them.

July 26, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Here is a suggestion for worship (I hope it isn't regressive). Have a SASB handy to ad lib melody over set chords (tags of whatever you are singing, or just ones you pick).

For example, HERE AT THE CROSS (chorus of 488) over Em D C (favourite Jason Upton progression). You could pray up a bunch of choruses to have handy.

There are some classics:
For instance:
Consecration: 473c; 475c; 488c; 503c; 527c; 534c
Holiness: 448c; 461c; 463c
Warfare: 686c; 687c; 690c; 693c; 696c; 698c; 700c; 701c; 702c; 724c; 800c; 803c; 809c; 813c; 810c; 815c; 819c; 820c; etc.
from chorus section:
Holiness: 32, 34, 35, 40, 53
Service: 71
Purity: 72
Prayer: 76
Renewal: 78, 80
Prayer: 81
Classic: 97
Testimony: 169
War: 224, 238, 239, 243.

I hope this helps the worship warfare. Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

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

My friend just gave me a hard time about the recruits list of requirements. Memorize the doctrines? Big deal, he suggests. Mediocre corps have done that for generations and churned out passive soldiers.

Good point.

But ho goes further- why not make them memorize the covenant section of the articles of war as well. That is where the commitments usually fail.

Great point.

He has memorized it and finds it useful for accountability and mission application.

Praise God. I thorw it out there for the zealots among us.
grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

articles of marriage- 1947.
These are now no longer the official Salvation Army articles of marriage (soldiers in The Army marry in uniform and commit to this covenant, or one pretty similar now) but we were married under them, as were our friends this spring:

a. We do solemnly declare that we have not sought this marriage for the sake of our own happiness and interests only, although we hope that these will be furthered thereby; but because we believe that the union will enable us better to please and serve God, and more earnestly and successfully to fight and work in The Salvation Army.
b. We here promise that we will not allow our marriage in any way to lesson our devotion to God, our affection for our comrades, or our faithfulness in The Army.
c. We each individually promise that we will never do anything likely to prevent the other's doing, or giving, or suffering, anything that is in his or her power to do, give, or suffer, in order to assist The Army; believing that in so doing we shall best promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
d. We promise that we will use all our influence with each other to promote our constant and entire self-sacrifice in fighting in the ranks of The Army for the salvation of the world.
e. We promise always to regard our home in every way as a Salvation Army Soldier's Quarters, and to arrange it accordingly, and to train all in it who may be under our influence and authroity for faithful and efficient service in The Army.
f. We promise, whether together or apart, always to do our utmost as true Soldiers of Jesus Christ to carry on and sustain the Salvation War, and never to allow The Army to be injured or hindered in any of its interests, without doing our utmost to prevent it.
g. Should either of us from sickness, death, or any other cause cease to be an efficient Soldier, we engage that the remaining one shall continue to the best of his or her ability to fulfil all these promises.

Hallelujah
grace
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(info@thewarcollege.com)

top 5 list...

Fellow blogger Rob Dolby made an intriguing argument in favour of Franke, August Hermann (1663-1727). You can wickopedia him if you want.
grace
stephenc

new blog...

Here is a brand new one- under the broom tree... underthebroomtree.blogspot.com
grace
stephenc

call centre evangelism

I spoke with Andy Williams at length yesterday on the phone. I am confident that Andy Williams is not his real name. He has a strong Indian accent and I am guessing he was calling me from there.

Anyway, during the conversation I worked up a couple of evangelistic approaches. Andy didn't get saved, but maybe your next caller will.

Here's the thing: they usually kick it off with 'here's a special offer for you'. I listen. And then I give them a special offer (insert Gospel here).

Or, they indicate that they have 4 questions for me to answer. I do. Then I indicate that I have 2 questions for them to answer (Evangelism Explosion- 1. if you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell? 2. Why houl God let you into heaven?).

Now, I recognize the approach is old school but the Indian subcontinent might be a little less postmodern that North America. So lighten up.

So, try it out next time you catch the call centre.

Grace
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July 24, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

To all you young single warriors, I pass on the advice I gave by email to a friend this morning:

As for advice, just what I tell my kids as a counsellor (at camp): chicks are out; also, left hand to your mouth, index finger tip touching thumb tip with left hand and the right index finger bottom right to top left over the left hand. Then pucker up. It makes a no-kissing sign. Hold that pose until engagement and you might be safe.
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

mmccxx resource
http://www.vineyardusa.org/publications/cuttingedge.aspx
grace
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I'm sorry...

I was looking for something in this blog's archives (top right) and I came across this blog that I enjoyed and hope you might, too:

March 27, 2003.
Greetings in Jesus’ name, friends.

They say that any press is good press. Here is an example. The UK SA paper, SALVATIONIST, was generous enough to run a report on The War College (our one-year training school that starts in September- see thewarcollege.com). Here are a couple of letters that came in response (from the March 22 issue, p10):

"Language"
Are we the only Salvationists who find the choice of 'The War College' as a title for Canada and Bermuda territory's new training initiative a little unfortunate? It sounds more like the language of the last century than of the post-modern era the college clearly desires to reflect. While appreciating the need for training in both evangelism and spiritual warfare, some coded language is best kept out of the public domain if we are to speak in culturally sensitive terms to 21st-century humankind. 'The War College' might meet the criteria of being 'primitive.' it might equally be too topical to be relevant.

sc05- this letter is a great example of the 'relevant' position on the Army's warfare stance. It holds that we need to become likethe culture to impact it. It understandably runs face-first into our stance, which is one of prophetic relevance. We will use relevance when specifically helpful to the battle but are convinced that the prophetic posture is both what God tagged us with and what the world desperately needs.

"Naivety"
I cannot believe the naivety of those who chose and approved the choice of 'The War College' for the Canada and Bermuda Territory's new training establishment in Vancouver. When attempting to sell The War Cry in pubs or on the streets I am frequently told, 'I believe in peace, not war.' When I point out, if given the opportunity, this title was decided upon by William Booth in 1879 it simply confirms their deep-rooted suspicions that our Movement is still locked into the Victorian era. Can those who chose the name not imagine the look of horror and astonishment on faces of non-Christian parents and friends when young Salvationists tell them they are going to a war college? The title borders on the crass. A college called 21st-century Evangelism, meaning exactly the same, would surely have been so much more appropriate. Did not our Lord say, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God' (Matthew 5:9 New International Version)?

sc05- I smile when I read this one. We're crass. 'Crass' means unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility. I admit to 'unrefined' but hope that we at least have some disernment and sensitivity, if not discrimination and sensibility. We can easily proof-text with the letter-writer but prefer to note that we rest easy in our serge while this person evidently has personality tension and identity crises everytime he dons his (to sell THE WAR CRY for God's sake!).

I’ve deleted the writers’ names as I don’t want to offend. It sounds like we might not be getting any applications from England.

sc05- well, this prediction was true for the first 20-odd months or so but we did get our first British application earlier this year. Notably, it isn't from a Salvo!

Posted by Stephen Court, March 27, 2003
____
This morning we accepted our 55th applicant (out of way more) for this coming September (I'll let you know in September how many show). Despite the criticisms, it SEEMS to be attracting applications young adults from several countries (double digits). I wonder if we'd have more if we called it 21st Century Evangelism. :- ) The whole discussion is over when we admit that we think that GOD wanted to call it THE WAR COLLEGE (or maybe this confession opens another whole discussion. I can't keep up with them all). Hallelujah.
grace
stephenc

for our guys (and you, too)

Here is the list of hoops for soldiership covenant:
This is the standard set we use in the 614 War. Each recruit will have met these standards:
Saved a year
Clean a year
Read the Bible
In formal discipling relationship
In a cell
In a brigade activity (ministry)
Tithing
Uniformed
memorize doctrine
Read O+R
Read Handbook of Doctrine
In for life
Completed at least one discipling course and SALVATIONISM 101
Completed at least one approved SA book
Approved by the Corps Council
____
grace
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(info@thewarcollege.com)

At BTI some were discussing the best people ever... Well, I dug this up in our archives (top right) from July of 03:
July 1, 2003.
Greetings in Jesus’ name, friends.

Highbrow periodical Criterion recently released its greatest lists that culminated in a list of the greatest person ever list (which was based on number of appearances on other lists) (http://criterion.uchicago.edu/issues/vi3/greatestman.html)

Here is the list, along with links I’ve found for the people named:
1. King Alexander III of Macedonia
http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/Balkan/Alexander.html
2. King Tamerlane of the Turks
http://www.authorama.com/book.php?title=famous-men-of-the-middle-ages∂=28
3. Emperor Caligula of Rome
http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/Mediterranean/Caligula.CP.html
4. Emperor Shi Huang Di of the Qin Dynasty
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang_Di
5. King Genseric of the Vandals
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaiseric

Now, have you heard of any of these people? I’ve heard of Alexander and Caligula. But that’s it.

Now, my list would totally different. It would include people like the following group (omitting Jesus, and not in any particular order):

Paul- for spreading a little sect around his known world within a generation; for modeling a holy life; for his wisdom; for his fearless, persistent, flexible example (Paul will stand in for the other biblical apostles, a couple of whom might have made this list); for remaining one of the most influential people in history;

Bill Bright- for ‘inventing’ the two most effective evangelistic tools in history (the JESUS Film and the Four Spiritual Laws); for getting tens of millions saved; for raising up a great commission movement that is fulfilling the great commission (‘win, build, train, send’ is the Campus Crusade for Christ motto);

John Wesley- for rediscovering both Biblical holiness and Biblical church government and structure; for raising up a missionary and church movement that has shaken the world; for his teaching; for his role in one of history’s greatest revivals;

William Booth- for raising up an army of warriors that became the fist of the Body of Christ; for restoring the prophetic to the Church; for wedding evangelistic zeal with simple holiness; for transforming societies as he struggled to save them; for sanctified creativity…

Martin Luther- for rediscovering justification by faith, and in so doing, transforming the Church (both the Protestants and the Roman Catholics).

Now, the conditions were not set. And there are heaps of possible variations on this theme. I think I’ve even argued, in the past, for a place for Chairman Mao, since his legacy is one of the greatest revivals in history (his persecution of Christians spawned tens of thousands of house churches and millions of converts- but, of course, he is totally unworthy, especially in light of any one of tens of thousands of heroic martyrs he and his evil regime made and makes). But praise God for these great persons, who have transformed history way more than Genseric, Shi Huang Di, Caligula, Tamerlane, and Alexander, and who have, more importantly, transformed eternity.
posted by Stephen Court, July 1, 2003.
____
Someone suggested Reinhard Bonnke. It is tough to argue with that pick- probably more saved than anyone.
grace
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July 23, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

ACC update: We're pscyhed to officially announce the addition of Captain Amy Reardon from Seattle to teach at Aggressive Christianity Conference in Vancouver, September 30- October 2 (see armybarmy.com menu page for the website info).

This event is looking very cool.

Sign up today.
grace,
stephen Court
(info@thewarcollege.com)

the key?

A.
I recently listened to a well-travelled preacher indicate that there were two reasons that an effective evangelist (who, though pretty young, has seen hundreds of thousands of people indicate decisions to repent and believe) was so effective:
1. he is hungrier for Jesus that anyone this person has met; and,
2. he is committed to evangelism, not only before big crowds, but, even in the early days, on the streets, day after day after day.

It sounds simple. I guess is all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?

B.
Today I spoke with a friend who invested a mission trip with one of the most die-hard groups of evangelists I've ever encountered. They are a very difficult front, are highly disciplined, and fight all the time. My friend struggled to keep up. Their commitment played out in their families (all disciplined, with family rations every morning before breakfast), their finances (they have to raise their own funds), their fitness (because of the terrain of their front and their hard schedule, my friends says that they are all 'cut like cougers'), and their fruitfulness (they'll travel all day to get one person saved, if that is what it takes).

It sounds simple. I guess it all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?
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Wow- check out this prophecy about The Salvation Army at http://armyrenewal.blogspot.com/
grace
stephenc

unvarnished...

"The killers always allege particular gripes -- Australian troops in Iraq, Christian proselytizing, Hindu intolerance, occupation of the West Bank, theft of Arab petroleum, the Jews, attacks on the Taliban, the 15th-century reconquest of Spain, and, of course, the Crusades. But in most cases -- from Mohamed Atta, who crashed into the World Trade Center, to Ahmed Sheik, the former London School of Economics student who planned the beheading of Daniel Pearl, to Magdy Mahmoud Mustafa el-Nashar, the suspected American-educated bomb-maker in London -- the common bond is not poverty, a lack of education or legitimate grievance. Instead it is blind hatred instilled by militant Islam" -- historian Victor Davis Hanson, writing in the Washington Times (www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050721-093747-1994r.htm).

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July 22, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Some of you might be independents. Independents are what we call those who don't yet depend on God. If you're not an indie, I am sure you know some. This is for the indie crew.

I can't over-emphasize this. You need to repent. You need to become dependent on Jesus Christ.

Yes, there is a time to say, "God's not mad at you." or, "He loves you with an everlasting love." Two of the better evangelists I know use those lines.

There is a time for Jesus films, and four spiritual laws, and roman roads, and hand stories, and friendship evangelism, and so on. Yes, yes, yes.

But the bottom line is this: It is Jesus or hell.

As God He requires and demands your submission now (today is the day) and for the rest of your life.

As Savious He deserves it. He died because of your rebellion, selfishness, pride and every other filthy sin. But it is only one sin that is going to keep you out of heaven.

He invited (and commanded) 'Repent and believe... come follow Me'. It is your rejection of this command (invitation) that keeps you independent, keeps you unforgiven, keeps you cut off from divine community and acceptance and love and mercy and purpose and satisfaction, keeps you condemned and cursed, and keeps you bound for an eternity in hell.

There is no other way around it.

Submit to Him today. Check out some solid Dependents near where you live and work (or contact us at info@thewarcollege.com) for encouragement and discipling.

This is what it is all about. All of these little blogs and sites, and events, and projects, and ideas, and efforts, and initiatives- that's it, to convince indies to depend on Jesus.

Much grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

cells

We're all about cells on our front. MMCCXX is largely about bi-vocational cell-based outposts. If you are similarly engaged, you will want to check out this SA site for resources: http://web.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources_cell.asp

grace
stephenc

teenaged girls

Myrna Blyth at national review . com suggests that the teenaged girls might be key in a cultural revolution in Saudi Arabia: http://nationalreview.com/blyth/blyth200507210815.asp.

Amen.

Now, how about those teenageed girls in Canada, Australia, USA, New Zealand, Wales, England, and every other armybarmy bloggee country? How about spurring on a spiritual revolution?

Grace,
Stephen Court

fight songs
You know we're big on the fight songs here. We pray them in groups, and raise the roof. Here is an interesting article on fight songs from a mainline guy (Martine Marty at Christian Century): http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=1026
I think you'll enjoy (well, some of you trendier types might get ticked off).
grace
stephenc

July 21, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I just got the illfightfest.com website for a September event in Detroit. If you're in the region, why not check it out? Look at this line-up: OC Supertones
www.supertones.com
John Reuben
www.johnreuben.com
The Insyderz
www.insyderz.com
Seeker's Planet
www.seekersplanet.com
Flatfoot 56
www.flatfoot56.com
Skuf
www.skufworld.com
There you go. Good times.

Oh, and happy 75 to WL.
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

names...

I know- it is an old topic, and boring to most, especially me. But people usually point out that I am married to my wife. As if that is some strange thing (I have a different last name than she does). A quick look at The Salvation Army Yearbook 2005 indicates that this is no big deal at all. Time doesn't permit a comprehensive listing (read your own year book) but there all kinds of leaders who have different names than their spouses. How about:
Prathipati and Devavaram (TC India Eastern), or
PD Krupa Das and P Mary Rajakumari (TC India South Eastern, or
Chimanbhai and Wghela (TC India South Western), or
Lalkiamova and Lalhlimpui (IS South Asia)?
Let's get over it and move on...
grace
stephenc

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

My friend just fired me a piece on strict churches that quotes Lawrence Iannaccone extensively:

"Iannaccone starts by asking why people join strict churches, given that doing so exacts such a high price. Eccentric customs invite ridicule and persecution; membership in a marginal church may limit chances for social and economic advancement; rules of observance bar access to apparently innocent pleasures; the entire undertaking squanders time that could have been spent amusing or improving oneself."

sc- The Salvation Army exacts a high price. It's eccentric customs invite ridicule. It might harm social advancement. It rules bar some 'innocent pleasures'. And it sucks time out of your life.

"According to Iannaccone, the devout person pays the high social price because it buys a better religious product.

sc- do we provide a better religious product? In some places, yes.

"The rules discourage free riders, the people who undermine group efforts by taking more than they give back. The strict church is one in which members with weak commitments have been weeded out.

sc- You'd think that they discourage free riders, but it isn't always the case.

"What does the pious person get in return for all of his or her time and effort? A church full of passionate members; a community of people deeply involved in one another's lives and more willing than most to come to one another's aid; a peer group of knowledgeable souls who speak the same language (or languages), are moved by the same texts, and cherish the same dreams.

sc- on our best days, in the best places, yes.

"If a rich and textured spiritual experience is what you seek, then a storefront Holy Roller church or an Orthodox shtiebl is a better fit than a suburban church made up of distracted, ambitious people who can barely manage to find a morning free for Sunday services, let alone several evenings a week for text study and volunteer work.

sc- amen. Bring on the holy rollers (and the orthos!). Bring on a rich and textures spiritual experience. Bring on the revolution.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

So ive been on assignment this week, in an undisclosed MMCCXX location doing some reconasence ( isnt it funny thed send the guy who cant splell. )

So God has been faithful in directing us to a specific location and given us some revelatory vision and experience. But seriously how cool is God that you can travel accross a contenent and still get droped exactly where he wants you, he is supernatural I tell you.


I feel so blessed and was trying to figure out what radical thing I was capabale of ... what amazing thing I must be able to do, in order for God to send My whife and I to go extend his kingdom in this awesome place I'm in. And then I started to get it ...... my most radical, revolutionary ability had nothing to do with ability at all, it was simply availability.

People keep saying " you have experience " or " you have been trained up in, this or that," and thats all true but my 'curiculim vitae' is not what God is looking for, he just needs someone willing to move into a 500 square foot shanty with excretment wiped all over the walls and make friends.

Everyone keeps commending me for this willingness, but I think I have it pretty good compared to how JESUS lived down here, and I think I have a long way to go.


Please don't feel condemed, unless its by Holy Spirit, im not trying to shove my ideology down your throat, im just a simple , half a bachlors degree, self ordained, priest in the order of Melkizedek, who is doing his best to get this thing called truth. This thing called justice. This thing called love. So Im going to follow Jesus the way I hear and see it .... remembering that starting in a stable is enough to change the world.

Ju;y 19, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
ha2jtpt;hb2vs

Look, A lady told me today that she is called to action, but the call is easier than the action. Amen.

I got to sit under some meaty teaching this afternoon at Glory School, which we're hossting right in the neighbourhood. It's fun to see a bunch of crazy charismatic blessing our streets.

That makes me think of ACC coming up in September (see menu page of armybarmy.com). We've got people from coast to coast signing up (for those outside of Washington and BC you get free registration!). Why not block it out on your calendar, run your airmiles card to empty, and take in some good old primitive salvationism?

Much grace
Stephen C
posted by Stephen Court

revolution issue of JAC

This is a quick reminder that our JAC deadline for submissions for the August/September issue is in two days.

Coincidently, it also marks the two week mark for the current issue to be the current issue, with easy access...

Grace
StephenC

July 18, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I just read a report by Canadian Press that 'almost 12 per cent of people who arrived in Canada without proper documents during a six-year period were directly linked to a smuggler or escort'.

"Canada has emerged as a preferred destination in the human smuggling marketplace," says the internal assessment obtained by The Canadian Press.

grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

a good prayer

I know it is old, but it is good, and just refreshed for me today:

God, help us to see what You're doing and do what were seeing.

grace
stephenc

July 17, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

No one likes to talk about cartridges. Its similar to fasting in that regard. We don't want to brag and end up sinning about something spiritual. But that is an entanglement of the devil. I mean, get over it. We have to teach our people. Someone told me this week of a Corps where they post last week's cartridge totals by name on the wall in the hall! :- )

Because it doesn't get taught well, God gets ripped off by people, and people get ripped off by ripping God off.

Soldiers have high expectations. General William Booth instructed: “You might work out this rule on a graduated scale, beginning at the bottom with a tenth, and going on increasing as God increases… From a tenth you can rise to an eighth, and then to a fifth, and a fourth, and even further. Make His glory your joy, your conscience, your guide, and the Salvation of men, for time and eternity, the supreme object for which you live and trade and do everything else, and you will not go astray on this subject.”

In other words, a tenth of your income is the bare minimum expected. If you aren't there yet, get there. If you are only there, move on into increase.

I'd wager (if I was a betting man) that 10% is acceptable for a soldier of a year or so. After that, go for 20%. That might sell for the next few years but after five years of soldiership you're probably upping it to 30%. And so on.

If 80 adults on welfare tithe (in Canada, roughly $50/month or $600/year) we're looking at $48,000, which, be the way, is
more than many corps.

If there are 20,000 soldiers in Canada (there are a bit more), and they were all on welfare (not that many are), and they all fire a tenth, we're looking at $12 million a year. That's moe than $34,000/corps. It's nothing to sneeze at (recognizing that most make more than welfare and so we can get way more).

Our stinginess might be the thing keeping back the advance of the great salvation war (comments, as always, to info@thewarcollege.com).
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

demo of the week
last week armybarmy.com featured Josh Ivany's Tis So Sweet. The new one is Marty Mikle's Dark Night. Check it out.
grace,
StephenC

July 16, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Wow. We had 100 and something Christians evangelising the neighbourhood last night with Extreme Prophetic. They are out again today.
Praise God for the conversions!
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Be A Hero,

God has been using this statement for his glory all around the world, and bringing justice to the Orphan, Widow, and Alien. Countless children's homes and sponsor children have been redeemed. NICE!!! This statement has stirred up many in their most HOLY FAITH !!!

But true say that every plan of Gods is countered with a sell out plan by Beelzie. So I'm ticked at how this Hero thing has been watered down and blended into soft serve crap. Advertising is all over the place claiming, "you can be a hero too." Usually by some meaningless cival contribution with no eternal value at all. The latest one is on the highways of Washington state. There are High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, carpool lanes, and signs everywhere saying, "call 1-800-976-HERO." Yep, you are a Hero if you report someone, one of these monsters of society, driving alone in their car. They must be stopped! It's injustice ! "Let's do something dear, this single driver must be stopped."
For the time it takes to call in a violator over a dozen children will die from dirty water!
Three girls will be sold into the sex trade, and nine babies will be born with HIV!

What is a hero? In a world where being a hero is mass marketed, mass produced and sold off in merchandise likely made in third world countries by children we must ask these questions, and stand to denounce injustice. Lets be Hero's.

By the way, at the movies right now you can buy a Hero popcorn combo for $8.99 plus tax. That is like a third of sponsoring a child for one month. That is Heroism.

MMCCXX Death and Glory Shock Troop Dolby.

July 15, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

The Freemans (Raechel and Tom) are blogging again at http://1freeman.blogspot.com/ You may want to check out the Jesus blog thing from today.

Last night Patricia King was on about judgement and how she loves receiving it from God and how He is faithful in administering it. And it got me thinking to our old line derived from the truth that judgement is inevitable: Free will boils down to this- discipline now or punishment later.

It is true. Let's choose discipline now.

God is blessing us so much. We've got something like 100 early teens here almost ever week of the summer hard at the Gospel. And we've also got little teams of adults here and there helping heaps. This weekend we've got a hundred and something adults hitting the streets in evangelism. Man o man. Who is blessed like we are?

Last week some of our guys were out at a camp for rowdy (I mean rambunctious, not Christian) teens. And heaps of them (40?) got saved! Yahoo! Hallelujah!

Thank You, Lord.
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

Hallaujah !!! God is not DEAD !!!!

Lets Glorify God together, TESTIMONY.

This week at the Tulsa, Oklahoma Citadel a women brought her concern to the body. She shared that her doctors had found a lump in her breast, confirmed with x-rays, and that she wanted to be healed. So the Corps, led by Captain Jose and Jaime Dabdub, commanded by faith the women's body to be healed, moreso that specifically the Dr's would be baffled by the new x-ray with no lump .... And praise God that is exactly the testament that this lady gave on Sunday ... Yea Holy Spirit. At the Tulsa Citadel there is mass healing all the time, the Captain says " its just about being bold, and doing the stuff," that "its about faith'" to believe anything we ask according to Gods will, will be done. He says that you "gotta believe." Praise God for what he is doing in Tulsa and all over the earth, God is a God who heals and is not above using signs, miracles, and wonders to draw people towards HARD CORE SALVATION. The coolest part is that the Captains glow wasn't about the healing but about the people getting saved and discipled through it.

How many people got healed at your corps this week ?

July 14, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I was working the alley the other night and a group of four addicted people stopped us. One asked about the sick father of one of our leaders and another asked when she was leaving.

It is impressive that everyone around knows her.
Praise God.

At School of Extreme Prophetic with Patricia King tonight (it started tonight- great crowd and meeting) she mentioned this:

"When a street person cries it is huge. They are hardened; they don't have many tears left."

Wow.
God give grace.
grace
stephenc

London bombing...
What do you think of this article? http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/07/12/do1202.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2005/07/12/ixopinion.html
comment at info@thewarcollege.com
grace
stephenc

July 13, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Well, a chapter in the short 614 Vancouver history is over. Our dear comrades are re-deploying this week. I've always said that the fellowship is in the fight and I am finding it to be gospel truth.
It is emotionally like being carved in two by a dull hand saw (not to belittle those who have been physically sawed in two).
We've not tapped into authentic Christian community to the extent God has dreamed up for us. We've only scratched the surface. But it is a deep, rich, fulfilling experience (that I recommend for you all).
I've been reminding our people to savour the moments of the last six months for the last six months. Thank God for them.
Our corps next month is a lot different than the one last month.
God isn't surprised. He wastes nothing. We plough on as the fist of the body of Christ.
Hallelujah!
much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

July 12, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
I just read this, early this morning: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20050710123619850C495299

Here are some low lights of a survey of South African children (all quotes):

One out of every three children is having sex at the age of 10, and 17 out of 100 will deliberately spread the virus if they know they are HIV-positive.

The study involved 269 905 pupils in Grades 6 to 11 in all language groups, across a range of schools and from all nine provinces.

Some of the other disturbing findings included that, at 18, two out of every three children had had sex. Two out of 10 pupils did not believe condoms prevented pregnancy or other sexually transmitted diseases.

One in 10 said they believed sex with a virgin could cure HIV/Aids, and one in 10 had been raped in the past year. Three out of every 100 pupils thought that girls liked sexually violent boys and one out of every 10 thought that girls who got raped, asked for it, according to the study.

"It is not surprising that 43 percent of all sexual crimes committed on children reported to Childline, were committed by children under 18," the study reported.

CIET Africa research concluded that of every 394 offences committed, only 272 were reported.

"Only 17 of these become dockets of which five are referred to court for prosecution. One docket in every five gets 'lost' and only one conviction is secured," said the study.
____
And so on. Let justice come!
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

July 11, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
My pal Peter and I were doing street combat last night and evangelising Gary on a perch in an alley in our neighbourhood. Within a yard of our conversation were two people. The lady was lying down exposing her neck for the young man to jam with a needle. He was complaining about having to do it (he was pretty shaky himself) so I interrupted that he shouldn't do it.

It turns out he is her son and he always does it.

Nice family relations.

They heard the Gospel, asked about our corps, and blessed us when we departed.

As Aaron, when he is in town, would say- you don't see that in Orangeville.

God is in the business of restoration. Michael Collins preached yesterday about turning hearts of children to fathers and fathers to children. I am pretty sure that goes for mothers too. God grant it.
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

July 10, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

We've had BTI here for the week. It ends tomorrow. I wasn't expecting the harvest here that it has wrought but praise God for the conversions! Besides that, it has been an exhilerating, enriching experience for me, and, I hope, for others.

Here is another stash of Salvo Warfare Version shouting prayers for your PTBing:


1Ch 16:35
Cry, “God of our salvation, save us! Gather us together and rescue us from the nations to thank You for the holiness of Your name and to triumph in praising You.”

2Ch 20:9
If calamity collapses on us- war, your judgment, pestilence, famine- we can present ourselves before You in this temple where Your name is honoured. We can howl the cries of calamity and You will hear and save

Job 19:7
I’m yelling “Violence!” but no one listens. I scream for help but there is no justice.

John 7:37-38
On the climactic day of the feast, Jesus took His stand, shouting, “Anyone who thirsts, come to Me and drink. The Scriptures confirm that anyone believing Me will burst with living water from the inside out.” (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

MMCCXX
DNA
The stronger the shared DNA of this venture the more effective the efforts will be. We’re inspired by the example of the children of the revolution we’ve discussed. They and others possessed characteristics that are effective for us. If, at the minimum, we all agree in the great commission, God can use us to accomplish these plans. But if we agree on more, the process accelerates.

What we’re looking to share is the most virulent (‘dangerous and potent’) strain of the Revolutionist virus that will spread the fastest around the world.

These seem to be vital components:

1. Primitive Salvationism- mission-focused, charismatic-flavoured heroism.

This phrase conveys a sense of the essential elements of the first generation Salvation Army we analyzed in this book. I think many will agree on ‘mission-focused’ and ‘heroism’ (the latter definitely required for many of the cities we are destined to invade). The other term requires quick unpacking. By ‘charismatic-flavoured’ we are recognizing the Spirit-generated freedom and power exuding from early Salvationists and from their contemporary heirs in various denominational attire around the world. Most of the largest, fastest-growing, mission-oriented churches in the world are charismatic.

2. Poor- We’re called to the poor. Don’t worry- this is actually a massive target group, since, according to www.globalrichlist.com, there are more than 5.1 billion people who live on less than what Canadians get on welfare. We’re convinced that we need to share Jesus’ bias for the poor on whatever front we fight. This demands some incarnational simplicity in our efforts, identifying with the poor whom we serve.

Global and local interests demand our integrity with this issue. Some of the benefits of such a posture include: intimacy with a God who has a bias toward the poor; identification with the people; good stewardship of God-lent resources; integrity; cost-effectiveness; and the ability to sleep at night.

3. Community- One of the catch phrases on our front is ‘authentic Christian community’. We believe that when we pervasively tap into this it will be contagious. “See how they love one another” will be the startled observation.

We replace bald-spot Christianity (staring at the back of someone’s head for an hour every week) with face-to-face Christianity, in which we actually get into each other’s lives, carrying one another’s burdens, sharpening one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds, caring, supporting, holding accountable. It is a much more rigorous Christianity than most of us ever experience.

Not only that, but God has designed us to desire community. We long to belong. Most in the West don’t ever sense the reality in its pure forms but we craft some human version (clubs, teams, etc.) or get caught up in a demonic counterfeit (cult, secret society, etc.). The real thing is attractive at a soul-level for people with whom we live and interact.

4. Bi-Vocational- We’re training our people locally to prepare to go and get jobs in other cities and to start cells. Paul did the same thing, and we called it tent-making. This offers contacts, sustainable income, and flexibility, while facilitating incarnation. It gives us freedom to experiment without financial restraint. It will provide us with creative access to some countries in which we will need to adapt story to existing culture and history.

5. Prophetic Relevance- We’re coining this term to cover both cultural relevance on each front and the protection of a prophetic stance (our calling, individually and corporately, to speak God’s message to the world and to the Church). We do well not to abdicate one for the other. Paul was Jewish when it helped and he was Roman when it helped. There is definitely a social justice component as well, our people learning to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so they will not be unfruitful (Titus 3:14).

On fronts less free to the Gospel, relevance will be emphasized above prophetic stance. In free countries relevance becomes a tactic we choose to use as deemed circumstantially efficacious.

We’re relevant as it serves prophetic purposes.

6. Prayer
Prayer is more important than we realize. Those of us who buy in to MMCCXX will be pressed to mobilize our prayer networks for committed coverage of the warriors, softening of the fronts, blessing to the apostolic leadership for the next 20 years who will help drive us into new countries and deploy leaders, raising and training warriors, finances, etc. We will want to recruit intercessory networks, 24-7 Prayer rooms, corps lists, and so on. In Vancouver, we’ve been going 24-7 in The War Room since early 2004 (this is a room dedicated to non-stop prayer in which people, signed up for three-hour shifts, intercede and worship as directed by God and guided by prayer-aids). MMCCXX was birthed there.

7. Recruitment
We’ll need to identify and recruit leaders. We’ll need thousands of them to invade 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. General William Booth declared,

We want soldiers who understand the hearts of men, who are acquainted with the devices of Satan and the delusions and excuses and hiding-places of sinners, and who know how to pour in volley after volley of red-hot truth upon rebels, until they run, or yield, or fall at the feet of the conquering Saviour.

Who will participate? It is a big tent. It includes all those captivated by the vision and the radical mission-drenched exploits of the children of the revolution. But we need people of proven character and ability who share the DNA. These people will be in relationship with us- discipling/ mentoring/ directing.

Paul seems to have had criteria for those being sent:
Fellow travelers with Paul;
Spiritual sons, or brothers;
Kindred spirits (Phil 2:9);
Genuine concern for the welfare of the local church;
Demonstration by their lives of what a disciple looks like (1 Cor.4:17).

We’re trying locally to spin out 2,000 such warriors via The War College and Warrior Academy and some other interesting initiatives. You may be able to do it other ways.

8. Training
The training will be tailored to the specific front to be invaded. I don’t need to learn Kazakh to invade the heavily Chinese Vancouver suburb of Richmond. But I could probably use it in Kazakhstan.

We don’t need to re-invent the wheel and will do well to catch up on the tactics of Christian agencies hitting many of the currently closed countries in imaginative ways. Study of the religions and cultures we will encounter will be essential.

There is a basic pioneering course called SALVATIONISM 501: MMCCXX that ill prove helpful (see resource list at the end).

9. Deployment
Biblical expansion is guided by God and connected though relationship. God has identified some leaders (and will identify more) responsible for regions who can coordinate plans of attack.

Paul’s model was to send out leaders with his expressed endorsement.


System

Global: We’re not re-inventing the Biblical Church. MMCCXX is based on relationships. The apostles build the foundation and raise up and bless local leaders.

The Ephesian model of Paul is instructive (Acts 19). After evangelising in the synagogues for three months (v8), Paul established a war college at the lecture hall of Tyrannus attended daily by the disciples for two years (v9,10). The curriculum included:
· service to the Lord (20:19);
· modeling of humility and hard work (20:19, 35);
· large crowd and cell preaching and teaching (20:20);
· the whole will of God (20:27);
· night and day fighting, with tears (20:31);
· major miracles, healing, and deliverance tactics (including handkerchief healing!- 19:11,12);
· power confrontations (such that Artemis was discredited- 19:27);
· and mass population evangelism (“all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord”- 19:10).

Peter Wagner says that “Paul was… taking gifted believers whoever they might be, with whatever education they might have, providing for them the conceptual and practical tools they need, and sending them out to extend the kingdom of God.” Wagner believes that many of the Churches that began around Asia in the first century were actually planted by these disciples of Paul.

This movement will need to remain decentralized, with each of us having autonomy to do what God leads us to do on our own fronts. We can voluntarily submit to one another and we can voluntarily speak into each other’s local situation. Accountability will be covenantal.

Local: By ‘outposts’ we’re thinking mission-focused local expressions of the Body of Christ. We’re strong believers in cell-based Christian community. The largest churches in the world are, without exception, cell-based. It is Biblical, community-enhancing, accountable, honest, intimate, contagious, and simple (in that you don’t need buildings and big budgets).

We’re also very committed to having a War Room (24-7 prayer). Obviously many new starts will be very hard-pressed to get it going non-stop but the War Room ought to be the hub of all activity, especially for pioneering types who are inclined to be very active.

General William Booth said, “Pay 10,000 more times attention to the children, but don’t neglect the adults.” We’d love to see a commitment to training the children so that the army is complete and the invasion is sustainable. We’ve started the Warrior Academy with that purpose in mind (and with the intention of replicating in scores of cities). This is one model that can be used effectively.


Action

Pray.
- See if God has been dreaming about this for you. If so, find out when and where. This should help us get our heads around something our hearts are embracing. If your heart is telling you that you could be a part of one of these 2000 outposts in 200 countries in 20 years, then move on to…

Train
- Get yourself discipled by a solid Christian. Be accountable in the local Body. And work through SALVATIONISM 501: MMCCXX.

Recruit
- Pull together a team of like-hearted individuals. This process will involve starting back at ‘pray’ and ‘train’.

Connect
- Keep us in the loop. The network and resources can help coordinate, support, train, pray, deploy, fellowship, and so on. Contact us at info@thewarcollege.com (for the time being- site to come shortly).

Notes:
There are 191 UN member states. Add the Vatican and Taiwan and you get the common total, 193. But if you add the following places- Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Western Sahara, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England- you get 201 (subtract UK and you have 200, as of today. Who knows what will happen in the next 20 years?). Besides, the Super Bowl is televised in 218 countries and territories. Don’t let the number throw you off.

July 9, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Here are some more shouting prayers for your PTB efforts (Salvo Warfare Version):
1Sa 9:16
“I’ll send you a man tomorrow from the land of Benjamin whom you are to anoint as leader over My people Israel. He’ll rescue them from the Philistines, for I have been watching My people and their cries have reached Me.”

2Sa 22:7
In the midst of my adversity I called out to You, Yahweh. From the depth of my distress I cried out to You, God. You heard me! My wailing reached Your temple’s hallowed halls.

1Ki 8:28
Please respect this prayer of your servant, Yahweh. Regard the request. Listen as I cry out in your presence today.

1Ki 8:52
Watch me plea and watch Your people Israel plea. Listen to them every time they cry out to You, please! (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

PTB- SHOUTING

Here are some Salvo Warfare Version shouting prayers to aid your praying the Bible:
Re 19:1
Next, I heard the mighty roar of a massive heavenly crowd shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation to the Lord our God! Glory to the Lord our God! Power to the Lord our God!”

Ex 22:23
If you mistreat the widow and orphan and they cry out to Me, look out.

Nu 10:35
Whenever the Ark set out on a journey, Moses cried, "Arise, Yahweh, scatter Your enemies! Let those who hate You flee from You!"

De 33:7
"Yahweh, hear Judah’s cry and unite that tribe. They fight hard for their cause. Come alongside them against their enemies, please. (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
grace
stephenc

July 8, 2005.

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Here's a nice photo of my amazing wife, Danielle:
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/usc/www_usc.nsf/ce952dea4507ee7780256cf4005d2254/1f190172be2c62fd86257028006799ef?OpenDocument

Here is a great initiative by the USC Territory on BE A HERO. Maybe it will stimulate possibilities for your corps, division, and territory:
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/usc/www_usc.nsf/ce952dea4507ee7780256cf4005d2254/d3798fea5792da5386257022006f43cb?OpenDocument

Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

acc details...
We can confirm that Captain Dave Allen (Ocean Crest) is on for a stream teaching at ACC in Vancouver at the end of September (details at http://armybarmy.com/ACC/index.html). Dave and his wife Brenda are COs of a large corps and extensive community ministry in Campbell River on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
grace,
stephenc

quick perspective

From James S. Robbins at nationalreview.com:
It is doubtful that these attacks will influence British policy, at least in any way favorable to al Qaeda or its ideological allies. Londoners are no strangers to terror attacks. According to the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, there have been 126 terrorist incidents in London since the late Sixties, making it among the most targeted European capitals. (Note: There have been 309 attacks in Paris over the same period.) London has been attacked not only by the IRA, but also the Popular Front for the Liberation, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Abu Nidal Group, and now al Qaeda. Not to mention the Blitz during World War II. If Hitler's Luftwaffe could not break Britain's will, what chance do the terrorists have?
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grace
stephenc

July 7, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

God bless the families of those killed in the Terror War in London.

Meanwhile, we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Our campaign to spread holy terror - the fear of the LORD - manifest in love and humilty and holiness, continues, recognizing that the enemy of our souls (devil) has captured many in his evil, desperate fighting.

Here are some more verses to help you in our fighting (specifically, praying the Bible, shouting prayers) from the Salvo Warfare Version:

Re 12:10
Across the heavens I heard a crashing voice boom, "Finally, they are here! At last- the salvation and strength and reign of our God, and the authority of His Messiah! The one who accused our comrades day and night before God has been hurled out.
Re 14:8
A second angel followed, shouting, “Fall! Fall! That’s what that great city, Babylon, did. So much for seducing the nations with the wine of the wrath of her fornication!”
Re 14:9-10
A third angel followed, resounding, "If you worship the beast and the statue or if you accept its mark on your forehead or hand, bottoms up on the cup of God’s wrath filled with the wine of His fury. What torment! You’ll be able to see the Lamb and His holy angels, but you’ll roasting in a fire of sulfur.
Re 16:1
I heard a forceful voice resonate from the Temple to the seven angels: “Have at it. Pour out the seven vials of God’s wrath over the earth. (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
Have you noticed that Revelation is a loud booK?

Happy anniversary to emc/wlc.
much grace
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posted by Stephen Court

Did you miss it?

Founder's Day is celebrated July 2 (although it has been April 10, August 20, and July 5 at different times in history).

http://www1.salvationarmy.org/heritage.nsf/titles/Founders'_Day
grace
stephenc

WB incendiary

“You must have a leader, and you must have a band of men who are ‘alive.’ Let us pour contempt on our ‘ministerial helpers’ and end them or mend them… Give me godly, go-ahead daredevils and anybody may have the preachers!”

grace
stephenc

Installment 4 of Shouting Prayers from Salvo Warfare Version:

Lu 18:38
He started shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, deal kindly with me!"

Ac 7:60
He collapsed to his knees and shouting, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” Then he died.

Re 7:10
They were shouting their lungs out, "Salvation to God on the throne and to the Lamb!"

Re 11:15
The seventh angel blew his trumpet and heaven reverberated with the boisterous shouting: "This world’s kingdoms have reverted to our Lord and our Christ. His reign shall never ever end." (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
grace
stephenc

July 6, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

One of the issues oru people have lost their way (not everyone) is on women in leadership. Catherine had it down. IN the early days we had it going on, but I am guess the deceleration of the movement made it more susceptible to institutional church doctrine and praxis (we replaced titles by Booth with titles by the cross-denominational best-sellers and tv programmes and radio and so on).

So here we are now with a presumed headship theology that is crippling God's Salvation Army. It is brutal. Weak.

We've got to tighten up in a big way. Why not read WHY NOT WOMEN? or BEYOND THE CURSE or some such book that might provide you with a new angle (new to you)?

Positions that push down women are sinful. And it is no excuse to say you didn't know, for two reasons: 1. You're a Salvationist, for God's sake!, and 2. you have a responsibility to look.

So, align your position with God's. Stop crippling The Army. Submit (men), co-labour (men), exercise your freedom (women) and calling (women) and gifts (women).

This is not a peace-time issue.
grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

Alert

Karyn Baker (worship pastor at NewWest outside of Vancouver and contributor to demo of the week at this site) has started blogging. Enjoy: http://www.karynbaker.blogspot.com/
grace
sec

ACC

The website for Aggressive Christanity Conference in Vancouver (September 30-October 2) is now up on the main armybarmy.com page (or straight over from http://armybarmy.com/ACC/index.html).

Go and visit and then come and visit.

grace
StephenC

Im on my way to go volenteer at a salvo food line in my nieghbourhood. This food line is the biggest in the Americas and feed like 750 people a day. I love meeting practical needs for the submerged tenth, I think its the Gospel in fact, but there should be more. Imagine that instead of soup today I was able to give 750 people a job, or opportunity to leave, get on a bus and leave the Ghettho We could open a work colony in the country and train people to fish. Imagine if I could get 750 soldiers to take one person home, feed, clothe, and love them into the kingdom. Then there would be no Ghettho. Just community and family, just Church.

Psalm 68:6 God sets the lonley in families.

Isa 58:6-6 Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. Is it not to share YOUR food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter. - keep reading.

I think Ièll go take someone out for lunch instead.


MMCCXX Death and Glory Shock Troop Dolby

July 5, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Welcome to the USC Congress PTBers (praying the Bible for a month). I hope this batch of Salvo Warfare Version shouting prayers today helps:

Eze 1:24
The flapping of wings sounded like the roaring of rushing waves, like the crashing voice of the Almighty, like the commotion of an army.

Mt 8:25
The disciples woke Him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're drowning!"

Mt 21:9
Processional crowds surrounded Him, shouting, "Hosanna! Praise God for the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Great big Hosannas!

Mt 21:15
The scholars and religious headliners saw the amazing miracles with their own eyes, and with their own ears heard the little children in the Temple shouting, "Hosanna- Praise God for the Son of David." Indignation was their response.

Lu 17:15
When it dawned on him that he was he healed, one of them turned back to Jesus, shouting “Glory to God!” (copyright Salvation Army - use and credit)
____
grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

July 4 controversy

Michael Ramsay (see renew network- top right) wonders if Chirstians should celebrate a violent rebellion against God, King, and Country?

(don't shoot the messenger)
grace
sec

Shouting Prayers (2) from the Salvo Warfare Version, for praying the Bible out loud (bless the neighbours):

Ho 5:8
Blast the cornet in Gibeah! Sound the alarm in Ramah! Lift the battle cry in Beth-aven! Benjamin’s warriors- lead on into the fray!
Joe 3:9
Proclaim this to the nations far and wide: "Prepare war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the war-fighters advance and attack!
Pr 29:6
Sin ensnares evil people. Liberty elicits shouts of joy from the righteous.
Isa 40:3
A voice cries: Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness. Make a straight thoroughfare for God through the desert. (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
Much grace,
sec

July 4, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

I've got great news of a new initiative supporting BE A HERO, the campaign to mobilize 10,000 people to make a difference in the lives of children-at-risk.

Check out absolute hero at heroholiday.com. 1,000 people building 100 homes in one week.

Classic stuff. Sign up and tell your friends.

Grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

helping Africa.
The argument to slow down the G8 enthusiasts (and one of my neighbours is among their number) is the word no one likes to bring up: corruption.
But the Australians have an attitude (that we all love) and aren't so politically correct.
With this preface, enjoy the old argument in More Mercs for Jerks at http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15812947^601,00.html .
grace
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Shouting Prayers (1)
So, I will move you into some shouting prayers from the Salvo Warfare Version to help in praying the Bible out loud to God. You can actually shout along with your favourite Bible character...

2Ch 13:15
Judah’s citizens raised the battle cry. At the sound of their shouting, God routed Jeroboam and the Army of Israel, and Abijah and the Army of Judah.

Isa 42:13
Yahweh marches out as a mighty warrior; He advances in zeal, like a man of war. He roars, He shrieks, and triumphs over all His enemies.

Jer 50:22
The sound of war is in the land, echoing massive destruction.

Jer 51:27
Raise the signal flag. Sound the war cry! Mobilize the nations for war against Babylon. Call out Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz armies. Appoint a commander, and deploy the horses like a locust swarm! (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
I hope the neighbours enjoy!

grace
StephenC

Shouting Prayers (1)
So, I will move you into some shouting prayers from the Salvo Warfare Version to help in praying the Bible out loud to God. You can actually shout along with your favourite Bible character...

2Ch 13:15
Judah’s citizens raised the battle cry. At the sound of their shouting, God routed Jeroboam and the Army of Israel, and Abijah and the Army of Judah.

Isa 42:13
Yahweh marches out as a mighty warrior; He advances in zeal, like a man of war. He roars, He shrieks, and triumphs over all His enemies.

Jer 50:22
The sound of war is in the land, echoing massive destruction.

Jer 51:27
Raise the signal flag. Sound the war cry! Mobilize the nations for war against Babylon. Call out Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz armies. Appoint a commander, and deploy the horses like a locust swarm! (copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
I hope the neighbours enjoy!

grace
StephenC

July 3, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Some of you might be interested in upcoming schools this month:
Booth-Tucker Institute (5-11) is followe by School of Extreme Prophetic and Glory School, both with The Army, with information at http://armybarmy.com/events.html#prophetic
Grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

wasn't I just on about a revolution? So is this brand new blogger, identity unknown (well, Captain Dave) at http://salarmyofficership.blogspot.com/2004/10/revolution-needed.html#comments
It is good.
grace
stephenc

greatest american?
The 10 Greatest Americans...

Hi- I just saw this in the Western Standard Blogs and present it to our comrades celebrating their independence in a couple of days:
Here are the top 10 Americans, as chosen by 2.4 million viewers...
Ronald Reagan
Abraham Lincoln
Martin Luther King
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Elvis Presley
Oprah Winfrey
Franklin D. Roosevelt
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This is one of the better arguments against democracy (I mean the 2.4 mil, not all of the top ten).
In our lingo independents are people going to hell, since they refuse to become dependent on Jesus. What we should have is a Dependence Day and celebrate conversions recorded at a break neck pace around the world...

I did run a bunch of top ten lists at the turn of the millennium and none of them cae up with results like this one.
grace
stephenc

Hi- back in the blogs of June, I reported from TIME Magazine in 1930...

How many magazines these days might run this challenge from Evangeline Booth:
"March on until Paganism has burned its last idol and Mohammedanism has renounced its false prophet and Christianity prevails everywhere."

Can you imagine Time Magazine running it today?
Grace
stephenc

fresh eyes.

Sometimes it is nice to see the neighbourhood through fresh eyes. Here are a couple: http://www.k-thoughts.blogspot.com/
grace
stephenc

closed case (US clamping down on human trafficking)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4643529.stm

The SA is big on this stuff and this case is one of the biggest in US history.
grace,
stephenc

assorted, short...
1. The Revolution Issue of JAC is coming up in August and our submissions deadline is July 20. I'd love to hear some fresh stuff on revolution from out there and blogland... (send to info@thewarcollege.com).
2. The Revolution book is scheduled out in about 5 weeks. Save up your shekels now.
3. The Sounds of teh Revolution worship CD is sheduled out in about 5 weeks. Save up your shekels now.
4. The daily revolutionary devos (no confirmed title yet- we've got a few finalists)- is due out for August.
5. Can you catch that we're interested in stimulating a permanent revolution? How will it look? We're not sure, but we have some ideas. Stay tuned.
6. MMCCXX- did you know that someone went and bought the .com and .org for mmccxx and is just sitting on it? How can that be? Anyway, it is holding up our website a little bit. Be sure that you will be among the first to know when it finally opens up (maybe .net?).
7. 200,000 people protested in Scotland this weekend. One older lady resigned. Which will impact the world more?
8. I meet many people who want to throw their lievs away for the cause. But they are not sure how? Here are two suggestions: 1. pioneer some bi-vocational, cell-based outposts. Change the world for very little money and very big risk. Live simply in community, charismatically spreading the Gospel form house to house (or room to room); 2. sign up as an officer. This option is more realistic in some countries than in others, because, as this blog has noted, in some places, there remains little extreme about this vocation. However, the romantic element hangs around like the smell of mothballs at your great grandparents's place, and you can plunge in from there.
9. This is the time for revolution. I know the word is over-used, in commercials and advertising, in cocktail drinks and sports. But there have been a spate of political ones over the last little while; cedar, red, purple, orange, rose, and so on. And frequently (so they say) what happens in the physical mirrors what is happening in the spiritual. We must gear up.
grace
stephenc

July 2, 2005.
(playing- knowing my failings- Josh Ivany and the West Coast retro-prophets)
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

Here is number 15 in the imprecatory psalms for praying the Bible out loud from the Salvo Warfare Version:

Psalms 137: 1 - 9

By the rivers of our captivity, Babylon, we waxed and wept nostalgic for Zion. We hung up our harps on the poplars. Our subjugators coaxed us to sing some happy songs: “Sing us one of those Zion songs!” How can we sing Yahweh’s songs on foreign soil? If I neglect you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither, let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t find my greatest joy in you.

Yahweh, remember the Edomites’ cheering on the Babylonians on that dreaded day in Jerusalem: “Tear it down. Make it rubble. Turn it into a parking lot!” Babylon, you are history. The payback comes from someone who is blessed. The rocks on which they splatter your babies are blessed. (copyright Salvation Army - use and credit)
____
I think we'll move on to shouting prayers next...

Grace
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posted by Stephen Court

It wasn't only Jada Pinkett Smith at Harvard...

(hat tip to Richard John Neuhaus, firstthings.com)
"A number of universities around the country are accommodating transgendered, transsexual, and otherwise ambiguously self-identified persons who protest the heteronormativity of restrooms designated for men and women. Matthew Rose, a doctoral student at the University of Chicago, former FT editorial assistant, and legendary football star of Wabash College reports: “The University of Chicago has just supplied us with a number of bathrooms for those ‘uncomfortable’ about classifying themselves within the hegemonic taxonomies of bourgeois heteronormativity. The new bathrooms are private and much nicer than the bathrooms for those of us who have timidly accepted the social construction of our maleness or femaleness. They are so much nicer, in fact, that I use them regularly. When I was confronted about using the bathroom by a confused looking ‘somebody,’ I simply replied, ‘I’m not comfortable calling myself a man on this campus.’” Heteronormativism. Add it to the list of things of which you are probably guilty.
____
oh man...

Another reason to stay away from university, unless you're evangelising (which is cheaper than wasting tens of thousands for mediocre education, or even excellent education).

grace
stephenc

ACC

Once upon a time there was a War Councils with 4,000 people in which Catherine shouted to her warriors, TRY THE FIRE! Then she wrote a book that changed a movement called Papers on Aggressive Christianity.
Generations later in New Zealand a powerful and provocative conference stirred a slowing movement. It was called ACC_ Aggressive Christianity Conference.
Piggybacking on that was a small group of Salvo Zealots in Williams Lake with ACC- Aggressive Christianity Councils (with Burrows, Read, Chang, Ruis, Park, Munn, Clark, etc.).
The excellence-seekers at Box Hill in Melbourne scooped up ACC and built a conference that influences a country to this day.
Cory Harrison teamed up with Catherine Booth (PtG) and updated AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY.

And the past is prologue.

The West Coast is adopting ACC this fall, September 30-October 2, 2005, in Vancouver. Hosted by BC and Northwest Divisions (two territories) Salvos will re-dig each of these wells under the preaching of General Eva Burrows, Major Eddie Hobgood, Major Ross Hailes, the legendary Michael Collins, and Captain Danielle Strickland (and that's not even talking about the electives, streams, worship leaders, kids specialties leaders, and so on).

Keen salvos within a cheap air flight from Seattle/Vancouver should save up and make plans now to catch this primitive salvationist wave that looks like it might spread down the coast over the coming years.

More details to follow...
grace
stephenc

Covenant and Nehemiah.

Jonathan Evans continues harping on his covenant tune with an informative and persuasive blog on Nehemiah's covenant (top right).
grace
stephenc

Farewell, Godspeed
(playing- Tim Hughes)
By the way, I've just been exposed to When Silence Fallss by Tim Hughes and I've got to say, I love it (admission- I've been a British invasion guy since cutting edge). I mean, I don't know if it is reminiscent of early 1980s summers or not (not intended as an insult though I realize it might come across that way) but it sounds familiar to me- Giver of Life, Whole World, Joy in this Place, etc. Move past the hits (Beautiful One, Consuming Fire, and so on). Praise the Lord.

So, we had another farewell today. That is six adults and six kids this week. If you've not been up here, let me tell you, there aren't too many of us left standing! :- ) Of course, they leave geographically but the stay with us spiritually. Our corps is the last one most of us will ever start. It just grows with outposts all over (eventually, the world, we pray). So our comrades, who are as much of this corps as you can imagine (if you're from a conventional corps, imagine ripping out the founding COs, the CSM, the CS, the CT, and the HLS, in one week and you're starting to catch what we're living).

The upside is that God has already been answering the inevitable prayers about this. We're so blessed it is hilarious. Thank You, LORD. And think about the blessing in the cities where these warriors are heading...
Much grace,
StephenC

Imprecatory Psalm number 14?
Here is another you can pray out loud from the Salvo Warfare Version:

Psalms 83: 1 - 18

God, don’t sit on Your hands. Don’t zip Your mouth shut. Your enemies are in an uproar. They’re making quite a commotion. They are scheming craftily against Your people, conspiring against Your dear children. "Come," they say, "let’s waste Israel. Let’s wipe out the collective memory of its existence!” This unanimous decision has birthed an alliance against You: Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, Amalekites, Philistines, inhabitants of Tyre, and even the Assyrians in cahoots with Lot’s descendants.

Mess them up like you did the Midianites, and Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, their decaying corpses manure to fertilize the land. Send their nobles to Oreb’s and Zeeb’s grave. Send their princes to Zebah’s and Zalmunna’ grave (who had their hearts set on God’s pasture land). God, make them like tumbleweed, straw in the wind. As fire consumes a forest, as flame rages through the mountains, pursue them with Your fierce tempest, terrify them with Your hurricane. Shame them so that they call upon Your name, Yahweh. Let them feel disgraced and terrified forever. Let them perish, mortified. Make them realize that You alone, Yahweh, reign supreme over the whole earth. (Copyright Salvation Army- use and credit)
____
grace
stephenc

July 1, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
It is Dominion Day in Canada, when we celebrate the Dominion of God over our land (from Psalm 72:8).

At least that is what we used to do before we woke up and realized that most people don't believe all that God stuff anymore and, somewhat abashed, changed the name of Dominion Day to Canada Day (a smooth exchange since it is the Dominion Canada, unless they've dropped Dominion while I wasn't looking) 20 years ago or so.

So I guess these days people just drink like fish and shoot fireworks off.

But I am celebrating the coming Dominion.
grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Franciscan Salvo?

Hi- I know that many of you are catching on to this new blog, but here's the plug to tell the rest of you: http://franciscansalvationist.blogspot.com
grace
stephenc

The result of movement to church

(hat tip on both of these blogs to HH)
"When successful sects are transformed into churches, that is, when their tension with the surrounding culture is greatly reduced, they soon cease to grow and eventually decline."
Roger Finke and Rodney Stark, The Churching of America 1776-1990. New Brunswick NJ, Rutgers UP, 1992, p.148.
____
So, I guess another strategy to return, or to regain the original dynamic, is to ratchet up the tension with the surrounding culture.

But how do you do that?

Hmmm. Love your neighbour. Have no other gods before Yahweh. Preach the Gospel. Live simply. Do open airs. Protest for ProLife (see GAP at abortionno.org). Hold people to account. etc.

Maybe...
grace
stephenc

movement to church?

"A key question for us is how we make the transition from a movement to a church in such a way that we do not lose the original dynamic that brought the Army into being. Or if we have lost something of that dynamic, how do we regain it?"
General John Larsson, addressing a 2001 International Theology and Ethics Symposium in Winnipeg, Canada.

A few remarks...
- A key question is WHY we make the transition from a movement to a church. What is there to gain in being a church? Other than in the States and in some African countries, most places are not friendly to church. It therefore helps us not a bit in our mission of winning the world to identify with this unpopular institution.

- We've already lost the original dynamic (thus making the first comments, for many places, hypothetical).

- We regain it not by becoming a churcch or by acting church-like. That we know for sure. We do not regain it by calling every new corps a community church (as our territory insists). We do not regain it by calling our officers pastors (see many CO 'business' cards). We do not regain it by running traditional church programmes or traditional church meetings. We do not regain it by envying and imitating the church sacraments.

- Could it be that we regain it by returning to the principles and passions and covenant of our primitive forefathers?
I'm just asking.
grace,
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SA and covenants

Rob Dolby fgures you can't make God love you more but you can let Him trust you more. The key is covenant.

That has been the basis of our research into covenant, believing it to be the glue that will hold together The Army in the next generation (if we embrace it) and position us to inaugurate the great final conquest of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ (from Catherine's prophecy).

So, I've collected the covenants of the major monastic orders, the covenantal churches, and the hardliners throughout history. Odds are I've missed some of the majors, but i have the Moravians and Jesuits and Franciscans and Dominicans and Benedictines, and Sisters of Charity, and so on. Added together, they are just over a third in length of The Salvation Army Orders and Regulations for Soldiers.

More to come...
grace,
stephenc

children prophets

This is an interesting article from a neat site
http://www.kidsinministry.com/PropheticChildren.html
We're excited about raising up children warriors and this is fueling the desire...
grace
stephenc

Christianity started out in Palestine as a fellowship. Then it moved to Greece and became a philosophy, then it went to Rome and became an institution, and then it went to Europe and became a government. Finally it came to America where we made it an enterprise. -- Richard Halverson, while he was US Senate Chaplain

hmmm.
Danielle

June 30, 2005.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
Is this number 13 for imprecatory psalms to help you pray the Bible out loud to God from the Salvo Warfare Version? If so:
Psalms 79: 1 - 13

God, nations have inherited Your land; defiled Your Temple; and left Jerusalem a heaps of ruins. They’ve abandoned Your servants’ bodies to the birds. They’ve dumped Your saints’ flesh for the beasts. They’ve filled Jerusalem with blood. There’s no one left to bury everyone. We’re a walking bulls-eye, and neighbours and others fire rounds of derision, scorn, and mockery for target practice. Yahweh, how long will Your anger simmer against us? Forever? How long will Your jealousy burn?

Rain wrath on those nations that ignore You, on the kingdoms that refuse to call on Yo