Armybarmy Blog

June 29, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Some lines from The War Room - what are we hearing? book:
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- Justice is not a spectator sport.

- (having come to get rid of all her junk)... Jesus doesn't want to be my personal dumpster.

- the heat is rising. Let's press in.

- I was "bushwacked by the Holy Spirit in the first song (Red Book Sessions).

- How's your soul? How's your cell?

- be humble or be humbled (Isaiah 26, 61)

- a magnificent angel protects this room, perched on the window ledge.
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Much grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

assorted...

Welcome to Jael Honour- God bless yoU!

Roots (CA), Fluid, and Forward are all on this weekend in Canada. Good times had by all. If you're anywhere near Toronto you will want to get to Jackson's Point for Roots as the line-up is reminiscent of the 1909-1911 Uof T vardity Blues, the 1940 Bears, the 1927 Yankees, and the 1992-1994 Crusaders for Christ (CFOT Toronto)- STACKED! :-)

And the Alberta line-up boasts a General, a couple of Comms, and assorted warriors...!

Sunday is Founder's Day- I mention it knowing that the Barmy Army knows, but reminding you in case you want to remind others. It is a big day in the Salvos.

Keep this tucked away for further notice: Council of War- a global SA prayer shield (email me if you're stirred... revolution @ mmccxx.net).

Much grace,
StephenC

Good news.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!
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Prostitution collapses during World Cup

By DPA
June 25, 2006

Hamburg, June 25 (DPA) In Hamburg's red light district, one of Germany's top tourist attractions, prostitutes say the
World Cup has led to a drastic drop in business, according to a newspaper report.

Before the tournament, there had been predictions that as many as 40,000 prostitutes would immigrate to Germany to
provide sexual services for hundreds of thousands of football fans. But after two weeks, pimps said the event had been a bust, not a boom.

The Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper Saturday quoted a brothel operator, Andreas Harms, 34, as saying: 'We expected the
rush of tourists would improve turnover, but business is completely dead.'

He said only one fifth of the bordello rooms were in use. One of the prostitutes, Alicia, 22, from Poland, said: 'If
you've got one customer a day, you're doing well. Previously it used to be six a day.'

Four kilometres away, at Reeperbahn - the street that is the historic centre of the Hamburg business - sex club operator
Xhavit Dreshaj, 38, said: 'There are more people in the city, but it has not helped business.'

Before the World Cup, city welfare authorities boosted staff to help hundreds of women trafficked into the city to
provide sexual services and increased supplies of free contraceptives.

'The panic was unfounded,' said Emilija Mitrovic, the sex workers organiser at the trade union Verdi. Said Veronica
Munk of Amnesty for Women, a pro-prostitution group: 'We haven't seen any increase whatever.'

Hamburg is one of the cities where World Cup games are being played and it also has a huge football public viewing area
next to the Reeperbahn.

Copyright DPA
This is message is forwarded to you by the:
Initiative Against Sexual Trafficking
c/o The Salvation Army USA
National Headquarters
____
grace
stephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 27, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

At BTI we dust each other off. Charles Roberts named the experience way back at the original PSN Gathering up in Williams Lake and it just stuck. But I praise God for it. It is an opportunity for one person to receive focused prophetic prayer from a small group. Most of you who have heard us teach have experienced it. And it isn't unique of course. It goes by other names in other circles.

We're blessed with some good pray-ers and some powerful times of prayer that have included confirmation, revelation, encouragement, correction, love, healing, and some other neat stuff. Hallelujah.

Grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 26, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

This is from the Wall Street Journal. It is both funny and pointed:
____
"Delegates of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are to tackle whether to adopt gender-inclusive language for worship of the divine Trinity along with the traditional 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit,' " the Associated Press reports from Birmingham, Ala.:

The divine Trinity--"Father, Son and Holy Spirit''--could also be known as "Mother, Child and Womb'' or "Rock, Redeemer, Friend'' at some Presbyterian . . . services under an action Monday by the church's national assembly.

"Mother, Child and Womb"? That's even more sexist than the old patriarchal Trinity. We suspect God will be quite angry at the suggestion that she is no more than an Incubator. It ought to be "Woman, Fetus and Body."

"Rock, Redeemer, Friend" is much better, and it's easy to remember. Rock crushes Redeemer, Redeemer cuts Friend, Friend covers Rock. (http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110008546)
____
grace
stephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 25, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Chris Hinton (British Isles blogs on right) has a webcard feature added to council of war site:
http://ecards.councilofwar.co.uk

Great idea, Chris. Enjoy, Barmy Army.

BTI is in full swing- we've got our biggest crew yet this year, from four countries. God is already teaching and using the delegates and stirring things up. Much more to come through the week.

Majors Fame retired officially today. Major Dolores and Major Sam Fame (great name, eh!) are legends in our city, having served 15 years at the Harbour Light. The Fames have served millions of meals and sheltered almost as many homeless, and rehabilitated thousands of addicts. The statistic I didn't hear over the weekend was the conversions. I know that many have been saved through their evangelistic faithfulness and I stagger whenI consider the fruit growing out of some of that fruit! Hallelujah! There have been some big names associated with the Vancouver Harbour Light, names like Hammond and Moore and Smith and Banjo Bill Leslie, and others. Fame has lengthened the list of legends.

Praise God for their faithfulness and fruit. Our warfare down here has benefited from their effectiveness. We give glory to God.

Mch grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

and another hit from Viv Grigg:

Some missions have made a deliberate attempt to reach the rich believing in a sort of religious 'trickle-down' theory... the gospel trickles up. Any man or women who will follow Jesus and walk among the poor will affect countless members of the rich and middle classes. People in these classes will come to the slums because they are curious, they hear of good deeds, and like Nicodemus, they come looking for truth and reality.

Despite the failure of affluent missionaries to preach the words of scripture about unjust wealth and to live simply themselves, the converted rich come because these new believers can read the Bible. They come searching for the person who has chosen the poor, because they know that here is a true answer to the problems of wealth. They come because they are now concerned for the uplift of those they previously exploited. Jesus has an answer for the rich man. The rich middle-class missionary often has only words.

ouch.
giving the most grace.
Danielle

He Is Risen!

another classic by Viv Grigg:

"the propensity for the Western church to accept the agenda of aid organizations as focal to the Great Commission has seriously skewed mission. Mission to the middle class is seen as proclamation. To the poor it has become giving handouts or assisting in development as defined by Christianized humanitarian perspectives. It is far easier for churches to give thousands of dollars than to find one of their members who will walk into the slums for a decade."

say it not in gath, proclaim it not in the streets...

Much Grace.
sec

June 24, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

The War College Charlotte Campus opens officially in September and there are still a few slots open for keen Christian types from around the world. It promises a lively, adventurous, Christian missional experience complete with evangelism, simplicity, poverty, service, discipleship, training, community, blessings you can't anticipate, probably some signs and wonders, and maybe even a bit of danger.

I honestly know of no better training ground for salvos to get geared up to go and start outposts and help lead the onslaught on the enemy of souls than The War College, and this is you opportunity, whether 18 or 63, to have a go at some novel war-fighting along with a team of zealots in North Carolina, USA. For more information, email heather @ thewarcollege . com (or you can apply online at thewarcollege.com).

Much grace
sec
posted by StephenC

June 23, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

The third annual BTI started today- yahoo.

Check out Michael Ramsay's blog on Canada and poverty (Canadian blogs at right).

Hat tip to Cory H for this quote:
____
"If The Salvation Army is anything," wrote Punch when the Joystrings were on their way to the top of the charts, "it is a gay, aggressive, revolutionary, movement not a pathetic body of survivors."  
____
That nicely describes The Army I know closely if not the one you know. If it isn't the one you know may I suggest that Punch was being prophetic back in the day? A new saying? Prophetic as Punch!

Much grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 23, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

"We are Not Perfect"

The article to which Danielle responded has stirred up much response- you might want to go and check it out.
grace
stephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 22, 2006.

My response to the new article over at therubicon.org (bottom right list):
____
Some great thoughts here. I once heard a speak at an army conference called, 'William Booth is dead'. Good point. The question of what he would do is quite irrelevant now, I agree. We are The Salvation Army... we should take responsibility and do what Jesus tells us for NOW...

However, the things that disturb me about this idea taken to the extreme are:

1. Our culture seems to have an obsession with dismissing 'heroes'. This has been for some time... this may be, in part, due to the pain of seeing them fail when we had hoped for more. But, I've got a hunch that we are obsessed with dismissing our heroes as a direct attack on idealism/romanticism of modernity... the idea of human progress clearly wasn't enough - even for the heroes... but on the other hand... there is something so valuable in recognizing the heroic measures of ordinary people doing extraordinary things by the power of God. Booth is among the great-hearts of heroic measures on behalf of the poor. Clearly, he was human but what inspires me is what inspired him... the mission of the world for God. Let's not lose the essence of his character as the inspiration it should be.

2. Our culture almost has an obsession with forgetting. In Scripture, God never seems to think that the Israelites should stop 'remembering' what God did through Abraham and Moses, and Isaac and Jacob - in fact quite the opposite is true. God calls us to remember the faith of our forefathers... in order to remember God Himself. He even calls them to remember the details of what God has done in order to build our faith for what God will still do. This is the helpful 'remembering' that I think we should be focusing on with Booth and early salvationism... not a romantic, unhelpful assumption that all was perfect and we should be that way again. But an eyes wide-open recognition that God did something extra-ordinary through the lives of surrendered folks called early salvationists - and then we should long for those days again... not the same days but these days made special by the obvious presence of God.

3. Who writes our history is important. This has bothered me for some time. I took a course on Salvation Army history offered by a professor who didn't believe in the Holy Spirit. Oh how that changes our history! It would be like learning about your national history and heritage by someone who didn't like your nation or heritage (think German history of the Jews in pre-War World II). It's off. I think those history lessons are rendered useless (with prejudice distorting perception) and I fear we accept the unbelieving version of history to easily... thinking it's high-brow learning when really it's just lack of understanding.

it's a long response, but there are some thoughts the article raised.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Danielle
____
grace
Danielle

June 21, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Here's a great new resource from Canada and Bermuda Territory - a series on the doctrines. I've not seen it yet but it is a live recording of interviews with some large name salvos back in the day, including General Brown, General Tillsley, Commissioner Pindred, Commissioner Read, Commissioner Busby, and others.

http://www.salvationist.ca/webelieve

Much grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

best city to live in?

The UN has ranked Vancouver as the world's top city in which to live:
http://english.people.com.cn/200606/20/eng20060620_275449.html

It is a good city. It has some bad parts to it, but God loves Vancouver (and He especially likes to hang out amongst the poor there, I think).
grace
sec

June 20, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Hat tip to Michael Ramsay for this intel:
____
Banned: Schoolgirls are forced to take off chastity rings - or be ordered out of lessons

Gaby Hinsliff, political editor
Sunday June 18, 2006
The Observer

It is only a band of silver, imprinted with a Bible verse, worn by a schoolgirl but the decision by one of the country's top state schools to ban 'purity rings' - increasingly worn by Christian teenagers to symbolise a pledge not to have sex before marriage - has prompted not just a standoff with local parents, but a debate over religious expression and sex education.

Read more: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1800271,00.html
____
That's ridiculous.
Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Check this out: a call from Viv Grigg - an urban evangelist who lived incarnationally in a squatter of Manila: from his book Companion to the Poor (well worth a read!).

"Do we not hear a call to go as servants of that rugged cross, laborers whose delight is work, sacrifice and suffering, whose souls are filled with compassion, and whose lifestyle is that of simple poverty? In the next few years, there needs to be an ever-growing stream, a new thrust to these dirt-and-plywood jungles. We need bands of people who, on fire with the message of Christ's kingdom, will choose a lifestyle of simplicity to proclaim that kingdom to the poorest of the poor."

Anyone hearing the call?
Great Grace.
Danielle

SA's World Cup Anti-Trafficking Campaign.

Hi- you probably haven't seen this yet- I hadn't- check it out at Doug Burr's blog (American blogs on right).
grace
stephenC

June 18, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

"Oh No! Harper said the G-word!" is the National Post headline. People are up in arms that the Canadian Prime Minister ends his speeches with 'God bless Canada'.

The entertainin gperspective (I always try to feed you the entertaining perspective) comes from Warren Kinsella:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=04fe168f-ab24-48db-87df-07878e8de87a&k=59172
(For those who don't link to it, the punch line is that our national anthem has a very similar prayerful request, so lighten up).

grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 17, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

(currently playing: D:cutting edge, disc 2; Boundless v1)

Today I was blessed in my early War Room shift, then participated in our block party, then farewelled our DC, then played with my family, then put my son to bed. Here I am.

Farewelling our DC was a sweet privilege for all of us who have benefited from his wonderful spiritual leadership. The Salvationists at his new destination are amongst the most blessed in the world.

Much grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

June 16, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

USE Territory has slammed back week 1 of 52 in its Year of Prayer and we join them in praising God for manifesting His presence so graciously. There's more to come. You armybarmy types who live in the eastern States ought to sign up soon. And those from outside the USE ought to consider winding up your own non-stop prayer experience.

Overheard on a beer commercial: Why spend another moment on anything that doesn't make life a little bit better?

My buddy is moving cities and the big focus is to find a home in walking distance of a good church. Driving distance won't do it- they have to be able to walk by neighbours through the week. That's a help to forming community.

God remains more gracious than you can shake a stick at!

Much grace to you,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 15, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Following up yesterday's war blog, Michael R (see Canadian blogs on right) made these pertinent comments:
____
"I think a serious study of the unnamed country's history would show that they wins wars because they spend the money to do so...It was Darius (The Great Persian Leader) who said that his most valuable soldiers were his archers - he was referring to the ones on the back of his coinage."

"This, I think, also has spiritual implications. The anonymous nation referred to above puts most of its resources into supporting its military adventures (more money than the rest of the world combined); where do we Christians put our resources?"
____
Cashflow. It helps (though it hurts in process) to zero-budget strategy. And deployment of resources are affected by the exercise. Good point.

Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Why we win wars.
____
"We win wars because our fighting men and women are the best trained in the world, then we give them unprecedented levels of autonomy, so that, as one officer put it, a (country named here) sergeant has the operational autonomy of most Middle Eastern colonels."
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQwYmYzNDY2ZjdkYzliYWY3MjdmNThlODJlNmUxYmU=
____
So, training and autonomy are the key (others factors were mentioned in the article). I can testify to a great deal of operational autonomy on my front. I feel pretty well trained, too.
grace
stephenC

June 14, 2006.
Greetngs in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

The word at the recent congress from the USA National Commander Israel Gaither:
____
"The Lord is doing something new in The Salvation Army. something to do with prophecy, especially in regards to the youth. Everyone, if a young person comes up to you and prophecies - listen to them! God is doing something in the youth of The Salvation Army, and they are beginning to prophecy." (not an exact quote- taken on the fly- hat tip Olivia FM)
____
Bring it on, Lord Jesus.
Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

a few late night additions...

I heard that an unspayed cat will produce a family of 14 million in nine years. Transfer those numbers over to spiritual math...

You can join the BC Division of The Salvation Army in praying these things for our corps the 13th and 14th;
- humility and simplicity;
- aggressive Christianity;
- holiness and hunger for God;
- leaders. (thanks- and if you want to join up as an intercessor, please email intercession614 @ gmail.com)

overheard- the logo in the centre of the Miami basketball court looks like a toilet (it did come from a Texas native).

Much grace
StephenC

June 13, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Here's a blog you might like:
http://maryannparks.wordpress.com/

And Steyn raises more issues you might like to address on Islamoschmoozing in the Macleans Magazine article, fresh out today:
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20060619_128742_128742
For those unlikely to look it up, here is a point:
____
The multicultural society posits that each of its citizens can hold a complementary portfolio of identities: one can simultaneously be Canadian and Jamaican and gay and Anglican and all these identities can exist within your corporeal form in perfect harmony. But, for most Western Muslims, Islam is their primary identity, and for a significant number thereof, it's a primary identity that exists in opposition to all others.
____
This should be equally true for Christians (primary identity), although that identity needn't exist in opposition with (admittedly it is often in tension with). There is much more to chew in the article for Salvationists, but the primary identity challenge is enough for now.

Much grace,
Stephen Court

June 12, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Hat tip to Fleur H. for the CRY OF THE URBAN POOR by Viv Grigg. Bloggable is this one sentence from his bio:

"The Lord has used him to catalyze several new apostolic orders (networks of communities) who live incarnationally in the slums of over 30 emerging mega-cities, planting churches and creating a plethora of ministries to transform poverty."

Wow.

Praise the Lord. Now there's a testimony.
Much grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Behead who?

For those who read the last post, you'll relate. One faithful reader asked 'who are we supposed to behead?'

The answer:

On my wall is a War Cry cover from the 40s and it looks like the Salvation Soldier is about to behead the dragon of Sin with His Sword of Salvation.

grace
stephenc

Re-Primitivization v. Globalization

Trust Mark Steyn to blow the cover so tastily in his new Sun-Times column:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn11.html

You can read it from a Salvationist perspective and wonder how we can maybe get some re-primitivized Salvationism spread around the globe. Any feedback is welcome at revolution @ mmccxx.net.

Much grace
Stephen C
posted by Stephen Court

Primitive Book Club

Hey- Go over and check out the Primitive Salvationist Blog (right side- USA). They have started a Book Club. The first title is CHAOTIC ORDER by Danielle Strickland.

Have at it!

Much grace
StephenC

Woah!

Quoted from SALVATIONIST letters (not updated yet on right) and from Carol Young's Blog (British Isles- right- June 7 blog called, Die At Your Post):

"Late one night, in my house on the territorial headquarters compound, the watchman came round to put out all outside lights. He told me to be quiet as there were soldiers and tanks at the gate. I put on my uniform thinking: If I'm going to be shot I want them to know who they are shooting! I knew that as a soldier of God there was no need to hide away."

Wow! Read all of Carol's blog. And while you're at it, try Matt Clifton's June 2 blog on Memorandum from B-T for war-fighters in INDIA (British Isles - on right).

Oh, and those caught up in Joel Boyd's uniform discussion- re-read the quote above (from Edna Williams).

grace
stephenC

June 10, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Some of you who are newer to armybarmy haven't yet come across the speakers bureau resource called FREE SHOOTERS.
http://www.armybarmy.com/freeshooters.html
Several events have benefited from connected with speakers and worship leaders from Free Shooters. Your next event might, too.

Plus...
Wouldn't you hate being evaluated and pigeon-holed based on one experience? Here are a couple of mystery worshipper assessments of Salvation Army meetings in the last year or so:
http://ship-of-fools.com/Mystery/mws_05/reports/1034.html (Regent Hall)
http://ship-of-fools.com/Mystery/archive/uk_ireland.html (Loughborough)


Much grace,
SeC
posted by Stephen Court

Liberalism- the religion

(note- the word means something different in NA than elsewhere, maybe).

Now, this might throw you, but bear with me. This is an article called GODLESS:
http://www.anncoulter.com/welcome.html

You can handle it.
Grace
StephenC

June 9, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

We're psyched to announce the international release of a new SA worship album called THE RED BOOK SESSIONS by The Singing Company in Chicago.

You can actually listen to a track from the album at our own demo of the week feature-
http://armybarmy.com/demo1.html
It is NEVER MIND, GO ON, by Richard Slater and Eric Himes.

Purchasing information is available to Eric Himes Blog (American section on right).

Congratulations to The Singing Company.

Also...

With a process glitch we've not featured ROOTS.CA that is happening at the end of this month at Jackson's Point outside of Toronto. This year's conference features Majors Janet and Richard Munn and Phil Laeger and Major Sandra Ryan and Russell Rook- an absolutely stacked list of leaders. It's going to kick. And it's free.

http://www.rootsonline.org/canada/

Finally...
The outpost machine in The Army in UK, called NEO, has an accent test for pioneers. I guess after their first year the expectation is that their accent will change towards that of the local people. Nice.

Oh, and I get to lead the odd dedication meeting. I noticed (hat tip Ian G) that one line (at least in my 1934 edition) reads that 'you must... not withhold him (her) at any time from such hardship, suffering, want, or sacrifice as true devotion to the service of Christ and The Salvation Army may entail.'

That one is for all of you salvo parents out there.

Ah, alright, one more. (hat tip Danielle S who will shortly have much more to say on the subject) It also says, 'You must, as far as you can, keep from him (her) all... wealth.'

That one is also for all of you salvo parents out there.
grace
stephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 8, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Stats Canada just released a report that indicates 25% of Canadians give 82% of charitable dollars and 25% volunteer 77% of the volunteer hours:
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060605/d060605a.htm

Our corps is probably a smaller percentage of volunteers and givers with a larger chunk of each. Not ideal.

I wonder how that breaks down in your corps?

Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

June 7, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Have you read JAC yet? Don't cheat yourself. Bless yourself! Read it (top right).

(hat tip Stephen Bell- http://stephenbell614.blogspot.com/) Kay Warren has an article on CNN at
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/06/05/warren.aids/index.html called 'Christians Must Do More To Combat AIDS, Comfort Victims'. There is even an option for you to comment.

My comment- Be a Hero. :-)

Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

I am The Salvation Army

In the new Salvationist.ca magazine Colonel Eleanor Shepherd makes a statement I'm repeating as I remember it (loaned out my copy):

"I am The Salvation Army- just not the whole Salvation Army."

Nice. Good to remember...

Much grace
stephenc

Loving Labels!

Xander and I were messing around the other day, trying to discover how many labels we could fall under. Here's what we came up with:

We are...Aggro-holy-primi-pro-pomo-neo-revo-devo-salvo-heroes.

(The "pro" is for prophetic).

I think I'll do up a business card.

Grace,

Aaron

June 5, 2006.

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

If I might tear away everything for a moment, all of our roles and responsibilities and positions and reputations and connections and expectations and mistakes and regrets and pressures and problems and hopes and dreams and longings and fatigue and uncertainty and so on...

Isn't Jesus Christ amazing? None of the other stuff hassles or hinders in light of the wonderful love manifest on a Cross and victory displayed in an empty tomb.

Hallelujah!

He is risen!

I'll drink to that! (non-alcoholic)

Yahoo (Pronounced YA - hoo)

Much grace
stephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Bag of Chips

This poem, quoted in an earlier blog by Stephen (concerning a girl in Tanzania selling herself for a bag of chips) knocked me for a loop.

So I brought it to my teen cell, most of whom are not Christians. I read it out, and guaged their reaction (most of them are young girls). The effect was pretty powerful. I asked them what they would want to say to the girl, and to the Major who wrote the poem.

Then I had them close their eyes and figure out what they would want to say to God about this situation. Then they were to ask God what he wants to say to them about this situation. Some powerful responses. One girl said she asked God, "If we start doing our bit, and we get more of your workers to get involved, will you please take care of those girls in Tanzania?"

I have found that the best way to involve kids in prayer and worship is to involve them in thinking about and acting out Kingdom justice.

Grace,

Aaron

June 4, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

Holy Pentecost!

(hb2ZSC)

Whew! Have you read the new JAC yet (top right)? No? Well, here is the editorial intro:
____

We present to you issue 43, grateful for the commitment of the writers and the blessing of God who given them something worth reading. This issue promises to spur us all on to love and good deeds.

Major Richard Munn kicks off this issue with MEN, WOMEN, AND THE BIBLE. For fans of Biblical equality this will be a faith-builder. For those who still haven't converted, please take the study!

General William Booth dusts off THE MISSION OF THE FUTURE, a lengthy 1889 address in which he envisions one great united Missionary Society of the Future. It is bracing thought from a man who actually believed that God's grace was sufficient for us to accomplish the things that we used to and sometimes (in some places) still sing about.

Major Miriam Gluyas dovetails Booth with her EXPANSION. A proven pioneer of new outposts and corps, Sydney's Gluyas suggests both principles and practicalities in our endeavour to win the world for Jesus. Faithful readers will know that we're invested in a venture nicknamed MMCCXX, a vision quite in line with Booth's article to see new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. Gluyas's article will help inform and equip you to participate (don't worry. We know that more is needed. So plans include a whole issue devoted to mmccxx later this year - stay tuned).

Now that we've spilled the beans again on mmccxx, Patricia King (based in Phoenix and Kelowna) backs us up with THE IMPORTANCE OF GOALS. She suggests prophetically and Biblically that these can focus our efforts and optimise our impact.

But we're not about change for change's sake. Commissioner Wesley Harris (Melbourne) warns of 'change junkies' in his HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND DESTINY. This long-term perspective on our Army and where we're headed will be important reading for those concerned for the future. This is one to forward to your friends.

Mary Parks (Philadelphia) offers 'OH, GOD, YOU PROMISED!' a short reflection on the prayer version of Tommy Tenney's God Chasers best seller.

Peter Lublink (lublink.ca) tells us to SHUT THE HELL UP. What he means is that we should not give the devil a chance by shooting off our mouths and living and acting hypocritically.

Commissioner Wesley Harris finishes off his SOUVENIRS OF SALVATIONISM Series with parts 7 and 8.

Andrew Bale (London) blows everyone away with HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL THAT COST ME? He translates our personal commercial system by cost-benefit analysis into the lives of children who could be saved. From there he crafts a personal lifestyle manifesto that is sure to shake your comfortable Western foundations. Don't read this after having shopped or eaten out at a restaurant.

Patricia King gives us some advice in WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH A STORM. As always, powerful stuff.

Dan White and Kirsten Ivany, Holy Session students at The War College in Vancouver, present their project, ONE CHURCH. This vision has tonnes of potential to unite and enrich and accelerate the great salvation war. Give it a careful read, please.

Next issue (August/September) is scheduled to be based on the theme, WOMEN. We're blessed to have as guest editor, Major JoAnn Shade. If you'd like to contribute, I can connect you with her (at revolution@mmccxx.net).

Until then, feast away on this smorgasbord. And if you finish before August, dive into the 42 issues of archives. And if you get through that, remember that we drip feed daily at armybarmy.com/blog.html.
Enjoy.
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grace
stephenC

No Lord's Supper


Salvationist.ca (bottom right or http://www.salvationist.ca/2006/sacramental-living/#more-355) has an article on The Army and the Lord's Supper. This bit from Major Ray Harris is of interest:
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First, it is sometimes argued that the decision of 1883 (to discontinue the Lord's Supper) was less than faithful to Scripture, since its writings, such as Luke 22:14-23, seem to require the practice of the Lord’s Supper. Space does not permit a more complete discussion of biblical texts, but let me draw on New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson’s comments on this text for perspective: “The account of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples has had such an obvious and overwhelming importance for the Christian community…. [However,] Christian liturgical practice is not based directly on this text but rather on a complex development of ritual traditions that look back to the Gospels only for legitimation after the fact.”

The point that Johnson and other scholars make is that no single biblical text requires the practice of sacraments. But through its constant reflection on those texts the church has developed their implications for sacraments. This is sometimes called “traditioning a text.” There is more that could be said, and I do not want to oversimplify a complex biblical issue. My point here is simply that the decision taken by Salvationist leaders in 1883 was one of biblical integrity. Salvationists are not defective in our reading of Scripture when it comes to the sacraments.
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Major Harris continues to argue that the point is the appropriation of grace. But I include this section for any who are identified in the beginning sentence. 'Traditioning a text'- nice.

grace
stephenC

Hi:
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I don't know who this is but I like the WarCry blog the last few days:

http://warcry.olterman.se/new/
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grace
stephenC

June 3, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

(hb2PM)
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Smoking and spitting and dozing all day
Nasty, bad habit — oh throw it away!
Smash the pipe now; give your friends no more pain;
And never be such a big stupid again.
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Have you read this before? If not, you've not read the new issue of JAC (top right)!

grace
sec
posted by Stephen Court

JAC- have you read it yet?

Classic, eh?
grace
stephenC

June 2, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!
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"The numbers for 2005 are in, and the Dutch out-of-wedlock birthrate has done it again, shooting up a striking 2.5 percentage points. That makes nine consecutive years of average two-percentage-point increases in the Dutch out-of-wedlock birthrate, a rise unmatched by any country in Western Europe during the same period. Ever since the Dutch passed registered partnerships in 1997, followed by formal same-sex marriage in 2000, their out-of-wedlock birthrate has been moving up at a striking clip."
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDFhMjk0YjI4NzgyZGM4NjMxZmY4NTQwZWNjYzkzYjg=
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grace
stephenc
posted by Stephen Court

following the revolution (?) blog...

Graeme Smith in Latvia has an interesting take on my blog called revolution about opportunities for youth and young adults:
http://uksalvationist.olterman.se/uksalvationist/

He's wondering, what about the older types?

Good point. The problem is that many are settled in- many have locked in and it is difficult to change them. My blog (yesterday?) does suggest some radical change in terms of lifestyle for adults. And, yes, we have students through The War College over 30 (oldest so far is 57 but there is one accepted for this September who is older!).

Resources? Yes. The Army in North Carolina is working with us on a great training system for adults that will run you through five courses- whew! Stay tuned for that, we hope, by the end of the summer.

All of us need to take the plunge, regardless of age. Thanks, Graeme for pointing it out.

Much grace,
sec

JAC IS OUT!
JAC IS OUT!
JAC IS OUT!
JAC IS OUT!
JAC IS OUT!

(top right link)

grace
sec

June 1, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!

To follow on yesterday's heroes blog...

Honour is the happy medium between cynicism and idolatry.

To have Christian heroes isn't necessarily to worship them.

And I'm trying to help raise up 10,000 of them (see http://armybarmy.com/be-a-hero.html)!

Much grace
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court

Christian Heroes

Larry Ashcraft's blog (Americans- on right) has a nice discussion on Christian heroes. It complains that we chase after heroes instead of God.

Here is a bit of what I commented:

(Disclaimer: I think William Booth was under-rated. But that's not my point)

It is also true, though, that our culture is so cynical that we like to rip down heroes, or almost anyone on a pedestal. American politics is a classic example.

But it is characteristic in the western SA as well. My wife is reading the current OFFICER mag as I write and she commented on the slew of books that have recently come out slamming William Booth. It mentions the most recent, playing up weaknesses which portray him, from the perspective of those close to him as an, "egotistical autocrat who had lost perspective of the ministry of servanthood to which he genuinely believed God had called him."

May I suggest that the Christian way might be that of honour (or, for the Americans, honor!)? I want to honour those followers of Jesus whose lives I want to emulate, whose commitment I profoundly respect, and whose fruitful faith I applaud.

(I do think there is place for Christian heroes- a much needed place- but in a different context than the discussion on that blog)

Much grace to each of you,
Stephen Court

May 31, 2006.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

He is risen!
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Revolution?

Fulton Hawk designs a logo. TransMission writes a song. Thousands of youth hanker after something more than the pathetically boring life of sin-and-confess/sin-and-confess.

It's rising up. Training schools are sprouting up all over the map. First it was School for Youth Leadership, then Mission Team, then Battle School, then Project 117, then The War College, then LEADS, then REVOLUTION Hawaii, then…

Why? Apparently salvo youth are not satisfied with the status quo. They want to be challenged with community, simplicity, poverty, discipline, holiness, prayer, power.

What does it mean for you? I'd say, take the plunge. Think big, start small, go deep. Get yourself discipled. Get deployed.

For some, it will mean a year in Vancouver with The War College and a team of zealots (or a summer with Battle School!). For others it will mean reading the book REVOLUTION by Aaron White and me. For all of you it will mean a total surrender of your current lives and your future hopes and dreams to the God of revolution.

You see, He might not WANT you to be a marketing executive or an NBA star. He might want you instead to work part-time at Starbucks so that you can devote most of your hours directly to the Salvation War, helping pioneer an outpost, or discipling children in your neighborhood (Starbuck's offers benefits for part-timers- a note to those who might complain...). He might not WANT you to be living the American dream with two kids and two cars and a white picket fence. He might want you instead to live simply and incarnationally, moving into a multi-family dwelling in the poor part of town to save money and identify with the more fragile in our community. He might not WANT you to graduate from the most expensive university in the nation. He might want you instead to pour a couple of years into the College for Officer Training.

The stakes are high. The price of disobedience, horrendous. Each of us must submit. It is better to choose that now than be forced to later on. God is at War.

Much grace,
StephenC
posted by Stephen Court