Armybarmy Blog

January 31, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2db)

Tomorrow is the new issue of JAC! (top right) Some might call it the Vanity Fair Issue. I actually guarantee that you'll love it (if you go in to it prayed up and anticipating inspiration and challenge).
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SALVO Publishing (AUS Territory) is pumping out books these days. I think they did five titles in the last six months. And more are on track. There is room for Salvationist books. There is a need for them, so that we can teach our mission, philosophy, theology, and tell our stories of great exploits, victories, heroes, to edify, inspire, and challenge. Why not read a good salvo book today?
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Two of those titles were on holiness. One was on Jesus in Luke. One was a vision for mission. And the fifth was a history. That's a nice mix. I understand that on deck there are manscripts on justice, prayer, doctrine, the Gospel (that is, written for independents to read [independents don't yet depend on Jesus]), discipleship, the prophetic, prayer (again), a devotional, and history (there may be others). Again, a good mix.
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And this is another good reason why there aren't good excuses for bad doctrine/theology/mission in The Army. The stuff is there (and is coming out). There are books, websites, downloads, magazines, radio shows (I just heard this week of a Salvo one that hits 400 stations weekly), podcasts (we told you Gainey's gets 3,500 downloads a week,and others are in the pipeline), cyberjournal, training schools and courses, blogs, CDs, and DVDs. Before you go crazy in your neighbourhood Christian bookstore, why not immerse yourself in the Salvosphere?
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William Booth (from the ITPC, hat tip General Wickberg):
"If we find that we have made a mistake and taken a stand which is not likely to prove spiritually remunerative - in which the results do not promise to answer the toil and sacrifice called for - let us have the courage to confess our mistake, and withdraw for more congenial and productive fields of labour."
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Hmm. This will help us in consolidating and optimising opportunities. There are a lot of tough calls to be made. GOd help our leaders as the position us for Salvation Advance (and don't forget to pray for the General at lunchtime).
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Meanwhile, let's tell someone about Jesus!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 28-29 (29:37 - whatever touches the altar will be holy - Contagious Holiness - God bless us with that!).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 30, 3008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Danielle Strickland's (right side blog roll) latest two posts are on abortion and fair trade. You will want to read both (especially the Fair Trade Resolutions).
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"One of the reasons given why some of William Booth's first helpers left him was that they did not like seekers being directed to kneel at a penitent-form instead of being taken into an inquiry room [echoes of changing the colour of the carpet? or, moving the piano?].... The method eventually adopted by The Salvation Army provides for exhortation to public declaration of the decision to serve God by kneeling at the penitent-form - with subsequent counsel and registration; especially in larger meetings, in the quiet of an ante-room. In this three-fold manner - by insisting upon a definite confession of Christ, by watching over and instructing them to save others - THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED AND THE MISSION'S FUTURE AS AN AGGRESSIVE ORGANISATION ASSURED" (volume 1 of our History, hat tip General Wickberg in 1974 International Training Principal's Conference - a source from which we may be blogging for a short while - ITPC).
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I have a sessionmate who makes an appeal to the mercy seat at every meeting. That shouldn't be notable, but I'm noting it because not everyone does (make an appeal). You never know when someone might get saved if we give her/him an opportunity.
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More from ITPC (Wickberg): In 1877, William Booth stated;
"In many of the old stations we appear, from the returns, to have had something like STAGNATION during the year. We have only got a net increase of 200 members... I should conclude I was out of my place if I spent twelve months at a place and did not leave it tangibly, unmistakenly, visibly better than I found it."
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Some might read arrogance into that. Some champion faithfulness over victory. But I read that God wants all people to come to repentance, even commands them all to repent. So we know it is His will for victory. Let's be faithful, by all means. But it is possible to be faithful and still fail at a mission. Let's also aim to be victorious.
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Let's not write off Booth as another era or another species. Let's instead follow Mark Sanders (SASB 686):
1.
I have read of men of faith
Who have bravely fought till death,
Who now the crown of life are wearing;
Then the thought comes back to me,
Can I not a soldier be,
Like to those martyrs bold and daring?
Chorus
I'll gird on the armour and rush to the field,
Determined to conquer, and never to yield;
So the enemy shall know, Wheresoever I may go,
That I am fighting for Jehovah.

2.
I, like them, will take my stand
With the sword of God in hand,
Smiling amid opposing legions;
I the victor's crown will gain,
And at last go home to reign
In Heaven's bright and sunny regions.

3.
I will join at once the fight,
Leaning on my Saviour's might,
He is almighty to deliver;
From my post I Will not shrink,
Though of death's cup I should drink;
Hell to defeat is my endeavour.

4.
Will you not enlist with me,
And a valiant soldier be?
Vain 'tis to waste your time in slumber;
Jesus calls for men of war
Who will fight and ne'er give o'er,
Routing the foe in fear and wonder.
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Let's do it! Who knows who might get saved out of it?
God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 25-27; Acts 6 (v7 - So the word of God spread - what a great default testimony that would be).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 29, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(ha2D/D)

Did you know that 40% of Australian Salvos fire a 10% or more cartridge? This is fairly lame, unless only about 40% of attenders are soldiers. Tithing, of course, is the bare 'scrape the bottom of the peanut butter jar' minimum for soldiers, who are challenged to start at 1/10 and move up to 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/3 and so on in their jealous zeal for their Saviour.

Asked about the 'decadal' decline between '96 and '06 more than 1/4 of the people surveyed suggested it is because "We're too comfortable in our group." 18% suggested it was because "We do not pray enough." 16% figure "We give too much emphasis to our own activities" and 13% suggest "We're too busy."
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Notice what is missing here in the top four reasons for decline. "Style of meetings", "Lack of positive... leadership", and "Content of meetings" don't make the top 4 and appear to be minor issues.
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So, if it isn't about the music and preaching, can we lay off that argument for awhile?

And if it is about the first four issues, maybe we can address them. Maybe we can intentionally shut down some of our own activities for a semester or a year so that we can make some friends who don't know Jesus, and possibly fight on a difficult front (lots of options on this one).

And maybe we can add significant prayer to our lives? We could start an early knee drill like the Koreans (I know some Cadets who do it at 5:30am)? Or we could determine to pray non-stop for awhile (the AUS is praying non-stop from corps to corps for this year). Or maybe we can prayer walk. Or maybe we can pray ourselves every day for a substantial period of time (of course, this is expected before all of these other options). There are a lot of ways we can pray more.
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Captain Evelyn Clark has this helpful clarification on the J O Y post yesterday:
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This is another false dichotomy that Satan loves to use to confuse us and throw us off course (like souls/saints vs. suffering humanity).

ISA 58:6 "Is not this 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?
ISA 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
AND not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

AND not to turn away! Not "then" or "or"! These things are not mutually exclusive! Our family is part of our "ministry" and our "ministry" is part of our family.
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SALVATION FOR EVERY NATION (Pearson - Never, Never, Never Will Give In). Let's start today by trying to convince someone from a different nation to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5 (v14 it grew. How? v12 - signs and wonders, meeting together).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 28, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

"J O Y J O Y - that must surely mean 'Jesus first, Yourself last, Others in between.'"

There are waves of trendiness that occasionally smash on the shore of a relatively small point, sometimes accurately and sometimes not (Prayer of Jabez is an example of the former and recent attacks on The Pathway of Duty are examples of the latter).

The Pathway of Duty has been joined by J O Y as a target of such attacks. We're instructed that this song is theologically wrong in that Jesus is first but Yourselves, including family, is really next, followed by Others. Besides being out of line with The Salvation Army (try Booth family history, Railton family history, and so on, for evidence), it seems to run up against Micah (6:8), Jesus (Matthew 23:23), and Paul (Romans 14:17), each of whom mentions three keys, the last of each of the three dealing with Yourself.

verses:

Micah 6:8 - He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 23:23 - "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Romans 14:17 - For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
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Admittedly, the whole presumption of a hierarchy lacks consensus in the Body and in real life. Generalisations following the preeminence of God fall down as soon as we start talking specifics (hat tip to Roberts and Strickland 2008, great book to be published very soon).

Don't get me wrong - family is important (heaven forbid that sensitive readers blogossip throughout the Salvosphere that we 'hate families' like we 'hate churches').

John 5:19 should be our guide on this question (and on most others). Let's apply that as our test from day to day.

Why not think it over before you presume that God wants you to camp out on family before warfare, for example?
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Why not try out 4:12 from daily reading beow on someone who doesn't experience it yet?
God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 21-22; Psalm 12; Acts 4 (v12 - classic salvation verse to go with 3:19 yesterday).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 27, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2CH)

In conversation this week with someone I just met we flipped back to an article I wrote in HORIZONS in the 90s (can't recall the year) in which we affirmed, having been sent to win a city/district for Jesus, we were prepared, in coordinated strategy with God's people throughout the town, for our corps to shrink down to nothing if it meant we could win the city for Jesus.

It didn't come to that. In fact, the opposite happened. With the Salvos, hundreds of people got saved, new congregations started, soldiers were made, new fronts (and types of warfare) were opened/developed. And the churches grew, too! Unity in the Body meant that we were blessed by the Pentecostals and Mennonite Brethren and the extreme charismatics, as well as the Evangelical Free Church, the SDA, independents, and others. Praise the Lord.

And though we didn't win the city, we did see substantial (some would affirm 'supernatural') improvements in the three measures on which we'd agreed (weekly cumulative church attendance; comparative crime rate; comparative poverty rate). Hallelujah (in one particular crime the reduction was some mind-boggling that the police representative responsible [for, in other things, asking the Church to pray about it] was awarded a North American commendation and asked to speak internationally to police forces on the subject (he as a Christian guy).

God's people prayed weekly in the City Hall chambers. We had regular all-nights of prayer. We partnered on various campaigns. We blessed each other's efforts (e.g. lots of church types helped us run our drop in/meal programmes/kids stuff/ Red Shield/ and so on; AND, our armybarmy battle gear had a great market for sales in the Mennonite Brethren Church; etc.). We made it difficult to church hop (you needed your church leader's blessing to move). We shared the mike at different churches. We took our crowds to each other's conferences (I won't forget Commissioner Ed Read's reaction to a couple of rows of Lake City 'churchees' rolling in the aisles with laughing glory fits during his preaching at our Council of War held at the Bethel church building). All glory to God.

Now, part of this is a bit of a clarification for those who have made mistaken inferences that we like to slam the Bride of Christ. That would make me a spiritual wife-beater, and I don't receive that. The testimony above confirms my love for God's people of different stripes.

But part of it is an affirmation that God can do great things in The Salvation Army. There is no reason to be afraid of our our brothers and sisters in the rest of the Body, or even to feel inferior.

We'll be of more use and blessing to the rest of God's people when we become as strongly Army as possible, when we have the strongest strain of salvationism to share with them as possible. It is when we contaminate our salvationism with different doctrine/theology/praxis that we limit our usefulness to the rest of God's people. And in too many places this is what we have done.

The War Forward?

Well, here are FOUR initial suggestions:
a. embrace our covenant and all surrounding it;
b. get sanctified;
c. go to war (aggressive evangelistic posture and worldview mindest);
d. saturate ourselves in Salvationism (e.g. O+R, HoD, Yearbook, histories, biographies, teaching books, the Salvosphere, preaching, mission(s), etc.).
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Why not try to share Acts 3:19 with someone today (from today's reading)? S/he might even get saved!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 17-20; acts 3 (v19 is a classic there).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 26, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Holy Australia Day! The Great Southland of the Holy Spirit was named 402 years ago. And I've found that not all Australians know the origin of the name (one thought it was the title of a song by Geoff Bullock [which it is, but that is like suggesting that Michael Jordan was a good baseball prayer. He {probably} was but that omits the mammoth truths about his skills on a basketball court and in a sneaker store]). So, for your education, here:
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Portuguese sailor by the name of Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros landed his vessel at Vanuatu as part of his southern explorations of the world. He knew from centuries of folklore and legend that somewhere south of the equator there was supposed to be a very large land mass, which had been dubbed by the map-makers, Continens Australis (meaning land south of the equator). Whende Quiros landed at Vanuatu, he thought he may have actually landed on Continens Australis– the Great Southland – believing that Vanuatu was connected to the great south land in some way. And so he lay claim to the new land and gave the great southern continent his own special name, 'La Australia del Espiritu Santo', ie, “The Great Southland of the Holy Spirit... ”Why “The Great southland of the Holy Spirit”. Some historians say that de Quiros was a man of God, intent on taking God’s word to every corner of the globe - and maybe as one who knew the creation story well, where God’s spirit brooded over the world before creation, so he imagined that same Spirit brooding over this mysterious great south land.
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:b13wVidSPaEJ:www.dccc.org.au/sermons/20060604a.pdf+%22Great+southland+of+the+Holy+Spirit%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&client=safari
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"I don't know how you are going to lead your neighbour to Christ if your church doesn't have a $80,000 sound system" (see Andrew Stringer's blog for more).
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We prayed in knee drill this week a SASB song camping out on Full Salvation. It seems that a "Full Salvation" Army will beget a Full "Salvation Army".
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Not too many single men are showing up for Training College in one territory. In fact, there is a session with none. Young men - raise your game. Don't be left behind. Sign up now.
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Let's persuade people to call on the name of the Lord (of Full Salvation), whose name (according to today's reading is YAHWEH, the warrior!
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God is here.
SA DailY Reading: Exodus 14-16; Acts 2 (call on the name of the Lord and be saved).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 25, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AA)

Spiritual inclination games are somewhat fun to do. Most people like to reflect on themselves (In grade 4 I won a public speaking competition, the assigned topic of which was 'your favourite subject'. I spoke about me [this was pre-sanctification!]).

Anyway, the last time I did one of those games was in Training College. As a single guy willing to die for the cause I naturally (not [super]naturally, you'll note) scored my spiritual gifts as celibacy and martyrdom.

That one was non-Charismatic so you could only have non-Charismatic versions of several of the gifts (for example, prophecy becomes preaching, tongues becomes fluency in languages, widsom/knowledge becomes study; etc.). It's a fun experience watching the 'test' creators try to squeeze Holy Spirit into their mold.

So, for these and theological reasons (if you are filled with Holy Spirit, and He dispenses gifts as He wills, then it seems reasonable to expect that when you need to have the gift of hospitality, He can give it to you; when you need to have the gift of healing, He'll give it to you; etc.) 'spiritual gifts tests' are really spiritual inclination games.

That doesn't mean that they aren't useful. We played one recently (my first since Training College) and though it was a bit long, it was fun. And we did it as a group. I suspect that having a group of believers score you on the multitude of questions might balance things out a bit and actually provide you with some confirmation and affirmation (and help avoid delusion).

The danger of course is that we treat the game as a fool-proof test that can tend to pigeonhole us and limit both what we allow and expect Holy Spirit to do with and through us (e.g. that's not his gift. Therefore we won't bless him to fight on that front in that way) and what we bother to do for Him (e.g. that's not my gift. Therefore I won't wash the dishes/do the evangelism/pray for the sick). At the same time it can also short-circuit character preparation, training, and the counsel of the saints (e.g. he scored high in 'leadership' so let's make him the leader).

So, games are fun, and some games are useful. Let's be aware of the potential blessings of this game as well as the limits.
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Meanwhile, let's try to get some people saved.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21; Acts 1.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 24, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

The Korea Territory has published its first all-English book, a history called THE SALVATION ARMY IN KOREA by Commissioner Peter Heidong Chang. We're fans of Commissioner Chang since he and his wife preached at the Aggressive Christianity Councils in Williams Lake in the 1990s. He was TC in Korea and USW in that decade before retiring. USE Salvos will also appreaciate that he served with distinction there. Contact your Trade to score this historic book.
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Until this month a certain territory required corps to be called community churches. But now they have the option to use "Temple", "Citadel", "Corps" or "Community Church". We have gone down this road before on this blog and there are all kinds of great names we can use (e.g. first SA corps in USA was called Salvation Factory, I believe; there was a Glory Shop, a Salvation Stables, etc.).
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Some of you might be interested in this new site: www.mycorps.org
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I think it was Burnes-Jones blog that suggests there might not a SA leader who does not read Joe Noland's blog. Wow. Why not check with yours, and if s/he doesn't, then pass on the link.
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I heard about a corps yesterday that has grown from 20/Sunday to 150/Sunday in four years. Hallelujah. And that corps just sent a couple of Cadets to Training College. It isn't surprising. And you can expect that God will bless that investment in The Army as a whole.
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I was also called 'a left-wing extremist' this week. And, it was intended as a compliment. Since Aaron White is a centrist, that makes me the liberal rep for armybarmy.
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It is hard to get people saved (in my experience). But God help us each today in our evangelism to express His love to people and persuade them effectively.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 9-11; Luke 24 (repentance and the forgiveness of sins will be preached in Jesus' name to all nations - that is a mouthful for you when you are preaching it to people ideologically opposed, so, God bless all those faithful in this regard).
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 23, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Crest Books has pubished a new book called COME JOIN OUR ARMY by R.G. Moyles. In the preface, Major Ed Forster outlines the new USA SA battle plan for growth called COME JOIN OUR ARMY. The goal of the campaign is to have 125,000 soldiers by 2010. They started six months ago with 83,798 senior soldiers and 26,333 junior soldiers for a combined national total of 110,131.
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You've possibly read here that in 2005 something like 153,000 people got saved with The Salvation Army in USA (Hallelujah). Assuming that things are at least similar in the coming two years we're looking at 300,000+ converts with a goal of making 5% of them soldiers. This is certainly realistic. Our experience is about 10%, so it could be that they blow away their goal. God grant it. At what are you aiming?
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Gordon Cotterill (UK Blogs at right) has some interesting stuff on Strategic Framework for hitting areas of brokenness.
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Apparently there was some offence taken at something in the January 19 post. If you scroll down you will see a bit of a rebuke to Salvos for hiding behind 'church' culture or being infatuated with church culture. I'm not sure that this is the offensive part.

The post does note that church is obsolete to the vast majority of citizens in Australia. This might be offensive but it is a statistic. It could be the stereotypical characterisation of pastors (you'll have to look it up) that is offensive. And yet I didn't make it up. Ask your neighbour and you'll likely hear something very similar.

So I'm left to conclude that the offensive part (since it surely wouldn't be the GSR stuff or the Bible reading or the evangelistic exhortation or...?) must be the thoughtless use of 'pastor'. Anecdotal evidence: Reinhard Bonnke has recorded well more than 60 million conversion in his campaigns over the last two decades. And yet at a conference in Australia he was once introduced as Pastor Bonnke. If ANYONE in history warrants a different title (from Ephesians 4?) it might be Evangelist Bonnke. And yet, there he was, inaccurately called 'pastor'. It shouldn't offend you.
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As far as the armybarmy ecumenical credentials, as two bloggers here (not that Aaron needs or probably desires to defend himself) we're connected ecumenically more than you can shake a stick at, have benefited greatly personally from interaction with the people of God outside The Army, and love and bless all that God is doing in His Bride. So, if someone inferred anything like slander to the Body of Christ, that was either a misread or a miscommunication. Either way, it is cleared up now.
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Now, then, let's bust some souls.
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God is here.
SA Daily reading; Exodus 6-8; Luke 23.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 22, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

"How perseveringly the devils tries to blind us to the possibilities of the present by the very tears we shed over the past." (William Booth)
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True. Many of us are bound and locked up by sins, curses, and strongholds and we need to be free. He is the God of Full Salvation (as we prayed from the SASB this morning). Full Freedom is ours once we get sanctified. And the devil will fail.

How about it? Holiness? Through and through? We also prayed (SASB) that Jesus wounds us tenderly but then brings the balm for healing once we've surrendered. All that to say that it might be painful to get there but once you're surrendered up He will will you up (does anyone remember that great song from the 90s called Come And Fill Me Up?).
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I was conversing with COs of a very large corps recently who were pretty happy with the corps sending soldiers into the work over the last few years (and praise God for it!). But the challenge came up to go for 30 in the next session of Cadets. Though it sounded outlandish at the start, they ticked off thirty names of soldiers who could smoothly transfer to Training College in a year's time.

Why not look around your corps and do a little dreaming followed by a little recruiting?
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Some people get uptight about the world economy, what with the sub-prime mortgage write-offs and all. Legitimate.

Christians have in this generation seemed very intimidated about the mark of the beast. That talk is re-emerging in this current financial climate. The Christian stance has appeared fearful of getting some kind of a mark on us and being forever doomed or at least heavily persecuted for a long time.

Can I suggest to you that there are marks we should REALLY be concerned about having on us? Here they are:
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"Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." Ezekiel 9:4.

Seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God (Revelation 7:3).

The seal of God on their foreheads (Revelatin 9:4).
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You'll WANT to have these seals/marks on you (the context will reveal more). If you don't, you're cooked.
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This might be an effective approach to your evangelising today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 3-5; Luke 22.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 21, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MP)

Joe Noland's blog has an urgent post (Jan 20) that he wants spread through your networks. Please check it out and disseminate it (the preceding post is good, too!).
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There are some great ways to intercede for meetings. Here are a few I've come across:
- hiding under the stage to pray for what is happening on it;
- fasting the day leading to it;
- all-nights of prayer leading to it;
- touching every person who enters with an anointing/impartation prayer;
- the four corners of the hall;
- praying over the chairs;
etc.
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The Hub is picking up a bit of steam. There are corps-based cells in several cities in different countries that are deciding to participate. If you're corps/division/territory (yes, one territory is considering jumping in whole-hog) isn't in yet, you can get them some information. The Hub will resource, train, and equip corps-based cells in your city. After a year with The Hub, honest participation will result in the following (representative of wider impact): your cellmates will be more solid in faith, disciplines, evangelism, holiness; your cells might likely reproduce; you will see increased leadership ability in your leaders and emerging leaders; you will see more vision for expansion/multiplication; you might raise up some good candidates for officership. Who wouldn't want those things? If you are interested, email revolution@ mmccxx . net)
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If you are praying you can intercede for the tri-territorial youth congress in New Zealand that happens this week. Pray that God wil move historically and that a revolution will start that will spread through the three participating territories, please.
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Don't wimp out on the truth. The abortion post yesterday ticks some people off, but if you think it over, there is no legit argument against the pro-life position (the closest to a legit argument I can imagine is that if the fetus was guilty of a crime pubishable by death and FOUND guilty by a court of law and SENTENCED to death - but that whole scenario is ridiculous [and might tick off those against the death penalty]).
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Jump at your opportunities to evangelise today. They might be the last chance for those hearing.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Exodus 1-2; Psalm 88; Luke 21.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court

January 20, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends
He is risen!
(hb2CW;PJWS;HS;PA)

Captain Jonathan Gainey's blog (at right, with the Americans) has some classic stuff, including this excerpt from January 9:
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"One powerful example of Jesus’ use of a remez is found in Matthew 11:28-30. The NIV records Jesus’ words here as follows: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

"As Ray Vander Laan pointed out in his teaching on this passage, there are many messages in this short passage that are completely missed by the majority of Western expositors and scholars who are not familiar with the ancient rabbinic technique of a remez.

"Within this short passage of the Text, Jesus makes great claims about who he is that have gone unnoticed by the majority of Christians. However, most first century, Galilean Jews would have immediately recognized Jesus’ illusions to many messianic prophecies.

"First, those listening to Jesus speak would have recognized the words “I will give you rest” as an illusion to Exodus 33:14, which states, “The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’”

"Second, when Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,” those listening, who were longing for the Messiah who would be the promised second Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18), would have recognized Jesus’ reference to Numbers 12:3, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

"Third, as Jesus continued and said, “… and you will find rest for your souls,” the hearers would have recognized these words coming from Jeremiah 6:16, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths (ancient paths is a reference to the Messiah), ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

"There are those of us who insist that Jesus never referred to himself as the Messiah, however, those who are familiar with the use of remez in the first century rabbinic world would immediately recognize that Jesus did indeed recognize his Messianic task and persona. Those Jews who were listening, whether they accepted his messianic claims or not, would have also understood that Jesus was declaring himself to be the promised One."
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Confirmation: abortion kills babies. We don't want to murder any babies. Let's be consistently pro-life. No exceptions. No excuses. No rationalisation. No justification. No abortion. No murder.
----
Evangelise anything that moves.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 49-50; Psalm 8; Luke 20.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 19, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

People like to hide behind the culture. 'Culture' is used as a reason we can't do things certain ways. But watch this. Some of the things we suggest (e.g. primitive salvationism) are just as unpopular in North America as in Oceania (and, I expect they will be just as effective in Oceania as they are in North America).
----
And Salvationist culture supercedes national culture anyway. Often what is presented as culture is really mediocre SA status quo (or imitated mainstream church culture). For example, some suggest that Aussie Salvos are not demonstrably passionate, to which I suggest they slap on the telly and see Australian Idol, or flip the channel and see everyone going bonkers over Aussie Rules Football or Cricket (!) (or, even [whispered] one of those big flashy 'music'-focus churches).
----
So, you're left with mainstream church culture, usually unthinkingly adopted as we hanker after SOMETHING that works in our infatuation with churches. So, some officers call themselves 'pastor' because, apparently, that fancy big church has a pastor (therefore, if I call myself a pastor, our little corps will become, mysteriously, a fancy big church). They ignore the lack of Biblical basis for a word that means nothing (but slicked back hair and bad breath) to most people. If they were slightly interested in the Biblical, they'd call themselves shepherd instead. But going down that road of thoughtless imitation slights an officer, who is much more than just one gift or one office (Eph 4). Besides, WHY identify with a group (the 'pastored' churches) that have been rejected as irrelevant and obsolete by 93% of the population (which doesn't attend church ever)?
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There are NO good reasons for it. Plus, we pick up some theological baggage that is foreign to Salvationism and unhelpful in the Salvation War.

So, THINK.

And don't hid behind the 'culture' (assert a healthy SALVATIONIST culture and CHANGE the national culture).
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We're not slaves to relevance. We're agents of revolution. As GSR asserted, "merely to recommend revolution is contemptible. We must make it."
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A friend told me I was on his monthly prayer list but he bumped me up to his weekly list. Prayer is good!
----
Hat tip to the CO who finished 33rd in the national amateur golf championships (age group) this week (GR).
----
Buy and read THE UPRISING: A holy revolution? and INSANE and you'll cover two books by Munn siblings (hat tip to the proud and worthy parents).
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Did you get a chance to evangelise someone yesterday? (it's a new day today)
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 47-48; Psalm 10; Luke 19 (they hung on His every word = great example for us - spoken/written).
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 18, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

In Upper Myanmar, the absence of electricity means, among other things, there are no blood banks. People have to find their own 'live' donor. This is often dangerous and unsafe becasue testing is too expensive. So the Salvos (God bless The Salvos) have gathered a group of 45 young people with a variety of blood types and infection-free blood. They are on 24/7 standby to give their blood. Praise God. (hat tip Adam Sia in SMM War Cry Jan.08)

I also know of a young guy who bolted from his training experience early to be with an ill friend for months and months. Ready at a moment's notice to sacrifice.

God help us to live that kind of selflessness in our warfare this weekend and beyond.
----
This is from Wall Street Journal:
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Papal Inquisition
January 17, 2008; Page A16
American universities aren't the only places where politically incorrect speakers are silenced nowadays. This week in Rome, of all places, Pope Benedict XVI found himself censored by scholars, of all people, at one of Europe's most prestigious universities.

On Tuesday the pontiff canceled a speech scheduled for today at Sapienza University of Rome in the wake of a threat by students and 67 faculty members to disrupt his appearance. The scholars argued that it was inappropriate for a religious figure to speak at their university.

This pope's specific sin was a speech he gave nearly 20 years ago in which, they claimed, he indicated support for the 17th-century heresy trial against Galileo. The censoring scholars apparently failed to appreciate the irony that, in preventing the pope from speaking, they were doing to him what the Church once did to Galileo, stifling free speech and intellectual inquiry.

One of Benedict's favorite themes is that European civilization derives from the rapprochement between Greek philosophy and religious belief, between Athens and Jerusalem. In the speech he wasn't allowed to give, the pope planned to talk about the role of popes and universities.

It is a pope's task, he wrote, to "maintain high the sensibility for the truth, to always invite reason to put itself anew at the service of the search for the true, the good, for God." La Sapienza -- which means "wisdom" -- was founded by one of the pope's predecessors in 1303. Another unappreciated irony.
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Ridiculous.
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Bust some souls.
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God is here.
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SA Daily Reading: Genesis 44-46 (45:7 is the keeper); Luke 18.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Wednesday bonus
(don't forget to read today's main post)

Commissioner Joe Noland expands on one of our recent posts in his January 10 offering. And he goes on with some other pertinent posts.
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Captain Michael Ramsay has some juicy posts this week.
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You'll want to read Captain Andrew Bale's posts over the last bit.
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Captain Andrew Clark is tackling all kinds of stuff at his blog.
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Here is a classic reprint post from five years ago (with updated comments from three years ago):
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February 7, 2003

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

In my last post, I alluded to some of the roles of Jesus. These included bridegroom, King, cornerstone, Commander, head, and shepherd. Jesus has so many more roles. On top of His roles, He has a myriad of characteristics, the revelation of which give us further reason to honour Him.

Nolan Clark likes to preach that, "The Jesus we see is the Christian we'll be." He's right.

sc05- Nolan Clark preaches on our only preaching CD- THE ARMY OF THE LORD, available at the Estore on this site!

· If we see an aggressive Jesus, we'll become aggressive Christians.

· If we see a merciful Jesus, we'll become merciful Christians.

· If we see a holy Jesus, we'll become holy Christians.

· If we see a healing Jesus, we'll become healing Christians.

(I was going to stop here and ask if you get the drift, but…)

· If we see a miracle-working Jesus, we'll become miracle-working Christians.

· If we see a loving Jesus, we'll become loving Christians.

· If we see a justice-enforcing Jesus, we'll become justice-enforcing Christians.

· If we see a revolutionary Jesus, we'll become revolutionary Christians.

· If we see a political Jesus, we'll become political Christians.

· If we see a soft and cuddly postcard Jesus, we'll become soft and cuddly postcard Christians.

· If we see a forgiving Jesus, we'll become forgiving Christians.

· If we see an authoritative Jesus, we'll become authoritative Christians.

· If we see a warring Jesus, we'll become warring Christians.

· If we see an edifying Jesus, we'll become edifying Christians.

· If we see a caring Jesus, we'll become caring Christians.

Okay okay okay. You do get the idea.

sc05- getting the idea is easier than getting the character, but I guess I need to look better and harder.

So, when we say 'see' (say that fast six times!), we're talking about gazing. I guess the challenge is two-fold: Watch what pictures we're fed of Jesus (this includes watching your intake of preaching, popular books, and friendly discussion), and gaze at as many Jesus's as we can (and gazing takes time). Which Christian are you becoming?

sc05- I think maybe we're looking at warring, aggressive, victorious, just, holy...
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(there are five years of armybarmy blog archives on the top right - enjoy).
much grace,
sec

January 17, 2008.
greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
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"We're in God's Army and we fight wherever wrong is found; A lowly cot or stately home may be our battle ground. We own no man as enemy, sin is our challenged foe; we follow Jesus, Son of God, as to the war we go. When invading forces march in every tongue we sing; WE ARE OF EVERY CLASS AND RACE, YET ONE IN CHRIST, THE KING." (Catherine Baird) (hat tip Peter L)
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I read in the Toronto Star that "around 60% of Internet users in the US use the Internet for religious purposes." Hmm. Let's be thinking of ways to connect with that 60%. And let's be increasing it. (hat tip WC)
----
For the birthday gang out there he is something from Commissioner Booth-Tucker:
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"Sixty-five years old today. Lord, here and now and forever, I consecrate my spared life to Thy service to be, to do, to think, to plan all that Thou dost desire. Take me, make me, break me, but do not forsake me, or suffer me to forsake Thee."
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Lots of people to get saved today! Let's get at it.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 42-43; Psalm 5; Luke 17.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 16, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2RM)

I remember having a War Cry route on which was a lady bound by Jehovah's Witnesses. I'd evangelise, pray, testify. We'd talk, share the War Cry, and then we'd read the Bible - with her insisting on reading only her cult-approved version. I picked the passage. I used to pick passages from her own corrupt Bible that I knew would tick her off. So, for example, I'd suggest she read Isaiah 9. And whenever she got to a piece of Scripture that exposed her false religion she'd skip the words. So, verse 6 for her read like this: "For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, (pause) _______, (pause) ________, Prince of Peace."
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Sometimes I throw stuff in to this blog for some salvos for the same effect. Look closely to see if you can find today's bit.
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Here is one Salvo's SA book collection (hat tip WC):
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A Burning in my Bones Wiseman Autobiography
A Century of Service (Alaska) Gariepy US History
A Little Greatness Noland Acts Study
A Passion for Purity Read Sanctification
A Thousand Bands Sparks Biography
A Unique Society (Assurance) Watson
A Very Private General Thomlinson Coutts Bio
After this Manner Wiseman Readings
Aggressivev Christianity Booth/Harrison SA Doctrine
All Through the Years (Windsor)Dunkley Cdn. History
Army Beliefs & Characteristics Book 3
At the Center of the Circle Waldron Readings
Battle Lines Harris Perspective
Be A Hero Court Soc. Justice
Bermuda Ablaze Curtis Berm.History
Blood & Fire (W&C Booth) Hattersley SA History
Booth the Beloved Smith Biography
Booth Tucker (1980) Williams Biography
Booth's Boots Fairbanks Social History
Born to Battle Chesham US History
Bridging the Year Wiseman Readings
Burning, Always Burning Read Sanctification
But for the Grace of God Duncan Pictorial
Catherine Booth (Paperback) CB Booth Biography
Christianity in Action Gariepy US History
Commissioner Catherine Harrison Biography
Comm. Henry Howard (1926) Carpenter
Companion to the Song Book Avery
Companion to the Song Book Taylor
Concordance to the Song Book Metcalf 1969
Constant Trust (Ball) Knott Philosophy
Contenders for Faith (Simcoe) Wilson Cdn. History
Dearest Lily (Brengle) Clark Letters
Discipleship - Vision/Mission Reed Instructional
Earth's Common Clay Janet Wiseman Readings
Echoes and Memories Bramwell Booth
Essentials o f Christian Exp'nce Coutts
Every is the Victory Barnes War Cry Hist.
Farmer Abbott Allen Biography
Father of SA Music (Slater) Wiggins Biography
Fighting for the King C.B. Booth 100 birthday
Friendship with Jesus Mrs. B. Booth Tutorial
General Booth (1913) Railton
General Booth Stead Biography
Gen. Booth Story & Song (1913)Jackson Pamphlet
Gen. Evangeline Booth (1948) Wilson Biography
God's Army Barnes SA History
GSR (Railton Writings) Waldren
Hallelujia Nillson/Kjall Swedish
Harp & Sword (Eva Booth) Waldron Writings
He Was There (1949) (1980) Cox Booth History
Heart Talks on Holioness Brengle Paperback
Heralds of Victory (NYSB) Holz US History
History of the SA Vol 1 Sandall 1865-1878
History of the SA Vol 2 Sandall 1878-1886
History of the SA Vol 3 Sandall Soc. Welfare
How to Conduct Family Prayers F.Brown Pamphlet
Hymns for the Canadian Forces Songs
In Darkest England (1970) W.Booth Reprint
In Good Company Coutts Instructional
In The Firing Line Court Biography
Jewels of the Caribbean Hobbs SA History
Johnny Gooch Autobiography
Joy in the Morning Evenden Roed History
Lassie of the Red Shield Dailey
Let Them Sing Yendell Choral Training
Life & Death (Catherine Booth)C. Booth Writings
Life of W. Booth (Vol. 1) Begbie SA History
The Man & His Music (Ball) Cooke Biography
Marching As To War 100 yr. History
Marching To Glory McKinley US History
Mary Layton Ah Kow China History
Mother of an Army Ludwig Biography
Musical Salv. Song Book (1893)Song Book
My Ancesters Were in the SA Wiggins
No Continuing City Coutts Autobiography
No Discharge in this War Coutts SA History
Not Just Another Church Moyse Edmonton
Notable Quotables Satterlee Compendium
O Boundless Salvation (Scand'n)Johnson US History
O&R for Officers (1925)
O&R for Corps Officers (1925) B.Booth
O&R For Soldiers (1950) Paperback
Occupied Manger/Unocpd Tomb Brown Meditations
Play the Music, Play Boon SA History
Portrait of a Prophet (1933) Hall Brengle Bio
Portrait of a Salvationist Coutts SA History
Portraits of Christ Gariepy
Practical religion (1891) Catherine Booth
Proverbial Leadership Harris/Court Instructional
Radiant Rebel (Schmidtke) Linnett Biography
Reading Between the Lines Brown Instructional
Refuge in the Secret Place Deratany
SA Directory (Undated) Soldiership
SA Doctrines (1903) W. Booth
SA Doctrine (1923) W. Booth
SA Handbook/Doctrine (1923)
SA handbook/Doctrine (1923) (2)
SA Handbook of Doctrine (1969)
SA Soldiers Guide (Undated) Daily Guide
SA Year Books (1960-2006)
Salvation Soldiery (1880-1980)Booth Reprint
Save the Wold Army (2) Beckett China History
Secular Evangelism Brown Insights
Sgt. Major Do Your Best W. Booth Instructional
Shout Aloud Salvation Terrot Fiction
Sing the Happy Song Songsters Boon SA History
Soldier Saint (Railton) Watson Biography
Soldiers Without Swords Wisbey US History
Songs for the Troops Pamphlet
Storm Pilot (Higgins) Harris Biography
The Bandmaster Redhead Fiction
The Better Fight Vol 4 Coutts SA History
The Blood and Fire in Canada Moyles CD History
The Canadian Campaign Ryan Cdn.History
The Gate and the Light Brown Biography
The General Next to God Collier Biography
The Holy War of Sally Ann Collins Cdn.History
The House of my Pilgrimage Orsborn SA History
The Hundred Years War (2) Watson SA History
The Master Called (Gilliard) Richards
The Mercy Seat Burrows Paperback
The 9th General (Wickberg) Watson Biography
The Old Corps (1944) Ed Joy
The Pathway of Duty Taylor Cdn. History
The Sacraments (1960)
The SA - Origin & Development 1927 SA History
The SA Soldier's Guide (1926)
The Salvation Army (2) Young WWII History
The SA in Newfoundland Moyles Cdn. History
The Soul=Winners Secret (1903)Brengle
Some of China's Children Beckett Life Experience
The Soul-Winners Secret (1960)Brengle
The Story of the ISB Boon SA History
They Blazed the Trail Wood Cdn History
This Man Leidzen Fossey Biography
Timothy, My Son Read Instructional
To the Ends of the Earth (1991)Pedlar Autobiography
Today in Darkest Britain (1990)Gauntlett
Triumph of Faith (Marshall) (2)Wiggins Biography
Trumpets of the Lord CB Booth Readings
Visions (1906) Wm. Booth
What Hath God Wrought Brown Cdn.History
When the Gates were Opened Korbel Biography
William & Catherine with Love McCaughey Readings
Words of Wm. Booth Barnes SA History
York Temple Corps 75th Cdn. History
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There is a lot of good reading there. AND, it is missing REVOLUTION and THE UPRISING, AND the brand spanking new, hot-off-the-press, black and white with fire inside INSANE book by Munn and Collinson. I've obtained my copy already. You will definitely want to read this book. Save up your shekels. Contact AUS Territory trade and buy away.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 29-41; Luke 16 (v23 - in hell, where he was in torment...).
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 15, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

It is easy to get in to a routine and figure that we're going all out for Jesus. We read this morning of an officer on a very difficult front who wakes up at 1AM to study for a degree he needs for his appointment, works all day, takes courses, dines with his family and goes to bed (hat tip JF).
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1 AM.
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We're pleased to announce that The Hub is approved and endorsed and ready to go. If you are interested in your cell connecting with The Hub for coordinated training, resourcing, and local deployment, email revolution @ mmccxx.net.
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"Justice cannot be cut at right angles, kept in packets, and handed out from a drawer." (General Albert Orsborn, The House of My Pilgrimage).

No, it must cut into our character, kept in the forefront, and squeezed out of the oppressors of our world.
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We had the blessing of doign a little evangelism with a youngster we know again yesterday. No visible results (very close, though), but a good time. Praise God. There are still some hours left in this day for you to try to close the deal with someone and their God...
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 28-29; Psalm 7; Luke 15.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 14, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AS)

Reinhard Bonnke preached last night at a local church. That in itself is noteworthy. His preaching as led to nearly 50 million indicated conversions in this young century so far. Praise God. And he had some gems:
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"When you do business with people, hyou need money. When you business with God, you need faith. Faith is the currency of Heaven."

"The less Holy Spirit we have in more cake and coffee we need to keep the Church going."

"To wait on God is Old Testament. Since Pentecost we don't wait on God. He waits on us... GO (into all the world and preach...)."
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And so on. He also taught that Pentecost was the Incarnation of Holy Spirit in that tongues of fire connected with tongues of flesh as Holy Spirit clothed Himself with 120 disciples. The background for that was Holy Spirit hovering over Genesis 1:1-2 and then - 'bang' - moving at the impulse of the Word of God (Let there be light).
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Bonnke didn't make our July 12003 post for the top five of all time because we included Biblical people. But if we cut out the Biblicals, he'd be on it. Hallelujah.
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Praise the Lord. He is worthy to be praised. He who heals, restores, raises from the dead, saves and sanctifies through a German man in Africa can do it through an American teenager in Estonia, a British warrior in London Ontario, a shouting Italian in Texas, a Newfie mother in Vancouver, a Hoosier in St. Petes, and a Canadian schoolboy in Melbourne!

God help us to GO in faith today and see great fruit.
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(Don't forget to pray for the General at noon)
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 34-36; Luke 14.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 13, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

From the 1951 International Training Councils (General Albert Orsborn):
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"We must all put our first emphasis on Field fighting. Again: we caln't allow extreme of psychology or psychiatry - they have very definitely limited uses with us. We believe in and experience the miraculously revealing, cleansing, healing, and strengthening power of the Holy Spirit.

"We have seen Cadets leap forward into fulness of life and power in one hour's work by the Spirit, where the same thing would have taken years or been impossible to psychology.

"I merely use that as a illustration. We must have unity in essentials: no experiments, no liberties."
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Then he goes on to call us The Army of the Impossible. Hallelujah.
----
We suspect some will get uptight about Orsborn's comments here (one of the reasons we're posting them). He rejects psychology and psychatry in favour of miracles and Holy Spirit healing.

There should be nothing shocking there. A lot of mental and psychological issues could be dealt with in an hour's time with a wo/man of God doing deliverance (after all - issues is sometimes a synonym for 'demons', as in, 'she's got issues'). This is one of those posts that makes you glad you didn't give a comment option!
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Repent and believe. That is the message we can share with everyone we meet today. Some of them might even get saved! Good on ya'.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 31-33; Luke 13 (classic chapter - so much for gentle Jesus meek and mild - "Go tell that fox...").
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 12, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Cadet Peter Lublink is blogging again (lublink.ca).
----
More from Commissioner Dibden (see yesterday for reference). In February 1880, the Founder handed Commissioner Railton a cheque for L200 to invade USA. That sounds like nothing. It is actually $19,929.81 (USD, 2006, according to
http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/exchange/result_exchange.php).

But considering that there was a brigade of eight going, all needing a bed and food, and there was some expectation of renting halls for public meetings, producing War Crys and other propaganda, and so on, it was pretty modest. It actually compares with another great SA leader born on the same day (well, more than a century later) as the Founder, who sent us out to start outposts with the promise of $5,000 and a Flag.

So, if Railton and his brigade and some of the young heroes of this new century can get an outpost going on $5,000 and a Flag, then we suspect the challenge is out there for all of us and the opportunity for starting a couple of thousand outposts in the next little while seems enormous. Are you in?
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It might cost nothing to get the next person you meet saved (except for some guts and love and possibly a little time and embarrassment).
----
God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 29-30; Luke 12 (great chapter including 'where your treasure lies, there will your heart be').
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Janury 11, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

The 1951 International Staff Training Council Lecture notes includes some gems, a few of which we'll share over the next few posts. Commissioner Dibden quotes the Founder from the Annual Report of 1874 on purpose:
- to go and preach to those who will not come to hear.
- by daily plodding, work to push onward.
- to keep halls open nightly for the people.
- to preach a plain, simple, full, free Gospel.
- to train all converts to work for others.
- to teach the poorest to give their mite towards expenses.
- to use any methods that succeed and abandon all others.
----
Many will jump to the last one on methods and celebrate that at the expense of the others. But in the western version of The Army anyway, we could camp out on a few. We could really go to preach to those who won't come to hear a lot better. We could settle on the plain, simplet, full, free Gospel and not get caught up in knots in trendy heresies or questions/doubts or winds of doctrine that were settled centuries ago. We're guessing the biggie, though, it to train all converts to work for other converts. If we could nail this one down we'd be well on our way to winning the world for Jesus. Can you imagine every single convert, recruit, and soldier in the world trained up AND working to make more converts all the time? God grant it.
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Let's aim for some converts today and start with them.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 27-28; Psalm 4; Luke 11.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 10, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

We just read that Dietrich Bonhoffer was moved by Bramwell Booth's preaching in Berlin when he was 14 and would have responded to the salvation pitch but thought 14 was too young to get saved. But he did start hitting church and that led him, eventually, to martyrdom. "He was impresed by the joy he saw on Booth's face" (Edwin Robertson, The Shame and the Sacrifice. p29. hat tip Richard Munn)
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The Hub (see earlier this week) promises to stengthen local corps that have cells. It will focus local evangelism and discipleship. There will be monthly teaching themes, and new songs written for the themes (and maybe band selections - stay tuned). There will be readings and memory verses/passages for those so inclined, as well as cell curriculum. If your city isn't involved yet, fire an email to revolution @ mmccxx. net.
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Check out armybarmy.com for some great resources.
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We were recently at davidruis.com (he breaks down some new songs) and some Heidi Baker testimonies on youtube (and a video of a dead person raised back to life in Nigeria - Praise the Lord). There is a lot to stimulate and challege faith out there.
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Let's go for souls today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 25-26; Psalm 6; Luke 10.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 9, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Holy Sanctification Day!

Here is a testimony from a young Samuel Logan Brengle:
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ON January 9, 1885, at about nine o'clock in the morning, God sanctified my soul. I was in my own room at the time, but in a few minutes I went out and met a man and told him what God had done for me. The next morning, I met another friend on the street and told him the blessed story. He shouted and praised God and urged me to preach full salvation and confess it everywhere. God used him to encourage and help me. So the following day I preached on the subject as clearly and forcibly as I could, and ended with my testimony.

God blessed the word mightily to others, but I think He blessed it most to myself. That confession put me on record. It cut the bridges down behind me. Three worlds were now looking at me as one who professed that God had given him a clean heart. I could not go back now. I had to go forward. God saw that I meant to be true till death. So two mornings after that, just as I got out of bed and was reading some of the words of Jesus, He gave me such a blessing as I never had dreamed a man could have this side of Heaven. It was a heaven of love that came into my heart. I walked out over Boston common before breakfast weeping for joy and praising God. Oh, how I loved! In that hour I knew Jesus and I loved Him till it seemed my heart would break with love. I loved the sparrows, I loved the dogs, I loved the horses, I loved the little urchins on the streets, I loved the strangers who hurried past me, I loved the heathen—I loved the whole world. (hat tip Richard Munn)
----
General Shaw Clifton suggested in a holiness seminar at Kaleidoscope Congress in 2007 that this could be an official Salvation Army holiday. So, until it is preached at your corps, why not set it aside yourself with your comrades to press in to Jesus' presence, reflect on your soul, repent of any lingering sins, consecrate your lives wholly to God, and beg for Holy Spirit's cleansing and filling?
----
And now is a good time to block it off on your calendar for 2009.
----
Five verses for a life:
2 Timothy 2:2;
Acts 26:17b,18;
Hebrews 12:14;
Psalm 2:8;
Matthew 9:37,38.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 23-24; Luke 9.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 8, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Aaron White, esteemed blogging partner, seems to doubt the authenticity of Stallone's Christian content (see previous two posts). Hmm. We'll just have to wait to see the finished product, I guess.
----
Tomorrow is Sanctification Day! (details tomorrow)
----
For those not following the US presidential race, you might be interested to hear that in the early going a Baptist Minister leads all Republican aspirants (we have to say that today because it might not be true after tomorrow). Interesting dynamics.
----
Affirmations:
a. we believe the doctrines of The Salvation Army (no fingers crossed on any of them);
b. we believe that we can and should be holy;
c. we believe that we can and should win the world;
d. we believe that lots of people are going to hell forever (some who never repented and believed, and others who lost their salvation);
e. we believe that signs and wonders and prophetic and deliverance will play a big role in winning the world;
we believe that charismatic cell-based Christian communities are the most effective means of accomplishing mission today (see primitive salvationism and mmccxx);
f. we believe that God can and will do something unprecedented in The Salvation Army;
g. we believe that The Salvation Army is a revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus;
h. we believe that covenant is the only hope of avoiding the international fragmentation of The Army within 20 years.
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How do we practically respond to these affirmations?
Get solid on our doctrines.
Get discipled and trained up.
Get a passport.
Start a cell.
Go to The War College.
Join The Hub.
Be a Hero.
Start an outpost.
Join mmccxx.
Go to Training College (if it doesn't see you up the river on the doctrines).
Start the revolution.
Win the world for Jesus.
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If you see someone today that you might not ever see again, and you are listening for God's prodding, why not take a step out on a limb and share a bit of God's love for that person? S/he might even get saved once you present the Gospel persuasively.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 20-22; Luke 8.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Rambo cont'd...

I think the last post got cut off before the description of the movie was finished. I'm pretty sure it ends like this:

"Now, despite the fact that Rambo has long since sworn off all forms of violence, the knowledge that innocent missionaries are being used as pawns in a brutal war leaves him with no other choice than to venture behind enemy lines on his most dangerous mission to date....

...So he goes out and kills absolutely everyone he sees. With a million guns. Just like Jesus would."

:)


--------------------------------------------------------

A question was asked in my cell today: "If we are supposed to give to Caesar what belongs to him, and to give to God what belongs to him, how is it that we are to go about giving our everything to God? How does that work? What would that look like?"

It was a bit of a stumper, though there were some good responses.

Grace,

Aaron

Stallone continues the Christian content...

On the heels of Rocky Balboa, for which Stallone created and disseminated preaching outlines and Bible studies, he's releasing this month John Rambo. Here is a synopsis (from all movie guide):
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When a group of missionary aid workers in Myanmar disappear into the vast green inferno, vigilante Vietnam War veteran John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) leaves his job as a Salween River boatman behind to accompany a group of mercenaries on a daring rescue mission. It's been twenty years since Rambo helped mujahedeen rebels fend off Soviet invaders in Afghanistan, and these days the former soldier lives a simple life in northern Thailand. Yet despite the fact that Rambo has long since traded his guns for a fishing reel, the world's longest running civil war rages into it's sixtieth year on the nearby Thai-Burma border. It seems like every day more rebels, mercenaries, medics, and peace workers cross through the remote village where Rambo lives, most of them never to be seen again. One day, human rights missionaries Sarah (Julie Benz) and Michael Bennett (Paul Schulze) show up asking Rambo to guide them up the Salween so they can get some much needed food and medical supplies to the desperate Karen tribe. According to Sarah and Michael the Burmese military has planted landmines all along the roads leading into the tribe's village, making it virtually impossible to reach the tribe via land. At first Rambo flatly refuses to cross into Burma, but these refugees will most certainly die without aid and he eventually relents. Two weeks after Rambo drops the group off in dangerous territory, pastor Arthur Marsh (Ken Howard) arrives with a chilling message: the aid workers never returned from their mission into the jungle, and the embassies refuse to help Marsh and his fellow missionaries find their missing friends. Pastor Marsh knows that Sarah, Michael, and the rest of the missing missionaries are being held hostage by the Burmese army, and in order to hire the mercenaries needed for a rescue mission he has mortgaged his house and taken up a special collection from his congregation. Now, despite the fact that Rambo has long since sworn off all forms of violence, the knowledge that innocent missionaries are being used as pawns in a brutal war leaves him with no other choice than to venture behind enemy lines on his most dangerous mission to date. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
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grace,
sec

January 7, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Did you know that there are more than 70 Worship Demos in the armybarmy.com demo of the week feature? Some are fresh tracks by famous salvos not available on any albums/CDs/records yet. And that is one of heaps of options at armybarmy.com.
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The main page of armybarmy.com also makes available preaches from a recent salvo UNLIMITED Conference (as well as info on RAW in Vancouver, CONQUERORS Session of The War College, etc.).
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There is a Be A Hero page that gives you the lowdown on the campaign to raise up 10,000 heroes (we're getting there) and how you can join.
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We watched this week a seven-year old Junior Soldier do some effective evangelism. She preached the Gospel, gave good testimony, and then led a Salvation prayer based on 'sorry, please, thank you'. And to good effect. Praise the Lord.

She also made room for two friends to be involved. These friends are not Junior Soldiers. They are 5 and 6 (too young). In the old days there were Little Soldiers (LS became JS). We think that there is room for Little Soldiers to precede Junior Soldiers today, chonologically. We could sign up 4-7 year-olds (or to 6, depending on the minimum age of JS in each territory) and train them up in the fear and friendship of the Lord as Little Soldiers. What do you think? We know of some warriors working on curriculum already.
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Let's follow that JS's example and try hard to rescue some people now on their way to hell.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 18-19 (18:33 is clearly incarnate Yahweh); Psalm 3; Luke 7.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 6, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Lots of officers are moving this week in the southern hemisphere (including some freshly commissioned ones). Here are a couple of reminders:
1. You are not your rank.
2. You are not your appointment.
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That is, don't take your self-worth based on the size of your corps or the success of your latest initiative or your latest promotion (General Gowans's streamlining has taken away some of this temptation since they are fewer ranks to which to be promoted. That said, and though there is no official armybarmy position on the rank system, we'd be game to see brigadiers back and have big CSs full colonels!).

We had opportunity to hit a corps today on the retirement/farewell Sunday of two faithfuls. In the bulletin they emphasised that officers are, in essence, soldiers. This is a good reminder for all officers. Let's all aim to be great senior soldiers.
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If you are in a city without The Hub yet and are interested in participating, please email revolution @ mmccxx . net. We anticipate that this will be a good thing.
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Some people use the lectionary. It is a good way to cover the whole counsel of God. Some people don't know that they can use the Salvationist lectionary.
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We hit a hall today that was dedicated to the glory of God and the Salvation of the people in 1942 by Commissioner Dalziel. May we individually be so dedicated.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 15-17 (big covenant bit); Luke 6.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 5, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Major Mike Coleman has a great blog on Salvo fair trade coffee at DHQs. Check it out at his blog.
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JustLose Campaign's pay date is January 31 so it is not too late to get your team in. It is a great day to kick off the new year! If you don't know much about this justsalvos.com campaign, check out the website. There are a lot of ways to participate in The Salvation Army's Justice initiatives.
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Salvos have to be ready to preach, pray, or die at a moment's notice.
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Some get 'hynotised by intellectual trivia' (hat tip Rowan C). On the other hand, certainty has a lot going for it. We know the truths of the Gospel. We've been trained in the doctrines (in Handbook of Doctrines, etc.). It builds faith. We've signed up in covenant. Though it is trendy to question everything, it isn't the coolest thing in the world. Know what you believe. And preach the truth. Don't preach your questions, doubts, and curiosities.
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Oh, and by the way, let's not shoot ourselves in the foot by dating sinners or even those not running as quickly to Jesus as we are. Demons laugh when we get sucked in to that kind of compromise/sin.
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We've said this many times in the past but we'll repeat it here. We want to get people saved, discipled, and sanctified. But it is very difficult to do that. and, if we are highly committed to the mission, it really takes it out of you and weighs on you when it isn't working very well.

So in the midst of all of this struggling it is easier to feed, clothe, and bed people in need than to save, disciple, and sanctify them. If you can remind yourself that you fed 150 people, clothed 28, and bedded 72 that day, it is easier to sleep at night.

Do you get that? When it is easier to sleep at night because you justify your efforts by secondary results, it isn't surprising that sometimes the secondary results supercede and even replace the 'main thing' (saving, discipling, and saving)(not to suggest that feeding and bedding and so on is easy, just that it is easier and more easily measurable).

Let's be aware of the temptation. As difficult as saving, discipling, and sanctifying process is, let's not be distracted.
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That being the case, let's refocus today on getting people saved, discipled, and sanctified.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 12-14; Luke 5.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 4, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

There has been some question about FloBo's inclusion of 'loyalty' in the group of Salvationist principles (yesterday's post). She actually went on about pledges, what we would explain as covenant these days. She includes soldiership, officership, marriage, etc.. She made a point we hear a lot these days - that people camp out on a couple of things soldiers DON'T do instead of the heaps of things a soldier DOES covenant to do.
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There has also been some discussion about a post last week considering the popular AUS salvo phrase - keep them alive and keep them out of prison. What needs, evidently, to be emphasised, is that the alternative is not to let them die and throw them in jail, but to get them saved and to improve the prison system.
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If you are a foreigner, you have to be a practising Christian to adopt a child in Taiwan and Philippines (hat tip Rachael C).
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MMCCXX is looking for more partners in the ntework dream to see new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years (revolution @ mmccxx . net).
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The Hub is coordinating cells in different cities around the planet - if you are interested email revolution @ mmccxx . net).
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Go for souls and go for the worst.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 9-11; Luke 4.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 3, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

One exciting development for 2008 is The Hub. The Hub is a multi-city network to gather and coordinate cells across the salvosphere to train, resource, and equip for the Salvation War on their local fronts in their local corps. There is some eager anticipation of what God might do through this new thing. If you and your cells are interesting in partnering, pray it up and email revolution @ mmccxx . net.
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Those cells interested in participating in The Hub, with the blessing of your COs, will need to be committed to evangelistic campaigning in a strategic location in your corps district. You will definitely (well, if you continue to patronise armybarmy) be haring more about The Hub in coming weeks.
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Meanwhile, we heard of a Salvo mother who disciplined her child who said the word 'damnation' by sticking a safety pin through his tongue (this was a considerable number of years ago).
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It is not too late to make resolutions for the year. We threw out some ideas last week on this blog. So have a go. While we're at it, don't forget the resources offered last week for daily spiritual edification. There is also the Aaron White/Jonathan Evans cell talk series for salvo curriculum. JAC is coming out with the first 08 issue in a few weeks. If you have an article to contribute, please fire it off to revolution @ mmccxx . net (we're looking for articles, please). And the main armybarmy.com website has heaps of resources to aid you in the Salvation War.
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Let's try to get someone saved today!
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 6-8; Luke 3.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 2, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

FloBo (Florence Booth) does some teaching in the Training Staff Council Lectures of 1925, one of which is on Salvationism. Though I'm not a huge fan of FB (the French heroics get tempered by the 1929 fiasco), she has some juicy stuff here:
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"Whatever else we do for them during the (training) Session, we musst confirm and encourage them in uttermost devotion to The Salvaiton Army. They must be permeated with the spirit of Salvatoinism; for the Training would indeed by a dismal failure if it did not turn out Salvationists. In these days when, in many countries where we are working, we have not the former difficulties of persecution, scorn, and contempt, it is comparatively easy to become a Salvationist, and there is a danger of people coming in without really understanding the principles of The Salvation Army or what is involved in soldiership.

"We need Officers who, before they enrol new people, will instruct them so that they will sign the Articles of War understanding the principles of The Salvation Army, and will become true Soldiers. It is vital that in the Training of the Cadets instruction in Salvationism should be very definite. The Cadets should have clearly before them those principles which have brought The Army into being and made it what it is. We know that some who come into the Training Garrisons, truly consecrated and given to The Salvation Army, have a poor understanding of these principles. They have not been grounded in Salvationism. They do not realise the importance of the step taken by the Founder when he came out from his work for God as a minister of the Methodist New Connexion, in order to seek for those who were in the highways and byways outside all church work... Many of the Soldiers conduct themselves like members of chapels and churches, coming to The Army for what they themselves receive, with little or no idea of service and responsibility for souls - willing to leave all the work for the Officer.

"Sometimes even the Officer sinks into a mere sermonizer; his time is almost entirely taken up by attending tot he Soldiers; his visiting, instead of being an aggressive attack on the souls of the people, is merely pastoral; he goes from house to house among those who already belong to him. The tendency is disasterous; and the new Officers who go forth from the Training Garrison, instead of being drwan into this backwater, must act as an antidote to this drifting back and sinking down tendency, and so help to keep The Salvation Army ship true to her course. This they will not do unless there is a clear understanding of Salvation Army principles."
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Here are her six Salvation Army principles:
1. The Founder secured for all who would have it a free expression of the joy of the Lord;
2. Faith in the possibility of holy living is a leading characteristic of Salvationism;
3. Salvationism includes definite responsibility for the souls of others;
4. One of the striking features of The Salvation Army is that woman has a position secured to her;
5. The spirit of internationalism is a part of Salvationism which must be fostered amongst Cadets;
6. True Salvationism includes loyalty.
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We suspect that some are surprised by the list. After all, free expression of the joy of the Lord is not really a characteristic of western Salvationism in this era (with some praiseworthy exceptions). Holiness is too often overlooked. Not enough of us take seriously our responsibility for the souls of others (God help us). We're still waiting for #4 to be true of married women (FloBo herself was the highest ranking married woman in history so maybe it was difficult for her to see and foresee the break between ideal and reality). praise God for #5 and help us live up to #6.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 3-5; Luke 2.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 1, 2008.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

The AUS Territory has a call to action in 2008. You can read it here:
http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/SALV/STANDARD/PC_62085.html
It is worth some discussion in your cells and corps councils...
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Danielle Strickland's blog has a spiritual inventory, inspired by the Holy Club (Wesley brothers and Whitefield, etc.) that avoids the legalistic (JW testified that he wasn't save when he was in the club), and might be a nice experiment to try on your own.
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The Peterson quote from a few days ago has spurred some discussion. Apparently, in some parts, 'emergent' 'incarnation' - in the flesh - has implied, in practice, an earthy, compromising approach to the mission of God (sacrificing holiness for relevance). It has, apparently been 'carnal'. And yet, when we use 'incarnation' we theoretically imply that there is something divine becoming enfleshed. It is Holiness in the flesh. Mission sacrificing holiness isn't truly incarnational. We're going for Holy Incarnation! (hat tip RC, FH, RC, DS...).
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(hat tip to David I for this):
Nondiscipleship - Dallas Willard
Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring.
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One year we soldiered at a corps that set a goal of 365 converts in the year. We failed miserably. Only 153 people got saved that year. We actually scored ourselves miserably low on evangelism in the Natural Church Development test because of that. But praise God for the 153. May God give a bunch of us reading this vision for something really Big in 2008. And, it starts today.
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God is here.
SA Daily Reading: Genesis 1-2; Luke 1.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court