February 3, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB216
1.
Lord, we believe to us and ours
Thy precious promises were given;
We wait the pentecostal powers,
The Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven.
2.
Assembled here with one accord,
Calmly we wait the promised grace,
The purchase of our dying Lord;
Come, Holy Ghost, and fill the place.
3.
If every one that asks may find,
If still thou dost on sinners fall,
Come as a mighty rushing wind;
Great grace be now upon us all.
4.
Behold, to thee our souls aspire,
And languish thy descent to meet;
Kindle in each the living fire,
And fix in every heart thy seat.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
General Burrows Retires!
I write today to formally announce the retirement of General Eva Burrows from The War College Global Reference Group. She has served that body and its predecessor - the Board of Reference - from its inception. Her prayers, advice, support, counsel, and visits helped establish The War College. We give glory to God for her investment in this mission.
We are very grateful to General Burrows for her ongoing partnership in the Gospel and want to bless her with all the health and abundance and joy that God's fullness supplies. Thank you, General!
----
Holy. now.
----
Lieut-Colonel Janet Munn provides A Short History Of Fasting in the brand new Journal of Aggressive Christianity (JAC77). You can read it, here:
http://www.armybarmy.com/JAC/article3-77.html
----
Unity. I'm all for unity in the body. I celebrate my cousin's corps in the suburbs fighting undercover (that means they play down the 'brand') which is growing and saving people and discipling them. I celebrate the traditional large corps like my home corps with their commitment in time and honour of the past. I celebrate the small town corps (I lived in them for a lot of my officership) with their small town opportunities and small town challenges. I celebrate the developing world corps where sacrifice is both mundane and heroic. I celebrate the emerging initiatives to engage the coming generation with the timeless Gospel. I celebrate the programme-based stuff. I celebrate the cell-based stuff. I celebrate the meditative and mystical and the festive and fun. I celebrate the ecumenical types within The Army. I celebrate the warfare zealots. I celebrate the covenanters. I celebrate the evangelists, the prophets, the apostles, the teachers and shepherds. I celebrate those fighting for prophetic and social justice. I celebrate the numbers salvos. I celebrate the citadels and the temples, the barracks and the garrisons. And I celebrate the soldier's covenant that unites us all.
----
Remember the poor.
----
“What are you living for? What is the deep secret purpose that controls and fashions your existence? What do you eat and drink for? What is the end of your marrying and giving in marriage – your money making and toilings and plannings? Is it the salvation of souls, the overthrow of the kingdom of evil and the setting up of the Kingdom of God? Have you the assurance that the ruling passion of your life is the same as that which brought Christ to the manger, led Him to fight the foul fiend of Hell in the wilderness, bore Him onward on the back of suffering and tears and ignominy and shame, sustained Him in drinking the cup of anguish and entering the baptism of blood, bore him through Gethsemane, nailed Him to the cross of Calvary and enabled Him in triumph to open the gate of the kingdom? Is this what you are living for? If not, you may be religious – a very proper person amongst religionists – but I don’t see how you can be a Christian.” (William Booth)
Wow! There might be a few armybarmy readers who feel a little convicted this that. Add that's good. Repent and believe. If you're not convicted, how about sharing it with some of your friends who might be convicted?
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Friday, February 03, 2012
Thursday, February 02, 2012
February 2: No Fall Back...
February 2, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
Today's blog will have a revolution theme...
no fall back.
There is no fall back when you plunge in for revolution. There is no plan B for us. Either God works miraculously, or we look stupid.
If, a decade or two from now things are roughly the same or worse, sheepishness and shame are the best scenarios for us.
Of course, if God takes the death we offer, and fulfills the dreams He has downloaded in us, then the future is going to be amazing.
If you haven't taken the plunge yet, pray it through. Once you put your hand to the plough you can't turn back.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"How would it be possible to bring about a revolution - a true revival - a grand aggressive movement of Christianity - without giving new light and calling somebody to some path in advance of all that has gone before? And what does it matter who - whether it is Peter, or John, or Luther, or Fox, or Wesley, or Booth - what does it matter, so that God does it?" - Catherine Booth, 1872 (Booth-Tucker, 1890, 2:50)
Notable on a few fronts:
- We're about revolution as was Catherine;
- That is, it is more than a flashy logo by Fulton Hawk and the theme of some youth councils a generation ago;
- She includes Booth in there back in '72 when the Christian Mission's success was modest and more than half a decade before the big revival started (coincidental with the name change);
- Because of this last point we can accept it as prophetic.
hat tip Steve Bussey for the quote.
----
So, Some of you know of the vision to see new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 coutnries in 20 years (most will be bi-vocational, cell-based- free on personnel and property) - mmccxx
Anyway, The Christian Mission had 54 mission stations 13 years into its campaign. That's a year after Catherine's quote above.
Of course, the 1878-1888 revival exploded everything off the map.
To those not convinced on mmccxx yet, realise that the first 13 years might get you to 54 or so... But look out for the last 7! (for those who care, we're seven years and 17 countries in).
----
Holy. now.
----
Here's one of my favourites of all time:
"We are revolutionists. We know that we have passed from death to life, and we insist on the necessity of the same sweeping change in every human being. With the cries of “Death unto sin,” and “Life unto righteousness,” we go on, determined to turn the world upside down. We are not the philosophers or theorists of revolution, but its agents. Merely to recommend revolution is contemptible. We must make it." - George Scott Railton, "The Revolution: A New Year's Address" Christian Mission Magazine, January, 1873
Merely to recommend revolution is contemptible. Now, you may not use that word often so here are some synonyms (from Websters online): cheap, cruddy, deplorable, despicable, dirty, grubby, lame, lousy, mean, nasty, paltry, pitiable, pitiful, ratty, scabby, scummy, scurvy, sneaking, sorry, wretched.
Let's avoid contempt and make revolution.
----
Remember the poor.
----
We hear that some cadets read this. So here is a bit from another cadet in an old JAC about still other cadets...
"after a three week training period William Booth dispatched two young men, Captain George Arthur Pollard (age 20) and Lieutenant Edward Wright (age 19), as the invasion force to New Zealand in 1882. Upon arrival in Invercargill in 1883, Pollard had thirty shillings to his name and Wright did not have any money whatsoever. Pollard then used some of his money to send Wright north to Auckland. The invasion plan was simple. Wright would start in the north and preach his way south. Pollard would work his way north from Invercargill and meet Wright in Wellington. By the end of 1883, after only nine months in the field, eleven corps had been firmly established; and more than thirty officers were giving leadership to several hundred soldiers. By 1893, ten years later, there were 82 corps with more than 100 outposts. There were over 300 full time officers, close to half of them women, and the 1891 census recorded 9383 people registering themselves as Salvationists in a population of just over 600,000." Mat Badger
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
'God will save us if He can, He will judge us if He must." (General Albert Orsborn)
Help some people position themselves for saving instead of judging today through repentance and faith.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
Today's blog will have a revolution theme...
no fall back.
There is no fall back when you plunge in for revolution. There is no plan B for us. Either God works miraculously, or we look stupid.
If, a decade or two from now things are roughly the same or worse, sheepishness and shame are the best scenarios for us.
Of course, if God takes the death we offer, and fulfills the dreams He has downloaded in us, then the future is going to be amazing.
If you haven't taken the plunge yet, pray it through. Once you put your hand to the plough you can't turn back.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"How would it be possible to bring about a revolution - a true revival - a grand aggressive movement of Christianity - without giving new light and calling somebody to some path in advance of all that has gone before? And what does it matter who - whether it is Peter, or John, or Luther, or Fox, or Wesley, or Booth - what does it matter, so that God does it?" - Catherine Booth, 1872 (Booth-Tucker, 1890, 2:50)
Notable on a few fronts:
- We're about revolution as was Catherine;
- That is, it is more than a flashy logo by Fulton Hawk and the theme of some youth councils a generation ago;
- She includes Booth in there back in '72 when the Christian Mission's success was modest and more than half a decade before the big revival started (coincidental with the name change);
- Because of this last point we can accept it as prophetic.
hat tip Steve Bussey for the quote.
----
So, Some of you know of the vision to see new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 coutnries in 20 years (most will be bi-vocational, cell-based- free on personnel and property) - mmccxx
Anyway, The Christian Mission had 54 mission stations 13 years into its campaign. That's a year after Catherine's quote above.
Of course, the 1878-1888 revival exploded everything off the map.
To those not convinced on mmccxx yet, realise that the first 13 years might get you to 54 or so... But look out for the last 7! (for those who care, we're seven years and 17 countries in).
----
Holy. now.
----
Here's one of my favourites of all time:
"We are revolutionists. We know that we have passed from death to life, and we insist on the necessity of the same sweeping change in every human being. With the cries of “Death unto sin,” and “Life unto righteousness,” we go on, determined to turn the world upside down. We are not the philosophers or theorists of revolution, but its agents. Merely to recommend revolution is contemptible. We must make it." - George Scott Railton, "The Revolution: A New Year's Address" Christian Mission Magazine, January, 1873
Merely to recommend revolution is contemptible. Now, you may not use that word often so here are some synonyms (from Websters online): cheap, cruddy, deplorable, despicable, dirty, grubby, lame, lousy, mean, nasty, paltry, pitiable, pitiful, ratty, scabby, scummy, scurvy, sneaking, sorry, wretched.
Let's avoid contempt and make revolution.
----
Remember the poor.
----
We hear that some cadets read this. So here is a bit from another cadet in an old JAC about still other cadets...
"after a three week training period William Booth dispatched two young men, Captain George Arthur Pollard (age 20) and Lieutenant Edward Wright (age 19), as the invasion force to New Zealand in 1882. Upon arrival in Invercargill in 1883, Pollard had thirty shillings to his name and Wright did not have any money whatsoever. Pollard then used some of his money to send Wright north to Auckland. The invasion plan was simple. Wright would start in the north and preach his way south. Pollard would work his way north from Invercargill and meet Wright in Wellington. By the end of 1883, after only nine months in the field, eleven corps had been firmly established; and more than thirty officers were giving leadership to several hundred soldiers. By 1893, ten years later, there were 82 corps with more than 100 outposts. There were over 300 full time officers, close to half of them women, and the 1891 census recorded 9383 people registering themselves as Salvationists in a population of just over 600,000." Mat Badger
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
'God will save us if He can, He will judge us if He must." (General Albert Orsborn)
Help some people position themselves for saving instead of judging today through repentance and faith.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
February 1: The Gospel Feast (and JAC77 and more).
February 1, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB234
1.
Come, sinners, to the gospel feast,
Let every soul be Jesus' guest;
Ye need not one be left behind,
For God hath bidden all mankind.
2.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
The invitation is to all;
Come, all the world; come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.
3.
This message as from God receive,
Ye all may come to Christ, and live;
O let his love your hearts constrain,
Nor suffer him to die in vain.
4.
His love is mighty to compel;
His conquering love consent to feel;
Yield to his love's constraining power,
And fight against your God no more.
Charles Wesley (1797-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
JAC77. It sounds a bit like a sport car. And it reads a bit like one, too. It hugs a few crazy turns in topics, looks sharp as people peek over your shoulder in the café, and goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat.
And its exotic. Where else can you find features on Xander, Ezra, and Omri, topics like extraordinary prayer, evangelism, and disco, and exhortations to be a finisher, to be exceptional (in a certain kind of way), and to turn the world upside down?
Some are saying that 2012 is The Year Of DISCO. So we start by asking the question on the tip of everyone’s tongues, “Can DisCo Save The World?”
And then, moving from the ridiculous to the sublime, Lieut-Colonel Janet Munn gives us “A Short History of Fasting.”
SA Global 24/7 Prayer interviews Lieutenant Xander Coleman in Prayer Beacon in the Community.
Just as evangelizing should be preceded by prayer, Lieutenant James Thompson’s article “The Motivating Disaster” follows Coleman’s article.
Major Danielle Strickland dips into her marathon experience to exhort, “Finish What You Started.”
When is the last time you read an article on King Omri? Lieutenant Rachel Sheils fills this gap and asks the question, “How Did You Make God Laugh?”
Then we end with a trio of articles: There are two ways to be spiritually exceptional; then we wonder, “Where’s Ezra?”; and finally we look at the apostle Paul and how he shaped “A World Turned Upside Down.”
Read it like a sports car. Test out its power. See how it handles the issues. And then show it off to your friends.
Read it here: http://www.armybarmy.com/JAC/article1-77.html
----
Holy. now.
----
doctrines
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead-the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"The greatest danger to any religious organization is that a body of men should arise in its ranks, and hold positions of trust, who have learnt its great fundamental doctrines by rote out of a catechism, but have no experiential knowledge of their truth…" Samuel Logan Brengle
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Here's a salvo site to help you find God, or to help you help others to find God: http://sacrossroads.com/sacrossroads.com/how_to_find_God.html
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB234
1.
Come, sinners, to the gospel feast,
Let every soul be Jesus' guest;
Ye need not one be left behind,
For God hath bidden all mankind.
2.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
The invitation is to all;
Come, all the world; come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.
3.
This message as from God receive,
Ye all may come to Christ, and live;
O let his love your hearts constrain,
Nor suffer him to die in vain.
4.
His love is mighty to compel;
His conquering love consent to feel;
Yield to his love's constraining power,
And fight against your God no more.
Charles Wesley (1797-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
JAC77. It sounds a bit like a sport car. And it reads a bit like one, too. It hugs a few crazy turns in topics, looks sharp as people peek over your shoulder in the café, and goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat.
And its exotic. Where else can you find features on Xander, Ezra, and Omri, topics like extraordinary prayer, evangelism, and disco, and exhortations to be a finisher, to be exceptional (in a certain kind of way), and to turn the world upside down?
Some are saying that 2012 is The Year Of DISCO. So we start by asking the question on the tip of everyone’s tongues, “Can DisCo Save The World?”
And then, moving from the ridiculous to the sublime, Lieut-Colonel Janet Munn gives us “A Short History of Fasting.”
SA Global 24/7 Prayer interviews Lieutenant Xander Coleman in Prayer Beacon in the Community.
Just as evangelizing should be preceded by prayer, Lieutenant James Thompson’s article “The Motivating Disaster” follows Coleman’s article.
Major Danielle Strickland dips into her marathon experience to exhort, “Finish What You Started.”
When is the last time you read an article on King Omri? Lieutenant Rachel Sheils fills this gap and asks the question, “How Did You Make God Laugh?”
Then we end with a trio of articles: There are two ways to be spiritually exceptional; then we wonder, “Where’s Ezra?”; and finally we look at the apostle Paul and how he shaped “A World Turned Upside Down.”
Read it like a sports car. Test out its power. See how it handles the issues. And then show it off to your friends.
Read it here: http://www.armybarmy.com/JAC/article1-77.html
----
Holy. now.
----
doctrines
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead-the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"The greatest danger to any religious organization is that a body of men should arise in its ranks, and hold positions of trust, who have learnt its great fundamental doctrines by rote out of a catechism, but have no experiential knowledge of their truth…" Samuel Logan Brengle
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Here's a salvo site to help you find God, or to help you help others to find God: http://sacrossroads.com/sacrossroads.com/how_to_find_God.html
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
January 31: Wring Its Neck (and more).
January 31, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB307
1.
When shall thy love constrain
And force me to thy breast?
When shall my soul return again
To her eternal rest?
2.
Thy condescending grace
To me did freely move;
It calls me still to seek thy face,
And stoops to ask my love.
3.
Lord, at thy feet I fall,
I long to be set free,
I fain would now obey the call
And give up all to thee.
4.
Nay, but I yield, I yield!
I can hold out no more,
I sink, by dying love compelled,
And own thee conqueror.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"Religion on fire - is, humanly speaking, the vital force of The Salvation Army; ... [that] without it the Movement must - and no one could tell how soon - become 'a dried-up fountain', and 'extinct volcano', like so many of the sect around us.
"I do not say that The Army in such a case would break up and cease to be; it is too well organised to pass at once out of being, even though the spirit should depart from it. But in such a case it would most certainly lose its main and most active force for good.
"And you have also heard me assert, over and over again, that with the burning reality of such a 'religion of fire', The Army must prove an irresistible, overwhelming, conquering agency for helping forward the salvation of the human race."
WB p34 Addresses to Staff Officers, 1906.
----
Holy. now.
----
"So with the Holy Spirit; so let us honour Him by the due recognition of His Personality.
Do we regard the Holy Spirit after this fashion?
Do we greet Him in the morning when we wake?
Do we turn to Him in our weakness and trials during the day? Do we welcome Him to our hearts and homes and circle as a real living Person? What do you say?
The Holy Spirit is God."
WB p50.
----
Remember the poor.
----
My friend likes to see holiness as 'habitual submission'.
Respectfully, I don't buy it (now, I might have heard it wrong...). It seems like a new angle on the old Allister Smith two-canary illustration (Major Smith was a bigtime evangelist/holiness teacher in the last century). He talks about people who say each of us is like a bird cage with two canaries in it- a good canary and a bad canary. The process of sanctification is merely an exercise in starving the one and feeding the other. Smith, (with the apostle Paul) figures you'd be better just to wring the bad canary's neck and throw it out of the cage. :- )
It seems like habitual submission, instead of starving the bad canary, is all about training it. Like a wild animal, if we can domesticate it, then it will behave correctly.
I might have heard wrong, but disciplining the bad canary is a bit less than Paul is on about in Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20 (for example).
Let's wring its neck!
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Meanwhile - lots of people are wandering around aimlessly, meandering spiritually toward hell. Let's engage them with prayed-up, empowered, loving evangelism. God help us.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB307
1.
When shall thy love constrain
And force me to thy breast?
When shall my soul return again
To her eternal rest?
2.
Thy condescending grace
To me did freely move;
It calls me still to seek thy face,
And stoops to ask my love.
3.
Lord, at thy feet I fall,
I long to be set free,
I fain would now obey the call
And give up all to thee.
4.
Nay, but I yield, I yield!
I can hold out no more,
I sink, by dying love compelled,
And own thee conqueror.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"Religion on fire - is, humanly speaking, the vital force of The Salvation Army; ... [that] without it the Movement must - and no one could tell how soon - become 'a dried-up fountain', and 'extinct volcano', like so many of the sect around us.
"I do not say that The Army in such a case would break up and cease to be; it is too well organised to pass at once out of being, even though the spirit should depart from it. But in such a case it would most certainly lose its main and most active force for good.
"And you have also heard me assert, over and over again, that with the burning reality of such a 'religion of fire', The Army must prove an irresistible, overwhelming, conquering agency for helping forward the salvation of the human race."
WB p34 Addresses to Staff Officers, 1906.
----
Holy. now.
----
"So with the Holy Spirit; so let us honour Him by the due recognition of His Personality.
Do we regard the Holy Spirit after this fashion?
Do we greet Him in the morning when we wake?
Do we turn to Him in our weakness and trials during the day? Do we welcome Him to our hearts and homes and circle as a real living Person? What do you say?
The Holy Spirit is God."
WB p50.
----
Remember the poor.
----
My friend likes to see holiness as 'habitual submission'.
Respectfully, I don't buy it (now, I might have heard it wrong...). It seems like a new angle on the old Allister Smith two-canary illustration (Major Smith was a bigtime evangelist/holiness teacher in the last century). He talks about people who say each of us is like a bird cage with two canaries in it- a good canary and a bad canary. The process of sanctification is merely an exercise in starving the one and feeding the other. Smith, (with the apostle Paul) figures you'd be better just to wring the bad canary's neck and throw it out of the cage. :- )
It seems like habitual submission, instead of starving the bad canary, is all about training it. Like a wild animal, if we can domesticate it, then it will behave correctly.
I might have heard wrong, but disciplining the bad canary is a bit less than Paul is on about in Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20 (for example).
Let's wring its neck!
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Meanwhile - lots of people are wandering around aimlessly, meandering spiritually toward hell. Let's engage them with prayed-up, empowered, loving evangelism. God help us.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Monday, January 30, 2012
January 30: Stomachs (and more).
January 30, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB603
1.
Jesus, we look to thee,
Thy promised presence claim;
Thou in the midst of us shalt be,
Assembled in thy name.
2.
Thy name salvation is,
Which here we come to prove;
Thy name is life and health and peace
And everlasting love.
3.
We meet, the grace to take
Which thou hast freely given;
We meet on earth for thy dear sake
That we may meet in Heaven.
4.
Present we know thou art;
But, O thyself reveal!
Now, Lord, let every waiting heart
Thy mighty comfort feel!
5.
O may thy quickening voice
The death of sin remove,
And bid our inmost souls rejoice
In hope of perfect love!
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
My friends have a DC who challenged them when assigning them to draw up a dream proposal: "Make me say 'no'." I love it. And I'm sure they love fighting under him.
I was a part of an audit once that went pretty well. There were some instructions for improvement. The final line was, 'at least some people are getting saved.'
Hallelujah.
----
MASSIVE
We lifted this from Xander Coleman:
I was visiting the historical society at DHQ with my brother Shaw and we found something interesting pertaining to the clergy laity split.
In 1905 the officership commission read,
"By virtue of this commission the said will be appointed from time to time to the command of Corps, and upon recieving Marching Orders will be required to proceed to the appointment given, there to lead and train the Soldiers and Recruits in the devotion of their bodies and souls to the Service of God, and for the salvation of the people."
By 1958 the commission read,
"By virtue of this commission the said will be appointed from time to time to the command of Corps, and upon recieving Marching Orders will be required to proceed to the appointment given and there to devotedly and faithfully labour to the glory of God and for the salvation of the people."
We see that somewhere between these years the role of officership changed from leading and training the Soldiery to doing it all themselves.
----
Holy. now.
----
Stomachs
In The Army, it is a truism that no one ever got saved on an empty stomach (true usually only in wealthy western countries). In a book on fasting I read Franklin Hall say that, "Moses never would have gotten that close to God on a full stomach."
While neither is likely absolutely true, they are certainly suggestive:
You might not get saved on an empty stomach, but you might not get sanctified on a full one.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Has another day gone by in your life without a conversion? Are you comfortable with that?
God, please stir our hearts to settle with nothing less than Your all.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB603
1.
Jesus, we look to thee,
Thy promised presence claim;
Thou in the midst of us shalt be,
Assembled in thy name.
2.
Thy name salvation is,
Which here we come to prove;
Thy name is life and health and peace
And everlasting love.
3.
We meet, the grace to take
Which thou hast freely given;
We meet on earth for thy dear sake
That we may meet in Heaven.
4.
Present we know thou art;
But, O thyself reveal!
Now, Lord, let every waiting heart
Thy mighty comfort feel!
5.
O may thy quickening voice
The death of sin remove,
And bid our inmost souls rejoice
In hope of perfect love!
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
My friends have a DC who challenged them when assigning them to draw up a dream proposal: "Make me say 'no'." I love it. And I'm sure they love fighting under him.
I was a part of an audit once that went pretty well. There were some instructions for improvement. The final line was, 'at least some people are getting saved.'
Hallelujah.
----
MASSIVE
We lifted this from Xander Coleman:
I was visiting the historical society at DHQ with my brother Shaw and we found something interesting pertaining to the clergy laity split.
In 1905 the officership commission read,
"By virtue of this commission the said will be appointed from time to time to the command of Corps, and upon recieving Marching Orders will be required to proceed to the appointment given, there to lead and train the Soldiers and Recruits in the devotion of their bodies and souls to the Service of God, and for the salvation of the people."
By 1958 the commission read,
"By virtue of this commission the said will be appointed from time to time to the command of Corps, and upon recieving Marching Orders will be required to proceed to the appointment given and there to devotedly and faithfully labour to the glory of God and for the salvation of the people."
We see that somewhere between these years the role of officership changed from leading and training the Soldiery to doing it all themselves.
----
Holy. now.
----
Stomachs
In The Army, it is a truism that no one ever got saved on an empty stomach (true usually only in wealthy western countries). In a book on fasting I read Franklin Hall say that, "Moses never would have gotten that close to God on a full stomach."
While neither is likely absolutely true, they are certainly suggestive:
You might not get saved on an empty stomach, but you might not get sanctified on a full one.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Has another day gone by in your life without a conversion? Are you comfortable with that?
God, please stir our hearts to settle with nothing less than Your all.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Sunday, January 29, 2012
January 29: Ape The Parson (and more).
January 29, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB667
1.
Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go
My daily labor to pursue,
Thee, only thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.
2.
Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost purpose see;
And labor on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.
3.
Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day.
4.
For thee delightfully employ
Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with thee to Heaven.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Stuff you might not know...
How about this little tidbit about leading egalitarian thinker (and theological founder of Willow Creek, Gilbert Bilezikian:
"As a young man, he had a promising future in Paris in an unlikely field: pugilism. But he was converted at a Salvation Army meeting, and Bilezikian traded in his boxing gloves for the Bible. (from christianitytoday.com)
Cool, eh? for a couple of reasons: 1. another pugilist who got saved with The Army; 2. one of women's champions got saved at The Army; one of the founders of one of the biggest churches in North America got saved at The Army (to go along with founders of biggest churches in a couple of other countries I know, and 9 of the 11 leaders of the churches in the town of my first appointment...).
----
Holy. now.
----
A classic by my old territorial commander:
"Many people are claiming burnout as of late, however to my knowledge no one ever noticed that they were never on fire."
Commisioner Wesley Harris
----
Remember the poor.
----
"There is a danger of the old clergy and laity idea creeping in amongst us. The common church idea is that of a minister doing all the fighting and feeding, while his congregation does all the looking on and swallowing. We are an Army. Every soldier is expected to fight." Booth-Tucker.
Amen. And then, with my comments in brackets (from Florence Booth)...
"The kingdom of satan and sin will never be overthrown by a body of officers, as officers only.
(amen).
Our founders
(I suspect she means her husband and father-in-law in stead of her in-laws. Of course, if she includes husband, which the Year Book has accepted but I reject, then she and the YB should feel obliged to include GSR)
raised The Salvation Army because they saw clearly there should be an army of fighting men and women. The churches have erred by shutting out the laity and making God's work depend on the leaders only;
(and, of course, this is now also a pervasive problem with us, too)
and The Army was raised up as a protest against this very mistake
(this is a take on our foundations that you might not have heard. The Army started to mobilize everybody. Major Harold Hill's thesis remains the go-to source on this whole subject).
Do not ape the parson
(hahahahahahahahahaha- of course, our readership is limited, so... what is the modern dynamic equivalent of parson? pastor, preacher, minister, etc.).
Do not imitate the church
(Why is 'church' generic? Why not building or temple or family or bride or flock or kingdom or body or army? Each of these has the benefit of being understood by our culture. What is a church anyway? Then you crack open your biblegateway greek and drop ecclesia and start explaining. No one has to ask 'what is a flock anyway?' or, 'what is a bride anyway?' So let's stop slavishly wringing our emotional necks about being like and smelling like and looking like and acting like churches, which in western countries are very unpopular, and start playing up a fresh, underutilized Biblical descriptor, like, for example. army!).
Let your aim be to raise up an Army that shall glorify God by fighting. (FloBo).
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
formula for evangelism:
- find sinners;
- explain the Gospel to them;
- give them opportunity to repent and believe.
Test it out...
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB667
1.
Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go
My daily labor to pursue,
Thee, only thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.
2.
Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost purpose see;
And labor on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.
3.
Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day.
4.
For thee delightfully employ
Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with thee to Heaven.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Stuff you might not know...
How about this little tidbit about leading egalitarian thinker (and theological founder of Willow Creek, Gilbert Bilezikian:
"As a young man, he had a promising future in Paris in an unlikely field: pugilism. But he was converted at a Salvation Army meeting, and Bilezikian traded in his boxing gloves for the Bible. (from christianitytoday.com)
Cool, eh? for a couple of reasons: 1. another pugilist who got saved with The Army; 2. one of women's champions got saved at The Army; one of the founders of one of the biggest churches in North America got saved at The Army (to go along with founders of biggest churches in a couple of other countries I know, and 9 of the 11 leaders of the churches in the town of my first appointment...).
----
Holy. now.
----
A classic by my old territorial commander:
"Many people are claiming burnout as of late, however to my knowledge no one ever noticed that they were never on fire."
Commisioner Wesley Harris
----
Remember the poor.
----
"There is a danger of the old clergy and laity idea creeping in amongst us. The common church idea is that of a minister doing all the fighting and feeding, while his congregation does all the looking on and swallowing. We are an Army. Every soldier is expected to fight." Booth-Tucker.
Amen. And then, with my comments in brackets (from Florence Booth)...
"The kingdom of satan and sin will never be overthrown by a body of officers, as officers only.
(amen).
Our founders
(I suspect she means her husband and father-in-law in stead of her in-laws. Of course, if she includes husband, which the Year Book has accepted but I reject, then she and the YB should feel obliged to include GSR)
raised The Salvation Army because they saw clearly there should be an army of fighting men and women. The churches have erred by shutting out the laity and making God's work depend on the leaders only;
(and, of course, this is now also a pervasive problem with us, too)
and The Army was raised up as a protest against this very mistake
(this is a take on our foundations that you might not have heard. The Army started to mobilize everybody. Major Harold Hill's thesis remains the go-to source on this whole subject).
Do not ape the parson
(hahahahahahahahahaha- of course, our readership is limited, so... what is the modern dynamic equivalent of parson? pastor, preacher, minister, etc.).
Do not imitate the church
(Why is 'church' generic? Why not building or temple or family or bride or flock or kingdom or body or army? Each of these has the benefit of being understood by our culture. What is a church anyway? Then you crack open your biblegateway greek and drop ecclesia and start explaining. No one has to ask 'what is a flock anyway?' or, 'what is a bride anyway?' So let's stop slavishly wringing our emotional necks about being like and smelling like and looking like and acting like churches, which in western countries are very unpopular, and start playing up a fresh, underutilized Biblical descriptor, like, for example. army!).
Let your aim be to raise up an Army that shall glorify God by fighting. (FloBo).
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
formula for evangelism:
- find sinners;
- explain the Gospel to them;
- give them opportunity to repent and believe.
Test it out...
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Saturday, January 28, 2012
January 28: Wrong Motivations (and much more!).
January 28, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common? (that is, have you experienced what Brengle experienced at his sanctification as described in his testimony at Boston Common? - you can read it in his wikipedia page)
----
SASB629
1.
Saviour, we know thou art
In every age the same;
Now, Lord, in ours exert
The virtue of thy name;
And daily, through thy word, increase
Thy blood-besprinkled witnesses.
2.
Thy people, saved below
From every sinful stain,
Shall multiply and grow
If thy command ordain;
And one into a thousand rise,
And spread thy praise through earth and skies.
3.
In many a soul. and mine,
Thou hast displayed thy power;
But to thy people join
Ten thousand thousand more,
Saved from the guilt and strength of sin,
In life and heart entirely clean.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
My buddy Peter made a great observation during some busy street combat. A generation ago drunk driving was a huge problem that was winked at by western society. A generation ago smoking was pervasive and few bothered to complain. In the interim, a small group of vocal zealots (MADD- Mothers Against Drunk Driving, in the former case) raised a ruckus and now drunk driving AND public smoking is very rare. How did they do it? Well, there are some serious penalties and enormous social stigma attached to drunk driving, and there is pervasive legislation against smoking in public places.
It makes you wonder, if we can tackle and rid ourselves of two massive social problems by stigmatizing and penalizing and outlawing them, why do we continue massaging and aiding and abetting other social ills like prostitution and gambling? We can as easily rid ourselves of these problems if we stigmatize, penalise, and outlaw this behaviour.
Where are the vocal zealots like MADD to tackle these evils? Let's pray. Let's fight.
----
Holy. now.
----
Wrong Motivations:
1. officership.
Several years ago my buddy Rob spent the day with some officers who lead a Corps in one of Americas worst neighbourhoods, they live in the rich neighbourhood and have a burden to live within the communtiy they minister in (incarnationally). Over and over their leaders have said 'no'. Their reason? 'To attract people to officership, officers must be seen to live an attractive lifestyle. If they lived with the poor it might give the impression that other officers might have to live sacrificially, too.'
This is scandalous. This is not The Salvation Army. Some need to repent. Others need to move. God have mercy.
2. soldiership.
I was at a thing in which we were asked our preparation and motivation for soldiership. One of the soldiers, from another town, pestered to become a senior soldier by people in his corps, indicated that he, "signed the stupid paper to make them shut up."
This is scandalous. This is not The Salvation Army. Some need to repent. God have mercy.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"What IS woman for if not to preach? The devil made her the first preacher on earth, and the result of her first sermon was the ruin of us all. And now she must not preach anymore? Of course not! Devil! - how clever a deceiver you are.
"Woman's first wrong step was looking too much after food and too little after divine things, and the devil and the churches he has so largely mastered would fain point women in the same direction still. "Cook! Cook! Cook! Oh noble woman, behold the object of thine existence!"
"Woman of God, make thy choice! There is the stage - the open-air stand. The multitude will crowd to hear thee - no matter what thy name, the position, thy abilities - simply because thou art woman. If thou, by the power of God, no matter whether with finished oratory, or with faltering disconnected phrases, shalt move their hearts, they will come, and come again, and thou wilt see many of them fall at the feet of Jesus, if thou wilt but got forth and speak to them."
George Scott Railton, in Turning Points. p11, from Heathen England.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Hey - don't forget to evangelise today! Be 'fessed up, get filled up and fired up and go for souls. God be with you.
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common? (that is, have you experienced what Brengle experienced at his sanctification as described in his testimony at Boston Common? - you can read it in his wikipedia page)
----
SASB629
1.
Saviour, we know thou art
In every age the same;
Now, Lord, in ours exert
The virtue of thy name;
And daily, through thy word, increase
Thy blood-besprinkled witnesses.
2.
Thy people, saved below
From every sinful stain,
Shall multiply and grow
If thy command ordain;
And one into a thousand rise,
And spread thy praise through earth and skies.
3.
In many a soul. and mine,
Thou hast displayed thy power;
But to thy people join
Ten thousand thousand more,
Saved from the guilt and strength of sin,
In life and heart entirely clean.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
My buddy Peter made a great observation during some busy street combat. A generation ago drunk driving was a huge problem that was winked at by western society. A generation ago smoking was pervasive and few bothered to complain. In the interim, a small group of vocal zealots (MADD- Mothers Against Drunk Driving, in the former case) raised a ruckus and now drunk driving AND public smoking is very rare. How did they do it? Well, there are some serious penalties and enormous social stigma attached to drunk driving, and there is pervasive legislation against smoking in public places.
It makes you wonder, if we can tackle and rid ourselves of two massive social problems by stigmatizing and penalizing and outlawing them, why do we continue massaging and aiding and abetting other social ills like prostitution and gambling? We can as easily rid ourselves of these problems if we stigmatize, penalise, and outlaw this behaviour.
Where are the vocal zealots like MADD to tackle these evils? Let's pray. Let's fight.
----
Holy. now.
----
Wrong Motivations:
1. officership.
Several years ago my buddy Rob spent the day with some officers who lead a Corps in one of Americas worst neighbourhoods, they live in the rich neighbourhood and have a burden to live within the communtiy they minister in (incarnationally). Over and over their leaders have said 'no'. Their reason? 'To attract people to officership, officers must be seen to live an attractive lifestyle. If they lived with the poor it might give the impression that other officers might have to live sacrificially, too.'
This is scandalous. This is not The Salvation Army. Some need to repent. Others need to move. God have mercy.
2. soldiership.
I was at a thing in which we were asked our preparation and motivation for soldiership. One of the soldiers, from another town, pestered to become a senior soldier by people in his corps, indicated that he, "signed the stupid paper to make them shut up."
This is scandalous. This is not The Salvation Army. Some need to repent. God have mercy.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"What IS woman for if not to preach? The devil made her the first preacher on earth, and the result of her first sermon was the ruin of us all. And now she must not preach anymore? Of course not! Devil! - how clever a deceiver you are.
"Woman's first wrong step was looking too much after food and too little after divine things, and the devil and the churches he has so largely mastered would fain point women in the same direction still. "Cook! Cook! Cook! Oh noble woman, behold the object of thine existence!"
"Woman of God, make thy choice! There is the stage - the open-air stand. The multitude will crowd to hear thee - no matter what thy name, the position, thy abilities - simply because thou art woman. If thou, by the power of God, no matter whether with finished oratory, or with faltering disconnected phrases, shalt move their hearts, they will come, and come again, and thou wilt see many of them fall at the feet of Jesus, if thou wilt but got forth and speak to them."
George Scott Railton, in Turning Points. p11, from Heathen England.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Hey - don't forget to evangelise today! Be 'fessed up, get filled up and fired up and go for souls. God be with you.
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Friday, January 27, 2012
January 27: the Matthew 10:6-7 Benediction (and more).
January , 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB651
1.
Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
Let us thine influence prove,
Source of the old prophetic fire,
Fountain of light and love.
2.
Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee
The prophets wrote and spoke;
Unlock the truth, thyself the key,
Unseal the sacred book.
3.
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove,
Brood o'er our nature's night;
On our disordered spirits move,
And let there now be light.
4.
God, through himself, we then shall know,
If thou within us shine,
And sound, with all thy saints below,
The depths of love divine.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"I do not believe that there can be a Corps of The Salvation Army, at home or abroad, in which some such signs and wonders have not been wrought."
William Booth
----
I know it isn't in our tradition to offer benedictions, necessarily, but I heard about a classic benediction offered in a meeting peopled by many who might be considered practical dispensationalists (no more gifts):
Matthew 10:6,7.
I laugh out loud even typing it again. It would have been lovely to have been there.
----
Holy. now.
----
Moving on From Milk...
Unpopular blog topics have included:
1. primitive salvationism (chari-flavoured, missioner-focused heroism) to some disagreement (I hear that 42% of readers of one Salvo site want to ditch everything militant about The Army. This is a battle that was won 132 years ago with a resounding, unprecendented revival, one unmatched by all of our well-devised plans and church growth strategies and unthinking adoption of the latest trends and slavish imitation of the popular churches and anything else you can shake a stick at. Why are we fighting this battle again? The principles that pleased God then still please Him).
2. women, to much disagreement. Practically speaking, with only a few exceptions, this Army believes in female subordination. In so doing it defies Catherine and the Army of married women warriors (Psalm 68) and slaps Jesus in the face (the crucifixion was meant to turn the world upside down a la Silas and Paul, not just change the religious symbols hanging around men's necks). It is one thing to have to present positions to non-salvos but to have to convince adult salvos is a disgrace. Read THE LIBERATING TRUTH. Then apply it.
3. covenant, to widespread disageement. I attribute the wild reaction against covenant to the tragically superior influence of the non-salvo Body of Christ on us (superior to salvo influence on the salvos. Was it the Trade Departments of the 30s and 40s that let us down? If so, the demands of the depression and the exigencies of the war slip them off the hook. But the consequences remain today). (Brian) McLaren and (Rick) Warren speak their theology into salvos who don't know our own (I'm not here analysing their theologies, but merely intimating that they aren't exactly ours in every respect).
There are real battles to fight out there. We've got AIDs, abortion, poverty (the whole seven deadly sins of BE A HERO), and communism, other world religions, other worldviews, assorted 'isms', the world, and the devil.
We should really spare our energy for those outside battles. I'd appreciate it if we - the salvos - could agree on these basics (let's move on from milk...). (revolution@ mmccxx.net)
----
Remember the poor.
----
I received a letter from someone trying to trace a quote from William Booth to the effect that William Booth envisaged that "The Salvation Army might disappear from the face of the earth… Clearly this was not his biggest concern. If it had lost its vision, it was really better than continuing to exist…"
My response:
"You want a real, living embodiment of Christianity over again, and if The Salvation Army is not going to be that, may God put it out! I would certainly be willing to pronounce the funeral oration of the Army if I did not believe it was going to be that. The world is dying for this." (Catherine Booth)
"I do not want another ecclesiastical corps cumbering the earth. When The Salvation Army ceases to be a militant body of red hot men and women whose supreme business is the saving of souls, I hope it will vanish utterly" (William Booth).
These comments need to be balanced by Catherine Booth's prophecy:
"The decree has gone forth that the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and that He shall reign whose right it is, from the rivers to the ends of the earth. We shall win. It is only a question of time. I believe that this Movement is to inaugurate the great final conquest of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If she was accurate then we have the obligation to call on God to do something unprecedented in history (to my knowledge): take a movement that has suffered the fate suggested the first two quotes and restore it such that the promise of the third can wonderfully be fulfilled.
I don't know if you are advocating the disintegration of The Army (the fragmentation is already in full swing), but I'm pulling for the reintegration of The Army through the universal embrace of covenant.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
James Thompson does a riff on the old Salvation Army testimony - I'm happy, saved, and free - from an evangelistic perspective: http://lovedwithoutcause.com/happy-saved-free It might help you in your evangelising, today.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB651
1.
Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
Let us thine influence prove,
Source of the old prophetic fire,
Fountain of light and love.
2.
Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee
The prophets wrote and spoke;
Unlock the truth, thyself the key,
Unseal the sacred book.
3.
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove,
Brood o'er our nature's night;
On our disordered spirits move,
And let there now be light.
4.
God, through himself, we then shall know,
If thou within us shine,
And sound, with all thy saints below,
The depths of love divine.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"I do not believe that there can be a Corps of The Salvation Army, at home or abroad, in which some such signs and wonders have not been wrought."
William Booth
----
I know it isn't in our tradition to offer benedictions, necessarily, but I heard about a classic benediction offered in a meeting peopled by many who might be considered practical dispensationalists (no more gifts):
Matthew 10:6,7.
I laugh out loud even typing it again. It would have been lovely to have been there.
----
Holy. now.
----
Moving on From Milk...
Unpopular blog topics have included:
1. primitive salvationism (chari-flavoured, missioner-focused heroism) to some disagreement (I hear that 42% of readers of one Salvo site want to ditch everything militant about The Army. This is a battle that was won 132 years ago with a resounding, unprecendented revival, one unmatched by all of our well-devised plans and church growth strategies and unthinking adoption of the latest trends and slavish imitation of the popular churches and anything else you can shake a stick at. Why are we fighting this battle again? The principles that pleased God then still please Him).
2. women, to much disagreement. Practically speaking, with only a few exceptions, this Army believes in female subordination. In so doing it defies Catherine and the Army of married women warriors (Psalm 68) and slaps Jesus in the face (the crucifixion was meant to turn the world upside down a la Silas and Paul, not just change the religious symbols hanging around men's necks). It is one thing to have to present positions to non-salvos but to have to convince adult salvos is a disgrace. Read THE LIBERATING TRUTH. Then apply it.
3. covenant, to widespread disageement. I attribute the wild reaction against covenant to the tragically superior influence of the non-salvo Body of Christ on us (superior to salvo influence on the salvos. Was it the Trade Departments of the 30s and 40s that let us down? If so, the demands of the depression and the exigencies of the war slip them off the hook. But the consequences remain today). (Brian) McLaren and (Rick) Warren speak their theology into salvos who don't know our own (I'm not here analysing their theologies, but merely intimating that they aren't exactly ours in every respect).
There are real battles to fight out there. We've got AIDs, abortion, poverty (the whole seven deadly sins of BE A HERO), and communism, other world religions, other worldviews, assorted 'isms', the world, and the devil.
We should really spare our energy for those outside battles. I'd appreciate it if we - the salvos - could agree on these basics (let's move on from milk...). (revolution@ mmccxx.net)
----
Remember the poor.
----
I received a letter from someone trying to trace a quote from William Booth to the effect that William Booth envisaged that "The Salvation Army might disappear from the face of the earth… Clearly this was not his biggest concern. If it had lost its vision, it was really better than continuing to exist…"
My response:
"You want a real, living embodiment of Christianity over again, and if The Salvation Army is not going to be that, may God put it out! I would certainly be willing to pronounce the funeral oration of the Army if I did not believe it was going to be that. The world is dying for this." (Catherine Booth)
"I do not want another ecclesiastical corps cumbering the earth. When The Salvation Army ceases to be a militant body of red hot men and women whose supreme business is the saving of souls, I hope it will vanish utterly" (William Booth).
These comments need to be balanced by Catherine Booth's prophecy:
"The decree has gone forth that the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and that He shall reign whose right it is, from the rivers to the ends of the earth. We shall win. It is only a question of time. I believe that this Movement is to inaugurate the great final conquest of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If she was accurate then we have the obligation to call on God to do something unprecedented in history (to my knowledge): take a movement that has suffered the fate suggested the first two quotes and restore it such that the promise of the third can wonderfully be fulfilled.
I don't know if you are advocating the disintegration of The Army (the fragmentation is already in full swing), but I'm pulling for the reintegration of The Army through the universal embrace of covenant.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
James Thompson does a riff on the old Salvation Army testimony - I'm happy, saved, and free - from an evangelistic perspective: http://lovedwithoutcause.com/happy-saved-free It might help you in your evangelising, today.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 26: "Shame-faced, Sneaking Way" into heaven? and more.
January 26, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
Sometimes CFOT gets a hard time from some of us. I'm psyched to report this news from The War Cry, an article entitled, 'DRUMHEAD HARVEST':
'Cadets... are enjoying a "drumhead" harvest. By the middle of... they had seen 192 people kneel at the drumhead in their open-air meetings in the city and 229 seekers in other meetings. During recent out-of-town weekend campaigns another 121 decisions were secured. On one occasion there were 22 seekers kneeling at three drums. "It was one of the most powerful meetings I have ever seen at a street corner," states Brigadier R. B. Fitton, the training principal.' "
Hallelujah! God, please multiply these results in every officer training school around the world.
----
A comrade officer fired me a note that included this line, in response to my request for an update on a prayer item:
"You gotta love this calling! What fun to boost the kingdom and bring glory to God. We're very thankful to the Lord for watching over us through this process and blessing our efforts."
If you have the guts, and are cut out for it, you should email your candidates secretary today.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"If I cannot keep my father and mother and be faithful to God, then I must forsake my father and mother. If I cannot keep my husband or wife, and be faithful to Him, then I must forsake husband or wife. If I cannot keep my children and be faithful to Him, then, Jesus Christ says, forsake them. And if I cannot keep my houses and lands and be faithful to Him, then I must forsake them. If I cannot keep my business and be faithful to Him, then I must sacrifice my business, and if I cannot keep my health and be faithful to Him, then I must sacrifice it, and, last of all, if I cannot keep my life and be faithful to Him, then I must be prepared to lose it, and lay my neck on the block, if need be. That is my religion, and I do not know any other. I do not believe any other will stand on the right hand of the throne; and, if that be so, why, all other sorts must stand on the left. If this be not true, I am utterly and thoroughly mistaken in the first principles of Christianity, and I will come and sit down at anybody's feet who can convince me that I am wrong. So, pray, do not attach that idea to me that I think that any person can sit down, providing he has light, or with opportunities of getting light, without embracing this higher-life religion, and then get into Heaven in this shame-faced, sneaking way. No, no! God will have you, or He will not have you. He will know you, or will say, "Depart from Me, I know you not." The Lord help you every one."
Catherine Booth.
----
Holy. now.
----
Sabbath has a holy place in Church tradition. Often Christians take some liberty on it and enjoy it on Sunday, but, well, it is still SORT OF sabbath (at least Biblical obedience on THEIR terms, at their convenience).
But here is a position, most don't consider:
John 5:17
"My Father never stops working, so why should I?"
Romans 14:5
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter.
So, it seems that Sabbath rest might, in the new covenant era, be more a spiritual rest (it seems akin to holiness) than physical 'day off'.
Colossians 2:16 (NLT):
"So don't let anyone condemn you for... not celebrating... Sabbaths."
So, it seems that Sabbath rest might, in the new covenant era, be more a spiritual rest (it seems akin to holiness) than physical 'day off'. Certainly that is the lesson from Hebrews 4. So, let's press in for the Sabbath Rest available through holiness:
v11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
----
4P Open Airs
I wrote this note to some friends one day:
Open airs are a traditional means of disseminating the Gospel to those who wouldn't normally go somewhere to hear it. We're blessed to have the numbers and parks to engage in this potentially transformative mode of evangelism.
It is a good opportunity to be a visible presence in the neighbourhood. It also establishes things in the heavenlies. And it is an opportunity to overcome fear of man and laziness.
So, it is an important exercise and mode of combat.
All of that said, we need to bring our A game to open airs. That includes the following:
1. planning. You can pray, plan, brainstorm, delegate fun things like choreodrama, songsters, gospel shots, dramatic evangelism, etc.
2. practice. With the planning done, you can actually practise. That will make your contributions, whether song or dance or acting or preaching, better.
3. punctuality. You need to be able to advertise with the rest of the corps the time and location of the open air. And during the open air, dead air is not desired. So it is important and effective to go quickly from person to person who is participating. Bang bang bang.
3. passion. When you're out there, people are looking at you. Let Jesus' love shine out of your faces. Make the most of every opportunity. Don't fear what people think of you- you're supposed to be dead anyway. Represent Jesus well to them. Remember that they are dying without a Saviour, most likely, right now.
4. persuasion. Those not 'at the mic' are actually an important part of every open air. It is this group that engages people in conversation, prays with and for them, evangelises them, witnesses to them, and persuades them to submit to Jesus.
If we apply these four Ps our open airs can be more effective.
Remember that we are engaging a powerful enemy with superior power. Let's fight like maniacs to free souls from bondage.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"The columns of our different War Crys have recorded, from time to time, hundreds, nay, thousands of instances, showing that God has been graciously pleased, in answer to Believing Prayer, to go out of His usual way in order to work marvels on behalf of our people."
William Booth, in FAITH HEALING, on occasions of healing reported in the pages of The War Cry.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Jesus has shown mind-boggling mercy to us - we deserve nothing but punishment and yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He died for your family and friends, workmates and classmates, leaders and followers, the person that sat across from you on the bus, the person that served you a coffee, the person that walked by you on the way to the meeting... Let's share the good news with these people in the power of the Holy Spirit.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
Sometimes CFOT gets a hard time from some of us. I'm psyched to report this news from The War Cry, an article entitled, 'DRUMHEAD HARVEST':
'Cadets... are enjoying a "drumhead" harvest. By the middle of... they had seen 192 people kneel at the drumhead in their open-air meetings in the city and 229 seekers in other meetings. During recent out-of-town weekend campaigns another 121 decisions were secured. On one occasion there were 22 seekers kneeling at three drums. "It was one of the most powerful meetings I have ever seen at a street corner," states Brigadier R. B. Fitton, the training principal.' "
Hallelujah! God, please multiply these results in every officer training school around the world.
----
A comrade officer fired me a note that included this line, in response to my request for an update on a prayer item:
"You gotta love this calling! What fun to boost the kingdom and bring glory to God. We're very thankful to the Lord for watching over us through this process and blessing our efforts."
If you have the guts, and are cut out for it, you should email your candidates secretary today.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
"If I cannot keep my father and mother and be faithful to God, then I must forsake my father and mother. If I cannot keep my husband or wife, and be faithful to Him, then I must forsake husband or wife. If I cannot keep my children and be faithful to Him, then, Jesus Christ says, forsake them. And if I cannot keep my houses and lands and be faithful to Him, then I must forsake them. If I cannot keep my business and be faithful to Him, then I must sacrifice my business, and if I cannot keep my health and be faithful to Him, then I must sacrifice it, and, last of all, if I cannot keep my life and be faithful to Him, then I must be prepared to lose it, and lay my neck on the block, if need be. That is my religion, and I do not know any other. I do not believe any other will stand on the right hand of the throne; and, if that be so, why, all other sorts must stand on the left. If this be not true, I am utterly and thoroughly mistaken in the first principles of Christianity, and I will come and sit down at anybody's feet who can convince me that I am wrong. So, pray, do not attach that idea to me that I think that any person can sit down, providing he has light, or with opportunities of getting light, without embracing this higher-life religion, and then get into Heaven in this shame-faced, sneaking way. No, no! God will have you, or He will not have you. He will know you, or will say, "Depart from Me, I know you not." The Lord help you every one."
Catherine Booth.
----
Holy. now.
----
Sabbath has a holy place in Church tradition. Often Christians take some liberty on it and enjoy it on Sunday, but, well, it is still SORT OF sabbath (at least Biblical obedience on THEIR terms, at their convenience).
But here is a position, most don't consider:
John 5:17
"My Father never stops working, so why should I?"
Romans 14:5
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter.
So, it seems that Sabbath rest might, in the new covenant era, be more a spiritual rest (it seems akin to holiness) than physical 'day off'.
Colossians 2:16 (NLT):
"So don't let anyone condemn you for... not celebrating... Sabbaths."
So, it seems that Sabbath rest might, in the new covenant era, be more a spiritual rest (it seems akin to holiness) than physical 'day off'. Certainly that is the lesson from Hebrews 4. So, let's press in for the Sabbath Rest available through holiness:
v11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
----
4P Open Airs
I wrote this note to some friends one day:
Open airs are a traditional means of disseminating the Gospel to those who wouldn't normally go somewhere to hear it. We're blessed to have the numbers and parks to engage in this potentially transformative mode of evangelism.
It is a good opportunity to be a visible presence in the neighbourhood. It also establishes things in the heavenlies. And it is an opportunity to overcome fear of man and laziness.
So, it is an important exercise and mode of combat.
All of that said, we need to bring our A game to open airs. That includes the following:
1. planning. You can pray, plan, brainstorm, delegate fun things like choreodrama, songsters, gospel shots, dramatic evangelism, etc.
2. practice. With the planning done, you can actually practise. That will make your contributions, whether song or dance or acting or preaching, better.
3. punctuality. You need to be able to advertise with the rest of the corps the time and location of the open air. And during the open air, dead air is not desired. So it is important and effective to go quickly from person to person who is participating. Bang bang bang.
3. passion. When you're out there, people are looking at you. Let Jesus' love shine out of your faces. Make the most of every opportunity. Don't fear what people think of you- you're supposed to be dead anyway. Represent Jesus well to them. Remember that they are dying without a Saviour, most likely, right now.
4. persuasion. Those not 'at the mic' are actually an important part of every open air. It is this group that engages people in conversation, prays with and for them, evangelises them, witnesses to them, and persuades them to submit to Jesus.
If we apply these four Ps our open airs can be more effective.
Remember that we are engaging a powerful enemy with superior power. Let's fight like maniacs to free souls from bondage.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"The columns of our different War Crys have recorded, from time to time, hundreds, nay, thousands of instances, showing that God has been graciously pleased, in answer to Believing Prayer, to go out of His usual way in order to work marvels on behalf of our people."
William Booth, in FAITH HEALING, on occasions of healing reported in the pages of The War Cry.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Jesus has shown mind-boggling mercy to us - we deserve nothing but punishment and yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He died for your family and friends, workmates and classmates, leaders and followers, the person that sat across from you on the bus, the person that served you a coffee, the person that walked by you on the way to the meeting... Let's share the good news with these people in the power of the Holy Spirit.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
January 25: New Age Liberals! and more
January , 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB784
1.
Come, let us use the grace divine,
And all, with one accord,
In a perpetual covenant join
Ourselves to Christ the Lord;
2.
Give up ourselves, through Jesus' power,
His name to glorify;
And promise in this sacred hour
For God to live and die.
3.
The covenant we this moment make
Be ever kept in mind:
We will no more our God forsake,
Or cast his words behind.
4.
We never will throw off his fear
Who hears our solemn vow;
And if thou art well pleased to hear,
Come down and meet us now.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
New Age Liberals!
We received a letter awhile ago calling us new age liberals.
Imagine. We usually get called right-wing fundamentalists.
The criticism arose from a couple of posters and t-shirts we made.
I was told that the desire for God to damn injustice and for poverty to go to hell was unbiblical and against SA teaching and unacceptable.
Of course, I think it thoroughly Biblical that poverty can go to hell and God should (He will!) damn injustice. And, not coincidently, it is thoroughly Salvo to want that, as well.
May He speed it on.
----
General Higgins:
"I am afraid the idea has sometimes got abroad that officers are intended to be like parsons and preach sermons, to monopolise all the time of a meeting while the people they are supposed to lead in fighting do nothing." (Stewards of God)
----
Are you in a DISCO yet? Discipleship Covenant groups can transform your world. Check the December 31 armybarmy blog post for details or write revolution@ mmccxx.net
----
Holy. now.
----
Armour of God.
Brad T. who discipled me, fired me this handy illustration he used at a staff traning conference:
"Remember to be Spirit Filled, and in God's armour for the battle we wage is NOT against flesh and blood. Remind (or in some cause Teach) your troups, it is ONLY by God's Spirit that we minister, glorify and honour HIM.
A neat illustration for this (Sylvia helped develop this image with me):
When the Canadian Army goes out on patrol in Afganistan, what are they wearing? The Flack Jackets, their boots, helmets, etc. Have you seen any on patrol just in underwear? Of course not, because they know that there are enemy who wish to attack them! So they are fully armed and ready when they step outside of their compound.
Yet, how many times have we stepped on campus (the field of any sorts) to do battle, wearing only our underwear, leaving the spiritual armour behind. When we do, we are saying the battle is won by us (NOT God), won by our flesh (NOT by His HOLY SPIRIT). How foolish we must look, strutting in our underwear!"
----
Remember the poor.
----
lovedwithoutcause.com is a handy salvo evangelistic website you might want to share with all of your friends and use in today's evangelising.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB784
1.
Come, let us use the grace divine,
And all, with one accord,
In a perpetual covenant join
Ourselves to Christ the Lord;
2.
Give up ourselves, through Jesus' power,
His name to glorify;
And promise in this sacred hour
For God to live and die.
3.
The covenant we this moment make
Be ever kept in mind:
We will no more our God forsake,
Or cast his words behind.
4.
We never will throw off his fear
Who hears our solemn vow;
And if thou art well pleased to hear,
Come down and meet us now.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
New Age Liberals!
We received a letter awhile ago calling us new age liberals.
Imagine. We usually get called right-wing fundamentalists.
The criticism arose from a couple of posters and t-shirts we made.
I was told that the desire for God to damn injustice and for poverty to go to hell was unbiblical and against SA teaching and unacceptable.
Of course, I think it thoroughly Biblical that poverty can go to hell and God should (He will!) damn injustice. And, not coincidently, it is thoroughly Salvo to want that, as well.
May He speed it on.
----
General Higgins:
"I am afraid the idea has sometimes got abroad that officers are intended to be like parsons and preach sermons, to monopolise all the time of a meeting while the people they are supposed to lead in fighting do nothing." (Stewards of God)
----
Are you in a DISCO yet? Discipleship Covenant groups can transform your world. Check the December 31 armybarmy blog post for details or write revolution@ mmccxx.net
----
Holy. now.
----
Armour of God.
Brad T. who discipled me, fired me this handy illustration he used at a staff traning conference:
"Remember to be Spirit Filled, and in God's armour for the battle we wage is NOT against flesh and blood. Remind (or in some cause Teach) your troups, it is ONLY by God's Spirit that we minister, glorify and honour HIM.
A neat illustration for this (Sylvia helped develop this image with me):
When the Canadian Army goes out on patrol in Afganistan, what are they wearing? The Flack Jackets, their boots, helmets, etc. Have you seen any on patrol just in underwear? Of course not, because they know that there are enemy who wish to attack them! So they are fully armed and ready when they step outside of their compound.
Yet, how many times have we stepped on campus (the field of any sorts) to do battle, wearing only our underwear, leaving the spiritual armour behind. When we do, we are saying the battle is won by us (NOT God), won by our flesh (NOT by His HOLY SPIRIT). How foolish we must look, strutting in our underwear!"
----
Remember the poor.
----
lovedwithoutcause.com is a handy salvo evangelistic website you might want to share with all of your friends and use in today's evangelising.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 24: Next Session of The War College Announced! and more
January , 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB425
1.
I want a principle within
Of jealous, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
2.
I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or fond desire,
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.
3.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.
4.
O may the least omission pain
My well-instructed soul,
And drive me to the blood again
Which makes the wounded whole.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Aaron White had this treasure in an old armybarmy blog:
I sat under the teaching of a very wise woman who had this gem to pass along: 'Jesus was described as being a friend OF the poor, not a friend TO the poor.'
I want people to be friends of mine, not friends to me. The one implies walking together and sharing burdens, the other implies a kind of paternalistic power dynamic wherein someone condescends to be friendly to me.
Some may say that Jesus did of course descend from heaven to be friends to us, but I believe part of that descent involved a radical and complete identification with humanity (fully and properly man), and particularly with the poor and oppressed. So he could be a friend of, and not just a friend to, the poor.
How often do we truly allow ourselves to be friends of and not just friends to?
----
Holy. now.
----
Salvospheric Scoop:
The War College has announced the name of the 2012-2013 session - BOND SERVANTS. Praise the Lord. God bless The Bond Servants, who will follow hot on the heels of the Dragon Slayers and represent the tenth session of The War College. You can apply for the Vancouver session that starts in September 2012 at thewarcollege.com.
Sessions of THE WAR COLLEGE
Death and Glory
Martyrs
Holy_____
Revolution
Incendiary
Conquerors
War Cry
Blood and Fire
Dragon Slayers
Bond Servants
----
The Year Of DisCo update:
So we're three and a half weeks into the Year of Disco and so far more than a dozen cities are involved. We have faith for 20 by the end of January. If you want to participate in a DIScipleship COvenant group check out our December 31 blog below or contact us directly at revolution @mmccxx.net. It could transform your world.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Early Salvo Justice fighting:
Catherine’s influence can be found in articles in The Social Gazette relating to such topics as prostitution:
“our midnight crusade is making itself felt at last. The systematic efforts of our women rescuers are having a thorough effect. They are creating the fear of exposure on the part of offenders – the men (Original emphasis)…The second effect is the hustling and assaulting of our officers by the drunken and immoral “gentlemen” (Original emphasis) who nightly make a rendezvous of these thoroughfares [Piccadilly]” (Unstated 1893, p. 6.).
I thought it interesting in light of the warfare of many of us, and of The Salvation Army's global emphasis (against human trafficking).
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
How many conversions have you seen in 2012? I'm 0 for 2012 (tragically - God have mercy). I hope you are proving more victorious than I am. If not, press in, pray, believe, and evangelise. God help us.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB425
1.
I want a principle within
Of jealous, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
2.
I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or fond desire,
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.
3.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.
4.
O may the least omission pain
My well-instructed soul,
And drive me to the blood again
Which makes the wounded whole.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Aaron White had this treasure in an old armybarmy blog:
I sat under the teaching of a very wise woman who had this gem to pass along: 'Jesus was described as being a friend OF the poor, not a friend TO the poor.'
I want people to be friends of mine, not friends to me. The one implies walking together and sharing burdens, the other implies a kind of paternalistic power dynamic wherein someone condescends to be friendly to me.
Some may say that Jesus did of course descend from heaven to be friends to us, but I believe part of that descent involved a radical and complete identification with humanity (fully and properly man), and particularly with the poor and oppressed. So he could be a friend of, and not just a friend to, the poor.
How often do we truly allow ourselves to be friends of and not just friends to?
----
Holy. now.
----
Salvospheric Scoop:
The War College has announced the name of the 2012-2013 session - BOND SERVANTS. Praise the Lord. God bless The Bond Servants, who will follow hot on the heels of the Dragon Slayers and represent the tenth session of The War College. You can apply for the Vancouver session that starts in September 2012 at thewarcollege.com.
Sessions of THE WAR COLLEGE
Death and Glory
Martyrs
Holy_____
Revolution
Incendiary
Conquerors
War Cry
Blood and Fire
Dragon Slayers
Bond Servants
----
The Year Of DisCo update:
So we're three and a half weeks into the Year of Disco and so far more than a dozen cities are involved. We have faith for 20 by the end of January. If you want to participate in a DIScipleship COvenant group check out our December 31 blog below or contact us directly at revolution @mmccxx.net. It could transform your world.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Early Salvo Justice fighting:
Catherine’s influence can be found in articles in The Social Gazette relating to such topics as prostitution:
“our midnight crusade is making itself felt at last. The systematic efforts of our women rescuers are having a thorough effect. They are creating the fear of exposure on the part of offenders – the men (Original emphasis)…The second effect is the hustling and assaulting of our officers by the drunken and immoral “gentlemen” (Original emphasis) who nightly make a rendezvous of these thoroughfares [Piccadilly]” (Unstated 1893, p. 6.).
I thought it interesting in light of the warfare of many of us, and of The Salvation Army's global emphasis (against human trafficking).
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
How many conversions have you seen in 2012? I'm 0 for 2012 (tragically - God have mercy). I hope you are proving more victorious than I am. If not, press in, pray, believe, and evangelise. God help us.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Monday, January 23, 2012
January 23: Mad Munn and more!
January 23, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB597
1.
Jesus, my truth, my way,
My sure, unerring light,
On thee my feeble steps I stay,
Which thou wilt guide aright.
2.
My wisdom and my guide,
My Counselor thou art;
O never let me leave thy side,
Or from thy paths depart!
3.
Teach me the happy art
In all things to depend
On thee; O never, Lord, depart,
But love me to the end!
4.
Let me thy witness live,
When sin is all destroyed;
And then my spotless soul receive,
And take me home to God.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
One of the sensationalist SA pioneers, Adjutant Harry Munn, populary known as Mad Munn, shared the secret to his success:
“How do I get hold of the crowds? I go down to the places where they are. I see them in their darkness and drunkenness and immorality – vast crowds of humanity rotting and dying in their sinful abominations. I hear their oaths and curses, and their filthy conversations one with another, until sometimes I almost imagine myself in Hell. I see the poverty of their homes and the tears of their families, until my heart is moved and melted with compassion, and saturated with desire to lift these poor half-damned souls out of their sin and misery – to save them from the flames of the bottomless pit; for I see and feel that they are hastening there, and that, too, right over the bleeding body of the crucified Christ."
"I come away and go to my room. I throw myself on my face before God and promise Him that, live or die by His help and grace, the town shall be shaken, and some at least of the worst characters of the place shall be brought to the Blood. Then, with my heart overwhelmed with the thought of the sights I have seen, and with the cries of the perishing in my ears, I wait on God for an inspiration as to what I am to do. I expect Him to suggest the best plan for me to use in getting the attention of this people. Sometimes it is to preach in my coffin, or preach in sackcloth; or go through the streets in rags, or some other extraordinary methods to make people think. Whatever it is, I settle with my Christ that I will do it."
----
Holy. now.
----
General Tillsley says, "If you want to find a person's character, find out what makes him laugh and what makes him weep. We need to weep over the sins of the world."
There is a book by a monk-type who describes an evening conversation between some brothers about the ungrateful, hypocritical, slacker catholics who were benefitng from their service. One brother was silent until the end of the discussion (which, not coincidently, coincided with this comment) when he observed, "They don't understand."
His reponse was sadness and compassion instead of rebuke and ridicule. Tillsley would have found character in that character.
As for me, I don't know. It is difficult to do the self-examination (as those of you who regularly work through the Soldiers O+R self-examination can attest). It is a good thing I've got some faithful comrades who hold up the mirror, and sometimes the (water)gun. Have you?
----
If not, now is the time to DISCO!
Discipleship Covenant groups are spreading around the world. They can be at your corps as soon as you find one or a few people (same gender, normally) and commit to hold each other accountable for those things each person wants (i.e. you choose what you want to be accountable for, and so do I, and these lists are usually different). Covenant for a period of time (1-3 months, normally), and pray for and support each other, meeting regularly to check in...
----
Remember the poor.
----
My friend bought a book called THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FOOLISH (Okay, good name). Anyway, on page 28, it mentions how true to the Gospel message is 'The Salvation Army slogan, 'Jesus Saves''.
I never knew. We made THAT up!?
Wow. My appreciation of The Salvation Army grows by the week.
Hallelujah.
----
Why not let all your friends who don't follow Jesus know, today, that time-honoured Salvation Army slogan, 'JESUS SAVES!'?
Or, even, copy a little of Mad Munn (above)!
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB597
1.
Jesus, my truth, my way,
My sure, unerring light,
On thee my feeble steps I stay,
Which thou wilt guide aright.
2.
My wisdom and my guide,
My Counselor thou art;
O never let me leave thy side,
Or from thy paths depart!
3.
Teach me the happy art
In all things to depend
On thee; O never, Lord, depart,
But love me to the end!
4.
Let me thy witness live,
When sin is all destroyed;
And then my spotless soul receive,
And take me home to God.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
One of the sensationalist SA pioneers, Adjutant Harry Munn, populary known as Mad Munn, shared the secret to his success:
“How do I get hold of the crowds? I go down to the places where they are. I see them in their darkness and drunkenness and immorality – vast crowds of humanity rotting and dying in their sinful abominations. I hear their oaths and curses, and their filthy conversations one with another, until sometimes I almost imagine myself in Hell. I see the poverty of their homes and the tears of their families, until my heart is moved and melted with compassion, and saturated with desire to lift these poor half-damned souls out of their sin and misery – to save them from the flames of the bottomless pit; for I see and feel that they are hastening there, and that, too, right over the bleeding body of the crucified Christ."
"I come away and go to my room. I throw myself on my face before God and promise Him that, live or die by His help and grace, the town shall be shaken, and some at least of the worst characters of the place shall be brought to the Blood. Then, with my heart overwhelmed with the thought of the sights I have seen, and with the cries of the perishing in my ears, I wait on God for an inspiration as to what I am to do. I expect Him to suggest the best plan for me to use in getting the attention of this people. Sometimes it is to preach in my coffin, or preach in sackcloth; or go through the streets in rags, or some other extraordinary methods to make people think. Whatever it is, I settle with my Christ that I will do it."
----
Holy. now.
----
General Tillsley says, "If you want to find a person's character, find out what makes him laugh and what makes him weep. We need to weep over the sins of the world."
There is a book by a monk-type who describes an evening conversation between some brothers about the ungrateful, hypocritical, slacker catholics who were benefitng from their service. One brother was silent until the end of the discussion (which, not coincidently, coincided with this comment) when he observed, "They don't understand."
His reponse was sadness and compassion instead of rebuke and ridicule. Tillsley would have found character in that character.
As for me, I don't know. It is difficult to do the self-examination (as those of you who regularly work through the Soldiers O+R self-examination can attest). It is a good thing I've got some faithful comrades who hold up the mirror, and sometimes the (water)gun. Have you?
----
If not, now is the time to DISCO!
Discipleship Covenant groups are spreading around the world. They can be at your corps as soon as you find one or a few people (same gender, normally) and commit to hold each other accountable for those things each person wants (i.e. you choose what you want to be accountable for, and so do I, and these lists are usually different). Covenant for a period of time (1-3 months, normally), and pray for and support each other, meeting regularly to check in...
----
Remember the poor.
----
My friend bought a book called THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FOOLISH (Okay, good name). Anyway, on page 28, it mentions how true to the Gospel message is 'The Salvation Army slogan, 'Jesus Saves''.
I never knew. We made THAT up!?
Wow. My appreciation of The Salvation Army grows by the week.
Hallelujah.
----
Why not let all your friends who don't follow Jesus know, today, that time-honoured Salvation Army slogan, 'JESUS SAVES!'?
Or, even, copy a little of Mad Munn (above)!
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Sunday, January 22, 2012
January 22: Wesley, Brown, and Carpenter, (and more)
January 22, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB497
1.
Jesus, all-atoning Lamb,
Thine, and only thine, I am;
Take my body, spirit, soul;
Only thou possess the whole.
2.
Thou my one thing needful be;
Let me ever cleave to thee;
Let me choose the better part;
Let me give thee all my heart.
3.
Fairer than the sons of men,
Do not let me turn again,
Leave the fountain-head of bliss,
Stoop to worldly happiness.
4.
All my treasure is above,
All my riches is thy love;
Who the worth of love can tell?
Infinite, unsearchable.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
General Arnold Brown said this:
"The spiritual and material needs of man are linked in every aspect of his existence, and the Salvationist, under God, must minister to both."
I'm a Brown fan, but I'm not sold.
----
Holy. now.
----
General George Carpenter advises: "In the matter of revitalising the general spirit of prayer, many of us would be helped if we sought out a few choice spirits in our corps and secured their more active cooperation."
How does that look? Different on every front. But Carpenter makes these specific suggestions:
"Talk to these key people individually.
"Carry their judgement.
"Get them to admit the need for as much attention to be given to the prayer meeting as to polishing off the band selection" (feel free to substitute any other activity or programme for band selection).
"Secure their active interest.
"Make them strategic points in your field of battle on a Sunday night." (the traditional time of salvation meeting prayer wars)
There you go. I love that the General talks like he does in the last line. There is no sheepishness about the war lingo. He was in a war. And he knew how valuable key intercessors and fishers were in those Salvation battles. You need some comrades like that, too. Praise God we have some here.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Don't let your zeal flag. Even if it seems like nothing is happening, evangelise as if you're in the thick of a revival. Expect God to act.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB497
1.
Jesus, all-atoning Lamb,
Thine, and only thine, I am;
Take my body, spirit, soul;
Only thou possess the whole.
2.
Thou my one thing needful be;
Let me ever cleave to thee;
Let me choose the better part;
Let me give thee all my heart.
3.
Fairer than the sons of men,
Do not let me turn again,
Leave the fountain-head of bliss,
Stoop to worldly happiness.
4.
All my treasure is above,
All my riches is thy love;
Who the worth of love can tell?
Infinite, unsearchable.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
General Arnold Brown said this:
"The spiritual and material needs of man are linked in every aspect of his existence, and the Salvationist, under God, must minister to both."
I'm a Brown fan, but I'm not sold.
----
Holy. now.
----
General George Carpenter advises: "In the matter of revitalising the general spirit of prayer, many of us would be helped if we sought out a few choice spirits in our corps and secured their more active cooperation."
How does that look? Different on every front. But Carpenter makes these specific suggestions:
"Talk to these key people individually.
"Carry their judgement.
"Get them to admit the need for as much attention to be given to the prayer meeting as to polishing off the band selection" (feel free to substitute any other activity or programme for band selection).
"Secure their active interest.
"Make them strategic points in your field of battle on a Sunday night." (the traditional time of salvation meeting prayer wars)
There you go. I love that the General talks like he does in the last line. There is no sheepishness about the war lingo. He was in a war. And he knew how valuable key intercessors and fishers were in those Salvation battles. You need some comrades like that, too. Praise God we have some here.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Don't let your zeal flag. Even if it seems like nothing is happening, evangelise as if you're in the thick of a revival. Expect God to act.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Saturday, January 21, 2012
January 21: All My Actions Sanctify (and more).
January 21, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB492
1.
If so poor a soul as I
May to thy great glory live,
All my actions sanctify,
All my words and thoughts receive;
Claim me for thy service, claim
All I have and all I am.
2.
Take my soul and body's powers,
Take my memory, mind and will,
All my goods and all my hours,
All I know and all I feel,
All I think or speak or do;
Take my heart, but make it new!
3.
Now, O God, thine own I am,
Now I give thee back thine own;
Freedom, friends and health and fame
Consecrate to thee alone;
Thine I live, thrice happy I,
Happier still if thine I die.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
General Wickberg wrote, probably 40+ years ago:
"As I consider the problems which we are facing today I confess that I stand in need of a greater grace than ever before. I need not speak of the permissive society- of the excesses of pornography and sexual license, of the oppression of nations and races, of the curse of drug-taking and the victims of acoholism. The Salvation Army cannot and will not stand aside. We are involved in this society, we suffer with the sufferers, we protest with our uniform, our songs, our lives. Nevertheless, we stand in need of all the grace that God can give to keep a stout heart and goodly proportion of that apostolic optimism that is so badly needed today. But that grace is available."
Nice. Alright, some comments.
- 'Greater grace'. Amen. And, so, today, a generation and more later, as well.
- the problems are about the same as back then. Not to criticise the efforts of our parents, but it seems that the protest of uniform and song and lives wasn't enough to stem the flood of sin, let alone reverse the flow. Again, that is not criticism, just observation. We need something more than uniform and song and lives in protest. No shame in that. William and Catherine needed those three plus 393,000 signatures (and an elaborate demonstration) to effectively protest against child prostitution.
- But our response must be as bold as it was then. We cannot and will not stand aside. The problem now is that we've been marginalized even more than we were then. So even to stand up is to stand on the sidelines. Our response must be to stand and plunge into the thick of it.
- We must still suffer with the sufferers.
- 'apostolic optimism' is another keeper. We shall win if we fight in the strength of the King. Or, as Phil Wall continuously reminds us, 'the best days of The Salvation Army are still to come'.
So God, please pour out greater grace and apostolic optimism.
----
Holy. now.
----
keys to wisdom
In Proverbs 3:3 loyalty and kindness are keys. Praise God. We want to be known as both loyal and kind. We're to wear them like necklaces and write them deep on our hearts.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Was it really a year ago that the high council started? Since then, General Clifton retired, General Bond was elected, heaps of thousands of people have been saved, a few countries have been invaded, The Salvation Army has prayed non-stop, and the salvation war advances. Who knows what the next year will hold? Stay close to Jesus.
----
thewarcollege.com
----
Here's an interesting post by former armybarmy blogger Rob Dolby on evangelism:
http://radicaldisciples.blogspot.com/2012/01/another-ism.html
----
To save men is a desperate, agonizing, wounding business.
William Booth
Let's get at it.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB492
1.
If so poor a soul as I
May to thy great glory live,
All my actions sanctify,
All my words and thoughts receive;
Claim me for thy service, claim
All I have and all I am.
2.
Take my soul and body's powers,
Take my memory, mind and will,
All my goods and all my hours,
All I know and all I feel,
All I think or speak or do;
Take my heart, but make it new!
3.
Now, O God, thine own I am,
Now I give thee back thine own;
Freedom, friends and health and fame
Consecrate to thee alone;
Thine I live, thrice happy I,
Happier still if thine I die.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
General Wickberg wrote, probably 40+ years ago:
"As I consider the problems which we are facing today I confess that I stand in need of a greater grace than ever before. I need not speak of the permissive society- of the excesses of pornography and sexual license, of the oppression of nations and races, of the curse of drug-taking and the victims of acoholism. The Salvation Army cannot and will not stand aside. We are involved in this society, we suffer with the sufferers, we protest with our uniform, our songs, our lives. Nevertheless, we stand in need of all the grace that God can give to keep a stout heart and goodly proportion of that apostolic optimism that is so badly needed today. But that grace is available."
Nice. Alright, some comments.
- 'Greater grace'. Amen. And, so, today, a generation and more later, as well.
- the problems are about the same as back then. Not to criticise the efforts of our parents, but it seems that the protest of uniform and song and lives wasn't enough to stem the flood of sin, let alone reverse the flow. Again, that is not criticism, just observation. We need something more than uniform and song and lives in protest. No shame in that. William and Catherine needed those three plus 393,000 signatures (and an elaborate demonstration) to effectively protest against child prostitution.
- But our response must be as bold as it was then. We cannot and will not stand aside. The problem now is that we've been marginalized even more than we were then. So even to stand up is to stand on the sidelines. Our response must be to stand and plunge into the thick of it.
- We must still suffer with the sufferers.
- 'apostolic optimism' is another keeper. We shall win if we fight in the strength of the King. Or, as Phil Wall continuously reminds us, 'the best days of The Salvation Army are still to come'.
So God, please pour out greater grace and apostolic optimism.
----
Holy. now.
----
keys to wisdom
In Proverbs 3:3 loyalty and kindness are keys. Praise God. We want to be known as both loyal and kind. We're to wear them like necklaces and write them deep on our hearts.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Was it really a year ago that the high council started? Since then, General Clifton retired, General Bond was elected, heaps of thousands of people have been saved, a few countries have been invaded, The Salvation Army has prayed non-stop, and the salvation war advances. Who knows what the next year will hold? Stay close to Jesus.
----
thewarcollege.com
----
Here's an interesting post by former armybarmy blogger Rob Dolby on evangelism:
http://radicaldisciples.blogspot.com/2012/01/another-ism.html
----
To save men is a desperate, agonizing, wounding business.
William Booth
Let's get at it.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Friday, January 20, 2012
January 20: Death And Glory (and more),
January 20, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB472
1.
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
2.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfil,
O may it all my powers engage,
To do my Master's will!
3.
Arm me with jealous care,
As in thy sight to live;
And O thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
4.
Help me to watch and pray,
And on thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
movement to church?
"A key question for us is how we make the transition from a movement to a church in such a way that we do not lose the original dynamic that brought the Army into being. Or if we have lost something of that dynamic, how do we regain it?"
General John Larsson, addressing a 2001 International Theology and Ethics Symposium in Winnipeg, Canada.
A few remarks...
- A key question is WHY we make the transition from a movement to a church. What is there to gain in being a church? Other than in the States and in some African countries, most places are not friendly to church. It therefore helps us not a bit in our mission of winning the world to identify with this unpopular institution.
- We've already lost the original dynamic (thus making the first comments, for many places, hypothetical).
- We regain it not by becoming a church or by acting church-like. That we know for sure. We do not regain it by calling every new corps a community church (as one territory insists). We do not regain it by calling our officers 'pastors' (see many CO 'business' cards). We do not regain it by running traditional church programmes or traditional church meetings. We do not regain it by envying and imitating the church sacraments.
- Could it be that we regain it by returning to the principles and passions and covenant of our primitive forefathers?
----
Holy. now.
----
I had occasion to help with a deliverance session of a house with a bad past. We were led by a senior leader in the Body of Christ. I asked a couple of factual questions to ascertain the authority we had in this situation. He responded, 'we have all the authority we need'.
It wasn't arrogant. It was confident. I loved it.
Now, that is not a carte blanche endorsement for you to confront the enemy. But neither is it bowing at his stature in the body (not totally, anyway). It has to do with holiness, though.
----
Remember the poor.
----
A friend who is pretty early on in the journey on the Way, who has fought relatively few battles in the War, asked me what to expect next. Here's a suggestion:
repentance and faith
joy and pain
consecration and sanctification
suffering and persecution
covenant and power
blood and fire
signs and wonders
death and glory
Hallelujah.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
People are going to hell. I heard of someone who went there recently. The gospel is powerful. But we need to get the gospel to the people who need to hear it. Do what you can.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB472
1.
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
2.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfil,
O may it all my powers engage,
To do my Master's will!
3.
Arm me with jealous care,
As in thy sight to live;
And O thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
4.
Help me to watch and pray,
And on thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
movement to church?
"A key question for us is how we make the transition from a movement to a church in such a way that we do not lose the original dynamic that brought the Army into being. Or if we have lost something of that dynamic, how do we regain it?"
General John Larsson, addressing a 2001 International Theology and Ethics Symposium in Winnipeg, Canada.
A few remarks...
- A key question is WHY we make the transition from a movement to a church. What is there to gain in being a church? Other than in the States and in some African countries, most places are not friendly to church. It therefore helps us not a bit in our mission of winning the world to identify with this unpopular institution.
- We've already lost the original dynamic (thus making the first comments, for many places, hypothetical).
- We regain it not by becoming a church or by acting church-like. That we know for sure. We do not regain it by calling every new corps a community church (as one territory insists). We do not regain it by calling our officers 'pastors' (see many CO 'business' cards). We do not regain it by running traditional church programmes or traditional church meetings. We do not regain it by envying and imitating the church sacraments.
- Could it be that we regain it by returning to the principles and passions and covenant of our primitive forefathers?
----
Holy. now.
----
I had occasion to help with a deliverance session of a house with a bad past. We were led by a senior leader in the Body of Christ. I asked a couple of factual questions to ascertain the authority we had in this situation. He responded, 'we have all the authority we need'.
It wasn't arrogant. It was confident. I loved it.
Now, that is not a carte blanche endorsement for you to confront the enemy. But neither is it bowing at his stature in the body (not totally, anyway). It has to do with holiness, though.
----
Remember the poor.
----
A friend who is pretty early on in the journey on the Way, who has fought relatively few battles in the War, asked me what to expect next. Here's a suggestion:
repentance and faith
joy and pain
consecration and sanctification
suffering and persecution
covenant and power
blood and fire
signs and wonders
death and glory
Hallelujah.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
People are going to hell. I heard of someone who went there recently. The gospel is powerful. But we need to get the gospel to the people who need to hear it. Do what you can.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Thursday, January 19, 2012
January 19: Time Magazine Supports The Salvation Army against Paganism and False Religion; (and more).
January 19, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB988
1.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise;
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
2.
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of thy name.
3.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears;
'Tis life and health and peace.
4.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
WB incendiary
“You must have a leader, and you must have a band of men who are ‘alive.’ Let us pour contempt on our ‘ministerial helpers’ and end them or mend them… Give me godly, go-ahead daredevils and anybody may have the preachers!”
I've always figured preaching is over-rated.
----
Holy. now.
----
One of the issues on which our people have lost their way (not everyone) is married women in leadership. Catherine had it down. In the early days we had it going on, but I am guessing the deceleration of the movement made it more susceptible to institutional church doctrine and praxis (for example, we replaced titles by Booth and the great hearts with titles by the cross-denominational best-sellers and tv programmes and radio and so on).
So here we are now with a presumed headship theology that is crippling God's Salvation Army. It is brutal. Weak.
So, look - it is good that we have a female general. She's single. And it is good that we have a smattering of reserve/senior reserve appointments now held by married women. It's a start.
But mindsets are also slow to change. We've got to tighten up in a big way. Why not read THE LIBERATING TRUTH (by Strickland) or WHY NOT WOMEN? or BEYOND THE CURSE or some such book that might provide you with a new angle (new to you)?
Positions that push down women are sinful. And it is no excuse to say you didn't know, for two reasons: 1. You're a Salvationist, for God's sake!, and 2. you have a responsibility to look.
So, align your position with God's. Stop crippling The Army. Submit (men), co-labour (men), exercise your freedom (women) and calling (women) and gifts (women).
This is not a peace-time issue.
----
Remember the poor.
----
TIME Magazine comes out alongside the Salvos against false religion and paganism!
TIME Magazine in 1930...
How many magazines these days might run this challenge from Evangeline Booth:
"March on until Paganism has burned its last idol and Mohammedanism has renounced its false prophet and Christianity prevails everywhere."
----
I meet many people who want to throw their lives away for the cause. But they are not sure how. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Evangelise everything that moves. Be prayed up and trained up and filled up and ready to go - guaranteed that will throw away your life; 2. pioneer some bi-vocational, cell-based outposts. Change the world for very little money and very big risk. Live simply in community, charismatically spreading the Gospel from house to house (or room to room); 3. sign up as an officer. This option is more realistic in some countries than in others, because, as this blog has noted, in some places, there remains little extreme about this vocation. However, the romantic element hangs around like the smell of mothballs at your great grandparents's place, and you can plunge in from there.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB988
1.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise;
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
2.
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of thy name.
3.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears;
'Tis life and health and peace.
4.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
WB incendiary
“You must have a leader, and you must have a band of men who are ‘alive.’ Let us pour contempt on our ‘ministerial helpers’ and end them or mend them… Give me godly, go-ahead daredevils and anybody may have the preachers!”
I've always figured preaching is over-rated.
----
Holy. now.
----
One of the issues on which our people have lost their way (not everyone) is married women in leadership. Catherine had it down. In the early days we had it going on, but I am guessing the deceleration of the movement made it more susceptible to institutional church doctrine and praxis (for example, we replaced titles by Booth and the great hearts with titles by the cross-denominational best-sellers and tv programmes and radio and so on).
So here we are now with a presumed headship theology that is crippling God's Salvation Army. It is brutal. Weak.
So, look - it is good that we have a female general. She's single. And it is good that we have a smattering of reserve/senior reserve appointments now held by married women. It's a start.
But mindsets are also slow to change. We've got to tighten up in a big way. Why not read THE LIBERATING TRUTH (by Strickland) or WHY NOT WOMEN? or BEYOND THE CURSE or some such book that might provide you with a new angle (new to you)?
Positions that push down women are sinful. And it is no excuse to say you didn't know, for two reasons: 1. You're a Salvationist, for God's sake!, and 2. you have a responsibility to look.
So, align your position with God's. Stop crippling The Army. Submit (men), co-labour (men), exercise your freedom (women) and calling (women) and gifts (women).
This is not a peace-time issue.
----
Remember the poor.
----
TIME Magazine comes out alongside the Salvos against false religion and paganism!
TIME Magazine in 1930...
How many magazines these days might run this challenge from Evangeline Booth:
"March on until Paganism has burned its last idol and Mohammedanism has renounced its false prophet and Christianity prevails everywhere."
----
I meet many people who want to throw their lives away for the cause. But they are not sure how. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Evangelise everything that moves. Be prayed up and trained up and filled up and ready to go - guaranteed that will throw away your life; 2. pioneer some bi-vocational, cell-based outposts. Change the world for very little money and very big risk. Live simply in community, charismatically spreading the Gospel from house to house (or room to room); 3. sign up as an officer. This option is more realistic in some countries than in others, because, as this blog has noted, in some places, there remains little extreme about this vocation. However, the romantic element hangs around like the smell of mothballs at your great grandparents's place, and you can plunge in from there.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 18: MMCCXX update (and more).
January , 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB024
1.
Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
And publish abroad his wonderful name;
The name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
His Kingdom is glorious and rules over all.
2.
God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
And still he is nigh, his presence we have;
The great congregation his triumphs shall sing,
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
3.
Then let us adore and give him his right,
All glory and power, all wisdom and might;
All honor and blessing, with angels above,
And thanks never-ceasing and infinite love!
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
MMCCXX is a dream to see new outposts in 2000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. We're nearly seven years into it. Here's a refresher.
DNA
The stronger the shared DNA of this venture the more effective the efforts will be. If, at the minimum, we all agree in the great commission, God can use us to accomplish these plans. But if we agree on more, the process accelerates.
What we’re looking to share is the most virulent (‘dangerous and potent’) strain of the Revolutionist virus that will spread the fastest around the world.
These seem to be vital components:
1. Primitive Salvationism- mission-focused, charismatic-flavoured heroism.
This phrase conveys a sense of the essential elements of the first generation Salvation Army. Many will agree on ‘mission-focused’ and ‘heroism’ (the latter definitely required for many of the cities we are destined to invade). The other term requires quick unpacking. By ‘charismatic-flavoured’ we are recognizing the Spirit-generated freedom and power exuding from early Salvationists and from their contemporary heirs in various denominational attire around the world. Most of the largest, fastest-growing, mission-oriented churches in the world are charismatic.
2. Poor- We’re called to the poor. Don’t worry- this is actually a massive target group, since, according to www.globalrichlist.com, there are more than 5.1 billion people who live on less than what Canadians get on welfare. We’re convinced that we need to share Jesus’ bias for the poor on whatever front we fight. This demands some incarnational simplicity in our efforts, identifying with the poor whom we serve.
Global and local interests demand our integrity with this issue. Some of the benefits of such a posture include: intimacy with a God who has a bias toward the poor; identification with the people; good stewardship of God-lent resources; integrity; cost-effectiveness; and the ability to sleep at night.
3. Community- One of our catch phrases has been ‘authentic Christian community’. We believe that when we pervasively tap into this it will be contagious. “See how they love one another” will be the startled observation.
We replace bald-spot Christianity (staring at the back of someone’s head for an hour every week) with face-to-face Christianity, in which we actually get into each other’s lives, carrying one another’s burdens, sharpening one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds, caring, supporting, holding accountable. It is a much more rigorous Christianity than most of us ever experience.
Not only that, but God has designed us to desire community. We long to belong. Most in the West don’t ever sense the reality in its pure forms but we craft some human version (clubs, teams, etc.) or get caught up in a demonic counterfeit (cult, secret society, etc.). The real thing is attractive at a soul-level for people with whom we live and interact.
4. Bi-Vocational- We’re training our people locally to prepare to go and get jobs in other cities and to start cells. Paul did the same thing, and we called it tent-making. This offers contacts, sustainable income, and flexibility, while facilitating incarnation. It gives us freedom to experiment without financial restraint. It will provide us with creative access to some countries in which we will need to adapt story to existing culture and history.
5. Prophetic Relevance- We coined this term to cover both cultural relevance on each front and the protection of a prophetic stance (our calling, individually and corporately, to speak God’s message to the world and to the Church). We do well not to abdicate one for the other, although off forced, prophetic trumps relevant. Paul was Jewish when it helped and he was Roman when it helped. There is definitely a social justice component as well, our people learning to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so they will not be unfruitful (Titus 3:14).
On fronts less free to the Gospel, relevance will be emphasised above prophetic stance. In free countries relevance becomes a tactic we choose to use as deemed circumstantially efficacious.
We’re relevant as it serves prophetic purposes.
6. Prayer
Prayer is more important than we realize. Those of us who buy in to MMCCXX will be pressed to mobilize our prayer networks for committed coverage of the warriors, softening of the fronts, blessing to the apostolic leadership for the next 20 years who will help drive us into new countries and deploy leaders, raising and training warriors, finances, etc. We will want to recruit intercessory networks, 24-7 Prayer rooms, corps lists, and so on. In Vancouver, salvos went non-stop 3 1/2 years in The War Room (this is a room dedicated to non-stop prayer in which people, signed up for three-hour shifts, intercede and worship as directed by God and guided by prayer-aids). MMCCXX was birthed there. In Edmonton, salvos took the first year of the Global Call to non-stop prayer literally, also in The War Room.
7. Recruitment
We’ll need to identify and recruit leaders. We’ll need thousands of them to invade 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. General William Booth declared,
"We want soldiers who understand the hearts of men, who are acquainted with the devices of Satan and the delusions and excuses and hiding-places of sinners, and who know how to pour in volley after volley of red-hot truth upon rebels, until they run, or yield, or fall at the feet of the conquering Saviour."
Who will participate? It is a big tent. It includes all those captivated by the vision and the radical mission-drenched exploits of the children of the revolution. But we need people of proven character and ability who share the DNA. These people will be in relationship with us- discipling/ mentoring/ directing.
Paul seems to have had criteria for those being sent:
Fellow travellers with Paul;
Spiritual sons, or brothers;
Kindred spirits (Phil 2:9);
Genuine concern for the welfare of the local church;
Demonstration by their lives of what a disciple looks like (1 Cor.4:17).
8. Training
The training will be tailored to the specific front to be invaded. I don’t need to learn Kazakh to invade the heavily Chinese Vancouver suburb of Richmond. But I could probably use it in Kazakhstan.
We don’t need to re-invent the wheel and will do well to catch up on the tactics of Christian agencies hitting many of the currently closed countries in imaginative ways. Study of the religions and cultures we will encounter will be essential.
9. Deployment
Biblical expansion is guided by God and connected though relationship. God has identified some leaders (and will identify more) responsible for regions who can coordinate plans of attack.
Paul’s model was to send out leaders with his expressed endorsement.
System
Global: We’re not re-inventing the Biblical Church. MMCCXX is based on relationships. The apostles build the foundation and raise up and bless local leaders.
The Ephesian model of Paul is instructive (Acts 19). After evangelising in the synagogues for three months (v8), Paul established a war college at the lecture hall of Tyrannus attended daily by the disciples for two years (v9,10). The curriculum included:
· service to the Lord (20:19);
· modeling of humility and hard work (20:19, 35);
· large crowd and cell preaching and teaching (20:20);
· the whole will of God (20:27);
· night and day fighting, with tears (20:31);
· major miracles, healing, and deliverance tactics (including handkerchief healing!- 19:11,12);
· power confrontations (such that Artemis was discredited- 19:27);
· and mass population evangelism (“all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord”- 19:10).
Peter Wagner says that “Paul was… taking gifted believers whoever they might be, with whatever education they might have, providing for them the conceptual and practical tools they need, and sending them out to extend the kingdom of God.” Wagner believes that many of the Churches that began around Asia in the first century were actually planted by these disciples of Paul.
This movement will need to remain decentralised, with each of us having autonomy to do what God leads us to do on our own fronts. We can voluntarily submit to one another and we can voluntarily speak into each other’s local situation. Accountability will be covenantal.
Local: By ‘outposts’ we’re thinking mission-focused local expressions of the Body of Christ. We’re strong believers in cell-based Christian community. The largest churches in the world are, without exception, cell-based. It is Biblical, community-enhancing, accountable, honest, intimate, contagious, and simple (in that you don’t need buildings and big budgets).
We’re also very committed to having a War Room (24-7 prayer). Obviously many new starts will be very hard-pressed to get it going non-stop but the War Room ought to be the hub of all activity, especially for pioneering types who are inclined to be very active.
General William Booth said, “Pay 10,000 more times attention to the children, but don’t neglect the adults.” We’d love to see a commitment to training the children so that the army is complete and the invasion is sustainable. We started the Warrior Academy with that purpose in mind (and with the intention of replicating in scores of cities). This is one model that can be used effectively.
Action
Pray.
- See if God has been dreaming about this for you. If so, find out when and where. This should help us get our heads around something our hearts are embracing. If your heart is telling you that you could be a part of one of these 2000 outposts in 200 countries in 20 years, then move on to…
Train
- Get yourself discipled by a solid Christian. Be accountable in the local Body.
Recruit
- Pull together a team of like-hearted individuals. This process will involve starting back at ‘pray’ and ‘train’.
Connect
- Keep us in the loop. The network and resources can help coordinate, support, train, pray, deploy, fellowship, and so on. Contact us at revolution @mmccxx.net.
Notes:
There are 191 UN member states. Add the Vatican and Taiwan and you get the common total, 193. But if you add the following places- Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Western Sahara, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England- you get 201 (subtract UK and you have 200. Don’t let the number throw you off. We're in 17 so far. Praise God.
----
Holy. now.
----
Tomorrow is our deadline for JAC submissions - if you have something orthodox, provocative, and edifying, why not fire it off to revolution @mmccxx.net to be considered for publication?
----
Remember the poor.
----
Jesus is coming soon. Most people don't know it. Most don't care. Even many Christians live as if it isn't happening. But we know it is true. So, let's evangelise like it's going out of style.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB024
1.
Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
And publish abroad his wonderful name;
The name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
His Kingdom is glorious and rules over all.
2.
God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
And still he is nigh, his presence we have;
The great congregation his triumphs shall sing,
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
3.
Then let us adore and give him his right,
All glory and power, all wisdom and might;
All honor and blessing, with angels above,
And thanks never-ceasing and infinite love!
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
MMCCXX is a dream to see new outposts in 2000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. We're nearly seven years into it. Here's a refresher.
DNA
The stronger the shared DNA of this venture the more effective the efforts will be. If, at the minimum, we all agree in the great commission, God can use us to accomplish these plans. But if we agree on more, the process accelerates.
What we’re looking to share is the most virulent (‘dangerous and potent’) strain of the Revolutionist virus that will spread the fastest around the world.
These seem to be vital components:
1. Primitive Salvationism- mission-focused, charismatic-flavoured heroism.
This phrase conveys a sense of the essential elements of the first generation Salvation Army. Many will agree on ‘mission-focused’ and ‘heroism’ (the latter definitely required for many of the cities we are destined to invade). The other term requires quick unpacking. By ‘charismatic-flavoured’ we are recognizing the Spirit-generated freedom and power exuding from early Salvationists and from their contemporary heirs in various denominational attire around the world. Most of the largest, fastest-growing, mission-oriented churches in the world are charismatic.
2. Poor- We’re called to the poor. Don’t worry- this is actually a massive target group, since, according to www.globalrichlist.com, there are more than 5.1 billion people who live on less than what Canadians get on welfare. We’re convinced that we need to share Jesus’ bias for the poor on whatever front we fight. This demands some incarnational simplicity in our efforts, identifying with the poor whom we serve.
Global and local interests demand our integrity with this issue. Some of the benefits of such a posture include: intimacy with a God who has a bias toward the poor; identification with the people; good stewardship of God-lent resources; integrity; cost-effectiveness; and the ability to sleep at night.
3. Community- One of our catch phrases has been ‘authentic Christian community’. We believe that when we pervasively tap into this it will be contagious. “See how they love one another” will be the startled observation.
We replace bald-spot Christianity (staring at the back of someone’s head for an hour every week) with face-to-face Christianity, in which we actually get into each other’s lives, carrying one another’s burdens, sharpening one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds, caring, supporting, holding accountable. It is a much more rigorous Christianity than most of us ever experience.
Not only that, but God has designed us to desire community. We long to belong. Most in the West don’t ever sense the reality in its pure forms but we craft some human version (clubs, teams, etc.) or get caught up in a demonic counterfeit (cult, secret society, etc.). The real thing is attractive at a soul-level for people with whom we live and interact.
4. Bi-Vocational- We’re training our people locally to prepare to go and get jobs in other cities and to start cells. Paul did the same thing, and we called it tent-making. This offers contacts, sustainable income, and flexibility, while facilitating incarnation. It gives us freedom to experiment without financial restraint. It will provide us with creative access to some countries in which we will need to adapt story to existing culture and history.
5. Prophetic Relevance- We coined this term to cover both cultural relevance on each front and the protection of a prophetic stance (our calling, individually and corporately, to speak God’s message to the world and to the Church). We do well not to abdicate one for the other, although off forced, prophetic trumps relevant. Paul was Jewish when it helped and he was Roman when it helped. There is definitely a social justice component as well, our people learning to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so they will not be unfruitful (Titus 3:14).
On fronts less free to the Gospel, relevance will be emphasised above prophetic stance. In free countries relevance becomes a tactic we choose to use as deemed circumstantially efficacious.
We’re relevant as it serves prophetic purposes.
6. Prayer
Prayer is more important than we realize. Those of us who buy in to MMCCXX will be pressed to mobilize our prayer networks for committed coverage of the warriors, softening of the fronts, blessing to the apostolic leadership for the next 20 years who will help drive us into new countries and deploy leaders, raising and training warriors, finances, etc. We will want to recruit intercessory networks, 24-7 Prayer rooms, corps lists, and so on. In Vancouver, salvos went non-stop 3 1/2 years in The War Room (this is a room dedicated to non-stop prayer in which people, signed up for three-hour shifts, intercede and worship as directed by God and guided by prayer-aids). MMCCXX was birthed there. In Edmonton, salvos took the first year of the Global Call to non-stop prayer literally, also in The War Room.
7. Recruitment
We’ll need to identify and recruit leaders. We’ll need thousands of them to invade 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. General William Booth declared,
"We want soldiers who understand the hearts of men, who are acquainted with the devices of Satan and the delusions and excuses and hiding-places of sinners, and who know how to pour in volley after volley of red-hot truth upon rebels, until they run, or yield, or fall at the feet of the conquering Saviour."
Who will participate? It is a big tent. It includes all those captivated by the vision and the radical mission-drenched exploits of the children of the revolution. But we need people of proven character and ability who share the DNA. These people will be in relationship with us- discipling/ mentoring/ directing.
Paul seems to have had criteria for those being sent:
Fellow travellers with Paul;
Spiritual sons, or brothers;
Kindred spirits (Phil 2:9);
Genuine concern for the welfare of the local church;
Demonstration by their lives of what a disciple looks like (1 Cor.4:17).
8. Training
The training will be tailored to the specific front to be invaded. I don’t need to learn Kazakh to invade the heavily Chinese Vancouver suburb of Richmond. But I could probably use it in Kazakhstan.
We don’t need to re-invent the wheel and will do well to catch up on the tactics of Christian agencies hitting many of the currently closed countries in imaginative ways. Study of the religions and cultures we will encounter will be essential.
9. Deployment
Biblical expansion is guided by God and connected though relationship. God has identified some leaders (and will identify more) responsible for regions who can coordinate plans of attack.
Paul’s model was to send out leaders with his expressed endorsement.
System
Global: We’re not re-inventing the Biblical Church. MMCCXX is based on relationships. The apostles build the foundation and raise up and bless local leaders.
The Ephesian model of Paul is instructive (Acts 19). After evangelising in the synagogues for three months (v8), Paul established a war college at the lecture hall of Tyrannus attended daily by the disciples for two years (v9,10). The curriculum included:
· service to the Lord (20:19);
· modeling of humility and hard work (20:19, 35);
· large crowd and cell preaching and teaching (20:20);
· the whole will of God (20:27);
· night and day fighting, with tears (20:31);
· major miracles, healing, and deliverance tactics (including handkerchief healing!- 19:11,12);
· power confrontations (such that Artemis was discredited- 19:27);
· and mass population evangelism (“all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord”- 19:10).
Peter Wagner says that “Paul was… taking gifted believers whoever they might be, with whatever education they might have, providing for them the conceptual and practical tools they need, and sending them out to extend the kingdom of God.” Wagner believes that many of the Churches that began around Asia in the first century were actually planted by these disciples of Paul.
This movement will need to remain decentralised, with each of us having autonomy to do what God leads us to do on our own fronts. We can voluntarily submit to one another and we can voluntarily speak into each other’s local situation. Accountability will be covenantal.
Local: By ‘outposts’ we’re thinking mission-focused local expressions of the Body of Christ. We’re strong believers in cell-based Christian community. The largest churches in the world are, without exception, cell-based. It is Biblical, community-enhancing, accountable, honest, intimate, contagious, and simple (in that you don’t need buildings and big budgets).
We’re also very committed to having a War Room (24-7 prayer). Obviously many new starts will be very hard-pressed to get it going non-stop but the War Room ought to be the hub of all activity, especially for pioneering types who are inclined to be very active.
General William Booth said, “Pay 10,000 more times attention to the children, but don’t neglect the adults.” We’d love to see a commitment to training the children so that the army is complete and the invasion is sustainable. We started the Warrior Academy with that purpose in mind (and with the intention of replicating in scores of cities). This is one model that can be used effectively.
Action
Pray.
- See if God has been dreaming about this for you. If so, find out when and where. This should help us get our heads around something our hearts are embracing. If your heart is telling you that you could be a part of one of these 2000 outposts in 200 countries in 20 years, then move on to…
Train
- Get yourself discipled by a solid Christian. Be accountable in the local Body.
Recruit
- Pull together a team of like-hearted individuals. This process will involve starting back at ‘pray’ and ‘train’.
Connect
- Keep us in the loop. The network and resources can help coordinate, support, train, pray, deploy, fellowship, and so on. Contact us at revolution @mmccxx.net.
Notes:
There are 191 UN member states. Add the Vatican and Taiwan and you get the common total, 193. But if you add the following places- Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Western Sahara, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England- you get 201 (subtract UK and you have 200. Don’t let the number throw you off. We're in 17 so far. Praise God.
----
Holy. now.
----
Tomorrow is our deadline for JAC submissions - if you have something orthodox, provocative, and edifying, why not fire it off to revolution @mmccxx.net to be considered for publication?
----
Remember the poor.
----
Jesus is coming soon. Most people don't know it. Most don't care. Even many Christians live as if it isn't happening. But we know it is true. So, let's evangelise like it's going out of style.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
January 17: Make His glory your joy... (and much more).
January 17, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB191
1.
Come, thou everlasting Spirit,
Bring to every thankful mind
All the Saviour's dying merit,
All his sufferings for mankind.
2.
True Recorder of his passion,
Now the living faith impart;
Now reveal his great salvation;
Preach his gospel to my heart.
3.
Come, thou Witness of his dying;
Come, remembrancer divine!
Let us feel thy power, applying
Christ to every soul, and mine.
4.
Let us groan thine inward groaning,
Look on him we pierced, and grieve;
All receive the grace atoning,
All the sprinkled blood receive.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
No one likes to talk about cartridges. Its similar to fasting in that regard. We don't want to brag and end up sinning about something spiritual. But that is an entanglement of the devil. I mean, get over it. We have to teach our people. Someone told me this week of a Corps where they post last week's cartridge totals by name on the wall in the hall! :- )
Because it doesn't get taught well, God gets ripped off by people, and people get ripped off by ripping God off.
Soldiers have high expectations. General William Booth instructed: “You might work out this rule on a graduated scale, beginning at the bottom with a tenth, and going on increasing as God increases… From a tenth you can rise to an eighth, and then to a fifth, and a fourth, and even further. Make His glory your joy, your conscience, your guide, and the Salvation of men, for time and eternity, the supreme object for which you live and trade and do everything else, and you will not go astray on this subject.”
In other words, a tenth of your income is the bare minimum expected. If you aren't there yet, get there. If you are only there, move on into increase.
10% is probably acceptable for a soldier of a year or so. After that, go for 20%. That might sell for the next few years but after five years of soldiership you're probably wanting to up it to __%. And so on.
If 80 adults on welfare tithe (for discussion's sake, say roughly $50/month or $600/year) we're looking at $48,000, which, by the way, is more than many corps.
If there are 20,000 soldiers in Canada, for example, and they were all on welfare (not that many are), and they all fire a tenth, we're looking at $12 million a year. That's in the neighbourhood of $34,000/corps. It's nothing to sneeze at (recognizing that most make more than welfare and so we can get way more).
Our stinginess might be the thing keeping back the advance of the great salvation war
----
Holy. now.
----
My pal Peter and I were doing street combat one night and evangelising Gary on a perch in an alley in our neighbourhood. Within a yard of our conversation were two people. The lady was lying down exposing her neck for the young man to jam with a needle. He was complaining about having to do it (he was pretty shaky himself) so I interrupted that he shouldn't do it.
It turns out he is her son and he always does it.
Nice family relations.
They heard the Gospel, asked about our corps, and blessed us when we departed.
God is in the business of restoration. The Bible even talks about turning hearts of children to fathers and fathers to children. I am pretty sure that goes for mothers too. God grant it.
----
JAC deadline is the 19th - contributions to revolution @mmccxx.net
----
Remember the poor.
----
I have it on good authority that people get saved off of this salvo site: http://www.followtheblackcat.com/
So why not add to the number? Why not share it with all the teens you know, today?
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB191
1.
Come, thou everlasting Spirit,
Bring to every thankful mind
All the Saviour's dying merit,
All his sufferings for mankind.
2.
True Recorder of his passion,
Now the living faith impart;
Now reveal his great salvation;
Preach his gospel to my heart.
3.
Come, thou Witness of his dying;
Come, remembrancer divine!
Let us feel thy power, applying
Christ to every soul, and mine.
4.
Let us groan thine inward groaning,
Look on him we pierced, and grieve;
All receive the grace atoning,
All the sprinkled blood receive.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
No one likes to talk about cartridges. Its similar to fasting in that regard. We don't want to brag and end up sinning about something spiritual. But that is an entanglement of the devil. I mean, get over it. We have to teach our people. Someone told me this week of a Corps where they post last week's cartridge totals by name on the wall in the hall! :- )
Because it doesn't get taught well, God gets ripped off by people, and people get ripped off by ripping God off.
Soldiers have high expectations. General William Booth instructed: “You might work out this rule on a graduated scale, beginning at the bottom with a tenth, and going on increasing as God increases… From a tenth you can rise to an eighth, and then to a fifth, and a fourth, and even further. Make His glory your joy, your conscience, your guide, and the Salvation of men, for time and eternity, the supreme object for which you live and trade and do everything else, and you will not go astray on this subject.”
In other words, a tenth of your income is the bare minimum expected. If you aren't there yet, get there. If you are only there, move on into increase.
10% is probably acceptable for a soldier of a year or so. After that, go for 20%. That might sell for the next few years but after five years of soldiership you're probably wanting to up it to __%. And so on.
If 80 adults on welfare tithe (for discussion's sake, say roughly $50/month or $600/year) we're looking at $48,000, which, by the way, is more than many corps.
If there are 20,000 soldiers in Canada, for example, and they were all on welfare (not that many are), and they all fire a tenth, we're looking at $12 million a year. That's in the neighbourhood of $34,000/corps. It's nothing to sneeze at (recognizing that most make more than welfare and so we can get way more).
Our stinginess might be the thing keeping back the advance of the great salvation war
----
Holy. now.
----
My pal Peter and I were doing street combat one night and evangelising Gary on a perch in an alley in our neighbourhood. Within a yard of our conversation were two people. The lady was lying down exposing her neck for the young man to jam with a needle. He was complaining about having to do it (he was pretty shaky himself) so I interrupted that he shouldn't do it.
It turns out he is her son and he always does it.
Nice family relations.
They heard the Gospel, asked about our corps, and blessed us when we departed.
God is in the business of restoration. The Bible even talks about turning hearts of children to fathers and fathers to children. I am pretty sure that goes for mothers too. God grant it.
----
JAC deadline is the 19th - contributions to revolution @mmccxx.net
----
Remember the poor.
----
I have it on good authority that people get saved off of this salvo site: http://www.followtheblackcat.com/
So why not add to the number? Why not share it with all the teens you know, today?
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Monday, January 16, 2012
January 16: Religion on Fire... and much more.
January 16, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB662
1.
Help us to help each other, Lord,
Each other's cross to bear;
Let each his friendly aid afford,
And feel his brother's care.
2.
Help us to build each other up,
Our little stock improve;
Increase our faith, confirm our hope,
And perfect us in love.
3.
Up into thee, our living head,
Let us in all things grow,
Till thou hast made us free indeed
And spotless here below.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Holy. now.
----
Here's some William Booth you probably haven't read...
"Religion on fire - is, humanly speaking, the vital force of The Salvation Army; ... [that] without it the Movement must - and no one could tell how soon - become 'a dried-up fountain', and 'extinct volcano', like so many of the sect around us.
"I do not say that The Army in such a case would break up and cease to be; it is too well organised to pass at once out of being, even though the spirit should depart from it. But in such a case it would most certainly lose its main and most active force for good.
"And you have also heard me assert, over and over again, that with the burning reality of such a 'religion of fire', The Army must prove an irresistible, overwhelming, conquering agency for helping forward the salvation of the human race."
WB p34 Addresses to Staff Officers, 1906.
"Take the Mosaic law, for instance. It contains the root principles of all law as approved and accepted by the best and most intelligent races who have ever lived on the earth. Where did all this wisdom come from?
"Out of the brain of the creature who was an improved baboon, or from the mind of the Creator?" p45.
"So with the Holy Spirit; so let us honour Him by the due recognition of His Personality.
Do we regard the Holy Spirit after this fashion?
Do we greet Him in the morning when we wake?
Do we turn to Him in our weakness and trials during the day? Do we welcome Him to our hearts and homes and circle as a real living Person? What do you say?
The Holy Spirit is God." p50.
The last bit suggests that William Booth beat Benny Hinn to his most famous book title - Good Morning Holy Spirit.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Submissions for Journal of Aggressive Christianity go here - revolution@ mmccxx.net To catch up on the first 76 issues, go here: http://www.armybarmy.com/jac.html
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Some of you might be independents. Independents are what we call those who don't yet depend on God. If you're not an indie, I am sure you know some. This is for the indie crew.
I can't over-emphasize this. You need to repent. You need to become dependent on Jesus Christ.
Yes, there is a time to say, "God's not mad at you." or, "He loves you with an everlasting love." Two of the better evangelists I know use those lines.
There is a time for Jesus films, and four spiritual laws, and roman roads, and hand stories, and friendship evangelism, and so on. Yes, yes, yes.
But the bottom line is this: It is Jesus or hell.
As God He requires and demands your submission now (today is the day) and for the rest of your life.
As Savious He deserves it. He died because of your rebellion, selfishness, pride and every other filthy sin. But it is only one sin that is going to keep you out of heaven.
He invited (and commanded) 'Repent and believe... come follow Me'. It is your rejection of this command (invitation) that keeps you independent, keeps you unforgiven, keeps you cut off from divine community and acceptance and love and mercy and purpose and satisfaction, keeps you condemned and cursed, and keeps you bound for an eternity in hell.
There is no other way around it.
Submit to Him today. Check out some solid Dependents near where you live and work (or contact us at irresolution @mmccxx.net) for encouragement and discipling.
This is what it is all about. All of these little blogs and sites, and events, and projects, and ideas, and efforts, and initiatives- that's it, to convince indies to depend on Jesus.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB662
1.
Help us to help each other, Lord,
Each other's cross to bear;
Let each his friendly aid afford,
And feel his brother's care.
2.
Help us to build each other up,
Our little stock improve;
Increase our faith, confirm our hope,
And perfect us in love.
3.
Up into thee, our living head,
Let us in all things grow,
Till thou hast made us free indeed
And spotless here below.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Holy. now.
----
Here's some William Booth you probably haven't read...
"Religion on fire - is, humanly speaking, the vital force of The Salvation Army; ... [that] without it the Movement must - and no one could tell how soon - become 'a dried-up fountain', and 'extinct volcano', like so many of the sect around us.
"I do not say that The Army in such a case would break up and cease to be; it is too well organised to pass at once out of being, even though the spirit should depart from it. But in such a case it would most certainly lose its main and most active force for good.
"And you have also heard me assert, over and over again, that with the burning reality of such a 'religion of fire', The Army must prove an irresistible, overwhelming, conquering agency for helping forward the salvation of the human race."
WB p34 Addresses to Staff Officers, 1906.
"Take the Mosaic law, for instance. It contains the root principles of all law as approved and accepted by the best and most intelligent races who have ever lived on the earth. Where did all this wisdom come from?
"Out of the brain of the creature who was an improved baboon, or from the mind of the Creator?" p45.
"So with the Holy Spirit; so let us honour Him by the due recognition of His Personality.
Do we regard the Holy Spirit after this fashion?
Do we greet Him in the morning when we wake?
Do we turn to Him in our weakness and trials during the day? Do we welcome Him to our hearts and homes and circle as a real living Person? What do you say?
The Holy Spirit is God." p50.
The last bit suggests that William Booth beat Benny Hinn to his most famous book title - Good Morning Holy Spirit.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Submissions for Journal of Aggressive Christianity go here - revolution@ mmccxx.net To catch up on the first 76 issues, go here: http://www.armybarmy.com/jac.html
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Some of you might be independents. Independents are what we call those who don't yet depend on God. If you're not an indie, I am sure you know some. This is for the indie crew.
I can't over-emphasize this. You need to repent. You need to become dependent on Jesus Christ.
Yes, there is a time to say, "God's not mad at you." or, "He loves you with an everlasting love." Two of the better evangelists I know use those lines.
There is a time for Jesus films, and four spiritual laws, and roman roads, and hand stories, and friendship evangelism, and so on. Yes, yes, yes.
But the bottom line is this: It is Jesus or hell.
As God He requires and demands your submission now (today is the day) and for the rest of your life.
As Savious He deserves it. He died because of your rebellion, selfishness, pride and every other filthy sin. But it is only one sin that is going to keep you out of heaven.
He invited (and commanded) 'Repent and believe... come follow Me'. It is your rejection of this command (invitation) that keeps you independent, keeps you unforgiven, keeps you cut off from divine community and acceptance and love and mercy and purpose and satisfaction, keeps you condemned and cursed, and keeps you bound for an eternity in hell.
There is no other way around it.
Submit to Him today. Check out some solid Dependents near where you live and work (or contact us at irresolution @mmccxx.net) for encouragement and discipling.
This is what it is all about. All of these little blogs and sites, and events, and projects, and ideas, and efforts, and initiatives- that's it, to convince indies to depend on Jesus.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Sunday, January 15, 2012
January 15: Have We Got The Guts To Respond? and more.
January 15, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB594
1.
Jesus, I fain would find
Thy zeal for God in me,
Thy yearning pity for mankind,
Thy burning charity.
2.
In me thy Spirit dwell,
In me thy mercies move,
So shall the fervor of my zeal
Be the pure flame of love.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
A.
I recently listened to a well-travelled preacher indicate that there were two reasons that an effective evangelist (who, though pretty young, has seen hundreds of thousands of people indicate decisions to repent and believe) was so effective:
1. he is hungrier for Jesus that anyone this person has met; and,
2. he is committed to evangelism, not only before big crowds, but, even in the early days, on the streets, day after day after day.
It sounds simple. I guess is all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?
B.
I spoke with a friend who invested a mission trip with one of the most die-hard groups of evangelists I've ever encountered. They are a very difficult front, are highly disciplined, and fight all the time. My friend struggled to keep up. Their commitment played out in their families (all disciplined, with family rations every morning before breakfast), their finances (they have to raise their own funds), their fitness (because of the terrain of their front and their hard schedule, my friends says that they are all 'cut like cougers'), and their fruitfulness (they'll travel all day to get one person saved, if that is what it takes).
It sounds simple. I guess it all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?
----
Holy. now.
----
Remember the poor.
----
To all you young single warriors, I pass on the following advice:
I used to tell my kids as a counsellor this at camp: chicks are out; also, left hand to your mouth, index finger tip touching thumb tip with left hand and the right index finger bottom right to top left over the left hand. Then pucker up. It makes a no-kissing sign. Hold that pose until engagement and you might be safe.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
call centre evangelism
I spoke with Andy Williams at length on the phone. I am confident that Andy Williams is not his real name. He has a strong Indian accent and I am guessing he was calling me from there.
Anyway, during the conversation I worked up a couple of evangelistic approaches. Andy didn't get saved, but maybe your next caller will.
Here's the thing: they usually kick it off with 'here's a special offer for you'. I listen. And then I give them a special offer (insert Gospel here).
Or, they indicate that they have 4 questions for me to answer. I do. Then I indicate that I have 2 questions for them to answer (Evangelism Explosion- 1. if you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell? 2. Why should God let you into heaven?).
Now, I recognize the approach is old school but how else are you going to evangelise Andy?
So, why not try it out next time you catch the call centre?
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB594
1.
Jesus, I fain would find
Thy zeal for God in me,
Thy yearning pity for mankind,
Thy burning charity.
2.
In me thy Spirit dwell,
In me thy mercies move,
So shall the fervor of my zeal
Be the pure flame of love.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
A.
I recently listened to a well-travelled preacher indicate that there were two reasons that an effective evangelist (who, though pretty young, has seen hundreds of thousands of people indicate decisions to repent and believe) was so effective:
1. he is hungrier for Jesus that anyone this person has met; and,
2. he is committed to evangelism, not only before big crowds, but, even in the early days, on the streets, day after day after day.
It sounds simple. I guess is all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?
B.
I spoke with a friend who invested a mission trip with one of the most die-hard groups of evangelists I've ever encountered. They are a very difficult front, are highly disciplined, and fight all the time. My friend struggled to keep up. Their commitment played out in their families (all disciplined, with family rations every morning before breakfast), their finances (they have to raise their own funds), their fitness (because of the terrain of their front and their hard schedule, my friends says that they are all 'cut like cougers'), and their fruitfulness (they'll travel all day to get one person saved, if that is what it takes).
It sounds simple. I guess it all comes down to response. Have we got the guts to respond?
----
Holy. now.
----
Remember the poor.
----
To all you young single warriors, I pass on the following advice:
I used to tell my kids as a counsellor this at camp: chicks are out; also, left hand to your mouth, index finger tip touching thumb tip with left hand and the right index finger bottom right to top left over the left hand. Then pucker up. It makes a no-kissing sign. Hold that pose until engagement and you might be safe.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
call centre evangelism
I spoke with Andy Williams at length on the phone. I am confident that Andy Williams is not his real name. He has a strong Indian accent and I am guessing he was calling me from there.
Anyway, during the conversation I worked up a couple of evangelistic approaches. Andy didn't get saved, but maybe your next caller will.
Here's the thing: they usually kick it off with 'here's a special offer for you'. I listen. And then I give them a special offer (insert Gospel here).
Or, they indicate that they have 4 questions for me to answer. I do. Then I indicate that I have 2 questions for them to answer (Evangelism Explosion- 1. if you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell? 2. Why should God let you into heaven?).
Now, I recognize the approach is old school but how else are you going to evangelise Andy?
So, why not try it out next time you catch the call centre?
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Saturday, January 14, 2012
January 14: Twiddling His Thumbs?... and much more.
January 14, 2012
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB505
1.
Lord, in the strength of grace,
With a glad heart and free,
Myself, my residue of days,
I consecrate to thee.
2.
Thy ransomed servant, I
Restore to thee thy own,
And from this moment, live or die
To serve my God alone.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
RevoDevos reprint
read Exodus 1
These are the conditions for revolution. In Egypt, in that day, the people of God were enslaved. God was marginalized (the king didn’t even know Joseph!). And there was a culture of death. Pharaoh commanded the people to kill every Hebrew baby born. Every unwanted baby was ordered killed.
It sounds a lot like the situation in the West today. While Christians are not enslaved today, at least in the Western countries, God is marginalized. He’s not allowed in classrooms. He’s being booted out of courtrooms. He is legislated out of the public square. He is muscled out of politics. He is forced to play on the margins.
But that isn’t so bad. Because the children of the revolution are born out of despair. And despair is the language of the margins. The poor live there. Those discriminated against. The different. In Biblical terms, the widow, the orphan, the alien. In our chapter, the Hebrews. God has a bias toward the marginalized.
And God raises revolutionary armies from the margins. Just look at David. He was in exile, on the run from the powerful king. And here and there, defectors from various tribes gathered to David until he found himself in charge of a mighty army (1 Ch.12). As people grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, they will look for something better.
Let me put that another way: as you grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, you will look for something better. As you grow more and more dissatisfied with a lack of compelling purpose in life, with a daily and possibly meaningless grind, with video games and slushies, with half-decent grades (or even excellent grades) and a part-time job at the gas station, with re-runs and fumbling dates, you will look for something better.
Not only that, but we’re also a lot like this chapter in that we live in a society that has cultivated a culture of death. Kill the babies you don’t want, the babies who might be deformed or diseased, the babies of the wrong gender, the babies that are just plain inconvenient. Kill them.
And you know God hears what is going on, and hates it. You know that He is not sitting by twiddling His thumbs. He is looking to ignite a revolution from the margins. So what should you do? Get on the margins, if you aren’t already there. Identify with the marginalized- incarnate. Then catch God’s heart against the sin that is rampant and for the people He created for something much better. Then fight.
Q: How can you identify with the marginalized in your current living situation?
How can you stand up for the unborn? (try abortionno.org – the GAP page)
----
Holy. now.
----
Worship option - find a nice chordal progression and then ad lib melody of some of your favourite SASB choruses. Here are some examples:
Consecration: 473c; 475c; 488c; 503c; 527c; 534c
Holiness: 448c; 461c; 463c
Warfare: 686c; 687c; 690c; 693c; 696c; 698c; 700c; 701c; 702c; 724c; 800c; 803c; 809c; 813c; 810c; 815c; 819c; 820c; etc.
from chorus section:
Holiness: 32, 34, 35, 40, 53
Service: 71
Purity: 72
Prayer: 76
Renewal: 78, 80
Prayer: 81
Classic: 97
Testimony: 169
War: 224, 238, 239, 243.
----
Remember the poor.
----
articles of marriage- 1947.
These are now no longer the official Salvation Army articles of marriage (soldiers in The Army marry in uniform and commit to this covenant, or one pretty similar now) but we were married under them, as were our friends:
a. We do solemnly declare that we have not sought this marriage for the sake of our own happiness and interests only, although we hope that these will be furthered thereby; but because we believe that the union will enable us better to please and serve God, and more earnestly and successfully to fight and work in The Salvation Army.
b. We here promise that we will not allow our marriage in any way to lesson our devotion to God, our affection for our comrades, or our faithfulness in The Army.
c. We each individually promise that we will never do anything likely to prevent the other's doing, or giving, or suffering, anything that is in his or her power to do, give, or suffer, in order to assist The Army; believing that in so doing we shall best promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
d. We promise that we will use all our influence with each other to promote our constant and entire self-sacrifice in fighting in the ranks of The Army for the salvation of the world.
e. We promise always to regard our home in every way as a Salvation Army Soldier's Quarters, and to arrange it accordingly, and to train all in it who may be under our influence and authroity for faithful and efficient service in The Army.
f. We promise, whether together or apart, always to do our utmost as true Soldiers of Jesus Christ to carry on and sustain the Salvation War, and never to allow The Army to be injured or hindered in any of its interests, without doing our utmost to prevent it.
g. Should either of us from sickness, death, or any other cause cease to be an efficient Soldier, we engage that the remaining one shall continue to the best of his or her ability to fulfil all these promises.
----
The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
----
Are you looking to find God (or to help others find Him)? Try this: http://sacrossroads.com/sacrossroads.com/how_to_find_God.html
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Have you been to Boston Common?
----
SASB505
1.
Lord, in the strength of grace,
With a glad heart and free,
Myself, my residue of days,
I consecrate to thee.
2.
Thy ransomed servant, I
Restore to thee thy own,
And from this moment, live or die
To serve my God alone.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
RevoDevos reprint
read Exodus 1
These are the conditions for revolution. In Egypt, in that day, the people of God were enslaved. God was marginalized (the king didn’t even know Joseph!). And there was a culture of death. Pharaoh commanded the people to kill every Hebrew baby born. Every unwanted baby was ordered killed.
It sounds a lot like the situation in the West today. While Christians are not enslaved today, at least in the Western countries, God is marginalized. He’s not allowed in classrooms. He’s being booted out of courtrooms. He is legislated out of the public square. He is muscled out of politics. He is forced to play on the margins.
But that isn’t so bad. Because the children of the revolution are born out of despair. And despair is the language of the margins. The poor live there. Those discriminated against. The different. In Biblical terms, the widow, the orphan, the alien. In our chapter, the Hebrews. God has a bias toward the marginalized.
And God raises revolutionary armies from the margins. Just look at David. He was in exile, on the run from the powerful king. And here and there, defectors from various tribes gathered to David until he found himself in charge of a mighty army (1 Ch.12). As people grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, they will look for something better.
Let me put that another way: as you grow more and more dissatisfied with the status quo, you will look for something better. As you grow more and more dissatisfied with a lack of compelling purpose in life, with a daily and possibly meaningless grind, with video games and slushies, with half-decent grades (or even excellent grades) and a part-time job at the gas station, with re-runs and fumbling dates, you will look for something better.
Not only that, but we’re also a lot like this chapter in that we live in a society that has cultivated a culture of death. Kill the babies you don’t want, the babies who might be deformed or diseased, the babies of the wrong gender, the babies that are just plain inconvenient. Kill them.
And you know God hears what is going on, and hates it. You know that He is not sitting by twiddling His thumbs. He is looking to ignite a revolution from the margins. So what should you do? Get on the margins, if you aren’t already there. Identify with the marginalized- incarnate. Then catch God’s heart against the sin that is rampant and for the people He created for something much better. Then fight.
Q: How can you identify with the marginalized in your current living situation?
How can you stand up for the unborn? (try abortionno.org – the GAP page)
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Holy. now.
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Worship option - find a nice chordal progression and then ad lib melody of some of your favourite SASB choruses. Here are some examples:
Consecration: 473c; 475c; 488c; 503c; 527c; 534c
Holiness: 448c; 461c; 463c
Warfare: 686c; 687c; 690c; 693c; 696c; 698c; 700c; 701c; 702c; 724c; 800c; 803c; 809c; 813c; 810c; 815c; 819c; 820c; etc.
from chorus section:
Holiness: 32, 34, 35, 40, 53
Service: 71
Purity: 72
Prayer: 76
Renewal: 78, 80
Prayer: 81
Classic: 97
Testimony: 169
War: 224, 238, 239, 243.
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Remember the poor.
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articles of marriage- 1947.
These are now no longer the official Salvation Army articles of marriage (soldiers in The Army marry in uniform and commit to this covenant, or one pretty similar now) but we were married under them, as were our friends:
a. We do solemnly declare that we have not sought this marriage for the sake of our own happiness and interests only, although we hope that these will be furthered thereby; but because we believe that the union will enable us better to please and serve God, and more earnestly and successfully to fight and work in The Salvation Army.
b. We here promise that we will not allow our marriage in any way to lesson our devotion to God, our affection for our comrades, or our faithfulness in The Army.
c. We each individually promise that we will never do anything likely to prevent the other's doing, or giving, or suffering, anything that is in his or her power to do, give, or suffer, in order to assist The Army; believing that in so doing we shall best promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
d. We promise that we will use all our influence with each other to promote our constant and entire self-sacrifice in fighting in the ranks of The Army for the salvation of the world.
e. We promise always to regard our home in every way as a Salvation Army Soldier's Quarters, and to arrange it accordingly, and to train all in it who may be under our influence and authroity for faithful and efficient service in The Army.
f. We promise, whether together or apart, always to do our utmost as true Soldiers of Jesus Christ to carry on and sustain the Salvation War, and never to allow The Army to be injured or hindered in any of its interests, without doing our utmost to prevent it.
g. Should either of us from sickness, death, or any other cause cease to be an efficient Soldier, we engage that the remaining one shall continue to the best of his or her ability to fulfil all these promises.
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The Holy Ghost is with me. (William Booth)
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Are you looking to find God (or to help others find Him)? Try this: http://sacrossroads.com/sacrossroads.com/how_to_find_God.html
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
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posted by Stephen Court
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