Membership in TSA

"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. {16} 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. (Acts 26:15-17 NIV)

William Booth was passionate that if the Salvation Army was to be defined as a church it would merely be tied down to meeting the needs of people who sit in pews. His vision was far greater, extending past the boundaries of walls to the whole world. The community was the heart of the mission not the church building. William Booths vision was for everyone who signed up to be a soldier, to be an activist. Therefore, if you became a soldier you were meant to take that seriously. Williams Booths vision was that of Christ’s we must GO to the people, not wait for them to find us. We must fight sin and the call for battle is just as strong today as when Jesus called his disciples and when the Salvation Army as a vision was placed on William and Catherine Booths heart.

Membership in The Salvation Army is not for those who want to remain comfortable, it is not about joining an association of like people and trying to be good to each other, it is about “Be(ing) doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22), and being active in social change.

These truths have been given as a challenge to the worshipers of the Box Hill Corps who have attended the membership and information classes, over the past months, and we have responded. People have considered the cost of being a disciple and have chosen to be a soldier. The Salvation Army is marching along. Hallelujah!

So far during 2007 we have enrolled 11 people as soldiers of the Box Hill Corps, the majority of them youth. Here are some of the comments they made as they considered becoming an activist in TSA.

“I want to be a Salvo because I love God and want to serve Him with my life, and I believe in the radical call that the Salvos have responded too… that’s what I want to do with my life.”

“I want to be a Salvo because I could not be a member of a church that does not practice what it preaches. I believe that our Corps is on the verge of something awesome, and the Salvos are on the verge of something great worldwide, and I want to be apart of it.”

“I want to be apart a world changing movement, and I believe that is what TSA is at the moment.”

“I want to be a soldier because it is an outward expression of the faith that I have in God, and the acceptance of Jesus that I have in my life.”“

“Soldiership to me means standing apart from the rest of the world, it pretty much means following God’s way and not the worlds way. It is something that I can stake my life onto. It is canter-cultural which I love, I mean no body really commits to things any more, and I pretty ready to commit to God and stand up in this Army we have got going and to be apart of everything. To have God and His agenda at your very core and have the essence of who you are completely in love with God and devoted to Him and His cause, and I think that when you get that core right then everything else will fall into place.”

“Being a Soldier in TSA mean not just standing by and watching the activities that are going on and the work that is done in TSA, but actually committing myself and getting involved and getting in and getting my hands dirty in all the activities that go on.”

“It means to put God first in my life, and putting others ahead of myself.”

The dreams of the old men, are the visions of the youth.

Onward to victory

Living for the greater good

You know God can raise millions of dollars if he had too, but He chooses not too.

What He wants is the hearts of Christians to lovingly sacrifice ourselves and what we have, for others. To be a fragrant offering.

As Christians it is our responsibility to do something about poverty. Proverbs 31:8-9 remind us; "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

I have a frustration for those who 'do the talk' and 'pretend that they care', and yet do nothing.

Lord, raise up a Holy Discontent in us for those who have no voice and are treated without dignity and justice. You have given us resources to meet the need, challenge us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before you.

Amen?

Child Sex Trade

Debbie Messenger, an Australian Officer, is serving God in the Philippines. Debbie recently attended a conference on Child Sex Trade. Here is her comments from the conference.

Child Sex Trade
I had the amazing opportunity to be one of a few representatives from The Salvation Army at a recent Child Protection Conference run by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) in Manila. There were over 800 people from 37 countries who work in a diverse range of organisations and denominations to assist young people at risk. I shared this experience with Salvationists from: Australia (Southern and Eastern Territories), Indonesia, Malaysia and of course the Philippines.

One thing that stood out to me was a call from young people who had been sold into the sex industry, they requested everyone to give them dignity and respect during the times when you feel you are helping them, when often you are causing them more pain and shame. A group of 12 girls who were no older than 17 years, stood and gave a drama on what happens during a 'raid' when police and people who 'meant-well' took them from the place they knew as home. They spoke of their fear for what was happening as strangers entered their place with sudden and unexpected force, although they were there to be 'saved', the way it was done caused them more embarrassment and absolute fear in not knowing what was happening and where they would go next. Cameras would often be pointed at them and there would be others taking photos as 'proof' of their living situation, but this caused them incredible shame.

I have heard many people, who want to help those who suffer injustice, say how much they would like to help these young people who have been sold into the sex trade, I agree there is a great need and something needs to be done as so many children suffer injustice and they deserve a better life and future. Yet I want to remind you (on behalf of the young people I had the privilege to meet), there is a way to help them in a more positive way! The young girls at the conference called for police and organisations to free them with dignity, they said "don't take pictures, just help us", they don't want to be turned into a documentary or to be a 'still shot' for prosperity or feel good moments when you can recall the day you 'saved' someone. Consider them and their feelings, help them, but consider carefully how you will do it and follow the law so that their violators can be brought to justice in the future. If you don't follow correct procedure, maybe evidence cannot be used against those who have hurt them so much. Be safe on the journey!

May God bless Debbie, and her Children.

I have a dream for TSA

Commissioner James Knaggs released his vision for The Salvation Army today at ACC. It was well received with a half hour of dedication taking place under the leadership of Captain Danielle Strickland.

I Have a Dream…That one day…

The Salvation Army will in its entirety, be what God wants it to be…

…that every soldier, young and old would be sanctified through and through…and out of the passion of their love in Christ, would be an undeniable force for God’s love in the world.

…that this love would be seen between each soldier to demonstrate that God has sent His Son into the world not to condemn it, but that the world through Him might be saved…and by this would all people know that we are His followers and represent Him.

…that our love would be seen through intentional and overt acts of mercy and justice, all the while in humility before God, not needing to publish our works, only doing them to glorify God.

…that our mission would have such integrity that every expression of our ministry would be marked not so much by a red shield or even a crest, but by the love of God for people.

…that every corps would embrace the gospel for everyone in their community, not discriminating by culture, language, social status, or age…and that the helping ministries would be woven into the fabric so that even under a nuclear microscope we could not distinguish between spiritual and social.

…that every social programme would be inviting to any one in need to be helped towards eternal affect, still maintaining our resolve to dispense such love indiscriminately and unconditionally…and that their connections with the corps ministries become seamless to the point that they would become a type of corps in their own right.

…that we would have effective ministries to eradicate homelessness, human trafficking, prostitution and other indecencies currently common in our society.

…that our social programme strategy will be based upon the needs of people in the context of Biblical mandate, not necessarily the offerings of government contracts.

…that headquarters support units would be understood as such, not diminishing their purposes for accountability, but wholly in the context of authentic support and encouragement.

…that programmes such as Salvo Stores and Employment plus would also become saving stations for the lost and fully integrated into the mission of the territory.

…that Salvo Stores and the Trade become responsible outlets for Fair Trade goods.

…that our commercial department at THQ become a resource and focal point for facilitating our increasing efforts in Fair Trade.

…that the Family Tracing Service be expanded to find those souls who have been lost to the Army, assisting in bringing them home, where they belong.

…that we would never have another day in our existence where someone was not brought to Christ.

…that our soldiers roll would only be an increasing reality as would our worship and discipleship meetings.

…that the proliferation of new ministry openings would be so common and normal that we would have to appoint personnel just to keep track of it, most often after the fact.

…that those gifted with creative ministry gifts would have every opportunity to employ these very skills in the work of the Army.

…that our worship would be filled with creative means to celebrate God’s provisions and presence among us.

…that our 24/7 Prayer Initiatives will be adopted by individual corps throughout the territory all the time.

…that we would establish Lighthouses of Prayer to cover our neighbourhoods with grace.

…that we would have numerous prayer destinations where people could go for prayer retreats, learning opportunities and resources.

…that our systems would be less restrictive and more imaginative to accommodate the new things God wants to do among us.

…that as a movement, we would be marked by holiness in corporate and individual praxis.

…that there would be such an out pouring of the Spirit upon us that we would be courageous and effective witnesses in our families, communities, cities, Australia and the world.

…that our compassion would be large enough to be understood as authentically global throughout what we do at home and abroad.

…that our people would be quick to respond to the voice of God for whatever He calls them to.

…that our officer training programmes would be taxed by the unusual response of the called to serve as officers in TSA.

…that our local officers would be so empowered to understand their foundational role in the corps ministries and fully embrace the priesthood of all believers.

…that our women would have appointments and responsibilities commensurate with their gifts, abilities and experience.

…that our young people would be filled with the Spirit and recognised as contributors in the fight.

…that our children would be welcomed as authentic soldiers with proper opportunities to celebrate the presence of Christ in their lives and in their environments.

…that an extraordinary forgiveness and healing of past sins and hurts would prevail upon all people victimised by our practises or inattention.

…that God would see that we love Him supremely through Christ and that our reliance on the Holy Spirit completes His hope in us.

…that God would see that we love Him absolutely and are expressing our love for Him by our active love for others.

May it be so...

TSA have partnered with the various funding bodies for some time now. The relationship has on the whole been an amicable one where their ideals have not conflicted with our mission and values. It has been a win-win, but the days are coming where those who fund our services will require greater accountability, and may challenge our positional statements and values.

TSA was once a major player in the social sector, particularly in Victoria, but there are now many players who are gaining the ear of Government policy and funding decision makers, with new models of service delivery. There is a real need to build our ability to speak up and speak out against social injustice, but back this up not only with quality research, but also with a model that facilitates our research into a deliverable pilot service model.

We have the ability, the relationships with academic bodies, and currently, the good will. We have the blood of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit and the compassionate heart of our Father God, but do we have the courage to challenge current thinking?

It is time.

How are you, really!?

“How are you?”

“Fine”

“No, how are you, really?”

A good friend will ask the second question, just as a good friend will give an answer the first time that makes the second question unnecessary.

Real friendship is all about truth-telling, and our answer to the question “How are you?” says a lot about the depth of a relationship. For many of our more casual relationships, “Fine” will do just fine. We have neither the time nor the trust established for telling more. Quite honestly, people are usually not expecting to hear more from us than this.

Unfortunately, I think we get into placating each other a lot as Christians, which is unfortunate because of all people, we can be the most honest because of Christ's forgiveness and God's love which remains a constant in our lives. Still, we have gotten the idea that good Christians are always happy and on top of things, and we try and perpetuate this myth. The tragedy is that we are probably all hurting in some way, but no one knows. All it takes is one person to jump out and risk the truth to discover they were among friends and fellow-sufferers all along.

I have a mate who lives in South Australia, and we regularly ask each other the ‘hard’ questions. We account for each other. This was a choice that we both made about 15 years ago. I gave him permission to be ‘in my face’ with his enquiry of me. We agreed that there would be no boundaries to the questions offered.

There have been times when I have been embarrassed (and rightly so) by the strength of the challenge, but I am a healthier Christian, more caring to my family, a better person for the enquiry.

All of us need someone to whom we can answer, “Not well,” when in fact that is the case. Who is that to you? I have found that this works best when the person is not someone you have daily contact with. The separatedness can created the integrity you need for such a relationship to be beneficial.

Do you find yourself saying “Fine” a lot when inside you are aching to tell the real truth? Well step out and try a “Do you really want to know?” on someone you think can handle it. You might just find out that help and empathy are closer than you thought. If being a part of the family of God is worth anything, it should be worth a few “How are you, really?”s, don't you think?

Jesus Loves Even Me

If you’ve ever wondered how far God would go to show His love, look in the mirror and wonder no more. We need not look any further than ourselves to find the most shocking and amazing displays of God’s grace. If we think otherwise, it is only because we have not seen ourselves as we truly are.
It has been said and sung many times: “There but for the grace of God go I.” At first this sounds grateful, but such sentiment masks a dangerous pride. It is actually not unlike the statement of a religious leader in Jesus’ day as he looked upon a sinner on his knees who was crying out for God’s mercy. “I thank you, God,” said the Pharisee, “that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there” (Luke 18:11 NLT)! It is a view that focuses on someone else’s misfortune. Someone else is worse than I am. Much better to be thinking and praying, “Here, because of the grace of God, and for no other reason, am I.” I am the only person I truly know about when it comes to sin. I am the authority on the subject.


The Pharisee hasn’t a clue about the sinner—who he is or what he has done. He has no point of reference to judge the man’s life but from his own inflated view of himself. If he had even the slightest clue about his own sin, he would realize he doesn’t have any business making the assumption that the sinner is any worse than he is. The only prayer any of us can pray on the subject of sin is: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is the one prayer that sends heaven scurrying.


It is best to steer completely clear of the comparison game. Any attempt to better ourselves at the mercy of someone else’s failure will always bring a twisted view of ourselves and others.
The immensity of God’s mercy is not displayed in what He did for the world, or for someone else. It is not displayed in someone else’s story about how low they were before Christ picked them up (of course, never as low as we would ever go—heaven forbid!). Nor is it discovered through some theological understanding or study of the many nuances of His grace. No, the immensity of God’s mercy is revealed finally—and only—in the incredible realization that, lo and behold, it found out the worst of the lot. God’s mercy looked down from heaven and found out me!
I am so glad that Jesus loves me Jesus loves me… Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me; Jesus loves even me.

Phillip P. Bliss, 1870

True Religion?

True religion is found by being fully engaged in the needs of those around us.

True religion is not found in paid employment, where we are rewarded for our good efforts, it is not found in High Church congregationalism, where healthy people come to only receive from God without a thought for their neighbour who is need. Rather true religion is found in a heart attitude, where we consider those around us, those in front of us in the street, those we encounter who are in need, where we have compassion for their plight, both physically as well as spiritually. True religion desires to meet the whole need of the man.

In his book Resurrection and Discipleship, Lorenzen writes, “When God shared his life with His creation, he does not only want to save a person’s soul, but he wants to save the person’s life.” The Salvation Army’s heritage is to speak on behalf of those who have no voice, to use its influence as an advocate for those who have no influence. To stand in the gap between a world hell bent on individualism and prosperity, and those who do not know who they are and who lack the energy and will to do anything about it.

I am looking forward to the series Boundless Salvation, the DVD series that John Cleary, David Philp, and other are working on. It will afford us the opportunity to look at our heritage, and remember the ‘mission spirit’ of TSA. To critically look at where we are today, and what we are doing. To recall us to the founding principles of True and relevant religion, that really is grass roots. A religion that truly is a reflection of the way that Jesus lived his life while we walked amongst us.

When WT Stead was imprisoned for his work with Bramwell Booth in fighting the Maiden Tribute campaign against child prostitution, he wrote a series of letters from his cell. In one of these he reflected on the nature of Christian mission.

“Do you know what I think Jesus Christ would do if He came now? He would go to church and chapel ever so many times and listen, and no one would speak to Him. He would look to see who sat round Him and he would see no ragged people, no harlots, only respectable people. And He would hear all these respectable people singing hymns to Christ, and giving all the glory to Christ, and then after standing it a long time, Jesus would stand up some day in the middle of the Church as say just two words, ‘Damn Christ!’ and then he would go out and go down some slum and put His arms round the neck of some poor lost orphan girl, who was having a bitter cry, and say ‘Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest…’ The hardest cross Christ has to bear is the cross that is made of those who call themselves His own church”. Shortly after, he writes “Never tell anyone to be a Christian. Always tell them to ‘be Christ’”.
Estelle Stead, My Father, pp142-145