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Soldier
Interview
Major Stephen Court
Five years ago JAC interviewed soldiers from five territories
regarding battle issues that we all face. They were great.
As I read through them again recently I thought I’d
challenge myself with the question schedule.
This is the result.
You may want to ask yourself the questions, too.
If so, feel free to fire them back to JAC at
revolution@mmccxx.net.
JAC: Quick bio:
SEC: multi-generation salvo;
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saved at Camp
Newport;
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sanctified at James
Gardens;
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Crusader for Christ (session of officer
training)
-
married to Danielle;
-
father to Zion,
Judah, and Moses.
JAC: Tell us, about your salvation and sanctification.
SEC: I was six years old at
Camp
Newport for a Junior
Soldier Camp at which my mom was the speaker.
The gospel was preached.
We were offered friendship with Jesus Christ.
Little slips of paper were distributed for us to write
down our sins. I
was six! I wrote
down ‘all’. There
was a fire. We
threw our ‘sins’ into the fire, having confessed and repented
of them. And I
started my friendship with Jesus that continues today.
Many years later I was growing frustrated at not experiencing
what I read about in the New Testament and in some Salvo
writing. A
veteran suggested reading Brengle – so for six months I did,
consecrating everything I could think of.
It came to a head one day when I rode my bike down to a
neighbourhood park, armed with my Bible and Helps to Holiness
(Brengle) and an intention not to leave until this whole thing
was settled.
After awhile it became clear that I had not yet surrendered my
future.
Now, this was an oversight.
It wasn’t that I had big plans for the future.
If you’d asked me what I wanted ‘to be’, I’d likely
tell you ‘football player’ but I knew I wasn’t good enough to
be a professional football player so there was no realistic
aspirations. In
fact, I’d stayed in school longer than needed, partly because
I was uncertain of what I was ‘to be’ and didn’t want to waste
a year or two in an entry-level position.
Anyway, I gave my future, such as it was, to God, too, and
then He had it all.
Hallelujah.
JAC: What engages your passions and energies these days.
SEC: Evangelising – what’s better than seeing someone saved
from sin and hell?
Discipling – we call this The Year of
DISCO (discipleship covenant groups) and it is exciting to see
God transform people through discipling relationships.
JAC: What is your role with The Salvation Army?
SEC: My wife and I lead the Crossroads Corps in
Edmonton
Alberta, Canada.
On my good days I’m a catalyst for mobilization.
JAC: What is your mission/calling?
SEC: win the world for Jesus.
JAC: How does The Army support your war-fighting?
SEC: The Army opens a field for exploits for us.
We step into it and fight with godly power and the
weapons of righteousness and watch God work wonders
JAC: How do you influence people?
SEC: JAC, armybarmy blog, twitter (@StephenCourt), facebook,
podcasts, books, example, prayer…
JAC: What are your dreams for the next several years?
SEC: Win the world for Jesus.
On the way there, multiply campuses of The War College,
see an online leader training school start, coordinate a
global discipleship initiative, get DisCo into every corps,
see the Army finish off one component of the great commission
by invading the remaining 74
countries, see new outposts in
2000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years (well, 13 more),
reach William Booth’s goals of 100,000 officers and four
million soldiers, publish some more books…
JAC: What are the keys to successful warfare on your front
and the larger salvation war?
SEC: we’re involved in extraordinary prayer; we line up for
holiness; we disciple; we evangelise.
JAC: How are you and your comrades strengthening The
Salvation Army?
SEC: We’re trying to do it right, providing more proof that
the Salvo Way works.
We’re trying to disseminate thoroughly salvo resources
for the salvation war.
We’re trying to raise up soldiers and candidates.
We’re trying to exhort and encourage the troops.
We’re trying to multiply cells and outposts and corps
toward world conquest.
JAC: What are some of the dangers we have to face in the
coming years? (and how?)
SEC: Within the Army?
Compromise – by keeping to salvo standards and being holy;
Fragmentation – by universally embracing covenant;
Inequalities – by instructing people, correcting problems, and
holding people accountable;
Leadership – by following holy, salvo, proven leaders;
Popularity – by exploiting it for kingdom advance.
Without the Army?
Capitulation to religions/cults –
humility, boldness, sacrifice;
Compromise with the world – holy boldness, zeal for Jesus,
truth to Scripture.
JAC: What final exhortation have you for this audience?
SEC: stay close to Jesus.
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