Armybarmy Blog

February 9, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2DA;HP)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Talking about servant leadership, Danielle Strickland notes that the servant part is character and the leader part is gifting or skill. It helps distinguish things.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Did you know that, according to THE WEEK magazine, The Salvation Army territorial website is one of the top five internet sites for traffic vollume in Australia? Praise God.
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iSalvos meeting tonight (9pm in Melbourne - 2am in Vancouver) features Cory Harrison from Arizona on the live feed. You'll want to hear from a guy who has started a couple of corps, updated a book by Catherine Booth, preached up a storm in a handful of territories, helps coordinate MMCCXX (in USA), and is being used by God to extend the Kingdom globally. Tune in at isalvos.com.
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Holy. now.
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Check out some juicy stuff from Commissioner Hay at goforsouls.com.
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. I know someone who just got back from a conference and the big takeaway is that a man guy there got saved - no other details. This epitomises the priority of soul-saving (every officer covenantally lives to win souls!). What are YOU doing otday to try to win souls?
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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

February 8, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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So, we hear a fair bit about servant leadership these days. Praise God. I'm not sure I get it, completely, though. Surely if the General goes around empty rubbish bins and clearing tables all the time - that's nice, but - it's not servant leadership. It's service. And that's nice. But his role is to be general, not servant.

He serves God by leading us. That is servant leadership - serving God in leading people.

Note that the service is toward God and not people. Obviously GOd directs us to serve people soemtimes in some ways. Hallelujah. But the people don't set the agenda.

What is true of the individual is true of the Army. Obviously, we are saved to saved. But some people like to highlight that we serve. Sure. We serve God. We do not missionally serve the people; otherwise, they'd be setting the agenda instead of God.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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That servante leadership bit sometimes bumps into the military model. People say that they are incompatible. The thing is, the military model works in wartime. You will appreciate the military structure when you are in battle. But if you are not fighting, it makes significantly less sense.

To the extent that you find the military model and structure irrelevant for The Salvation Army, to that extent you are possibly out of the war fighting. The mighty warriors of every rank appreciate it - why? Beacuse they are in the thick of the fight.
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www.thewarcollege.com
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Holy. now.
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We posted again on abortion yesterday. Look, if there is one thing to correct before we all get promoted to glory - it is the a few terrible positional statements that are lingering in different parts of the world on this issue. Now, a few territories have improved theirs - praise God. And the General has struck an international group to set international positional statements on most issues - this makes complete sense. We trust and pray that God will guide them to correct this one first, symbolically.

Meanwhile, remember, friends don't let friends kill their babies.
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Remember the poor.
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I get to hear great stories of conversion. On a recent Sunday morning holiness meeting, the preacher indicated that he was about to preach to believers and it wouldn't make much sense if you weren't a believer. So, if you want to become a believer, then come to the mercy seat now. And three people went to the mercy seat and got saved. Before the preach. Hallelujah!

And I'm told that there was a round of applause for each one as s/he returned to the body of the hall.

Let's take every opportunity to get people saved.
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

February 7, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JT;CJ;NH)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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I saw the Cadets Welcome in Melbourne, complete with Phil Laeger's Sessional Song and Carla Lindsey's Sessional March. Good times. If your territory is still lining up the sessional song and march, you should grab these - they were good!
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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I heard Commissioner Knaggs, recently, with his signature exhortation: "Be holy; show up for work." It's a handy two- point preach you can apply daily in the salvation war.
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Holy. now.
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ARMYBARMY Blog - seventh birthday celebrations - here's a post by Danielle Strickland back in 2003:

"My friend Rob was out on the front lines of a pro-life demonstration and got into a conversation with a woman who was pro-abortion. They discovered in the conversation that they had a mutual friend. Lynn is a drug-addict who is mentally ill and one of our ‘neighbours’ in the downtown eastside of Vancouver (note: Lynn is not her real name). Lynn is in bondage and at the same time completely amazing. Her personality, even under the layers of pain and slavery, is funny, cute, witty and wild. You can’t help but like Lynn – if you know her at all. She’s a great singer.

"Well, the pro-abortion lady was a worker in a housing complex for women (it just so happens it’s the same one that our friend Lynn lives in). Rob had a moment here – a quick window of divine opportunity to shed light on a subtle dark lie that isn’t spoken but lurks around in mindsets and policies. ‘You see’, said Rob, ‘people are advocating for abortion in order to stop people, like our friend Lynn, from being born!’

"BANG! (that’s the sound of truth hitting hard heads, and plastic hearts). You see, mentally ill people have names. So do drug addicts and prostitutes and mentally challenged kids and the whole wide world. Black kids, white men, yellow people, crooked eye people, and even kids who are going to have a hard time controlling their muscles - they have names too. Even if WE don’t name them or even call them human – God has already named them because they are people He loves. They are people that if you could only know – you couldn’t help but like them… and let them live.

"God, give us eyes to see. Thanks Rob – for speaking up for the unborn Lynn’s, I hope to meet many more!"
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Remember the poor.
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I stumbled across the Four Resolutions of one of my heroes, John Wesley, the other day. How’s this for hardcore?

1. To use absolute openness and unreserve with all I should converse with.

2. To labor after continual seriousness, not willingly indulging myself in any the least levity of behavior, or in laughter; no, not for a moment.

3. To speak no word which does not tend to the glory of God; in particular, not to talk of worldly things. Others may, nay, must. But what is that to thee? And,

4. To take no pleasure which does not tend to the glory of God; thanking God every moment for all I do take, and therefore rejecting every sort and degree of it which I feel I cannot so thank Him in and for.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. Spread it far and wide today.
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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

February 6, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Apostolic Randon Acts of Kindness: In the 1990s the whole random acts of kindness (RAK) mobilised Christians for what they called 'presence' evangelism though many other Christians considered presence evangelism to be evangelism soaked in the manifest presence of God. In Acts 4 Peter brings us back to the Apostolic version of RAK:

8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."

ARAK is to RAK what Manifest presence evangelism is to 'presence' evangelism.

As long as the adjective precedes 'evangelism' we're in pretty good shape (as in types - prayer, door-to-door, open air, friendship, etc.; not quality- not lame, weak, pathetic, offensive...).
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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The SURRENDER Conference is coming up in a month. David Ruis headlines what should be a fantastic weekend. Check it out, here: http://surrender.org.au/
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Holy. now.
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SOLDIER STANDARDS
(in some places)
- saved a year
- clean a year
- in discipling relationship
- read the (whole) Bible
- completed recruits course (e.g. SALVATIONISM 101)
- in cell
- in brigade activity
- read the Handbook fo Doctrine
- read the Orders and Regulations
- memorised the doctrines
- tithing
- uniformed (prepared to be in uniformed)
- life-long covenant
- approval of corps council.
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We've just entered the birthday month of ARMYBARMY blog. It is seven years old this month. There have been several thousands posts, each archived at the top right. Over the course of the month we'll be ripping some classic armybarmy posts out of history for your edification.

For the record, we are the oldest Salvation Army blog in the world (to our knowledge) - February 2003. Praise the Lord. Gordon Cotterill's blog appeared in November 2003 and he blogged this week on Street Front Ecclesiology (at right).
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.

Why not try out some ARAK today for your evangelising?
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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

February 5, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2EE;LR)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Every time you look at isalvos.com more people have watched Tuesday's meeting- it seems to be non-stop watching.
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Did you read the new JAC65 yet (top right). David Lumm has an interesting story and article you'll want to read.

I want to go back to Andrew Bale's article again. He asks heaps of questions (many rhetorical). Armybarmy will hazard (what in some instances will seem merely pedantic) responses:

· Does our raison d'être still exist?

sc – yes. There is still a global population wandering to hell that needs The Salvation Army to lead the attack.

Are there still poor, isolated, disenfranchised people whom no one else is reaching with the gospel?

sc – Sure –there are probably hundreds of millions of poor people that no one is reaching with the gospel

In other words, have we become obsolete as a consequence of our success?

sc – if only.

· Is there a more effective way of meeting our raison d'être?

sc – yes. There are tastes of it that we get with the occasional invasion of a new country, with the infrequent development of a new technique or campaign. But there are classic examples in our history to guide us.

In other words, are we becoming obsolete simply because we refuse to evolve?

sc – no. If anything it is because we have drifted from the mission, lifted by redemption’s sociological consequences into comfortable complacency, bereft of the wonder-working, world-winning faith in the power of the Gospel.

· Or, does our raison d'être still exist, but for a host of reasons we are unable or unwilling to fulfil it?

sc – Ah, Bale comes around to his point here. Unable? Due to the magnitude of the problem? Well, the Lord is able to save a nation in a day, so, no. Due to our covenant-breaking faithlessness? More likely. Unwilling? Yes – we have become co-opted in too many places by the world system such that we respond as societal authorities do to protest and rebellion and demonstration instead of as the victims, the marginalizes, the oppressed with whom we used to identify.

Could anyone really argue that our raison d'être has been fulfilled? Can we rest on our pitchforks content that ‘all is safely gathered in’?

sc – No.

Without doubt our raison d'être remains – so does the prevalent decline within our ranks point to our failure in trying to meet it?

sc – Yes, undoubtedly.

Are there better ways of meeting our God-given objectives?

sc – better than we are using now? Yes.

Are there other organisations better equipped than we are at reaching the lost?

sc – certainly there are some doing it more effectively.

Has our ‘candlestick’ been removed from its place and given to some other more worthy denomination?

sc – God help us.

Are there examples of best practice that we would do well to follow?

sc – Sure. People dismiss campaigns but Bonnke saves hundreds of millions. People try to co-opt the cell system into existing programme-based corps but without exception the largest churches in the world are cell-based.

Dare I say that most of the advances within the contemporary Church in recent years are nothing more than the rediscovered weapons that we as a movement once used effectively but discarded in the name of progress?

sc – ouch.

Is our reluctance to reclaim our traditional ‘Cathedral’ (the open-air) down to the fact that evangelism outside our halls just doesn’t work or because taking evangelism outside our halls is a risk we don’t want to take?

sc – I think I blogged that the last open air I attended, last quarter, resulted in more than 20 conversions.

Is our reluctance to wear uniform born out of a genuine belief that it creates a barrier between us and those we are trying to reach or is it that wearing a uniform makes us both accountable and available?

sc – or, more so, that it is uncomfortable and expensive to buy and maintain…

Do we wince at the military metaphor because in a world of increasing militarism it has developed negative connotations or is it simply easier to be a member than it is to be a soldier?

sc – amen. Member is easier than soldier. Member is FAR LESS effective and useful than soldier.

Do we need another Pentecost?

sc - Urgently.

Has our failure to fulfill our raison d'être got more to do with impotent personnel than with outdated methodology?

sc – tragically.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Holy. now.
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. (is it in you? Let it out today - witness to Jesus' saving power!)
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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

February 4, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2EMV)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Have you read the brand new JAC65 yet (top right)? It's good. More below...
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People are wondering what a corps is. Well, here is the original definition:

“A Salvation Army Corps is a band of people united together to attack and Christianise an entire town or village.” William Booth. (hat tip Andrew Clark)
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Tuesday's isalvos.com meeting has had a bunch of views since it ended. It could be because you get to hear the world premiere of Phil Laeger's FRIENDS OF CHRIST Sessional Song that will be introduced at the Cadets Welcome on Sunday in AUS Territory. You can listen and watch on demand to hear it and a bunch more...

At the end of that iSalvos salvocast someone asked for some verses to support the salvo position on holiness. Here is just a taste of a bunch from the 1940 Handbook of Doctrine:

Sabbath ‘sanctified’ (set apart and dedicated) – Gen 2:3;
Priests sanctified – Ex 28:41;
Tabernacles vessels sanctified – Ex 30:29;
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Rom 7:14 – unregenerate man is under sin;
Rom 6:14 – regenerate man is over sin (sin shall not have dominion over you);
Rom 6:22 – sanctified person is without sin (free from all sin).
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Sanctification is described in various ways:

Entire sanctification – 1 Thess 5:23;
Clean heart – Psalm 51:10;
Pure heart – Mat 5:8; 1 Tim 1:5;
Holiness – Heb 12:10; 1 Thess 3:13; 4:7
Perfect love – Mat 5:48; 2 Tim 3:17; Col 4:12; 1 John 4:18; Col 3:14;
Blameless life – Phil 2:15; 1 Cor 1:8; Col 1:21,21;
Dwelling place of God – Is 57:15 Eph 3:19;
Law fulfillment – Rom 13:10;
Fully following – Num 32:12; Num 14:24;
Dead to sin/alive to God – Rom 6:11; 1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:2; Rom 8:2;
Sin/Flesh/Old man crucified/destroyed/put off/ done away with – Rom 6:6; Col 3:9; Gal 5:24;
Altogether good – Mat 12:33; 2 Cor 1:12; Act 24:16;
Walking with God – Ge 5:22; 1 John 1:7; Micah 6:8;
Rest of soul – Heb 4:3; Mat 11:29; Is 26:3;
Likeness to God – Rom 8:29; 1 John 4:17; Eph 4:24.

Praise the Lord. Thank Him for His infallible Word that describes an amazing experience in so many different ways. May it become your testimony as you meditate on these truths.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Check out http://peoplecount.salvationarmy.org.au/?ZgoLELwS for Commissioner Knaggs's weekly podcast.
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The War College (thewarcollege.com) is a hardcore incarnational training school in campuses in different parts of the world. Are you looking to get trained up to be a warrior of Jesus aggressively fighting to win the world for Jesus? Check it out.
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The Twitter experiment continues at right (feel free to click and follow).
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Holy. now.
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In JAC65 (the UKI edition) Captain Lynne Davis teaches about blessings and curses. This could provide the basis of a brand new freedom in your life if you read it devotionally. Why not check it and the other solid contributions out (armybarmy.com/jac.html)?
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. (Is IT in you? Let it out? Share it around? The best expression of love to an independent is to preach a compelling Gospel. Share the love)
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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

February 3, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2BP;KB;MS)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Have you read the brand new JAC yet? Captain Andrew Bale goes off on our raison d'etre. It is hardcore. Here's an extreme claim: "there is very little the contemporary Church has ‘discovered’ that wasn’t used by, or even initiated by, The Salvation Army." Read the whole thing up at JAC (top right).
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So I recently had my second opportunity to participate on isalvos.com weekly meeting. The first time was in November, on evangelism. This one was on holiness with Olivia Munn, Phil Laeger, and Rowan Castle and hosts Bev and Grant Whitehead. You can watch every single meeting they've had, though it is better to be there live so you can engage in the running chat and contribute to the discussion. This is a great new way to juice up for the salvation war. You may want to lock it into your schedules.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Those Salvo Publishing resources are available right here: http://www.salvationarmy.com.au/supplies/categories.asp?cID=101
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Holy. now.
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Some are wondering about the AUS Territory's 210 in 2010 campaign. This is how the O+R weighs in:

"A corps - a Salvation Army unit established for the propagation of the gospel." O+R for Corps Officers Ch1Sect4pp1a (p5)

You don't have to have a hall or a home league, a X number of soldiers and local officers, or band and songsters. Different corps will look different based on the different fronts on which they fight, the different people they have fighting, and the different tactics they deploy to win the district for Jesus.
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Here are some handy resources for the salvation war on the local front:

http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/corpsresources/
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. As the (gatorade?) commercial asks, 'is it in you?'

Here's one to share with your friends:

http://www.greatcom.org/laws/english/flash/
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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

February 2, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JS)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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The report of the 125th anniversary of Brengle's sanctification - Sanctification Day - is here:

http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_ihq_general.nsf/vw-news/677F66FF7EF19C5E802576B0005DB1C4?opendocument

It all happened at Boston Common, of course, and the eponymous book can be obtained at SALVO PUBLISHING page at AUS TRADE. Buy all the SALVO Publishing books here (we plug several of them time and again):

http://www.salvationarmy.com.au/supplies/categories.asp?cID=101
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Have you dug into the new JAC yet? JAC65 - the UKI issue - features a gutsy approach by Major Stephen Poxon, who writes a response to the General's plenary at the international conference of leaders, not dissimilar to the inevitable opposition rebuttal to the State of the Union or Throne speeches. JAC65 is worth a look if for nothing but that.

But there is much more... (top right) - and comments to revolution@ mcccxx.net
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Holy. now.
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iSalvos has Olivia Munn and Rowan Castle and Phil Laeger on live at 5am EST Tuesday (9pm in Sydney). But you can watch it on demand... It looks like the topic might be holiness...
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Remember the poor.
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Who have you evangelised in the last 48 hours? Let me reword it - who have you met without distractions for a few minutes in the last 48 minutes? (you can evangelise nearly all such people)
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

February 1, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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JAC65 is now up! Check it out at the top right.

February - March 2010
Issue # 65

-Editorial Introduction - UK edition
Guest Editor, Captain Andrew Clark
-Raison d'être
Captain Andrew Bale
-Blessings and Curses
Captain Lynne Davis
-Living Out Salvationist Charism
Eleanor Burne-Jones
-Vintage UK: 'Tears'
Commissioner George Scott Railton
-The Army Bride
Captain Tanya Dooley
-Poem: Fed Up!
Captain Tanya Dooley
-The General's Keynote Address at International Leaders Conference: one Officer's Response
Major Stephen Poxon
-Time for Action
David Lumm
-Unleashing the Apostolic Genius in The Salvation Army
Captain Andrew Clark
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Peter Brookshaw gives a different take on holiness in his blog (at right). You'll want to check it out and size yourself up. Now, the danger with this perspective is that it could become a check list to run through. But that's not the point. If Bale gives the max standard that we posted on yesterday, Brookie wonders about drawing the line at the minimum point.

Don't forget, though, that holiness can't be truly measured by a list. It is Holy Spirit filling you. The suggestions in that blog are helps to expose carnality/ lack of holiness/ need for Holy Spirit-filling. That is a useful tool to lead you (back?) to sanctification.
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Holy. now.
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iSalvos.com has an international panel live on holiness at 10pm Tuesday Kamchatka time (noon Harare; 10am Reykjavik; 4am San Salvador). Yes, you can watch it on demand later but if you don't catch it live you can't get into the discussion...
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Remember the poor.
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I had occasion recently to be with a good evangelist. We were both in uniform. We were both prayed-up and fasted up, ready for battle. We were approached by someone asking, 'what do you do with The Salvation Army?' 'We're the guys who try to get everyone saved... are you saved?' And the conversation advanced effortlessly from there with the gospel being preached and contact information being exchanged. (no visible results yet) It can't be that hard for you to evangelise if you are prayed-up, fasted up, trained up, and geared up to get people saved. Go for souls (goforsouls.com).
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 31, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2DB)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Cadets throughout the southern hemisphere are starting training college right now... Here is some free advice:

Treat college like your first appointment. You know the length.

a.You have great potential influence (what other appointment in all the Army allows close access to so many SA leaders and future leaders? - your session mates, the session ahead, the session behind, the training staff...).

b. This allows you to avoid victim mentality.

c. This postures you to optimise opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God.

d. Exploit this opportunity. Many have said that if you become a good officer you will never again have as much time as you will in college. Get sanctified.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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210 in 2010 Campaign - the Australia Southern Territory is aiming to start a lot of corps this year. Word has it that four are being opened today in various parts of the country. Praise the Lord. It sounds absolutely Kenyan. May God prosper the plans.
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Holy. now.
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A lot of people read armybarmy (thanks). Many are soldiers with busy lives and challenging families and demanding jobs and pressing corps responsibilities and a bit of time to check in to the salvosphere. I recognise that not all such people have time or inclination to look into our take on holiness as deeply as you might find profitable. That said, I strongly urge you to take a close look.

It can be transformative.

There are heaps of resources out there. You can read a short chapter in an old Handbook of Doctrine. You can read classics by Brengle like HELPS TO HOLINESS, RESURRECTION LIFE AND POWER, HEART TALKS ON HOLINESS or others. You can read shorter pieces by William Booth (PURITY OF HEART), Allister Smith (MADE WHOLE), Ed Read (I BELIEVE IN THE DAWN), and so on. You can read newer books like HOLINESS UNWRAPPED, NEW LOVE, THE UPRISING, BOSTON COMMON, HOLINESS INCORPORATED, and more.

But don't just learn about it. Press in and experience it.
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Remember the poor.
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Try out Andrew Bale on St. Francis in his post this week (at right). It is a keeper on perfect joy. Let's set the bar up there.
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Australians are the worst sinners in the world according to British research.

http://www.news.com.au/national/australia-ranked-world-number-one-for-sinning/story-e6frfkvr-1225824525361

I guess we'd better start as many corps as possible (since Peter Wagner says, "The best method under heaven for evangelism is church planting. There never was a better method and there never will be").
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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Who does Jesus want you to evangelise? Why not ask Him?
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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

January 30, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JM;NE)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Holiness, covenant, world-winning mission. That's what we're all about. Watch this take:

We believe in the infallible Word of God.

We believe there is only one God.

We believe in the trinitarian Godhead.

We believe in the divine and human person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in original sin.

We believe in atonement that makes it possible for everyone to be saved.

We believe that repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.

We believe that Holy Spirit testifies to our justification by grace through faith.

We believe that we can lose our salvation through habitual, intentional sin.

We believe we are to be holy. We're part a dwindling number of believers in Scriptural holiness. We believe that God both commands and enables us to be holy. And that changes everything.

We believe in judgement, in the endless punishment of the wicked, and the eternal happiness of the righteous.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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I used to read Scripture with a deluded cultist each week on my War Cry route. I'd strategically pick texts that would expose the false doctrine that had hoodwinked her. She'd be ticked off by it. It is a little sad that I anticipate that the summarising of salvo doctrines might elicit similar response from the odd salvo...

(if you have a problem with any of the doctrines, why not check out the handbook of doctrine?)
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Holy. now.
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The UKI edition of JAC is coming out on February 1 (Vancouver time). Tune in for a great looking issue. Check out isalvos.com for the latest salvo table talk.
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Remember the poor.
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This is the famous video by CHRIST FOR ALL NATIONS from 2006 about the goal of 100 million souls in the past decade. We've posted on goals this week. This is one of the biggest ever. Back in 2006 they had 42 million. I can't locate online the result now that the decade is over. Watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PFbMHSQt50&feature=related
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Andrew Clark talks about talking about Jesus in his 'travels' post. It should be an inspiratoin in your evangelising:

http://theblindbeggar.blogspot.com/
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 29, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Samuel Ljungblahd & Nikki Ross singing Kirk Franklin's - "Don't Cry" [HD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sYr2Baifzg

Here's a salvo singing with Kirk Franklin. You will want to check it out (hat tip Eric HImes). Or watch it at isalvos.com.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
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‘I see a conflict—a fight—no! More than a fight—a long-continued war… I see again a vast multitude of the miserable, the lonely, the outcasts of Earth . . . the cry of whose agony has come up to Heaven. And I see everywhere among them the mighty blessings conferred upon them by our social operations. I look, and there rises up before my eyes the mightiest and most practical body of Salvation missionaries as yet known upon the Earth. Not less than 100,000 officers, men and women, of all nations, races and tongues, whose business it is to make Salvation known.’

- General William Booth

So, you may remember that Noland shot for the moon with massive targets for expansion of the salvation war in USE. By 2007 he wanted 700 corps, with an average of 70 soldiers each, among other things. But he retired in 2002 and we haven't heard much about those goals since. Larsson set a target of 2 million in 2010 - soldiers (JS/SS) and adherents. But then he retired in 2006 and we've heard very little since (and the 2010 year book is not in my Trade yet so I can't update you). The Koreans have thrown out goals for 2025. Time will tell if we will remember them when each of us is 15 years older than today.

Continuity is key. I'm all for goals, but short term targets are necessarily modest while longer goals are susceptible to strategic leadership change (or mission fatigue, or embarrassment from obvious failure).

As one who is pumping mmccxx (new outposts in 2,000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years - down to 15 years left right now -- and God is blessing it heaps these days, thanks!), I'm aware of the dangers of fatigue or embarrassment. However, God-willing, those involved will all be around in 15 years and we don't have to worry about leadership transfers.

All of that is preface to Booth's vision of 100,000 officers that we posted above. Senior leaders can't seriously tackle that goal - practically quadrupling our officer corps globally - because most of them will be retired before we could realistically reach that target (the dangers of fatigue and embarrassment also come into play).

I guess what we're looking for today is some leaders in the salvosphere who have 20 years or more and are captivated by Booth's vision. It doesn't mean you have to be under 45 (retirement age less 20). But it does mean that you are game to focus on it in the face of fatigue and embarrassment.

It is a massive challenge, one requiring God's partnership. If you fit the description in the last paragraph, why not give it a little prayer and see where God takes us (revolution @ mmccxx.net).

This goes for our post at the start of the year about shooting for all 200 countries by 2020 - We are in 119 (officially) and eight/year is not too much of a stretch. However, we are likely to have at least three and maybe four generals during this decade and the leadership continuity challenge stares us in the face.
----
Holy. now.
----
Social Impact:

“With the weaving industry will ever be associated the name of the late Major Frank Maxwell. Beginning with experiments in rough packing case wood, Maxwell constructed the automatic handloom which carried his fame far beyond India, being awarded first prize at one exhibition after another. Light yet strong, cheap and easy to manipulate, after thirty years some of the earliest of these cam-action looms are still in working order. They are used not only in The Army’s Institutions, but in many Indian homes; they are also a favourite with hundreds of Mahatma Gandhi’s Swadeshi (home-industry) folk” (SOCIAL EVILS THE ARMY HAS CHALLENGED. Carvosso Gauntlett, p40).
----
Remember the poor.
----
"We are moral scavengers netting the very sewers. We want all we can get, but we want the lowest of the low." (William Booth) Who's up for a little sewer evangelism 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

January 28, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Peter Wagner says, "The best method under heaven for evangelism is church planting. There never was a better method and there never will be."

I know a corps - not that big - that started a corps an hour down the road in a 'town' of about 1,500 people.

I know a corps that is about a year and a half old (80 on Sundays) that has plans to start five more in the neighbouring district.

I know a country town corps that has started five congregations and an outpost (with another on the way) in the last few years.

You don't have to be the biggest corps in the country to start corps. And it is the best method, according to Wagner, of advancing the great commission.

And, money is not a limit (see yesterday's post about selling war crys).
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Check out salvos.org.au/light for the online component of a free evangelistic television campaign the salvos ran right after Christmas (and people got saved!).
----
Holy. now.
----
USA Pew poll found the top priorities for people in 2010 (with salvo commentary):

Economy

sc - a stable one sure makes our efforts easier, if not simpler;

Jobs

sc - those employed ought to be grateful for the opportunity;

Terrorism

sc - #3 on the list. I wonder if it is like the 'nuclear threat' a generation ago - adults all thought kids should be stressed by it, but it did not really register at all; That said, it is a dynamic in our salvation warfighting such that Major Geoff Ryan included some expertise with Islam as a requirement for the last general (before the last high council -- and it elected a leader who served in a Mulsim country);

Social Security
Education

sc - I know it is a fave of mine, but the strongest Salvation Army territories are those which run schools. It is a causal relationship;

Medicare

sc - those in countries with social welfare net should not take it for granted (whether or not it is the 'best' system);

Deficit reduction
Health care
Helping the poor

sc - hey, one that we own! And it made the top ten! And it is way ahead of... well, everything below it;

Military
Energy
Health insurance
Crime
Moral decline

sc - this is both symptom of our challenges and an opportunity for our offensive;

Finance reg.
Environment

sc - "all things bright and beautiful... the Lord God made them all."

Tax cuts
Immigration

sc - this is a big issue for people I know (in that they want to open the doors to those who want in);

Lobbyists
Trade policy
Global warming.

sc - lobbyists is ranked two places higher than GW!

http://people-press.org/reports/images/584-1.gif
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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I neglected to hat tip Craig Stephens yesterday for the William Booth and CH for the birthday. Craig is a great evangelist who is piecing together a territorial network of evangelists. Apparently, on top of territorial evangelist, divisional evangelists are being made. The office of evangelist is being honoured (instead of being cursed). Territorial Evangelist is a noble appointment in salvo tradition. We'd do well to try various methods of stirring up evangelism throughout the ranks (JS, SS, officers). The network and the appointments help.

Modelling evangelism is another way. Why not get out there and do a little modelling today?
----
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

January 27, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
As a DC years ago, Lieut-Colonel Ian Hamilton financed the opening of two corps - Reservoir and Footscray - on the back of pub booming Friday nights. There's an example of a can-do guy (what? no money? that won't stop us - I'll sell war crys). What an example to the rest of us.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Tim Tebow is huge in North America - apparently a fantastic Christian guy who happens to be an amazing college football player. He's due to appear in a commercial during the Super Bowl ($2.5 million a pop) which will tell how his mom decided not to abort her baby and it turned out to be Tim. It is causing a big stir in the States about politics and Christianity in the public square. One respondent on the link below, though, makes a great point: "How is this political or christian? I'm an atheist, but I'm opposed to the killing of children. This is not really a Christian or political issue, but only another civil rights issue."

And that is the key. When we position pro-life as a civil rights issue instead of a Christian litmus test we will win, I expect.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/campuschatter/2010/01/univ-of-florida-anticipates-tim-tebow-ad.html (hat tip Phil Laeger)
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Holy. now.
----
I was on the receiving end in response to my post this week about the USA SA pro life positional statement being solid pro life. Here is the pertinent part, with comment:

"The Salvation Army holds to the Christian ideals of chastity before marriage and fidelity within the marriage relationship and, consistent with these ideals,

sc - amen.

"...It is opposed to abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection or for any reason of mere convenience to avoid the responsibility for conception.

sc - so far so good.

"Therefore, when an unwanted pregnancy occurs, The Salvation Army advises that the situation be accepted and that the pregnancy be carried to term, and offers supportive help and assistance with planning.

sc - great.

"The Salvation Army recognizes tragic and perplexing circumstances that require difficult decisions regarding a pregnancy.

sc - there is nothing here suggesting that we figure that in such cases you should abort. We just recognise that some situations require 'difficult decisions'. I expect that either decision would be difficult when there are tragic and perplexing circumstances.

"Such decisions should be made only after prayerful and thoughtful consideration, with appropriate involvement of the woman's family and pastoral, medical and other counsel.

sc - This is good advice, that pastoral involvement is involved in the prayerful consideration before that decision is made. If people follow that advice then no baby would ever be aborted.

"A woman in these circumstances needs acceptance, love and compassion.

sc - amen. Whichever choice is made, we want to demonstrate acceptance, love, and compassion.

"When an abortion has taken place, The Salvation Army will continue to show love and compassion and to offer its services and fellowship to those involved.

sc - an excellent posture. This is a good statement (not the best, but good).
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Remember the poor.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
----
"Success in soul winning is dependent upon the one great immutable principle in the economy of grace, and that is the pentecostal baptism of the Holy Ghost... plead the baptism of the Holy Ghost every hour as you must." William Booth
----
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

January 26, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2PH;AI)

Happy Australia Day.

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
700 salvos in the toughest spots in Haiti:

http://www.dailygate.com/articles/2010/01/25/news/doc4b5dd8cf8234c112995473.txt
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
This pro-life position for the Army is causing some concern. Part of the problem is that there are different positions in different places (and different times, but that is another post). Here is the position statement from the USA website:

Abortion

"The Salvation Army believes in the sanctity of all human life and considers each person to be of infinite value and each life a gift from God to be cherished, nurtured and redeemed. Human life is sacred because it is made in the image of God and has an eternal destiny. (Genesis 1:27) Sacredness is not conferred, nor can it be taken away by human agreement.

"The Salvation Army deplores society's ready acceptance of abortion, which reflects insufficient concern for vulnerable persons, including the unborn. (Psalms 82:3-4)

"The Salvation Army holds to the Christian ideals of chastity before marriage and fidelity within the marriage relationship and, consistent with these ideals, supports measures to prevent crisis pregnancies. It is opposed to abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection or for any reason of mere convenience to avoid the responsibility for conception. Therefore, when an unwanted pregnancy occurs, The Salvation Army advises that the situation be accepted and that the pregnancy be carried to term, and offers supportive help and assistance with planning.

"The Salvation Army recognizes tragic and perplexing circumstances that require difficult decisions regarding a pregnancy. Such decisions should be made only after prayerful and thoughtful consideration, with appropriate involvement of the woman's family and pastoral, medical and other counsel. A woman in these circumstances needs acceptance, love and compassion.

"When an abortion has taken place, The Salvation Army will continue to show love and compassion and to offer its services and fellowship to those involved."
----
This is a clear pro-life statement. It does not allow any situation in which abortion would be legitimate. There is some word in the salvosphere that there is or will be international statements on different issues. If that is the case, then this one would be better than others we have seen around the world on the pro-life issue.
----
Thank God for the committed, covenanted soldiers around the world who serve the Lord with a willing heart because they want to, not because they have to. It is an encouragement and challenge to see faithfulness in action and the fruits of such faithfulness. Hallelujah.
----
Holy. now.
----
Stay tuned for the special UKI edition of JAC coming next week. There is a great line up from guest editor Captain Andrew Clark (read his blog at right).
----
Remember the poor.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail. Share that love with someone today (e.g. Jesus died for your sins; rose again; is coming back; we each need to repent and believe and follow Jesus all the way to heaven...).
----
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

January 25, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AA)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Today is the Monday between the weekend and Australia Day. A colonel told me that 1/2 million Australians called in sick today. A captain told me that this was an epidemic of biblical proportions and that we should call the rest of the country to fast and pray.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
You know that we are 'pro-life', don't you? Our great God and King is the creator of all life and the redeemer of life, the saviour of life. He does what is divinely possible to spare life. There is a sanctity to human life made in His image. He values it. We reflect Him and His values.

That means we are 'pro-life'. We cannot condone the murder of an innocent for any reason. There is no wrong that can be balanced or avenged by such a murder. In the childish equation, two wrongs don't make a right.

Now, in discussion on this issue, which has come to the fore again in the salvosphere in an unflattering way, it was put to me - would you be willing for the Army to go sacramental if that was the only way for us to be absolutely pro-life?

Now, this is a complete hypothetical, of course, and I see no scenario that such a choice could be necessary. And loyal armybarmy readers will know my considered conviction on sacraments.

But the clear answer is 'yes'.
----
There is an old Audio Adrenaline song, GOOD PEOPLE, about God's people that you meet in all spheres of life. What a blessing it is to cross path with the committed people of God. Thank You, Lord, for them. Bless 'em, heaps, please.
----
Holy. now.
----
Here's a new adjective for you: 'Kenyan'- as in, 'what AUS Territory is trying to do, starting a corps every week in 2010, is positively Kenyan.' God bless Kenya. God bless 210 in 2010.
----
Don't forget to pray for our General every lunchtime.
----
HONESTLY - great title, by the way - is Phil Laeger's forthcoming solo album. He's been busy since he moved to Australia, driving or participating in a handful of CDs. Praise God. I heard a taste of the new one, due out next month. Save your cash to pick up your copy.
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Remember the poor.
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Jesus is coming soon. It's true. Who knows when? All I know is that the kingdom of God is at hand. He is in our midst, saving, forgiving, healing, restoring, succouring, supporting, sharing... Are your priorities reflective of His present and coming kingdom? Are your conversations with independents reflecting the enormous love of God and the urgency of the hour?
----
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

January 24, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2DL)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
I saw a bunch of candidates get farewelled to the training college recently; and some envoys made; and a bunch of officers transferred. The Army is on the march. Praise the Lord.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
My friend got healed recently. She needed a hearing aid and now she doesn't. Healed by the Lord. Hallelujah.
----
Holy. now.
----
I just finished BRAVE AND TRUE. It is the first published book by Anthony Castle (though he's got more up his sleeve). He has some notoriety in couple of territories for having written the foreword to THE UPRISING: A holy revolution? This book is also aimed at teens. It's a novella. And it is thoroughly salvo. Anthony has some gifts to complement his training and talents. PRaise God. You'll love it. Order it from your nearest Trade and if they can't help - email me - revolution @mmccxx.net.
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Remember the poor.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail. It is the strategy for 2010. LOVE. Have you got it? Do you do it?
----
Here's a salvation pitch you can share with your independent friends to start up some evangelism (hat tip Jimmy Man):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YWbgYyGX7g&feature=related
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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

January 23, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Mission Maker Magazine (missionmakermagazine.org) has some useful statistics on the world (2007):
population: 6.577858027 bil
Christian: 2.179897218 bil (includes everyone calling themselves Christian)
non: 4.398061809 bil
----
Of the Christian total...
Great Commission Christian- 699 mil
partially committed- 1.364 bil
uncommitted- 117 mil
(nice categories. From which category would you want the Christian on whom you depend to visit and evangelise your dying relative to be, or the one who teaches your kid in college, or the one who has your back as you confront the enemy?)
----
62% of Christians live in the Global South. 56% of all Christians are 'non-white'.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
I've come across this pretty good corps with people into:

- non-stop prayer;
- relationships;
- no Sunday meeting;
- cells;
- justice;
- cafe (!);
- covenant;
- simplicity and poor people...

Is it emergent? Or is it primitive salvationist?

It's a pretty good corps, praise God (of course, it is also into other things, like holiness and discipling and world-winning plans (in this case, mmccxx), but I didn't want to muddy the emergent waters in the description) (in other words, it is primitive salvationist corps in a huge way - those not catching PS might check out the Myths of PS in a recent blog).
----
Holy. now.
----
"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 River 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 our Lord Jesus Christ." (Catherine Booth, in John Rhemick. A NEW PEOPLE OF GOD. p202,203)
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Remember the poor.
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“Great crowds of working people came to hear me preach; a large number were convinced of sin by the Holy Spirit, and many of them responded to my invitations to come to Christ for salvation. Encouraged by what I saw in Whitechapel, and finding other parts of the Metropolis equally necessitous, I visited some of them, with equally gratifying results. Much enthusiasm was created and many of the converts became my regular coworkers.

“These I met regularly every week, personally instructing them in the things of God, counselling them in the difficulties that they had to contend with, encouraging them to persevere, and showing them how to do the work they had undertaken.

“Some of the converts resided in other parts of London, and they soon commenced themselves to hold meetings, and to win souls in their own localities. I was entreated to care for these also... I was... driven to select men and women who I knew to be lovers of souls and living holy lives, for the purpose of caring for these new converts... The Lord was with them in great power, and hundreds of wicked and godless people were converted and united together in separate societies. (General William Booth)
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail. Don't fail the love of Jesus.
----
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

January 22, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AH-C;MS)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
AUE Territory has corps baseline measures to evaluate corps. It looks like a helpful document. Here is an example:

Main Meeting Average Attendance is 52. Your Corps is above the
baseline of 50 people.

Baseline 1 - Number of Conversions in the last 12 months is 40. Your
Corps is above the baseline by 37 people.
Baseline 2 - Population of your Corps district is 5000. Your Corps is
above the baseline by 2 people.
Baseline 3 - Is planned giving operating at your Corps - No. Your
Corps has NOT achieved the baseline.
Baseline 4 - Total offering amount per person is $ 13. Your Corps is
below the baseline by $7 per person.
Baseline 5 - Number of people attending Bible Study groups each week
is 0. Your Corps is below the baseline by 12 people.
Baseline 6 - Number of people attending Prayer Meetings each week is
10 (monthly). Your Corps is above the baseline by 5 people.
Baseline 7 - Your Corps has 2 Childrens activities each week. Your
Corps has achieved the baseline.
Baseline 8 - Your Corps has 2 Need Based groups each week. Your Corps
has achieved the baseline.
Baseline 9 - 2 people in the last 10 years have been called to
Officership or Missionary work. Your Corps is above the baseline by
1.5 people.
Baseline 10 - 4 Soldiers and Adherents were made in 2008 or 2009. Your
Corps is above the baseline by 2 people.

Your Corps baseline score is 7 out of 10. To be healthy, you must
score a baseline of 7. Your Corps is at the baseline.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
The next JAC is coming up soon. It is a special UKI Territory issue, guest-edited by Captain Andrew Clark up in Scotland. Read up the current issue so you are ready to go on February 1.
----
Holy. now.
----
See Danielle Strickland's blog on the booby trap (at right).
----
Remember the poor.
----
I know a guy who thinks any elevator ride with a person over five floors is a divine appointment to preach the gospel. So he does. And another I know hits gas station attendants whenever there isn't a big lineup with the gospel. I know another who can talk to anyone for five minutes and then they're spilling their guts to him in response to a compassionate gospel. These types have heaps of fruit.

What distinguishes them from most Christians? Well, they intentionally evangelise, a lot. They are all 'fessed up. They are empowered by the Holy Spirit. You can fess up. You can get filled with the Sprit. Then just evangelise, a lot.
----
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

January 21, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MP)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
WORLD YOUTH CONVENTION update: join the community at connect.raisedup.org!

"The World Youth Conventions interactive website is now ready, created exclusively for you as a delegate to the WYC, and you are encouraged to invite your friends, so that we together will create the largest ever global network of members of The Salvation Army!

"Use the network to:
- Form friendships across borders
- Share your faith and involvement in Army mission
- Share your dreams, hopes, concerns and the realities of your life and circumstances
- Gain a greater understanding of the issues facing the world today. The interconnected
issues of poverty and materialism the effect of your life-style choices on the global economy
- Be encouraged to read about all the great things that God is doing through young people around the world
- Be exited about the mission for which God RAISED UP the Army

"Remember to check out the WYC website www.raisedup.org which is continually updated and features relevant articles and discussion points."
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
UKI's NEO Network has been relaunched as UK614:

http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/vw-issue/D2613FA89240215C802576A80054079E?opendocument&id=927CE576DCDA2C5E802576A800520311

----
Holy. now.
----
Carrying on from yesterday's post, there is some question about water baptism. So here is a quick response Some might say:

1. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. That one baptism is Spirit baptism (without it we are not children of God);

2. John baptised with water BUT One was coming after him whose sandals he was not qualified to lace who would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire;

3. Jesus repeated John's words (#2) from His perspective, reiterating the obsolescence of water for baptism;

4. the command to be and the practice of being baptised in water are really the command to be and the practice of being identified with a group. Water baptism is not a Christian practice. John's baptism wasn't Christian. Neither was that of the Jews or other religions who carried the practice. What water baptism did for each of these groups is allow the one undergoing the ritual to publicly identify with the group s/he was joining. With the Jews it was for new proselytes, for John's it was identifying as one in need of repentance, for Christians it was testifying that they now joined the Christian tribe, and so on.

5. Water baptism as for the purpose of #4 is not as effective today as other methods. For example, a good Christian t-shirt worn through a busy mall can help you publicly identify with hundreds of people who don't know Jesus yet. But even the most popular among us would be very hard pressed to find hundreds of independents to come and watch us get water baptised.

6. That being the case, obedience to that baptism 'command' is publicly identifying with Jesus Christ, not getting dunked in water (or sprinkled, dipped, immersed, vaporised, etc.).

In summary, water baptism is not the one biblical baptism (#1), it is no longer endorsed (see #2,3), it is not necessarily Christian (#4), it is not a matter of obedience (#4,5,6), and it is not as effective obedience as other means (#5,6).

I hope that helps. No offence...
----
Conventional Wisdom: "That young people will leave in their droves if we put any pressure on them and so we treat them like spoilt children. That we don't actually believe God will help us wth conversions and so it is easier to grow an army of people that are just happier and in less physical pain than they were."

Let's stop this. Let's throw the standard at them and challenge their socks off. I reckon they'll dig it. I've seen it myself over and over. I experienced the conventional wisdom at a candidates seminar (as an accepted candidate) when one of the sessions was about all the financial benefits and perks of officership. It was enough to make some weaker comrades among us vomit. Who wants the soft and cushy life? Soft and cushy people, I guess.
----
Remember the poor.
----
The love of Jesus in you does not fail.

Remember, we're here to win as many souls as we can before we get to heaven. If we're not going hard on that, we might as well go to heaven now - no reason to stick around burning carbon... (bust some souls!)
----
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

January 20, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Strange views? (yesterday's post) So it turns out that 'strange' is in the eye of the beholder. It is worth a bit more explanation...

devil- yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on the devil and on demons. Part of the 'strange'ness of this issue is the paucity of teaching on it, resulting in extremes of 'no devil' and 'demons under every song book' mistakes. But the devil and demons are alive and active in our warfare. Salvos through history have been aware of this dynamic (see Demonised Salvos? in a recent JAC - top right).

spiritual warfare - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on spiritual warfare. We follow with the Booths, Booth-Tucker, Railton, and the other heroes in our awareness of and engagement in spiritual warfare. God help us all become more effective.

healing - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on healing. General Booth's FAITH HEALING O+R is solid guidleline for salvos everywhere. Glory to God for all of the healing He is doing in people's lives. Stay tuned for a forthcoming book by James Thompson on this very topic (salvos and miracles).

holiness - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on holiness. I know some think it strange that we line up with Wesley, Finney, Booth, Brengle, Smith, and Read that we can actually be holy, now, and that we should be. But the Bible teaches it, several Biblical saints model it, Jesus expects it, the Father delights to give it, Holy Spirit enables it, and the devil can't change my mind.

loss of salvation - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on this. Some think it strange that we believe that you can lose your salvation. Here is the formula - intentional + habitual sin = loss of salvation.

the Bible - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on the Bible. Booth describes the Bible by saying that God has put His heart on paper. It bleeds the love of Christ. It is God-breathed (Paul's term, not mine), meaning that it is the word of God, not that it contains the word of God. It is infallible.

spiritual gifts - yes, we hold to Salvation Army belief on spiritual gifts. We're all for all of them. Holy Spirit disseminates them as He desires. To be merely open is a sin.

victory - yes, he hold to Salvation Army belief on victory. Some think it strange that we actually believe that we shall win if we fight in the strength of the King. Again, that makes WB, CB, and the rest strange on this point. Jesus points to a harvest (Matthew 13) at the end of the age. Revelation 7 points to a massive harvest from every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation. Let's get on the front end of Catherine Booth's prophecy to help make it happen.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
I guess what I find strange is that some people involved in the Army think it strange that we actually believe all of this (above and yesterday) stuff that the Army teaches and that it is. We believe it. On our good days we live it, by God's help. I find it strange that there are some people in the Army who find this strange.
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Holy. now.
----
Why do you think some Army people find it strange? It comes down to influence, yet again. The primary Christian influences in their lives - tv, internet, radio, music, etc. - are not salvo. So they suck in heaps of good stuff, but with it some doctrine and practice that are not Army. And this goes for salvo preacehrs, too. These people are in the same boat so some of them end up teaching what they have seen and heard - usually not salvo doctrine and practice. Do you see the crisis?

Even 'salvo' sources are often not salvo in content. This includes internet, Sunday preaching, corps Bible studies, some SA college stuff, and even books!

What is the solution? If you cannot be sure what is really salvo, here are a few suggestions:
1. trust us. That allows you to read JAC, seven years of armybarmy archives, armybarmy.com. thewarcollege.com, mmccxx, a pile of CDs, and a bunch of books;
2. read the dead guys. Read William Booth, Catherine Booth, George Scott Railton, Booth-Tucker, Brengle, and others. They made it up. It is straight from the horses' mouth(s).
3. live it. It proves contagious. Because it works, people are attracted to it. And it grows.

In the eight myths of primitive salvationism article (which we re-posted recently) the suggestion is that PS will win out in the end because it believes the most. WHy not take the plunge?
----
Remember the poor.
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And the strategy for all of this is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ filling us and overflowing us to those independents with whom we interact. God help you and me to interact with a bunch today and in coming days so that His love can splash out.
----
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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 19, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2CW;PA;HS;PJWS;NER;ha2G+GS;P+GM)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
When we cut through everything we are left with a God that loves our socks off, who cares about us more than we care about ourselves, who has done and continues to do whatever necessary to enable us to experience intimacy with Him and fullness through Him.

When we catch that eternal perspective priorities often change. We focus more on God and helping others connect with Him. We don’t struggle to fit rations in around our work schedule or our studies or our family time. We don’t neglect or resent intentional evangelism and discipling time. We invest our lives and our money in kingdom assets. We can testify with the Psalmist, ‘I was glad when they said to me ‘let us go into the house of God’.’

Is that your experience?
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Some people think that armybarmy has strange views on a few things. Here is a short list:
- Women in leadership. Our views are orthodox Salvationist in that we are all for women in leadership from a Biblical and strategic perspective. There is no reason to shy away from defending this position. It is solid and it is Biblical. Read up in JAC on the issue (or in archived blogs).
- Sacraments. Our views are orthodox Salvationist in that we are free from the sacraments. They go a bit beyond official Salvationism as outlined in a notorious JAC article (the unofficial sacramental position…).
- Sabbath. Our views are in line with the Holiness movement in lining up the Hebrews take on Sabbath rest as synonymous with sanctification. That means instead of taking a day off to fulfill the law you shoot for a continuous Sabbath rest.
- Salvationism. We advocate primitive Salvationism – charismatic-flavoured, mission-focussed heroism, the only proven strain of Salvationism (in terms of accomplishing mission). The ‘charismatic’ scares some people. Our take is that being ‘open’ to spiritual gifts (for example) is a sin, in that we are to ‘desire’ them. The heroism causes many to shy away, but when you scan the list of Railton, Booth-Tucker, Dean, Lee, Brengle, Lord, Fry, Booth, and others you have to be inclined to acknowledge that they were divinely heroic in the salvation warfighting.
Maybe there are more issues. Feel free to clarify (revolution @mmccxx.net). The point is, it isn’t that crazy. And God seems to like it.
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Holy. now.
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The first corps of the 210 in 2010 Campaign was opened on Sunday. The Barrington Lodge was upgraded from chapel to corps in light of God’s workings and intentions and in line with the vision of the DC and TC under the officer chaplain (now a CO as well). There are all kinds of visions and passions around the AUS Territory to add to this first one in adjacent districts to home corps, in HQs and social units, in new towns and villages, and in new sub-cultures. You can pray that God identifies leaders and plans.
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus is you does not fail. It doesn’t run out. There isn’t an expiry date or ‘best-before’ stamp. There is enough. There is enough for you AND for your friend who is currently aimlessly wandering to hell. Why not share it today?
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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

January 18, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JN;IT;GW;GS)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Not everyone has see this:

Booz Allen Hamilton Lists the World's Most Enduring Institutions

Joins with leading scholars to identify ten institutions that have adapted, endured and prevailed.

McLean, VA, December 16, 2004 — Why is it that some institutions endure for decades or even for centuries while others disappear into history? Booz Allen Hamilton has sponsored a novel project identifying ten of the World's Most Enduring Institutions over the past century. The list celebrates those institutions that have managed to reinvent themselves time and again — and remained market leaders — as the unique circumstances of their founding have given way to changing conditions.

"To implement the project, which was undertaken on the occasion of its 90th anniversary, Booz Allen asked distinguished scholars from respected universities across the United States to identify Enduring Institutions from an unrestricted field of worldwide public and private organizations. Their mandate was to create a definitive list of two in each of five categories based on seven specific criteria. While vastly diverse in origin, mission and size, the finalists share a common trait of having stood the test of time over decades, even centuries. Explained Dr. Ralph W. Shrader, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Booz Allen Hamilton, "An Enduring Institution is one that has changed and grown in unswerving pursuit of success and relevance — yet remained true through time to its founding principles."

"The ten institutions chosen within each category are:
Academic Institutions — Dartmouth College; Oxford University
Arts and Entertainment — The Modern Olympic Games; the Rolling Stones
Business and Commerce — General Electric; Sony
Government Institutions — American Constitution; International Telecommunication Union
Nonprofit Organizations — The Salvation Army; the Rockefeller Foundation
Each institution is recognized for its unique abilities to meet or exceed seven specific criteria for an Enduring Institution:
Innovative capabilities — The capacity to create and modify strategies based on market opportunities and threats.
Governance and leadership — A leadership structure and senior management team that promote an organization-wide commitment to enterprise resilience.
Information flow — A continual flow of information regarding an organization's operations and markets that is evaluated by senior management in making strategic decisions.
Culture and values — A working environment in which the adaptive qualities required for enterprise resilience are cultivated.
Adaptive response — The ability to withstand operational disruptions, market risks and other threats without significantly compromising an organization's effectiveness.
Risk structure — A system for managing risk that doesn't encumber or limit an organization's operations.
Legitimacy — The undisputed, withstanding credibility of an organization within its market.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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And you may not have read this:

Foundations of Brand Trust

"Grey Executive Chairman, Paul Gardner, said Australians based brand trust on foundations including consistency, delivery on promises and open communication.

"No argument here. Getting your product or service delivery consistently right simply gets you in to the game. You then need to communicate effectively and in an open manner your brand’s values and attributes. That doesn’t mean pounding your constituents over the head with incessant one-way messaging - the top four trusted brands, for example, are not major advertisers.

"Effective communication means listening. It means having a point of view. Something interesting to talk about with customers and other stakeholders. It requires patience (long term strategy versus knee-jerk short-term results), empathy and responsiveness.

"And as the Salvos have clearly demonstrated, providing a ‘human face’ behind the brand and staying true to one’s roots are powerful factors in building a strong sense of identity and authenticity. This is what people are after today. Glitzy chest-beating promotional activity might work in sporadic, tactical bursts but it won’t build the public’s trust in a brand. People want brands to add value to the conversation. To be involved in building and communicating with the community.

"Smart public relations, including social media and face-to-face activity, plays a key role in building trust via ongoing, strategic two-way communications.

Australia’s top 10 most trusted brands are:

1. Salvation Army
2. Google
3. Australia Post
4. Medicare
5. Bunnings
6. Cadbury
7. Sanitarium
8. Uncle Toby’s
9. Kellogg’s
10. Nokia
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Holy. now.
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Remember the poor.
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The Salvation Army is the most trusted, enduring brand and institution in the world, according to these two studies. Praise God. Let's use the trust and credibility to explain the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a compelling, faithful, bold, and loving manner to everyone we can.

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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 17, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Here's a strategy for kingdom advance:

"They go forth in Apostolic fashion, two-and-two living in a couple of the same kind of dens or rooms as are occupied by the people themselves, differing only in the cleanliness and order... they live all the year round, visiting the sick, looking after the children, showing the women how to keep themselves and their homes decent, often discharging the sick mother's duties themselves; cultivating peace, advocating temperance, counselling in temporalities, and ceaselessly preaching the religion of Jesus Christ to the Outcasts of Society."

This is the slum sisters...
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Holy. now.
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Major Alan Satterlee, in TURNING POINTS, How The Salvation Army found a different path, suggests that The Salvation Army is a bit like the platypus – a creature which defies classification because it is neither mammal nor fowl.

"The platypus is not too terribly bothered by the problems we humans have in classifying it. It simply is what it is. We in The Salvation Army need to quit wringing our hands about what is different about us and rejoice that God has allowed us our own distinct identity. People don’t know we’re a church? What a great opportunity to witness when we tell them! The social services folks don’t understand our motivation? What a great chance to share with them our understanding of Christian compassion! Because we have this freedom we are free to try things that others dare not. There is freedom in being different. Just ask the platypus."
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Remember the poor.
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'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. --William Booth
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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

January 16, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2RM)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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http://www.isalvos.com/ plays each of the INSANE meetings. Watch Rowan Castle on our 2010 strategy - LOVE WITHOUT STOPPING right there.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
In the southern half of the world hundreds of people are moving this week to new appointments and others are starting off on their first appointments. Here are a couple of reminders: 1. you are not your appointment; 2. you are not your rank.
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Holy. now.
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There are also a bunch of people starting in training colleges around the southern half of the world - here is a piece of advice for each of you:

Treat college like your first appointment. It is a rare opportunity to know the length of your appointment. It is a rare opportunity to influence many leaders and future leaders regularly over a long period of time (staff officers, session mates, the session behind you, the session ahead of you).

If you do this you will avoid the victim mentality that tends to attack some in your situation. And you will optimise opportunities to advance the kingdom of God.

Life continues. Go for souls.
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Women in leadership continues to be a sticking point for way to many people influenced by non-salvationists. Here is some more advice for such people:

- read FEMALE MINISTRY or Women's Right To Preach the Gospel by Catherine Booth. Everyone should read it. If you read it you will be settled in the salvo position;
- read a newer book like WHY NOT WOMEN? (YWAM's Loren Cunningham). It includes some of the CB stuff and other takes as well. It is accessible and convincing;
- read Christians for Biblical Equality website often, here: www.cbeinternational.org
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Remember the poor.
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John Wesley put his own money where his mouth was. One year he made the equivalent of $1.4 millions and gave 98% to the Kingdom. In his lifetime he made what would be equal today to $30 millions, yet at his death he left a few books, a few coins and a spoon! The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is a famous measure for all good Wesleyans today, but the Wesleyan Trilateral is less well-known (Quadrilateral sets up four checks for Christian life: Bible, experience, reason, tradition). It concerns money. Wesley taught us to ‘make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can’. The only problem was, by the time he got to the end of his sermon, his third point went from ‘give all you can’ to ‘give all you have’. And he lived it.

This is a great example for all of us.
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The love of Jesus should compel us to evangelise sinners. God help us find opportunities to express such love today.
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 15, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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I found this over at Kathleen Pearce's blog ( http://salvokat.wordpress.com/ ) from a Bible study on holiness:

Cultured ≠ Cleansed
Habitual ≠ Holy
Domesticated ≠ Consecrated
Laidback ≠ Liberated

Keep that in mind...
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Here is a tragic follow-up to the court case of Colonel Bo Brekke as resported in the Daily Times newspaper this week.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C01%5C14%5Cstory_14-1-2010_pg7_29

Court acquits 5 accused in Bo Brekke murder case.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday acquitted five individuals accused of killing Col Bo Brekke, 40, a Norwegian, in-charge of Salvation Army in Pakistan, holding that the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. ATC judge justice Chaudhry Munir Ahmed observed in his acquittal order that no direct evidence had been produced against the accused. The court acquitted Major Younas Joseph, his wife Margrette Joseph, property dealer Ikhlaq Hussain and two “hired assassins” Suhail Masih and Wajahat Masih. In his final arguments, defence counsel Ali Zia Bajwa pointed out that when Col Brekke was murdered in his office in September 2007, the whole Muslim world was up in arms against publication of blasphemous caricature in Norway and some other European countries. He said missionary organisations were also receiving threats and the involvement of such an element in Brekke’s murder could not be ruled out. He said the prosecution had failed miserably to produce any solid evidence against the five accused. Brekke was allegedly shot dead by his colleague over a property dispute on September 27, 2007 in front of his office on Queens Road. staff report
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This is worth some prayer for the family and the Army in Pakistan (and the five).
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Holy. now.
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Here is a taste of some of the cultural battles being fought around the world today:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100108/D9D3LFF80.html

3 Malaysian churches attacked in 'Allah' dispute.

Jan 8, 11:05 (ET)

By VIJAY JOSHI
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Three churches in Malaysia were attacked with firebombs, causing extensive damage to one, as Muslims pledged Friday to prevent Christians from using the word "Allah," escalating religious tensions in the multiracial country.
Many Malay Muslims, who make up 60 percent of the population, are incensed by a recent High Court decision to overturn a ban on Roman Catholics using "Allah" as a translation for God in the Malay-language edition of their main newspaper, the Herald.
The government says Allah, an Arabic word that predates Islam, is exclusive to the faith and by extension to Malays. It refuses to make an exception, even though the Herald's Malay edition is read only by Christian indigenous tribes in the remote states of Sabah and Sarawak.
At Friday prayers at two main mosques in downtown Kuala Lumpur, young worshippers carried banners and gave fiery speeches, vowing to defend Islam.

"We will not allow the word Allah to be inscribed in your churches," one speaker shouted into a loudspeaker at the Kampung Bahru mosque. About 50 other people carried posters reading "Heresy arises from words wrongly used" and "Allah is only for us."
"Islam is above all. Every citizen must respect that," said Ahmad Johari, who attended prayers at the National Mosque. "I hope the court will understand the feeling of the majority Muslims of Malaysia. We can fight to the death over this issue."
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Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. Share it with someone who hasn't experienced it yet.
----
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

13 January 2010 01:54 PM GMT
The Salvation Army Responds to Haiti Earthquake

Author: Emergency News


The Salvation Army Responds to Haiti Earthquake

THE Salvation Army responded immediately to the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, which caused extensive damage to buildings and significant loss of life.

Communication is proving difficult, with telephone lines down, but news received from The Salvation Army's Caribbean Territory indicates that considerable damage was done to Army property in the city. The divisional headquarters, the divisional commander’s house and the children’s home were all badly damaged. The home of Emergency Coordinator Bob Poff was totally destroyed but Bob and his wife, Vivienne, are safe.

Of great concern in the hours after the earthquake was the fact that a number of children from the Salvation Army children’s home were unaccounted for. It was not initially clear whether they were in the home when the earthquake struck or they had not yet returned from school. Latest reports say that all but one of the home's 52 children has now been found.

The Caribbean Territory has been assured of help from International Headquarters (IHQ). The Salvation Army World Services Organisation (SAWSO), based in the USA, reports that Major George Polarek is travelling to Haiti on Thursday (14 January) to coordinate the various logistics needed to get food air-lifted into Haiti. At least 285,000 meals are ready to be sent and SAWSO is working through various channels and high-level US Government contacts.

Four Salvation Army territories have already offered financial assistance but this is only the beginning. More offers of support will be gratefully received.

International Emergency Services personnel at IHQ are on standby, ready to take action as soon as there is a clearer picture of what level of support is needed.

As recently as November 2009 General Shaw Clifton and Commissioner Helen Clifton were in Haiti, visiting some of the places that are now badly damaged by the quake. The General calls the worldwide Salvation Army to prayer for the people of Haiti whose lives have been so tragically affected by the earthquake, and for the many people who will be seeking to offer help and support.
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January 14, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AS)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
Remember that the 2010 strategy is love. Love never fails. Pray that God infuses you and your corps with love. Jesus notes that love is manifest by obedience. So how does a year of loving obedience look in your life? In the life of The Salvation Army? Loving obedience? Manifest love? Love never fails. Applied love in our lives and relationships and corps and tactics and evangelism and programmes and war-fighting never fails.

So, let's lock and load.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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From Wall Street Journal this week (opinionjournal.com)

"A judge's decision to allow a confessed killer to argue that he believes the slaying of one of the nation's few late-term abortion providers was a justified act aimed at saving unborn children has upended what most expected to be an open-and-shut first-degree murder case," the Associated Press reports from Wichita, Kan.:

"Prosecutors have challenged the ruling that allows Scott Roeder to tell a jury that the fatal shooting of Wichita doctor George Tiller was voluntary manslaughter. . . .

"Tiller's colleagues and abortion rights advocates were outraged and feared the court's actions give more than tacit approval to further acts of violence.

"This judge has basically announced a death sentence for all of us who help women," said Dr. Warren Hern of Boulder, Colo., a longtime friend of Tiller's who also performs late-term abortions. "That is the effect of the ruling." . . .

"The damage is done: The judge has agreed to give him a platform," Hern said. "It is an act of incomprehensible stupidity on the part of the judge, but he is carrying out the will of the people of Kansas who are trying to get out of the 19th century."
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Holy. now.
----
Holiness Ablaze Brengle Celebration in Boston happened this past weekend. It celebrated SANCTIFICATION DAY, the 125th anniversary of Brengle's sanctification. We hope that this becomes an annual, international Salvo holiday. The Boston event was 'excellent'. Reports indicate that USE Territory is looking 'Godish' in multi-ethnic composition, spiritual growth and hunger, devotion to holiness... (hat tip JM).

Remember that AUS Territory's SALVO Publishing celebrates this holiday with the collection of Brengle institute lectures called BOSTON COMMON (featuring Barr, Harley, Sandercock-Brown, Finger, Strickland, and more).
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Remember the poor.
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If you are looking for some confidence in evangelising, repent of any outstanding sins, beseech Holy Spirit to fill me, and check out one of these sites:

http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawsflash.htm

http://www.goforsouls.com/get-saved/
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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,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 13, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2AVM)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
----
The special UKI JAC is coming up in February. Why not prepare for it by making sure you have read all of the previous issues?
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
210 in 2010 is a goal of AUS Territory to have 210 corps by the end of 2010. If they reach their goal that will be the most corps in that territory since 1966. God help them.
----
Holy. now.
----
If you aren't a soldier, why not become a soldier in 2010? Junior Soldier or Senior Soldier (SALVATIONISM 101 is available at the armybarmy estore - top right).
----
Remember the poor.
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The love of Jesus is you does not fail.
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How about using this effective tract by William Booth called HOW TO FIND GOD in your evangelising today?
* Discovery of Sin

James 4:17Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

Sin is anything I do that displeases God - and a sinner is anyone who practices those things. Any time I consider myself, my ambitions, or my feelings as more important than God, or do something that I know is wrong, I am practicing sin. I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against my God, against my neighbour, and against my own soul. I have sinned in my thoughts, in my
feelings, in my conversation, and in my actions. I have sinned in the world, in my business, and in my pleasure. I have done many things I should not have done, and I have left undone many things that I should have done. I freely admit it. I will not cover up or make excuses for my sins. My sins are more than I can count, and they have caused pain to God and man far beyond possible estimation. They have dishonoured my Heavenly Father, treated the sacrifice of Jesus my Saviour as worthless, and have had a bad influence not only upon the members of my own family, but upon my friends and acquaintances as well. I now realize that I fully deserve the everlasting displeasure of God, and I see that if I should die in my sins I would be eternity separated from God, falling into the damnation of hell. O Lord have mercy upon me!!!


* Sorrow for Sin

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to have remorse and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in
death.

Not only do I see that I have sinned against God, causing Him great pain - but I am truly sorry that I have done so. I hate my evil ways, and I hate myself for having followed them. I am grieved on account of my sins - not only because they have exposed me to punishment, but because they have been committed against my Heavenly Father, Who has continually loved and cared for me. If I could undo the past I would gladly do so, but I can't! The sins I have committed are written down against me in God's book, and He knows and remembers all of them. No prayers that I can offer - no tears that I can shed - no expression of sorrow or mourning that I can make - no good works that I can perform - will remove that terrible record. My only hope is in the forgiving mercy of Jesus Christ, Who has said, "The one who comes to Me, I will not cast out." (John 6:37)

* Confession of Sin
Proverbs 28:13 People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to

* Confession of Sin

Proverbs 28:13 People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

Not only am I sorry for the wrong things that I have done, but I freely acknowledge and confess my sins before God. I have no excuse to make for them. It may be true that much of the evil I have been guilty of has been done in ignorance. I did not know God or my duty to Him or the greatness of the love of my Saviour dying for me. I was ignorant of the evil influence which my conduct and example were often having on others. But this ignorance is no real excuse, because I should have known better. I should have read my Bible and listened to those who would have taught me. I should have thought about my soul, and cried to God for help. But I didn't, and now my mouth is closed before Him. And I do here and now confess myself before God to be a guilty sinner, without excuse, deserving His anger now and forever.

Not only do I make this confession in private, but seeing that I have sinned in the presence of my family, and in the presence of the people around me, I am perfectly willing to openly acknowledge my sinfulness and my sorrow on account of it. As far as I have the opportunity, I will admit my guilt before Christians, before my own family, and before the world. Not having been ashamed to sin in the presence of others, I am now willing to acknowledge my sin in their presence.

* Putting Away Sin

Luke 13:3 Not at all! And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God.

Acts 26:20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must turn from their sins and turn to God and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

Not only do I see myself to be a sinner and hate my sins and confess them before God and man, but I do now, by God's help, renounce and give up every one of them. Whatever pleasure they may have brought me in the past, and whatever earthly gain they may promise me in the future, I do here and now, in the strength of God, put them away and promise that I will never take them back again.

* Asking Forgiveness for Sin

2 Chronicles 7:14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.

James 4:10 When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.

Feeling ashamed for having turned away from my Heavenly Father by despising and rejecting His love, breaking His commandments, and influencing others to do the same, I do here and now on my knees humbly submit myself to Him. I pray that He will have mercy upon me, a miserable sinner, and I beg Him for Christ's sake to forgive all my sins, to receive me into His favour, and to make me, unworthy as I am, a member of His family.

* Consecration

Romans 6:13 Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.

Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

I promise God, here and now, in His strength, and with all my heart, that if He will forgive me and receive me into His favour, I will from this day forward be His faithful servant, promising to spend the rest of my days doing what I can for His glory, for the advancement of His Kingdom, and taking the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him.

* Faith

John 6:28-29 They replied, “What does Godwant us to do?” Jesus told them, “This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Hebrews 11:6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

I believe that Jesus Christ, God's Son, in His great mercy and love, died for me and in my place, bearing my sins in His own body on the cross. And believing this, I do here and now welcome Him into my heart as my Saviour from sin, from selfishness, from the power of the devil, and from hell itself.
Jesus Christ said in the Bible that if I will go to Him, He will not cast me out. (John 6:37) And I do come to Him with all my heart just now, as a poor, helpless, guilty sinner, seeking salvation. I know that He will not reject me. As well as I can, I believe that He does at this very moment take me in. He forgives me now. His blood that was shed at the cross washes all my sins away. He was wounded for my sin; He was bruised for the wrong that I did against Him and others; the punishment I ought to have endured was laid on Him; and with His suffering I am healed and brought into a right relationship with the one true living God. I am forgiven at last. Praise to God - Jesus saves me now! (this version edited by LAST DAYS MINISTRIES)
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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

January 12, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Salvation Army Opens Work in 119th Country

"GENERAL Shaw Clifton is pleased to announce that the work of The Salvation Army has been officially established in the west African country of Sierra Leone, bringing the total number of countries in which the Army operates to 119.

"An enquiry was first made as to the possibility of The Salvation Army establishing a presence in Sierra Leone in 2003. That led to a long period of discussion, prayerful consideration, careful research and waiting upon the Lord to reveal his will in this regard. Further enquiries came in 2005 and then, in 2006, Auburn Corps in the Australia Eastern Territory expressed a keen desire to support any project the Army might consider running in Sierra Leone.

"Later in 2006, Major Robert Dixon – then serving as Officer Commanding of the Liberia Command – undertook a feasibility study in Sierra Leone. There was a positive response from the government at that time. When serving at International Headquarters as the General’s Representative for World Evangelisation, Colonel (now Commissioner) Dick Krommenhoek visited Sierra Leone, met with government officials and other authorities, and submitted a positive report to the General.

"At a meeting of the International Management Council in December 2009, Commissioner Amos Makina (International Secretary for Africa, IHQ) reported that The Salvation Army had been legally registered to operate in Sierra Leone and officers from Liberia (Captains John and Roseline Bundu) had arrived in the country, ready to start work with the group of local people who had already expressed interest. Captain John Bundu originates from Sierra Leone.

"The General has thus approved the official opening of The Salvation Army’s work in Sierra Leone, under the supervision of the Liberia Command, as from 1 January 2010." Hat tip Rob Reardon
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Look at that! 119! With a bullet. There are heaps more to come. Praise God. We can get to 200 by the end of the decade (as we posted last week). God help us.

What else is relevant here? How many times have you seen a western corps mentioned in relation to the invasion of a country in Africa? (answer? never). The Auburn Corps, which, just a day ago, was named the ARMYBARMY Corps of the Year for 2009 has kicked off 2010 in a historic manner, playing a pivotal role in the invasion of a new country. Hallelujah. When you read between the lines of the press release you note that the corps has many immigrants to the corps from that country and took S.L. on with a passion (reports indicate that the country's ambassador even spoke at the corps).

That sets a standard for good corps around the world (in invading countries).
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Holy. now.
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Remember the 2010 strategy to win the world for Jesus (posted regularly in last several days). I heard a great preacher (hat tip JB) on this key text on Sunday:

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35
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Remember the poor.
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(don't forget to read yesterday's post)
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God bless the INSANE delegates in AUS Territory.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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Jesus loves you. But He also loves your friend and neighbour and workmate and classmate who don't know Jesus yet. So may God help you follow Jesus' command above (John 13:34-35) so that all people that Jesus loves get to know that love personally.
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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

January 11, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Don't forget to pray for the General at lunchtime (every day).
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Here is a post that flows out of Sanctification Day...
Catherine Booth:

"I do not find two standards of Christian experience at all. I do not believe God ever intended there should be a lower life and a higher life, and I am afraid that those people who rest in the lower life will find themselves awfully mistaken at the last. I believe that religion is all or nothing. God is either first or he is nowhere with us, individually. The very essence and core of religion is ‘God first’, and allegiance and obedience to him first."
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Bramwell Booth: "If holiness is possible anywhere for anyone at anytime, it is possible anywhere for everyone at all times."
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Holy. now.
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Brengle: "Jesus said, “I and my Father are one,” and it is His loving purpose that you and I shall be able to say that too, and say it in this present time, in the face of the devil, and in holy, triumphant defiance of a frowning world, and of a shrinking, trembling flesh.

"There is a union with Jesus as intimate as that of the branch and the vine, or as that of the various members of the body with the head, or as that between Jesus and the Father. This is shown by such Scriptures as that in which Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches,” and in His great intercessory prayer, where He prays, “that they all may be one in Us.” This union is, of course, not physical, but spiritual, and can be known to the one who has entered into it by the direct witness of the Spirit; but it can be known to others only by its effects and fruits in the life."
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Remember the poor.
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Brengle:

"The whole earth is waiting for the unveiling, the revealing, ‘the manifestation of the sons of God’, waiting for men and women, the boys and girls, who live in Christ and in whom Christ lives. When the world is filled with such men or controlled by them, then, and only then, will strikes and wars, and bitter rivalries and insane hatreds, and disgusting and hellish evils cease, and the promise and purpose of Christ’s coming be fulfilled."

Let's fight to win the world for Jesus.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail. Why not invite Holy Spirit to pour our His love from you into some independents (those who do not yet depend on Jesus) today? The best expression of love to an independent is to preach a compelling Gospel. God be with you.
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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

January 10, 2010.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2CM;KR)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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2010 Strategy:

1 Corinthians 13

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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it is a big risk that we go over the top here on this subject but it looks like the Salvo of the Year for 2009 is General Eva Burrows. Who else had TWO festschrifts written for her last year (to our knowledge only General Wickberg and Colonels Robinson have had salvo festschrifts written for them, courtesy of (later) General Brown and the editors of WORD AND DEED, respectively). Last year both General Burrows's Doctrine Council from her term as General and her territory - the AUS - produced festschrifts in her honour. They celebrated her 80th birthday. Without discounting her Generalship, it might be argued that she is a better recruiting sergeant than she was general - she recruits from all strata of society, training up recruits into soldiership from the alleys and the office towers. She heads up campaigns and councils. She continues to pour into the next generation. She epitomises Salvation Soldiership. Good on her. God help up to to live up to her example.
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Holy. now.
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Love never fails.
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Corps of the year - we'll go with Auburn Corps in AUE Territory, with its 40 soldiers made and 80 adherents. That is the tip of the iceberg. God has been using the salvationists in that district to bring about transformation in difficult circumstances, all to His glory. The supernatural seems to be the ordinary on that front. Praise the Lord. And may we all be inspired by their warfighting in 2009.
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Remember the poor.
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Those a little sheepish about evangelising - did you try it yet? Why not try an easy way. You could facebook your friend who doesn't follow Jesus yet. You could forward that Esquire article we posted last week and ask for comment. You could add a bit of testimony. And bathe it in prayer. See what happens. It could be the start of a lifetime of lifetime of soul-saving.
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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

January 9, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

Holy SANCTIFICATION DAY! 125 years ago Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle testified to be wholly sanctified (see below).
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How's your soul?
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Brengle - "On January 9, 1885, at about nine o’clock in the morning, God sanctified my soul… Two mornings after that, just as I got out of bed and was reading some of the words of Jesus, He gave me such a blessing as I never had dreamed a man could have this side of heaven. It was a heaven of love that came into my heart. I walked out over Boston Commons before breakfast, weeping for joy and praising God. Oh, how I loved! In that hour I knew Jesus, and I loved Him till it seemed my heart would break with love. I was filled with love for all His creatures. I heard the little sparrows chattering; I loved them. I saw a little worm wriggling across my path; I stepped over it; I didn’t want to hurt any living thing. I loved the dogs, I loved the horses, I loved the little urchins on the street, I loved the strangers who hurried past me, I loved the heathen, I loved the whole world."
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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In Boston, the General and all kinds of salvos are celebrating the sanctification, not looking back in history and putting SLB on a pedestal, but looking up to heaven and putting Jesus on the throne. You don't have to be in Boston to get sanctified this weekend...
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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The name Samuel Logan Brengle is synomous with holiness. He has been called The Salvation Army’s Prophet of Holiness. A lieutenant once said to him, “Often when I think of Christ I think of you; always when I think of you I think of Christ.” There is a testimony to cherish.
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Holy. now.
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"Beloved we are God’s children now; and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purify himself as he is pure." 1 John 3: 2
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Commissioner Knaggs podcasts weekly at People Count - this week's celebrated FIVE corps to be started this month (as part of that territory's 210 in 2010 campaign) - praise God:

http://peoplecount.salvationarmy.org.au/?ZgoLELwS
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For those looking for good 'tv' try www.morningstartv.com and xpmedia.com (hat tip C Harrison).
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Two days ago we posted a great evangelistic article from ESQUIRE (see below). Here is another evangelistic article from a political perspective with a completely different perspective (we normally avoid the political stuff on the blog but from the 'religion in the public square' angle, it is interesting - so, don't be offended on the politically stuff; just taste the politics of Christianity in the public square):

ttp://townhall.com/columnists/AnnCoulter/2010/01/06/if_you_can_find_a_better_deal,_take_it!
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Remember the poor.
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Holiness meetings? Salvation meetings? Brengle used to preach holiness and some people would get saved and some would get sanctified. Hallelujah. Let's try it today.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Cour

January 8, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2DY;JV;BL)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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LETTERS TO THE ARMY

January 2010

PASTORAL LETTERS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GENERAL

TO SALVATIONISTS ACROSS THE WORLD

This is the 17th in a series of Pastoral Letters from the General to every Salvationist across the world.

The Pastoral Letters are intended to be distributed unchanged and entire to all Salvationists and may be shared also with others interested in the sacred purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army.

INTRODUCTION

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.

This comes to all Salvationists with my strong, ongoing affection in Christ for you, and with my prayers for your effectiveness in the sacred calling that God, in his supreme wisdom, has placed upon the peoples known as Salvationists.

It has been laid upon my heart that I am to take a step of obedience under God by reaching out to you all through Pastoral Letters written from time to time. I write therefore in order to obey the One who has created us all, and with a longing that what is written will affirm, encourage and inspire you.

The themes for these occasional Pastoral Letters continue to be the themes God reveals. His holy will is made known in many ways. I pledge myself to be mindful that his will is often revealed through interaction with members of the Body and not only or always in the seclusion of the place of prayer.

It is my deep hope that each Pastoral Letter will be read wherever Salvationists are to be found, whether in private or in public settings. The chosen themes may prompt discussion, prayer and - as appropriate - action.

All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

Shaw Clifton
General
------------------------------------------------
PASTORAL LETTER SEVENTEEN

BEGINNINGS

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

Through this first Pastoral Letter of 2010 I greet you warmly in the sacred name of Jesus. In these opening weeks of the New Year I lift you up to God in prayer. May the Divine Presence be very real to each one of you at this time of new beginnings. May you sense the Lord's nearness day by day, moment by moment.

The theme of this 17th Pastoral Letter is 'Beginnings'.

Another year is a gift from God to each of us. The very newness of it causes us to pause and take stock of our lives. It is good to do this from time to time.

We can, first of all, cast a backward glance over our shoulders to review the year that has just closed. Can you see the gracious hand of the Lord in it: in the things that have happened in your life, and in the events impacting the lives of your loved ones and friends? It is a time to pause and give thanks to Almighty God for his promised presence with us through all the days of 2009. He has been there in the good and in the bad times. He has seen us through. He has been faithful.

Next we look ahead. It is a very great mercy that the future is veiled. This prompts our hearts to reach out still further to God as consciously we put our trust in him for the unknown days ahead. A time of new beginnings is a time also for new trust.

Let us find a quiet moment in which to tell the Lord that we do indeed love and trust him. It is a very great help to our souls to do this deliberately, with full intentionality. This quiet moment of rededication will become perhaps a source of great strength, of great grace, in the days ahead. Let it be a renewing of your love for God, a renewing of your devotion, a renewing of your willingness to serve him and to be seen and known by all as his disciple.

Then having placed our lives afresh before him in this manner, we can place our loved ones again into his loving care and protection.

For example, how good it is to pray for one's spouse, to speak aloud the name of a husband or a wife in prayer. The best marriages, marriages that endure, are built on such foundations. How helpful it is when a husband and wife can sit quietly together to pray aloud for each other and for the whole family circle. It is especially important to do this at a time of new beginnings and before the gentle, calm blessedness of Christmas has faded.

How good it is also to pray for one's children, naming them aloud before the Throne of Grace. God hears these prayers. They are never wasted. God's ear is inclined toward those who seek his guidance and protection for their children. Christian parents often make such prayers, as do Christian grandparents and Christian aunts and uncles. I say again: these prayers are never wasted.

This season of new beginnings allows us to place before the Lord also the hopes we have in our hearts concerning our daily work. Many of you reading this are Salvation Army officers making plans for the spiritual advancement of those you lead and those you serve in Christ's name. I say to you, 'May God bless those plans, those sacred ambitions for the souls of others.'

Many of you are local officers in the Army, holding sacred hopes that 2010 will see your service more fruitful for God than ever before. I join you in that good hope and I share the Spirit-prompted ambitions for your Kingdom-work.

I know also that many of you have influence over our young people in the Army. God bless you for that! I pray that you will be guided in all things by the Holy Spirit and that you will be given wisdom to lead many a young person into a new beginning with God.

Finally, I request that you continue to pray for me as we enter 2010. I need your prayers. Please pray for wisdom from God to be my portion, and also for physical strength to be granted day by day.

Commissioner Helen Clifton joins me in greeting you as we commend you each one to the matchless love of the Saviour.

God be with you.

Yours in Christ

Shaw Clifton
General
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God is here.
God helps us all be humble.
God bless The General.
God bless The Salvation Army.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 7, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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The legendary USW Minister of Propaganda, Fulton Hawk (rEVOLution logo, SAYtunes, etc.) is back. Check out this short video for the new SA hoodie:

http://vimeo.com/7417651

But that's not all. He's got a new line called WARdrobe. Check this out: http://saynetwork.com/downloads/wardrobe.jpg

All of you on facebook will want to join the WARdrobe group there. This goes for salvos all around the world. Are there any questions? (revolution @mmccxx.net)
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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JAC enters its third decade with JAC65 coming out February 1. It is a special UKT issue, with all of the contributors currently fighting in our original theatre of war. You will want to get into the mood for it by reading the current issue, and if you are finished that, all of the issues going back to JAC1 (top right).
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Holy. now.
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I know of no better warfare training than THE WAR COLLEGE, currently campused in two countries (with a few more potentially coming soon). If you are looking to get trained up, visit thewarcollege.com to check out the possibilities.
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SALVO of the year (2009)? Are there any takers? Any nominations? Submit them to revolution @mmccxx.net.
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Corps of the year? In 2009 I posted on a corps in a certain western territory (not mine) that made 40 soldiers and 80 adherents. I expect that some African and Korean corps might match it. But I welcome any other suggestions - revolution @mmccxx.net.
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2010 - what a great year to get sanctified, determine to double your cartridge (or add a zero), sign up to start a corps, offer for officership, memorise a verse a week, go on a mission trip, be a hero...!
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The twitter experiment continues - to follow, just click at right.
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Remember the poor.
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For those absolutely in a blink about evangelising their friends, here is an article you can email to them to read, adding enough commentary and testimony to fill in any perceived blanks, and inviting comment. It is from Esquire magazine:

http://www.esquire.com/features/best-and-brightest-2009/shane-claiborne-1209
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 6, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2SC)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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And General William Booth, in the preface of IN DARKEST ENGLAND AND THE WAY OUT, makes this important, but sometimes overlooked, explanation:

"I have no intention to depart in the smallest degree from the main principles on which I have acted in the past. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. But in providing for the relief of temporal misery I reckon that I am only making it easy where it is now difficult, and possible where it is now all but impossible, for men and women to find their way to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."

He is asserting that social action is intended to make it easy where difficult and possible where impossible for people to get saved. This is consistent with his simple yet striking statement a dozen years earlier, in the 1879 edition of 'The Salvationist', summing up our identity and purpose:

"We are a salvation people - this is our speciality - getting saved and keeping saved, and then getting somebody else saved, and then getting saved ourselves more and more until full salvation on earth makes the heaven within."
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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With a handful of exceptions all of the entries in different readers' top ten lists are policies and decisions and appointments and elections... These normally affect the warfighting. But it is a little disappointing that more of the entries were not things like 'tonnes of corps opened', 'tonnes of people saved', 'tonnes of cadets accepted', etc.
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Holy. now.
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Salvo of the year? Are there any suggestions? If you want to fire us a name with a brief support of the pick, email revolution @mmccxx.net.
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Remember the poor.
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We talked about fear yesterday in evangelising. Holy Spirit can solve that problem. But also remember that most people, under the studied exterior, are uncertain and afraid. They want acceptance and forgiveness and belonging. They want the Lord Jesus Christ (even if they can't put their finger on it yet). You are providing what they need and what they want. Don't be afraid or hesitant.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 5, 2010.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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Do you remember the post last week about the old SA Ceremony Book commitments of Salvationists for their children? We noted that the NON-SALVATIONIST commitment from 7o years ago was very similar to the SALVATIONIST commitment now. The easy application is that salvationists today are called to the same level of commitment as non-salvationists (I believe that there was not such thing as adherency back then) were in the old days.

It seems like the deadening of zeal in salvationists. It seems like an increasing worldliness by which salvationists have literally become more like the less committed spectators of yesteryear. Where is the 1934 standard of salvationism? It is in the SA Ceremony Book. And it is in some lives of soldiers I know. And it is in some corps that stay focussed to mission. But the opportunity and challenge is for all of us to embrace the standards of salvationism that enable us to fill our prophetic role in winning the world for Jesus.

Here's a taste of it: 'you must... not withhold him (her) at any time from such hardship, suffering, want, or sacrifice as true devotion to the service of Christ and The Salvation Army may entail.'
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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It is one thing to change the ceremony book - which we highly recommend. It is another for the whole Army to embrace salvationism. It isn't just a blog post. It is a challenge to the global Salvation Army. Who will live up to it? Will you?

Another part of the commitment is for parents to keep their children from wealth. That will read like a different language for many salvationists today. Isn't wealth integral to the American dream and its international counterparts? Are we really to keep our children from the influence of wealth? What might be the impact of an Army commitment to that kind of training and upbringing of children? I hope that we get to see the impact in the coming decades, should it take that long for us to win the war...
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Holy. now.
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People don't like to offend people. Don't try to offend people. However, the gospel is offensive to many people. But let's try to make sure it is the gospel that offends, and not us.

Remember, love is the strategy. Why? Love never fails. The love of Jesus in you does not fail.
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Remember the poor.
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I know that a lot of people who read this really want to evangelise but don't. Two big reasons:
1. they don't know how.
2. they are afraid (related to #1).
Well, for #1, try out goforsouls.com or ccci.org or livingwaters.com or another of tonnes of great evangelism sites. Get trained up (we teach on it in SALVATIONISM 201). As for #2, once you have done #1, you will have more confidence. But the other thing to do to tackle #2 is do actually do it. Try it out. It might start out mechanically. But if it ends in conversions, who cares how it starts?

I know an evangelistic method that has a 1/25 success rate. That is fairly low. It means you need to evangelise 25 people for every one who gets saved. That's a lot. I know a couple who run that method and see a 1/10 success rate. It's a lot better. Why not evangelise 10 people, or 25 people, and see what God wants to do? Evangelise, evangelise, evangelise.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

January 4, 2010
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone?
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More on yesterday's Armybarmy Top Five For Advance in the next Decade

1. cell-based system

sc - it is certainly A future for The Army, for the following reasons:
a. historically the Army Ward System worked well;
b. historically our spiritual grandfather John Wesley's class meetings worked very well;
c. the 33 AD Salvos met house to house;
d. the biggest churched in the world are cell-based;
e. there is no ceiling on growth either with leaders or with geographic proximity;
f. it is flexible, which is important with some of the last 82 countries left for us to invade;
g. every 5-10 people get primary pastoral care from a cell leader (according to a model with which I am familiar);
h. it lends itself to bi-vocational leadership and pioneering...

2. communication

sc - it is increasingly important, in the following ways:
a. the devil attacks this most often and most successfully (arguably);
b. borders softened by the shrinking of the world will require improved communication;
c. aggressive advance in the great salvation war requires increased communication to coordinate attack;
d. AUS's TC - the techie TC - is leading the way for the world (way over 30000 Twitter followers, blog, facebook, etc.);
e. new media to communicate with the local fronts.
f. communication will increase in richness and frequency (general and commissioners will/should be able to receive weekly results soon, and more frequent results within a decade).

3. spiritual warfare and justice

sc - 'this' will become more prevalent, as follows:
a. justice should be seen as an aspect of spiritual warfare;
b. we need to fill the teaching vaccuum on spiritual warfare that has resulted in extremists who either see no demons in scripture or see them under every bush;
c. part of the identity crisis resolves our reticence about engaging in spiritual warfare ("The Salvation Army");
d. Catherine Booth dug it;

4. primitive salvationism

sc - as we advance on the more difficult fronts we will be reminded that PS is the only proven strain of salvationism. It means charismatic-flavoured, mission-focussed heroism.

5. stewardship

sc - this will be increasing important, both individually, and corporately. Check out Rowan Castle in HOLINESS INCORPORATED for some solid teaching on it (and parameters). John Wesley taught, 'make all you can, save all you can, give all you have.

God help us.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Holy. now.
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Remember the poor.
Bust some souls. (goforsouls.com)
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court