Diary of a grumpy night shift working Christian

So once again I find myself on the night shift at work...and once again life seems to stop and the world passes me by...

The struggle
At the time of writing it's about 3pm I've not long got up... I've eaten too much and I'm watching rubbish daytime TV.... for the rest of the week...work/sleep/rubbish TV/dinner....then rinse and repeat for 7 days...

Night shift week always goes super quick, I don't have the will or the energy to be sociable or do anything much... I'm generally a little bit grumpy and not the easiest person to be around.

So where does this leave my Spiritual walk and life? Well like the rest of my life it feels like it's on a break. It takes a real effort to do anything other than vegetate in front of the TV...I almost feel like I've locked myself away for a week.

God isn't going anywhere!
What I'm reflecting on while I'm sat here though, is that God doesn't lock  Himself away...when I'm grumpy and grouchy God hasn't abandoned me or decided to avoid me... if anything it's the other way around...my grouchiness doesn't stop God caring about me.

The only way I generally manage to stay in touch with people is on Facebook (speaking of which don't forget to like and share the Facebook page by clicking here) and as we all know that isn't the best way to build and maintain genuine relationships... Facebook is definitely no substitute for a real conversation...and that's the important thing...God obviously accepts and loves me despite my grumpy old self and tired, worn out night shift working self...I can talk to God when I'm feeling like this, I can even give God the occasional thought and remember Him occasionally in my grumpiness, but if I'm honest I know God doesn't want what's left of my time and some half hearted grumpy conversation...He wants my best. The best of my time, the best of my energy and the best of who I am.

God wants our best
I'm sure I'm not the only shift worker out there. This is an important message for anyone who struggles balancing shift work and life with faith and actually for anyone with busy lives who faces the same struggle to balance everything they've got going on..God needs to come first, He needs, wants and deserves the very best of who we are, our gifts, talents, time, energy etc.

All that being said...we are only human, there are going to be times when we don't feel our best, when we're tired and not the best of company, times when it's a struggle to get out of bed and actually do anything productive, and times when life is just passing us by. We're not always going to be the life and soul of the party...and actually that's ok...but don't make it a habit...if you're not careful life will really pass you by, you'll find yourself slipping away from people, even from God... although don't forget that although people might drift away from you...God won't...

For those stuck with a grumpy, grouchy night shift worker...please remember that shift workers need love too... don't forget us, and show us the little bit of grace we need and above all... don't let us get away with disappearing and letting life pass us by.

In every area of life, whatever it is that saps your energy and drains you, don't forget that God loves you, always and completely, He is patient with you, He will accept you and your prayers even when life is grinding you down, He hears you, love you, walk beside you, and lift you up...but that isn't an excuse to let life pass you by and not to do everything you can to give God the absolute best of who you are... because who you are is an amazing person. You have been created, developed, and equipped to continue to be an amazing person, you are someone who is absolutely loved by God, someone He is desperate to have a genuine and deep relationship with. You're His best friend, His favourite child... don't ever forget how amazing you are, don't let life pass you by stay close to God and always give Him the very best you can...even if the best at the time is a grumpy, grouchy night shift worker like me.






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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army

How to improve church attendance in 5 easy steps

Have you ever wanted a foolproof way to improve church attendance in no time flat?

Perhaps you've found attendance falling and you've decided to take extreme and direct action to solve the problem.

If you want to fill your church and send your attendance figures skyrocketing and you are willing to sell out all that you are then read on...here are 5 guaranteed ways to fill your church week in, week out...

The 5 Steps:
1) Replace hymns with pop music
2) replace your sermon with the latest movies and sporting events
3) undercut the local bars by selling cheap alcohol
4) replace the sanctuary with a casino
5) Remove anything remotely religious from the building we don't want to put people off...

Ok so all of that is a bit tongue in cheek; but I wonder if sometimes it's not close to the truth... we measure success and effectiveness by how many people come through the door, or sign up as members or join our programs...now obviously I understand why we use the measures of success...I get that these are helpful things and are obvious ways to keep track of how we're doing...but really they are only one small part of the story...

If our ambition is simply to get people through the door, then no problem...follow the measures above and people will flock to your church...but that's not really the point is it?

Our mission
Our mission is to build the kingdom, not to build a social club...our ambition and the measure of our success should be changed lives and closer walks with God...now obviously these are highly personal things and not really measurable...at least not in the way we usually measure things.

Christ however, as we know measures things in a different way:

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" - Matthew 7:16

We have to decide what standard we are going to use... whether we will let our own need for approval and measuring of success or whether we will listen to what God wants us to do and measure success His way...or better yet; don't measure success, just be faithful to God's purposes, promises and mission....a bit of a stretch with our human need for approval but definitely something to aim for at least...

Ok so before I get carried away let's back track a bit... there's is nothing wrong with tracking figures, seeing what works, what events or programs are more successful than others...to a point...the danger comes when we put more trust in the figures themselves and our own good ideas and pride that we lose track of who we are and who God wants us to be. If this happens we end up trusting in ourselves and congratulating ourselves and we begin to worship ourselves and our figures, forgetting to listen to God... rejecting ideas because of those age old Christian excuses 'we've never done it that way' 'we've already tried that' 'that's not the way we do things' and so on...

Not the best example!
This is a really dangerous road to travel down...the best example I could think of from scripture is 1 Chronicles 21... King David takes a census:

"Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My Lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him."

On the face of it, taking a census seems a pretty reasonable thing for a king to do... taking stock of your strengths and weaknesses, resources, making sure the nation is defended adequately, that it's financially secure etc.
The problem as usual is the motivation... this is what ultimately led to David's punishment... David was motivated by pride; he wanted to take the census to satisfy his own ego, to prove to himself how great he was, how powerful and secure... rather than relying on God for his security and confidence.

It's so easy for us to fall into this same trap... when we want to start a new program or organise an event  how often do we start by looking at our resources, efficiency, what people want or expect from us...as I said earlier this in itself is not a bad thing... it's often responsible and necessary but we have to make sure we don't remove God from the equation and forget to prioritise His will over our own...we must always be ready and willing to hear and act on God's voice rather than our own.

So what now?
Hearing God's voice is not always easy... learning to trust Him above our own thoughts, worries, concerns and 'practical' considerations is even harder...but not impossible... That's what discipleship is all about!

Christianity is not about popularity or doing what the world expects of us... It's about connecting to God and doing what He expects of us however strange and counter cultural that might be... that doesn't mean we shouldn't grow, move with the times and become the welcoming, servant hearted, forgiving and loving Church we can be...but we should do this not because the world tells us to but because God leads us and calls us to be better and more like Him than we are.

Check out this old post about what the Church really is, and what it should be:
'The Church is...'

And what the Church, in particular my own church, means to me:
'A Place to call home'

All this aside...if you just want to fill your church building and get some more money in the weekly offering... maybe you should refer to the tips at the start of this post, start a social club and remove God from the equation...on the other hand if you're willing to trust God and put in the time and effort to build yourself and the kingdom then it's going to be a long road but worth it to become the renewed, faithful Church that it is God's call and our duty to become...

"Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing:

Christ over all, our undivided aim;

Fire of the Spirit, burn for our enduring,

Wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!

We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,

The will that lacks the courage to be free,

The weary labours, all but unavailing,

To bring us nearer what a church should be."

- Salvation army songbook 817

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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army

Press X To Respawn

We all know the feeling; you've been beat down, burnt out, lost your drive, ambition and heart....any casual gamers out there know what to do when this happens to video game characters in the virtual world...'Press X to respawn'...the characters get back up, start again and keep moving forward!

So when we feel like this in the real world, and in our spiritual lives why not use the same principle?

I'm a relatively casual gamer, and if I'm honest, I usually cheat...like the great Captain Kirk once said "I don't believe in a no win scenario" I like to avoid the hard stuff, change the rules when I can and generally never get stuck in to the nitty gritty...but that's no way to live... it's a half life, a wasted life, a life lived too cautiously to really shine...

you've got to get stuck in, give it your all, make no excuses and hold nothing back...and you'll always succeed...wait a minute...scratch that last bit...you won't always succeed...in fact often you'll fail, and be left battered and bruised, unsure of yourself or where you went wrong...that no win scenario, your own personal Kobayashi Maru (if you don't understand that reference congratulations, you're not as big a geek as me) that Captain Kirk didn't believe in, is alive and kicking...but somehow you've got to learn how to kick back!

So how do we kick back?
Well we learn that defeats and disappointments will come, we acknowledge the pain that often comes with them...and we embrace surrender...not surrender to the pain or to our situation but surrender to the one who holds everything in his hands...we accept that we have taken a hit, we even accept that we can't keep going the way we are...we put all our cards on the table, open ourselves to God (however impossibly hard that feels) and we put our trust in the God of restoration, and of second chances. We allow ourselves space to grieve and to feel...but ultimately we get back up again in the strength of God himself.

God is no stranger to respawning and restoration both physically and spiritually...let's take a head count:

The dry bones (Ezekiel 37)
Jonah (book of Jonah)
Lazarus (John 11)
Zacchaeus (Luke 19)
St Peter (John 21)
The nation of Israel (Nehemiah 7)
Add to that many, many others including, of course Christ himself (Luke 24)

Our God has an extensive background in raising people up, people who are down, and feeling useless and just about spent in every way; emotionally, physically and spiritually...but it isn't the end, it is an opportunity to become stronger, to grow and become closer to God by allowing Him to take control and rebuild, refocus, rengerise and of course respawn us...and unlike that great scene in the movie 'ready player one' (if you haven't seen it, it's really worth a watch) you won't lose your experience or skills, you will only become a better and stronger version of yourself...there is always an extra life when you trust in God...

Through setbacks and defeats you will become a better person and a better disciple if you do the hardest thing...get back up and keep moving, keep growing and keep trusting... essentially you're going to level up maybe even evolve to the next level, where the stakes are higher, the rewards are greater, the fall is further...and where you need God more than ever...

And sometimes there is no point to suffering and defeat other than the lessons we choose to take from it and the responses we make...it's easy to stay down, to take the hits and curl up in a ball and never come out... it's takes so much more to get back up and keep going and trusting... all of us who play video games even occasionally will become stuck at a certain point...you need multiple save points, multiple lives, and multiple respawns (I'm looking at you Sonic the hedgehog 2!).... sometimes we give up, sometimes we don't and we eventually succeed... sometimes we get angry and frustrated and use  some unfavorable words (I'm looking at you again Sonic 2!) but until we give up, there is always hope, always a chance to respawn and succeed...if we give up; well, then obviously we are never going to succeed, we will fail and what's worse we will hold onto that failure and defeat, probably for the rest of our lives.

William Booth the founder of the Salvation Army, a man renowned for fire, and vision and passion went through a stage of feeling useless, worthless and defeated before he respawned and found his purpose and mission...he even mentioned it in the now legendary founder's song 'O boundless Salvation'

"Now tossed with temptation, then haunted with fears,
My life has been joyless and useless for years;
I feel something better most surely would be
If once thy pure waters would roll over me."

He went on to recount his respawning:

"The tide is now flowing, I'm touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the mighty to save;
My faith's growing bolder, delivered I'll be;
I plunge 'neath the waters, they roll over me."

If you've ever felt like all this you're obviously in good company...saints, prophets and leaders...you are not alone...

So look, here's the truth... failing sucks, defeat sucks, it can be heart wrenching, painful and embarrassing, it can feel like your whole world is falling apart... believe me, I've been there...but it isn't the end...it is an opportunity either to wither away or to rise up to your greatest height...the difference between the two? Whether you will put your trust in God and allow him to take control, to stand up when you want to sink down... ultimately whether or not you choose to quit in frustration or...to press X and respawn.





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Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Salvation Army

Faith and Music in the Salvation Army

There are lots of things I admire about the Salvation Army and it's musical groups. One biggie is the partnership and friendship that is formed between these various musical groups in different parts of the UK (and the rest of the world). I love the way music, friendship and mission go hand in hand.

My first big experience of this was shortly after joining Coventry City Songsters (Adult Choir) last year. When we travelled to Bolton Salvation Army for a weekend of music and worship.

(For more of my reflections on this please check out a recent blog post entitled 'Reflections of a part time Pete': http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/reflections-of-part-time-pete.html?m=1 )

Last weekend (24/06/17) Coventry City Salvation Army was blessed by the visit of Swindon Citadel's Songster brigade. The energy that comes from a visit like this is incredible. It's like a visit from family...which I guess they are. Brothers and sisters in Christ of course... But also brothers and sisters of the Salvation Army and fellow Songsters. Particularly enjoyable were the pieces we sang as a massed group...both brigades brought their own Flavour and style in our individual pieces but the joint pieces I think somehow bonded us... Knowing that both groups had individually been learning and preparing the same pieces then coming together to present them as a single united brigade. This weekend has really made me think about and reflect on the Salvation Army and it's relationship with music and service.

- The puritan heart

But where does this music fit into faith and practical help and service of the communities we live in? This has always been a concern of mine; that the Church (across all denominations) should focus it's primary resources on outward practical help and less on the impractical aesthetic things like stained glass windows, nice buildings, and even music, I think I'm probably a puritan at heart...well I'm man enough to admit that at least in part I'm wrong... I look to the famous Gospel account of Jesus being anointed.

"Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” - John 12:1-8

Jesus stands out from His peers, the feet washing image we usually have of Jesus is reversed... Because of course, as much as Jesus came to serve, He is still a servant KING. He is above and greater than those around Him because obviously He is God incarnate. And deserves to be raised higher than anyone else. Which is why Jesus is not a true socialist as some would suggest (a discussion for another day perhaps).

Worship is about touching the divine...allowing us to experience something more, bringing ourselves into God's presence and honouring Him. Where I am wrong somewhat in my puritanical stance is that I think we lose something when we try to be entirely practical. I will go as far as to say that I think some Salvation Army buildings can be a little overly 'practical' which I understand and accept... But do we risk putting Jesus in a box of being a place of grey practicality and miss the experience of trying to 'touch the divine'?

Strangely I think this is only true to a point...yes some of our buildings (especially newer buildings) may be a bit overly practical and not the glorious old churches with stained glass windows and huge columns but I think the difference is that as Salvationists and Christians once you invite Christ into your heart the divine rests WITHIN us, so to touch the divine we don't need outward signs but only the faith and discipline to bring it out of us and spread it 'inwards - out' rather than 'upwards - down'

But that being said I do sometimes feel we miss something by focusing so much on practicalities and less on art, poetry etc that truly helps us express the inexpressible

- A musical Army

And so, we come to the Army and it's relationship with music...music is a practical tool that helps give us identity and unity...it shows people who we are and I think can make a real impact. the obvious example is the Gowans and Larsson musical 'Hosea'

http://www.gowans-larsson.com/Hosea/index.html

And the Song 'Down the street' which tells the story of 'Light fingered Freddy' who keeps trying to break the law but is constantly interrupted by the band of the Salvation Army:

"Down the street comes the band of the Salvation Army, with trumpets tabrets and trombones.

They stay and they play and they beat out the message, in quite unmistakable tones,

And it kind of takes hold of a man,

In a kind of a way naught else can,

And you're glued to the spot, if you like it or not, and you just kind of alter your plan"

https://youtu.be/5IPn8miwDFE 

(Really worth a listen/watch if you haven't experienced this musical)

So practically it's a great tool, but spiritually as well, it helps us. both the lyrics and the tunes help us say and feel what perhaps is difficult to express. It inspires beauty and inspiration, makes us feel joyful, humble, inspired... etc. It talks to our souls and somehow lightens our hearts, and I think, allows to see and experience something of the divine...it is a true, valuable and key area of ministry and service... It brightens up a grey world, and yes it may not actually feed or clothe someone. But as a joint ministry the Salvation Army works to feeds the soul and clothes the heart as well as feeding and clothing the body, both are necessary for real Salvation.

It is a real calling and mission to lighten people's burdens both spiritually and practically and build God's kingdom on earth...I think that's the true purpose of Salvation Army music and why it works so well alongside faith and practical ministry.

 - Synergy of Salvation

To say I'm not musical would be an understatement, but even I can see how the synergy between Faith and music strengthens both the bond between our musical sections and the mission of the Salvation Army, I think it's a challenge to balance out practical musicality

 and faith...yes the music is to honour God, so of course we must work as hard as we can to be the best we can, but God is pleased first and foremost by our relationship with and service of Him.

"For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:16,17

It is this synergy between all the areas of ministry and service that truly make the Salvation Army what it is and what it is called to be... Faithful, practical, servants, disciplined, worshipful, compassionate, authoritative, leaders, musical, friends, prayerful.

I would love to hear your feedback and comments on this blog, and of course feel free to sign up with your email address to avoid missing new posts (if viewing on a mobile device you may need to click on 'view web version')

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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army

Lent challenge: A World of Prayer (updated for Lent 2022)

I wonder what you have decided to give up/take up for Lent this year? Perhaps it's chocolate or Facebook (giving up, not taking up I hope). Or perhaps you've decided to add a daily devotional or Bible reading to your weekly schedule.

I've decided to spend this Lent (starting of course on March 2nd) praying specifically for the Salvation Army and wider Church around the world, using the 5 International Zones in which the Salvation Army's worldwide work is organised as a guide and focus.

These Zones are:

•Africa

•Americas & Caribbean

•Europe

•South Asia

•South Pacific & East Asia

I thought maybe this idea might appeal to someone else, so I'm posting it here in case someone else feels led to spend Lent praying for The Salvation Army and wider Church around the world.

If my calculations are correct, then praying specifically for one Zone a day would mean that each one would be prayed for eight times. So it struck me that splitting Lent into eight, five day sections would give me the chance to specifically focus on eight different areas of ministry for each Zone:

•Leadership

•Discipleship

•Vision

•Mission

•Fellowship

•Troubled Communities and national challenges.

•Individual Territories and commands

•Social Services

So the idea would be to, for example spend the first five days praying for Leadership (development, Calling, active Officers/ministers etc) taking one Zone a day, the following five days; discipleship, then Mission and so on. I've Included weekends in this plan which (again assuming calculations are correct) means that the plan would actually finish on the Sunday before easter

It's not just about praying for these places in a vague way, but specifically getting to know these Zones and Territories, that might be quite unfamiliar to many of us. It will take a little research, perhaps asking questions, and trying to understand what the issues, problems, challenges etc are for each of these Zones in the above ministry focus areas, I'm hoping that on a personal level this Lent challenge connects me to the wider Salvation Army and Church and helps me understand what's going on around the world, and also of course that we would be connected better to each other, heart, mind and soul. 

The following Salvation Army Facebook Groups may be quite helpful for information and to open dialogue, I'm a member of each of them & will post this and subsequent posts on these groups. I would suppose that these groups contain representatives from most if not all Zones, who would be happy to answer any questions they can:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/salvationarmy3/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/salvationarmycorps/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SightsNSoundsTSA/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragementinminstry/

I've also included the website for the Salvation Army International Headquarters which provides lots of helpful information, including a breakdown of Territories and Commands within each Zone:

http://www.salvationarmy.org/

And of course the new Salvation Army Yearbook which is available to buy now; including in eBook format.

For my Part I'll try and add a blog post at the beginning of each 5 day period discussing briefly each ministry focus area.

I've also included on here a schedule breakdown of the prayer focus for each day; feel free to copy, paste, write down, download or whatever format makes it easier to follow.

March

2nd - Leadership: Africa

3rd - Leadership: Americas & Caribbean

4th - Leadership: Europe

5th - Leadership: South Asia

6th - Leadership: South Pacific & East Asia

7th - Discipleship: Africa

8th - Discipleship: Americas & Caribbean

9th - Discipleship: Europe

10th - Discipleship: South Asia

11th - Discipleship: South Pacific & East Asia

12th - Vision: Africa

13th - Vision: Americas & Caribbean

14th - Vision: Europe

15th - Vision: South Asia

16th - Vision: South Pacific & East Asia

17th - Mission: Africa

18th - Mission: Americas & Caribbean

19th - Mission: Europe

20th - Mission: South Asia

21st - Mission: South Pacific & East Asia

22nd - Fellowship: Africa

23rd - Fellowship: Americas & Caribbean

24th - Fellowship: Europe

25th - Fellowship: South Asia

26th - Fellowship: South Pacific & East Asia

27th - National Challenges: Africa

28th - National Challenges: Americas & Caribbean

29th - National Challenges: Europe

30th - National Challenges: South Asia

31st - National Challenges: South Pacific & East Asia

April

1st - Individual Territories and Commands: Africa

2nd - Individual Territories and Commands: Americas & Caribbean

3rd - Individual Territories and Commands: Europe

4th - Individual Territories and Commands: South Asia

5th - Individual Territories and Commands: South Pacific & East Asia

6th - Social Services: Africa

7th - Social Services: Americas & Caribbean

8th- Social Services: Europe

9th - Social Services: South Asia

10th - Social Services: South Pacific & East Asia

Holy Week

Monday: Africa

Tuesday: Americas and Carribbean

Wednesday: Europe

Thursday: South Asia

Friday: South Pacific and East Asia

If anybody is interested in this Lent prayer focus idea, and needs additional information or help, feel free to contact via my Facebook page (details below) or comment either here or in whichever group you see this post.

Look out for additional posts during Lent with more specific guidance on each Ministry Focus area and the respective Zones, and a more focused post(s) for Holy Week itself. To avoid missing a post you may want to sign up to this blog with your email address (see below).

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Twitter: @Inspiredfaith88

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Disclaimer: Although this blog is written from the perspective of a member of the Salvation Army, the views, comments, opinions etc may not necessarily represent the views, policies etc of the wider Salvation Army.

An Army on its knees

I'm sure you've heard it said an Army marches on its stomach but this Army marches on its knees...

Our mission 

Since it's beginning, The Salvation Army has been walking a tightrope between Faith and Action...a fall to either side would destroy the very fabric of what the Army is, and was raised up to be. It's Mission has always been a double edged sword...'Hand to man' of course but never neglecting the 'Heart to God'.

I guess some would argue that there is no conflict between these two ideals...that service and action come out of a deep faith and eternal responsibility. Of course I agree with this, but, is it ever possible to really focus on these two things with equal determination and dedication? Christ Himself stated that we cannot serve two masters in Matthew 6:24.

Church or charity?

If we're not careful, we can become so wrapped up in meeting physical needs that we become little more than yet another charitable organisation.  'Fine', some people might say, 'what does it matter why the Salvation Army does what it does?' 

It matters because the things we do have eternal consequences, and it matters because we are not just a charitable organisation; we are a religious order with a divine commission. I know that some people's only experience of the Salvation Army may be 'secular employees' that may or may not have a faith; perhaps this is the problem, The Army has in some ways become two separate organisations: secular and religious. Although of course, at it's heart the Army still remains a religious organisation.

We have to watch the dangers of becoming better known for charitable acts than faith, where faith is seen as separate or even secondary. Perhaps in today's world this is unavoidable; the need for regulation and accountability in charities means that professional employees and methods are needed particularly in an organisation the size of the Salvation Army. Yes it's acceptable that employees can be religious but it almost seems like society 'tolerates' the religious side of the Army because of the benefits of what we do. Our priorities have perhaps become unbalanced, maybe we have become to big or unmanageable? I don't know what the answer is, but it is vital we remember who we are and where we came from.

The opposite side of the problem is when faith without action takes over. When we focus on the 'religious side' of the Army and neglect our mission to 'Serve Suffering Humanity'. This has become a problem with the wider Church, or at least the reputation of the wider Church; that sitting and singing songs is all we are good for; that we do not care about the world outside our walls and that we only exist to make everyone follow our rules while excluding everyone who resists or doesn't fit in.

The balance

In between these two issues lies one of my favourite words: 'Balance'.

Balance between who we are and what we do, balance between serving our fellow man physically and spiritually and doing all this while nourishing our own spiritual lives and walk with Christ.

My own Corps is not always great at hitting the balance. We are a very busy Corps, and lots of people spend lots of time doing lots of things. We need (and I personally need) to constantly refocus to look past the busyness and constantly ground ourselves. Just a brief example from my Corps of one way we try to do that is the way in which musical practice's are organised; specifically from my experience as a songster I have found that it is vital to balance practice time to ensure we are the best we can be, as well as devotional time which provides focus and inspiration.

I love this quote from William Booth about this idea of balance:

"Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again; until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other."

Praying with all your might! 

The idea of Faith and action being indistinguishable from each other is brilliant, and I think this is what we should be aiming for; a strong, grounded, disciplined faith that naturally spreads out into the world as action. But strong, grounded, disciplined faith does not happen overnight, it requires constant work, study and above all prayer. Which of course William Booth also has a lot to say about:

"You must pray with all your might. That does not mean saying your prayers, or sitting gazing about in church or chapel with eyes wide open while someone else says them for you. It means fervent, effectual, untiring wrestling with God. This kind of prayer be sure the devil and the world and your own indolent, unbelieving nature will oppose. They will pour water on this flame."

Discipline and discipleship are absolutely vital...there is no getting around that. Bible study and prayer are often the first things to be neglected in a busy church or corps, but it is when we're busy they become even more important! 

Your responsibility

Perhaps you have found that your church has been losing focus, or neglecting discipleship, if this is the case ask God for help, ask Him what you personally can do to inspire a refocus and recommitment to put discipleship, discipline, prayer and study back at the centre of all things where they belong... don't mourn or despair in the loss of focus... get up, get out, get on your knees and do something about it! 

Your church needs YOU to be a light, to inspire and to set the example, prioritize discipleship, prayer and study, it is not enough to wish or to hope or even to moan about the loss or lack of discipleship...if we are to be all that we can be we have to start putting all these things first...all that we do; all the great social work and fundraising is nothing if we are not growing in faith and above all growing closer to God!

This then is the final thought to leave today's post on:

Look for the balance, work for the balance. Do not become so busy you lose focus on why you are doing what you're doing. We need to remember the two part Mission of the Salvation Army and every Christian.... 'Heart to God, Hand to Man'. Both are vital and together they make an unstoppable force for good. We must be relevant, meeting modern needs with expertise and professionalism but first and foremost we are a religious movement commissioned, Inspired and equipped by God...but we have to stay connected with the source of our strength and keep our hearts focused on Christ. The more we do, the more we move out of our own strength, and the more we must rely on Christ; and the more God's light will shine in us, through us and of course out of us!

Perhaps this should be a reminder to the Church, and all of us:

"Half an hour's meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed." - St Francis De Sales

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The Old Cap & Bible

It’s not just fancy headwear, it’s a living breathing expression of who we are, and a reminder of who we serve (and yes, it keeps your head dry)

The old saying ‘To go cap in hand’ talks about humility and approaching others respectfully in the hopes of receiving financial or material games.

The Salvation Army Cap is all together different, it still speaks of humility and approaching others with respect instead of looking for money or material things it encourages those that wear it to approach others in order to serve them, to look for those opportunities where we can be a blessing to those we encounter.

But that’s not the end of the story, of course service to our fellow man is important, but our first, best purpose is the commandment in Matthew 2:37 “Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Love goes hand in hand with time, attention and fellowship; we must take the time to approach the throne of heaven respectfully and humbly but also expectantly and ready to encounter the living God and His wonders.

Now; I’m going to tell you a secret about my cap...it very rarely leaves my house except on official engagements...and if it’s raining outside. Nothing makes me reach for my cap faster on Sunday than a good old fashioned rain storm as I head off to worship. The point is that I trust my cap to protect my head and keep me dry.

In the early days of the Salvation Army one of the practical functions of the cap (and the ladies bonnets, but the less said about those the better) was to offer some form of protection against rocks and other projectiles hurled at these early Salvationists by those that opposed their shaking up of the status quo.

So there is real, practical significance, relevance and proven historical legacy for the old cap. But it’s more than just a glorified hard-hat or shower cap. It makes the Salvationist visible to others, and makes heaven visible to its wearer, grounds us in the things beyond what we can see and keeps our minds focused on our mission and purpose; it is a modern day ‘Helmet of Salvation’.

But all this by itself only goes so far...the cap goes hand in hand with the Holy Bible, a very old book I grant you, far older than the Salvationist’s cap, but if the cap guards the head, the Bible guards the heart. It inspires all the practical faith and service that the cap represents. Without the inspiration and teaching of scripture there are no brass bands, no social service programs, no Salvation Army.

So to all Salvationists, don’t ever be afraid to go ‘cap in hand’ to God, but also remember where it all came from and guard and love your Bibles as you guard and love the Salvation Army with all its traditions, quirks and victories.

For all others reading this, if you see a Salvationist wearing their cap (or not) remember the significance, remember the practical mission of service and love the Church is called to, but don’t forget your first love and your first, best purpose to:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”

-         Matthew 22:37

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Service with a Smile...

Anybody who has worked in retail will be aware how irritating clichés like 'the customer is always right' can be...I know that it's the foundation of customer services, but quite frankly it's more often than not used as a weapon for customers to make unreasonable requests and use this ultimate, final and all purpose answer to apparently check mate any customer service assistant into submission.

A phrase I much prefer is: 'Service with a Smile' it inspires confidence, calm and charisma; now, I'm not really interested in happy salesmen, but I wonder if we ever think about this principle in our Spiritual lives?

Psalm 100:2 says:
"Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing."
The Christian life should be a celebration, a life of joy and fulfillment; so why does it sometimes feel like a chore, why do we sometimes serve out of a sense of obligation or reluctantly because it's expected of us?

I remember sitting for hours at a checkout with a forced smile plastered across my face, willing the shift to end and determined to stay positive and approachable despite being asked the same questions about the weather for the 5000th time in 2 hours...Christian service should never be like that. As a salesman represents the brand or company they work for, so Christians represent the King and God that we serve; do we want people to see through us? a God who begrudgingly guides and protects us, who loves us out of a sense of forced responsibility or duty or do we want them to see a God who created us and loves us; genuinely and completely because it is His good pleasure to do so.
He loves us all for a reason and that reason is Love!

You may be the only Bible some people ever read...so go forward in your Christian walk with joy and love and remember who you represent and in whose name you serve. Don't be the bored grouchy sales assistant... Be the inspirational, devoted and loving reflection of the most amazing, devoted and loving God.


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Sunday morning.....

(updated for 2022)

We're finally at the end of another week, which I think begs the question of how we will respond to another Sunday morning, and the challenge of rising early and getting ready for Church. Will you be happy, eager, excited, reluctant, challenged, or just plain tired?

When I'm fortunate to have the day off work on a Sunday, sometimes the greatest challenge is dragging myself out of bed in time for Church and in the right frame of mind to show a loving and generous spirit... Rather than a grouchy, short tempered and 'I'd rather go back to bed' spirit. In fact Sunday mornings have almost become a game between myself and my wife of who can stay in bed the longest and still get out of the house in time for Church... I think I'm currently winning!

I love my Church fellowship, they are loving people who care about each other and the Lord, it is a great place of love and inspiration and as I wrote in another post, a real 'Place to call home'...sometimes though, it can be a challenge to put aside my own desire for my bed or selfish wants and make that effort to go. After a long and busy week at work it might seem like a good idea to use the 'day of rest' to do just that.

These are just excuses, and bad ones at that, is it too much for God to ask for a few hours of our time and perhaps an early start, to spend time with Him and His people? Although, I will say that there may well be times when you feel exhausted, when you really need need to actually rest, recharge, refocus etc. If that's the case, then don't be afraid to take that time of rest you need...but try not to make too much of a regular habit of it.

Going to Church shouldn't be a sacrifice, or an order... It should be something we truly want to do... Which despite my occasional grumbling and moaning, it is; it is a joy and a privilege to be able to meet with my brothers and sisters in Christ and spend time with God...but sometimes, just sometimes, I wonder if a lie-in wouldn't be more conducive to a less grouchy me... But then I remember that it is God that inspires me to be better, to be more gracious and forgiving... Even when I'm shattered...any excuses to not get up and go to Church when I'm not working come from my own weakness and the enemy's lies.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25

And if I need a reminder of the greatness of God, and how no matter how tired I am...he will never tire:

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." - Isaiah 40:28

Now I know that you don't technically have to go to Church to be a Christian... But Church is not just about the benefits we can get, it's about encouraging and building each other up, it's about being a community that watches over each other with love and prayer. You may feel able to be strong and remain faithful at home, by yourself, but others may not, and will look to those around them for guidance, encouragement and example.

Church after the Pandemic (new section added for 2022)

I was revisiting this post for a bit of inspiration, to help me refocus and get myself back on track a bit. My attendance at Church hasn't been amazing lately, part of that is unavoidable due to my restrictive shift pattern at work. But honestly there are times when I could make it, and choose not to. The excuses I use are varied and sometimes not particularly convincing. But it's worth mentioning the effect the recent pandemic has had on Church as we know it. Before Churches around the world had to close, due to the social distancing rules and requirements, Sunday morning Church routine was well established by most Church goers. Live streaming/online worship wasn't even considered by many Churches, but it became the only way that many faith communities could meet and experience worship together. Some of us got used to not having to get up early, or even get dressed to go to Church. We/I (speaking from experience) really lost the habit of the established routine. It's caused many people to question whether they need to physically attend a Church building and be part of a physical worshipping community. Now things have reopened, we seem to be pretty much back to normal, but not everyone has decided to return to physical in person worship, for a variety of reasons. The Church, as a whole, has taken a real hit, as has many businesses and organisations. Speaking to myself here; it's time to put the excuses away, rebuild those habits that we may have lost, return, as we are able to in person worship, for our own good, and the good of our individual church communities and the wider, worldwide Church. As I wrote above, others in your Church community may look to you for encouragement and inspiration, as you may look to others....the Church needs you, and even though you may not realise it, you need a physical Church community and other believers around you.

Online worship is great, and a really good way of making services accessible to everyone, whether you're working during the physical service, or unable to attend due to ill health, mobility issues etc, but we really need to be careful not to let it replace actually physically meeting together.

You are the Church!

Be the Church...drag yourself out of bed if that's what it takes...even when you'd rather sleep in. You may not feel that you have a place in the Church, or that you don't matter... but you do, your place, purpose, mission and gifts are what makes the Church what it is, without them it is much, much poorer.

I recently wrote a post that focuses on this in greater detail, which you might find helpful:

'The one and only you!'

"Your Church, wherever it is, whatever form it takes; is unique. It has one thing that no other Church in the world has...it has you!"
http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-3.html?m=1

So finally and as a summary:
Be the Church, be yourself, be the very best you can be, for yourself, for others and first and foremost for God.






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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army