The church is dead...Long live the Church

 

Many people these days seem to think the Church has passed it's sell by date. We're always being told It's irrelevant, pointless and weak. People seem to think it causes nothing but division, and is the decaying remnants of a once great institution that no longer has a place in society...other than maybe as a picture on a postcard or Christmas card...an image of tradition and a reminder of what once, was, the cornerstone of society.

As the cast of Monty python might say:

"Its not pinin'! 'it's passed on! The Church is no more! It has ceased to be! 'it's expired and gone to meet it's maker!

It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! It's pushing up the daisies!

It's metabolic processes are now history! It's off the twig!

It's kicked the bucket, it's shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir invisibile!!"

That's what I want to look at in today's post

A quick point of order before we get stuck in:

I thought I was being terribly clever with my witty title, a quick Google search shows that I was very, very wrong, and it's been used a lot (like a lot) so just as a mini disclaimer, this is my own work, not derivative or pinched from anyone else, I've drawn my on conclusions and opinions, so any resemblance to any other post is purely coincidental.

Would the last one out please turn off the lights!

Lots of polls and opinion pieces will tell you that the Church in the west is declining.

A quick Google search provided these sobering graphs specifically in relation to the United Kingdom. Published in June 2022 (click to zoom in)

Source" https://www.kouya.net/?p=13846

I'll leave you to read the full article yourselves if you're interested. But a few sobering points to note:

- some denominations could be extinct within 20 years

- the Church in Wales (including several nonconformist denominations) could be extinct within 30 years

- "The Church of England and Catholics should last until the second half of the century. However, they need to take urgent action now. Stemming losses is not enough. None of us can prevent ageing! Whatever their current denominational emphases, they should put all aside to encourage members to make new disciples who can replicate themselves. Praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit would not go amiss either."

A Church of two halves:

This next section is going to be a bit of a long winded, explanation of my opinion of what the figures and graphs are trying to say...but stick with me...I'll leave a summary/tldr (too long didn't read) at the end of this section if you just want to quite literally jump to my conclusion.

Interesting to note as a starting point, is that while older more established and traditional denominations are for the most part, in decline, more modern denominations seem to be increasing membership, also of note is that the churches that seem to be growing are the more evangelical ones.

I don't fully hold with the distinctions the website makes between liberal/evangelical churches, the definitions are a little unhelpful...a church can definitely be liberal as well evangelical in the sense of having liberal theology/doctrines/policies and still very much be committed to evangelism and reaching out...I think I would prefer the distinction of an insular, inward looking church whose main focus (note: main not only) on deepening relationships and discipleship Vs a mainly outward looking, convert grabbing focused church...which is pretty much the distinction I think they're trying to make, but with slightly dodgy terminology (just my thoughts anyway)

Whatever the terminology, the graphs are quite interesting...the larger Churches that are perhaps somewhat comfortable in their place, have established, and well known, long histories etc have, maybe become a little too comfortable, the sense of urgency is perhaps not there... obviously each denomination and individual church community will have their own reasons for growth or decline, and within the declining denominations they're will, of course be those communities that are still thriving and growing. So I don't want to oversimplify or stereotype whole denominations based on limited figures.

The younger Churches, that don't have that established history, I suppose are fighting to carve out their niche within the UK Christian community...they don't have an established following or reputation, (I guess is the word), to fall back on. So they must constantly be pushing forward, constantly be telling and showing people who they are.

The established denominations have enjoyed being ingrained in the public psyche for generations... generally people know who they are, they're represented on television, with things that are just part of our accepted traditions and shared experiences...just as a quick example, we see a priest in a dog collar we instantly know and understand what their role is, we make certain assumptions about beliefs, traditions and practices. We see a traditional Church and people instantly think of weddings, baptisms and funerals etc...maybe this privileged position in society has led to a certain amount of apathy?

Perhaps this apathy explains a lot of the issues the traditional Church faces...again another quick example...50-60 years ago you could probably assume most people went to church or at very least Sunday school when they were growing up. Stories like Noah's ark, fall of Jericho, David Vs Goliath etc were universally known by pretty much everybody... today, that's not the case. Even key components of Christianity and the story of Christ are not so well known. Even Christmas and the crucifixion are being pushed back and forgotten about...the established church hasn't really had the need to explain these kinds of stories, they have always subconsciously assumed that everybody was starting from an established knowledge base...and so haven't really had to worry too much about getting basic teachings and knowledge out there...and in my opinion haven't kept pace with changing society. 

Lots of the younger Churches are starting from an assumption that the people they're evangelising to, are completely starting from scratch, no prior knowledge or experience of the Church. Therefore seem to have more of a sense of urgency, and are building, pretty much from nothing... this the way I envision it; that the established denominations are like a fortress constantly building up defenses while unbeknownst to them, their foundations are cracking. Perhaps that's a little extreme, as their true foundations are in Christ and unshakable... Maybe a better analogy is to say that they're building defences while those inside are either comfortable and fast asleep unaware of any danger, or sneaking out the back door...in contrast to this imposing but sleepy and unprepared fortress I see these newer denominations as a lightly armed but passionate and strong raiding party, the trade off is that without the established fortress, or place of retreat the raiding party can be vulnerable.

(Skip to here for conclusion or tldr...if you made it through my rambling about the figures then congratulations and thank you)

The point I'm trying to make in all of the above. Is that there is no one way, that is all encompassing and works for everyone and everything the Church will encounter. There are benefits to being established and all the history and collective knowledge and traditions that the older denominations have accumulated. Likewise there is value and strength in the modern more outward looking denominations...both together could be unstoppable...to paraphrase and build on James 2:14-26 'faith without works is dead' I would say: worship and discipleship, growth etc without looking outwards is to miss the point of being the Church, as is looking outward without focusing on our own discipleship and community ties/foundations... essentially we need each other, all our different skills and passions need to work together to truly be the complete and unified Church that we are meant to be, and that the world needs us to be.

I know that all that is a massive oversimplification...the established Church does look outwards and the newer denominations do look inwards...I just wanted to help highlight the distinction and help to explain the different main focuses and methods of each type of denomination...my own denomination, the Salvation Army has traditionally been very good at reaching out, both in social work and evangelism. I would also argue that in terms of attractive, meaningful and inspiring worship it's also very good... discipleship, spiritual gifts, meditation all the sort of inward stuff however, it's traditionally been a lot weaker at. It's working to address the imbalance and has come a very long way...but sometimes we're still poor at stopping and looking inwards.

Rising from the ashes, and starting again:

Coventry cathedral ruins

New Cathedral

Coventry cathedral is a great, practical example of a Church literally rising from the ashes... destroyed during the Blitz of WW2 and rebuilt next to it. Since then it has been a key focal point of the city, an important venue for many varied events, and could well be described as the spiritual centre of the city...the new cathedral is several hundred years younger than many UK cathedrals...it's predecessor is around 500 years older and the original priory and cathedral founded around the year 1100, is around 300 years older than that...the Church , as in the whole church is very different from in those days.

Is it better? That would be to dishonour what has come before...it is a different institution for a different age and different needs...but it retains much of the lessons and practices of the past.

One Church:

Whether you belong to some of the centuries old Churches like the orthodox Church or Roman Catholicism. Or if you belong to the new breed from the last 20 years or so. Or those of us in-between, you are the Church! You have all the rights, responsibilities and duties that come with that, you are commissioned to make disciples, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring hope to the hopeless, be the hands and feet of God Himself...that is your greatest responsibility, and your greatest privilege.

Our methods may differ completely. Each denomination has strengths and weaknesses, only together, can we be, the true Church of God that this world needs...we have to learn from each other, hold each other up, pick each other up when we stumble...the challenges of modern day life could well pick us all off one by one, if we don't hold fast to the foundations and promises of God, and hold fast to each other.

The established denominations can no longer rest on their laurels of age old traditions and assume the basic knowledge of the Bible and Christ that society once had...it must get out there, meet people where they are. Invest in them, love them, help them grow and nurture them...it needs something of the fire and new ways of thinking that some newer denominations take for granted (and I'm pleased to say many more established denominations and individual church communities are realising that, and are already making leaps and bounds in those areas)...in the same way some newer denominations need the accumulated strengths of the established Church, it needs a fortress, and resources, the established reputations, it needs to use the knowledge and lessons that have been bitterly learned over the centuries...we can't be either/or. In a new and challenging world, particularly with the fallout and decline after Covid, we must be all, and both. A new, united, confident but prayerful, considerate, loving Church. We can keep our traditions, as well as our new expressions but for the love of God, we need to work together and stop fighting amongst ourselves...we can disagree, have wildly different methods, after all everyone is different, some methods and styles will resonate more with some, and not with others, that doesn't make them inherently bad or good. As long as we're worshipping God, and working together then it's all good.

The Church, in 20, 30 or even 100 years from now may well look or be expressed radically different from how it is today, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, I have no doubt, that despite figures like the ones above, the Church will continue to endure and serve this world as it has done for 2000 years. 

The Church on fire:

As a final note, challenge and promise. I'm going to post the lyrics and a link to the song 'Church on fire'. This is a fantastic promise and challenge for the whole Church, for your denomination or community, of course, but also as a combined Church, each of us standing side by side, apart but also connected in brotherhood, celebrating our strengths, and building up our weaknesses, traditional and new expressions of the Church; God's Church, on fire, united, powerful and ready for action.

The church is dead...long live the Church!

"Church On Fire"

https://youtu.be/M76PYwFIgcM

The Holy Spirit is here and His power is real

Anything can happen and it probably will

Something very good

Something good is going on around here

There is a light that shines to make the dark disappear

A power at work but there's nothing to fear

Something very good

Something good is going on around here

This is a church on fire

This is the Holy Spirit's flame

We have a burning desire

To lift up Jesus' Name

Let fire burn in every heart

To light the way defeat the dark

Let the flame of love burn higher

This is a church

This is a church on fire

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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 build Spiritual muscle... the old fashioned way

Today's post is about strength, courage, determination and above all hard work...all things that are a bit out of favour with today's 'quick fix' fascination. But all of which are vital if you want to build strong spiritual muscles that will help you navigate and thrive and keep you moving forward through the hostile and often difficult journey of faith and life.

This is a personal message to myself... I hope others find encouragement and inspiration through it...but really this is me telling myself off and giving myself a kick up the backside, not letting myself give up and ordering myself to put in the hard work and effort it will take for me to be the very best version of myself I can be. Not because of my own ambition but because I believe that God has given all of us the skills and talents to fulfill our potential and occasionally I need to be reminded of this...and inspired to put these skills to work.

Why we need to build spiritual muscle
The Spiritual life is an amazing and truly worthwhile journey...but it was never meant to be easy...it means being vulnerable, exposed, opening ourselves to ridicule and sometimes worse...it takes a strong foundation in Christ, resilience, hope and bucket loads of determination and focus.

If you want to see a great example of physical strength...I would really recommend watching the 'Worlds strongest man' competition. If you've never seen it then basically it's a competition in which contestants have to compete in some ridiculously difficult events lifting cars, huge boulders, pulling trucks...you get the idea...

These are some big guys and I don't think I've ever watched it and thought..."I could do that"
Those athletes have not become that strong overnight...it has taken each of them hard work, patience, pain, determination, struggle, injuries and pain to get where they wanted to be...

Now of course it's important to note that we are not talking about physical strength...but the principle is the same... the Spiritual life of a Christian can be difficult, lonely and can grind you down if you let it... people won't always understand, you'll probably be ridiculed and dismissed...of course we serve a God who is much bigger and greater than all of that...but we have to learn to tap into His strength, listen to His voice and find comfort in His heart...

This isn't a natural response... we're human and fallible and desperate to do everything by ourselves and in our own strength.... building Spiritual muscle is training yourself to respond differently...to face everything with God...to instinctively turn to Him not just when things are tough but all the time...to walk in harmony with Him through your whole life... like a tree planted by a river (Psalm 1:1-3) constantly fed and empowered...

How we build Spiritual muscle
When I think of training or growing as a Christian I always think of Psalm 144:

"Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me." (Psalm 144:1,2)

This always helps me to remember that our God TRAINS us for war... he isn't a magician who snaps His fingers and does everything for us... He's the God who wants us to grow and develop into the best versions of ourselves that we can be...of course God can instantly give us what we need and strengthen us and empower us in the moment...but most of the time it takes patience and hard work to develop ourselves... it's not a destination but an ongoing process of learning and growth that lasts our entire lives and beyond.

Most of my heroes are people that have spent time in the wilderness, that are human and imperfect but determined to be better and then they are or were... it's this determination, the never giving up, whatever they've faced that makes me admire them so much... sometimes life sucks... sometimes we want to run away and give up... this is where our spiritual muscles (or lack of) will show...

Like a bodybuilder or athlete.... building our Spiritual muscles is going to take time, and hard work... it's going to take us getting knocked down and hurt, bruised and battered...but you become stronger when you keep getting up...you become stronger when you become closer to God...you become stronger when you learn to instinctively trust in the God who is greater than anything and everything you're going to face...

It's important not to get impatient or frustrated...of course ambition in itself is not a dirty word...when it's focused on God's heart and God's will it gives us the drive to keep getting better... that being said, don't force it, build the foundation on Christ, on the word of God, the Spirit of God and the heart of God, work with those who inspire you, be willing to take a hit, to fall and to fail and above all to keep getting up...but it will take time and effort...but if you're feeling discouraged don't forget that well known wise man you learnt about in Sunday school all those years ago who built his house upon the rock...and what happened to the other guy...






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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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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.

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'Christ's ultimate boot camp!' A study of Mark 6

The world and the Church we live and serve in today is shaped by the heroes and champions of the past, and those who have inspired, influenced, guided and trained them...

12 such heroes answered Christ's call to serve, to follow, to leave all that they had and loved behind, and enrol in a lifelong and life changing Leadership training course...Christ's ultimate boot camp!

Throughout their service and collective ministry and mission they would be tested, tempted, threatened and in the case of most of them...Executed!

Ultimately because of their commitment and training; and the guidance, strength and example of Christ they would become an unstoppable force that built the Church and shaped our lives and worship today...with one notable exception they would become a team of true heroes.

"The Avengers. It's what we call ourselves. Sorta like a team. Earth's Mightiest Heroes type thing." - Tony Stark/Iron Man (Avengers Assemble)

- Building the team

Mark 6 is a great example of Jesus' Leadership and team building style...this was not the distant and unapproachable 'boss' barking orders, or the micro managing, over the shoulder nit picker, or even the kind but ineffectual 'friend to all' telling the Apostles what they wanted to hear.

Here was a true leader, with real authority, who saw value and potential in those He led. He was of course not afraid of getting His hands dirty... Of being a powerful and active force, serving, healing and teaching and doing all the wonderful, amazing and miraculous things He did. But Christ knew the benefits and necessity of building His team, training, guiding and preparing them to continue the work He began, to remain faithful, strong and effective after His earthly ministry was completed.

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other" John F Kennedy

- On the job training

The beginning of Mark 6, we see Jesus gathering His Apostles around Him and putting them to work...clear instructions and guidance, but it was clear that this was their mission, their chance to fly the nest and show what they were made of.

"Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." - Mark 6:7-13

After returning from this mission, feeling pumped up, excited about what they've achieved, filling Jesus in  on all their success (verse 30). Jesus has a new challenge:

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognised them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five - and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand." - Mark 6:31-44

They may not have succeeded in the challenge Jesus set them to feed the 5000 but they did get to learn some great lessons about compassion, teaching and service...so maybe not a great victory for them but still solid training and teaching... They were still far from complete and very much works in progress. And there is certainly value for the Apostles and us in this kind of training and teaching.

"It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained." - Queen Elizabeth II

- Ultimate team building exercise

Verse 45 onwards is an account of Jesus walking on the water:

"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,"

The thing that jumped out at me while reading this passage recently during a leadership training course was Jesus' insistence on the Disciples getting into the boat alone, while He watched on...perhaps the Apostles needed a crisis like the storm, to learn to work together, to become the team that they would need to be, to succeed in the days, weeks, months and years ahead...Jesus knew the benefits of experience and of trial by fire.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

If you've seen the first Avengers movie you'll remember that all the heroes needed a reason and focus to put aside squabbles and arguments to work together... In that film it was the death of a mutual friend that inspired them to be what the world needed them to be...exactly what was on the horizon for the Apostles.

But of course they were never really alone...Jesus stood watching, waiting to see how they worked together, what they'd learnt about teamwork and faith...when He was needed He was there...they didn't have to go to where He was, He met them right where they were and right where they needed them.

Developing ourselves and developing future leaders is vital for the future and success of the Church. Discipleship, learning and development must be a priority. I recently posted about growing future leaders, based on my experience on a training weekend.

http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/how-to-grow-leader.html?m=1

This used the tagline which I used in that post and really is an appropriate end and final challenge in this post:

"To be led more by Jesus, to lead more like Jesus, to lead more to Jesus."







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Reflections of a 'Part time Pete'

Salvation Army Songsters are a unique breed...talented, Spiritual, faithful and above all committed... And then there's 'Part time Pete'.

I have had the undeserved honour of being a member of my local Songster brigade (Choir) for a little over a year. This seemed a natural time to reflect and take stock of the journey so far.

I have probably earned the nickname and reputation that has been given to me (by a certain songster who will remain nameless) as 'part time Pete'. not through choice I should probably add...work commitments limit how often I can make practice, and if I'm honest some lack of organisation on my part...and there was that one 'gig' I missed because I fell asleep... But the less said about that the better!

As I look back over the last year or so, I think about the lessons I have learnt about the group and about myself, I am struck by the realisation of how much each individual brings to the group, and how without each one the group would be that much poorer and weaker. I think also about how much I have gained and learnt and the inspiration and encouragement that comes from being with such an amazing group of people.

If I'm honest, I do sometimes question my place and value as part of this group...I suppose I should remember to take my own advice from my last blog post...'The one and only you!':

http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-3.html?m=1

The obvious highlight for me came right at the beginning of this first year as a songster...our visit as a brigade to Bolton Salvation Army Corps. Great weekend, great people and great fellowship... But a great deal of work!

Things brings me to something that Salvationists will recognise and probably look on with at least some degree of fondness...Billeting!
I don't really know how this started, but it has become a tradition that members of visiting musical sections are hosted overnight by members of the Corps (Church) they are visiting.
I must say I was very blessed with lovely, caring and generous hosts...although I have heard 'interesting' stories about what can happen... If you have any stories to share, feel free to use the comments section.

What have I learnt in my first year?
Well, I've learnt that Spirituality and practice go hand in hand, I've learnt just how hard Songsters have to work, I've learnt that the strength and potential of the group is in the individuals that make up the group, that love, support and encourage each other and bring their own individuality, eccentricities and gifts to it.

So...a year on, still undeserving, still a little out of place and still a 'Part time Pete'. But still Inspired, encouraged and lifted up by this amazing group that I am honoured to be part of.

"He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

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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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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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