Salvationists Assemble!!!

"There was an idea, Booth knew this, called the Salvation Army Initiative The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to to fight the battles we never could."

- Nick Fury (outrageously ripped off and paraphrased)

Before we get started I'll admit that this is probably the cheesiest post I've written...but I think it's an important message so I hope you'll stick with me.

The Heroes the world needs:

Maybe you're already humming The Avengers Theme tune ...and hopefully you'll forgive the shamelessly ripped off and plagiarised quote from Nick Fury...but this really was the idea behind the Salvation Army...to be an organisation of heroes, faithful champions who would storm the forts of darkness and fight against hate, injustice, homelessness, social inequality, faithlessness, and hopelessness.

Or to put it in the Army's founder, William Booth's own words, in his famous 'Vision of the Lost':

"Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? Unquestionably it is so. There is no doubt that the leap for you, as for everyone who takes it, means difficulty and scorn and suffering. For you it may mean more than this. It may mean death. He who 

beckons you from the sea however, knows what it will mean - and knowing, He still 

calls to you and bids to you to come.

You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity 

long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, 

pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of 

hands and shouting of praises - very much of heaven on earth.

Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn your 

back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in 

the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you.

You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind and the call that 

is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, 

you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your 

happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them."

Click Here for a shortened but dramatic reading of this vision for the lost and the mission of Salvation Army and wider Church.

What it means to be a Salvationist:

This is what I believe it means to be a Salvationist and of course a Christian from any denomination...we are called to take a stand against injustice, hatred and all the other things I listed above...

Check out this post from the archives about what I believe the role and importance of the Salvation Army Soldier truly is (including Officers, Adherents and members)
No Soldier left behind

The days of sitting back and avoiding conflicts are gone...the world needs us. Just as in William Booth's day, the needs of our fellow man are crying out to us. We must decide how we will respond...right wing hate groups seem to be everywhere as is 'casual' racism, Brexit is dividing communities, terrorism haunts our steps, gun crime seems to be on the rise, and our politicians and leaders appear to be only interested in themselves and not the common good...if we're looking for examples of heroes and champions...they won't be found there....no wonder we seem obsessed with superhero movies at the moment...we seem sadly lacking in real world heroes.

That's where we come in...we are called and empowered to be beacons and lighthouses in the storms of this world, guiding people to God as is the entire Church of course.

But...and this is a big but...you'll never find an active lighthouse in the middle of a field, miles from the ocean... because that's not where they're needed... that's surely what Booth's vision is all about... meeting the needs around us where THEY are, instead of where WE are and where WE are comfortable.

Sometimes being a hero and fighting against all the things that we are called to fight against; means stepping out, being unpopular, leaving our own comfort zones, and taking the fight far behind enemy lines...we spend so much time and energy as a Church trying to attract people into our buildings and events... when really we should be putting this effort into inspiring and encouraging those within our congregations to get out of our buildings and out into the streets where the battlefield really is... otherwise we're just lighthouses in a field, giving light to each other...which for the record is definitely not a bad thing... it's important and necessary to build each other up and be beacons for each other, keeping ourselves on track, on task, on the right path and of course in the light... but that's not where our mission should end!

As C.T. Studd put it:

"Some want to live within the sound

Of church or chapel bell;

I want to run a rescue shop,

Within a yard of hell."

Developing the hero inside:

So my advice and encouragement for those interested, is to build yourselves, strengthen yourselves, trust and believe in God. Do what you need to do to reach your potential... heroes are not built overnight...Iron man spent years perfecting his armour, Captain America spent years building his character, determination and integrity before the super soldier serum gave him his physical powers, Thor had to experience life without his powers to discover who he really was and could become, Hulk had to learn to embrace his powers and potential to become more than a mindless beast... and the list goes on...every hero took time and effort to really reach their full potential and become true heroes.

But of course they didn't then spend their time congratulating each other and resting on their laurels (ok... Tony Stark/Iron man probably spent a while congratulating himself) they got to work, they fought the battles ordinary people couldn't, they stepped out and stepped up...they joined the battle where they were needed and despite sometimes having feelings of inadequacy or fear they didn't let anything stop them being who they had to be and doing what they had to do... the same goes for those early Salvation Army trailblazers...men and women who gave up everything to serve God and man and fight for those around them who cried out for help... and the same goes for us today following in their footsteps...so spend that time and effort to reach your potential, become the hero you need to be; it is time well spent but don't stop there... get to work and be the hero this world needs you to be... and needs us all to be...

The Team:

Of course to do all this, we not only have to build ourselves and trust God...we have to learn to work together and put aside those things that divide us, to be, not just amazing individuals but an amazing team of heroes, like the Avengers...but in our case, joined together, empowered and equipped by God to save our fallen and hurting world...

So without further ado:

Salvationists Assemble!!!




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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

A Place to Call Home

There are some really special places in this world, places that mean a great deal for many different reasons... this post is about perhaps the most important of these places...my Spiritual home...my church...

A week or so ago I published a post entitled 'Where it all Began', talking a little about my first real Church, the encouragement and inspiration that helped sow the seeds of my spiritual growth and development; check it out by clicking here

Today's post is a bit of a sequel. Not where I started, but where I am now, the importance of finding a spiritual home, a place to belong, some of the problems that can happen, the fallouts the failures and why it's worth persevering with a faith community and fellowship...in the Salvation Army we call them 'Corps' but 'Church' is just as relevant & I think these issues are just as important regardless of which denomination you belong to and identify with.

My Church
Here's just a brief overview of myself, my church and where we are as a fellowship and family.

I started attending my home Corps (Coventry City, UK) about 13 years ago-ish. I've been a Senior Soldier for 12 years this July. (At the time of writing) I started attending during a strange time for the Corps. We were in between buildings, as we were waiting for the construction of a new building to replace the old one which had become unfit for purpose. So the whole Corps was in a bit of a limbo situation, sharing a building with another Church community.

Eventually our brand spanking new building opened in mid 2005, followed shortly by a change in Officers (ministers).

So a new home, new leaders. A new start and fresh beginning. Not just for the Corps but for me personally.

In this Corps I found welcome, love and a spiritual home. Of course I also found politics, fallouts and the occasional argument...because unfortunately for the Church, it's populated by us imperfect sometimes petty human beings, (and yes I am including myself at the forefront of that).

So what is a spiritual home?
A physical home should be a place of rest, a place where you feel comfortable where you can unwind from the pressures of the day. A spiritual home should have some of these qualities but it also needs to be a place of challenge and inspiration that will not always be comfortable but will bring you encouragement and fulfillment.

Dysfunctional family
Coventry City Corps is where I find these things but let me be clear, we are a long way off a perfect community. We can fall out, annoy each other, dismiss each other but I'd like to think when things are rough we would be there for each other. We are a family....but a dysfunctional family sometimes.

My Church has, over the last few years, become home to a different group of people... We have joined a group of other churches in the city to host a winter night shelter. We have become a temporary home on one night a week during the winter, providing warmth, comfort and food the very things a home should provide. On a personal note while I've been involved in the night shelter I have found time to sit in our main Worship hall devoid of light and people and I have found a real sense of peace and homeliness; reflecting on all the friendships and relationships that have been built in that room when it's full, relationships with God have been built and testified too, prayers have been said, commitments made (including my own wedding vows). It truly is the heart of our spiritual home, but I suppose when full this is hard to see.

Why you need your Church & why your Church needs you
Many people, perhaps someone reading this have, been hurt by the Church in some way or another. And I am truly sorry for that. But despite this I still feel that the Church is necessary, that belonging to a Church community is necessary, and not just because of the benefits we can receive, but also because of the journey we are on together; We can, even unknowingly support and encourage those around us in our faith communities just by being an example.

I know what a lot of people say "you don't need to go to Church to be a Christian..." And I understand this position and I can see the point, I would even agree, to a point. The old rebuttal to that position is of course "you don't need a parachute to jump out of a aeroplane...but it certainly helps." The point is, we need each other. We have to walk together to find encouragement and strength in each other, and we need to serve alongside each other... Think about a major incident like an earthquake or flood; yes, individuals can help and make a huge difference, but it takes an Army, committed, organised and mobilised to really turn the tide, with supply drops, airlifts etc, we can be that Army...but it means putting aside our squabbles and differences and work together.

So let's be a true family and community. But let's go into it with our eyes open; understanding that we will annoy each other, we will fall out and hurt each other but by the grace of God and mutual love and understanding we can get past all this and be a true family. Ultimately we are better and stronger together, even when we annoy each other and fallout over petty stuff.





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An Army at War: Part 2 (1939 - 1945)

Here is Part 2 of 'An Army at War' hope you enjoy.
(Here's a link to part 1 '1914-1918' http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/an-army-at-war-part-1-1914-1918.html?m=1 )

In 1939 The World was once again plunged into war. This time however, The Salvation Army would find itself fighting it's own personal battle for survival. Persecuted, divided and attacked like never before.

The man to guide the Army through this crisis was the 5th General, Australian George Carpenter, who took office on 1st November 1939 as the world and the Salvation Army was dragged into the Second World War.

The worldwide Army was torn apart, as communication with International Headquarters in London became almost impossible, conscription severely diminished it's active adult manpower, evacuation effectively ended children's work in the UK's urban areas, and many older members in the UK took on voluntary service in the Home Guard, Air Raid Precaution Wardens etc. Blackouts, destruction of Corps and other wartime constraints and protective measures devastated what was left of congregations.

On the night of May 10th/11th 1941 tragically, and almost symbolic of the Army's problems; International Headquarters itself was almost totally destroyed in an air raid by German bombers.

The Army in the UK was down but not out, continually on the streets doing what they could to assist emergency services and all those affected by the devastation. This was an Army damaged, hurt and weakened, but still committed to 'Serving Suffering Humanity' wherever and whenever they could.

The Salvation Army in mainland Europe faced an even more direct and imminent threat as the third Reich marched ever onwards and nation after nation fell under Nazi occupation and ongoing devastating conflict, as Europe continued to tear itself apart.

In order to keep this post relatively short here's just a short breakdown of how the Army fared in occupied Europe and the East. Please feel free to join the conversation with stories, context, opinions and any additional information in the comments section.

- Finland was devastated by a long and bitter war against Russia, joined forces with Nazi Germany but ultimately fell to Russian occupation. The Army continued it's work as best it could until early 1942 when the Finnish government officially advised the Army leaders to evacuate.

- Norway and Denmark were occupied in 1940, Army work continued but hampered by buildings being requisitioned for military purposes, curfews, blackouts, arrests and so on.

- Belgium and Holland saw arrests, the suppression of 'the war cry', deportation of Salvationists to Germany for forced labour.

- France was split in two by the capitulation of compiègne in 1940, communication between occupied and unoccupied France was forbidden, serving Salvation Army officers were imprisoned. Major George Flandre was betrayed and shot.

When the rest of France fell, the Salvation Army was effectively disbanded; meetings and uniforms were forbidden, Army properties were seized and sold by the state.

There was some hope though. Monsieur Marc Boegner president of France's Federation of reformed Churches allowed Army meetings to be held in his own Churches and incorporated the Army's social services programmes into their own Churches.

- Estonia, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Italy, Germany: all suffered from arrests, buildings being seized, etc
Ironically Germany's Territorial Headquarters was severely damaged in an air raid by allied forces.

- Switzerland remained neutral but did everything it could to support the suffering and displaced, with financial aid and the housing of refugees, even at the cost of severing it's own ties with International Headquarters in London.

- Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, China and Korea all suffered harsh treatment, arrests, subjugation, attacks, formal dissolution and amalgamation into a state run, controlled, monitored and regulated, religious organisation.

A brief word about my home city of Coventry, known today as the city of peace and reconciliation.
On the night of 14th November 1940 the German air force devastated this city including the heartbreaking destruction of our Cathedral and most of the city centre. It has left a permanent scar on our city and identity.

(Here's a link to an old blog post of mine with more information about this event: http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/a-phoenix-from-ashes.html?m=1)

A German newspaper of the time apparently described Coventry as 'the hate filled, victory assured symbol of the absolute destruction of an enemy city'.

Reconciliation of nations, families and our broken Army was vital after the war ended, scars ran deep, pain and suffering had devastated the entire world

How could anything survive what the Salvation Army went through during the Second World War? How could this damaged and broken Army ever march as one?

But by the Grace of God, it did.
It returned, it healed, and it grew.
The words of the worship song 'In Christ Alone' by Stuart Townend springs to mind:

'No power of Hell,
No Scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.'

The Salvation Army pulled together, in every corner of the world. Relief teams from Britain, America and Sweden flooded Europe, Corps were rebuilt, Flags donated, Salvationist brothers and sisters from around the world lifted each other up in love, kindness and fellowship.
Coventry City Band visited Germany shortly after the War a sign of forgiveness and reconciliation from a city that had every right to hate and despise everything about Germany. This friends, is forgiveness and family. This is what we mean when we talk about 'One Army'

If such darkness and evil can be overcome, then anything can. In these times, when hatred and suspicion seem to be on the rise, take heart in this reconciliation, rebuilding and hope that whatever the future holds, this Army and the God it serves can and will endure.

In this spirit, let me end today's post with Romans 8:38-39

'For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'






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'Through a mirror darkly'

Yesterday (02/11/15) the UK seemed obsessed by one thing... Something that it never gives a second thought to...THE WEATHER...ok, I give in...we're ALWAYS obsessed by the weather...

But even for us there was something new to talk about regarding the weather... FOG!!!

London seemed to grind to a halt because of it; all everyone seemed to talk about was how much this fog had bought the UK to a stand still, stopped everyone going about their daily business; it got me thinking about my spiritual life and how often it feels like a spiritual fog has descended on everything.

Martin Luther King said: 'Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step'

This is a great truth... Sometimes it may feel that our future is so clouded we can't see our hands in front of our faces but we have to trust that even though we may feel terrified about what lies ahead and the uncertainty of what the future may hold, we serve a God and King who will always be with us and walk with us  whether the way seems clear and straight or whether it feels shrouded in fog, uneven and terrifying.

The truth I guess to finish on is that even though we may not see our way ahead now... In time, God will make it clear to us, our unseen God will justify our faith when we meet Him face to face

'Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.' 1Corinthians 13:12