Friday 9 March 2012

United we conquer



When I used to travel extensively across North Scotland one of my favourite places to stop was at the Commando monument at Spean Bridge. The monument is for all those who have served their country as members of the Commando Regiment. This is represented in bronze by three commandoes looking out across the pine sloped valley with the inscription ‘United we conquer’ and furthermore ‘This was their training ground’.

For the Commandoes for whom this was literally their training ground the story is told that they would be met from the station by a sergeant major who would then give them directions to their barracks ten miles away and they would start running, complete in their civilian attire with suitcase rather than combats and backpacks – the training started as soon as they hit the ground.

History tells of the success and failure of those who were prepared for military combat in that often inhospitable climate.

For most of us our training took place at Denmark Hill, some attending as cadets others as envoys with one or two attending SA training establishments elsewhere in the world. Our training was within the classroom and the platform, the public house and the market place. Rightly a similar monument could look out over the world and state ‘This was their training ground’. Reality tells us that our training was so often anything but – it was not training it was the real thing. The people we ministered to were real people, the needs were real and the challenge of the gospel was as powerful in the words of inexperience as they were coming from the many highly competent ministers of the gospel who were involved with us.

It was not through training that we discovered the power of the Holy Spirit but in seeing God’s Spirit disable the enemy and change the life and lot of the individual with force. I have been reminded again this week of the aggressive tactics that satan will employ as we engage him in the very real spiritual warfare in the 21st Century. We are called to be ready at every moment of every day to state again ‘United we conquer’ when we are working in union with Christ.

History will tell of our the victory of the King whom we serve.

Monday 21 November 2011

What sort of an Army ? (10)

… an Army that believes that God’s best work in us is in the future not the past.


It’s great to look back and enjoy the warm memories of that which has gone before. Many people will look to their childhood for please reminiscences, other to their early days of married life, still others to a great experience of the last few days. It all involves looking back

It is so easy to look at the past through a rose tinted rear view mirror!

That is not to say they weren’t great times and that the memory of them gives us hope and anticipation for the future. However, in Kingdom terms, the best is always yet to come both in our worship and service and our eternal hope.

We may look to the past in celebration of what God has done, and we may take it as the preliminary sketch of all that he is to do in the future – not that he will repeat the same thing over and over but that our God, who moves seamlessly through time will show us His dramatic presence in the future as he has in the past.

Last weekend saw a group of 45 Salvationists attending the latest discussion in the Scotland Mission Strategy process – a process that very clearly not only looks ahead but places that future in the hands of Him who is timeless. What an exciting prospect it is to think, dream and plan for what God is going to do in and through us.

If we do not believe that our best days are ahead, what are we saying about our God? That he peaked too early? That He made a mistake? Not one bit of it! As I look at the volumes of Salvation Army history formally lined up on the bookshelf I heartily believe that these will serve as a ‘foreword’ to the work that God is yet to do through us.

Our history tells that we do not rest on our laurels, our faith tells us to ‘press on towards the prize’ (Philippians 3:14). Our best days, because they are His days, are yet to be.

Sunday 13 November 2011

What sort of an Army? (9)

… an Army that is unafraid to be seen in it’s uniform.


I recently ordered a new logo jacket. It was not for me it was for my wife however seconds after placing the order I realised that I had ordered a mans jacket for someone who is definitely not. The style and cut would be all wrong; the size would be way too big. In short it would be an ugly representation.

It reminded me that a short time ago someone defended their not wearing a uniform because ‘it’s ugly’. Yes, from a design perspective it may be considered not fashionable, it may not have a flattering cut or be cut from a cloth that we would choose but it singles us out as individuals with a purpose and a point to our living.

Because the cross has been sanitised by it’s adoption into jewellery culture, what is one of the most ugly forms of torture and death is now seen as fashionable and acceptable – in fact, probably for the majority of people who wear a cross it means, nothing other than as a fashion accessory. It is an ugly thing that has been made acceptable.

Therefore we need to review why we are wearing our uniform – and what guise that uniform takes. With the extensive provision of red shield garments, with the diverse programmes we are now engaged in there is no reason not to wear some form of appropriate uniform, regardless of what ministry we may be engaged in.

In so many parts of the world where others fear to tread the wearing of the Salvation Army uniform still gives confidence of safe passage and ministry provided, in times past when people were martyred for the wearing of their uniform, for a community that is struggling to deal with it’s own identity are we prepared to be anonymous in declaring that we are saved to save and to serve?

Be unafraid – be uniformed.

Thursday 3 November 2011

What sort of an Army? (8)

… an Army that recognises that worship is not a Sunday experience but a way of life.

Last week we considered that variety in worship is crucial within the Salvation Army ( and I daresay in the broader Christian Church as a whole).

This week I would ask us to consider two things:

That worship is something that happens as a gathered congregation.
That worship is something that happens because we are a sent people.

As a gathered congregation the act of gathering, of consciously setting aside time to spend with others of a like mind, or at least an enquiring mind, is worship. We have said inwardly to ourselves and to God Himself ‘You are worth giving this next period of time to, to concentrate on your goodness, to open my heart and mind to your leading and to open my mouth to magnify You – and this in the presence of my peers’. We give time, and therefore worth, to the things that are precious to us.
Clearly this does not have to happen on Sunday alone – any day of the week can be the setting of gathered worship – in truth we have numerous expressions in West Scotland of this very thing. The post-modern age allows us to consider such things as options rather than radical departures from tradition.

When we finish our gathering we then re-enter ‘His world-our mission field’ but the worship should and must continue. As we go about our daily lives, the mundane and menial, our work tasks and our social life this too is worship. The business deal, the conversation, the cup of coffee with colleague or friend all must have the same intentionality as the gathered event. We must give worth to our living because in doing so we are acknowledging the one who has given us life. Our living in the presence of God, we may call it holiness, is a direct influence on those around us and an act of worship in itself. In fact we may argue that it is purer worship because it has that additional impact on non believers.

Our day to day living, accidentally and intentionally is our worship – every day.

Thursday 20 October 2011

What sort of an Army? (7)

… an Army that recognises variety in worship.

It has been our great experience over a number of years to experience a number of worship styles both within the Salvation Army and in other gatherings. I remember with great fondness attending a church event a few years ago where each worship session was assisted by a different group of musicians, one group comprised of guitars keyboard and drums, whereas the next session was helped by a classical string quartet. Each was appreciated and the response to their performance worship as well as their accompaniment was deep and sincere.

Reducing worship to a musical style is both inaccurate and disrespectful to God.

The essence of worship is doing what we are doing as a worthy offering to God. So our sung worship should be heartfelt – so very often it is.

However sSome people do not understand music – truly! How do we engage them in worship? Do we consider, art and drama, written prose and poetry as viable forms of worship? We dip our toe into this pond via 24/7 prayer rooms and Messy Church events but what about those who are seeking a regular outlet for this style of worship? Truly most Corps would struggle to present an alternative music based worship experience let alone a non musical worship experience. We do, however, need to value all forms of worship and not sit in judgment on those that we do not understand or appreciate on a personal level. We are not all the same and therefore have differing worship needs, the recognition of this ensures a stronger and more diverse fellowship.

It is the worth that we give God in all that we do that makes it worship rather than the notes we sing or play.

Saturday 15 October 2011

What sort of an Army ? (6)

… an Army that sees personal repentance as more important than public relations.

Now here’s a tricky one! Or is it?

Without any doubt there is a need for us to experience personal repentance in order to have a real experience of Jesus in our live: the need to confess our need of Him within us and to list our sins before Him in order to empty ourselves of our selfish ways and allow Him to enter into fullness within us. No personal repentance – no real relationship with Christ.

However what appears to happen within the Church is that we feel we need to be on a constant marketing campaign for our own fellowship, church or Corps. We end up preaching ‘churchianity’ rather than Christ. We promote the quality of our music, the diversity of our community ministry, the depth of the teaching when the truth is held within our Biblical doctrine: ‘He that believes has the witness in himself’

If we confess Christ with our lips and reflect Him in our actions we don’t need fancy gimmicks or justifications (it is equally no need to be slack either) for Jesus attracts all people to Himself – it is our attempts at being His PR agents that stop so many people seeing Him. So many people have judged the Church on it’s representatives – let each give their family, friends and neighbours opportunity of encountering Christ by making ourselves vulnerable by speaking His name and the new life we have discovered in Him.

Friday 7 October 2011

What sort of an Army? (6)

… an Army that places personal discipleship at the heart of all we are.

To be a follower of Jesus is to walk in His footsteps wherever we may find ourselves.
We discover more about people by spending time in their presence, hearing there words and responding to their actions and values. In human terms this sometimes leads to disagreement but can also lead to developing character and shifting of opinions. A mind that is closed is a mind that will atrophy and eventually be seen and heard as being stuck in the past.
When we walk every day with Jesus we pursue Christlikeness - we call it discipleship. It essentially is a reflection of every aspect of our living for Jesus: in the workplace, the schoolroom, the queue at the bank, the car park. Discipleship is about every moment of everyday. Having a heart that is open to His prompting and guidance in the daily grind. Knowing that with him the tasks of the everyday are opportunities for witness and ministry, rather than for energy sapping effort.
When the spirit of Christ invades every part of ur being we discover that the response of the faithful disciple is natural not forced.
Every day with Him is learning every day to be like Him