I am here to announce that every soldier in The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory has the opportunity to witness boldly to the saving grace of the Son of God. Are you waiting for orders to do something? Here are your orders: Be holy...and do something! Waiting for permission? You have the permission you need to start something that would honour God. If it works to His glory, we'll make it official and call it The Salvation Army.
Can we understand that God's hope for us is unlimited. Much of the limitation is in our minds and ultimately our feet...which become frozen for fear of failure and any number of excuses. Trust God and give it a go. Don't hold back now when God needs you so critically. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 43:19 (MSG)
19 Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.
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47 comments:
Sadly, I am unable to accept this as a reality within our Army. My heart is broken by the loss of a passionate soldier of God because God's command to this person was not 'endorsed' by powers that be. It is my prayer that we begin to treat our own with honour and respect.
Commissioner: Hallelujah! May God bless it all heaps!
Much grace,
StephenC
Yes must agree with the commentor at the top - most of the wounded in our army are wounded by friendly fire. Something needs to happen to hold accountable those in positions of power that they do not misuse this power for evil instead of good and that God's mighty Army may arise.
You are "the man" you have the God given authority to change things to hold your leaders accountable...
Commisioner,
Praise God...a totaly mobilised SA
an order from the top Salvo.
Unfortunately, I would have to say I know of many a soldier, officer within the Salvo's that have had awesome visions to advance God's Army in to places that had never scene the light of Jesus. Just to be wounded by the leadership of the Army.
Sorry for the negativity.
You will need lots of prayer to get this to happen TC. I will pledge to pray for you and the ministry of the SA. Also, I will pray that God will open the eyes and hearts of the dream & vision killers or squash them if they're so blind to see God's plan.
I'm reading some interesting responses and I understand. My confidence is in God.
Some interesting responses.
It would be good if anonymous could speak to you, Commissioner.
I sense that you are approachable.
Godincidence I will say - a very similar thing has been on my mind for half of the week and I've just placed my brief thoughts on the topic on my blog also before reading this blog.
Time to step up Soldiers of the Cross - the time is getting close, a sence of urgency is brewing. Listen to the Spirit especially in these days - if you get an order from our "Boss" upstairs do it with 'great haste'!
Come Lord Jesus, come!
TC,
It's great that you are trusting in God for this. I believe you may be just the man of God to lead the huge change that is needed in the SA.
However, there are people within your ranks that are still hurting because of vision stifling by SA leadership who looked at man's bottom line and not God's, which I believe is limitless. If you want to mobilise the SA in Australia, you'll need to find those individuals that have had the wind knocked out of their sails. Listen to them, hear their pain, seek their forgiveness, and pray for forgiveness for the SA leadship and call the SA leadership to repentance.
God Bless you Jim, and be strong in God.
Well said, tweedle dee... I could not agree more.
We cannot continue to call people to action until those who stfile vision and passion are immobilised.
There is a desperate need for men and women of God to stand in the gap and be brave enough to make a stand for the sake of Gods Kingdom and to mobilize the ranks of TSA once again.
Blessings and prayers always.
TGM
Courage, loved ones. Courage.
Please don't tell us we have permission to take up our cross and follow, when the baggage is so heavy.....
I think, in times like this, it is essential that we are constructive, but also prayerful. Members of my close family have been hurt by by people and decisions made by the Army, Lets, as a movement of God...continually be on our knees seeking His forgiveness and grace, and may that forgiveness and grace and LOVE, stem out to our people. The world need Christ, and we need to be Christlike to our people as well as those who are yet to experience to joy of knowing Christ. O God may your people be more like You. Guide, love, protect and mould us all - For Your Names sake - Amen!
I think that issue is not neccessarily people being hurt - as this happens whenever we have people together. The issue is people in positions of power who use this power to stop people using their God Given Vision and Passion to bring people into the Kingdom of God. It is basically evil and needs to be prayed out of our organization and those who have the authority need to stop turning a blind eye.
In answer to :-
Please don't tell us we have permission to take up our cross and follow, when the baggage is so heavy.....
For 10 years I carried baggage - it weighed me down - it kept me from being who God created me to be - it limited my effectiveness in the Kingdom of God.
The moment I put it all at the cross of Jesus - what freedom - what peace - what joy!!!!
What had changed? Not the circumstances - not the 'inflictors' - it was me - through the power of God's love I moved on! I refuse to let anyone / anything weigh me down - I am going to be all that God created me to be!
You are in my prayers!
I was at a mens conference this past weekend and heard a wonderful message about controlling what is in your circle of control...YOU!!!
The TC can't control what previous leaders have done or their so called lack of vision, all he can deal with is the present and the future. We should be greatly encouraged by his openness to what God is wanting to say in and through people.The Holy Spirit is moving let each of us accept our part in the future of this great movement TSA.
God Bless.
darren - your theory sounds good in theory... however there are systems at play that need to be addressed if TSA is going to move forward into the past otherwise we shall just keep going around repeating the past.
This must be very painful. Expect the grace...
TC,
In response to:
"This must be very painful. Expect the grace... "
I think what you have done praise God have had the courage to open a can of worms that has been holding back the SA in Australia for a long time. To me it demonstrates a courage that can only come from God.
Yes it is painful, but people need a place to share the hurt, and the pain they're feeling. I believe you have taken a brave step, especially with the number of hits you would receive being the Leader of the SA Southern Territory.
You have probably worked it out by now but I am very passionate about this topic, especially where it concerns the SA, because it is close to the bone.
My family & I have been hurt by the leaders in the SA twice, I wasn't hanging around for a third, hence we left the SA. And, maybe as rowelty suggested in his post on this blog I need to place it at the cross, and keep it there. However, in saying that it isn't easy when you continually see good people being hurt by decisions made by leaders within the SA.
I beleive it is a matter of seeking forgivness and repenting.
TC God sent you to Australia for a reason maybe it was this. As I pledged in an earlier post I will continue to pray for you and the ministry of the SA.
I like many others could cite a hundred and one occasions when the "army" has lacked vision, got things wrong and people have got hurt. In the 1970's the majority of my family left the army because they felt change wasn't happening fast enough or because of judgemental attitudes towards them.
But I know something else. I know that most of the time the reason I didn't get to do what God had laid upon my heart to do was stifled not because someone said it wasn't allowed but because of my own fear and reluctance to take responsibility.
Rather than feeling stifled by the Salvation Army I have been amazed by the amount of freedom I and my husband have been given to follow our dreams and visions. How much greater freedom can there be than, "You are appointed to ......to start the work!"
In fact sometimes the amount of investment and trust placed in us has sometimes felt overwhelming. It would have been easier sometimes if someone from DHQ had said no, then I wouldn't have had to face the challenge that if my great idea doesn't work the buck stops with me.
Thankfully God is gracious and he has worked all things together for good on so many occasions even when we have been bumbling along.
I firmly believe that if God is really in our vision and we are living in obedience then he will open doors.
God Bless
Carol Young
UK
It is my observation that we have insecure people in some leadership positions and insecure people misuse their positions of power as their means of gaining control over others. It works well within our current system as we are held at the mercy of those who dish out the resources. Secure leadership leads by gaining respect - we need more secure leaders who love their people and want the best for them.
This certainly is the model of leadership demonstrated by Jesus and Paul writes much about not "lording it over others" but leading in love.
I thank you Commissioners Jim and Carolyn for your fine example of secure and compassionate leadership may it filter down into the ranks and may Gods Kingdom be expanded.......it may also take some changing of people out of positions if they are not able to lead in a Godly and secure manner...
Carol said...
How much greater freedom can there be than, "You are appointed to ......to start the work!"
You are right, however, I have no idea if it is like this in the UK.
When the SA here appoint you to "start a new work" they normally put the resources and support needed to get the work off the ground. A Dscision had been made at THQ level to endorse the work. Thats how I believe it works here in the Australian Southern Territory (please correct me if I'm wrong someone).
What the issue is, is when the vision comes from officers or soldiers who believe God has given them a vision for a community. The SA leadership (some not all) when they're asked for support, they will often tell the officer or soldier things like "Yes sometimes people get these thoughts, that they think are from God." Now this can happen when the vision has runs on the board, or kicked a goal.
The support officer's and soldiers in ministry need is encouragement at all levels of leadership, to seek God's call on their lives. Like the TC has done encouraged them to chase their vision.
But before this can happen their needs to be repentance within the SA. Particuly the Leadership.
Your honesty honours God. Each of you are being used by God here. His mark on your lives affirms His love.
I come from a family where every member was a salvationist. Parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents all of them. One by one they were destroyed by salvo leaders. They gave everything and were treated terribly. I was the last. Now it's happened to me too. I can't imagine it ever getting any better so i'll be staying away. One day they'll learn. Pray for arrogance and self belief to be broken down in tsa leaders.
In no other part of the body have I experienced the freedom to act, minister, serve, evangelise, pray, or work as in the Army. The vast majority of the rest of the body are tied with many limitations about who can do what.
Also, with regards to holiness, the only ones who prevent that in our lives are ourselves! It is the privelege of all believers to by wholly sanctified! Lets crucify self and live for Christ.
Bless you all.
I think it's clear that salvos need to start looking after each other if they want to look after the world.
In the past and in my present situation, we have received nothing but encouragement and fullest support from line management to 'open the cage' and let the eagles spread their wings and help them soar.
This has included the turning upside down the management structures in line with local needs and the corps leadership have been given the trust to own their vision and make it come to fruition without any interference from 'higher up'
Thank you for sensitive, enabling and empowering UKT leadership!
I realise that there are many personal hurts and issues being aired here....there are two sides ( or more) to every issue....the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle and rarely totally on one side of the spectrum. We would do well to acknowledge our own negative aspects that has contributed to any overall breakdown in relationships.
UKT
UKTwhat have you actually been enabled to do by sensitive, enabling and empowering leadership?
I sense that there some serious hurts here and that is very sad, I know that people are people and do bad things(sometimes) but GOD is a great God and He does great things, go to HIM, be healed and set free, move on, even if away from the Army if needs be, but move on, your eternal destiny is way too important to be missed because some human,somewhere and some place did some thing to you once...
allow God into your life and dont harbor bitterness anymore..HE LOVES YOU and wants you healed no matter what...you can't change the past, but you can change the future by the decisions you make today...DO IT.
(gg)
Firstly, great post Commissioner and kudos to you for your obviously caring attitude the hurting troops that God has given over to your care!
Unfortunately, the human part of this Army of ours has hurt too many people and too many have been lost to its ranks, and to the kingdom. I pray that the Lord will heal those who are hurting and will provide the means for healing.
In the meantime, I'd suggest that following what the Commissioner asks would be a good way to begin the healing process. Seeing the healing that a Spirit led life would bring to others would go a long way to healing your own hurts.
Thank you, Lord, for every post here. We know your grace to be sufficient and claim your love for us to share among each other. Hallelujah!
Sorry for this but I need to say it.
There are always two sides of the coin, and perhaps the solution lies somewhere in the middle. However, before that middle ground is found there needs to be a move on both sides towards it.
In our situation, we were officer's in a country appointment. Very small community, we had a tragedy happen in our family the loss of a child whilst on furlough in Melbourne. This obviously caused all soughts of emotions to rise up. Our inital response was we could not return to our appointment which we informed our SA. After an opportunity to reflect on what we were saying and the work that was just starting to get going after 3 years of hard work. We said to the SA we have made a mistake,we need to finish the work we had started in our appointment. The problem the SA did not here us, consequently we were appointed to another Corps in the very next field change. This was approximately 4 months after the loss of our son.
Two issues arose out of this, firstly, we were leaving the support of small community that had travelled with us through our grieving. Secondly, we were apointed to a Corps in to a new community with no support, no leadership except for a very tired CSM who was and still is a saint.
Consequently, the grief for me was to hard to handle, my wife was virtually running th Corps single handed with the help of the CSM. I needed sometime out of ministry, the Christian Counsellor I was seeing suggested 12 months minimum. Unfortunately, when we asked about me having some time out it was not an option, we both had to resign or stick it out. Which if we had, I believe I would have destroyed the corps and the SA's reputation within the community. Even though it was against our wishes we were forced to resign, with 6 weeks to find somewhere to live and a job. Now when you're not that keen about leaving the house as you find it hardwork to face people, how does one face a job interview. This all just adds to your already battered mental state.
Now by this stage some may be saying why didn't you hand it over to God. Well I did eventually, but when a person is so low, so battered emotionally God seems so distant, (obviously He's not He's carrying us through it). What I needed was the people in leadership at the time was to say "Hey it's Ok, we hear you pain how can we help you and your family." But no the only thing we heard was you have six weeks to vacate the house and give back the car. Holiness, Compassion, Grace, Love Hmmmm. You can answer that yourselves.
This is turning into a long post.
I have to say, we have moved on in God, and I have been able to forgive those leaders involved. My problem is forgetting the memories of what was forced upon my family.
Since leaving the SA I have heard some great things about the great work people are doing reaching the lost, and thats great. My concern is the other things I hear about good people officer's and soldiers being treated like dirt.
TC I apologise for using your Blog to offload. However, I also thank you for the opportunity. But TC you have to do something about the lack of compassion that is shown towards people officers and soldiers that are truly hurting. All I can offer you is prayer, but I believe you are the man of God who will sought this issue out. God knows the SA Southern Territory needs you, which is why he sent you here.
The last comment is absolutely unfounded. Yes we have 'sin in the camp' and yes we are fasting and repenting of that sin.
Speaking as a fallen Officer who was reinstated only last Sunday (after 18 years in the wilderness!) I would go anywhere and do anything for nothing as long as I could wear my uniform and preach the gospel.
God bless TSA and all those who have posted here but at the end of the day it has to be said... whatever happens, wherever we go and whatever is done to us we remain 'more than conquerors' and 'nothing can separate us from the love of GOd which is ours in Christ Jesus!' - 'the promises of God are true if we only believe!'
A
Unfortunately people are allowed to rule with their emotions (based upon who they do and dont like) rather than logic and what is best for Gods movement.
We need to rid this Territory of such sin and allow those who have been raised up by God to bring revival to not be hampered by bias and evil.
I used to have big problems with alot of the leadership around me. I believed that I couldnt do what I wanted to do because of the leadership.
But then I realised that the only thing stopping me was me. I realised that I wanted TSA to give me money to do the mission. I realised I wasnt doing it because it was too costly, so i settled for compromise. The leadership made it hard but the thing stopping me was me.
If God has called us to do something we need to do it. He has called us to be Holy, so lets obey the command the commish has given us which is also a command from God.
There is sin in the camp, we all agree. From my experiences in the Army what I think would be really beneficial would be if a forum of sorts could be developed so that when leadership gets it wrong we have somewhere to go. And i dont mean a forum of 'yes men and women' who agree with everything. We need a place where we can be heard and issues can be dealt with appropriately..
For me, every time I get burnt or see people get burnt it spurrs me on to working harder and making a change in our movement.
Commish, I'm preaching on Sunday and Im letting everyone know what your commands are, theyre obviously from God.
Tweedle Dee my heart goes out to you and I am truly sorry for what happened to you and your family at a very critical time in your lives
I can however believe all of these events to be true as I suffered the same treatment in similar tragic circumstances and I know of others who have also been pushed over the edge by leadership.
Can I also say that there were also some good people who looked out for us and I am forever greatful to them and for God for placing them at the right place at the right time.
It is a small majority that behave like this and unfortunately placed in the wrong positions makes them corruptly powerful.
It appears that despite the seemingly open approach taken on this blog there is still a level of censorship. Still demonstrating officers who can't take criticism. Shame on you. Shame.
At anonymous!
There is such a thing as constructive criticism. By remaining anonymous and simply spurting vitriol at an part of God's church that you have chosen to leave is hardly constructive is it. Maybe on a blog that is God glorifying the offending comment needed to be deleted to maintain godly reactions! Also the anonymous nature may have influenced the decision.
If you are the person who posted the original comment, I pray that you will feel the healing power of Jesus in what in clearly a source of deep pain in your life.
In reference to tweedledees post
Andrew Bale said...
The last comment is absolutely unfounded.
Andrew... I don't understand what you mean by unfounded. Are you saying that it did not happen and I imagined everything, that this is a false testimony.
I did not share my story to hurt the SA or anyone. If I have hurt anyone then I ask for there forgiveness. I shared it to highlight an issue that I believe is a problem that needs to be dealt with. I don't think it is just the SA that suffers this issue it's across the entire church.
I do believe and have faith that God has put the right man in the Job to lead the SA Southern Territory to deal this issue. It will take great courage and strength, the TC will need even greater prayer support than he already has.
God is good and He will deliver the SA.
Once again I appologise if I have offended anyone as this was not my intention.
tweedle dee the last comment that I referred to was deleted...
therefore my comment doesn't really make sense anymore!
The comment I referred to was an offensive remark about the SA per se and had nothing to do with your circumstances.
I don't doubt what you say.
God bless you, love and prayers
A
Andrew,
Thankyou for clearing that up for me. Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick.
Apologies to tweedle dee and Andrew. My deletion of a comment caused some confusion. Your resultant graceful dialogue is valued.
Dear anonymous, Being responsible for this blog, when there is a comment that I know will hurt someone, I'll delete it every time.
Rodney Kingstone wrote "Healing Earthbound Eagles" by Word Publishing.
He writes about Prophetic Ministry being stiffled, and it's results etc.
I wonder if we have focused on programmes, more than the God given, Spirit driven, diversity of Ministries.
I would like to thank you, Jim, for this blog, and also for the contributors, and their comments.
Grace and Peace.
I often fear for those who are so full of passion because I know that there are those within who dont delight in this and endeavour to rob them of their passion by all sorts of means.
I recall in our home corps we had all these passionate young people many who were born leaders who wanted to step outside the box and bring people into the Kingdom of God using different means... it made my heart so sad to see them one by one pushed out the door by traditon and in the box thinking.
We met up with many of these young people at a big function almost 10 years on and each and everyone of them are in leadership positions in other Christian Organisations (praise God they are still winning souls for Gods kingdom) but what a loss to our Army. I thank God however that they did not loose heart altogether and go off and use their talents in secular employment (nothing wrong with this except the harvest is ripe and the workers are few)
Questions:
How do we stop this from happening as Gods Spirit is stirring up a new generation?
How do we protect those who have heard and want to obey the voice of God?
How do we disable those who would intentionally or unintentionally stifle the Holy Spirit Fire moving in our midst once again?
My heart aches when I think about this as I know it can be a painful journey........
Hmmmm - some thoughts to ponder
May God give us the strength, the courage and wisdom to be the people he has called us to be.
I'm sure we are the answers to these questions.
the commish wrote about getting holy and oding something, we spoke about the doing bit, hows everyone going about getting holy?
Tweedle Dee,
God has given me the Spiritual gift of Discernment and I feel that there is more than you're letting on, but what you have told is not totally sitting right either.
There are hurts that you say you have forgiven, but the roots are still there and God is sending you back to the Army to complete the healing, so ask and you shall recieve - do you want complete healing? Please ask for help - we will help heal you of this now!!
Have I said anything that is untrue here?
I believe God is saying now is the time, your period of mourning is now released in Jesus Name.
So be it.
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