Stole this from Armybarmy.com

Here's a really good summary for wrap-up on the whole Pope Ben vs. Muhammed debate...I cut and paste this from Steve Court's blog...as a good friend of mine once said, "if it's good they probably stole it from someone else...in this case I did...

Benedict on Islam.

There was much ignorant news of the Pope's quote last month that elicited mayhem from Muslims. What has recieved much less coverage was his follow-up this week. John Cullinan at National Review (bottom right link) breaks it down. The whole article is interesting, but this paragraph might help those just tiptoing into this whole issue:
____
The upshot is that purely theological dialogue between Christians and Muslims is pointless, if not counterproductive. Whatever its other attributes, the most fundamental elements of all orthodox Christian thought are Trinitarian and Christocentric; and these are precisely the same elements that orthodox Muslims necessarily find blasphemous on the one hand and idolatrous on the other. What’s more, sharia jurisprudence plays roughly the same role in Islam as systematic theology in Christianity. That’s why purely theological dialogue inevitably mixes apples and oranges. But basic disagreement over the nature of God in no way precludes discussing how best to coexist peacefully in a pluralistic world. That’s the meaning of Benedict’s September 25 exhortation in favor of “sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge which, with joy, recognizes the religious values we have in common and, with loyalty, respects the differences.” In other words, it’s possible to share — and discuss — certain religious values without sharing religious truths.
____
grace
stephenC

Thanks,
rZ

Link

No band, but lots of brass in Winnipeg

So I'm reading a memo from the Chief of the Staff - International Sport's Ministry Person...the cadets are already lining up. Then I read how Comm. Bill Francis is appointed the Chair of our doctrine council. The pecking order is General, Chief of the Staff, Zonal Commanders, so Comm. Francis is like one of the number 3's. You're asking, "So what?" Well, I look up from my magazine and who is standing in the halls of CFOT? Numbers 3, 4(Comm.M.Christine MacMillan) & 5(Col.Glen Shepherd). This could be timely. Here's what I'm thinking...Let's move doctrine 11 up into the 3 or 4 position. From a systematic standpoint it doesn't work, but from a marketing position it is brilliant. We could move the 'endless punishment of the wicked' and finish strong with sanctification. And maybe we could change the position of the wording to have the punishment first, then 'eternal happiness' would end that particular doctrine. Anyway, it seems like a more interesting topic than "how's the weather in England?" If you have any requests you'd like me to run by the Commissioners (there's a lot of them here right now), just ask, and I'll do my best.

It's good to see some familiar faces too. The officer who coined one of my favourite quotes is here, Col. Wayne Pritchett, king of illiteration. I've used a line he gave me so often...in relation to new revelation..."if it's new, it's not true, and if it's true, it's not new". He was also the officer who put us in Williams Lake. God bless him, and thank you.

Anyway, I've gotta go. I'm doing a workup on a doctrine of inerancy...

cheers,
rZ

The Slide into Sin

I remember Dr. Bill McRae, OBC president in the '80's and a Dallas Theological Seminary grad, speaking about holiness in chapel. Given his Dallas pedigree it was quite shocking when he said, "I don't think people fall into sin. It's more of a slide", and then he went onto talking about backsliding. He used Lot as the example. We find Lot in a cave having fled Sodom and Gomorrah having sex with his daughters (although he was unaware). They lived in fear, a far cry from the scene just a few chapters earlier. In Genesis 13 Abram and Lot have conflict, and to save the day Abram offers Lot the choice of land, and he chooses the best for himself and his people. This choice would eventually lead to the necessity of rescue by uncle Abram, both from the kings of the nations (Gen.14) and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.19). You see, Lot never fell into sin. He wasn't standing on a hillside with Abram and then laying naked in a dark cave having impregnated his 2 daughters. His behaviour provided a slippery slope for him to slide to that point.

Where was the community around Lot? Didn't they see the behaviours to tip them off? Did they see it, but were afraid to confront it? I'm struck in recent days by the infidelity that has caused officers to fall into sin, but I'm left to wonder where the slide began, and where was the community to call them into accountability. I know you automatically go to "sexual sin" when you hear infidelity, and that is the case for some, but infidelity refers to an "unfaithfulness to a moral obligation". There's financial infidelity, social infidelity, and yes, marital infidelity. It must be discouraging for our leaders who have to sit around committee tables to deal with infidelity issues relating to leaders. I'm not naive to think it doesn't happen, but it is still discouraging nonetheless. So what do we do?

1. Be accountable to others - we cannot live our Christian lives in a vacuum, but must live it out in the context of community and trust, with all of our warts, keeping it real.
2. Be faithful in the little things - I think this blows people away at alarming rates, and I think that's why the Bible addresses it so often.
3. Check motives and attitudes - Be sure they're not driven by selfish desire, arrogance or ill-will, but with the attitude of Christ...see Phillipians 2
4. Be willing to call a sister or brother on stuff
5. Stop sinning and live holy lives
6. Pray for and encourage our leaders who have to deal with this stuff - It gets messy, and they can use the boost

I know this isn't exhaustive, and it really sounds simple, but in these small areas the devil gets his foot in the door...See Ephesians 4...It's interesting that holy living is set in the context of the unity of believers.

At the end of the day I am left to wonder if there was anything I could have done. I think the bigger challenge is to make sure I don't let stuff slide for my friends, brothers and sisters, and colleagues to help keep them from sliding.

Garnett Harry's Story

A lot of people think that residential schooling was a sin of our father's generation. People are often shocked when they learn the last residential school was closed in 1986. People reading this may also respond, "residential schooling?" Residential Schooling in the negative was the forced removal of native children from their families to attend school outside of community in a school run, in most cases, by the church. Unfortunately the government and the church brought their own agendas as did the government, and residential schooling became a haven for child abusers and molesters. This wasn't the case everywhere, but in Williams Lake where we lived, it was. In the name of Jesus, children were forceably removed from parents and abuse physically, sexually and emotionally by the leaders at St. Joseph's mission on Sugarcane reserve. We know many of those people. The story of Garnett Harry is told this week in the Williams Lake Tribune, and it's the story of community and healing. It's just a good story to read.

Link

updating the profile

To C.H. - I repent

My “Spiritual Formation Instructor” in college taught us about journaling. Here was my attitude about it…She would say, “I place a note at the front of my journals with instructions to destroy in the event of my death.” I would give a smart alec remark, “I place a note in my journal that says destroy in the event of my arrest.” I don’t like to journal. I feel inferior and self conscious, probably from unresolved issues in my childhood. I had a happy childhood, but we all have stuff we have to deal with. Anyway, I can’t bring myself to opening up and sharing my thoughts or fears. I also don’t think I need a record of my opinions on topics nor should I put personal information, like my S.I.N. number (486 845 923) for example. I also couldn’t cope with the thought I might lose it, and others could read all of my stuff, nor would I want to come under the scrutiny of those who feel they have a comment about everything I think or write. Nope, I don’t like to journal. I’ll stick to blogging.
Feel free to comment…
rZ

How much should I tithe?

There's a question everyone asks...is it 10% and then giving on top of that? Do I tithe on my gross or on my net income? What about my time, resources and assets? What if someone else pays my housing and vehicle costs? Isn't that an Old Testament principle? etcetera etcetera.

I have a new measure of whether you are giving enough. Let the government decide. You see, if the government feels your giving is in line with your income they'll process your return and all will be well. If they feel that no one making the income you make could possibly give that much away to charity then they'll start to take notice. I'm not sure, but I think they call it the Widow's Mite clause 3.2a ii84. You'll know when they feel like you're giving too much because at that point they'll ask you to submit your charitable receipts because they're going to audit you.

So don't give 10%. Don't give on your gross or net. Give till your audited.

Try it out...by the way, while you may be able to outgive the taxwoman, you can't outgive God.

rZ

Some good resources I presume...

"Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me.
Lay any burden on me, only sustain me.
Sever any ties but the tie that binds me
to Thy service and to Thy heart."
David Livingstone - Missionary to Africa
http://www.mwtb.org/html/410470.html

The Internet is not only fun, it is a great resource...here is a good site for those looking for FREE online magazines. The above quote was under the MYF - Moments for You - It seems applicable for the ministry setting we find ourselves at present.

Dee

Link

Hump Day Laugh

Welcome to the middle of the week. Here's a funny one from a good friend...Thanks Ivy.

During a visit to the mental hospital, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be admitted.

"Well," said the Director, "We fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

A Feast fit for the King

So I said yesterday was a "good day". Here's one of the reasons it was a "good day". My buddy Geoff came to Winnipeg for a conference, stayed a couple of extra days and hung out with cadets, speaking in class and in chapel. The cool thing is it provided an opportunity for some bridgebuilding in the community. We opened CFOT to invite other TSA leaders in ministry units around Winnipeg and also leaders from other churches. So here we have chapel to intercede on behalf of new officers in the field and joining the body was a pentecostal preacher, a CEO of a large Mennonite congregation, the outreach chaplain for prison and a new church plant, an anglican friend who's really a salvo at heart (grace), two retired (but hard working) colonels, a mennonite ethicist and a director for multicultural ministries who used to plant churches in Bolivia. This is a good prayer team. Add a bunch of cadets and full complement of officer staff, and we're ready to party.

To top it off, Geoff spoke to us about community, Salvationist sacramentalism (relationship in broken community versus ritual), and then held a love feast. It was an opportunity to share in the breaking of bread for reconciliation, which if we're all honest, in community is needed on a regular basis. The love feast was also an opportunity to break bread with people we don't know for the purpose of beginning a dialogue towards getting to now each other.

We haven't all been exposed to the love feast, but in the context of community it provides an excellent opportunity for healing and new life, and in the confines of the CFOT community it was symbolic of new relationships in our wider community with sisters and brothers partnering in mission in the city of Winnipeg.

peace,
rZ

Witness of the Church

I should blog tonight even though I'm up to my eyeballs in stuff...here goes... First, check out some cool pics of CFOT on my flickr badge to the right...Here's the blog...
I think we have to stop going off about what's wrong with TSA or with the ultimate answers to all that ails us. Here's what I'm thinking. The Army needs to revamp its militaristic style. We need to dump uniforms. We should be doing more rituals. Whatever the ballywick is...When we suddenly come up with these new revelations from God it sets us up as the prophets to the movement/denomination/etc. and in my opinion denegrates the witness of the body and all of those who have gone before. The Church is not just the group who we hang with today. It is the body of Christ from all ages. I'm not really on anyone's case, but it is a reminder to me because of the CFOT experience where we have access to really great leaders and the knowlege of those who have gone before. My calling is not lived out in my own pious vacuum, but was borne on the backs and efforts of officers who paved the way.

Today at CFOT we had a lecture by Major Geoff Ryan (I still find the whole major thing hard to swallow with Geoff), but he's earned his stripes God bless him...I digress...Geoff presented my class with a paradigm for the body of Christ in 2006 and the context of church situated among the poor and marginalized. What a blessing to have great leaders come and share in the CFOT community. CFOT, for all of its "perceived" warts is an opportunity to learn in community and draw from a huge database of experience. Cadets are blessed to hang with this crowd, and I'm having fun hanging out with the same, but I also get a group of people who easily get fired up with passion about the mission of TSA, yes, the cadets. Hey, don't let it go to your heads if you're reading this. You'll probably drive me nuts as the days wear on, but for today? It's a good day.

Check out the next blog, and find out what TSA, pentecostals, Mennonites and Love Feasts are doing together at CFOT. It's a good day.

Peace,
Rick

Cool Website

This is a face recognition website. You download your picture and it spits out the top 8 celebrities whose facial profile matches yours. Mine are dead ringers...And I'm married to a Paulina Porizkova's twin sister. And she get's Opie. Life is cruel.

Link

Valuable Brands

If you click on the link to The world's ten most valuable brands, you will connected to a list of the world's ten most valuable brands. Obvious...it's also obvious that in order to get on this list a lot of money needs to be made. It's obvious, too, from the list that a lot of people have gone online to book tickets to disney then packed up the kids in the Toyota SUV and driven to Mickey's hideaway with a Coke in their left hand, knees on the wheel, cell-phone on their right ear and a Marlboro hanging from their lips. Sounds like an episode of Trailer park boys.

Now, what if the criterion was different and in order to make the top ten the measure was integrity, honesty, upright character, servanthood. Would TSA make that list? I wonder who would make the cut? Jesus for sure. Mother Teresa, Billy Graham ? What are your thougths? Do you think you could ever make it on a list like that? Is it prideful to even consider this?

cheers,
Dee and rZ

Link

Accepting Chivalry may be Dead

I ride the bus to work, and have a lot of time on my hands to think, but don't get too excited because it's not really intellectual or deep stuff. Here's an example -
How many butts have sat on this same seat? Gross
Did all these people hanging onto the hand rails wash their hands at some point today? How much DNA have I just rubbed off the pole I'm holding onto?
What would happen if I just started laughing my head off while staring at my pinky finger? Scratch that one...I've seen someone doing that.
Am I the only one who notices crazy people on the bus?
Where is the person with the small butt because me and that guy there...we will not fit on that seat.

I told you so...

Here's another observation - Older men (over 40) and teens give their seats up to women. Middle aged professional men don't, and don't pull any sexism rants on me. It is still the right thing to do.

So I'm gonna break the mold, especially since I'm wearing my uniform (the bat suit as one of the Majors Ryan refer to it as - you decide which). I've offered my seat to more women on the 59 Downtown bus only to be slammed. No one wants to accept chivalry. Here's my conclusions about that...
a. They have steel plates in their legs preventing them from bending their knees to sit.
b. They think I look too old and frail to be standing on the bus.
c. They believe in equality for the sexes. Possible, but they didn't look very militant.
d. They were so shocked a middle aged male would give up his seat.
e. I only thought I said it, and didn't actually offer the seat. Nah, I did it.

Conclusion? I think they've thought more about the number and variety of butts, both size and bouquet that have graced the seats of Winnipeg Transit.

peace,
rZ

I'm a Corvette

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get a little nuts when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

PS...Deana is a Porsche 911 - sleek stylish and classy.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Link

The Last, Lost and the Least

I know...I've heard it all before...Rich people need the gospel too...I agree. People think we're only about Thrift Stores, Soup Kitchens, Food Banks, and when it comes right down to it, the poor. We need to get the message out that we are a church. I know. I've heard that too. Booth never set us up for the poor. Look at Catherine, after all, she ran around in wealthy circles. I KNOW! SCRRRREEEEEEEEEEEECH! Wait a minute...not set up for the poor? I can argue that strongly, but I can't give you forensic evidence to prove that...that is, until now. Check out Booths live sermons, by clicking here (not here, but back there where I said "here"). Let the Founder speak for himself. Then you can comment on my blog or email me and say, "I know. I've heard that". My question to you will be, "But do you agree".
Grace,
rZ

Link

Enough is enough

Want to read some interesting stuff? Read Ched Myers on God's economy of Sabbath and Grace. In the meantime, check out the parable of the loaves and fish in Mark 6 and 8. We always seem to focus on the number of people, the gift of the little boy who brought his lunch to the Jesus picnic and that it was such a great miracle that we miss a big point to the story. Check it out: First, the miracle is done, first in the Jewish region and then in the gentile territory. There are 12 baskets left over in the Jewish region and 7 in the gentile. The point driven home in both stories is found in 6:42 and 8:8 "They all ate and were satisfied". Myers offers, in God's economy of Sabbath and Grace there is enough. For the 12 tribes, there is enough, and for the gentiles, God's provision is perfect.

In God's Sabbath economy there is enough in the world for all to be satisfied. I remember preaching during our "Partners in Mission" (Self Denial) campaign that it seemed ridiculous for us to pray and ask God to provide for those who live in poverty in the world. God has already answered this prayer. That's good news. The bad news is the answer sits in our bank accounts and assets, and unless we release resources into the world then God is limited and cannot answer the need of the people.

Yes, I did just say that.

In Christ there is enough, but it needs to be lived out. We need to get serious about releasing resources. I told the cadets today, "The goal of kettles is to release funds from the pockets of donors into the kettles." I believe we should do this for resourcing our mission.

I love this question..."How much should I tithe?" The answer is simple..."Way more than you think". You can't outgive God, and at the end of the day you'll have enough.

Just my thoughts...
rZ

Rights

I can get pretty frustrated at times with the state of this ole Army of ours. (yeah, God's Army, I know, stop interrupting). Then I realize I'm frustrated with people because everyone is running around demanding their rights - officers, soldiers, cadets, people who like to hang out in our pews. I want, I need, I demand, you said, you did, you you you, me me me, I I I. Here's one I could bellyache about - I moved from BC to Manitoba and lost $100 on child allowance and I'm not a Corps Officer and I live far from where I work and it will cost me more on my taxes etcetera. I was sharing with a friend how sometimes in the business of everyday we can get so caught up with all of the stuff of procedure or sorting through policy to find loopholes to ensure that we're getting all that we deserve. At some point I think we have to take our complaints and our rights to this or that and place them before the cross. It's tough to demand a heck of a lot when you stand before the cross of Christ. Thank God He doesn't give us what we deserve. Sin pays a wage, but God gives us a gift. Here's a few verses for your day. Oh, and by the way, just because I'm writing this - I'm not more holy than you. It'll probably come back to bite me when I'm bellyaching about something. I'm always working through this stuff too. Grace, rZ.

Galatians 6:14 - May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Romans 6:6,7 - For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Corinthians 9:17,18 - If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

Silly Rabbit, of course Trix are for kids.

Okay, it has to be a slow news day. CTV spent 5 minutes this morning reporting that a CTV newspoll has learned that breakfast cereals such as Lucky Charms, Captain Crunch, Nesquik, and Fruit Loops contain an inordinate amount of...Pause...here it comes...SUGAR. WHAM! You could blow me over with a feather. Just watch the commercial - When you pour a nutritious serving of milk over your nesquick nuggets it turns it brown. Now you can have your delicious glass of Quik and a hearty breakfast.

Now it makes sense why these companies spend inordinate amounts of money on branding and marketing through TV ads on a Saturday morning to entice children to drive their parents crazy in the grocery store aisles to put away the box of Life and Wheetabix and pick up the Count Chocula. I can still recite all of the ads. Are these guys serious? What next? Stay tuned for a CTV in depth report. Inordinate amounts of alcohol consumption has been linked to impaired judgment.

Christ in the Margins

Add, "Trolls and Truth: 14 Realities About the Church We Don't Want to See" to your bookshelf today. Check out the link to order a copy and read a little bit about the Church under the Bridge.
Here's what's inside:
Every city has a group of troll-like rejected misfits. They are the
homeless, the prostitutes, the greedy, and the addicts. These are the
people on the fringe to whom churches close their doors, the ones you
move away from on the pew. They are the marginalized, rejected, and
forgotten cultural lepers who lurk outside your church. They are the
most unlikely prophets of all.

Trolls & Truth is the story of a local church of homeless people;
college students; middle-class Christians; some poor and some rich;
black, white, and brown; drunks; materialists; mentally ill; and
former inmates who meet beneath the noise of 18-wheelers and rushing
traffic under an interstate bridge in Waco, Texas. As they live out
biblical mandates across cultural barriers and institutional baggage,
they remind us that the gospel cannot be shaped by socially accepted
values and remain "good news." Through their testimonies they reveal
the mystery that such a diverse group without buildings and
traditional expectations are finding the power of the gospel in ways
that brings cultural validity to the skeptics and unbelieving world.
They have a wake-up call for the American church.

Transformation in the church must come. In new wineskins and perhaps
through the life of an old wino, our ecclesiology must be upended by
the "least of these," the hungry, imprisoned, sick, and stranger.
Intentional efforts in local congregations must be made to reconnect
the rich and the poor; the black, white, and brown; those educated in
the university; and those educated on the streets. Only then can we
wrestle with the values of the kingdom and learn the lessons that this
God of the little people wants us to know.

Link

The Kingdom of God

From: The Secret Message of Jesus, Brian McLaren
The kingdom of God, then, is a revolutionary, counter-cultural movement-proclaiming a ceaseless rebellion against the tyrannical trinity of money, sex, and power. Its citizens resist the occupation of this invisible Caesar through three categories of spiritual practice. First, they practice a liberating generosity toward the poor to dethrone greed and topple the regime of money. Second, they practice a kind of prayer that is a defiant act of resistance against the prideful pursuit of power, pursuing forgiveness and reconciliation, not retaliation and revenge. Finally, they practice fasting to revolt against the dominating impulses of physical gratification-so that the sex drive and other physical appetites will not become our slave drivers. And all of these are practiced covertly, in secret, so they aren't corrupted into an external show "as the hypocrites do." p.134

If it makes you happy...

When's the last time you heard a rousing chorus of "Happy Song" sung in your Corps/Church? It's been a while, and probably for good reason, but I think I have come to understand why so many of us are not happy. This is courtesy of NBC's Today Show this morning. The guest speaker was talking about ways to make you happy. For example, he suggests that buying goods only makes us happy for a short time. Eventually that new car smell is replaced by McD's greasy burger smell, and the first dent or rock chip appears and our happiness disappears. He suggests, instead, we spend money on experiences like holidays which help us form long term memories. Go on a mission trip and really blow your happiness quotient out of the water.

Here was the most interesting thing I think he had to say, and it hits me as a Corps Officer. He suggests that you live in a neighbourhood that you can afford. Why? Well, if we live in neighbourhoods that reflect a lifestyle above our means we will always be unhappy because we'll always be reminded we can't afford all of the things our neighbours can afford.

So, the answer for us then if only on a shallow and superficial level is this, "If we want to be happy we should move out of the suburbs and back into the inner-city, if not for reasons of conscience, compassion, or calling then at least as a reminder of how well we really do have it." Not a good theology of Urban Mission, but it's a start. Just think of how happy we'll all be.

Then awake, then awake, happy song, happy song;
Shout for joy, shout for joy, as we gladly march along.

WooHoo,
rZ