cell group = how we do church 'round here

I was chatting it up with one of our cell leaders who was feeling a bit discouraged about their cell group. It seems they weren't able to get everyone to pay attention to them during the teaching portion, and to stop joking and messing around with each other to focus on the corporate Scripture reading. It wasn't until they arrived at the closing prayertime (when everyone gets to share a prayer request and/or talk about where God is showing up tangibly in their everyday lives) that the tone of the room shifted and all present became a part of and invested in, the meeting.

We talked a bit about this phenomenon, and we ended up asking ourselves:

"What do we expect cell group to look like? School? Bible study? Theological debate? (and therefore with everyone acting accordingly?)

Then we wondered, What does God desire cell group to look like?

What is He asking us to do with that time and those people for a couple hours on a Saturday afternoon, or a Tuesday night or Sunday morning?

Hmm...

What if I just started doing what He required during that time - Would I be satisfied? Even if it seemed like it wasn't 'enough' (spiritual enough, intellectual enough, profound enough, etc.) by my standards to be considered 'church'?

Given that conversation, when I read the Scripture below I was kindled. It's from the Message paraphrase: (but don't hold that against it!)

Amos 5:21-24

"I can't stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?

It sounds like He's asking for something different than what they were giving...something simpler and more intimate (lookout RZ)

What if, when we get together as the body of Christ we make it too complicated - attaching expectations and grand ideas onto what is meant to be a homey and humble Upper Room style fellowship?

Could it really be as straightforward as sharing with those around us about Him, and what He's like, and what He's up to in our lives?
Don't go readin' me wrong now, not chaos with no beginning, middle or end, but more like everybody gets a say, everybody has a chance to share how they've been touched by God and go and grow from there.

Do I have enough faith for that?
Or more importantly, am I humble enough to let it happen through me?

HD

Jesus' Kingdom versus Worldly Kingdom

Four Quick Thoughts: two quotes that stand out to me in the first chapter of this book, one from the Salvation Army Song Book, and a thought from me .

The first quote: "My Kingdom is not from this world."--Jesus

The next quote: "For the church to be a community that does not need war in order to give itself purpose and virtue puts the church at odds with nations...The battle is one we fight with the gospel weapons of witness and love, not violence and coercion."--Resident Aliens: Life in a Christian Colony.

From the Song Book: "We shall not lose the fight of faith, For Jesus is our Lord, we lay all carnal weapons down to take his shining sword."--SA Song Book #701

From me: A southern boy from the red states wondering???...can love be a response to terrorism?...is love God and is God love?...and if so, is love God's response for terrorism?

Cory Harrison

I'm Being Pruned... are you?

The word today for me?

John 15:1-2, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (NIV)

In the past the part of this that I focused on was "he cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit" but today, the second part hit me.

The parts of me that bear fruit still need pruning. I've actually been experiencing this lately but didn't label it like this.

Bless the Lord.

I decided to look at a few things online about pruning and wanted to leave this with you... I'm sure it can apply to the spiritual. Enjoy:

"Pruning is a double-edged sword, either helping or hurting according to if, where, when, how, and why it is applied. When properly executed, a variety of benefits can occur. Benefits include reducing risk of branch and stem breakage, better clearance for vehicles and pedestrians, improved health and appearance, enhanced view, and increased flowering. When improperly performed, pruning can harm the tree's health, stability, and appearance and make matters worse.

There are several consequences of not conducting a regular pruning program. These include:

1. increased risk of branch and stem failure
2. development of low aggressive limbs
3. formation of co-dominant stems
4. defects such as included bark and dead branches
5. obstructed views"

Hmmm... any applications?

Can't we just train our kid's to be Jesus followers?

I don't even know where to begin, but here is an unedited version of a video from Jesus Camp. For some of you your gum just fell out from your gaping jaw. For others you've broken into song over young people sold out for Jesus. Personally, I'm packing my bags for the Apocalypse.

I was listening to a preach today while I took down and stowed away the remnants of Christmas at our house (yeah...I know...long overdue) and the came upon a provocative statement:

"I believe that you are really far down the road to spiritual maturity when you can really know yourself, know your strengths, know your weaknesses, be able to admit them to yourself and to the people you're in relationship with, and even let them help you keep yourself in line without being offended when they do
that. " Joyce Meyer

That was probably a run-on sentence, but if you can get past that, wowee eh? What a zinger.

Now, your first time reading it through, you might think "Makes sense, but really Heather, it's nothing to get all excited, over is it?"
Well, I think so.It's one of those 'easier read than done' statements. Let me unpack that a bit.

Yesterday I met with my new accountability partner. It really was a top drawer meeting. We went all out, and I was able to share a lot of thoughts and ideas that have been steeping on my inside for quite some time. Everything was flowin' like honey until I arrived at my last item.
I'll admit, that it was a toughie...even though I've gotten to the place with myself where I can admit where I am weak, yet acknowledge my potential if I just hunker down and do the discipline.
I was also able to share what the issue was, but balked at the "please help me" part. That's touchy!

Let's get real. I've gone down this accountability road before, where along the way, I have chosen to become offended by lovely people doing just the very thing that I asked them to do, by choosing to get caught up on 'how' they do it, or their tone of voice, or their level of smirkiness (as I sensitively perceive it)and making it so miserable for them to call me out on my 'stuff' that they stop doing it altogether.

It's not easy to give up the right to become offended...it's like surrendering an instant defense mechanism, a faithful old friend, a tried and true way of ensuring that I get to stay the same, stale me and everybody else has to back off and leave me alone.

And yet, today, all sulkiness and storminess aside, it feels like it may be a new season.
How refreshing and lovely!

"My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing has come..." Solomon's Song 2:10-12

Spiritual Revolution versus Spiritual Business

I am currently sitting at conference for local church leaders and pastors at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI. Rob Bell has been bring powerful words for two days now.

He asked us some challenging questions but this one hit the hardest:

How many of you signed up for a spiritual revolution but are now running a spiritual business?

I thank God that I am living out revolution in my community. But I know that a lot of you are not. A lot of you have been somehow stuck in running a spirtual business that is The Salvation Army. The lead Pastor here at Mars Hill said that their are 3 parts to the church:

-the cause (mission, purpose, identity)

-the congregation (its people)

-the corporation (its business)

I hope that The Salvation Army does not get stuck in corporation mode. We are in danger of forgetting the cause. And ultimatly, in my Territory, the corgregation just doesn't mattter.

So if you are stuck in this place, re-evaluate and ask these 3 questions:

-who is Jesus among us?

-why did he come to town?

-how do we organize ourselves?

Cory Harrison (Live with Rob Bell)

I got ripped off!

I have known and believed this scripture for a while now and have seen it play out in many situations too:

"¹⁰ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."

Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Jn 10:9). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.

I also believe that God has, by His Spirit, given me a degree of spiritual discernment. I desire more every day but I know that will come. Recently I let the enemy sneak in on the race I'm running in this regard and rip me off.

You know how sometimes you're just straight-up stolen from and you couldn't do anything to really prevent it? And other times you really could have taken some precautions to keep thieves away - like an alarm system for your home or 'club' for you car? Well I need to upgrade my alarm system; sense more quickly when the enemy is up to no good.

A situation recently gave me opportunity to work at using discernment and I thought I was bang on.
The enemy put lies in my head like "you're off base..." and "did you really hear that from the Lord?" and "you're just letting your own feelings get in the way." I started to believe that dirty liar. MAN! That ticks me off.

Praise the Lord for the body of Christ who builds each other up. This happened today as I was confirmed in what I knew to be true.

Lesson 1 - figure out how to get the upgrade on my enemy detection system (any suggestions?)
Lesson 2 - kick the enemy while he's down and maybe he won't trap me like this again (maybe this is the answer to my own question)

Chosen To Be A Soldier - Maintaining Contact With The Life Giver

Orders & Regulations

We are an Army that will only advance on our knee's.

It is said so often that we are "doers" and that we are so busy that we, as Salvationists, have no time to just be. It is common belief that we are slow to ascend when it comes to the contemplative disciplines. This may be what we have become, but absolutely not where we have come from.

We hold within our inheritance a rich prayer filled tradition.
Lives and even Communities were won and made blameless through passionate Salvationists bringing their supplication to Heavens throne.

ANYWAY - I do not intend to prove this through ancient romanticism, but would like to present this theme through our current Doctrine and Liturgy. I encourage you to read through and commit to application the Soldiers Orders & Regulations; namely Chapter IV Sections 1 through 5. These sections lay a brilliant foundation of the contemplative disciplines, through a Salvationist context, that will deepen your tangible experience of our LORD's active presence.

I won't copy the entire chapter but leave you with a few leads. Get into your O&R, your Articles of War/Faith and your Doctrine handbooks. These resources are rich in blessing and will enrich your spiritual experience.

1. Here is an example of effective devotion ( Section 1 . 4 )

Praise to God for what He is in Himself and to us. (e.g. high, holy, beyond understanding; loving Father, mighty Saviour, patient guide).

2.Thanksgiving for gifts and mercies to be mentioned by name, both spiritual and temporal.

3.Intercession for various people; requests for guidance, help, spiritual victory, revival and the salvation of souls.

Accepting Gods promise and command for this day.

New dedication.

The Lords Prayer.

Comrades, we must dive into this deep well as we advance back out, reclaiming both our temporal land and our spiritual land, going just as deep as wide.

Ill continue on with our next section, next week, Studying The Bible.

Sergeant Robert Dolby - 614Charlotte - rob@thewarcollege.com

P.S. Did you know it is a Salvationist tradition and charge to pray for our leadership everyday at noon ? Lets do it !

Roots South 07'

Just a quick update as I come back from Roots South 07.

Aaron White once again brings a powerful messages about Justice and Righteousness. Favorite quote from Aaron: "This is not a time for the Salvation Army to be a Poverty Pimp. Soldier up."

Janet Munn, what can I say? If you are a reader who believes that women shouldn't be preachers or teachers, then you need a dose of Janet. Then look her in the eye and misquote some Pauline Scriptures. Favorite Quote from Janet: "We are entering The Army's Finest Hour."

Geoff Ryan, a beast when it comes to tackling the hard topic. He slams the extremes of "The Sacrament Defenders and Opposers" and lays out a defense for community and accountability through them.

Many other great preaching and teaching from Major Richard Munn to Commissioner Feener. Altogether a great conference.

Now the ball is in the hands of 300 people, what will we do with it?

Cory Harrison

Does it make any difference?

At 614 Vancouver we have a 24-7 prayer room (The War Room) that has been running for almost three years. You'd think after doing many shifts in this room that one would feel like an 'expert' at praying but often I feel as though I'm such an amateur.

I'm currently reading "Prayer: Does it make any difference?" by Philip Yancey and wanted to share something of his writing:

I have learned to see prayer not as my way of establishing God's presence, rather as my way of responding to God's presence that is a fact whether or not I can detect it....
My feelings of God's presence - or God's absence - are not the presence or the absence.

Sometimes in a War Room shift, when I'm finding it difficult to pray, I feel as though God isn't there in a sense; it's as if His presence depends on whether I'm sensing Him or not. I think that if I take what Yancey has said and always see my prayers as 'a way of responding to God's presence,' I will likely start detecting Him more clearly. It's as if my pressing in, not giving up, believing in what I haven't seen establishes the connection... grants me clearer vision... gets the wax out of my ears so to speak.

Rise up. Press in. Pray even when your every feeling tells you not to.

Meet Shane Claiborne

Meet Shane Claiborne, and here is just a small piece of his story. Shane lives in a "monastic order" in community and covenant with a committment to living like Jesus lives. His community reclaims food thrown out by restaurants and stores, he makes his own clothes, share a common car, washer and dryer, and grow vegetables to help feed the poor neighbourhood they live in. The took seriously the question, 'what if the stuff in this Bible is true?' and began to live it out intentionally. They believe in simple living and challenge issues of justice for the poor, grace for homosexuals, environmental stewardship, and find solutions for homelessness by giving up the couch in their home to people who have no home to sleep in.

Shane explains how he was profoundly affected by the plight of homeless mom and her children who had taken up residence in an abandoned church, and was facing eviction by the church. Shane and a group of friends took up residence with this family, drawing the attention of the media, politicians and the Philadelphia police. Eventually media attention died and the police arrested this group. While offers of legal help poured in for their support, they instead chose to be represented in court by a homeless man who declared to the judge, "These people were arrested for helping this homeless family and this is wrong. Defense rests." The judge declared, while staring into the face of this young activist sporting a "Jesus was homeless" t-shirt, "We know this young man has broken the law, but unless people break unjust laws we will never test the constitutionality of our laws." He declared them innocent.

The group talked and came up with this conclusion, "Let's stop complaining about the church we experienced and become the church we dreamed of."

He shared God's vision for redistribution...of justice, wealth, and resources, and I'm left wondering...

What would happen if I believed the Bible meant what it says? Would I own 4 coats while some have none? Would I throw out lettuce that went bad because we didn't eat enough fast enough? Do I live as simply as I should or am I a slave to consumerism and brand names? Do I care if the $2 I save on a piece of clothing was borne on the backs of child labour? It is hard to here the Word when I live in comfort and my wants satisfied.

On a side note for everyone who wants to justify their life choices by slamming a guy like Shane...He doesn't judge those who have and tell us we're all bad. That probably stings the most...

I can't do justice to the gospel this young man has enacted and affected in this world, but you can read more about his organization and the work they do...
www.thesimpleway.org
www.relationaltithe.com
www.ccda.org

Read his book... Irresistable Revolution

peace,
rZ

Link

Urban Forum - Race and Reconciliation

Welcome to the Urban Forum. Check out the website for details, but the overall theme is Race and Reconciliation.

The Lain root for the word conspiracy means literally "to breath together". My hope is that everyone in attendance at The Urban Forum will "breathe together", gathered together in a unity of intuition and instinct, asking many of the same questions, open to any and all answers, unified around a particular vision, longing and commitment to the communities that we each represent...Geoff Ryan, Mj., Corps 614 Regent Park

Robert Lupton - keynote speaker whose ministry is based in Atlanta over the past 34 years, leaving a business career to work and live in the inner-city of Atlanta rebuilding neighbourhoods and restoring hope. Lupton highlighted for delegates that the future of community ministry in the inner-city would require us to be entrepeneurs and real-estate developers. While gentrification has transformed the inner-city, it has also attracted the deep pockets of Urban developers who are searching for the next breakthrough community. Gentrification improves schools, increases property values and reduces crime, but at the same time causes a vast gap for those who are poor. Think about it. People who have rented in the inner-cities and raised their families there are now in the midst of increasing property values for home owners and increasing taxes, which increases their rent and makes living in their homes a near impossibility. Lupton suggests that ministries committed to working in inner-city neighbourhoods need to be working with deal makers to develop neighbourhoods who act justly, offering affordable housing and social housing in a model of mixed income neighbourhoods. If we do not seek justice in the cities, he warns, we will see a diaspora, dispersing, of the poor into the margins of our cities.

It has huge implications for The Salvation Army as one of the largest real estate owners for NGO's in North America...

Ray Aldred - Ray is a Winnipeg leader of Cree descent, and delivered a hard word from the lips of a loving brother in relation to racism as it affects aboriginal people of Canada. Quoting Jane Elliot, he tells us, "Indians cannot resolve the racism problem becase it's not their problem. They're not the racists". Ray says, "we need to preach the incarnation TO people and preach the incarnation that is IN people. My hope is that as we proclaim the incarnation that is in aboriginal people that attitudes toward aboriginal people will change." Ray spoke to colonialism with it's mission of 'killing the Indian and saving the man', which reduced people to less than human so it could control people. He then spoke of how the gospel, the incarnation of God becoming human helps to restore the true image of Creator in His creation.

Ray is a voice we need to listen to in Canada.

grace
rZ

Link

Guns 'N Roses worship band

One of these songs is a song by a Christian Artist, Heather Clark and one is by Guns 'N Roses:

Kiss with me with the kisses of Your mouth
Kiss with me with the kisses of Your mouth
Your love is better than wine
Your love is better than wine
Pleasing is the fragrance
The fragrance of Your perfume
Your name is like a perfume poured out
No wonder the maidens love You
Take me away with You
Let's hurry
Take me away with You
Let the King bring me into His chamber


I BEEN WALKIN' THE STREETS AT NIGHT
JUST TRYIN' TO GET IT RIGHT
HARD TO SEE WITH SO MANY AROUND
YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE
BEING STUCK IN THE CROWD
AND THE STREETS DON'T CHANGE
BUT THE NAME
I AIN'T GOT TIME FOR THE GAME
'CAUSE I NEED YOU
ALL THIS TIME

If you guessed the first one as GnR then you’re wrong. That’s a worship song by Heather Clark. And they say worship music has lost theological vitality. Really? Please…it sounds more like a makeout song. All I know is this…As a testosterone based life-form I don't think I could ever bring myself to singing "Jesus I want to kiss you on the lips", but for some reason a lot of worship music has that feel to it. As a guy I'm not there. I want some killing and good ole fashion bloodletting in my music. Trampling out the vintage, loosing fateful lightning from a terrible swift sword and the like. Maybe more guys would sing worship songs if we wrote them like that.

kisses,
rZ

A $16,0000 WHAT?????

My friend was recently in New York City and walked into a toy shop to pick something up for her young son. As she was browsing around she noticed a little ride on convertable car with a price over top of $16,000! When she told me this I could hardly believe it...THAT IS MORE THAN I PAID FOR MY FIRST CAR!

It's so hard for me to believe that people would pay that much money for a toy for their child to play with for a little while and then chuck aside. I actually have another friend who is pregnant and she swears that she is not going to buy her children a single toy for Christmas, but rather get them pots and pans, homemade dolls and cardboard boxes to play with. I don' t know if I would go to either of those extremes...maybe just a happy medium!

The pots and pans don't sound too bad up against the $16,000 toy car...who knew!?!?!?!?!

I've just finished reading the book "The Heavenly Man - the remarkable story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun" I was deeply provoked by it, in a godly way.
One portion that I found especially encouraging is found on page 290. Brother Yun outlines their training style. There are vast differences between what we do, and what they do. The best part - in my opinion - is that they aren't even trying to be sensational, or extreme (just for the sake of it), but practical:

Every Back to Jerusalem missionary receives training in several main subjects. These include:

1.) How to suffer and die for the Lord. We examine what the Bible says about suffering, and look at how the Lord's people have laid down their lives for the advance of the Gospel throughout history.

2.) How to witness for the Lord. We teach how to witness for the Lord under any
circumstance, on trains or buses, or even in the back of a police van on our way to the execution ground.

3.) How to escape for the Lord. We know that sometimes it is the Lord who sends us to prison to witness for Him, but we also believe the devil sometimes wants us to go to prison to stop the ministry God has called us to do. We teach the missionaries special skills such as how to free themselves from handcuffs, and how to jump from second-storey windows without injuring themselves.

This is not a 'normal' seminary or Bible College!
If you ever visit one of the places where we are training our Back to Jerusalem missionaries, you will see how serious we are to fulfill our destiny in God. You may see people with their hands handcuffed behind their back, leaping from second-storey windows!
Nothing less is required if we are to break down the walls that separate Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists from knowing the sweet presence of Jesus."

Resolution

I read this quote recently and found it challenging:

"Are we so taken up making records of our work that there is hardly any time left for the work itself? Are we in our hearts believing that the devil's power is so great that we dare not challenge him? Are we simply forgetting how the people live, because we so seldom go to see?" (Catherine Bramwell-Booth)

I live in a homeless shelter complex and it is easy for me to forget how people live. At least I have a roof, running water, and lights.

My resolution this year is to spend more time not only with those who live in the homeless shelters but with those who have no shelters at all.

Cory

Would you apply for this job?

"We're looking for individuals and couples to undergo two years of intensive training at their own expense, wear a uniform their whole career, subsist on a fraction of what they be paid elsewhere, and spend most of their time with the homeless, the drug addicted, and other desperate people. Successful candidates can expect to work long hours, often in inhospitable environments and, from time to time, in dangerous ones.

The job combines the responsibilities of a country person and a city social worker. Medical skills are always a plus. So is accounting. And it's important that applicants be able to: drive trucks, put on puppet shows, play the cornet, coach basketball, sing harmony, negotiate real estate deals, cook for hundreds, and solicit funds on city streets and in coporate board rooms."

Most people would think you're a crazy lunatic for applying for a job with this kind of description. If you hadn't caught on, this was intended to describe the role of an officer in The Salvation Army.

Why do people do it?
Why don't people do it?
Anyone want to weigh in?