On Fire 11 Sept 10

11 September 2010 : : Volume 11 : : Number 18 : : 65 cents

mission and ministry

The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory PRINT POST APPROVED PP334385/00059 : : ISSN 1448-7861

REINFORCED Reinforcement officers: strength where it’s needed

inside :: a classic reborn :: the shadow of 9/11 :: onesight

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reflection When we talk about doing missionary work, we often speak of going overseas to places with odd names, different cultures and incredible needs.

This work is admirable, and those who take it on deserve our prayers, encouragement and support.

But don’t forget the mission field outside your own front door. There are people in your street and in your community who may need both material and spiritual aid.

Be a missionary. Your mission is to do God’s work in the world—wherever that may be.

‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest’ (John 4:34, 35).

11 September 2010

Fields of plenty

11 September 2010 The Salvation Army, raised up by God for the work of Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and Reforming Society.

The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory WILLIAM BOOTH, Founder International Headquarters: 101 Queen Victoria St, London EC4P 4EP. Shaw Clifton, General.

Australia Southern Territory (Vic., SA, WA, Tas. and NT): 95-99 Railway Rd, Blackburn, Vic., Raymond A. Finger, commissioner, territorial commander.

Editorial: Captain Mal Davies, editor-in-chief.

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor, On Fire, PO Box 479, Blackburn 3130; ph. (03) 8878 2314; fax (03) 8878 4816; email: onfire@ aus.salvationarmy.org Advertising: Jan Magor, phone: (03) 8878 2304; fax: (03) 8878 4816; email: jan.magor@ salvationarmy.org; mail: PO Box 479, Blackburn 3130 Subscription/ Circulation: Annette Hill. Subscribe within Australia, $40.00 pa, to On Fire subscriptions, PO Box 479, Blackburn 3130.

Overseas and airmail rates on application.

Ph. (03) 8878 2303; fax (03) 8878 4816 Printed and published for The Salvation Army

by Commissioner Raymond A. Finger at BPA Print Group Pty Ltd, Burwood, Vic. Press date: 31 August 2010 Editor: Linda Hogan Deputy editor: Ryan O’Connell Supplements coordinator: Captain June Knop Graphic designer: Richard Lewis

welcome

Wanted: hope News bulletins of devastation in Pakistan following the recent flooding have scarcely touched the magnitude of the trauma being faced by the Pakistani people.

Millions are suffering, with homes, hospitals, schools and shops destroyed and large areas cut off from food, clean water and emergency supplies.

The federal government’s travel warnings advise against heading to Pakistan due to widespread civil unrest, terrorism threats and political tension. Add to this the devastation caused by the recent floods, and Pakistan’s ‘do not travel’ status seems self-evident.

But if no one travels there, who will offer a helping hand?

Aussie Salvo Andrew Lee is serving amid the turmoil. Based in Lahore, Andrew has seen bombings, fighting and, now, flooding.

His situation, while unusual, isn’t unique. Marshall and Vickie Currie are in their seventh year of service in Kenya.

They’ve been carjacked and stuck indoors while fighting raged outside, but are determined to do something worthwhile.

They have plenty to offer, but approach their role coordinating community development projects with humility, knowing they are guests making a long-term investment in empowering the Kenyan people.

Check out the cover story on page 6 where these remarkable Salvos share their stories.

Not everyone can leave the country for years on end. For many, overseas mission means tackling specific projects, often in developing nations. From construction in Mozambique to anti human trafficking programs during the World Cup, On Fire also examines short-term opportunities for service.

Also in this edition, Peter Leggett shares the lasting impact the events of 9/11 have had on his life and faith, nine years on.

With the news filled with stories of despair, it’s refreshing to see hope replacing hopelessness.

Proofreader: Dawn Volz

®

Linda Hogan Editor

contents

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4 • Word Wrap

Should evangelism make people angry?

James Thompson thinks so

5 • Book

Salvo Publishing’s new children’s book The Thank You Prayer.

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Cover Story Meet three Aussies who answered the call to serve overseas

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Faith in Action Peter Leggett reflects on faith and service after 9/11 Supplement: Grassroots

14 • Feature

Short-term mission trips: Overseas mission doesn’t necessarily mean quitting your day job

18 • Our Place

Noarlunga Corps mixes mission with a trip to the shops Also:

2 Reflection 5 Leadership Today 10 Frontlines, About People, Engagement Calendar

11 Tributes 12 News 16 Small group resources 19 Reviews

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word wrap

11 September 2010

Preaching: Evangelism, Wesley style

if they’re not angry, you’re doing it wrong!

As I was reading about the great holiness teacher and evangelist John Wesley, I came across a very interesting quote: ‘If the gospel is preached well, sinners should be either angry or convicted of sin, righteousness and judgement to come. If they are not, then I don’t think they are to be an evangelist.’

So, if the gospel is preached well, people will have only two reactions: anger or acceptance.

What on Earth was he thinking?

John Wesley preached a very different gospel message what is typically preached today. Modern Christian culture encourages us to preach the love of God to let people know they are accepted and that God has a purpose for their lives. These are great messages, and I’m sure Wesley would have wholeheartedly agreed with them. But these positive messages were hardly the starting point of his preaching.

Instead, Wesley states, ‘Before I can preach love, mercy and grace, I must preach sin, law and judgment.’

Here we see emphasis on a different message; one I believe the Christian church seems to have lost of late.

This message is that we are sinners, totally depraved and justly exposed to the wrath of God, but Wesley is not saying we shouldn’t preach God’s love. Rather, we are to understand God’s love in the light of our sin.

How does Scripture describe the purpose of the law?

Galatians 3:24 says, ‘The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.’

Paul also says in Romans 7 that, except for the law, he would not know what sin was. The law does not exist to show us how good we are, but rather to expose just how sinful we are! The law forces us to stop comparing ourselves to other people and cultural standards, and

instead compare ourselves to God’s impossible standard of holiness—a standard only Jesus Christ could fulfil.

Wesley continues, ‘It is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God to convict sinners by the law.

It is this which, being set home in the conscience, generally breaketh the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of the word of God which is quick and powerful, full of life and energy and sharper than any two-edged sword.’

When we use the law in evangelism, our preaching takes on new power. It destroys any pretension that says we don’t need Jesus. It reveals our selfishness and it uncovers our sinfulness. This is the context in which the love and grace of God makes sense. But at this stage, a person is faced with a decision: do they take ownership of their sin, or do they continue in their selfishness and get angry that it’s been exposed?

It is only once the context has been set that the grace of God finds meaning—and only then can it be preached.

It is here that forgiveness of sins, repentance and faith actually makes sense. The law leads people to faith in Jesus because they are made aware of their need of a Saviour.

John Wesley was correct. If the gospel is preached well, sinners will be angry or convicted of sin, righteousness and judgement to come. It is only then they will be ready to comprehend the amazing love of Jesus Christ.

God help us to be effective evangelists!

James Thompson is a second-year cadet at the Training College

says James Thompson

For more on law evangelism from James, check out www.goforsouls.com

book

11 September 2010

A classic reborn ‘If you can communicate to children, you can communicate with anybody!’ says territorial children’s ministry secretary Captain Tracey Davies. Having written for Kidzone for years, I can attest to this—kids are a tough audience.

Fortunately, Tracey and Unley corps officer Major Rosyln Elms didn’t let their target audience’s fearsome reputation keep them from collaborating on a new resource from Salvo Publishing: The Thank You Prayer, a vibrant picture book adaptation of a classic children’s prayer.

Ros: It was really important to include words that connect with them and are very real for them. Because, even in a small way, this will make up part of their belief system of what they can be thankful for.

Tracey: We really wanted to tap into their world. One of the pages is about being thankful for families, cuddles and hugs: very tactile stuff. I believe if you can communicate to children, you can communicate to anybody because in order to get a very complex idea across to kids, you have to have thought it through. A well-crafted sentence will help them to grasp the underlying essence of what you’re saying.

Are you happy with the final product?

Ros: Yes, Kidzone designer Kelly Tinker did an awesome job.

Tracey: Absolutely. I shared some books with illustrations that I love with Kelly, along with some ideas.

She played around with a few things and came back with the concept of having a lot of fabric and textures on page, which I love. It’s just wonderful to look at what she put together.

Quite a few of the books have already sold. Have you received any feedback?

Tracey: A friend recently sent me a photo of his two-year-old nephew reading the book to his baby brother. It is just gorgeous!

My friend says his nephew loves it, but the boy’s mother doesn’t—she’s apparently been asked to read it thousands of times.

So obviously it’s gone down well with the kids there!

Ros: There’s been a great response at a corps level. I’ve had some grandparents requesting copies for their little folk who aren’t involved in church, which is fantastic.

C aptain T race y D avies

M ajor R os y ln E lms

You both have extensive experience working with young children.

What has this taught you about how they pray and learn?

Tracey: I think kids aren’t given enough opportunity to be open in their prayer.

It’s very structured— ‘This is the format.

This is the way you must pray.’ I feel it’s the same in schools: teachers have learning outcomes they want kids to achieve. I don’t think we let kids wonder enough. We don’t allow them room to explore, talk things out and wrestle with ideas.

Our booklet ends with an open-ended phrase: ‘I wonder what you will be thankful for today…’ As significant adults in their lives, we need to help facilitate that exploration, not dictate rote answers to them.

Ros: In the first part of the book, we recount that beautiful old prayer ‘Thank you for the food we eat’. In doing so, we’re giving the children the language to use.

But then we encourage them to extend it. We want to ask those big questions— where do you see God? How do you know he loves you? We often think ‘Oh, they can’t understand that’, but they’re very spiritual—not to mention some of the cleverest little people on the planet!

How did the idea to adapt The Thank You Prayer come about?

Ros: I originally wanted to be able to present kids in my ‘mainly music’ and kids’ club groups with some kind of combined birthday present and card. I thought of the classic prayer—I was taught it when I was little, and I still remember the words.

I loved it.

I spoke to Tracey about my idea and she was really interested, plus she knew the process of putting a book together.

Writing for children is notoriously difficult—it’s hard to get things just right.

Did you choose your wording carefully?

leadership today

Our chief purpose It has been six weeks since I took up the office of Chief Secretary, a time which has been filled with a kaleidoscope of images, sounds and events that have taken my breath away on many occasions.

Following our welcome and installation meeting in Melbourne, Jenny and I have attended events in Darwin, Bendigo, Launceston, Adelaide and Perth. These have been vibrant gatherings of Salvationists, friends and community representatives, where rich words of welcome and challenge have been shared.

It has been a real joy to meet so many Salvationists. I’ve been especially moved by the youth and young people who are clearly looking for a place in the future Army, and are passionate about reaching their generation for Jesus.

This past week, I attended a dinner where Brigadier Michael ‘Mick’ Moon of the Australian Army spoke with warmth and feeling about the work of the Red Shield Defence Service representatives who provide a safe haven from the stress, danger and tiredness of field operations.

As he spoke, I thought of the story of Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick, the former seaman, cattle drover and coalminer who, at age 13, dived into the River Tyne in the UK to save two young children. During World War I, 22-year-old Simpson found a place in history at Gallipoli rescuing hundreds of wounded soldiers on the back of his donkey over a period of 24 days, before being killed himself.

His gravestone reads: ‘He gave his life that others may live’.

I want that kind of passion and motivation for my life and for The Salvation Army. To live to save the wounded and hurt, to give my life to a greater purpose and to serve God fearlessly in a world that is sometimes hostile to our values and convictions.

Will you join me and dedicate your life to this mission?

Ryan O’Connell

The Thank You Prayer is available from Salvationist Supplies for $3.50.

Colonel Peter Walker Chief secretary

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cover story

While the Australia Southern Territory measures 4,955,844 square kilometres, its reach goes far beyond. Through donations, prayers and communication, our territory is at work for God all over the world. However, our desire to help is most personally expressed through the officers, staff and volunteers who choose to immerse themselves in foreign cultures— our ‘reinforcement officers’.

On Fire invited Aussie Salvos Marshall and Vicki Currie in the Kenya East Territory and Andrew Lee in Pakistan to share their experience of lending their time and efforts to our neighbours in need.

In 2004, Marshall Currie was doing community work with Urban Heart (now part of Melbourne Corps Project 614), while his wife Vicki was finishing her studies in community development following a long nursing career.

Seeking to apply their skills in a needy developing nation, the Curries applied to IHQ for vacancies. The Kenya East Territory called, and Marshall and Vicki have been working as project managers ever since; liaising with Kenyan communities to design, implement and evaluate projects towards improving water access, education and health.

Six years on, the pair has achieved much and learned even more.

What kind of cultural and religious context do you find yourselves working in?

Kenya is a predominantly Christian nation, with small Muslim and Hindu minorities.

Like many African countries that were European colonies, a lot of hard work has gone towards uniting many disparate tribes (around 42). Tribal identity runs deep and this plays out in virtually all facets of life.

In 2007, the country almost tore itself apart after a disputed election, but a new constitution has just been agreed on and there is hope for a more united future.

Around 80% of the population derives an income from agriculture, though this

is changing rapidly as the population grows, the economy modernises and people stream to the cities in search of work.

One outcome of this is the growth in urban slums. In the capital of Nairobi, 60%–70% of the population live in slums.

Typically, the Army finds itself right among the poorest communities, both in urban slums and rural areas. This gives us a great entry point for engaging in community development.

It took us a while to develop links with the international donor community, but over time we have built some good support relationships from territories in Europe, the US and Australia (as well as other partners).

What lessons has Kenya taught you during your appointment?

We are now in our seventh year here and the learning has been continuous.

Kenya keeps surprising us.

There’s so much to learn and understand about a new culture, and the longer

you stay, the more useful you become.

We have learned that we should have patience, be less time-oriented and give everyone a chance to be heard. These are distinctively Kenyan traits. We hope that we have become more sensitive to cultural differences and more aware of our own cultural biases.

We have also learned that communities have incredible resilience and the capacity to do so much for themselves.

There are plenty of smart, qualified locals. But we must also remember that they can’t do it all alone. Whatever we do, we do it with humility, never forgetting that we are guests.

How has your ministry developed since you arrived? What has challenged you?

We have learned from our many mistakes and have slowly improved in what we’re doing, so maybe it was good that those links developed slowly.

Every project has challenges. A project proposal may look good on paper, but in practice it does not always go as expected. Perhaps more so in Africa! We have had our share of disappointments, but sometimes a challenging project can be the most satisfying. For example, in Turkana District, near the Ethiopian border, a ‘failed’ water project that gave us a lot of grief also gave us an opportunity to partner with Oxfam and achieve a much better result for the community.

It’s great when we can achieve some tangible change, like bringing clean water or health care to a community.

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11 September 2010

We were involved in setting up a new health clinic in a rural area, and one of the most satisfying moments of our time here came when we started getting the first reports back about actual patients being treated. Of those tested, 13% were

people have been amazingly resilient.

However, in most places The Salvation Army has visited since the flooding, people have expressed a sense of desolation and hopelessness.

The disasters have changed my perception of my role greatly. If you want to make a difference, I’ve learned you need to be adaptable

However, I have to be careful in what I say—we are restricted by law in what we can say and do, religiously speaking. So I have a simple statement I give to them: ‘Because I love God, I also love his people (everyone). Because I love everyone, I must try to help those in need.’

When you can’t preach the Gospel freely, it’s about partnering with God in amazing ways to overcome that. For me personally, I have a few strong friendships outside the Christian community. I try to live a Christ-like life by caring and sharing and my friends observe this.

More and more they see how the Army works and lives and they are amazed. Many now want to be involved in small ways like volunteering to help with disaster relief.

And lately, I am often surprised to hear friends inform me they have been spreading mine and the Army’s testimony (sans my name) and challenging their friends to do more to help the poor and needy. It’s amazing how God works.

diagnosed with HIV infection. We rejoiced because that meant people who were carrying a hidden, untreated disease would now get treatment and live!

A sermon on Jesus washing the disciples’ feet prompted Salvo accountant Andrew Lee (pictured above, left) to apply for overseas service. For two and a half years (with 18 months to go), Andrew has held the position of chief accountant for The Salvation Army in Lahore, Pakistan. However, it’s not all numbers and spreadsheets…

Pakistan has suffered greatly in the wake of the July flooding. How are the people coping?

Over the past two years, there have been quite a few disasters, but the Pakistani

and very, very, very patient.

Before I arrived, I thought I would just be working with the facts and figures, but there is a human side to it also. After the disaster, it’s very difficult to argue who I should and should not be helping.

It’s complicated; I’ve gone from being the accountant just doing his job to investing in and training people through community development and empowerment.

Has the widespread devastation given the Salvos opportunities to talk about God? As we wade through floodwaters in uniform, people do ask who we are. Many officers have been asked to pray with quite a few people in the past four weeks, regardless of their religious backgrounds.

That and the delivery of relief packages may show the caring side of God in this time of disaster. My Muslim friends often talk about this disaster and about God.

What have you found most encouraging?

Zephaniah 3:17 ‘The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.’ That and definitely messages from Australia—great stories of God’s work through soldiers and officers.

What is the hardest part about being overseas?

Just seeing the needs of the poor not being met. It’s a culture of self-interest. But with community development programs like the Sustainable Livelihood Development Project and Sally Ann (a Salvation Army project where women manufacture crafts and sell them for a fair price), things are changing: I hear stories of how women are now full of self-confidence and pride that they are earning an income for their family from the skills taught to them.

Ryan O’Connell

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faith in action

Fait

in the shado of 9/

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11 September 2010

The assassination of JFK. Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon. Princess Diana’s car crash.

The impact of world-stopping moments like these does just that; it makes you stop. Day-to-day details fade away as the event unfolds. You take stock of where you are, who’s around and how jolted from your regular routine you feel— the enormity of it all burns a permanent imprint on your memory.

It’s the reason people are so quick to ask ‘Where were you when the Berlin Wall came down?’ ‘Where were you when you heard John Lennon had been shot?’

Asking anyone to recall their activities and whereabouts at pinpointed moments from years ago would be incredibly unreasonable under any other circumstances. But moments like these? People remember.

So where were you when the twin towers came down?

That event was nine years ago. Time passes quickly for some, but for others, I suspect the pain and memories are still with them—as though it were yesterday.

I was about 600 metres from the World Trade Centre on that Tuesday morning in 2001. I had just stepped out of a cab and was on my way to a business meeting when I was confronted with a building with a massive hole in it. Only two or three minutes earlier, a plane had crashed through the tower’s wall and I found myself looking into a black, smoking scar. I wondered what I was witnessing.

Business had drawn me and a few other Australians to New York. We were on our way to a meeting only a few blocks from the centre. Were it not for a meeting reschedule and relocation the day before, we would be looking down at the street from the North tower, not up at it.

th

The events of the next hour or so were like a movie. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.

You don’t get a chance to prepare yourself for watching people fall out of skyscrapers. Yet, with my own eyes, I saw 12 or 15 people jump or fall from that first tower as the heat, smoke and fire closed in, and they realised there was no way out.

The orange ball of flames as the second plane hit and exploded was one of the most disturbing sights imaginable.

Finally, I saw the buildings collapse. I couldn’t fathom the devastation and death it caused.

Fortunately, by that stage I was far enough away not to suffer from the falling powder, ash and debris.

From then on, it was like a battle.

People were screaming and running everywhere in panic. Chaos prevailed, as if World War III had been declared in the middle of the city. F18 fighter jets did laps of Manhattan as a throng of emotionally fragile people began pouring out of the city and across the remaining few open bridges off Manhattan Island.

e ow

/11

You don’t get a chance to practise or rehearse life. You are just in it. It happens before you, around you, with you just playing a part. It is how you deal with what is thrown your way in life that helps you grow and develop as a person.

What was my response that day?

Beside prayer, my response was one of deep emotional pain; not just for what I had witnessed, but for the death toll and families whose lives would be changed forever.

I was stranded in New York for another five days before we were able to fly out.

During that time, I did what I had been brought up to do— reach out and help the needy and distressed. I volunteered to help hand out food parcels, clothes and other essential items to victims and families as part of a makeshift Salvation Army centre near Ground Zero.

As a fifth-generation Salvationist, I have plenty of Salvation Army blood in me. I grew up knowing and experiencing love from wonderful parents and a broader family in my Salvation Army church. Not only that, but from a young age, deep within me, I had a personal relationship with the God who not only loves the world and everyone in it, but loves me individually.

Here was another occasion where, in the aftermath of a devastating event, God’s love and grace had

clearly shone through and he was able to use me in a small way as a vessel for love

to be shared. I was able to talk with many people about God’s love, care and grace that week and it was amazing.

I am sure he had me where I was able to help people who were in deep emotional need. The words I spoke were not mine, but his.

Nine years have passed since then. For me, it has been a time to reflect on how fortunate I was and have been, what a beautiful family of my own I have, and to be reminded very clearly of the importance of relationships.

Too often, we get so busy that we forget to take the time to be with others and for others, and to express how we feel about them—to appreciate what is real and deep, and demonstrate love unashamedly. For me, 9/11 is a constant reminder of that.

My life is far from perfect—I fight a constant battle in trying to deal with the priorities of life amid the busyness of everything I am involved in. Again, 9/11 serves as a reminder of the importance of people, of being rather than doing, and of living life in the present rather than in the ‘if only’ of the past or the ‘what if’ of the future.

Each year, in early September, a number of the guys get together to reflect and remember; to re-tell our stories and reshape our lives.

For me, it is another opportunity to share my Christian experience. To remember my own deeply personal feelings and emotions from that day. To not only say a prayer of thanks, but also reaffirm my willingness to share God’s love with others for another year.

An act of hate brought out the love in Peter Leggett

frontlines

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➊

11 September 201011

➋

Adelaide Congress Hall, SA (Major Susan Wallace) Adelaide Congress Hall commenced celebrations leading up to their 130th anniversary (5 September) with a visit by the Melbourne Staff Songsters on 7–8 August.

During the Saturday program, the corps band played ‘The Royal Bloodwashed’, representing the original name of the corps and ‘I’ve Been Brought by the Precious Blood’, the unofficial corps anthem.

After the Sunday meeting and a fellowship lunch, the songsters and band performed in Rundle Mall.

All Nations Fellowship, Vic. (Cadets Monty Bhardwaj and Manikya Mera) The All Nations Fellowship has begun a Bible study at 2 pm Sundays at the Training College. The study helps international students prepare for their IELTS exam (an English language test) while introducing them to the Bible by reading a passage and answering comprehension questions.

Box Hill, Vic. (Majors Gregory and Priya Morgan) Box Hill Corps hosted their annual children’s celebration weekend on 14–15 August with guest leader Lieutenant Rachael Collins.

The Saturday evening ‘Box Hill’s Got Talent’ event demonstrated the creative talents of the children and adults. On Sunday morning, the pre-school-aged children took to the stage and Grace Sketcher, Claire Burchell, Tess Griffiths and Kaja Jeffrey were enrolled as junior soldiers (L-R, pic ➊).

Brimbank City, Vic. (Captains Jenni and Lindsay Frost) Britteny Ling was sworn in as a soldier on

ENGAGEMENT C A L E N D A R Commissioners Raymond and Aylene Finger Sat. 11–Wed. 15 Sept.: Geelong Conference Centre (Wider Cabinet Conference) Colonels Peter and Jennifer Walker Sat 11–Wed. 15 Sept.: Geelong Conference Centre (Wider Cabinet Conference) 24 Sept.: WA Division (divisional review)

➌ 8 August, her 18th birthday. Major Lionel Ling (grandfather) held the flag and Major Verity Ling (grandmother) prayed. Major Allan Harley brought a message titled ‘Being holy and blameless’, concluding a three-month focus on ‘holiness unwrapped’ in the corps.

‘The presence of the gentle stirring of the Holy Spirit was evident,’ says Captain Jenni Frost.

Campbelltown, SA (Captain Joanne Skeates and Envoy Ted Wright) On 24 July, Campbelltown celebrated the opening of their new thrift shop and mission centre. The new centre is more than three times bigger than the old centre, and is in a high-profile location. Envoy Ted Wright thanked Peter Tsoutouras, owner of Spartan Electrical, for his assistance in making the project happen. He also emphasised that the centre would not be measured by what it made financially, but by what could be sewn into the community.

Campbelltown deputy mayor Jill Whitaker commended The Salvation Army for turning a community ‘dead spot’ into a new and attractive centre. Captain Joanne Skeates spoke about the development of an emergency relief program and community activities to encourage meaningful interaction with the community.

Devonport, Tas. (Captains Cherie and Chris Clarke) Sally Smith was sworn in as a soldier on 8 August by Captain Chris Clarke. Sally spoke about her journey and testified to God’s leading in this commitment.

Pic ➋: L–R: Captains Chris and Cherie Clarke, Cheryl Wallace, Sally Smith.

ABOUT PEOPLE Accepted Jeremy and Sandra Baker of Launceston Citadel Corps and Tracey Brown of Burnie Corps (all Tas.) have been accepted for training for officership in the ‘Proclaimers of the Resurrection’ session (2011) Appointed Effective 16 August: Major Kylie Kop, chaplain/positive lifestyle programme

➍ Maryborough, Vic. (Captains Andrew and Kelly Walker) Mark and Tammy Thomas were recently sworn in as soldiers, the first soldiers to be enrolled at the Avoca Outpost (pic ➌).

Salvation Army Historical Society, Vic. (John Smith) On 20 August, Box Hill Corps hosted a reunion for the Army’s netball association, which at one time attracted up to 2,000 players and spectators to its games at Fawkner Park.

SAHS president John Smith presented a DVD with footage from the games, with many catching a glimpse of themselves 20 or 30 years younger.

Captain Anne Lane told stories of fun and fellowship enjoyed by participants and the spiritual connection it maintained for herself and other young people.

Cheryl Hallett led a roll call of the corps involved, many of which had a representative. Music was provided by the Hallett Family Band.

Perth Chinese, WA (Majors Keith and Mary Cheng) Perth Chinese Corps celebrated their 11th anniversary on 8 August with a holiness meeting followed by a feast. Two corps members gave their testimony.

More than 110 people joined in the celebrations, which included games and gifts.

Warragul, Vic. (Captains Daniel and Melissa Templeman Twells) On the weekend of 7–8 August, Sydney Staff Songster Leader Graeme Press and

trainer, Melbourne Magistrates Court, Melbourne Central Division. Effective 1 September: Major Fona Ling, officer-in-charge, Mongkok Outpost, Hong Kong and Macau Command (pro-tem); Major Daryl Rawlings, chaplain, E-Plus South Australia and South Australia Ambulance Service; Major Peter Power, divisional social programme chaplain, Western Australia Division; Captain Ken Smith, director, The

11 September 2010

tributes

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TRIBUTES Daphne Susan Anderson

➎ his wife Neryl were guests at Warragul Corps. On Saturday, Graeme led musical workshops with the songsters and band, followed by an evening concert supported by the Box Hill Youth Band.

On Sunday morning, Graeme told a children’s story about the transforming power of God. A well-attended Pleasant Sunday Afternoon concert featured Graeme on the piano, supported by various corps sections.

Pic ➍ L-R: Timbrel leader Tabitha Seccombe, songster leader Pauline Still, Captains Melissa and Daniel Templeman Twells, Neryl and Graeme Press, bandmaster Brett Woods.

Waverley Temple, Vic. (Majors Kirsten and Warren Elliot) On 14–15 August, Waverley Temple hosted the 125th anniversary of the Hawthorn Citadel Band and Waverley Temple Band. On Saturday, band sergeant Hedley Watkinson and band secretary Rex Harvey (L–R, pic ➎) received their 50-year service awards.

Following the presentation, Hedley conducted his own composition, ‘Hawthorn Jubilee’.

The oldest serving band member, Beynon Rosser, played the solo ‘It is well’ and youngest member Laura Harris played ‘The Big Dipper’ on the xylophone.

On Sunday, the corps band, songsters, senior and YP timbrels and singing youth voices joined in a celebration meeting.

Bridge Programme and manager, Bridge House, Western Australia Division (additional appointments); Lieutenant Debbie Wilson, professional standards officer, Personnel Department, THQ Bereaved Lieutenant Pauline Middleton of her son on 11 August; Major Colin Medling of his mother on 12 August.

Daphne Anderson was promoted to glory from Regis Nursing Home, Mildura on 22 May, aged 97.

Daphne was the second child of Henry and Jessica Herdy, born in 1912 at Wilcannia, NSW. As a child, she travelled with her parents in the outback, when her father took supplies to stations and brought back bales of wool.

She never stepped foot inside a classroom.

As a teenager, Daphne worked as a domestic servant for a family who introduced her to The Salvation Army at North Broken Hill. She learned to play the baritone, but was stood down from the band by the corps officers after going to the movies.

In 1935, Daphne married Alan Anderson and travelled to the Coomealla district on the Murray River. They constructed a hessian house on the river bank where the Coomealla Golf Club is today, and found work on a fruit block.

Daphne and Alan welcomed five children into the family, three of whom were diagnosed

with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU).

In 1942, the family moved to Mildura and rented, then purchased a house, where Daphne lived until she moved to the nursing home five years ago. Unable to find a special school in the area for their children with PKU, Daphne and Alan helped found the Christie Centre, volunteering there for many years.

In 1994, Daphne was nominated for Mildura’s Citizen of the Year for her services to children with a disability. Daphne saw her role as a guardianship given by God. Daphne also held a number of jobs, including working as a cook, laundress, seamstress, grape picker and making stuffed animals. She was also active in the Home League and League of Mercy, and cleaned the hall for 25 years.

Mildura corps officers Captains Christine and Jeff Waller conducted a funeral service for Daphne on 28 May.

Alfred James King Alfred King was born in Ockendon, England, and grew up attending the Salvation Army, beginning his service as a bandsman in the young people’s band.

One week after Alf married Stella, he left to serve in the military in Singapore during World War II. He was taken prisoner and spent the rest of the war in Changi Prison, working on the Burma Railway and in Japanese salt mines.

On returning to England, Alf continued playing in the band until the couple migrated to Launceston (Tas.) with their daughters Gillian and Marilyn in 1957. Alf served as corps treasurer and corps sergeant-major at South Launceston and Kings Meadows corps, also continuing as a bandsman until he retired in

1993. He also enjoyed serving Gideons International, sharing his faith and copies of the New Testament.

Alf was promoted to glory from Launceston on 22 July, aged 93.

His family and friends gathered to honour his life in a service led by Envoy Abel Reeve.

Doug Parker gave a corps tribute, mentioning Alf’s dedication to the spiritual welfare of others. Alf’s daughters and sons-in-law spoke of his love for his family, especially his greatgrandchildren in America, who he and Stella visited several times.

Captain Megan Aitken read from the Scripture and Captain Darren Aitken brought the message.

Olive May Hampton Olive Hampton was promoted to glory on 25 July 2010, aged 101.

Olive was born in 1909 and entered the Training College in 1926, aged 17. Her appointments included a number of unmarried mothers and childrens homes in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. Due to family commitments during wartime, Olive ceased her service as an officer, although she continued to be active in corps life as a soldier.

Before settling down in Devonport in the 1960s, Olive soldiered at a number of

corps on the Tasmanian west coast. As part of the 2009 celebrations of the 125th anniversary of The Salvation Army in Tasmania, Olive was recognised as a ‘Guardian of the Faith’ for her significant service.

Her 100th birthday (also 2009) was marked with a service at Devonport conducted by her nephew Major Graeme Crowden and Captain Chris Clarke, highlighting Olive’s steadfast commitment to God and her family.

Have you recently been bereaved? Please don’t forget to submit a tribute and, if possible, a photograph, to On Fire, PO Box 479, Blackburn 3130, or email: onfire@aus.salvationarmy.org

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news

News extra Pakistan appeal

calls all Chief secretar y Colonel Peter Walker Flood istan Pak a to ly Salvos to give generous :// http at e mad appeal. Donations can be Salvationarmy.org.au/Pakistan

Grant secures future for needle exchange The Victorian Government has committed funding to expand health services offered

by The Salvation Army’s 24-hour needle exchange at the St Kilda Crisis Centre.

The exchange site will receive $2.2 million every four years to continue operating and begin providing on-site health services, including preventing and treating hepatitis C. The health information service is run by Carolyn Perry, who welcomed the funding announcement, saying ‘These programs help us to save and rebuild lives’.

Albert Park MP Martin Foley said the funds guarantee the continued work of the service, which provided one million needles to 54,000 clients in the last financial year.

‘Communities must work together to reduce drug deaths and injuries,’ he said.

11 September 2010

Southern Territory to Liberia: ‘On your bike!’

The Liberia Command has received funding for 25 bicycles and a motorcycle as part of a special fund collected at the 2009 Commissioning.

Prior to Commissioning, Partners in Mission were invited to submit small projects for consideration, with the successful applicants receiving proceeds from an offering held during the Sunday morning meeting of Commissioning weekend. Two project applications were received and accepted from the Liberia Command: US$3,750 for 25 bicycles, assisting corps officers in outreach and pastoral visits, and US$3,500 for a motorcycle for the Sinoe section officer, enabling him to visit his officers regularly.

The Commissioning collection raised more than US$5,400, and the total was

boosted to US$8,220 with reserves covering the difference.

Liberia’s Captain Broton Weah says the gift has already lifted spirits: ‘The Salvationists of Sinoe County say thank you for the effort and time to see our section uplifted. The motorbike will enhance our work. God bless you.’

Captain James Paye, of The Salvation Army Paynesville section, was equally grateful. ‘The fine gesture of issuing brand-new bicycles to our corps officers will enable them to carry their visitation in their various communities with ease,’ he said.

Projects have already been requested from Partners in Mission for the 2010 Commissioning offering fund. Details of the accepted project(s) will be advised prior to Commissioning weekend.

+ + + + + Record nerence The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference will host its fourth eConfereved and accessible after the eConference at http://jesus.vividas.com.

Captain Michelle Davies-Kildea, left, with a Onesight volunteer.

From left: Karen Daglish, OPSM CEO Chris Beer, Captain Michelle Davies-Kildea, optometrist Georgina Preece, Trish Reeve and Molly Meldrum.

news

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child sponsorship In each issue of On Fire, we introduce a few children living in developing nations who have been identified

by Salvation Army staff as needing sponsorship. Say hello to...

Onesight looks after Salvo clients

An OPSM eye clinic in Hawthorn (Vic.) opened its doors to Salvation Army clients for a day of free eye health and vision testing on Wednesday 25 August.

The free clinic was organised as a ‘Onesight’ event, a not-for-profit organisation through which OPSM provides community vision care in Australia and overseas. Onesight contacted the Salvos about offering services to Army clients, leaving Salvo officers and staff to spread the word.

‘All we had to do was get the message out to our social programs and say “OPSM have opened a new clinic and are keen to help out people who are in need, with free and quite comprehensive eye-testing as well as the provision of new glasses”,’ says Melbourne Central divisional social programme secretary Captain Jason Davies-Kildea.

‘Clients came from support service programs to homeless programs to other kinds of specialist programs; it was quite wide-ranging,’ he said.

Forty-six clients (primarily from the Melbourne Central Division and Eastern Victoria Division) mingled and discussed their preferred style of frames as OPSM CEO Chris Beer flipped burgers on a barbecue for those in attendance.

‘The Onesight foundation is all about giving back to the communities and people in need,’ Chris told On Fire.

‘We wanted an organisation which we could partner with to help people, and The Salvation Army is very like-minded. They have all the contacts to bring people to us, and we’re able to help care for people’s vision.’

While the Salvation Army has an ongoing program through which clients can redeem ‘vision vouchers’ for free glasses at OPSM stores, OPSM was keen to do more with the opening of their Hawthorn location. ‘For this clinic, we wanted to offer really nice frames to the people coming in,’ says optometrist Georgina Preece. ‘We contacted our stores across Victoria and had them send in damaged designer stock—frames that we can’t sell due to small scratches, but which are still perfectly fine,’ she says.

Georgina and her fellow OPSM employees volunteered their time on the day to handle the extra workload.

The clinic is planned as a quarterly event, with the next scheduled for October.

Combined corps and Gippscare hub on the way A new multi-million-dollar building will house Gippscare Welfare Services and Leongatha (Vic.) Salvation Army corps under one roof.

Land for the building has been purchased and construction is due to begin around May next year, pending council approval.

As the services offered by Gippscare and the corps often overlap, the new building will afford clients with easier access to both parties. The respective services are currently more than 1.5 kilometres apart.

Celia Irwin, Gippscare senior manager, says both providers will benefit greatly from the project: ‘It will be marvellous to be in one spot. Both the corps and Gippscare are expanding their programs and need more space.’

According to Ms Irwin, the new building will provide enough office space for approximately 35 staff and a larger meeting area for the Leongatha corps congregation. ‘We’re in a very ageing office and we’re approaching capacity. Everyone here is very much looking forward to having a bit more room.’

Leongatha corps officer Lieutenant Claire Emerton says the move will also help with evangelism.

‘We’re hoping we can build on the relationship between the church and the social program and get people crossing over into the spiritual aspect of the Salvos,’ she said.

Name: Angel Age: 9 Country: Bolivia Angel’s mother struggled to care for him and his two siblings by herself.

When she found she couldn’t manage, she left Angel in the Oscar Ahlm Boys’ Home in Bolivia when he was seven. She hasn’t returned. Angel, who is currently in grade two, wrote in a letter, ‘I have many friends at school and am very happy at the home.’ In the absence of information about living relatives, Angel needs a caring sponsor to help him with education, food and clothing.

Name: Ying Ying Age: 5 Country: Malaysia Ying Ying lives in the Ipoh Children’s Home and loves to play games and join in with the other children. She was abandoned by her parents and social welfare referred her to the home under their supervision. Ying Ying is full of life and often gives hugs to staff. She loves going on holidays and is doing really well in kindergarten.

Her grandmother visits the home when she can to build their relationship. Ying Ying also gets to see her aunt, who she calls Mum. If you would like to sponsor a child, including Angel or Ying Ying, or a Salvation Army school, children’s home or program, contact the Child Sponsorship Department. Once Angel and Ying Ying have sponsors, staff can partner sponsors with children in similar situations.

(03) 8878 4543 PO Box 479 Blackburn VIC 3130 childsponsorship@ aus.salvationarmy.org www.salvationarmy.org.au/ childsponsorship

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feature

11 September 2010

A heart for miss So, what’s your ideal holiday? Is it a luxury cruise, lazing by the pool in some tropical destination? Or, maybe simply camping somewhere away from ringing phones and the daily grind?

Whatever your perfect getaway looks like, it means stepping out of your normal routine and leaving your cares behind to do as much (or as little) as you like.

Missionaries have been travelling to spread their message for thousands of years. Walking, riding horses and short trips on boats gave way to long-distance sea voyages and, eventually, air travel.

Not only does this make the modern mission trip much more accessible, it also opens doors for short-term visits to other continents.

Far from a stay at a tropical resort, mission trips involve participants rolling up their sleeves and sharing skills, guidance and support to offer a helping hand.

The Western Victoria Division’s partner territory is Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony nestled on the south-west coast of Africa. Boasting miles of white sandy beaches, stunning national parks and tropical weather, Mozambique was popular with tourists up until the 1970s.

Since then, the nation has endured decades of civil war, corruption, poverty, severe droughts, devastating cyclones and alarming HIV/AIDS rates.

Sadly, Mozambique’s infant mortality and life expectancy are among the world’s worst.

In June, Major Pam Marshall (corps programme secretary, Western Victoria Division) led a team of eight Aussie Salvos to help construct a building in Mocuba, a corps plant in Mozambique’s Zambezia region. The group included fellow officers Captain Joy Cassidy and Captains Michael and Elizabeth Johnson as well as Amanda Merrett (Ringwood, pictured), Jenny Smith (Broughton), Troy Tampion (Warrnambool) and Paul Lumb (Wodonga).

While there, the group cooked, ministered to children, helped with construction, visited schools and a prison and generally helped out as best they could.

They ate what the locals ate (rice, mostly), travelled

how the locals travelled (in the back of a ute) and dressed how the locals dressed (long wrap skirts for the women).

‘Three words describe this experience for me: challenging, confronting and humbling,’ says Pam. The challenges were many, from being unable to speak the language (Portuguese and local dialects) to keeping dry in the monsoonal rains and adjusting to eating local food.

The scars of war were still visible on the landscape, and the poverty and lack of healthcare were confronting.

‘We watched a funeral pass every day, including a child’s funeral,’ Pam says. ‘We were told HIV and AIDS rates are higher than anyone realises.

‘We led a meeting at the local prison and were shocked to see two women among 250 men. An officer visited last year, and a prisoner gave his life to the Lord. After release, the man sought out The Salvation Army and became a soldier. When he returned with us, the other prisoners recognised him. What a testimony!’

Despite the poverty, Pam said, the generosity and faith of the people amazed the team. The corps officers oversee 53 corps and outposts in a 200 km radius, with a single motorbike for transport. When asked how many corps there are in his division, divisional commander Major Manual Nhelenhele shook his head and responded, ‘I don’t know. It changes daily.’

Major Nhelenhele explained that since the civil war ended, scores of people are returning from neighbouring countries, many of whom bring the gospel and The Salvation Army with them.

The team ministered through sharing testimonies and sermons, telling children’s stories and using Australian animal puppets.

‘The locals took great delight in our lack of rhythm,’ says Pam. ‘But even though we didn’t understand the language, the sense of connection with the Holy Spirit was very evident.’ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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11 September 2010

sion

Short-term mission trips are an opportunity to share and learn, writes Linda Hogan.

While Pam and the Western Victoria team were in Mozambique, Amanda Hart joined a mission trip to South Africa. Amanda works at territorial headquarters in the social programme department, and had wanted to join a mission trip for a long time.

‘It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the guts,’ says Amanda (pictured, right).

‘I grew up in The Salvation Army and I work in social justice. It’s a good fit.

‘I’m on an email mailing list and this trip from the Eastern Territory came through. It involved soccer, the FIFA World Cup and human trafficking awareness—so I wanted to go. I stepped out of my comfort zone and applied. A couple of months later I got a phone call and they said they wanted me to come.’

In late May, Amanda flew to South Africa to take part in mission connecting with the activity surrounding the World Cup. Schools were closed for the entire month, so there were concerns that children were at risk of being trafficked.

The team invited primary school-aged children to join in soccer clinics, keeping them busy and providing them with information to help them remain safe.

After the children had been to three of the six activity stations, they would stop for a drink and devotions.

Since Amanda was in South Africa during the World Cup, she didn’t want to miss out on seeing some of the matches. She scored tickets for Australia’s games against Germany and Ghana but missed the Australia/Germany game due to illness, ‘although that was probably the one to miss since Australia lost 4–0,’ laughs Amanda.

Amanda gave her testimony at a traditionally African corps while feeling unwell. There was no microphone, and her voice was already strained.

‘I couldn’t speak over them,’ she says. ‘Then they would burst into song and I’m sure nobody could hear me.’

In addition to the meetings and soccer clinics, Amanda took part in an overnight event.

Each Friday night during the World Cup, South Rand Corps organised an ‘urban compound’ (pictured, above right) in Rosettenville, an area of Johannesburg known for prostitution.

‘We had four big drums with fires and we toasted marshmallows, drank hot chocolate and sang. It was cold (below freezing) but the spirit there was amazing.’

The groups went on prayer walks and spoke to some of the girls.

‘One group spoke to a girl and she made it clear that she wanted out,’ says Amanda. ‘It’s unclear as to whether she was trafficked. The divisional commanders came and took her to a safe house the Army runs a fair distance away to take her away from her pimp.

‘She had been exposed to disease, so she was taken to a clinic for a check-up. When we did the meeting at a corps that Sunday, I was excited to see her there. The social program is linked into the corps really well, so a number of the girls staying there came to church.

‘She was the daughter of a pastor, so she had a church background and I got to pray with her.’

Amanda watched as the girl struggled to control her emotions, finally breaking down and crying during the service.

‘Knowing that girl was safe and being able to pray with her was the highlight of the trip for me. That alone was worth going for.’

Amanda encourages others to sign up for a mission trip if they have the opportunity.

‘It will put you out of your comfort zone and you’ll do things you never imaged doing, make a real difference and come back a changed person—changed for the better.

‘I went and learned from these people. Some people think we’re going to teach but it’s more about sharing. We all have different skills and we can offer time and prayer.

‘Spending that time there, I felt a real calling that this was the place where God wanted me. Who am I to argue with that?’

small group resources

11 September 2010

A time and a place fo

Stuart McGifford con Study 3: Luke 19:11–27 Context: This passage has a number of similarities with the parable of the talents located in Matthew 25:14–28.

Some features of this story, which would have been as clear as day to a first-century reader, are easily obscured behind a western worldview. At the start of Luke 19 we read Jesus was in Jericho, while verse 11 seems to indicate he was headed toward Jerusalem.

Most of us haven’t walked the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, and if we had it would look quite different today. Therefore, we wouldn’t see that the most interesting sight along the road was Herod’s spectacular winter palace, visible for miles around. It is feasible that Jesus would have delivered these words with Herod’s palace in view.

Many people assume that because this passage mentions a king, it must be talking about Jesus. In verse 12, a nobleman heads to a distant land to be made king. In order to be made king or ruler over an area, people of influence and/or wealth would travel to Rome and make application to the emperor to be made a ruler.

They would have to offer tribute (money) to the empire and make a case as to why it was in the best interest of the empire for them to be made king. This case would no doubt have been based around their ability to prevent uprisings, raise further tribute through taxes and provide strategic resources.

In this story the king calls for a report from his servants upon his return. The first two servants have been successfully increasing their master’s finances and are given control over cities. The interaction that follows is an interesting one. For those who believe that all capitalist endeavours are good, the third servant clearly failed. But did he?

What are we to make of the words spoken by the servant in verse 20? Are they feeble excuses offered by a clearly incompetent worker ruled by a fair and good master? Or are they calculated words of challenge spoken by a courageous person to an oppressive ruler?

The response of the ruler would have been a challenge for sincere Jews to have heard. Earning interest off money on deposit was a touchy topic. Many Jews believed that charging interest was against the teachings of Moses and even those who believed it was okay to charge interest to foreigners knew it was forbidden to charge interest to fellow Jews.

As we follow the dialogue, the idea that Jesus could be understood as the master is plausible only if we believe that Jesus would affirm the concept that the rich should get richer (as this is what is communicated in verse 26).

ILLUSTRATION: ALEXANDRE BIDA

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So what are we to make of this passage? Who is the villain in this story and who is the hero? If we read this passage carefully, and with an awareness of our cultural bias, I wonder if we will decide that perhaps the servant who hid the minas in a cloth is the one who most fully represents Christ.*

Questions for discussion: • Which character do you think could be most identified with Jesus and why?

• Should the servant who hid the minas have done his master’s bidding instead?

• What if the servant’s inaction was because of ethics-based objections? What should we do when we have questions about whether aspects of our work are ethical? What if we could be fired for taking a stand?

• The accusation is made ‘you take what you did not put in, you reap what you did not sow’. What does this remind you of? What does the accusation mean?

• The Bible reminds us more than 2,000 times to remember the poor. How does this sit with the notion espoused by the master in verse 26?

• Compare this passage to Matthew 25, remembering that a ‘talent’ is a measurement of currency. Is this the same story told through different eyes, or the record of another discussion?

• If we are to read this passage carefully, how should we live our lives differently? *With thanks to Deborah Storie for her lecture at Whitley College (Semester 1, 2008) where this idea was raised.

small group resources

11 September 2010

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or everything

ncludes his study on the importance of back-story

Study 4: Luke 13:18–21 Context: It’s easy for us to forget that Jesus preached the gospel (good news) throughout his ministry. We often think of the good news in terms of Jesus dying for our sins, which is true. However, in Mark, we see Jesus proclaiming the good news: ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’ (Mark 1:15). We must get our heads around this idea of the Kingdom of God, because it was central to the teachings of Christ.

Jesus used parables to shed light on what the kingdom of God is like. Israel was a largely agrarian society; growing food and baking bread was part of everyday life. For Jesus’ first-century listeners, his parables of gardening and breadmaking were familiar and accessible. When Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed in verse 19, the fact that a mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds would be readily recognised. In all likelihood, there would have been laughter when he described the mustard plant as a great tree, because they were more shrub-like than tree-like.

When Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to yeast in the baking process, it is conceivable that he would have got another round of laughs. Jesus says the woman mixed yeast into a large amount of flour (verse 21).

It’s easy to miss the detail that it was three satas of flour, or about 25 kg. The poor lady would have been baking for a week to get that through the oven.

Some translations use the word ‘hid’ the yeast, which may also have generated a chuckle. Today it would be like trying to hide red food dye or dishwashing liquid in a fountain; if you are trying to keep such things secret, they will end up public.

If these stories didn’t make people laugh out loud, then they would at least have been entertaining to listen to. Yet amid the humour, there is a serious point being communicated here.

Jesus is painting a picture of what the Kingdom of God is like. He is likening it to something fairly small and unnoticed that becomes more significant over the course of time. He is reminding us that the small things we do lead to bigger things.

The other interesting thing to note is that Jesus’ parables remind us of the unseen unfolding of the Kingdom of God. The mustard seed is sown, grows and eventually becomes a tree (large bush), while the yeast is mixed in and works its way through until the entire dough is leavened. In the same way, Jesus reminds his listeners that God is at work, even when we can’t see it.

Questions for discussion: • What is the gospel? Share it in your own words.

• Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God. How should we live this message today?

• People usually don’t think of Jesus as humorous. What role should humour play in our faith? Have you ever laughed while reading the Bible?

• How does this concept of small things becoming great bring encouragement to us?

• Think about what God is trying to do in the world. What would it look like if the ‘yeast had worked through the dough’?

• How is the unseen action of the plant growing from a seed helpful to us in times of trouble?

• If we are to read this passage carefully, how should we live our lives differently?

Captain Stuart McGifford is divisional youth secretary in the Eastern Victoria Division.

Next issue: A study titled ‘The earth is full of the steadfast love of God’ by Melbourne Salvationist Christine Dalziel.

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our place

11 September 2010

Taking it to the people Noarlunga Corps have set up shop in their community ‘For far too long we have been asking the question, “How do we get people to come to church?” It is the wrong question. What we should be asking is, “How do we take the church and, more importantly, the Lord of the church to the people?”’ ~ Chick Yuill, Leadership on the Axis of Change.

Over the last three years, Noarlunga Corps (SA) has been on an exciting journey rediscovering the power of incarnational ministry that is literally ‘moving us into the neighbourhood’ (John 1:14). The establishment of a new mission centre in Huntfield Heights has taken Christ and the community of believers into one of the darkest places in our neighbourhood.

We discovered a set of shops that had been vacant for 18 months, which provided the ideal location to establish our mission centre. We began with a thrift shop, which expanded across two shop fronts, providing a financial base and connection with the community.

Space was made in the thrift shop for a small cafe to build relationships, allowing us to introduce people to Jesus Christ.

The combined churches 24-7 prayer room moved into shop four, Healthlink (a Salvation Army service to seniors) took over shop one and we are currently setting up a ‘Youth Life Centre’ in shop five. Our presence in this neighbourhood has created a strong sense of hope among people who have been caught in a cycle of brokenness.

The next step in our mission strategy was to begin a mid-week meeting at Huntfield Heights as a foundation for a new congregation from the relationships we had established. We started a Friday night service using ‘Celebrate Recovery’ (a program designed to help people suffering from hurts, habits and hang-ups) in March this year, which has led to the establishment of three small groups and some exciting life transformations.

The second meeting we commenced was at our worship centre on Wednesday afternoons called ‘All about Life’. Like ‘Celebration Recovery’, this service has established the foundation of another congregation among our community support service clients. Both new congregations have taken church to the ‘not-yet-saved’ and are introducing people to the saving power of Jesus Christ.

The incarnational model we have introduced at Huntfield Heights is having a profound impact upon our Sunday congregations as well, providing some amazing opportunities for integrated mission and ministries between centres. It has also given us a successful model that we are drawing upon to explore mission possibilities at our Charities Beach thrift shop and to use to establish a new corps plant in Aldinga.

We are convinced that, as Dr Stuart Robinson, author of Starting MissionShaped Churches, says, ‘All real growth is ultimately a supernatural process and [we] are prepared to act upon that belief’ by giving priority ‘to corporate and personal prayer in the life of the church’.

In the past month, we have been privileged to see two people enrolled as senior soldiers from the Huntfield Heights Mission Centre, while journeying through a sermon series from ‘Celebrate Recovery’ in our Sunday morning congregation. It has been an immense joy hearing the testimonies of lives that have been radically transformed during this series.

As our mission centres develop and grow, we continue to seek God for salvation of the lost and the expansion of his kingdom.

‘Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honour before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it’ (Jeremiah 33:9).

Captain robert evans

11 September 2010 [ book ] Start Here: Doing hard things right where you are Alex and Brett Harris HHHH At 19, twins Alex and Brett Harris set out on a self-described mission to ‘rebel against the low expectations western culture puts on teenagers’, trying to dispel the myth that all youth are narcissistic and self-serving. This is their rebel field manual.

Supplemented with personal anecdotes from the authors and their peers, Start Here is a guide through all the steps (and pitfalls) involved in ‘doing hard things,’ including planning, rallying support, handling setbacks, going ‘against the grain’, dealing with feeling overwhelmed and, above all, keeping God in focus.

Refreshingly, the Harris brothers keep a very grounded mindset—despite labelling their movement as a (sigh) ‘rebelution’. They are quick to emphasise that the majority of ‘hard things’ done in the name of God will go largely unrecognised by the world—but are no less significant.

Revolutionist themes are commonplace in youth ministry.

Emphasising the countercultural nature of Jesus’ ministry tends to cast him in the light of a rebellious rock star in the eyes of youth.

But rarely do such youth programs emphasise the sacrificial element of starting a revolution. In this, Start Here talks straight; living for Jesus is more self-denial than stage-diving.

The authors adopt a straightforward, encouraging tone and aren’t shy about slinging a joke or two around—important in a book largely focused on pushing teens out of their comfort zone. Start Here offers teens a rare new perspective on themselves—and that could be the seed of a ‘rebelution’.

Ryan O’Connell Available at Koorong for $16.95

reviews [ book ] Jenna Jo-Anne Berthelsen HH ½ Jenna is a novel aimed squarely at women, particularly young women.

The plot revolves around the book’s protagonist, Jenna, a young Christian teacher and youth group leader with a heart of gold, and her sweet, dependable boyfriend Ian. Not everything runs smoothly for Jenna and, as spanners keep getting thrown in the works, Jenna’s prayers become more fervent. At the end of each chapter is a message from God, responding to Jenna’s cries.

One of the key issues Jenna faces is whether a woman should enter ministry, specifically theological training and platform ministry. There are characters speaking for and against the idea, and Jenna must make up her own mind.

Berthelsen’s description of Bible college seems outdated, with Jenna outnumbered and frowned upon by her male classmates.

Although the novel is set in a denominational structure quite different to The Salvation Army, most Christian women will be able to identify with the majority of problems Jenna encounters.

There’s also the obligatory chick-lit romance element.

It’s not a hard-hitting, life-changing book, but Jenna will find an audience with women looking for affirming, Christian, light reading.

Linda Hogan Available at Koorong for $19.95 [ cd ] ReUNITE The Orange County Supertones HHHH Christian Ska. Before the OC Supertones came across my desk, I would’ve called it a myth. And yet, in hindsight, it seems inevitable—the Ska ethos (inclusiveness, brotherhood, non-judgement) is harmonious with Christianity—well, sort of.

The title is a little misleading as the fine print reveals this to be a greatest hits offering rather than new creative output. The OC guys’ formidable back catalogue suggests it will be a good one; ReUNITE presents hand-picked choices from 10 previous albums.

The content is what you’d expect from 10-year veterans of the genre—quintessential ska-punk. For those who haven’t spent the last decade happily dancing in skate shoes and checked shorts, that means you’re in for walking bass-lines and regular, minimalist guitar rhythms, leaving the majority of melody-making to the boisterous horn section. Throw in a lead vocalist who can’t necessarily hold a tune (but sounds like everybody’s mate) and you’ve got pied-piper levels of catchy.

On the lyric front, it’s great to hear songs like ‘What It Comes To’ and ‘Grounded’ rise above the usual banal Christian rock fare—a foray into the cerebral from an unexpected source. On paper, the fellas’ words are near overbearing, but the celebratory vibe of the music serves to take the edge off.

Highly recommended if this sound is your bag. Or, as the Supertones would put it,‘Pickituppickituuuup!’

Ryan O’Connell Available at Koorong for $24.95

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Next issue, we’ll take a look at

Plass & Lucas’ Seriously Funny, the Jesus Manifesto and DVD Great Hearts of Courage featuring Billy Graham, C.S Lewis, Nelson Mandela and others.

Don’t bother V Passable HH Good HHH Impressive HHHH Exceptional HHHHH

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