FAITH IN ACTION 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 | Issue 6700 | $1.50
‘Why I Deleted Instagram’ A Case for Compulsory Te Reo Tribal Salvation ‘Coffee Time’ in Marriage
Disturbing the Present
Suffrage and Salvation
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WAR CRY The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William
& Catherine Booth
The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission. MANAGING EDITOR Ingrid Barratt | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Hugh Collins, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford, Vivienne Hill | COVER PHOTO Booth College of
Mission Heritage and Archives Centre OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box
6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone
(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset
is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
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A Wake-Up Call We have a lot to celebrate in this issue! To commemorate Māori Language Week, we are introducing our Te Reo masthead for the first time: Te Whakaara means a wake-up call, which I think is a brilliant translation of War Cry. It urges us to be spiritually alert, and ready for what God is doing in this day. It’s time to wake up! It is also a significant moment for our nation, as we celebrate 125 years of women’s suffrage. When I was 11, I read a book on the UK ‘suffragettes’. I was not brought up a feminist. In fact, I was brought up in a church where women were forbidden to speak, let alone lead. But I was captivated. My favourite character was Emmeline Pankhurst, who braved jail and hunger strikes, and chained herself to fences. I kid you not, I used to pretend to be her, like my brothers pretended to be GI Joes. Perhaps God was preparing me for my future calling—because imagine my excitement when I recently discovered that Emmeline was friends with Catherine Booth, and they worked together to further the cause of women. The suffragists were, and still are, heroes of the faith. Finally, this week I am celebrating going on holiday with my family! I would like to take the opportunity to honour the wonderful, creative team who are taking on extra tasks, just so we can have fun in the sun. I am thankful for each of you. Ingrid Barratt Editor
Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated. Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 135 years | Issue 6700 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry
www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft
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No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Founder of Pakistan
Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. Epeha 2:14 Ko ia hoki tō tātou maunga rongo, nāna i mea ngā mea e rua kia kotahi, whakahoroa iho e ia te pātu e ārai ana i waenga.
S
ir James Henare said that to be monolingual is to know only one universe. Unfortunately, the idea of Te Reo Māori (the Māori language) being made a compulsory subject in schools is offensive to some people. However, restricting tamariki (children) to only one worldview limits their education and deprives them of the knowledge of Te Reo Māori and all the riches of the Māori culture. When I attended Glenfield College (on the North Shore of Auckland) my third form class was required to learn four languages: English, French, Japanese and Māori. There was no problem for most of the year—until the term arrived when we were to learn Māori. Suddenly, several students brought in letters from their parents, demanding their children be removed from class. The reason, as one of my classmates told me, was that Māori was a dead language and it was a waste of time studying it. This attitude has been present since the early 1900s when the suppression of the language mirrored the oppression of Māori hapū (clans), and iwi (tribes) and the exaltation of all things English as the height of civilisation. Unfortunately, in many schools, this unofficial policy mutated into punishment of tamariki for speaking their ancestral language. Those tamariki associated Te Reo Māori with pain, and passed this belief onto their children. Fortuitously, the prognosis of linguistic death is premature. Regardless of misguided public opinion, the use of Te Reo Māori continues to grow—even though Māori must constantly prove its validity. While I consider myself fairly proficient in Te Reo Māori, I know that it will take me years more
to become fluent—not only learning the language, but also tribal histories, moteatea (ancient songs), proverbs, tikanga (customs and ritual) and all other aspects of the culture. There is a wealth of wisdom encoded in the language waiting to be shared. So, then, what is the problem with children learning Te Reo Māori in schools? Personally, I see only benefits for children learning a second language. Most importantly it aids the development of their cognitive minds. Children develop an interest and empathy for other cultures and other ways of viewing the world. While there are many languages in the world, Te Reo Māori is the only language indigenous to New Zealand. It is a language carved into our islands and we are surrounded by Māori place names, so it is only natural that children are curious and receptive. The language is a taonga and a priceless connection to generations of ancestors and an insight into a thriving indigenous culture. Each kupu (word) spoken with correct pronunciation echoes a beautiful language. Each dollar spent on language revitalisation of Te Reo Māori is a worthy investment. Regardless of whether a person is fluent or not, language acquisition of Te Reo Māori is valuable. Let’s move past the deficit view of Te Reo Māori and celebrate its ability to weave people together; a wealth of philosophy and knowledge wait to be shared with willing students. So come on New Zealand, take a chance and fully embrace Te Reo Māori. Future generations will thank us for it. BY DENNIS NGAWHARE
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Weird of the Week: The longest place name in the world is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, a hill in Hawkes Bay.
OURPEOPLE Lauren Millington (Graphic Designer) When Lauren isn’t dreaming about lunch, she’s busy as our department’s other best graphic designer. Despite being a somewhat sleepdeprived mum, she has resisted the urge to sleep under her desk and only drinks decaf coffee.
QUIKQUIZ
1 Who wrote the book The Handmaid’s Tale? 2 What tree is on the Fijian coat of arms? 3 How many sides does an Icosagon have? 4 What are the five oceans of the world? 5 What is the seventh book of the New Testament? Answers on page 22
Lauren has been part of the Communications Department since 2013 and feels privileged to have a job that she loves, in an organisation that seeks to bring glory to God. In December, she’ll be taking a break for a few months to have a baby and hone her playdough sculpting skills.
Drama BlacKkKlansman (PG13, violence & offensive language) Spike Lee
Legendary filmmaker Spike Lee returns to the big screen with this biographical drama based on the real life events of AfricanAmerican cop Ron Stallworth. Played by Denzel Washington’s son John David, Stallworth attempts to infiltrate a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan after becoming the first black cop in Colorado Springs. With his ethnicity being a slight hindrance, he works alongside a white detective (Adam Driver) who can enter the Klan in the flesh. Washington and Driver have a phenomenal on-screen chemistry that takes you on a hilarious and chilling ride into the darkest depths of humanity. BlacKkKlansman is as much a comedy as it is as a shocking exposé into a hateful side of America that’s sadly much too relevant. (Reviewed by Hugh Collins)
Sunday September 9 is NZ’s Media Prayer Day On September 9, hundreds of churches across New Zealand will come together to pray for the people of New Zealand’s media. The last prayer day, in 2016, saw 700 churches participate, making it one of the largest unifying events among Christian churches in NZ. The event originally began around 20 years ago as a day of prayer for the CBA’s (Christian Broadcast Association) ministry; however, in the early 2000s the organisation decided to give it a broader scope. ‘Today’s media wields extraordinary power in shaping the ideas and values of our culture,’ CBA CEO Phil Guyan says. ‘In New Zealand, this power to influence is held by a relatively small number of people. Yet, how often do we pray for these men and women?’ Phil references Timothy 2:2 that talks about praying for those in authority. ‘Our media is made up of fellow Kiwis, with hopes and dreams, struggles and stresses.
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TOPFIVE Five Te Reo words and terms you may not know … 1 T iaki: to care for, look after, guard. 2 W harepaku: toilet. 3 T ūrangawaewae: a place to stand, a place to belong to, a seat or location of identity.
Spaghetti Carbonara A tasty classic that’s simple and quick—for lovers of Italian food it’s the perfect dish. 400g spaghetti 2 eggs ½ cup cream ½ cup parmesan ½ tsp salt 150–200g sliced ham 25g butter, cubed Black pepper to taste Optional extras: ¼ cup fresh herbs (basil, parsley, chives) 1 cup baby peas 1 cup sautéed mushrooms
Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling water. While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs, cream and parmesan. Cut the ham into narrow ribbons. When the pasta is cooked, drain, return to the pot and add the butter. As soon as the butter has melted, take the pot off the heat and add the egg mixture and stir thoroughly.
You become like what you worship. When you gaze in awe, admiration, and wonder at something or someone, you begin to take on something of the character of the object of your worship.
4 W haikōrero: the practice and art of speech making. 5 Hei konā rā: goodbye (less formal).
NT Wright Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense
The heat from the pot should thicken the sauce to a creamy consistency, but if not, return the pot to a very low heat for a minute or two, stirring frequently (the switched off element will usually do). Add the ham and pepper and any optional extras, then stir, stand for one minute and serve.
Reprinted with permission from Simply Delicious One Dish Recipes by Simon Holst.
Our prayers are for them all ... for God’s wisdom, guidance and blessing ... for all in positions of influence, for people who are well known, and for those behind the scenes.’ The CBA hopes that the people of New Zealand’s media will see in Christians an attitude that seeks to love, bless and serve, Phil says. ‘That we are first and foremost supportive of them as people. They face plenty of public scrutiny and criticism, and I’d like to think that Media Prayer Day can help to change the way that they see the church. We should be a people whose first priority is love, rather than outrage and critique.’ To see a prayer written by the CBA for the event, visit mediaprayerday.com/howtopray.
WARCRYINHISTORY
On 25 July 1908, the People’s Palace opened on Cuba Street, Wellington. War Cry wrote that, ‘The sun shone brightly … the Prime Minister’s carriage, containing Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, was hailed with murmurs of approval.’ The Palace was located on the site of the Paulina Rescue Home, which was demolished to make way for the new Palace—that would serve the public and the Army for the next 77 years. Today, it is the site of the CQ Hotel, opposite The Salvation Army’s Territorial Headquarters. Source: Booth College of Mission Heritage and Archives Centre 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 5
A group of early Salvationist women in New Zealand. Source: Booth College of Mission Heritage and Archives Centre.
The term ‘suffrage’ means the right to vote. But did you know it also means intercessory prayer? Rosy Keane examines how suffrage walks hand-in-hand with salvation.
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n September 19, New Zealand celebrates 125 years since we were the first country in the world to redress an historic imbalance: to gain women’s suffrage—legally recognising women’s right to vote. The word suffrage has a second definition: intercessory prayers. Intercession ‘involves taking hold of God’s will and refusing to let go until his will comes to pass’. From the inception of The Salvation Army we have written into regulations that ‘Godly women … shall be eligible for any office, and to speak and vote at all official meetings’. We had an understanding that women were created equal and not inferior to men, and deserved their rightful place in decision-making processes. It says in Amos 5:24, ‘But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream’. A Māori proverb (known as whakataukī) says, ‘Inā kei te mohio koe ko wai koe, I anga mai koe i hea, kei te mohio koe. Kei te anga atu ki hea. If you know who you are and where you are from, then you will know where you are going.’ Our heritage in The Salvation Army was inherently radical, as Catherine and William Booth gave ministry rights to women, as well as men. This was a social and spiritual benchmark that mobilised a generation of women onto the mission field, both in their home countries and abroad. Catherine Booth said, ‘If we are to better the future, we must disturb the present’. So what was it that allowed New Zealand all those years ago to ‘disturb the present’?
Name-calling In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman discovered a land mass in the Pacific Ocean. He incorrectly surmised it to be part of South America and promptly christened it: ‘Staten Landt’. Dutch mapmakers renamed it ‘Zeelandia Nova’. A hundred years later, British explorer James Cook renamed it ‘New Zealand’, even though it already had a Māori name: Aotearoa—Land of the long white cloud. But, in Aotearoa, pre-colonial Māori women already held a place of mana (dignity) within Māori society and, according to Annie Mikaere in Māori Women: Caught in the Contradictions of a Colonised Reality, ‘… women had military, spiritual and political significance, functioning as part of a wider family unit and whose voices were heard in the stories of history’. Historians praised the collectivist culture of Māori whānau (family), reinforced and passed on through the oral traditions in haka, waiata tawhito (traditional Māori songs) and whakataukī (proverbs and wisdom) written by both men and women. This was in stark contrast to the British way, where all official institutions were governed by a male-dominated voice and perspective. Women had no say and no hope of true representation. Women were not even recognised as ‘persons’ according to the law. 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 7
The law In 1891, the first ever Female Suffrage Bill was presented to parliament, with a petition of 10,085 signatures. Kate Sheppard, a leading force in the suffrage movement, said this was necessary, ‘Because it has not yet been proved that the intelligence of women is only equal to that of children, nor that their social status is on a par with that of lunatics or convicts’. The petition asked that women not be classified along with clinically insane and criminal men, or children—who were all excluded from the process of voting—‘but that we might take our rightful place in the democracy by virtue of a voice in the legal system’. Māori women also had a vested interest in these laws that were being passed, as many owned lands, had significant inheritances as indigenous owners, and were affected by the loss of personhood that this new colonial regime would enact upon them. The Bill was defeated by two votes. A few months later, War Cry reported that a Miss Arabella Valpy—who had previously petitioned The Salvation Army’s General, by way of letter and two hundred pounds, to found The Salvation Army in New Zealand—helped lay the foundation stones for the Dunedin Fortress Corps, Aotearoa’s first ever Salvation Army. Women were already fully engaged in the work of The Salvation Army at this time in history.
Women’s Christian Temperance Union A natural alliance of The Salvation Army was a women’s movement called the ‘Women’s Christian Temperance Union’ (WCTU), which was brought to New Zealand shores by Mary Clement Leavitt of the United States-based WCTU, in 1886. This was the first ever national women’s organisation, advocating for a teetotal lifestyle, and went on to include suffrage as one of their main thrusts. As far back as the 1820s and 1830s, temperance unions had sprung up out of church groups in response to the growing flood of alcoholism sweeping the West. Women and children were the victims of alcoholism; therefore, the emancipation of women to gain the vote would help the cause for temperance. Since The Salvation Army had abstinence from alcohol as one of its core requirements for soldiership, the two groups worked together in their common cause. ‘Ki te kotahi te kākaho ka whati, Ki te kapuia e kore e whati. Alone we can be broken. Standing together, we are invincible.’ 8 WarCry 08 SEPTEMBER 2018
‘DO NOT THINK YOUR SINGLE VOTE DOES NOT MATTER MUCH. THE RAIN THAT REFRESHES THE PARCHED GROUND IS MADE UP OF SINGLE DROPS.’ One notable leader of WCTU, from Rotorua, was an outstanding Māori warrior known as Heni Te Kiri Karamu. Heni gained notoriety for both her battle skills and compassion, as she tended to wounded allies and enemies alike at the Battle of Gate Pā, in the Waikato land wars of 1864.
The attack Christian women’s groups, unions and franchise leagues were mobilising throughout Britain and New Zealand. Tracts, newspaper columns and speeches were produced, with women fervently proselytizing local communities to recognise women’s right to vote. Kate Sheppard encouraged women to sign the women’s suffrage petition. She said, ‘Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops.’ A total of 24,000 women signed the petition—and many Salvationist women among them. At the same time, virulent anti-suffrage petitions and campaigns emerged: one in 1892 had over 5,400 signatories and was presented by Dunedin MP Henry Fish (who had multiple ties with the liquor industry and did not want to see his business dry up). Fish, who was later accused of bribery and forgery in the collecting of petition signatures, eventually caused a back lash and two voters swung in support of women and helped the final Bill to pass. Unflattering anti-suffrage pamphlets were produced and distributed, depicting women suffragists as promiscuous, neglectful, unattractive, brash and anti-religious. Women had to write under pseudonyms. The very first pamphlet titled ‘Appeal to the Men of New Zealand’ was published in New Zealand by Mary Muller of Nelson, who signed herself as ‘Femina’, due to her husband’s strong opposition. It included: ‘How long are women to remain a wholly unrepresented body of the people? ... Why should not New Zealand also lead? ...
A group of five early Salvationist women in New Zealand. Source: Booth College of Mission Heritage and Archives Centre.
Why has a woman no power to vote, no right to vote, when she happens to possess all the requisites which legally qualify a man for that right?’
The victory When the Female Suffrage Bill first passed Legislative Council in 1893, not a single woman was in the room when the verdict was read. Kate Sheppard received the telegram from MP John Hall: ‘Bill passed by two … Hurrah’. There had been 20 votes for and 18 against. Eleven days of lobbying nationwide resulted in the ‘Battle of the Camellias’, where the Wellington and Auckland women’s franchise leagues gifted white camellias to the legislative councillors who voted for women’s suffrage, and awarded red camellias to the councillors who stood against women gaining the vote. Since then white camellias became the symbol of suffrage. Governor Glasgow signed the Act into being. This mobilized the WCTU and other women’s unions and franchises to ensure there would be a heavy turnout of women to vote in the election, which was held only ten weeks later. A total of 65 per cent of all women in New Zealand voted. The NCW’s Suffrage Trail states that this ‘set a unique trend of high female turn out at elections’. Of note, is that a third of this total number was Māori. Māori campaigner Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia fought for suffrage in Te Kotahitanga—Māori Parliament—and won suffrage in 1897. Her advocacy became the basis for Nga Komiti Wāhine—locally-based Māori women’s committees, which furthered issues, such as education, health, religion and treatment of solo mothers. Leading suffragist Kate Sheppard went on to become the first president of the newly-founded National Council of Women of New Zealand—a flourishing network of campaigners and women’s rights advocates of which The Salvation Army has been a proud, longstanding member. While women did gain the vote in 1893, they were not eligible to stand for parliament until 1919. And it wasn’t until 1949 that Iriaka Rātana became the first Māori woman to become a member of Parliament.
Disturbing the present Currently, New Zealand’s female Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is only the third woman prime minister in a list of forty to have held the role. Parliament today has the highest number of women MPs in our history, at only 38.4 per cent; yet women make up more than half our population.
We have a long way to go, on many issues and in many spheres for the equality of women, to regain the place that God has ordained for us—as co-heirs, image bearers and as dominion-holders over the earth. But we are a country that is looking to remember its revolutionary roots as we commemorate suffrage this September. We pray that The Salvation Army as a movement will rouse to hear the call of our forebears: to be a unique expression of the church here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. May women look to The Salvation Army once again as an army that brings life, unmoved by accolades and unflinching from opposition. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui. Be strong, be steadfast, be willing. Territorial President of Women’s Ministries’ Commissioner Yvonne Westrupp and WM Secretary Colonel Heather Rodwell have announced that on the Sundays either side of Suffrage Day (Sep 19th), all across The Salvation Army New Zealand, corps will have women preaching from our platforms. #suffrage125 is the hashtag used nationwide to celebrate various gatherings being hosted around New Zealand this year, as we remember the voices of our sisters, demanding justice for women. The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Women’s Ministries released a video on their Facebook page entitled ‘Put That On Your Resume’, to celebrate 125 years of suffrage. In it, Salvationists detail the women of the Bible and their whakapapa (lineage) of faith and courage. A digitized, searchable version of the petition is available online at https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/ womens-suffrage/petition. Why not check to see if any of your family were part of this historic list?
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‘Coffee Time’ for Communication We know that communication is key to nurturing a close marriage, but how can you do that daily, and intentionally? Several times a year, local newspapers print stories about elderly couples who have managed to navigate sixty-plus years of marriage. This is often accompanied by a photograph of the couple sitting together and holding hands. Inevitably the ‘secret’ to their long and happy marriage is—communication. But rarely are details given of how this ‘communication’ might be enacted throughout the life of a marriage. Married couples communicate every day. It may be subtle, such as withholding communication because we are upset or angry. It may be non-verbal, such as a touch, a kiss, a nudge. It may be informative: the doctor said this, the school teacher said that. Also ideas, thoughts, anger, love are all communicated in many ways. But a valuable habit to establish in a marriage is intentional communication. Intentional communication is when both parties agree to set aside time to verbally communicate—to have ‘coffee time’. Coffee time is a daily habit where couples sit down and talk. This may be downloading your day, sharing respective loads, brainstorming, obtaining partner’s perspective on a problem, shortcircuiting aggravation within a marriage, discussing important issues affecting family … and the list goes on (see Coffee Time Guidelines).
INEVITABLY THE ‘SECRET’ TO THEIR LONG AND HAPPY MARRIAGE IS—COMMUNICATION.
Once you have decided to establish coffee time in your daily routine, then establish the boundaries around what you may initially share. Wait until the daily routine is established and working before bringing up any big issues. Use the time to build intimacy, trust and support. Prioritising marriage is necessary for marital longevity. Many just ‘go with the flow’, but it says in Nehemiah 4:14: ‘…Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’ This verse tells us to not only take a defensive stance, but to fight for our marriages. Coffee time can assist couples to circumvent potential threats to their marriage and family unit. It enables them to stand side by side and push back anything that may destabilise the relationship. Intentional communication is just that—intentional and, if adhered to, can insulate you against the negativity and isolation that often wears away at marriages.
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COFFEE TIME GUIDELINES Set aside half an hour each day when you will not be distracted. Make a drink, sit down and take turns to share your day. Lay the ground rules— avoid the triggers that lead to arguments, until after you have established a regular coffee time. You can explore these once you’ve created a safe place/time.
If your children are awake, ensure they understand that it is ‘grown-up time’ and you are not to be interrupted. Coffee time is primarily a time of sharing, not a time to read a list of short-comings. Build one another up. Guard coffee time jealously and prioritise and plan for it daily.
TESTIFY! The road hasn’t always been easy for Cantabrian Danielle Earl, but once she was touched by the love of God, there was no going back. She shares with us a piece of her inspiring journey. My name is Danielle Earl and I’ve been part of the Christchurch City Corps (CCC) for the past eight years. I’m 25 years old and living and loving life on my own (with God). I’m a nurse, a twin, have a younger brother, and am a first-generation Christian in my family. I was born and raised in Christchurch by my loving mum and dad. Despite separating when I was 10, they chose to—and still—remain friends. They put us kids first in everything they do and I’m forever grateful for their unconditional love and support. I first came to CCC when I was 17 years old with the Robertson/Pattinson family. They gifted me my Bible, which has been well loved. Inside reads this message from them: ‘We have and will continue to pray that one day you will open this book and realise you can’t live without it or God’s love in your life’. Then, at Easter Camp 2012, two years after coming to CCC, I accepted Jesus into my life and have never looked back. During my journey as a Christian over the past eight years, there have been many incredible moments and seasons. But there have also been various trials and times where my faith has been tested. We can lose all or part of our faith during these times. The last two and a half years in particular have brought many trials, but this has also been when I’ve seen the most growth. At one point I was left with a choice— a choice to continue being a Christian and choosing God, or to walk away from it all. It wasn’t easy, but I continued to choose to seek after Jesus. A recent trial I continue to face began three months ago: my grandma was
I ACCEPTED JESUS INTO MY LIFE AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. involved in a serious car accident and was left in a critical condition. It was an emotional and stressful time for my family. Being a Christian in the midst of this really highlighted to me that our God is faithful, forgiving and loving. In the past I would have blamed the person that did this to Grandma. But instead, I chose grace and forgiveness. During this time, I sought God and prayed by Grandma’s bedside. Despite spending seven weeks in ICU in an induced coma and four weeks rehabilitating, she is now at home recovering. She is my inspiration and
it’s a miracle and answer to prayer she’s alive today. The song Still by Hillsong has been reassuring to me during hardships. It reads: ‘When the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with you above the storm. You are the King over the flood and I will be still knowing you are God’. James 1:2–4 speaks of this: ‘For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow, so let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed you will be perfect and complete.’ When I face trials in the future, I pray that I will meet them with perseverance. I seek him, I remain faithful and I am reassured the storm will pass. After each trial I have encountered, my faith has grown and made me stronger, and I am well equipped to face trials and battles with Jesus by my side. 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 11
than carefully contrived highlight reels—a split second in a life. Travel blogger Sara Melotti recently shared the realities of her lifestyle in an interview with the Daily Mail. She referenced a photo taken in Bali, where she can be seen posing in the middle of a lush and exotic-looking rainforest. Yet the shot took hours to get right, all while she risked injury by climbing a slippery rock. And then at the end of it all, the lighting wasn’t even perfect and had to be edited! While we can remind ourselves of these realities, it’s not really the point of the problem. When absorbing images of supposed ‘perfection’, it’s inevitable we’re going to compare ourselves to others and start to feel sub-par. And plenty of statistics prove this is pretty normal.
BY HUGH COLLINS
I remember first signing up to Myspace sometime in early 2006. If you’re too young to remember, Myspace was one of the earliest social media networks, one that was largely oriented around music culture. I still recall the excitement that came with the next friend request or picture comment. You could even add people from your favourite bands! Since then, I’d say my natural love of people has probably made me a little more susceptible to social media addiction than the average person. And I must admit I still get a bit of a buzz every time someone sends me a new friend request or follows me on Instagram (except for the spam accounts of course!). But in the middle of last year I needed to take drastic action and did the unthinkable—I deactivated my Instagram account! I’ll be honest, a new job wasn’t going well and was quickly taking its toll on my mental health. Meanwhile, friends and people on my Instagram feed were supposedly ‘living the dream’ as they gallivanted the globe with style and perfection. With their endless travel and beautiful romances, Instagram told me these people had the secret to the good life. Meanwhile I had failed miserably as I sat trapped in an office on a dull and rainy Auckland day.
HIGHLIGHT REELS In reality, what we see on social media is an illusion. The vast majority of Instagram accounts are nothing more 12 firezone.co.nz 08 SEPTEMBER 2018
… USING INSTAGRAM HALF AN HOUR PER DAY CAN MAKE WOMEN FEEL NEGATIVELY ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT AND APPEARANCE. Researchers in the study, entitled #StatusofMind, surveyed around 1500 young people on how Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter played with their emotions. Participants were asked questions about whether they experienced feelings of anxiety, loneliness and depression. The questions also aimed to determine levels of FOMO (fear of missing out) experienced when using the various apps. Results found that Instagram had the worst effect on wellbeing. ‘Seeing friends constantly on holiday or enjoying nights out can make young people feel like they are missing out while others enjoy life,’ #StatusOfMind stated. ‘These feelings can promote a “compare and despair” attitude.’ One participant said Instagram can make females feel as though their bodies aren’t good enough—edits and filters are then required to make them feel more attractive. The study also found that heavy social media use is connected to poor sleep and tiredness. Other research found using Instagram for as little as half an hour per day can make women feel negatively about their weight and appearance. This report found the app makes women ‘compare themselves against unrealistic, largely curated, filtered and Photoshopped versions of reality’. These kinds of statistics don’t surprise me in the slightest. Instagram is a visual app—the vast majority of
what is shared is meant to be beautiful, cool and attractive. Inevitably, many of us are going to feel like our bodies and lives don’t live up to the standard so many people dedicate their lives to achieve. The truth is we’re never going to ’gram our self-doubt, bitterness, disappointment or loneliness.
THROWING IT BACK If you’re an Instagram user, you’re probably aware of the hashtags #tbt (throwback Thursday) or #fbf (flashback Friday). These kinds of tags tend to be used when people share photos not taken the same day as posting, typically those from a holiday. While I’ve been guilty of this kind of posting in the past, I feel it’s created a culture where people feel the need to consistently portray the image of ‘the good life’—even when they’ve been back at work for three weeks. In my experience I’ve done this when I’m having a bit of an ordinary day and feel the need for some affirmation. Does this mean some of us are becoming addicted to affirmation? I think we need to be careful we’re not becoming desperate to prove to others that our lives are more than just the Monday to Friday grind.
A BEAUTIFUL LIFE Leading Kiwi influencer Matilda Rice has been growing a personal social media brand since winning the inaugural season of The Bachelor New Zealand in 2015—amassing 155,000 Instagram followers. Her win on the show was a rare success for reality television as she has since become engaged to ‘the bachelor’ Art Green. In an exclusive interview with War Cry, Matilda admits she can’t stand the term ‘influencer’ because it comes across as stuck-up. ‘I love doing what I do, as it feels as though I have a community of friends around me all the time,’ Matilda says. ‘I know it sounds a bit silly, but I love being in touch with so many people at any given time, even people I’ve never met! ‘I like to try and inspire people to not take life or social media so seriously, and I try to make people laugh, or entertain them in some way,’ she adds. Matilda admits that ‘social media is one-sided’ but she feels there’s nothing wrong with people wanting to share happy moments. ‘Have you ever seen a photo album in real life that has anything other than happy moments? The only difference between my social media and my real life is that [in real life] the lighting is not always that great, it’s far less planned, and I don’t censor myself as much in real life as I do on social media,’ she says. Matilda has a point. But a family photo album is not shared with over 100,000 people who don’t know you. Also, our parents’ ‘point-and-click’ photos didn’t really encourage the same obsession with perfection! ‘At some point, though, I do believe people need to take a little more ownership of their own happiness,’ Matilda adds.
‘If social media feeds negative feelings inside you, then maybe take a break from it, or follow different people? People that make you feel happy or laugh, or that you somehow relate to a little more.’ I think the problem is that other people’s lives are now more accessible to us than ever before. We don’t need to leave our bedrooms to see what everyone else is supposedly getting up to on their holidays. I would highly recommend taking some time away from certain platforms—I know it did me a world of good. I think it can also help to limit who you’re following; I realised it was just too toxic for me to see what exotic places travel bloggers were off to next every time I picked up my phone. Despite my own negative experiences, I’m not anti-social media. In fact, I’ll admit I re-activated my Instragram. But my fear is that the ’Gram & co are going to make us less willing to be real with each other—because we feel we need to meet this standard of perfection. Sure, it’s cool to share your holiday in Fiji. But we also need to share the tougher parts of life with each other—maybe even IRL!
DO I NEED TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE ’GRAM? Questions to ask yourself … 1 How do I feel after I’ve been on Instagram? Am I inspired or discouraged? 2 How do my posts make other people feel? 3 Do I feel anxious about my life not being awesome enough? 4 Do I get FOMO when I see other ’grams? 5 Would I be willing to share ‘bad’ photos on Instagram?
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In the Footsteps of Paul and John
Every year, officers visit Greece and Turkey to see firsthand where the gospel was first proclaimed, and began to spread throughout the world. BY GORDON DALY
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1. Canakkale Harbour, Turkey; 2. Ottoman Aqueduct at Kavala, Greece; 3. The theatre at Hierapolis, Turkey; 4. One of the monasteries hanging on the cliff edge at Meteora, Greece; 5. Group photo at Ephesus. Photos 1–4: Paul Gardner. 14 WarCry 08 SEPTEMBER 2018
For a number of years, the New Zealand Fiji and Tonga (now with Samoa) Territory has subsidised a study tour for officers to Greece and Turkey, following in the footsteps of the apostle Paul and visiting some of the sites associated with the apostle John and his letters. This year, the tour was again led by Major David Noakes and supported by Lieutenant-Colonel Jenny Carey. It was a huge privilege for us to be part of this inspiring pilgrimage. The tour also includes the opportunity to see something of the work of The Salvation Army in Greece, with a visit to the Green Light project for refugees in Athens and participation in a Sunday meeting at the Thessaloniki Corps. It was inspiring to have fellowship with the multi-national congregation and enjoy worship under the enthusiastic leadership of Captains Neofytus and Anastasia Totsios. The tour commences in Athens and any visit to this great city needs to begin with a hike up the hill to the awe-inspiring Acropolis, and the adjacent Areopagus Hill and the Agora (market) where Paul debated with the Greek philosophers after seeing an altar dedicated to an ‘unknown god’. The ruins of Corinth and Philippi bring to life those cities where Paul established churches. We also stopped in Berea to pause at the memorial of Paul’s visit to this town where the local people ‘received the Word of God gladly’. The ruins of Philippi give a good idea of the layout of such a city and we saw what are purported to be the ruins of the prison
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cell in Philippi, where Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns before a violent earthquake burst open the prison doors. The city of Philippi was strategically sited on the ‘Via Egnatia’, a 1100km long road that linked much of the Roman world and can still be clearly seen there. Our visit to the Baptistry of Lydia was an unexpected highlight. A beautiful chapel has been built near a river not far from Philippi, where Paul found a woman named Lydia and others worshipping. After Paul taught them about Christ, Lydia and members of her household were baptised in the river. We shared some special devotional moments there and reflected on the place of women in the spread of the Gospel.
NOBODY COULD MAKE SUCH A PILGRIMAGE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE APOSTLES WITHOUT A PROFOUND SENSE OF GRATITUDE … Our visits to the extraordinary mountain top monasteries of Meteora and the Greek Orthodox cathedral in Thessaloniki gave us insights into the depth of Orthodox worship and prayer. After crossing the border from Greece into Turkey we drove down the Gallipoli Peninsula. We shared a devotional time at now-peaceful ANZAC Cove, followed by reflective visits to the Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair war memorials. It was particularly moving to find the names of some of the New Zealand Salvationists who gave their lives in WWI battles. Eastern Turkey was in biblical times known as Asia Minor, and it was in this area that several early Christian churches were established. Seven of them are mentioned by John in the book of Revelation, and we had the opportunity to visit what remains of six of them: Pergamum, Smyrna, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea and Ephesus.
High on a hill overlooking the city of Pergamum are the remains of various temples and altars dedicated to Greek gods and an enormous amphitheatre with seating for 10,000 people. John’s letter to the church in Pergamum describes it as ‘the place where Satan has his throne’ and he commends the believers there for staying true to the teachings of Christ in this environment. Other sites we visited included the Acropolis of Assos, Alexandra Troas and Hierapolis— an extraordinary example of a major Roman settlement, complete with a large amphitheatre and hot pools, now thronged with tourists. In terms of size and preservation, the ruins of Ephesus are by far the highlight. It was easy to imagine the remarkable ministry of Paul during his two-year stay in the city. The remains of a Christian church can be seen in Ephesus. Nearby, the Church of St John contains what is reputed to be the tomb of John, who died in Ephesus at the age of about 100 after years of exile on Patmos. We departed Turkey by boat to cross the Aegean Sea to the peaceful and friendly Greek island of Patmos, where the apostle John was exiled by the Roman authorities during the reign of the emperor Domitian. The highlight was our visit to the Cave of the Apocalypse where John received the divine vision, which was recorded as the book of Revelation. Over the centuries, the cave has become enclosed by an Orthodox chapel. It is now a sacred and special place to reflect on the extraordinary apocalyptic vision that was entrusted to John. Higher up the hill from the cave, we visited a remarkable Greek Orthodox monastery where sixteen monks continue with their ministry of prayer and worship. After a peaceful and reflective time on the island, an enormous Greek ferry sailed into the small harbour. It was a mad rush to get on board for the overnight trip to Athens where the tour ended. Nobody could make such a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the apostles without a profound sense of gratitude, a better understanding of the context of the writings of Paul and John and a renewed commitment to preaching and teaching the Gospel. Our sincere thanks to territorial leadership and our tour leaders for a unique and unforgettable time of discovery and fellowship. 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 15
Within Your Reach Hui Thrives ‘Honey, I’m off, see you later’, I yelled out to my wife, as I zipped the bag and rushed out of the door. ‘Have a great time at Thrive’, she hollered back. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. ‘Er, it’s “Thrive not Thrive”, or “Within Your Reach 2018” conference,’ I replied in exasperation. The conference name had to be changed from ‘Thrive’ to ‘Within Your Reach’, causing the Youth Department confusion ever since! I jumped into my electric car, only to have it sputter and not go anywhere. Should somebody have charged it the night before? I pondered: How often have you felt the need for a recharge in your ministry? These thoughts swirled around my mind as I drove up the steep driveway at Silverstream Retreat in Wellington. Getting out of my electric car, I thanked the four delegates for pushing my car up the driveway (yes, definitely should have recharged it overnight) and joined the multitudes. Within Your Reach was all about recharging our children and youth leaders—be they paid, volunteers, helpers, those on the journey for a while, and those just starting out. It was about validating what’s been done in their ministry, reminding them why it’s being done, and challenging them to step out for the ‘more’ that is within their reach. A mihi whakatau welcomed around 165 delegates from around our territory, along with visiting guests from New Zealand and Australia. The celebrations began and continued for the next two days, with fresh faith commitments and calls to ministry. Pastor Clint Craig, from the in-house Lifeswitch church, kicked off proceedings by starting at the beginning—always a good place to start. Launching into Exodus 4, he exhorted us to ‘lay down our skills and gifts if we wanted them to come to life … ’ That’s easy, I thought, till Clint said, ‘daily’—as he pointed to the delegates, then upwards, and then to me. ‘You have everything you need in order to do what God is calling you to do. I got it … it is within my reach.’ Captain Hana Seddon took us on a journey, weaving together her life story, her connections through her whakapapa, and places where she felt connected. What if we were more intentional about reaching Māori? It’s through relationships that you get into places you want to go. Get uncomfortable, she continued. I did … it is within my reach to reach out to others. Major Nicole Viles, in reminding us that God is not limited to mountain top experiences, drew out more Ps in her talks than peas in a pod: pause, pay attention to the present, proceed with perspective, you have permission to proclaim, are you prepared? Prayer, power … I had to draw some more Ps to know it is within my reach. Workshop presenters’ delivered a myriad of challenging topics to stir us. Major David Moody helped us explore what was possible and within our reach—something that we could take away as we left. The hui concluded with a poroporoaki, giving an opportunity for delegates to express their thoughts, feelings and opinions on the hui. While we experienced amazing worship and learning opportunities, what caught me off guard was the personal experience I had—all within my reach. BY LESLIE D’MELLO
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INREVIEW
Reckless Lyrics? Reckless Love Cory Asbury
Photography: Shar Davis. Illustration: Crystal Anniss.
GAZETTE Appointment in Retirement: Effective 6 October: Majors David and Judith Bennett Corps Officers, Whanganui City Corps. Please pray for Majors David and Judith as they prepare for this service in retirement. Appointments: Effective 1 September: Major Stephanie Herring, Divisional Secretary for Retired Officers, Central Division. We pray that God will continue to bless Major Stephanie Herring in the days ahead. Effective 1 September. Captain Kristine Walker, Assistant Officer, Porirua Corps. Please pray for Kristine as she concludes her current appointment as Divisional Secretary for Retired Officers, Central Division, and transitions into her new appointment at Porirua Corps.
A swirl of discourse has surrounded Cory Asbury’s massively popular track ‘Reckless Love’, from his 2018 album release of the same name. ‘Reckless Love’ has split the church world down the middle, with the key divisor being ‘good theology’. I’m not going to talk about that—instead, I want to explore creativity, art and meaning. I believe in the Salvation Army we have a profound and growing lack of artistic literacy. I see it in reflexive, knee-jerk reactions to media that we are ill-equipped to—or simply refuse to—understand. The language of art and the pursuit of meaning has been neutered by the lazy age of instantaneous communication and gratification. The motivations behind a piece of art or its artist might never be known. To an artist, dictionary definitions are false equivalencies to experiences and stories. Creation precedes interpretation. It’s not likely Asbury was thinking of how the global church would react to the word ‘reckless’ when he wrote the song. He felt it first, we consumed it second. Meaningful art is about seeing things in different ways. It’s confrontational. It invites us to wrestle with it, and requires (sometimes demands) our attention. I would argue that ‘Reckless Love’ has done just that. If art is a mirror, Asbury has claimed and subverted the vehicle of language to reflect the upside down nature of the Kingdom of God—one that dared to give value to tax collectors and prostitutes. Creativity, art and meaning cannot become like those outcasts who were shunned by the church simply because they were dirty, misunderstood or too hard to figure out. Just as we see Christ through the beggar on the street, so, too, should we see Christ in the struggles and perseverance of the artist’s heart. I believe the discussions generated around the song are helpful to the church, but we need to go further and deeper to challenge our perceptions of Christian art. We must again learn to wrestle meaning from the art we interact with—we cannot rely on pre-conceptions to inform our interpretations. We simply cannot afford the cost of segregating art, creativity and meaning: a church that shuns its creativity shuns its Creator. BY KRIS SINGH
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Helping Transport Homeless Through Depths of Winter A Salvation Army and Auckland Transport initiative helping rough sleepers in South Auckland this winter has closed after a month of providing food and shelter. The initiative saw Auckland Transport open the Manukau Bus Station for rough sleepers to stay. Manukau Corps members, Community Ministries staff and the Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU), also stayed overnight providing food and support to people there. SPPU Senior Policy Analyst Alan Johnson said Auckland Transport approached the Unit in early July, saying they were keen to open the new bus station overnight for rough sleepers to use. The call came after Alan had encouraged churches, marae and others in the community to open their doors over winter to try and avoid a repeat of last year when two men died sleeping rough. After three weeks of hard work, they
were able to get the proposal going and the station was opened at the end of July, from 10pm till 7am. People sleeping on the streets were able to come in, get a hot meal and bed down on a mattress, Alan said. Volunteers took turns spending the night at the bus station, providing the people staying there with hot food in the evening and a breakfast in the morning. The volunteers also stayed overnight, along with security. They saw about 10 people a night and helped about 30 people over the month, Alan said. It was an opportunity to make sure people struggling through the worst of winter were helped, Alan said. ‘The Army and individuals here felt called to respond. We saw this as what the Army does and we couldn’t say no. Sleeping in a bus station is less than ideal, but right now it’s all we’ve got.’ It was also a chance to build ongoing
relationships in the hopes of supporting bigger changes for individuals down the track, he said. ‘We’re referring them to our social workers if they want, but we’re just starting the conversations at the moment. The less intrusive you are the easier it is to get beside people and then perhaps to offer them opportunities to change things in their lives.’
The Problem of Period Poverty Mensturation is not typically a topic for breakfast conversation, but 50 women recently broke the rules, thanks to the Period Poverty Breakfast—held at Parliament and organised by Labour MP and period poverty campaigner Louisa Wall. Staff from Countdown, The Salvation Army and KidsCan, joined young women from Wellington Girls’ College and other community organisations to discuss the challenges many females face in accessing sanitary items. A panel discussed the consequences of inadequate access, including increased risk of infection, missed days at school and girls attempting to micromanage their periods by taking the contraceptive pill. Men denying
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their partners access to sanitary products was common in domestic violence situations. Last year, Pharmac rejected a request to fund sanitary items, as they were not considered medicine—yet 144 condoms can be purchased on prescription for $2.50.
‘Period poverty limits opportunities for current and future generations of Kiwi women, and the impact is much greater than missing a few days of school or not participating in sport or other social activities every month,’ said Louisa. Major Pam Waugh told those present that New Zealanders needed to talk more openly to address the issue. ‘It’s essential women who are making every effort to support themselves and their families are not held back because they can’t fit sanitary products into their budget.’ Countdown announced it was reducing the price of all its Homebrand sanitary products, and despite taking a finanical hit with this decision,
GUARD AGAINST DRIFTING OFF WITH THE TIDE. There is a Māori saying, ‘Kia ū ki te pai’, which translates as, ‘cleave to that which is good’—an element of mahitika or basic decency. Readers who are familiar with the Bible will immediately equate this proverb with something the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the then-hostile city of Rome: ‘Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good,’ (Rom 12:9). When I was a young boy, my grandfather Syd was in his last years as the master of the pilot boats for the Nelson Harbour Board. I have wonderful memories of accompanying him and his crewman on the pilot launch to various jobs around Nelson Harbour and beyond—something that probably wouldn’t happen now with modern workplace safety rules and policies! Anyway, one of my favourite destinations was the lighthouse on the Boulder Bank. The lighthouse, now decommissioned, still stands on the 13km long, natural line of boulders guarding Nelson Harbour. In those days it was still working and needed to be maintained on a regular basis. We would ‘steam’ out, to a spot just opposite the lighthouse, which stood towering and gleaming white atop the bank, accompanied by the deafening sound of seagulls. wanted to make a ‘meaningful and credible’ contribution and ‘put our money where our mouth is and help all women,’ said corporate affairs general manager Kiri Hannifin. In 2016, The Salvation Army and Countdown partnered with Louisa to launch an initative via The Foodbank Project, ensuring sanitary products were a staple in Salvation Army foodbanks. Since its launch, there has been over $150,000 worth of products donated via www. foodbankproject.co.nz DONATE SANITARY ITEMS VIA THE FOODBANK PROJECT | foodbankproject.co.nz
Upon arriving at the spot, my grandfather would direct the anchor to be dropped. He would then spend considerable time making sure that it had good holding, before leaving the launch at anchor and taking the dinghy ashore. There was a channel of deeper water running parallel to the bank, where the ebbing tide would flow like a river. Twice a day, the tide from the inner harbour would flow so rapidly it would be impossible to row a dinghy against it. I imagine that Syd, a seaman all his working life, did not want to be standing atop the lighthouse looking down at the distressing and embarrassing sight of an unattended Pilot Launch with its anchor dragging, drifting off down the harbour. I’m sure you have the picture … These are days when we need to make sure that our lives are steadfastly anchored to that which is good. There are many ways I could apply this proverb but I choose one here. Our current Mission Plan, to be ‘the Army that brings Life’, with its two mission purposes, ‘Living Like Jesus’ and ‘Doing Mission Together’, are essentially good and at this point—about half way through the cycle of this plan—we need to cling to them. We need to guard against drifting off with the tide. I encourage you to renew your commitment to our Plan by, in the words of the Māori Proverb, ‘cleaving’ to it. Commissioner Andy Westrupp Territorial Commander
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How can we discover a salvation that doesn’t seek to destroy other cultures? We need to re-capture the biblical view of a great, inclusive ‘tribe’ that embraces all other tribes, says LieutenantColonel Ian Hutson. Salvation in the Western Christian community is something to be experienced at an individual level. This is especially so in evangelical circles. Because of our focus on individual experience, at first glance this could appear to be a global worldview, and we tend to miss the tribalism of it. Yet so much of what Westerners think is ‘global’, could arguably be ‘tribal’. The ‘Anglo’ tribe shares so many things—economic policy, military alliances, language, sport, art and culture. A global empire of sorts. The Western church speaks about ‘salvation for all’, largely unaware that we are doing so from the perspective of a larger Anglo ‘tribe’—and that our culture doesn’t always ‘bring life’ to those whom we presume to reach for God. In 2007, a national Church Life Survey was filled out by New Zealand church attenders. According to the resulting 20 WarCry 08 SEPTEMBER 2018
statistics, The Salvation Army in New Zealand then had an ethnic makeup where 82.6 per cent of attenders were European New Zealanders, with the next biggest group being Māori at 5.5%. Clearly, The Salvation Army was then a very homogenous ‘tribal’ group, despite rhetoric of inclusion, diversity and global mission. Tribalism, like nationalism, can be a thing of beauty where resilience, inclusion, belonging and nurture are evident. Or it can be an ugly blight, where walls are built or violence perpetrated on those who are different.
Indigenous salvation In colonised countries like New Zealand, attempts to carry out Christ’s mission can be experienced as malevolent or foreign by indigenous peoples. This is especially so given that the church was, and is still, sometimes, complicit in the process of colonisation. The idea of a ‘tribal salvation’ was particularly highlighted in New Zealand during a period when Christianity flourished. From the late 1820s through to the 1860s, Māori embraced Christianity in huge numbers. The gospel frequently travelled ahead of the missionaries, transmitted by indigenous
messengers. Huge numbers of Māori responded because the gospel, as they received it, spoke into their cultural context in a time of extreme war, violence, cannibalism, slavery and utu. As one specific example, the Whānauā-Apanui iwi and the Ngāti Porou iwi, responded to biblical concepts like forgiveness and peace in their dealings with each other. The move to one God and one religion marked a ‘crucial breakpoint’ in the history of both tribes, resulting in 30 years of peace and prosperity, according to Keith Newman, in Bible and Treaty. This was by no means an isolated occurrence. Māori took the gospel seed out of the European cultural pot and planted it into an indigenous soil where it flourished. Sadly, as the full force of colonisation hit, the church became more settlerfocused and the destruction of the mana of Māori undermined the light that the gospel initially reflected. To a significant degree, Māori drifted away from the church in the latter part of the 19th Century—developing their own forms of religion that retained various levels of Christian emphasis, or making up a small minority in mainline churches. This is largely the case today.
‘TRIBALISM, LIKE NATIONALISM, CAN BE A THING OF BEAUTY … OR IT CAN BE AN UGLY BLIGHT.’ their context. His engagement with Māori in some senses mirrored the incarnation of Christ, who came and dwelt among us with the consequent identification with humankind (John 1:14). In American history, the establishment of the Kingdom of God was somehow intertwined with the birth of the nation. And Christianity has developed alongside white nationalism. ‘Like the people at the Tower of Babel, American Christians have attempted to build a global monument to ourselves,’ writes Brenda Salter McNeil and Rick Richardson, in The Heart of Racial Justice. ‘We have owned Christianity to such an extent that we cannot differentiate between what is Christian and what is culture.’
Christianity and culture Much of the Western ‘tribal’ church does not readily engage with other cultures. Instead, like the wider dominant white community, the church expects immigrants to assimilate into the church community. This disconnect from people of difference significantly diminishes the kind of salvation promoted by a Western church. For instance, social justice issues perceived as critical to the marginalised group are not understood or seen as important by the dominant group— even though the dominant group may profess to having a strong commitment to social justice. Former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd describes having an attitude toward Māori that they should ‘get over their grievances’. But he found himself hugely impacted by the contact and dialogue he had with Māori when he was warmly welcomed onto their marae as Mayor. Hearing the genuine pain and suffering of Māori throughout New Zealand’s history, Judd had what can be described as nothing short of a Damascus Road experience, going onto describe himself as a ‘recovering racist’ in the light of his ‘conversion’. Personal contact with Māori radically altered Judd’s concept of ‘salvation’ in
Tribal salvation There is a kind of sickness in our Western culture with its focus on the individual, competition and the motive of greed. There is much evidence that more equal societies have better social outcomes, while more unequal societies have a greater prevalence of ill health. At its best, the church runs counter to this kind of individualism. But existing as it does in such an unhealthy cultural context, the church community too often fails to resemble a collective resilience. Too often, the Sunday gathering does not go beyond polite discussion, to realise that, ‘Yes, these people know me and if the chips were down they would be there for me’. In richness of real collective support, an individual is able to feel needed. This is a stark contrast to journalist Sebastian Junger’s sad statement (in Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging) that ‘[modern society] has perfected the art of making people feel not necessary’. A tribe is ‘the people you feel compelled to share the last of your food with,’ says Junger. Any concept of salvation must in
some way involve a welcome into a tribe that offers this kind of nurture.
A tribe of tribes The New Testament records a church that is constantly wrestling with what it means to be Christian from multiple cultural perspectives. Peter’s vision in Acts 10, where all animals [tribes] were made clean, revealed that God’s salvation was broader than Peter could have ever imagined. Galatians 3:28 declares, ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ The Bible tells us our tribe’s primary unifying value is a oneness of identity in Christ, that encompasses the diversity of multiple tribes without colonising them. In The Salvation Army, such a tribe is surely a natural consequence of our sixth Salvation Army doctrine that ‘whosoever will may be saved’. Our inherent challenge is to embrace a vision of salvation that is unifying of tribal identities, but that does not seek to erase them. We work toward the humble, gentle, patient and loving ‘unity in diversity’ depicted in Ephesians 4:1–16. This is a mature unity where the whole Body grows together, ‘attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ’. For all are ‘one in Christ’, and yet somehow ‘people will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed, those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.’ Is this vision of a tribal, connected salvation that values and honours difference, rather than ignores or homogenises it, the salvation to which we all need to be converted?
This is an abridged version of Ian Hutson’s paper for Thought Matters 2017— for the full article, request a copy of the Thought Matters journal at thought.matters@salvationarmy.org.nz 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 21
OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 8–9 Sept: Visit to Kaitaia Corps 12 Sept: Spiritual Day, Booth College of Mission Colonel Suzanne Fincham (Chief Secretary) and Melvin Fincham (Territorial Secretary for Programme and Communications) 9–19 September: Leader’s Orientation Conference, IHQ, United Kingdom
$120 will provide a newly commissioned Lieutenant in Malawi, Kenya West or Tanzania with a brand new bicycle—enabling them to extend their ministry—without the limitations of lack of transport.
Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 9–19 September: Leader’s Orientation Conference, IHQ, United Kingdom
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Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.
Word match!
Match the word halves to make words about spring.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV
Image search! In the scene below, find the following: 8 butterflies 7 daffodils 6 cats 5 baby chickens 4 lambs 3 dogs 2 soccer balls 1 tree frog.
What is your favourite season of the year? What makes it so special? There are things that I love about every season. Snow is my favourite part of winter. I love the way the leaves change colour in autumn. I love going for a swim, then eating an ice-block in summer. There’s lots of things about spring that I love. Have you ever seen a newborn lamb? Have you ever noticed how trees are filled with blossom flowers or daffodils popping up all over the place? The Bible tells us that there is a reason for each season in life. There are some plants that need to feel the cold of winter to help them flower in the spring. Heaps of animals use autumn to get ready for winter. Some gather food, others start to get thicker fur to keep them warm over the winter months. It can be easy sometimes to want to skip past things in life because we don’t like them or they seem pointless. But God created and designed the whole earth with purpose (even spiders and broccoli). Every season is important, even if some are more fun than others.
Dear God, please help me to see the good things around me right now, and give me strength to get through the times that feel hard. 08 SEPTEMBER 2018 WarCry 23
Photo: Tohu Maumahara (remembrance) Rangariri Pa Waikato.
SPEAKERS
ANDREW JUDD
SHIRLI CONGOO
JOANNE ROSANDICH
Former Mayor of New Plymouth and 'recovering racist'.
Indigenous Ministry— The Salvation Army Australia Territory.
Ngā Kaihiki Trust, Te Whare Io Facilitator.
GRAHAM BIDOIS CAMERON Te Ōhākī advisor, doctoral student, Spinoff and e-Tangata columnist.
+NEW ZEAL LAUNCH
FOR MORE INFO GO TO SALVATIONARMY.ORG.NZ/HUI2018