FAITH IN ACTION 11 FEBRUARY 2017 | Issue 6660 | $1.50
DI WILLIS
MORE THAN ABLE Helping disabled Kiwis live life to the full
Should I Move Churches to Meet Someone? 2017 State of the Nation Released
Can you Change Your Life in a Month? GOLDEN RULES FOR MARRIAGE Cash for Cans— A Huge Success!
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WAR CRY The Salvation Army
Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL André Cox | 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. EDITOR Major Christina Tyson | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Tanesha Dahya | STAFF WRITERS Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box
6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone
(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org, $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. Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.
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A place to belong I have the greatest admiration for those who get creative about bringing others to Jesus. Even more, for those who do it by removing the obstacles that might stand in the way of such an encounter—especially when such obstacles are the prejudices and uninformed discomfort of other Christians. The people who do such mission work are heroic figures in my book. Di Willis (QSM) is one such person. Recognising the obstacles disabled people can encounter in achieving access and an easy, relaxed inclusion in the church, Di has made it her mission in life to change this. In this, she shows us what it means to live out one of The Salvation Army’s values in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory: ‘to offer a place to belong’. Di reminds me of the group of individuals in Mark chapter two who desperately wanted their paralysed friend to meet Jesus. Since Jesus was speaking in a crowded house, the group dismantled the roof so they could lower their friend down. This encounter resulted in Jesus forgiving and healing their friend. Of course, none of us can say we are not ‘disabled’ in some way. We all have something that hampers our easy movement through life—including hardhearted attitudes, hurts of the past and unhelpful habits. And so in our encounter with those who have physical or intellectual disabilities, we must never adopt an attitude of superiority. We are not the ‘well’ people with gifts to give. Instead, we are just as likely to be the ‘sick’ who benefit as we receive from those we may previously have labelled ‘weak’. Christina Tyson Editor
Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 133 years | Issue 6660 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 salvationarmynzftwarcry @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft
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This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth! Keith Green
Philippians 1:27 Contemporary English Version Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honour to the good news about Christ. Piripai 1:27 Engari kia tika tā koutou whakahaere, kia rite ki ta te rongopai o te Karaiti.
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ew Zealand is off track in some key social areas, says The Salvation Army in its 10th State of the Nation report. The report is produced by the Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit to measure how the country is progressing economically and socially. The 2017 report is titled Off the Track, drawing on the picture of the tramping tracks so familiar to many Kiwis. Failure to stay on the track in the New Zealand bush can carry significant and sometimes tragic consequences. In the context of this report, ‘off the track’ reflects that many areas measured in the State of the Nation have stalled or are going backwards. ‘In particular, our report highlights that poverty and abuse of children are becoming entrenched, that there’s an alarming lack of safe, affordable housing, and that New Zealand has an exploding prison population. These raise serious concerns requiring urgent changes,’ says Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson, Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit Director. Report author Alan Johnson says this lack of progress is frustrating. ‘After 10 years of measuring these issues, we’re seriously questioning parts of the social direction of this country and asking, “Are we off the track?” ’ The 2017 State of the Nation shows some positive signs, particularly around jobs and the economy, where there was a small rise in GDP, while job growth was at 4.3 per cent and unemployment fell by three per cent. But this positive news is tempered by wages remaining static and an increase in 15- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training.
In other areas, hard questions need to be asked about the policies in place and why they are not showing results, Alan says. ‘Over 10 years, we’ve taken each government at its word that it means to improve the social wellbeing of New Zealanders. After a few years you need to ask, “Where is the proof?” Housing has gone from bad to worse, we’re not making a dent in child poverty. The frustrating thing is the lost opportunities around those issues, as well as the billion dollars more that we’re planning to spend on prisons.’ Other concerns include methamphetamine use, which appears to have become entrenched among a small section of the population. The report also notes an increase in problem drinking and the amount spent on gambling last year, despite a drop in the number of pokies and the amount of alcohol available. Strong leadership can work—as seen in the rise in enrolments in early childhood education, which have increased by 30 per cent among New Zealand’s poorest communities, while infant mortality and teenage pregnancy rates also continue to fall. Reflecting on this patchy progress, Ian says, ‘In an election year, it is timely to challenge all who would aspire to govern—and, in fact, all New Zealanders —to think deeply about the social progress we want to achieve for ourselves and our children.’ BY ROBIN RAYMOND READ THE REPORT | www.salvationarmy.org.nz/ OffTheTrack 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 3
GOODSTUFF
A Kiwi country school produced one of 2016’s best cookbooks. Naming its top six, Cuisine magazine included the usual suspects, but added a real surprise. Divine Eats: From the Heart of Tamahere is by the Waikato’s Tamahere Model Country School. It’s stylish, sensory and indulgent—but true to its roots. ‘Rest assured you will find Nan Jan’s savoury scones and Mr Wickens’ custard squares,’ sums up Cuisine. ‘You’ll also find Madam Woo and Al Brown, and a whole heap of different styles of cuisine.’
ONTHESPOT Billie Jordan The founder of hip hop dance crew Hip Op-eration, whose members range from 73-90 years old. The crew is in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest dance group in the world, and they’ve even performed at the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas. What I’m watching or reading: Old episodes of the TV programme Survivor—I’m a big fan and haven’t missed an episode in 16 years. One thing I love: My two Papillion dogs Buddy Vegas and Banjo Arizona and my five chickens. One thing I hate: People who presume people with dementia can’t be taught anything new and under-estimate their true potential. What I love most about my job: Seeing my dancers grow and develop as individuals and then in turn inspiring others. Something that would surprise us about your job: All my time is voluntary—so it’s not really a ‘job’. I’m paid in smiles, which is the best currency. I have no background with older adults, hip hop or dance. I came up with the idea of the Hip Op-eration Dance Crew first, then taught myself how to dance on YouTube. My dancers and I have never been in a dance studio and rehearse anywhere there is free flat space—carparks, the beach, paddocks. 4 WarCry 11 FEBRUARY 2017
Can You Change Your Life in a Month? The latest self-improvement craze is the ‘30-day challenge’. The theory is a month doesn’t seem too daunting and is long enough to kick-start new habits. Ingrid Barratt decided to try it out by quitting sugar for a month. On Pinterest alone, there are over 1000 different 30-day challenges. Most are health and fitness focused, but there are also challenges for decluttering, reading and even kindness. I decided to try it and see if I could kick my sugar habit. My mantra has always been ‘a little bit of chocolate every day and …’. No, just chocolate every day, that was it. First I had to detox for four days, and was only allowed broccoli, cucumber, ginger and lemon. There is no way to make this combination of ingredients palatable. If I had known what I was in for, I would never have started! But to my amazement, it worked! I don’t know whether it was simply that I was so grateful to be able to eat again, or whether I really had detoxed, but I didn’t crave sugar the way I thought I would. After about three weeks my resolve weakened. I missed simple pleasures, like jam on toast. The one-month mark was the lowest ebb for me—I realised if I stopped then, I’d go back to sugar with gusto. So I decided to keep going for two more weeks. I found my resolve again and by about week five, the no-sugar me started to feel more like a lifestyle than a one-time challenge. I think the 30-day challenge works best if you see it as the jump-start to a longer term change. Did I lose my love for chocolate? Not a chance! But it has become more of an occasional treat with friends—because, as author Linda Grayson said, ‘There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.’
True Story Drama Hidden Figures (PG, Contains strong language) Theodore Melfi ‘Yes, they let women do some things at NASA.’ Hidden Figures is the true story of three African American ‘human computers’ who helped a racially segregated NASA win the space race against the Russians, advancing the causes of both women’s and racial rights as a result. Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson faced the injustices typical of their age (and sadly, still a reality today), but were confident in their abilities and determined to challenge discrimination. Johnson, now in her 90s, offers advice for the challenges people face today: ‘Stick with it. No matter the problem, it can be solved. A woman can solve it—and a man can too, if you give him a lot of time.’ This Oscar contender for Best Picture is funny, fascinating and moving. (Reviewed by Christina Tyson)
QUIKQUIZ
1 What number USA President is Donald Trump?
2 What is the Māori word for
Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Try this recipe from Fresh and Affordable Family Food, by popular My Kitchen Rules NZ contestants Jay and Sarah | Serves 4 4 tsp coconut sugar or pure maple syrup
Rub the sugar or maple syrup into both sides of the salmon. Cut each piece of salmon lengthways into four even strips.
2 x 300g salmon fillets, skinned and boned
Turn each length of salmon on its side and shape into a circle. Wrap with bacon and secure with toothpicks.
8 rashers streaky bacon 1 Tbsp olive oil
Preheat a frying pan over a medium heat and add olive oil. Place salmon in the pan and cook each side for 2-3 mins. For crispy bacon, stand the salmon on its side and rotate every 30 secs. Once cooked, set aside on a plate with a paper towel. Serve with a fresh green salad.
apple?
3 What is the capital city of Seychelles?
4 How many Golden Globes did La La Land win?
5 What did Paul recommend as a substitute for wine?
Answers on page 22
What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. Ralph Waldo Emerson Poet
Relationships The Marriage Book Nicky and Sila Lee If you’ve been married a while, you’ll probably be spending Valentine’s Day watching TV on the couch —maybe your spouse will even join you! In other words, real relationships are not about the big romance, but the everyday. The Marriage Book is a companion to the Marriage Course—by the people behind the Alpha course. It’s become somewhat of a ‘marriage bible’, covering all the fundamentals: communication, expressing love, resolving conflict, forgiveness, parents and in-laws—and, of course, ‘good sex’. It covers the basics, rather than complex issues, but is full of practical advice. Reading this could be the most romantic thing you do this Valentine’s.
Pronoia, the opposite of paranoia, is the delusion that everyone is secretly plotting your success. 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 5
MORE THAN
ABLE Photography: Nick Reed, NZ Herald.
‘A church that doesn’t have disabled people in it, is a disabled church,’ says Di Willis, director of Elevate Disability Trust. Di describes herself as ‘very ordinary’, but it’s been an extraordinary life—among extraordinary people. BY INGRID BARRATT
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live was a young man with severe cerebral palsy. One day he announced that he wanted to preach. Di Willis is honest that she thought, ‘My goodness, no one will be able to understand him.’ However, Elevate advocated for him to be given an opportunity to preach, with an interpreter translating for the congregation. ‘You could hear a pin drop, it was so powerful,’ recalls Di. From that day, an unlikely but gifted preacher was born. This is a lesson for the church, points out Di. When we assume that people with disabilities cannot have the same spiritual giftings we do, we not only short-change them, but we debilitate the body of Christ. This is also true of people with intellectual disabilities. ‘They may be intellectually disabled, but they are not spiritually disabled,’ reflects Di. ‘Jesus said we have to be like small children to come to him. People with intellectual disabilities have that pure faith, and they wake the church up.’ Plus, they can get away with things we would never get away with, laughs Di. She points to a church in Taupo that is proactive in including disabled people in its ministries. ‘A group of intellectually disabled people have the task of taking the offering. They will come and stand beside you until you put something in the bag or tell them to go away. We could never get away with that!’ It’s a lighthearted perspective on a profound issue: that God uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise.
Sowing the seeds When I ask Di where she got her passion for people with disabilities, she simply answers, ‘God.’ Yet, as so often happens, God was planting the seeds from the very beginning. ‘I was tested when I was about nine because I was failing school,’ explains Di. ‘They found I was slightly slow in my learning. So I was sent to a special school as a boarder. I had a year of crying the whole time, I was so homesick.’ Yet, looking back, Di realises the school gave her a love of people with disabilities. It’s not surprising, then, that when Di left school she became an occupational therapist. But it wasn’t until she came to New Zealand from the United Kingdom ‘on an adventure’ that her life changed forever.
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‘I was very social and got drunk a lot, and it was a turbulent time,’ remembers Di. ‘I had a real void within, and deep down, I really wanted to know God. A friend invited me to go to the Billy Graham crusade. Well, my friend didn’t end up coming, but I went along and I had an amazing conversion. I was completely changed.’ At the time, she was working at Middlemore Hospital where she was inspired by Bev, a tetraplegic woman who was a Christian. ‘God showed me there should be a ministry for people with disabilities, both Christian and non-Christian,’ says Di. The idea kept playing in the back of her mind as she got married and began a family. One day, Di decided to pick up the phone and call Bev, who had recently left hospital after two years and was struggling to adjust, as well as look after her three children. Di said, ‘I want to bring people with disabilities to your place.’ Her friend replied that just that morning, she had prayed to God, ‘Lord, only bring the people to my place that you want to be there.’ And so, a ministry was born.
THEY MAY BE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED, BUT THEY ARE NOT SPIRITUALLY DISABLED. Revelation and revival Another friend, Margie, who has cerebral palsy, also helped begin the ministry. Margie went to America to be healed by a famous healing evangelist, but came back devastated that she had not been healed. ‘We were there helping her pick up the pieces,’ says Di. But out of that experience, Margie went to Bible College where God appeared to her in an awe-inspiring vision: ‘She saw Jesus on a white horse, just like in Revelation, and he gave her an enormous vision of the work he wanted to do with disabled people. ‘We were overawed and didn’t have a clue what to do. We had to really trust God—and whenever the Lord showed us things, we did it. We got criticised to the nth degree for not having this or that, but we just did it. The Lord was so faithful to us, and it just grew and grew and loads of people became Christians. It was a revival really.’
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One of their dreams was to hold a Christian camp for people with disabilities, and they nervously booked a venue for 26 people. Forty years later, Elevate’s national camps attract between 300-400 people, with branches throughout the country. Among its many ministries, Elevate oversees ‘Christian Fellowship for the Disabled’ for people with mainly physical disabilities, ‘Joy Ministries’ for people with intellectual disabilities, ‘Torch Outreach’ for the blind or visually impaired, and ‘Emmanuel Support’ for families of children with disabilities, as well as an Auckland-based drop-in centre brimming with people daily.
Part of the body ‘I sometimes say that if the Church was really doing its job, we wouldn’t need this ministry at all,’ says Di—although she has also seen first-hand that Elevate allows people to be completely accepted, without having to explain themselves or fight to fit in. Still, the aim of Elevate is to see people with disabilities not merely surviving in churches, but thriving. Di admits there is still discrimination—although she hesitates to use the word —against people with disabilities. Although many churches have good intentions, there are subtle barriers: ‘I have a bee in my bonnet about churches where there is a stage and no ramp up to it. It’s assuming that people who use a wheelchair, crutches or a walker don't have anything to offer up the front,’ says Di. ‘It’s great if you have a back entrance for the disabled; it’s even better if they can come in the front like everyone else.’ Di shocked the vicar of a traditional church when she suggested they cut a pew in half, so that a person in a wheelchair could sit in the middle of the church, next to friends and family—instead of right down the back or right up the front. Yet, there are also many churches that have showed enormous imagination. ‘There was a boy in a wheelchair who wanted to go to youth group, but their youth room was upstairs. So they changed the location, and started meeting downstairs, and he knew he belonged,’ remembers Di. Part of her job is to advocate for people so they can go to the church they choose, and be full participants in its ministries. Intellectually-disabled people are great door greeters. Other
YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A MINISTRY TO THE DISABLED, YOU JUST NEED TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN YOUR MINISTRIES. people with physical disabilities may be prayers, encouragers, preachers and teachers. Churches have to do some work to include people with disabilities—such as a roster for those needing transport or getting some advice around setting boundaries for people with intellectual disabilities. ‘I love it when a minister rings me and says, “I have someone in my church with a disability and I need some help.” I think, ‘Good on you!’ Elevate can help with practical tips for encouraging and involving people with disabilities. Ultimately, though, ‘it’s your attitude and heart that’s really important,’ says Di. The bottom line is that people with disabilities have a lot to offer the Church through their own unique giftings. ‘You don’t have to have a ministry to the disabled, you just need to include people with disabilities in your ministries,’ sums up Di.
More than ordinary Last year, Di was given an Unsung Hero ‘Missional Living’ Award by the New Zealand Christian Network, for her tireless work over 40 years. ‘It was such a great thing for the ministry. I’m just a very ordinary person, so God gets the glory,’ she says. I can’t help but argue that Di is not entirely ordinary. If Elevate shows us anything, it’s that in God’s Kingdom, everyone is extraordinary. And God, who is able, can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). NEED HELP? | Elevate can help you find practical ways to include people with disabilities in your church GET INVOLVED | You can volunteer with Elevate through prayer support, lending a hand at one of their camps, being a friend, donating and more. Go to elevatecdt.org.nz
Wayne’s World An overdose on Methadone left Wayne a tetraplegic, but that was just the beginning of his real life. Wayne was young, wild and reckless. At 18, he joined the Hell’s Angels, but after a brush with the law he ended up in jail. Somehow he managed to convince a prison doctor to give him methadone. But his ‘high’ became a nightmare when he accidentally overdosed and found himself in hospital, unable to move. He had become a tetraplegic, paralysed from the neck down. His parents put an ad in a newspaper asking for a volunteer to visit Wayne. A member of Elevate saw the ad and told director Di Willis. She visited him in hospital, and asked a member of Elevate, Brian, to befriend Wayne. Brian took Wayne to meetings, outings and fellowship camps. Every week he took Wayne to church and led him in Bible studies. Wayne showed no interest, and could often be a difficult character. Brian continued to care for his friend year after year, even inviting him on family holidays. Then, one year at an Elevate national camp, Wayne asked to be baptised. From there, his life began to change dramatically; he started to participate in Bible studies, grow in his faith and was completely transformed. As Wayne himself says, ‘Disability is only skin deep. With the Lord at your side, what can go wrong? He is my strength. He is my all. He is my everything!’
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The Golden Rules of Marriage Valentine’s is a day, but marriage is built over 365 days each year. In The Marriage Book, Nicky and Sila Lee provide some golden rules for making your marriage last through all the years. Be sure to make time for each other and have fun together: Growing together in marriage is not automatic. It’s not possible to be human, and not change in some ways over the years —even if it’s simply as the result of children, family or work pressure. We must accept the person we married for who they are, rather than who we had hoped they would be. It’s essential to build into your marriage a conscious enjoyment of each other. Keep talking and keep listening to each other: When two separate human beings come together, the only bridge between them is communication. Most couples are shocked to find they have very different communications styles. If you are a ‘rhino’—demolishing everything that gets in your path —you will need to listen more. If you are a ‘hedgehog’—hiding from incoming danger—you will need to talk more.
PAUL AND LINDA HAD A CLOSE AND STABLE MARRIAGE.
Study the ways your partner feels loved: You have probably heard of the five love languages: words, actions, time, presents and touch. There is nothing stopping you from expressing love in all five ways, but think particularly about what is most meaningful to your partner. Start consciously affirming them in the way that makes them feel loved.
Real life love story
Discuss your differences and pray together: Marriage is not about suppressing our personality. Rather, it involves discussing our different points of view, seeking to understand each other and finding ways to grow in our wisdom and gifts. When we do this, we discover that the issue that threatened to divide us has drawn us closer together.
Former Beatle Paul McCartney was married to Linda for 29 years, before she sadly died of cancer. They had a famously close and stable marriage. Hunter Davies, a friend and biographer, recalls that the two were strategic in spending time together and found a way to prioritise both music and their marriage.
Practise forgiveness: Where trust has been broken it will take time to be restored. Do not expect the one who has been hurt to forget or forgive immediately. But if you hold on to hurts, your list of resentments will build up. Instead, throw away yesterday’s list of hurts, and try to have a fresh start every day. Do not neglect sexual intimacy: If any of these basic foundations are neglected, sex can quietly exit your marriage. The danger is that your relationship will lose its unique quality. Sex goes way beyond physical gratification. It creates a deep, emotional, psychological and even spiritual bond. For this reason, it’s essential to address any emotional or physical barriers to sexual intimacy.
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‘[Paul] was willing to go backwards, to start where he had begun, playing in local halls, or college campuses. It struck me as so mature, so clever, so adult, to realise that and act upon it. And so Wings was born, putting his two passions in life together. He would take Linda and the children on tour with him all around the country, sleeping in caravans if need be. Naturally the critics were horrible to Linda, criticising her musical skills or lack of them, and were snide about Paul, saying how stupid to drag her around. Wings weren’t all that brilliant at first, but they got better, learned and improved together. Just as they did in their marriage.’
TESTIFY! Jan Impey, a Salvation Army officer for 35 years, was diagnosed with incurable cancer last year. She prayed for the impossible, and the impossible happened. Have you ever wondered how the apostle Stephen felt as stones were being propelled at him? That’s a bit like how I felt as I sat in Auckland Hospital last year. Each word the doctor said felt like a rock pounding against my body. Cancer. Inoperable. Incurable. Possibly untreatable. Maybe just months to live. It all started three months earlier with a cough. But the cough got worse, and I got weaker, to the point where I couldn’t work or even eat properly. I was sent to hospital where I underwent many tests, and eventually fluid was found on my heart and lungs. Straight away a litre of fluid was taken from my heart, which was excruciating. My days in hospital seemed to be filled with tests, as the doctors tried to determine exactly what was wrong. I have to say that during all of the confusion, I had a real sense of peace. As I sat in bed one day, I read this Bible verse: ‘Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son’ (John 14:13). I prayed, ‘Lord, whatever happens to me whether I live or die I want you to be glorified.’ Through everything that happened next, I believe this prayer came to pass. Finally, I got the news. I had a very unusual, aggressive form of ovarian cancer. It had spread up to the left lung, into the lymph glands and across to the right lung. It was inoperable, incurable and potentially untreatable. Without treatment, I was given two to three months to live. I began chemo immediately, but became very ill and ended up in acute oncology with an infection.
SINCE JULY LAST YEAR, I HAVE HAD NO TRACE OF CANCER. We got as many people to pray as possible, and we’re so grateful for all those prayers, and for the love and support of our Salvation Army family and others. One day my husband and I were invited to lunch with an Ethiopian family. They prayed for me, and I felt in my spirit that I had been healed. Following the next course of treatment, my cancer reduced by 80 per cent, going from 10 cm to 2 cm. My cancer indicators went from 800 to 24—well within the healthy range. Since July last year, I have had no trace of cancer. My doctor was a Christian
who had been praying for me, but she said, ‘I have never in my 20 years as a doctor known this to happen.’ One family member who was not a professing believer, posted on Facebook: ‘Prayer does work.’ Another relative, who didn’t believe in God, said to me, ‘There is a God.’ I have had the opportunity to share about my healing in Auckland District Court, where I work as a Salvation Army court officer. I am fully aware that there are many War Cry readers who have prayed the same or similar prayers, and God has not answered the way you hoped or so much wanted. I have no explanation as to why that has happened. But I do know that I feel compelled to share my story of how God answers prayer and bring glory to him, to whom it belongs. And also to encourage you not to give up praying for what may seem impossible. 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 11
If it’s another lonely Valentine’s Day (stupid holiday!) you may be asking yourself the question that dares not speak its name: should you move churches to meet a GF or BF? BY INGRID BARRATT
God can be very annoying sometimes. When I was in my 30s—and eternally single—God led me to a church where there was literally no one my own age. I stumbled on this small church when I went along to support a friend. While I was there, God gave me an actual vision of working in the church and being part of the community. I did what any sane person would do: I told God he was wrong. Yet, I felt God speak into my soul: ‘Yes, you can stay where you are, and that’s okay. But if you follow my calling you will be blessed.’ Hmmmm … so I had a choice. This was very annoying of God. But in my heart I knew that when God goes out of his way to give you a vision, it’s best to listen. So I gave up on the idea of a BF, got myself an FF (furry friend) and took a leap of faith. It became one of the most beautiful seasons in my spiritual life. When I look back, I can see the battle within me was between living out of fear, and living out of faith. But I learnt that no matter what the sacrifice, fulfilling my spiritual calling was always going to be the greatest blessing in my life.
MEET THE EXPERTS Now I am old and married, I thought I would ask some wise Christian singles for their perspective. Sam, 30, says although there are legitimate reasons for leaving a church, dating ‘seems a tenuous reason’. He adds, ‘I think the purpose of a church community is to provide a context for working on the life of following Jesus—and that has to be through good times and hard times.’ Kate, 23, admits that ‘it can be hard when you are single at your church’. But she says the most important thing is to go where God is leading you. ‘Your foremost relationship should be with Jesus. It’s the one that is the most fulfilling and completing, and the community of church is a family where you can worship and serve.
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Should you stay or go? That is a discussion you need to have between you and God.’ Ben, 25, agrees: ‘I feel that moving churches solely to meet someone new will most likely end in disappointment or lack of fulfilment. Ultimate fulfilment is found in Christ alone and no other —that’s been my experience.’ There are some good reasons for leaving a church—God may have placed a ‘holy discontentment’ within you that’s leading you elsewhere. But when you consider the question: ‘Should I leave church to meet someone?’, the bottom line is this: Are you being led by faith, or by fear? One of the biggest reasons I’ve seen friends lose their faith is because they wanted to meet someone, and they didn’t meet a Christian. I totally understand this—I know the heartache of wondering and waiting. Yet, I can’t help but feel that by choosing fear over faith, my friends have missed out on the greatest treasure of all.
CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH? God loves people of faith. ‘Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about,’ says the writer of Hebrews (chapter 11, ISV). He lists a bazillion people of faith who did crazy things—Noah built an ark, Sarah believed they’d have a child even though they were oldies, Moses’ parents put him down river in a basket. But here’s the hard, hard truth: ‘All these people died in faith, without receiving the promises ... Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them’ (v13, 16). God never says that if we put our faith in him, we’ll get everything we want. He doesn’t promise us a husband or wife—if that’s what we’re hoping for. God just asks us to believe that no matter what happens, God is the best answer to any prayer. God has a big, wonderful plan for you—that you will never fully understand this side of Heaven. That’s the truth. Can you handle the truth?
TWIDDLING THUMBS So, that’s the faith side of things. But lots of wise people also tell us that we’ll never meet someone if we sit around twiddling our thumbs. Ruth in the Bible showed incredible faith when she left her country to follow God. But even she went and slept at the end of Boaz’s bed so he would marry her. Now that’s putting yourself out there! [Note: do not try this yourself.] There’s nothing wrong with getting out there and trying to meet someone, as long as it doesn’t become more precious to you than your faith.
IF YOUR CHURCH IS LACKING OTHER SINGLE PEOPLE, WHY NOT EXTEND YOUR SOCIAL CIRCLES?
Wanna be a smooth operator? Try these … * • ‘I have the gift of prophecy, and I see you in my future.’ • ‘I know you’ve asked Jesus into your heart, but is there room in there for me too?’ • ‘I was going to read Proverbs 31, but then I realised I could just study you instead.’ • ‘Are you a fisher of men? ’Cos you just reeled me in.’ • ‘I was reading the book of Joshua, and I’m wondering how many times I’m going to have to walk around you to make you fall for me.’ • ‘Your middle name must be Grace, ’cos baby, you’re amazing.’ • ‘Hey girl, I put the stud in Bible study.’ • ‘Now I know why Solomon had 700 wives … because he never met you.’ * And by that we mean, please never use these. Ever!
If your church is lacking other single people, why not extend your social circles? We’re really blessed in The Salvation Army because we have a strong network. Join in with social activities at other corps, or nationally. (Did you go to Amplify? There were some hotties there!) Or even join in activities at other churches with bigger groups of singles. ‘Go to social gatherings that friends hold—or events where there will be a range of people—and see who you bump into. Weddings, actually, seem to be a great place to meet. Who’d have thought?’ laughs Sam. By the way, I didn’t meet the man of my dreams at church—fast forward a few years and God imported a husband for me from England. And now that I’m an old married woman, I know better than ever that the greatest prize in life really is Jesus. Keep the faith peeps. 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 13
School Children Collect Thousands of Cans for Good School children at hundreds of schools across the country banded together to collect more than 60,000 cans of food to help struggling New Zealand families. More than 200 schools from around the country collected cans for the inaugural Wattie’s Cans for Good campaign in November, 2016. The cans were donated to The Salvation Army to help stock its foodbanks to assist New Zealanders in need over the busy Christmas period. Over 67,000 cans were collected and Watties donated additional cans, taking the total number donated to more than 92,000 cans. Salvation Army staff visited the schools to talk to the children about how they could make a difference to people in need in their community. Principal of Eastern Hutt School in Lower Hutt, Julie Henderson, said Cans for Good had been a great way to involve students and their families in a fun and worthwhile project. ‘It helps develop the awareness of others in our community and generates a positive spirit when we all combine our efforts to help others in need.’ The level of participation and positive feedback from local schools was overwhelming according to Heinz Wattie’s Communications Manager Tina Wong.
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‘We wanted to deliver something that was easy for schools, pupils and teachers. Wattie’s Cans for Good went beyond other campaigns, combining collecting for charity with a creative competition and a set of teacherbased resource sheets designed to engage children and teachers in a fun, team-based experience.’ Territorial Secretary for Community Ministries Major Pam Waugh said the cans were a huge help going into the Christmas and back-to-school period. ‘Household budgets have been stretched by rising living costs, especially for rent and power. Food parcels are a great way to reduce the stress on families doing it tough.’ As part of the fun for the campaign, schools were encouraged to take part in a competition to make a creative can structure with their cans. The winning schools with most impressive and creative designs were Eskdale School (Napier), Belmont Primary School (Auckland), St Mary’s School (Foxton), Marina View School (Auckland) and Kenakena School (Paraparaumu). Each receives a $500 voucher to put towards art or school supplies. Above: Students from Eastern Hutt School.
South Island Māori Celebrate ‘Māori Joe’ ‘Before Salvation came to Kaiapoi, I bad man, drunkard, always at public house. When I no get men to fight, go home fight my wife, two black eyes; tell my wife, if visitors come next day, ask what black eyes, you say, “Fell down, horse kicked you.” ’ This was the testimony, in the 1840s, of a ‘bad man’ who would seek and find salvation in Christ. His changed character became well known in a journey that led to him serving as Salvation Army corps sergeant major in Kaiapoi. Hohepa Huria was born in 1843 and became known as ‘Māori Joe’. Through him and his Welsh wife Mary’s Christian witness, a work grew among Māori in Kaiapoi—which is where the Army’s early pioneer Ernest Holdaway first met Christians among Māori. Joe’s funeral, which was attended by over 400 people, was front page news in The War Cry of 7 June 1902. In November 2016, national Māori Ministry leaders Lieutenants Tau and Trish Mataki attended the second reunion of Hohepa Huria’s passing in 1902. Over 600 descendants from as far away as the United Kingdon attended the four-day celebration held at Tuahiwi Marae in Kaiapoi. The organisers asked that Tau and Trish deliver a Salvation Army service at the urupa (graveside). ‘This was a real privilege,’ says Trish. Mary attended the first meetings of The Salvation Army in Kaiapoi and was converted. She quickly influenced Joe despite his many threats of violence. Joe was also impressed by the change in the life of a friend who was converted—and was advised by a publican to follow suit. Joe’s conversion was seen as a miracle by those who knew him. The Salvation Army Archives and Heritage Centre at Booth College of Mission provided a PowerPoint presentation, a framed photo and a photographic history booklet of Māori Joe’s journey
and that of his wife, Mary Jane Drabble, whom he married in 1875. The couple had four sons and five daughters, taking amongst their children’s names those of Pollard and Wright and other early pioneering Salvationists. Tau gave a presentation on the couple’s lives as part of the reunion celebrations, with Trish leading the urupa service on Sunday. Gary Huria, the kaumatua who spoke at the poroporoaki (conclusion) described the Army’s contribution to the reunion as ‘the icing on the cake’ of a great weekend. While the Huria, Solomon, Tirikatene and Drabble lineage of Ngai Tahu has at least 600 members that can trace their whakapapa (lineage) back to Joe and Mary, only a few remain Salvationists, although others are speaking to Tau and Trish about reconnecting with their Salvation Army roots. ‘Bringing the richness of whakapapa back to Joe’s whānau, delivering the graveside ceremony and being honoured by the gifting of Mary’s Bible to our Archives centre was indeed a special occasion,’ said Trish. ‘But Tau and I mostly enjoyed the whanaungatanga (relationship building) in reconnecting Te Ope Whakaora (the Army that Brings Life) in their whakapapa.’ BY TRISH MATAKI
Salvationist Shortlisted for New Zealander of the Year Major Campbell Roberts says being shortlisted for New Zealander of the Year is a recognition of The Salvation Army and its good work. Campbell has been chosen alongside film director Taika Waititi and educator and researcher Mere Berryman as one of the final three nominees for the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year award. The winner is announced on 22 February. Campbell was nominated for his work over 46 years as a Salvation Army officer, including helping found The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit in 2003, and with other charity enterprises, including being a founding board member of Habitat for Humanity New Zealand and The Housing Foundation. Campbell said many others in The Salvation Army and in the wider community were just as deserving and the nomination reflected the work the Army does.
‘Inevitably, some people get more public exposure. I’m very conscious I’ve often been the front of something that’s happening that involves a lot of hard work from a team of people. I take this as a recognition of The Salvation Army.’ It was also a recognition of the role faith has to play in the community. His work, he said, had been driven by the gospel, and how that applied to the world today—and after 46 years it seemed more relevant than ever. ‘I’m still very encouraged to get up in the morning. I’m more and more convinced that the application of the gospel to issues in the New Zealand community and the world community is more and more relevant. It’s really rewarding to be part of that.’ 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 15
Successful New Training for Youth Workers
Foundations of Youth Work is a new year-long training initiative introduced by the Territorial Youth Department in 2016. The programme was created to support the various stages of youth work progression. Additionally, it trains volunteers in the necessary skills for being involved in youth ministry in The Salvation Army. ‘Foundations of Youth Work is primarily aimed at volunteer level or part-time employed staff. It’s also a handy “taste” tester for moving onto our other training options, such as the LAB and
Distance Apprenticeship,’ said Youth Programme Coordinator Ben Maxwell. The key elements of the Foundation of Youth Work involve four workshops delivered in each New Zealand division. The workshops cover distinct areas of learning, such as theology (including understanding The Salvation Army), leadership, best practice youth work, and safe practice. Each student is partnered with a coach to evaluate and integrate what they learn. Twenty-one young leaders were involved in the 2016 course. Their feedback was positive, with comments including: • ‘I am now more prepared to approach youth on an individual level, rather than a collective all the time.’ • ‘[It was] great to be able to connect with people with the same passion as me.’ • ‘I can take this information and lessons learnt and use them to make a difference in the youth of my [town].’ • ‘I feel more confident as a leader through my involvement in this course.’ Ben says, ‘Foundations of Youth Work in 2016 was a great success and we are looking at building on this for 2017. Please pray for those who are accepted into the programme as they are challenged and grow to better invest into the lives of our young people.’
Salvation Army Calls for Better Outcomes from Prison System A Salvation Army report launched in December 2016 says changes must be made to how prisoners re-enter society for New Zealanders to feel safe and secure in their homes and communities. Published by The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, Beyond the Prison Gate: Reoffending and Reintegration in Aotearoa New Zealand, argues the prison system is failing prisoners and the public. ‘The prison gate has for too long been a revolving door rather than a transition into a second chance at life. Instead of being effectively rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, many prisoners on release become “repeat customers”,’ said report author Annaliese Johnston. The cost of prisons is spiralling out of control, and doing nothing to reduce reoffending, while refocusing efforts on effective alternatives and reintegration would save the country millions, reduce crime and make the country safer, Annaliese said. The report also looks at the experiences of past inmates for a first-hand look at how the system impacts those who have been released and how things might be improved. Despite crime rates falling overall, the prison population has tripled since 1985, hitting 10,000 for the first time in December last year. Corrections is also unlikely to meet its composite target of reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017. Post-prison reoffending rates have barely changed in the past 10 years. 16 WarCry 11 FEBRUARY 2017
The report recommends reducing spending on custodial prison sentences and moving investment to programmes that will reduce crime and support reintegration for the around 15,000 people released from prison in New Zealand each year. Other recommendations include better access to accommodation and health services, private-public partnerships to provide employment, and mentors. ‘If we are not sufficiently supporting people to re-integrate then they are much more likely to re-offend. That is not good for anyone, and so far our current approach is failing to make meaningful progress,’ says Annaliese. ‘We know that there are alternative approaches, such as the justice re-investment model, that improve community safety and make better use of public money. ‘As one of our research participants put it, “Instead of the Government spending over 90 grand to keep us in prison every year, why don’t they invest it on keeping us out?” ’ READ THE REPORT | salvationarmy.org.nz/PrisonGate
Accountability Movement Makes Progress Late in 2016, leaders from every Salvation Army territory and command met in New Jersey, USA, for a General’s Consultative Council (GCC) meeting to look at the Army’s Accountability Movement. This continues the work that began at the International Conference of Leaders in Singapore in 2014, which put forward key areas The Salvation Army needs to address. Since then, General André Cox has made use of the GCC— sometimes including every leader, at other times featuring a representative group—to consult senior leaders and other key stakeholders in moving the agenda forward. The theology and thinking behind the Accountability Movement is explained at accountability.salvationarmy. org. This website includes links to download the booklet Journey of Renewal, which gives a full explanation of the movement. The Governance, Child Protection and Finance workstreams of the Accountability Movement have made significant progress. This GCC provided an opportunity to celebrate the work already accomplished and enable territories and commands to consider how they implement new ways of working within their context and legal constitution. Progress also continues to be made on the Impact Measurement workstream, which connects with the other streams as well as having its own focus. All four workstreams of the Accountability Movement are connected by three key principles: leadership development, capacity building and communication. The Finance workstream has led to the implementation of the International Finance and Accounting Standard (IFAS), only the third edition of a manual of accounting practices in The Salvation Army’s history. The introduction of IFAS will enable The Salvation Army to provide real-time information to territories and commands, providing cloud-based systems and storage. Technical support will be available as needed, to the benefit of all 128 countries in which The Salvation Army works, also bringing reporting systems up to date. The team—headed up by the International Headquarters (IHQ) Head of Finance, Dr Matthew Carpenter—has demonstrated what can be achieved by bringing together a gifted group of people that transcends territorial, language and cultural boundaries to achieve a significant piece of work in a short timeframe. The Child Protection workstream is also making good progress, and the appointment of an International Director for Child Protection enables The Salvation Army to be strategic in developing robust safeguarding
policies in each territory and command. Jane Dodds comes to the role with considerable experience and is already making headway in connecting with the worldwide Army. Considering that each day there can be up to an estimated two million children within some form of Salvation Army programme, this is an important area of focus. In considering the Governance workstream, it was recognised that the world is changing, with many organisations coming under the spotlight and a greater level of accountability and transparency being called for. To this end, much work has been done on the differentiation between management and governance to enhance internal and external accountability and transparency. The New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory has pioneered this work, learning valuable lessons for how principles and standards can be translated into cultures and legal frameworks. IHQ has demonstrated its commitment to this area of work in the appointment of an International Secretary for Accountability and Governance, with New Zealand officer Commissioner Robert Donaldson taking up this appointment on 1 January. After a few days of dialogue and workshops, the group of international leaders agreed on the following statements: • We affirm that governance that includes accountability and transparency is a desired outcome, and that in our ongoing journey we must ensure that we do not separate mission and governance. • We will proactively protect all vulnerable individuals in our congregations and programmes. • In accordance with the principle of good stewardship we will strengthen our financial and accounting processes. • During the implementation process we must build capacity and empower leadership. • There must be an intentional coordination of the streams of work so that we build an Army for the 21st century. Delegates acknowledged that work still remains to be done, and much has to be thought through. ‘Having said that,’ concludes the General, ‘we celebrate the unity within this group of international leaders as we grapple with significant cultural and organisational change, seeking to be fit for purpose in a new and changing world.’ MORE INFO | accountability.salvationarmy.org
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Whole World Mobilising Launched in London As a symbolic act, the launch of The Whole World Mobilising—an international initiative to encourage Salvationists to engage more closely with their communities—could not have sent a clearer message. The event was not a gathering inside; it was a sending out, a time of vibrant worship that spilled out from International Headquarters (IHQ) onto the streets of central London. General André Cox said, ‘We need to get out and rediscover our mission’, addressing not only the IHQ congregation but also a worldwide audience following the event online. He emphasised the importance of The Salvation Army’s two-fold mission: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination. ‘Where the Army is growing is in the places where we remember the two-fold mission,’ he said. The General spoke about The Salvation Army’s potential. ‘The Army is in 128 countries,’ he said, but—importantly—‘in so many grassroots communities. Jesus turned the world upside down with 12 people. We have 1.2 million soldiers! It’s incredible to think what we can achieve, powered by the Holy Spirit.’ This emphasis on reaching out was a key part of the launch activities. IHQ staff distributed hot chocolate throughout the morning and spoke to many people. A brass band of IHQ staff members played outside before and after the meeting, causing many people to stop and listen. The meeting featured video items with an international twist, including a multilingual reading of The Lord’s Prayer and Bible passages linked to the song ‘Shine from the Inside Out’. Ester Ellen Nelson, project manager for The Whole World Mobilising, prayed for God to move the Army ‘from complacency to commitment’, and the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Brian Peddle) encouraged everyone watching to ‘do as our Founder encouraged ... to “Do Something.” ’ The launch meeting concluded in a lively fashion, with the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women’s Ministries) dancing on to the streets with African IHQ officers to the song ‘We Are Marching’. A passing group of young people from Belgium was excited by what they saw, and some joined IHQ staff in the cafe for refreshments, gaining a new and clearer understanding of The Salvation Army and its international mission. A live stream of the launch was watched in 25 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Argentina and the USA.
(Top to bottom) The General explains what is happening to a member of the public; Free music and hot chocolate outside International Headquarters; Comm Silvia Cox and IHQ chaplain Mjr Peter Mylechreest with a large group of Belgium young people | Photography: Colin Bowdery 18 WarCry 11 FEBRUARY 2017
New Principal for Laidlaw College Dr Roshan Allpress, previously Senior Fellow for the Venn Foundation, took up the role of National Principal at Laidlaw College on 1 February. A meeting of Laidlaw members in late November overwhelmingly ratified a motion from the College’s National Governing Council to appoint Dr Allpress. NGC chairman Graham Burt told members Dr Allpress stood out for his vigour, his forward thinking, and his engagement with a significant number of people and organisations—in New Zealand and globally. Dr Allpress holds a doctorate in History from the University of Oxford. Prior to completing his doctorate, Roshan was the Founding Manager and CEO for the Compass Foundation (now part of Venn). Most recently he has been involved in teaching in the Foundation’s residential and wider programmes, as well as consulting to a variety of Christian organisations. Roshan is excited to be joining the Laidlaw community, and to help shape the direction of the college over the coming years. He longs to see Aotearoa New Zealand led by people who are both deeply faithful and whose lives bear the fruit of a cultivated biblical imagination. ‘In Laidlaw College I see an institution and community who embody that longing, and I consider it a privilege to be able to be part of that,’ he said. GAZETTE Birth: Lts Adam and Sarah-Ann Grove, along with Jonty and Lexi, are excited to welcome Aria-Rose into their family. Aria-Rose was born on 17 January in Invercargill.
THE PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH OUR DOORS ARE BROKEN AND HURTING. The Salvation Army acronym ASARS represents the grouping of our work in addictions, supportive accommodation, reintegration services, and the Marlborough Hospice. Our services are provided across the length and breadth of New Zealand and we support services provided in Tonga and Fiji. The people who come through our doors are broken and hurting, with immediate and critical needs. Frequently, they are marginalised and excluded, and in many cases their own actions have directly contributed to their situation. It can be tempting to judge—but looking deeper, judgements fade as the stark reality of the impact of addiction, poverty, poor mental health and disadvantage in crushing people’s resilience and wellbeing is understood. How do we respond to these needs? In the first instance, ours is a prompt and practical response. Provide a bed, an assessment of need, a treatment plan, establish goals, and deal with the wider physical emotional mental and spiritual pain the person is experiencing. This is not easy work and it’s not for everyone. But across the country, ASARS has people of the highest calibre who provide competent professional care with levels of deep commitment. They are unsung heroes who daily give of themselves in what can be chaotic and challenging work. The gospel imperative in Matthew 25:35–45 is to feed the hungry, house the homeless and visit those in prison—and in so doing, be the hands of Jesus. William Booth, in his famous last speech, made his own personal commitment to follow this teaching of Jesus when he said that wherever these needs exist, ‘I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!’ This is the ministry we in ASARS are involved in every day. The absolute privilege of being part of these ministries cannot be measured. Daily, our people experience life transformation and we see miracles in the midst of tragedy. We continue the call of Jesus to serve and accept William Booth’s challenge to do all we can to address the issues that cripple and trap people. Certainly, ASARS represents this aspect of the ministry of The Salvation Army, but are we exclusively holding this ministry to ourselves? Not at all! This is a call to everyone who claims the name of Jesus and calls themselves a Christian. Have you ever thought of getting involved? Perhaps the thought of your inexperience makes you nervous, but the love of Christ compels you to do something. We need help! This work is more than simply providing a service. It is a life-transforming ministry done in the name of Jesus. And quite possibly, there is a place for you! Lieut-Colonel Lynette Hutson National Director, Addictions, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Services 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 19
A BEAUTIFUL MESS PART 2: KICKING AT DARKNESS An abridged excerpt from the book A Beautiful Mess: How God Re-Creates Our Lives, by Canadian Salvation Army officer and social justice champion Major Danielle Strickland. (Part 2 of 2) BY DANIELLE STRICKLAND
A few years ago I had laser eye surgery. This isn’t for the fainthearted. It involves having your retina reshaped so the image your eye sees is clearer. It’s unpleasant in that you remain conscious throughout. Think taped-open eyelids, frozen eyeballs and lasers reshaping the back of your eye. Ouch. But the results have been impressive. I no longer have to wear glasses or contact lenses. I can see clearly now. A friend is a surgeon who spends a lot of time working amongst the poor and marginalised in the developing world. He decided to learn how to perform eye surgery so he could make it possible for many people in such communities and countries to regain their sight. Each time he returns from such work, he is full of 20 WarCry 11 FEBRUARY 2017
stories of people being able to see again. Their joy is uncontainable. Their vision has literally been flooded with light. And darkness has been dispelled. In the Hebraic story of creation, on the first day, the first stage of Divine Order springs out of the chaos of the deep: ‘Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.’ (Genesis 1:2–4)
Start with light Revelation, the bringing of light, is the first part of the journey necessary to establish order out of chaos. It’s the first part of the creative process. God said, ‘Let there be light.’ Revelation is the first tool required to establish beauty. It is the initial action of creating something from nothing. Starting with light is essential in creating an enduring order. There is a certain divine strength to light. We do not put blinds up to protect ourselves from the darkness. Light powerfully penetrates.
LIGHT IS A POWERFUL TOOL IN THE HANDS OF A LOVING GOD. Darkness is afraid of the light—‘… light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it’ (John 1:5). Saul is a highly significant New Testament character. He spent his time persecuting Christians, seeking to restore order to the chaos they had caused. But Paul ran into something that stopped him in his tracks, turned his world upside down and changed everything—and that was light. ‘As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him’ (Acts 9:3). This was the first step to creating Divine Order in Saul’s life. What follows looked and must have felt like complete chaos: darkness, a revelation of Jesus, and a collapse of an old worldview. Saul was submerged in personal chaos. But God used light to spark a chaos from which he could craft Divine Order. This chaos created a starting point for God to re-establish his creative design for Saul’s life. Light is a powerful tool in the hands of a loving God.
‘Saul’ morphs into ‘Paul’—see Acts 13:9—and charges through the New Testament armed with physical sight and revelation to establish Divine Order. The thing about Paul’s transformation is that his ability to grasp God’s revelation is remarkable. Even the original disciples find it hard to keep up. When they think they should slow down for fear of offending the Jews, Paul rebukes them and reminds them the gospel is for the whole world. This from the man who was killing Christians to protect the Jewish faith. Divine revelation makes us into people who can ‘see’. We can understand things from God’s perspective. We have the ability to see differently.
A life lived in darkness A young woman friend had been pimped and sexually exploited for most of her young teen/adult life. We were training street outreach volunteers and I asked my friend (who had been recently set free from that life) what she thought of volunteers on outreach vans. She explained that she rarely thought about anyone at all. ‘I was so wrapped up in the streets and my own addiction … even if I was looking at you, I was blind. I couldn’t see anything.’ It was a powerful description of a life lived in darkness. So I asked, ‘What made the difference? What got you through your blindness?’ She answered that it was the persistent kindness
and grace of people who had the light. One time (after many times) one act of kindness got through. In the end, a kick at the darkness really did bleed daylight and my friend finally saw there was a way out. She took it. Now she lives a different life and helps others do the same. It’s the power of light and the willingness of people to journey through the darkness to let that light emerge. I asked if she had any advice as we tried to help others like her. She said to never give up. Never stop praying. Never stop trying. All of it makes a difference—whether you can see it or not. Darkness has a debilitating effect. It literally stops us in our tracks, paralysing and preventing us from moving forward. What we desperately need in that moment is light, because it is always light that dispels darkness.
Light revealed in our doing and going But revelation or light do not come in the standing still. They are revealed in the doing, in the going. An old prophet said: ‘If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.’ (Isaiah 58:9–10)
You’ve got to kick at darkness until it bleeds daylight. Bruce Cockburn
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By right we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
PONDERTHIS Where are you in need of light to overcome darkness? Are you looking in the right places for the light to come? What story are you holding to as you wait for light to come and darkness to fade?
Going camping in the open countryside is a brilliant way to reconnect with nature. And when you look up on a clear night, all you see are stars. Look around you and all is dark and formless, without definition. Look up and there is light. And over time your eyes begin to grow used to the darkness, and the seemingly distant light of the stars somehow reaches into the gloom around you. Things that had no clarity start to take on shape and distinction. You cannot hurry the darkness away, but it gradually diminishes because light comes. As a small child, I got lost in the middle of a busy city. I think I misplaced my parents for about three minutes, but in my childlike mind I had lost them and therefore I was lost too. So I stood like a statue surrounded by people bigger, taller and louder than me and started looking carefully for something or someone I might recognise. As I stood there, with tears welling up in my eyes, surrounded by chaos and confusion, I heard my mum. She was calling my name. Through all the people I could hear her and I began to move towards her voice. We have to have the courage to stop momentarily and listen and look to where the light is coming from. It may take a while to spot it, but it will come. And when it does, we must take ourselves, those we lead and the communities we are working with towards the light. Order your own copy of A Beautiful Mess from Amazon.com
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SUDOKU
OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS
Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers 1 to 9 appear once in every row, column and 3x3 square. Difficulty | Medium
2 7
3
7 9 6 1 6 2 8 1 3 8 7 9 9 6 8 2 3 9 8 7
Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 11–12 Feb: Welcome to Cadets, Fiji 14 Feb: Officers Councils and Regional Meeting, Tonga 20–21 Feb: Officers Councils, Midland Division 26–27 Feb: Officers Councils, Northern Division 28 Feb–1 March: Officers Councils, Southern Division Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 11–12 Feb: Welcome to Cadets, Fiji 20–22 Feb: Officers Councils, Midland Division 26–27 Feb: Officers Councils, Northern Division
1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017 salvationarmy.org.nz/prayer
5
2 8
24/7 Prayer is an idea as ancient as the Church that has found new life and fresh voice. Will we let our voice be heard?
Shop online at
24/7 Prayer: • Is challenging, creative and mission-focused • unites age groups and people at all stages of faith • calls us to set aside the familiar and safe ways, and open ourselves to new ways of being in God’s presence. • imagine what will change within us and in our world as we dedicate quality time to prayer As we STOP // as we WAIT // as we PRAY
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Tauranga, Taveuni, Tavua, Tawa and Thames Corps, The Midland Division and The Salvation Army in Sri Lanka.
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Quiz Answers: 1 45th, 2 Āporo, 3 Victoria, 4 Seven, 5 The Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
Send to: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
4 7 8 1 9 2 6 5 3
Phone
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Address
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Name
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prayer for the following needs:
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The Salvation Army to contact me
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information about The Salvation Army
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to learn about who Jesus is
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I would like:
can you break our code?
Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not stop them.’ Mark 10:14, GNT
; . KEY
ANSWER: PSALM 143:8, GNT
help Ruffles get to his food
One day, some parents brought their children to meet Jesus. Jesus’ friends thought he was too busy to be bothered with kids, so they tried to chase the children away. But Jesus told his friends off. ‘Don’t send them away,’ he said. He told everyone that it was important to be as enthusiastic and happy as a child in the way they come to God. This Bible story reminds us how much Jesus loves us and wants us to be close to him.
follow these directions
spot 8 differences
Junior soldiers in The Salvation Army promise to pray and read their Bibles. These are two ways to stay close to Jesus. It also helps to go to church and spend time with people who can teach us about how to live for Jesus every day.
Dear Jesus, I want to stay close to you this year. Help me to remember to talk to you in prayer often, and help me to understand the Bible more. Thank you for people who teach me more about you! Amen. 11 FEBRUARY 2017 WarCry 23