13 November 2021 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 13 NOVEMBER 2021 | Issue 6780 | $1.50

Heart of the Matter The

Joining hands all around the world Marks of Honour Changing the world one chicken at a time

Children Shine in Tonga Managing difficult days

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS Catherine

& William 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 Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Holly Morton, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT 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.

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Publishing for 138 years | Issue 6780 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

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Heart and Brain Communion Recently, scientists have confirmed that the heart has its own brain, called the intracardiac nervous system, which interacts with the bigger brain and affects heart health.

It was traditionally assumed that the communication pathways between the head and heart were one-sided and that the heart responded to the brain’s commands, but biologist James Schwaber and his colleagues from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA, have learned that communication between the heart and brain is actually an ongoing, two-way dialogue, where the brain and heart continuously influence the other’s function.

This theme, of our thought life affecting our heart health, is highlighted in this edition’s Soul Food, where Major Earle Ivers gives us the Scriptural basis for this relationship and challenges us to consider the impact that wrong thinking can have on our heart health.

Many verses in the Bible, particularly in Proverbs, confirm the relationship between our attitudes and our health; for example, ‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones’ (Proverbs 17:22), or, ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones’ (Proverbs 14:30). The attitude of the heart (or the brain) can have an influence on the health of our very bones, so it is to our advantage to heed the Scriptural warnings and keep our thought life in check.

After all, the Holy Spirit is a guest in our bodies and wouldn’t it be great if this was a peaceful and calm place for him to live?

Vivienne Hill Editor

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.

Mother Teresa

Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Ngā Waiata 19:14 Kia manakohia ngā kupu a tōku māngai: me ngā whakaaro o tōku ngākau i tōu aroaro, e Ihowā, e tōku kāmaka, e tōku kaihoko.

Faith Testimonies

W

e all love a good story. And when it comes to church communities, we especially enjoy hearing about the chance encounters, miraculous revelations and enormous transformations of character which brought people into our buildings.

At the same time, a lot of the people I interview who were born into Christian families, and who grew up in the church, apologise for their lack of a coming-to-faith story; they articulate how, at times, they wish they had a ‘better’ one. As I tell them, I think a lot of us have felt that way before.

I still often wish that I had a singular moment to recount to people, when they ask why I believe what I believe, beyond what my parents taught me as a child. I have never lived a day when I didn’t know about faith, prayer or the gospel. I haven’t felt the enormous shift between life without Christ to life with Christ—which is probably why I am intrigued by the stories of people who have.

I have been fortunate to witness three friends’ faith commitments in recent months. Two of these women are new Christians; God spoke to them through some awesome people, and now they are on fire for Jesus because he has completely changed the course of their lives. The third grew up in a church family, just like my own, and decided

to make a public stand for Jesus. All were equally special celebrations. At the third one, on a windy yet picturesque Monday afternoon at a beach, I wasn’t standing by saying, well, this isn’t as exciting because she had a head start.

People talk about passing ‘the faith’ on, from generation to generation, as if it were an object— like an heirloom or family memoir. In fact, each of our faiths is formed with unique building blocks, impacted by different obstacles and reshaped by the people and moments we experience. There is no step-by-step, guaranteed recipe for passing on the Christian message, no way to safeguard it with bubble wrap. And yet, it continues to journey from person to person, year to year, generation to generation.

It is so worthwhile to hear stories about everybody’s varying journeys to faith and celebrate them all. There is much cynicism in the world, and an increasing necessity to double- and triple-check everything we read, hear and believe in. If you have held on to the faith of your childhood, whether with both hands or by just clinging on, that story is remarkable too.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

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Musical Come From Away (G, Available to stream on Apple TV+) Directed by Christopher Ashley Originally produced in 2013, this Broadway musical recording is set around the events of 9/11 when the United States airspace ground to a standstill, and 38 planes were diverted to the small town of Gander in Newfoundland, Canada.

Over 7000 people were stranded there for four days. The passengers were met with extraordinary generosity from the residents, and the story speaks to the humanness of going above and beyond to help others (including a moving scene about The Salvation Army response). Come From Away features many characters based on real people who landed in Gander, including Beverly Bass, the first female captain of an American Airlines plane, and rookie reporter Janice Goudie, who was on the ground during all the commotion. This musical holds a great balance of lightness and humour in the context of tragedy, with engaging songs and an impressive 12-member cast playing the entire town as well as those who had ‘come from away’. This was a thought-provoking watch with a lot of heart. (Reviewed by Holly Morton)

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift? J3:16 Gifts (www.j316.site) has kindly gifted War Cry one of their ‘Church of the Good Shepherd’ puzzles to give away to a reader! For your chance to win, email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz and tell us which church you would put on your puzzle!

Entries must be received by 3 December.

QUIKQUIZ

1 Who is Will Smith’s best friend in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?

2 What is the only Grand Slam Maria Sharapova has won twice?

3 In Italian, what number is undici?

4 Addis Ababa is the capital of which country?

5 In the Bible, who prepared a meal for two angels in Sodom?

Answers on page 22 4 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

WARCRY INHISTORY

This helpful infographic from the 14 March 1931 edition showed the 12 activities which each child’s day should be structured around. Lots of play and eating, it seems— however, we’re not sure it accounts for the 2021 challenges of level changes, when going to school isn’t an option…

Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Plowman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission.

TOPFIVE

Soccer might be the most popular sport in over 200 countries, while rugby tops the list for all four of our territorial countries, but what other sports are number one around the world?

Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

Malachy McCourt

1. Archery—Bhutan 2. Ice Hockey—Estonia (among others) 3. Wrestling—Mongolia 4. Gaelic Football— Republic of Ireland 5. Cricket—Trinidad and Tobago (among others)

Vegan Choc Chip Cookies 80g canola oil 75g (or 60ml) aquafaba [see tip] 1 tsp vanilla essence ⅓ cup caster sugar ⅓ cup brown sugar

Weird of the Week: Caterpillars have more muscles than humans.

1½ cups plain flour ¼ tsp baking soda Pinch of salt 1 cup chocolate chips or nuts/dried fruits

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, aquafaba, vanilla, caster sugar and brown sugar.

Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and chocolate chips. Mix together to combine.

Place spoonfuls on a lined baking tray, then place in the fridge. In the meantime, heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

Tip: Aquafaba is the water that comes from a tin of chickpeas. Be sure to use the chickpeas somewhere else to reduce waste—they’re great added to a curry or a casserole.

Source: countdown.co.nz

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Together

We’re

t n h i i l s l a

Commissioner Betty Matear (left) meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis.

Commissioner Betty Matear has had many roles throughout her officership in The Salvation Army. War Cry interviewed her on the eve of her retirement from a successful and ground-breaking ministry that even included a Royal Wedding.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

C

ommissioner Betty Matear is a passionate advocate for Salvationists to embrace ecumenism and partner with Christians from all denominations. As the Secretary for International Ecumenical Relations, she has spent the past five years as the bridge between these denominations and The Salvation Army around the world.

Representing The Salvation Army on several global forums, Betty has demonstrated the importance of Salvationists joining and collaborating with all Christians in every step of their journey, from leadership roles to community outreach. She has also been pivotal in arranging several meetings between the Army and high-profile Christian leaders, while also garnering several personal achievements.

Betty was the first Salvationist elected as Moderator of the Free Churches Group, which consists of 26 denominations who state they ‘seek to promote faithful Christian witness in the public square’ in England and in Wales. In 2011, she was chosen as vice-president of the High Council of The Salvation Army to oversee the process of electing the next General of the world-wide Salvation Army—the first female married officer to be appointed to the role.

After a career spanning corps officership, chaplaincy, youth work, social services, church growth, personnel, overseas appointments, leadership, women’s ministries and ecumenism in The Salvation Army, Betty says the heart of each role has been the people and doing her part to help them flourish.

‘I don’t ever see myself as a kind of trailblazer, in that sense,’ she says. ‘To see people flourish, that truly is what the gospel message is about—to see them flourish in Christ and to see them develop in their relationship to Christ, whether it’s men, women, children, you just give your best.’

The path to The Salvation Army Betty grew up in Scotland in a Christian family, but not with a Salvation Army background. ‘I left home to go to study in Glasgow, and during my studies I went to spend a summer in America—my employers were The Salvation Army,’ she says.

Betty was looking for a job post-graduation and sought a reference from The Salvation Army, but instead they offered her a job.

One night, while working for the Army, she was unable to get to her own church. ‘I took myself to The Salvation Army, and felt the call of God to something called Salvation Army officership. I didn’t know what that was at all, so I went home and spent the night praying about it.’

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‘IT’S IN THE AREAS OF FELLOWSHIP, WHERE CHRISTIANS GET TOGETHER AND DISCOVER THE BLESSING THAT THERE IS MORE THAT UNITES THEM THAN DIVIDES THEM.’

Within the year, she had arrived in London at the training college. ‘It was a huge learning curve, if I was to be obedient to God … but that was the way it worked for me, and I believe it was God’s plan for me at that time, and the doors opened and here we are.’

In her second year of training, Betty specialised in social services, after which she was commissioned to The Salvation Army’s alcoholic assessment unit. Then, after she married her husband, John (whom she met at training college), they began their journey in corps officership in Surrey, England.

Serving in the Caribbean Eventually, Betty and John were appointed as commissioners, and received their first international appointment in 2001, as territorial leaders of the Caribbean Territory. ‘That was hugely influential to my officership and ministry … the [territory] did more for me than I ever would have done for them.’

As territorial president of Women’s Ministries, one of her main takeaways was that the women from the ten different countries of the territory were incredibly creative.

‘In the Caribbean, life is tough, and life for women is tough,’ she says. ‘The women there want to develop their education and ministry.’ For example, ‘because they don’t have a lot of money … they’d bring money every week and it would be saved for them by The Salvation Army. And come Christmas, they would have a little nest egg that they could go home and share with their families.’

Another creative, generous way to share their finances was at home meetings, where each woman would bring a little bit of money each week. ‘Supposing there were 30 in the whole league, each week one of those women would get that money, so they would get 30-times the money and that would be very life-changing for them.’

The same concept occurred with the women bringing small amounts of food to add to a hamper of groceries each week, which was given to one of the women.

Wearing many hats Following this appointment, Commissioners Betty and John took up the same positions in their home territory of the 8 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

United Kingdom and Ireland. During this appointment, Betty also took on the role of chairperson of The Salvation Army’s anti-human trafficking venture. Their team secured the government contract to coordinate all anti-human trafficking work within the country and developed a body of volunteers to transport rescued women to a safe house.

At the same time, Betty was elected as the Moderator of the Free Churches Group, the first Salvationist to be appointed to the role. Over four years, she was the public face of the Free Churches Group.

‘Whenever there was an event—be it at a church or nationally—I represented the free churches.’ These included going to government events, royal garden parties and major national events—and even the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, where she was seated alongside the other clergy in Westminster Abbey.

‘They were dressed in all their glorious finery and I was in my simple, navy blue uniform,’ she remembers. ‘We had a good view of all the comings and goings of William and Catherine and everyone else in the Abbey. I got a piece of wedding cake that I still have … it’s still in its little box, with the Prince of Wales’ crest.’

After the wedding, she travelled up north for another event, but muses that her experience might have accidentally stolen some of the spotlight from the next event. ‘Everyone was saying … “Let’s see the invitation, let’s see the order of service!”’

It was a chance she could never have predicted at the start of her officership journey, but she greatly appreciated the privilege of the opportunities to attend this and other civic occasions.

‘My mother always said, “Can you imagine?”’ she says. ‘“This wee lassie is going to the palace!”’

Building ecumenical relationships Even though Betty is retiring from her current appointment, she actually retired nine years ago, but she was asked to continue in an ‘appointment in retirement’ as a corps officer

for four years. After concluding this, she received a phone call from the General in 2016, asking if she would take on the role as secretary for International Ecumenical Relations.

In this role, she was involved in meetings such as the World Council of Churches Committee, the Global Christian Forum, the Council of World Christian Communions and the World Evangelical Alliance. Within these wider bodies, The Salvation Army interacts with every Christian denomination.

‘They are very welcoming of The Salvation Army and that’s a great privilege.’

One of the many friendships she has built was with colleagues from the Roman Catholic Church. With the help of the Officer Commanding in Italy (the General’s representative to the Vatican), they were able to organise a meeting with the General and His Holiness Pope Francis, in 2019. ‘We enjoyed the day immensely,’ she recalls.

Several meetings between the General and global faith leaders have been made possible, many thanks to Betty’s influence.

‘The General’s been fabulously generous with his time and invited folks to International Headquarters, and we’ve sat around the table with a meal and a cup of tea and asked them to share the challenges facing their churches.’

Going forward, everything is in place now for The Salvation Army to have conversations with the Roman Catholic Church, in addition to established ongoing relationships with denominations, such as the Lutheran and Methodist churches.

Betty’s final project in the role has involved working on an upcoming webinar in conjunction with the World Methodist Council, to explore the areas where they currently work together. ‘We’ll feature some work in Australia in education, we’ll feature work among refugees in Mexico … Recovery Church in the UK and some rural ministries.’

Joining hands all around the world For the past five years, while representing The Salvation Army, she has placed equal importance on ecumenical work at the community level—such as her service as a hospital chaplain. She believes that ecumenism is not just something that happens at the top levels of churches—it happens at the grassroots level. ‘In fact, that’s the place it really does happen,’ she says. ‘When I share with some of the Roman Catholic folks in the hospital, I say, “I’m not of your faith, but I know the Holy Father” and I will show them my picture [with the Pope], so that kind of melts the situation.

‘It’s in the areas of fellowship, where Christians get together and discover the blessing that there is more that unites us than divides us.’

She points to Jesus’ prayer in John 17, verse 21: ‘that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.’

‘When there’s a heart communication between Christians, then it’s beautiful. It’s not about being different. It’s really about saying we are actually diverse, and God has gifted us,’ she says. ‘We can contribute to making something much bigger, much stronger together.

‘William Booth is reputed to have said that he would want to join hands all around the world with the love of Jesus.’

She gives the example of how different churches may work together on a large scale during natural disaster recoveries or to help refugees. ‘We don’t have to have protectionist or fortress mentalities. We really are all in this together. The Lord gave us all the commission to go into the world and take the gospel to everybody.’

Reflecting on the journey Betty is grateful for how God has provided so many wonderful relationships for her and John along their journey—including their marriage and son. ‘I thank God for those people who were gifted to us,’ she affirms. ‘And God himself—that’s the key one.’

Betty felt that officership was a blessed way to raise her child, and appreciated the flexibility that enabled her to do things like school pick-ups, drop-offs and attending school sports days. She found that the biggest challenge came when her son had grown up, and she and John went to the Caribbean Territory without him. ‘In family life, you learn something about the unconditional love of God with all the to-ing and fro-ing,’ she says.

God’s grace has been a constant for Betty, from the beginning to the conclusion of her official Salvation Army journey. ‘We really have no concept of how wide God’s grace is.

He receives so many people that we might wrongly hold at arm’s length,’ she praises. ‘It’s absolutely phenomenal that God loves us that much and keeps coming back when we’re off track.’

Going forward, she wants to continue living out that love in her own life.

‘While I’m concluding my official Salvation Army role, my heart has not retired. It’s carrying on.’

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Dreading That Day? Grief is rarely dormant, but there are days when it may rear its head more harshly than others.

Widely acknowledged special calendar dates—like Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day or other holidays—can be especially challenging, but there are also the days that are poignant just for you.

There are all sorts of reasons why you might be mourning on these days. The first missed anniversary after breaking up with somebody. A birthday of a friend you are no longer in contact with. It could be the day of an event you were desperate to attend, or a business opportunity you missed out on.

Here are four ways you can plan ahead for these days.

1. BE PREPARED

If it’s the first time this day has rolled around, be ready for all sorts of possibilities the day might present.

Likewise, if this day has been tough for you in the past, learn from that. Think about what activities and/or people make you feel better when you’re struggling. Spending time with people you love, doing something you enjoy or combining the two might not completely mask the grief, but it could remove some of the sting. Don’t agree to plans that day if you know it will/could be tough or unenjoyable. If you need to say no to something you usually enjoy, that’s okay too.

NEVER FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO CARRY YOUR GRIEF ALONE, OR THAT YOU WILL SPOIL SOMEONE’S DAY BY LETTING THEM KNOW A HOLIDAY COULD BE A STRUGGLE FOR YOU. 4. KEEP SOMEONE YOU TRUST IN THE LOOP

2. ACKNOWLEDGE HOW YOU’RE FEELING—

If you are feeling isolated, talk to somebody who makes you feel supported and free to express yourself. Involve them in your plans or ask if you can call them during the day if you need to chat—whether to talk through how you are feeling or get your mind off it completely. Never feel like you have to carry your grief alone, or that you will spoil someone’s day by letting them know a holiday could be a struggle for you. Grief is a human experience and people will naturally want to make it easier for you.

3. PRACTISE MINDFULNESS

For some people these days may pass like any others. Grief can dial up or down when you least expect it. However, it helps to have a plan in place—just in case—to put yourself in the best position to handle whatever emotions the day throws at you.

whether it’s sadness, loneliness, fury, frustration or numbness. Write it down, cry it out or release your anger in a healthy way—like going for a run or punching a boxing bag. Make room during the day to dwell on your grief for a moment, but set a reasonable time limit and then shift your attention to a deliberate activity.

When you feel grief getting to you, it may help to close your eyes and focus on slowing down your breaths. Try to stay in the moment. Focus on things you can see in front of you—the date, where you are, et cetera. This technique is called grounding. Have some techniques like these ones ready ahead of time.

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Source: beyondblue.org.au

TESTIFY! Andy and Tamsyn Connor, from Hibiscus Coast Corps, have discovered a love of studying, and are excited to continue this journey at Booth College of Mission in 2022.

From their initial ambitions to become missionaries, they have felt God calling them onto a new path as Salvation Army officers.

Andy: I have been a Christian all my life. My dad preached; I’m sort of following in his footsteps, and it probably wasn’t the expected thing.

I’ve got long hair—and a beard almost as long—so I look like a biker. I’m a trained Mercedes Benz technician.

Recently, I’ve been building hot rod cars for shows out of Volkswagen Beetles, and I’ve also built a motorbike. I’ve run 11 marathons (first for World Vision, then for cancer support for my mum).

Basically, I do everything inside and outside of the box—give me something to do and I’ll have fun doing it.

Tamsyn: I grew up in an atheist home.

I became a Christian when I was 15, through being invited to church by Andrew’s sister. I’ve known Andrew for quite a long time, and we’ve been married for almost 30 years. We have two grown-up children—a 23-year-old and a 19-year-old. My background is in payroll, accounts and HR (human resources); I never anticipated what we’re going to be getting into next year.

God just changed everything.

Andy: Twelve years ago our house was leaky and it left us pretty much financially broken. We stuck some plane tickets on the end of the mortgage and took our young kids on a mission trip to Cambodia. That defined the next stage of our lives. Seeing the poverty was shocking. We decided we wanted to become missionaries, and we looked into MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship). Tamsyn started flying, and she’s a private pilot now. We were

ONCE I STARTED STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE, IT INCREASED MY FAITH. told we needed to study at least four subjects from a Christian diploma, but we liked studying so much we wanted to do the whole diploma. Once I started studying and understanding more about the Bible, it increased my faith. I have so many hobbies, but the biggest thing I’ve found is that I like studying.

Tamsyn: When you start studying, your eyes are just opened. You don’t realise how blinkered you had been before you study and the more in depth you go in different areas. I think the thing that we’ve found out most from the study is just the extent of God’s love, and you still can’t get your head around it.

went along to The Salvation Army, and we never looked back. Everybody was so welcoming. It was non-judgmental, you felt you were accepted and there was sound teaching. It was Captains Ben and Karen Schischka (former Hibiscus Coast corps officers) who asked us if we wanted to go to Delve (exploring officership).

Andy: We were invited to one of the Delve weekends last August.

Unfortunately, it was cancelled at the last minute because of Covid-19, but we met up with Captains Naomi and Nathan Holt (Northern Divisional Candidates Secretaries) to ask them some questions. This was followed in November by a ‘mini-Delve’, which happened only a few days after we had attended an MAF conference.

Tamsyn: Whilst we were at the MAF retreat, I really felt that God was telling me this was not where he wanted us to serve him.

Andy: We had a choice, two routes we were looking at. We felt that The Salvation Army was the pathway we were called to take.

We went to a Pentecostal church for 10 years, but it was such a big church. We 13 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 11

Luke Carpenter, from Johnsonville Corps, had the opportunity to serve as an intern for World Vision in 2021.

He writes about his experiences and how he has seen for himself that we can all make a difference.

Late in 2020, with the end of school fast approaching, all I knew was that I didn’t want to go to university and one day I wanted to work at Blue Mountain Adventure Centre. I had plans to study outdoor instructing down in Greymouth; however, God had other ideas.

At the start of my Year 13, I had the awesome opportunity to go to Auckland for a week with World Vision and learn all about that year’s World Vision 40 Hour Famine. I came back to Wellington with a spark to create long-lasting change, so, along with a team of six students, we organised the World Vision 40 Hour Famine at Wellington College. Through our Runathon event and other various hype events, we ended up raising a record-breaking $101,394.82. This fueled my spark into a flame, and I decided to apply to be a World Vision Youth Ambassador for 2021.

With plans to study down south mostly completed, I decided to take a riskier approach to my application with one goal: stand out. I’ve since been told that my rap and music video had succeeded in standing out. I ended up getting the position, so off I went to Auckland to become a World Vision Youth Ambassador.

12 firezone.co.nz 13 NOVEMBER 2021

Throughout my application process, I learnt one important lesson: God will make a way. If it is in his plan, he will make a way. So many different components lined up so I was able to get the position and live in Auckland for six months. My application was well received, I had previous experience overseas seeing how World Vision operated and some family friends were open to having me live with them, just to name a few.

At World Vision my role was to inspire and mobilise young people. I did this by touring the Upper North Island, speaking in schools, churches and youth groups.

I helped them create an action plan to run the World Vision 40 Hour Famine and equipped them with the leadership skills they needed to organise events and communicate effectively with staff, students and the local community. I also had the opportunity to help run and speak at national leadership conferences for high school leaders and intermediateaged students.

Working at World Vision was so special. It took me a while to realise just

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY. IF IT IS IN HIS PLAN, HE WILL MAKE A WAY. how much of a difference we can make. Whether you’re young or have built up some life experience, you can make a change. You don’t need to have a lot to change the lives of your brothers and sisters at home and across the world.

I saw this firsthand when I travelled to Cambodia and met one of my family’s sponsored children, Udon. Through our sponsorship, Udon and his family were able to buy a chicken—they could eat the eggs, sell the chicks for extra income and use the manure for their garden. Eventually Udon and his family saved up enough from selling the chicks and they bought a cow. This cow meant that they could drink the milk and sell the calves. From buying the chicken and their cow, Udon and his family started to eat better, which meant they got sick less often, so Udon could go to school more and when he was at

school he could learn better. Soon they saved up enough and Udon’s father bought a motorbike. This meant he could travel to the capital city and work. Through selling the chicks and the calves, Udon was not only able to go to high school, but he finished high school.

My favourite part of the story is that right now, Udon, his family and their entire village have been lifted out of poverty. That all started with one chicken. This year, through the World Vision 40 Hour Famine, one chicken costs $26. Just $26 to change the lives of an entire community.

We can all make a difference. Any of us, at any age or stage of life, can help our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world. Whether it’s donating to a charity like World Vision or The Salvation Army, or using our purchasing power to only buy products that are ethical and organic, we are called by God to love our neighbours.

I can tell you from firsthand experience that we can truly change the world.

This year, tens of thousands of young people in Aotearoa raised over $1.8 million, which provided 294 chickens, planted community gardens that supplied food for over 5542 people and provided life-saving food for 1930 children and 386 families living in sub-Saharan Africa.

YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE A LOT TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT HOME AND ACROSS THE WORLD. In Matthew 25:35–40 it says: ‘“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”. The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.’

How will you change the world?

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Marks of Honour

BY AUX CAPTAIN AMIRIA TE WHIU

For many centuries the moko kauae (chin tattoo) has been proudly worn by Māori women of Aotearoa and is nowadays worn more commonly by Māori women living overseas, connecting them to their birthplace.

Women who wear the moko kauae are chosen by their whānau (family), hapū or iwi (tribe) to wear this age-old taonga (treasure).

They are called to hold and connect whakapapa (genealogy), hītori (history), mahi tuku iho (traditional practices), mātauranga (knowledge) and tikanga (protocols) given to them. They have served their people well and are recognised for the mana they possess. Ask any Māori woman who wears a moko kauae, and she will tell you they are ‘marks of honour’ that she is proud to wear for her people.

The revelation My moko kauae journey has been both a calling and a secret yearning in me for many years. I say secret because it is not something we ask for outright, nor is it entitlement or rite of passage to have one. It is first a privilege and blessing to be identified as the person to wear this sacred taonga. It has taken 14 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

me well over half a century to be given the honour of receiving my moko kauae, on behalf of my whānau, hapū and iwi.

I believe that every Māori woman knows her moko kauae lies deep within her; it is what the old people call ‘he momo whaitake’ (a trait of significance)—just waiting to be revealed.

I believe my moko kauae has always been within me, longing to be freed and to be seen. Over the years, I often thought of the Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet Michelangelo, who would take his mallet and chisel to a piece of marble to reveal the beauty of the hidden image in its depths. In similar ways, the tā moko artist revitalised the art of skillfully using their tools to reveal the hidden beauty of the moko kauae that lay dormant for a time, waiting to adorn its wearer’s kauae (chin).

The calling has been more prevalent within me over the past two years, and I knew it was time to take it before God and commit this yearning to him in prayer. The only other time that

AS I LOOK BACK AT THE PIONEERS OF THE SALVATION ARMY, I REMEMBER MĀORI WOMEN LIKE MARAEA MORRIS FROM TE AITANGA-A-MAHAKI, WHO WORE HER MOKO KAUAE PROUDLY AS A SOLDIER. I recall ever feeling tugged in a specific direction was when God called me to serve my people as an ordained minister in the church, and that was a journey that required ears to hear, trust, commitment and loads of faith.

Seeking God first So down on my knees, I went in search of God’s peace and understanding because in Philippians 4:6–7 it says ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

I shared with God my longing, my deep yearning to wear my moko kauae on the outside, and Psalm 139 came to mind.

‘O Lord, you have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O Lord.’ At that moment, his peace rested on me.

THE CALLING HAS BEEN MORE PREVALENT WITHIN ME OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND I KNEW IT WAS TIME TO TAKE IT BEFORE GOD AND COMMIT THIS YEARNING TO HIM IN PRAYER. The journey begins That journey started with long cups of tea and conversations with whānau, children, mokopuna (grandchildren) and my husband.

They were excited for me kia mau taku moko kauae (to wear my moko kauae). But I still had to meet with older siblings and surviving aunts and uncles whom I feared would say no.

I talked with those in the whānau who also represented hapū and iwi and I was met with respect, acceptance and acknowledgement for who I had become, and for my achievements and servanthood to my whānau and all people.

In those conversations, I was approved to receive my tohu hōnore (badge of honour).

Instead, Covid-19 regulations would see me doing it alone with just myself and moko kauae artist, Tipene Murdock, together in a sterile studio room. With pods in my ears, I closed my eyes and tuned into the beautiful recording of my 17-yearold mokopuna Parekura Te Miringa Kira-Te Whiu singing in te reo. I imagined her saying ‘It’s alright, Nanny; you’ve got this, we’ve got this, God’s got this’. She’s the healer and the warrior in our whānau.

Although it was not what I expected, the experience was peaceful; I was relaxed and ready for pain, but surprisingly the procedure occurred with minimal discomfort. One hour and twenty minutes later, I was helped up and given a hand mirror to see for the first time my moko kauae—my beautiful moko kauae—and tears filled my eyes. With gratitude in my heart, I gave thanks to God.

I wear it for you Every moko kauae has a meaning behind it, and I wear my moko kauae to recognise all the achievements gained during my lifetime. I wear it as a Māori woman who is invested in my culture and my people. I wear it in recognition of being a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, friend, minister, teacher, weaver, artist, poet, story writer and keeper of knowledge, history and whakapapa. I wear it for my tamariki (children), my mokopuna (grandchildren and greats), my whānau, hapū and iwi; I wear it proudly for each of them.

This moko kauae connects them to their te ao Māori (Māori worldview) and encourages them to be proud of who they are.

I wear it to encourage other Māori women everywhere that it is okay to reveal your inner beauty and reflect that beauty that positively bonds people to one another, enriching lives and culture; to take that leap of faith and to go on that journey to seek your moko kauae. I wear it to revitalise the history of my marae in Ngāpuhi, Tainui, Te Arawa and Tūhoe, and in remembrance of my forebears—grandfathers and grandmothers.

As I look back at the pioneers of The Salvation Army, I remember Māori women like Maraea Morris from Te Aitanga-aMahaki, who wore her moko kauae proudly as a soldier. I smile as I think of those pioneering kuia of the past and am so proud to wear my moko kauae alongside them as a Māori officer of The Salvation Army today.

Covid-19 and doing it alone However, despite all good intentions and well-manicured plans for whānau and friends to gather to sing and worship and pray together, it was not meant to be. A second Covid-19 lockdown would stop the event in its tracks, cancelling my September sitting which was scheduled to happen at my home corps in Whangārei.

13 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 15

GAZETTE

Send Me To Shine ‘Send me to shine’ was the theme for the Tonga Region’s Children’s Weekend Camp. Children between the ages of 5 to 13 years gathered together for a weekend at Montford School in Tonga, from 17 to 19 September.

The camp was blessed with 113 children registering, along with 28 leaders and helpers. This was the largest number ever in attendance at a children’s camp.

We praise God for allowing the opportunity to invite people from Vava’u (one of the islands) to come to this event for the first time. Nine children with two leaders, who represented the Vava’u Corps Plant, came for the weekend. Children attending were from The Salvation Army as well as from other churches.

During the weekend the children were educated and encouraged with programmes and activities provided for them, as well as input from various guest speakers. They were also empowered to cultivate a willing spirit to accept the task or work assigned to them.

Another blessing was the music, including praise and worship, which was brought to campers by our Regional Junior Worship Team, who played for the first time in public.

Children responded with willing hearts when they heard God call them to join in God’s work after a message was given with the theme of ‘Send Me’ (Isaiah 6:9). In being ‘sent’, children learnt that there’s a light within them. ‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16).

It was a wonderful weekend of fellowship, empowerment and worship. Praise be to God!

BY SESILINA PALU

16 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

Promotion to Glory: Major Betty Taylor, on 24 October 2021, aged 79 years. Betty Anne Taylor was born in Whanganui on 27 July 1942 and entered training college in 1974 from New Plymouth Corps as a cadet in the Soldiers of the Cross session.

Following commissioning, Betty was appointed as Assistant to Resthaven Eventide Home, Napier, and then three months later as Assistant, Emergency Lodge Masterton. Appointments as Assistant followed at Sunshine Lodge Eventide Home, Christchurch (1977); Te Waiteata Youth Hostel, Gisborne (1979) and Florence Booth Emergency Lodge, Wellington (1980) then as Matron of the Florence Booth Emergency Lodge, Wellington, followed by appointments as Matron, Autumn Lodge Resthome, Wellington (1983); Manager, Masterton Family Care Centre (1984); Assistant, Wellington Bridgehaven (1987); Assistant, Omahu House, Wellington (1990); Assistant, Maureen Plowman Resthome, Auckland (1994); and Manager, Masterton Family Care Centre (1997). On 17 January 1999 Betty entered retirement. We honour Major Betty Taylor for her faithful and committed service.

Please uphold Betty’s extended family in your prayers in this time of grief and loss. Well done good and faithful ‘Soldier of the Cross’ of Jesus Christ.

Bereavement: Captain Gabrielle Choi, of her mother-in-law Aea Sung Lee, from Korea, on 20 October. Gabrielle’s husband Daniel In has left for Korea and Gabrielle is exploring how she can join and support him shortly. We ask you to uphold in prayer Captain Gabrielle Choi and Daniel In, along with other family members in this time of grief and loss.

Ken Smith, of his mother Lois Smith, on 21 October, aged 86 years.

We ask you to uphold in prayer Majors Ken and Denise Smith, along with other family members in this time of grief and loss.

Major Frederick Vaea, of his mother ‘Ivoni Fo Holoholo a Tungi Vaea, on 26 October, aged 77 years. Due to Covid restrictions Frederick and ‘Ana Vaea will be unable to travel to New Zealand from Tonga to be with family at this time. We ask you to uphold in prayer Majors Frederick and ‘Ana Vaea, and their extended family at this time of grief, loss and separation.

Promotion: Effective 9 November 2021, we congratulate Captain Joesvata Serevi on his promotion to Major. We thank Major Joe Serevi for his faithful service and pray God's blessing on him.

International service appointment: Effective 1 February 2022, Major Graham Medland has been appointed Territorial Secretary for Business Administration for Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory.

Major Lynne Medland has been appointed Territorial Secretary for Programme for Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory.

First-time grandparents: We congratulate Majors Brenda and Nigel Luscombe on the safe arrival of their first grandchild, Everleigh Meadow Luscombe. Everleigh was born in Wellington on Wednesday 27 October 2021, weighing 7lb 7oz (3.5 kgs). We join with her parents Josh and Summer Luscombe, and grandparents Majors Brenda and Nigel Luscombe, as they celebrate the birth of Everleigh, and pray God's blessing on them all.

University Degree Blends Faith and Business For faith organisations that operate services in an increasingly business-orientated landscape, their leaders and employees can benefit from an understanding of leadership and management principles to complement the faith foundation of their work.

Enter the University of Otago’s master’s degree (and postgraduate diploma) in Faith-based Leadership and Management, designed to address this precise need.

The Salvation Army has a memorandum of understanding with The University of Otago, which facilitates ongoing conversations and opportunities to collaborate between the two organisations, and the Faith-based Leadership and Management degree was developed through these discussions.

Professor Paul Trebilco, coordinator of postgraduate study in the university’s Theology Programme, was heavily involved in the creation of the programme, and says that he was encouraged

by The Salvation Army’s feedback that this was a qualification the church would appreciate.

The value of this qualification from The Salvation Army’s perspective is for when someone comes from a ministry background and is called to work with employment issues or business administration, it gives them the skills, but also underpins this with theology.

The Faith-based Leadership and Management degree takes advantage of the Theology Programme’s knowledge in areas such as human wellbeing, social justice and theological anthropology, all the while benefiting from the knowledge within the MBA (Master of Business Administration) programme at the University of Otago.

‘We think it’s a really good mix of things,’ Paul says. ‘We have a really top-class MBA programme and business school here, and we can offer something in conjunction with them, knowing that they’re experts in business and leadership.’

The first-year equivalent of the Master of Faith-based Leadership and Management degree is made up of papers from both the Business and Theology programmes. The business papers enable students to learn about subjects such as Organisational Leadership, Human Resource Management and Strategic Planning.

Meanwhile, the theology papers cover topics such as Public Theology, Social Justice (how the kingdom values of justice and equity work out in the public sphere) and Theological Perspectives on Leadership. Their intention is to provide ‘quite a lot of deep thinking about what we’re trying to do in our interactions, in our engagement with society’.

The third and final component of the course is a research thesis, where students choose a project topic about a facet of leadership in a faith-based organisation.

It is an 18-month-long master’s degree when completed at full-time pace; however, most students choose to study parttime and spread the papers over a period of two to three years.

‘It’s fine, also, for people to do a couple of papers, or to start here and drop it for a little while, and then pick it up again … it’s very flexible,’ Paul assures.

They also offer a one-year equivalent postgraduate diploma qualification to students who only wish to study the papers without the thesis component.

All learning takes place online, taught through video conferences. Classes are usually scheduled in the evenings to fit in with students studying around full-time employment.

The course explores what Paul calls a ‘fascinating dual purpose’ of working sustainably and effectively in a business world, while carrying a different motivation to a traditional business model.

‘You have to be concerned about finances and management, but you have another bottom line as well, in terms of how much you’re achieving your overarching theological goals or what the church wants to do in terms of transformation of society,’ he remarks.

Paul sees their relationship with the MBA programme—and the entire university—as a huge plus. ‘[It] opens up all sorts of advantages for being able to work with the wider university,’ he affirms. ‘They’ve got great expertise … and we can take advantage of that. We’ve had papers jointly taught with bioethics, for example, in the medical school. It’s been part of thinking what can we do in theology in the university that opens up new avenues in terms of courses and things that are of help to the churches?’

The reception from students, obtained via graduation year reviews, has been very positive, with graduates praising the course for expanding their knowledge of leadership concepts and its provision of helpful feedback to guide their learning.

The Theology Programme also offers a Bachelor of Theology, Master of Chaplaincy, Master of Ministry and PhD in Theology.

‘We hope it’s a balanced portfolio across a range of different areas,’ Paul says.

For the postgraduate qualifications in Faith-based Leadership and Management, prospective students must have completed a previous degree—in any discipline—with satisfactory grades.

‘Sometimes, if people want to do particular papers, they might need to do one theology paper as a prerequisite,’ Paul explains, ‘but generally, they can just pick it up as a postgraduate diploma or master’s straight from their other area of study.’

Their core target audience are people working in church organisations whose roles entail a leadership and management dimension. People from a range of denominations—including The Salvation Army—have completed the degree, and the university’s goal is to see the number and variety of students continue to grow.

‘We hope eventually that people in the not-for-profit, valuesbased organisations—Christians, but others too—might be interested in what we’re doing and further engage.’

To apply for the Master or Postgraduate Diploma in Faithbased Leadership and Management at the University of Otago in 2022, visit otago.ac.nz/courses/subjects/fblm.html for further information and entry requirements. Applications close on 10 December 2021.

For any general enquiries, contact theology@otago.ac.nz

13 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 17

International Leaders Attend Pakistan Territory’s Celebrations (Virtually) They may have been in London, UK, but for the weekend of 16-17 October 2021 the hearts of General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle (World President of Women’s Ministries) were almost 4,000 miles to the east, as they shared in a virtual visit with the Pakistan Territory.

An in-person event took place in a 600-person marquee at the territorial headquarters (THQ) compound in Lahore, with large screens enabling everything to be seen clearly.

Salvationists and friends from the rest of the territory followed the example of the international leaders and joined in on their computers, tablets or mobile phones.

Officers councils took place on Microsoft Teams, with only the officers from the closest two divisions attending in-person. The guests of honour were still afforded cultural welcomes despite the distance, with the international leaders draped with special shawls (and a hat for the General) that had been sent to London. The General launched the territory’s new Urdu song book and encouraged the officers to use it during worship and as a prayer book.

On Sunday, most of the territory took part in the morning meeting online, with an estimated ‘congregation’ of more than 20,000 viewers. In the afternoon, the whole territory was part of the meeting virtually, but officers from Lahore and Sheikhupura Divisions and representative local officers were present at THQ for the meetings. They were joined by denominational leaders including the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church and the General Secretary Designate of the Pakistan Bible Society.

Soldiers and officers from all over the territory participated by welcoming the international leaders through liturgical and ‘cultural’ dance, choirs, timbrels and Scripture readings and prayers. Testimonies included some by young people who shared experiences of a

18 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

Brengle for Youth Leaders holiness teaching event that was held in Murree in July 2021. ‘Celebration of Territory’ videos were played during the offering, with short clips from each division showing the breadth of Salvation Army ministry in Pakistan.

In the day’s first session, the General reminded the congregation that Christians are called to be God’s holy people. He challenged everyone to step out in faith and confidence, acting as God’s force for good against injustice.

In the second session, the General announced that corps status had been awarded to The Salvation Army in Quetta Jaffarabad and Chak No. 95 GB Ghari. The corps plant at Quetta has reached the minimum number of 70 soldiers for corps status and Chak No. 95 GB Ghari has developed from a society to a corps with more than 90 soldiers. He thanked God for the faithfulness of soldiers and officers from the two centres, also acknowledged that planting in Quetta had commenced under the leadership of previous territorial leaders Commissioners Carol and Ivor Telfer. He thanked God for their vision.

Territorial Commander Colonel Geoff Webb then presented corps flags to both new corps on behalf of the General.

In her Bible message, Commissioner Rosalie challenged the congregation to say ‘yes’ to God as he sends his people back into their communities and villages.

Throughout both days the Holy Spirit was moving, and in each meeting the mercy seat was lined with people responding to the Spirit-inspired messages of the international leaders.

REPORT BY CAPTAIN YASMIN ALLAH LOK, ASSISTANT EDITOR, PAKISTAN TERRITORY

…THEY ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS TO THE GLORY OF GOD… Gosh, life is messy at the moment, isn’t it? So much about the way we live looks to be changing. So many different opinions on what we should do, how we should respond. There’s been some ugliness in it all as we struggle to understand one another’s stances. But love is on my heart at the moment. Jesus said we are to love, just as he loved us. So how do we foster love in all of this?

What might it look like to pursue love in our prayer life?

Perhaps it begins with confession; bringing our brokenness before God and openly admitting how we’ve failed to love. Maybe it means meditating on passages of Scripture about love: 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:7–12 and John 13:34–35 are great places to start.

We can love others in our prayers by choosing to pray goodness, life and health over our families and friends, but also over those we struggle to understand or even like. Pursuing love in our prayer life might be as simple as sitting quietly in God’s presence, asking the Creator, the very being of love, to show us how we are loved, until we are convinced of it to our very core.

A prayer of love could be inviting the Holy Spirit to help us listen in love as someone expresses differing views to ours in conversation. It might be repeating a breath-prayer throughout our day; inhale ‘God of love’, exhale ‘may I also learn to love’.

BY CAPTAIN NAOMI HOLT

I have been reflecting on the ministry that The Salvation Army brings across the four nations of this territory; thinking of the years this has been happening, and how frequently we are blessed to be a blessing to others.

In the Bible, when Peter was writing to believers who were facing significant persecution, he encouraged them with ‘God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another’ (1 Peter 4:10, NLT).

When followers of Jesus Christ use their gifts in humble service to others, they are actually faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Peter wanted these believers, regardless of their difficulties, to put the welfare of others first.

To be ‘faithful’ means not to hide the gifts, but to use them as they were meant to be used—serving and building up the Body of Christ, so that it blesses others.

Our gifts, including our spiritual gifts, have been given to us by God to be used as he directs. They are not primarily for our own benefit; they are for the benefit of others to the glory of God, and they are to be shared. In principle, we have been blessed to be a blessing to others.

I’ve been wondering, what would it look like if followers of Jesus Christ embraced the gifts God has provided and utilised them fully for the glory of God and for the blessing of others?

If we were to each exercise the gifts—empowered by God—for the edification of the Church and if we serve one another in this way, our local church will look more and more like Jesus; and God will be glorified as his unmerited favour, love and grace are increasingly revealed.

Prior to verse 10, Peter gives advice on how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ, such as being earnest and disciplined in prayer and, most importantly of all, he says, ‘...continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins’ (1 Peter 4:8).

What an impact that would have on this world if we were to live and outwork the gifts God has given those who are his, so that it brings glory to God through Jesus Christ.

Let us use the gifts given to each of us, to love and serve one another.

INTERESTED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE? Reports, regular newsletters, TSA government submissions: salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy

Captain David Daly Territorial Secretary for Mission

13 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 19

HEART to HEART: Hardening of the Arteries

Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) is a disorder where arteries become narrowed as fat is deposited on the inside walls. Major Earle Ivers uses the analogy of cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in the world, to speak to the spiritual hardening of our hearts when we turn away from God. A diagnosis of heart disease is serious and may inevitably lead to a rollercoaster ride of treatment and recovery. Hopefully, the diagnosis occurs early so a full recovery can take place, as this condition is serious and may even be terminal.

This is most certainly not a medical forum, but there are some helpful facts that it pays to be aware of. There are contributing lifestyle factors in the formation of the disease, and, while there is treatment available, there are preventative measures that can and should be taken.

In our complacency, we sometimes heed the warnings with a grain of salt (pun intended). We are urged to consider our choices and levels of activity or inactivity. We’re told to consider our diet, to balance the food groups, to regulate our intake and to consume nutrients that sustain healthy bodies: 20 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

not too much fat, watch the cholesterol, mind the calories, count the carbs— everything in moderation.

The Apostle Paul’s words ring loud in our ears. He once wrote, ‘“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial’ (1 Cor 10:23a, CSB), and surely there is application for us in this sometimes complex journey toward general health and wellbeing.

Have you ever wondered why some of the things that are so bad for us just seem to taste so good? The temptation to indulge can often be superseded by our incapacity to resist. It just doesn’t seem fair, or so we convince ourselves in those moments of despair when the bathroom scales declare their unwelcome calculation.

While it is vital that we pay careful attention to the condition of our heart physically, it is actually just as important

WHILE IT IS VITAL THAT WE PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART PHYSICALLY, IT IS ACTUALLY JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART SPIRITUALLY AS WELL. that we consider the condition of our heart spiritually as well. Spiritually, the heart is understood to be the very centre of our being and it is the place from where our motivations, desires and emotions all flow. It is the essence of the inner-person and it is just as vital to our overall sense of wellbeing.

Hardening our hearts All through the Bible, we find references to the condition of the heart, and while the term ‘hardening of the arteries’ is never used, we do find numerous places that speak about how hearts can be hardened and how this is never good.

It is interesting that in the Old Testament—the foundational narratives for our faith—hardened hearts were symptomatic of rebellion against God and were indicative of an unwillingness to hear his call. For example, in 2 Chronicles 36:11–14 we read, ‘Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord ... He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.’

Similarly, in Zechariah 7 we find a confronting description of the response of the people to the prophetic voices among them, and in verses 12–13 we read: ‘“They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,” says the Lord Almighty.’

There are New Testament examples too.

The disciples of Jesus were witnesses to miracles and wonders and yet, in fear and confusion, a sobering analysis of their condition is made. Mark 6:52 records it bluntly: ‘They did not understand ... because their hearts were hardened’ (NKJV). The concept is not a new one.

Gradual decline There is another danger as well. We might have heard the warnings, but it is so easy to overlook them and we convince ourselves that if we keep things in moderation, everything will be alright.

We hold on vainly to such thoughts as they subtly become fruitless justifications to the uncomfortable truth in our lives.

We persist in this delusion until the condition begins to be debilitating.

In our incapacity to resist, we sneak in a nibble here and there. We think to ourselves: it won’t hurt just this once, no one is going to know, I’ll work it off some other time. Again, we shut ourselves away from the truth while we refuse to listen!

There is a barrier and a blockage and we suffer greatly because of it. The spiral continues and all the while we run the danger of becoming desensitised. Our hearts become hard.

WE THANK GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF A SPIRITUAL ‘BYPASS’ WHICH RELEASES THE FLOW, AND THE FULLNESS OF LIFE IS RESTORED. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians 4, but he also calls for radical lifestyle change since he knows well that hardened hearts are the Devil’s victory. Where there are hardened hearts, the lifegiving flow of faith is impeded and vitality is compromised.

which releases the flow, and the fullness of life is restored.

The history of God’s people is that the hardness of their hearts against him had been the catalyst that brought them down. They were defeated, destroyed, exiled and a remnant was scattered. They were all who remained. But God was to do a work of restoration in them. In their brokenness, a promise came. Ezekiel records it like this…

‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God’ (Ezekiel 36:24–28).

In the Spirit, his promise to us today remains the same!

Preventative measures But let us remember, prevention is better than cure. So when it comes to your heart, remember to: exercise— exercise your faith and even stretch yourself at times; mind your diet—what are the things in your life that you think are going to sustain you? Are you consuming things that are good for you?; stay active—this is not a time for idleness for there is much to do for ourselves and for others. Oh, and as a final consideration, grab your Bible and read Hebrews 3:7–15, as there is a timely call within these verses.

Truly, we need to get to the heart of the matter.

God’s treatment plan But there is a treatment! We thank God for the opportunity of a spiritual ‘bypass’ 13 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 13–15 Nov: Midland Division visit 21 Nov: Dannevirke Corps visit Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) No engagements at this time.

Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) No engagements at this time.

PRAY Northern and Southern Divisional

Headquarters, Dunedin City Corps, Early Childhood Education Centres around the territory, East City Corps, The Salvation Army in Sri Lanka.

400–600 words with one or two captioned photos.

Promotion to Glory tributes are approx 300 words. Email reports and large, high-quality jpeg images to: warcry@ salvationarmy.org.nz

BCM Library to the rescue!

From reference books for study and sermon prep to biographies and Christian living, enjoy unlimited access to the EBSCO eBook Religion Collection as part of a Booth College of Mission Library membership.

Email library@salvationarmy.org.nz for more info.

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Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Quiz Answers: 1 Jaz (DJ Jazzy Jeff), 2 French Open, 3 11, 4 Ethiopia, 5 Lot (Genesis 19:1–3).

22 WarCry 13 NOVEMBER 2021

I frien asked a d any if he ha hyp sodiu d o m He s bromit e… a id , ‘ NaB rO’.

Want to try your hand at some science?

Let’s prove how plants absorb colour in water.

YOU WILL NEED… • 2 sticks of celery or white-petal flowers • 2 empty glasses • Food colouring (red or blue is best) • Knife • Water • Notebook • Pen METHOD… 1. Using a sharp knife (make sure that your parent/guardian is present as you use this) cut off roughly 2cm from the bottom of the celery sticks/flowers.

2. Fill up one of the glasses with around 1cm of food colouring, then add an extra 0.5cm of water. Fill up the second glass with only 1.5cm of plain water.

3. Place the freshly chopped end of one of the celery sticks or flowers in the water.

4. Place the other celery stick or flower in the clear water. Leave overnight.

RESULT… You should find that the leaves of the celery or flowers have become a colourful work of art, which proves that the plant has absorbed the coloured water.

Give it a go!

Sources: National Geographic Kids (www.natgeokids.com/ nz/discover/science/nature/ science-experimentsfor-kids)

Exodus 32:16

You can also have a go at this Wiggly Water experiment!

This is a simple experiment to see electricity in action.

YOU WILL NEED… • A comb • A water tap METHOD… 1. Comb your hair on a dry day.

2. Hold the comb near a thin trickle of water running from the tap. You’ll notice that the water should bend towards the comb.

RESULT… When you run the comb through your hair, it creates friction, which moves electrons from your hair to the comb and charges the comb with static electricity. Now, the comb has got a negative charge and, when you move it near the water, it will push away some of the water’s negative charge, resulting in the water having a positive charge. Because positive and negative charges attract, like magnets, the water bends towards the comb.

Wh call at woul d it Surf if the S you Man er and ilver team Iron Allo ed up? ys .

nn t Gle in s i m : Che rson Fact only pe te his n u F wri the was o could ents— g r o h m Seab world w ical ele d af ter m e , he th ame s in c rgium, n rencium e s e r w d c o a d n b L a ea Lr/ awr e Sg/S aborg; he L ratory; t r e Se o ft ed a f ter l Lab nam Nationa amed a f/ C n ley; eley um, Berk /Berkeli of Berke er the af t Bk it y ; the c , named lifornia a m d C u e i f am orn te o Calif ican sta ricium, n rica. e r e Ame Am/Am ry of Am t d n an c ou r the af te

‘They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.

The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.’

Source: National Geographic Kids (kids. nationalgeographic. com/science/ article/allchargedup-wigglywater)

Don ’t atomtrust s.

They ever make u p ythi ng.

Is Science one of your favourite subjects?

Do you enjoy doing experiments to see how different substances react—to change colour, make a yucky smell or start bubbling on the surface?

There are a few important rules in any experiment—wear protective gear, have a teacher or guardian present for help and, of course, the golden rule: never lick the spoon! But a set of instructions is crucial. It lays out the steps at the beginning so you know what to expect and what to do at each stage to stay safe and reach the end result.

In the Bible, God spoke to Moses and gave the Israelites the famous Ten Commandments. These were the ultimate set of instructions about how to live a good, godly life. But almost immediately after they were written, the Israelites broke one of the rules. It was disastrous—as if they’d tossed a random substance into a beaker, causing an explosion. In thinking they knew better, they sabotaged themselves.

It is vital to listen to and follow instructions (whether from our parents, teachers or God) because just like in a science experiment, we’re given this advice to get the right, safe result.

THINK ABOUT...

Have you ever disobeyed an instruction which then ended in disaster?

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