19 April 2014 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 1 April 214 | Issue 6590 | $1.50

YOU’VE GOT THE

RESURRECTION POWER!

OPEN YOUR

to Jesus Lessons from

Gallipoli THE GENERAL’S EASTER MESSAGE

WRITING HOME FROM WORLD WAR ONE

WIN MAX LUCADO’S NEW BOOK ‘YOU’LL GET THROUGH THIS’

BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

ZOO BOOGIE TOURS SOUTH ISLAND

02 WarCry¨19 April 2014

Kia ora Resurrecting corpses WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL André Cox TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Robert Donaldson 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

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Millington (film reviewer), Hayden Shearman, Kris Singh (music reviewer)

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 SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department Phone (04) 382 0740 Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT MakeReady | www.makeready.co.nz

PAPER Novatech is an environmentally responsible paper manufactured under environmental management system ISO14001 using FSC Certified, Mixed Source, ECF pulp from well managed and legally harvested forests.

The Salvation Army is structured like a military force, with similar terminology. We have appointments and ranks and soldiers and officers. The word ‘army’ in our name reminds us of God’s call to Christians to battle sin in the world, but it also reminds us of other principles of warfare, such as the need to make sacrifices that serve a greater purpose.

As Major David Noakes reminds us in his article on ‘the compelling messages of Gallipoli’, when soldiers of any nation go to war, they must be willing to pay the ultimate price. Just as when Jesus went to war for us—to battle the forces of evil in the world that were keeping us separated from the God who loves us—this required Jesus to sacrifice his life.

From time to time, I’ve had to help businesses prepare to give presentations to Salvation Army leadership. One of the things I’ve often had to emphasise is that our Salvation Army church congregations, which are called ‘corps’ (in the military sense of a group dedicated to a particular task), are pronounced ‘core’ and not ‘corpse’. People usually laugh when they’re told this, realising they would have accidentally implied to their listeners that our churches are dead people!

As we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it might be a good idea for us Salvationists to remind ourselves that we serve a conquering, risen Saviour who is still in the business of bringing new spiritual life to the dead and dying. The purpose of our Salvation Army corps is to share the love and life of Jesus. Because Jesus is alive today, God is still at work in our world.

Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us to be strong in the Lord and stand in his power, putting on God’s ‘full armour’ so we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes. Our Firezone feature by Hayden Shearman is a great reminder that the same power that brought Jesus back to life is at work in us today. That may sound far fetched, but I’ve seen too much evidence of God’s work in and through people to doubt that truth for a moment.

Happy Easter. Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed!

Christina Tyson Editor

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BIBLE VERSE 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.

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1 Peter 1:3-4 The Message

‘Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!’

1 Pita 1:3

‘Kia whakapaingia te Atua, te Matua o tō tātou Ariki, o īhu Karaiti, nāna nei, nā tāna mahi tohu e nui nei, tātou i whānau hou ai ki te tūmanako ora, i a īhu Karaiti ka ara ake nei i te hunga mate …’

19

WISE WORDS

Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.

Mother Teresa

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Let’s Talk | 03

t Easter, in remembering the death and bodily resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we celebrate a most important event within the Church calendar. This event is significant for, in witnessing to the fact that Jesus did not remain in the tomb but rose from the dead, it points to the promise that one day we too can thereby rise to eternal life. It is important to recognise that whilst we reside upon this earth in physical bodies, we are also spiritual beings intended to live for eternity.

In too many places across the globe, a resolute turning to materialism has led to an unhealthy exclusion of those other key elements required for men and women to know deep and lasting satisfaction. Materialism can never address the deepest longings of our heart, and this superficial feature of too many societies around the world is simply incapable of giving true joy and freedom. Life is more than the accumulation of possessions and many individuals today, despite owning so much, remain unsatisfied.

Some do earnestly seek after the point of and purpose for life, and also desire an assurance that there is indeed ‘something’ after death. Too often, though, people look in the wrong place—how many readily consult horoscopes in an ultimately fruitless attempt to understand present unknowns, or gain a form of security for a sometimes daunting future?

My attention was recently arrested whilst reading Tim Leberecht’s comment: ‘We live in times of major uncertainty.

The doom and gloom of the economic crisis, the deterioration of mass markets, the pervasiveness of the digital lifestyle, and the fragmentation of traditional societal institutions are not only inducing anxiety but also inspiring a search for simplicity and noneconomic value systems. Consumption-driven wealth and status are being replaced by identity, belonging, and a strong desire to contribute to—or to experience—something

“meaningful” rather than to acquire more things.’

The Bible, of course, does address the most fundamental needs of and questions from humanity. It speaks to us about the purpose of our lives. It speaks to us about our destiny. It speaks to us about our eternal future being made secure. It is only as we carefully read the Bible, as we diligently study it, as we meditate prayerfully on it, that we begin to appreciate the true fullness of life that can be ours if we will but reach out and grasp it.

In the book of Acts we find an account of two apostles, Peter and John, being hauled before the Sanhedrin after they had healed a crippled man. Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, made this bold statement: ‘If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:9-12).

There is nothing more important in this life than for us to discover the truth that indeed, ‘salvation is found in no one else’. The Christian message is unique, because this message is not merely about a set of doctrines and beliefs. It is not about religion. Rather, it is about the living man, Jesus Christ. We celebrate a risen Lord and Saviour. In him alone we find peace, joy, and assurance regarding our eternal future. May this be your personal and daily experience!

An Easter message from The Salvation Army’s international leader, General André Cox

04 WarCry¨19 April 2014

Bookshelf Christian Life You’ll Get Through This Max Lucado In the pits, surrounded by steep walls and aching reminders, we wonder, ‘Will this grey sky ever brighten? This load ever lighten?’

Best-selling author Max Lucado offers assurance: ‘Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere.’ Exploring the Old Testament story of Joseph, Lucado reminds readers that God doesn’t promise getting through trials will be quick or painless. His storytelling sings as Lucado also reassures readers that God is in the business of redeeming the broken.

Do you crave hope for tough times?

With God’s help, you will get through! (Thomas Nelson)

Playlist

Aging Living with Purpose in a Worn-Out Body Missy Buchanan A dose of encouragement for frail elderly people struggling to find purpose. Each reflection is followed by brief passages from Psalms and the New Testament. Buchanan writes in first-person address to God of the concerns faced by the frail in their everyday lives. In ‘Forgotten’, she asks: ‘Is it possible to be loved and forgotten at the same time? Sometimes that’s how I feel …’ and then offers suggestions for ‘chasing away loneliness’. In ‘Worrywart’, she writes: ‘Now and then I am a real worrywart. I worry about bladder control and outliving my money’. Large-print format.

(Upper Room Books)

Christian Life The Question that Never Goes Away Philip Yancey And that question is … why? It’s one we’ve all asked, especially when the news seems too much to bear.

Philip Yancey explores this question at the scene of the Newtown elementary school murders, in Japan after the giant tsunami, and in Sarajevo, where civil war and snipers killed thousands. As a traveller through the land of suffering, Yancey equips readers to respond to their own suffering and to move closer to God instead of away. A powerful and deeply reassuring read from someone who has made human suffering part of his writing over many years.

(Zondervan)

Reel News

Worship/Pop Endless Praise Planetshakers An interesting album that definitely challenges what corporate worship records usually sound like: simple, easy and safe. Instead, the songs are riff driven, hook-laden and tinged, ever-so-slightly, with black gospel. Beyond the music though, Endless Praise comes across as a fairly shallow, candied record. It’s fun and enjoyable, but it doesn’t really present anything deeper. The lyrics are basic, easy Christianese supplemented by incredibly catchy poppy choruses. There are some cool moments that make this album great for a quick adrenaline fix, but it doesn’t offer much beyond the initial sugar rush.

Worship Majestic Kari Jobe A live recording from worship leader Kari Jobe made over two nights at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, Texas. The songs tilt toward the generic, with Jobe as the distinguishing element, providing a sense of identity outside of the arena worship genre. Her soaring vocals punctuate the album well.

A definite Kim Walker-Smith/ Jesus Culture vibe runs through the 13 tracks. A bombastic record, with massive walls of sound, huge sounding drums and soaring guitars. A straightforward corporate worship album, driven by the sole unique element of Jobe’s awesomely powerful voice.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of You’ll Get Through This send us an encouraging Bible verse.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 5 May. The A–Z of C.S Lewis winner is Nolan Hill.

Action Noah Darren Aronofsky / M (contains violence) Russell Crowe stars as Noah in Aronofsky’s adaptation of the biblical epic.

His nemesis Tubal-cain, played by Ray Winstone, leads the descendants of Cain in their battle against Noah (a descendant of Seth) and ‘The Creator’ as Cain’s descendants pursue their right to create their own destiny, govern themselves and, of course, force themselves onto the ark.

Russell Crowe depicts a somewhat tortured Noah who wrestles with the task God has given him, feeling torn between God’s will and his desire to please his family. Although Anthony Hopkins provides some light relief as Noah’s grandfather Methuselah, the film is at times very dark, giving the viewer an insight into what the earth may have been like after the fall of man.

Noah is definitely a departure from the light-hearted children’s version of the biblical account and is not a film for younger family members.

The main parts of the biblical account stay intact, but like any other adaptation much artistic license is taken, which has caused negative feedback from many Christians. However, if you can look past the additions to the story, you will likely enjoy the special effects and find that the visual spectacle ignites your imagination.

Although the common biblical themes of sin and punishment, and good versus evil are evident, God’s love for humanity really doesn’t make it onto the big screen. This is a film that has sparked opposing viewpoints, which makes it a great conversation starter. Perhaps the best thing Christian viewers can do is use the film as an opportunity to talk to others about God, his love for us, and his son Jesus who bought ultimate redemption for all of humanity.

Some review material brought to you by Manna, go to manna.co.nz

Feature | 05

OPEN YOUR

to Jesus Stuart Herbert bubbles with excitement when he talks about what it’s like to live with Jesus every day. And he owes it to the son who paved the way for his dad, in his 50s, to take a fresh look at the world through the eyes of faith.

BY CHRISTINA TYSON

Photography: Christina Tyson

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tuart has been working in IT for 26 years, but his early working years were spent as a mechanic, first on cars and then on motorbikes.

His passion for fixing bikes was reflected in his passion for racing them, but then the death of two good friends and racing buddies in close succession brought this life to a sudden end. One friend, Carry, died in a racing accident in Wellington, and another of Stuart’s mates, John, was asked to identify Carry’s body in hospital. Then, exactly one year to the day later, John was also killed on his bike.

Stuart felt the odds weren’t in his favour on the race track. ‘I haven’t ridden a bike since,’ he says. ‘My sister tells me the light went out of my life that day. But I believe these things do shape you for life. The hard things we go through give us the tools to help others.’

By this time, Stuart had moved from repairing bikes for Callender Suzuki to working in its retail sales. It was the early 1980s and Callender Suzuki was starting to computerise its systems. Stuart sort of fell into IT work during this time, but quickly realised he had an aptitude for it and went on to become IT manager at the Yamaha Distributor Moller Yamaha. (These days he works for USL Medical.)

Yamaha relocated him to their Auckland head office, where Stuart started dating and then married the General Manager’s PA. The couple had three children: Kirsty (who turns 23 this month), Daniel (21 and married) and Nathan (19).

Life after marriage ‘When Nathan was around six, his mother’s and my relationship started to deteriorate—we grew apart, really.’ Within a couple more years, their marriage was over.

‘It was hard on me,’ Stuart remembers. ‘The worst thing was coming home to an empty house. You’d put your glasses on the table in the morning, come home and they were unmoved. It was the little things like that—and the big things, too. I really missed the kids, but having said that, I think we split up for the kids, because it would have become too toxic for them if we’d stayed together.’

Initially, all the children came to their dad every second week.

Stuart was careful not to say anything derogatory to them about their mother and instead focused on being the best father he could be. ‘I learnt that there are no hard-and-fast rules to being a good dad—you just have to look at each child individually.’

After 12 months, Kirsty came to live with her dad permanently.

‘That was terrific!’ he says. ‘Although I told her there was an opendoor policy and that she could go back to her mum’s any time.’ Kirsty was obviously happy with the arrangement, though, as she’s only just moved out last year, with one year left at university. ‘She calls me her “Mum-Dad”,’ says Stuart with obvious pride.

‘I’m really lucky that my kids are great and trustworthy,’ he continues. ‘I suppose that’s a testament to how their mother and I brought them up, but I’ve always said to them: “I’ll trust you until you give me a reason not to.” The biggest thing as a parent is to have a relationship with your children—just as we have a relationship with God. And to trust them—just as we trust God.’

Nathan’s journey To hear Stuart striking a comparison between parenting and friendship with God shows just how different his outlook is on life these days. Because while Stuart grew up attending church, it didn’t have any apparent impact on most of his adult life.

‘I did the normal Sunday school things and learnt a lot about the Bible and Jesus,’ he says. ‘And I went to Boy’s Brigade, which was Christian based. So I knew who God was and who Jesus was, but I didn’t have a relationship with God at that time.’

The major reason for Stuart’s changed attitude toward God and spirituality was his youngest son’s growing relationship with Jesus, after Nathan became involved with The Salvation Army.

Nathan was at high school when two friends, brothers Barry and Paul Kirby, invited him along to youth group and then church at The Salvation Army’s East City Corps (church) in Howick, Auckland.

Stuart had no problems with that. In his mind he weighed up all the activities his son could have been involved in, against becoming a churchgoer, and realised he had nothing to worry about.

Then, one day, Nathan told his dad that he’d decided to become a Salvation Army soldier—an ‘enrolled’ member of the church.

‘And I said, “What exactly does that entail?” ’ Stuart recalls. ‘At which point, Nathan told me I needed to meet with his corps officer (pastor) Captain Mat Badger and that he’d explain everything.’

So Stuart and Mat caught up over coffee.

I could have just come to church … but I’ve decided to let Jesus in.

‘Mat asked me what I knew about The Salvation Army and I told him that I thought it was a church that “talked the talk and walked the walk”. Mat then explained the Soldiers’ Covenant that Nathan would be signing to me—that it was about Christian beliefs in Jesus as Saviour, and that it had some rules about not drinking and not taking addictive drugs. It didn’t seem that weird to me.’

As the day of Nathan’s enrolment drew closer, Nathan suggested it might be good if his dad came along one Sunday to see what the Army was like. So, the Sunday before the enrolment ceremony was scheduled, father and son turned up at church together.

Something is missing ‘Something was tugging on my heart right from that service. It was such a neat place to be and the people were so friendly. The next week I was back, and as Nathan read out the promises he was making it brought a tear to my eye. I realised that there had been something missing from my life. People talk about that hole in your heart that only God can fill—and that’s what I was starting to become aware of.’

That was on the 14th of April last year, and Stuart’s been a regular at The Salvation Army ever since, although he describes the early impact of this as something of a ‘rollercoaster ride’ experience.

A few weeks after Nathan’s enrolment, Mat’s wife, Captain Jules Badger, was preaching. What she said really hit home and Stuart asked for more information. Jules gave him some notes that included

Feature | 07

an explanation about how to become a Christian. ‘So I prayed,’ says Stuart. ‘I said: “I know I’ve sinned. I know I’ve done wrong. But I give myself to God.” ‘I remember going into work the next morning crying my eyes out. Luckily I start early, so there weren’t a lot of people around.

I phoned Nathan—who was away at the time—and said, “What’s happening to me?” And he said, “Dad, that’s the Holy Spirit.”

Stuart later found out Nathan had been praying for him to become a Christian for a long time, and Mat had also been praying.

other guys can probably relate to. And yet he’s found that coming to believe in and follow Jesus Christ has added a whole new dimension to life that he never could have expected.

‘I brought my kids up with Christian values, and I suppose I could have even just come to church with Nathan and called myself “a Christian”, but I’ve decided to let Jesus in. In fact, I’d say to anyone who’s looking at church and looking at Christ and wondering what all of this is about, you’re never too old to turn to Christ—or to work for him, for that matter.’

Attitude shift

My attitude toward people has become a lot softer now that Jesus is part of my life.

‘There were lots of changes after that. I started to look at people differently and treat them differently. And people noticed the change.

I’ve had people say, “There’s something really different about you.”

And I say, “You can get this, too.” ’ Stuart describes the change as like an ‘attitude shift’, as his eyes were opened to the value of people. Previously, he says that even though most people would have said he was a good guy, he knew he was often very quick to judge people. Not that he thought there was anything wrong with his judgemental attitude at the time.

‘Working in IT you come across a lot of people who aren’t IT literate, and you tend to look down on them,’ he explains. ‘But now, I look at them and says, “Well, they’re not IT literate, but they have strengths in other areas.” Or I notice people and think, “Wow, they’re really great at customer service!” So I guess my attitude toward people has become a lot softer now that Jesus is part of my life.’

Other things have changed too, he says. ‘I pray all the time now—on the way to work, at work, hanging out the clothes. I pray for anything and about everything.’

Stuart’s an early riser, up at 5 am to get to work by 6:30. His morning routine now consists of reading a passage from the Bible and some related thoughts on his iPad. ‘That used to be my newspaper-reading time, which was a lot of bad news. So now I read the good news in the Bible,’ he says.

He has other new areas of passion in his life now, too. Because he’s had such a great, open relationship with his own children, Stuart is eager to see other young people have good opportunities in life.

He’s proud of Nathan’s involvement at East City Salvation Army and very supportive of his son’s work with other young people there to develop a Saturday night church service focused on young people.

Stuart has also become more interested in the issue of human trafficking, after learning about The Salvation Army’s international fight against human trafficking. ‘It breaks my heart to hear stories of people being caught in slavery,’ he says.

Another change is Nathan moving back in with his father, saying he feels more comfortable in a home that Jesus is a part of. ‘And we can talk about so much more now,’ says Stuart, ‘because I understand that whole part of Nathan’s life.’

Let Jesus in Stuart recognises that he has a comfortable life: with a good job and all the advantages that come with that. And as a Kiwi bloke in his early 50s, he wasn’t really looking for change, something he thinks

Just before Christmas, Stuart took a week off from work to help put together food parcels and Christmas toys for The Salvation Army to distribute to families. ‘I remember one man who’d taken his food but hadn’t realised there were presents for his children. So I drove out to his house and delivered the presents. He was almost in tears— and I was too. Taking that time off and helping out like this; well, it was my best holiday ever!’

Last November, Stuart followed Nathan’s example and signed on as a Salvation Army soldier. As well as helping with the youth team, he also serves on the church’s mission board and helps out with pastoral care.

‘Lately, I’ve been talking and praying about what God might want me to do next. I realise that I have all these material possessions, but I’ve said to God, “I don’t need these—they’re yours.” I do feel that Jesus is directing my life now. In fact, looking back, I can see times when I came to crossroads that could have been so wrong, but I was prevented from going that way. And I believe that was Jesus.’

And while Stuart isn’t sure what direction his future might take, he’s not nervous. ‘It’s like children asking, “Are we there yet?” when they’re going on a trip somewhere new. I know I’m on a great journey now, and I’m looking forward to the ride because I know that God is looking after me. It’s like the song “Rooftops” by Jesus Culture, with the line, “heart wide open”. Well, my heart is wide open now.’

Realising there are still a lot of people who don’t know how great it is to connect with Jesus, Stuart says, ‘People sometimes wonder how anyone can believe in Jesus, but I say, “Jesus is there, so reach out to him and ask him to touch your life.” ’

Stuart had a ‘hole in his heart’ that only God could fill. For more about what it means to invite Jesus into your life, see page 10.

08 | WarCry¨19 April 2014

LIFESTYLE

BUDGETING

Before you hit the trails …

BYO Beauty

Mud and flooded rivers are part of the fun when it comes to mountain biking in the winter months. But it’s important to be prepared. Here are some essentials for your kit …

Nutrition: Riding is a big calorie burner. Make sure you take enough high-energy nutrition with you such as energy gels or bars, bananas, cereal bars, jelly beans or trail mix.

Hydration pack: This allows you to carry 2–3 litres of water in your backpack and drink from it hands free while biking. Ingenious!

Spare inner tubes: Carrying two spare tubes is a must for riding. Having a puncture out on the trail without a spare inner tube is a nightmare for any rider. But if you carry two, you’re prepared even for the worst luck.

Mini pump: Tubes and patch kits are useless without a pump. Look for a mini pump with a good sized volume and that is lightweight and easy to use.

Multi tool: Crammed with features and equipped with a wide range of Allen keys so you can to repair or adjust components on your bike. Take that, McGyver!

Tyre levers: Essential if you want to fix a puncture quickly.

Shock pump: While modern air shocks are reliable, it’s still a good idea to pack a shock pump in case you develop a slow leak, or (more likely) if you find you need to fine-tune your suspension.

War Cry trials some common beauty therapies you can do at home.

We’ve made the beauty blunders, so you don’t have to!

Before anything else, ask yourself this question: do I really need it? We’ve been brainwashed to primp, colour, plump and pluck perfectly normal bodies. Perhaps half the battle is choosing to accept yourself the way God made you. However …

Eyebrow and eyelash tint: You can buy home treatment kits for about $20 that will last several months. Simply mix the colour and brush on. For your brows, begin by leaving on for five minutes and leave the outer brows (where the hair is thinner) for a couple of minutes longer. For eyelashes, brush colour along the upper side of your top lashes. Then lie down and close your eyes for 10 blissful minutes. We recommend: 2000 Hour Lash and Brow Colour.

Eyebrow shaping (and other awkward facial hair): If you’ve never done it, get your brows done professionally so you have the shape, then maintain by tweezing yourself. Waxing achieves a more defined look, and wax sticks for the face are surprisingly easy to use. We recommend: Nads Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper.

Spare layers: Weather can be unpredictable, particularly in New Zealand. A lightweight, packable rain jacket is vital. If you have space for a windproof layer, chuck it in too.

First aid kit: It’s the element of risk that makes mountain biking such an enjoyable sport.

Mountain biking and accidents go together, so carry a lightweight first aid kit with you at all times. Like tools, a first aid kit is only useful if you know how to use it—a basic understanding of first aid and CPR may be a lifesaver.

Enhancing your hair: Hairs are dead follicles, so who cares if the cheaper brands ‘coat your hair’ (as rumour goes). Most shampoo has the same basic ingredients, and the rest is just marketing. When it comes to colouring, reclaim your natural colour—God is a great creator and our hair is perfectly suited to our eyes and complexion. If you want to bring out your natural highlights, use lemon juice or a lightening spray. We recommend: Nordic Lightening Spray, and toner if needed, from Schwarzkopf.

Facial regime: Create your own three-step daily facial by using almond, avocado or olive oil. With a cotton ball, wipe your face with oil to cleanse and remove make-up. Use rosewater, or boil two handfuls of mint in 100 ml of water, to tone. Then moisturise with more oil. We recommend: Almond oil with a little rose essence for a hint of extravagance.

Never use your face as a brake pad.

Jake Watson

Home-made Easter Eggs The rich filling for these little chocolates can be made with either dark or white chocolate, which can in turn be coated with either the same type of chocolate, or a different type for a contrast | Makes 12–15 eggs Filling 150g dark or white chocolate ½ tsp finely grated orange zest plus 2 Tbsp orange juice 25g butter 1 egg yolk To coat 100-150g dark or white chocolate ½–1 tsp Kremelta (optional)

From Simon Holst www.holst.co.nz

Break chocolate into squares and put in a round microwaveproof or heat-proof glass container with the orange zest and juice. Melt in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water, and mix.

Stir in butter and egg yolk until well combined. Refrigerate until firm enough to shape into walnut-sized egg shapes.

Arrange the ‘eggs’ on a baking paper-lined tray, and place in fridge or freezer for at least 20-30 mins (or overnight).

When the ‘fillings’ are well chilled, prepare the chocolate/s of your choice for coating. Melt the chocolate and stir until it is smooth and glossy. If it seems thick, you can thin a little by adding ½–1 tsp of Kremelta and stirring again.

Cover a tray with baking paper. Working one at a time, take a chilled centre, and dunk it in the melted chocolate, turn until coated, immediately lift it out, let it drain for a second or two, then place it on the baking paper covered tray. Refrigerate again until the chocolate has set.

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A Who was Jesus?

There is little doubt from a historical perspective, Jesus was a real man.

Apart from the biblical narratives, the account written around 93 AD

by Jewish historian Josephus is the most significant: ‘About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.

For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher … Upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross … He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life.’

Historians generally agree that Joesphus wrote about Jesus and his crucifixion, although Christians may have later added to his account.

Josephus also refers to James as ‘the brother of Jesus, who is called the Christ’.

Almost all our other evidence about Jesus comes from the New Testament of the Bible. The four writers that depicted Jesus’ life were in no doubt that Jesus was God in human form. More importantly, though, Jesus himself claimed to be God. As the academic C.S. Lewis famously argued, when Jesus called himself God, he did not leave open the possibility that he was ‘just a great man’. If Jesus was lying and made false claims, then he cannot not be called ‘a great moral teacher’. And to argue that Jesus was deluded is completely incompatible with the unique intellect of his teachings—which, as Paul Schaff writes, is as ‘clear as the sky, bracing as the mountain air, sharp and penetrating as a sword, thoroughly healthy and vigorous’.

The best way to make an informed judgement about Jesus is to get to know him for yourself. You can read about his teachings and his life in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible—try a modern translation such as the ‘NIV’.

Jesus asked one of his closest friends, Peter, ‘And you, who do you say I am?’ Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ’ (Mark 8:29). And you, who do you say Jesus is?

Testify!

Roy Carley—better known as ‘Cowboy’—has always been a drifter, living hard and drinking even harder. But at The Salvation Army, he finally found a home.

I’ve been a drifter all my life, but I never realised the Lord was directing my steps. My old man brought us up after the old woman left, and the people across the road used to take me to Sunday school. I spent a lot of time at my grandfather’s farm, and that’s where I learnt a love for animals. I get called Cowboy, and it’s been so long that no one knows my real name!

I’ve always been a wanderer, and just picked up work wherever I could. I did a lot of smoking and drinking. One drink was too many, and a hundred drinks wasn’t enough.

I got a one-way ticket to Oz, and picked up a job working the dodgems at a fair, and then got onto the rodeo circuit. They were a good crowd, but they were a hard crowd. If you upset someone, they would rope you and drag you behind a horse around the ring to degrade you.

One night I was drunk and telegrammed my mate to send me a ticket back to New Zealand.

When I sobered up I didn’t want to go home, but the ticket was already on its way, so I had to go through with it. I reckon if I had stayed in Oz I would be dead by now.

It got to the stage where I was drinking 24/7, whatever I could —including meths. In 1990, the judge ordered me to The Salvation Army’s Rotoroa Island. They were

good people on the island. There was always something to do: painting, games, fishing, and it kept you occupied. The real test was when you got off the island. I would walk across the road if I was going past a pub, so that I could avoid the front doors. I have been sober now for 24 years.

I drifted to Masterton, and got married for the third time—this one has worked and we’ve been married for 13 years. I finally found a place where I wanted to stay put.

A couple of years ago, I started going to picnics The Salvation Army church held. I felt like I was part of a family. They take people as they are, and look after people.

I started to go to church there, and then to a men’s group, where I had a laugh and a giggle, and read a bit of the Bible. I didn’t know you could be with people who didn’t care about smoking or drinking, and still have fun.

Then my lungs packed up and I was close to death. I was in the hospital for 10 days. Even the doctors had given up on me. I reckon I was on my way to the big fella, but he said, ‘I’m not ready for you yet,’ so I’m still here. Medical science had something to do with it, but it was a miracle. God still wants me here. I don’t know why, but he has a reason.

I chose to become a soldier (Salvation Army member). It was my way of showing that I believe,

and to give back to the Lord for all the things he’s given me. It’s also my way of saying I’ve put all the bad parts of my life behind me, and I’m walking with Christ. Giving up smoking was a battle, but I just plod along and listen to the Lord. If you have ears, he speaks to you.

The Lord is there the same as the sun shines, but you just don’t see him all the time. He helps you because he wants to, and he just wants us to do the same to others.

I’ve put all the bad parts of my life behind me.

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Jesus In My Heart?

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What does it actually mean to ‘ask Jesus into your heart’?

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Let’s get quizzical …

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Who plays Noah in the movie of the same name?

Which Dickens novel features the character of Pip? What name is given to the period of 40 days before Easter?

Which is the hottest planet in our solar system?

Who owned the tomb where Jesus was buried?

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If you’ve been around church for a while, you may have heard people talking about ‘asking Jesus into your heart’. It’s a strange saying that might leave you asking, ‘Say what?’

When you commit to following Jesus, you are taking a step of faith that says ‘I believe Jesus is God.’ You are binding your life to Jesus in a profound way.

Jesus promised that anyone who believes he is God will receive the Holy Spirit, the part of God who is called our ‘helper’. The Holy Spirit is like an ever-present friend, who helps us make changes that we need in our life, teaches us about Jesus, and provides us with his wisdom. Many people that have made this commitment to Jesus talk about seeing things in a new way: colours seem brighter, creation seems more beautiful, and they feel more at peace.

In fact, our lives are so transformed that saying we ‘follow Jesus’ doesn’t seem like enough. It’s more like Jesus, metaphorically, dwells in the deepest, most personal, truest part of us. That’s why we say, ‘I’ve asked Jesus into my heart.’

It’s not just an intellectual belief; it’s an emotional, spiritual and personal relationship that changes who we are.

One of Jesus’ first followers described it like this: ‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!’ (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Jesus also described our relationship to him by saying he is like the central vine in a grapevine, and we are like the branches (John 15:5). The central vine nourishes and feeds the branches, so they can thrive and produce fruit. When we join ourselves with Jesus, we grow and are nurtured by his Spirit to become our best selves.

But it’s even greater than that!

We become part of Jesus and his great plan for all humans and creation. We join in with what he is doing in the world. Our lives are allied with others that are also plugged into the vine of Jesus. We are as one—our cells and DNA connected.

As we are ‘grafted’ into Jesus and abide with him, we can’t help but reflect his own DNA. His love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness and justice are just a few of the fruits we produce through him.

In a way, it would be more accurate to say that ‘Jesus has asked me into his heart’. All we need to do is to accept his open invitation to become part of what he is doing.

Accepting Jesus’ invitation starts with a prayer.

You don’t need to say special words, speak to Jesus like you would to a close friend. Tell him you want to follow his ways and that you’re sorry for past your wrongs. Ask for forgiveness.

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Trust in what Jesus did when he died and rose again. Jesus died for you, and ame back from the dead to give you new life. From now on, let Jesus rule your life and be obedient to him.

Close Up | 11

On ANZAC, Gallipoli and Being Christian If Kiwis have a pilgrimage, Gallipoli has to be it. This is a sacred space, and its messages still resonate today.

BY DAVID NOAKES For years, I had wanted to visit Gallipoli, and here I was with a group of fellow Kiwis with the blue Aegean Sea laid out before me, the sun beating down relentlessly and tears that didn’t want to stop pouring down my cheeks. If Kiwis have a pilgrimage, Gallipoli has to be it.

The senselessness of it all—thousands of young lives lost and many thousands more wounded—is overwhelming. As a child visiting the Auckland War Memorial Museum, seeing the massive marble wall naming those many hundreds of Aucklanders that had lost their lives in the world wars was almost incomprehensible.

It was this same sense of the incomprehensible that was impacting me at Gallipoli. Poignantly, a Māori member of our group led a karakia, and the deep well of lament and loss rose into the still afternoon air. So many … gone. The heart of a young nation decimated.

Never again was New Zealand prepared to lose so many. Only 25 years later, Prime Minister Peter Fraser told General Bernard Freyberg, commander of the First Division, that he had in his hands the responsibility for a whole generation of New Zealanders—with the injunction never to allow a repeat of another Gallipoli.

It was not just the sense of the incomprehensible that impacted me that day. Gallipoli, I knew, held other compelling messages.

One of these is the message of forgiveness. Some years earlier, I had stood at the memorial on Wellington’s south coast and contemplated the meaning of Kemal Ataturk’s words to the mothers of those soldiers that had perished: The heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosoms and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well.

Ataturk had been a Turkish Divisional Commander opposing the ANZAC and other forces at Gallipoli. With the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920s, he became the founder of modern secular Turkey. It might be argued that the invasion of Turkey and Gallipoli

by British, ANZAC and other forces could be interpreted as a repeat of the Christian crusades. Instead, we find these words of forgiveness and comfort, which perhaps helps explain the special connection

between New Zealanders and Turks.

A second message from Gallipoli is strongly linked to New Zealand’s identity as a nation. Several historical markers point to our national identity—and Gallipoli has become one of these. Other nations are not slow to honour and commemorate their victories and conquests. New Zealand is different in terms of its national day of commemoration. Gallipoli was no victorious rout of a foreign enemy; it was an abject failure conceived in the minds of political and military leaders in London and executed with clumsiness and little attempt at surprise or secrecy.

A key element to our understanding of ourselves as a nation is therefore grounded in a very significant military failure and defeat.

Its message is comprehensive. It contributes to the commitment of New Zealanders to peace, and to our pride in our armed forces on those occasions when they are involved in peace-keeping missions.

It also speaks powerfully to a greater independence in foreign policy, and our reluctance to be readily involved in conflicts. In more recent years, it has led to a stronger emphasis on world peace at ANZAC parades, while still honouring the sacrifice and losses of our forebears of another age and with another worldview.

But there is a third and final message from Gallipoli that speaks to me as a Christian and which spoke to me powerfully on that beautiful Gallipoli day. I have long appreciated the parallel between New Zealand’s identity forged in a defeat and Christ’s crucifixion, something at the heart of Christian identity. There is no triumphalism here. Just a broken man hammered as a convicted criminal on a monstrous structure of Roman torture and death.

No victory heralded. Little or nothing to celebrate. Only the pain, suffering and brokenness of innocence and goodness betrayed.

Subsequent to this, the resurrection then adds elements of hope and fulfilment of Christ’s crucifixion, confirming that my identity as a Christian is grounded in God who chooses to become human and to suffer with humanity. My identity is linked with God who chooses to engage with the dark and shadow side to human life—and to transform it. The very worst elements of human abuse are all evident at the crucifixion event. But God enters and overcomes it. Christians choose to follow a God like that.

Major David Noakes is Principal of Booth College of Mission

12 | WarCry 19 April 2014

Letters Home from War The war experiences of chaplain Clive Mortimer Jones are captured in the book A Strong Sense of Duty.

The tradition of clergy accompanying Christian armies to war is over 1700 years old, not the least of which are the 160 years of history where clergy accompanied New Zealand forces on active service, since the time of the first Land Wars of 1844.

In 1911, the New Zealand Army Chaplains’ Department was created, and with the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, over 40 clergy of various denominations were associated with almost all the pre-First World War provincial mounted artillery, engineering, medical and infantry regiments. The challenges that faced one of them, Chaplain the Reverend Clive Mortimer Jones, were formidable and life-threatening.

The Reverend Jones Clive was born at Highbury, London, in 1880. His father was an accountant and the family lived in a fashionable North London suburb.

Clive was the fourth of five children. Once he left school, Clive went to the University of Oxford where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1903 before moving on to the Leeds Clergy School.

However, before he went to Leeds, he had a crisis of faith. In Clive’s words, he went through ‘a sticky time’. Although he had continued to develop physically and mentally at university, he did not think he had developed spiritually. His father suggested Clive delay making up his mind, so there was no attempt to persuade him. After a time of careful consideration, Clive was ordained and became a curate at St James’ Church, Fulham, London, where he worked until 1908.

In 1909, he arrived in New Zealand as a Home Missionary, becoming an honorary chaplain of the Bay of Islands Mounted Rifle Volunteers in February 1910. In 1912, Clive became the vicar of Cambridge. Clive felt he had a responsibility to do his share in the forces, having served with the United Kingdom Territorial Army before coming to New Zealand, and with the New Zealand Army.

In a 1917 New Year’s letter to his parishioners, he wrote, ‘It is better to leave parishes neglected than to neglect the soldiers.’ He also wrote about the returning soldiers, saying, ‘I am convinced more than ever of the necessity of making preparations for the days of our soldiers return. How are we going to help them and understand their plight?’

On 2 May 1917, Clive was deemed fit for service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He married Mildred Bracken Matthews on 15 May 1917, and on 9 June 1917, left for England with the 26th Reinforcements. After some hospital service, he transferred to France on 17 November 1917, attached to the 3rd Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment, with whom he served for nine months.

Ministry to the troops For the chaplain, Sundays—when out of ‘the line’—usually meant a compulsory church parade, either for the battalion or, on occasions, for the entire brigade. The church parade was a grand affair, with the brigade band playing hymns and all the non-Catholic chaplains taking

part, while not far away the Roman Catholics celebrated Mass.

When in the line, with hundreds of men in trenches and an equal number close by in support roles, the chaplain would normally obtain permission to enter the front-line positions and visit the troops.

He would gather small groups of men together for prayers, possibly a short communion service, and would distribute ‘goodies’ such as biscuits, cigarettes, socks and other commodities that had come from welfare organisations.

But the chaplain’s real function was to share in the confidences of the men in the front line by offering a helpful word in a constructive and meaningful conversation. He would collect the mail, perhaps even delivering it to the trenches. He would have to exercise care and alertness at all times to avoid becoming a casualty to a sniper’s bullet, and watch out for exploding mortar and artillery shells.

When the moment came for an attack, going ‘over the top’ as it was known, New Zealand chaplains by 1917 had determined where their best position was to be. The first point of contact with the wounded and dying was normally the Advanced Dressing Station (ADS). However, there were times when chaplains were found on the field of battle at Regimental Aid Posts (RAP). The location of the ADS was normally within two to eight kilometres of the point of attack, and the casualties in the first instance were brought back by stretcher bearers to the ADS and then they continued by motor transport to the Casualty Clearing Station (CCS).

It is better to leave parishes neglected than to neglect the soldiers.

At the CCS, chaplains of all denominations could offer assistance to both the medical teams and the wounded. They were also able to be with the dying. In this location, chaplains wrote hundreds of letters on behalf of their wounded parishioners that eventually brought news of their welfare to their families in New Zealand. From the CCS, the wounded, depending on the nature and severity of their disability, were forwarded to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Wisques or, in the majority of cases, evacuated to England to the three general hospitals for more concentrated care and lengthy recovery.

Following the battle, there was the persistent and demanding task of burying the dead. Among these tasks was the removal of the personal effects of the soldier and preparing these effects to be sent back to the family. At a suitable spot close to where the battle took place, the chaplain officiated at burials, where he would offer New Testament words of comfort and assurance to those battle companions of the dead that were able to attend. At the conclusion of the burials, the chaplain was generally responsible for writing to the deceased soldier’s family.

Commanding officers grew to trust their chaplains, and many a quiet moment was spent as the former unburdened themselves. The chaplain was always a colleague of the regimental doctor, who privately sought the friendship and the support of his pastor. Individuals among

Soul Food | 13

the soldiers that had a lively Christian faith struggled to reconcile its reality and brutality with the Christianity they understood outside the boundaries of war. They would share their dilemma with the chaplain, seeking his advice and reassurance.

Surrounded by death Many soldiers confided in Clive that as he stood at the foot of a wounded soldier’s bed, they perceived the presence of God. He agonised over the soldiers’ suffering that he saw in hospital visits before he served on the Western Front, and had misgivings that he was not battle hardened and therefore totally inadequate.

Once on the Western Front, he moved around the battle areas, sometimes with other chaplains. In a letter written on 28 December 1917 from Ypres, Belgium, he writes: I have been in the frontline trenches, I have lived for a fortnight underground, with two intervals of six days in the ‘Support’ line. The Brigade is now ‘out’ for a few days … But we are not beyond the range of the big guns. The huge craters in this camp bear witness to the shells that came over a few nights ago … I dislike the air raids most of all.

One feels so helpless hearing the drone of the machines and anxiously wondering where the next bomb will drop … I must not make you depressed, nor do I want you to think that we are always sad. Far from it, the men are exceptionally cheerful, considering their hard work and the conditions of life.

On 10 September 1918, Clive wrote that he, along with Padre Dobson, had buried 95 bodies. These losses came after the Battalion advanced, capturing many prisoners and guns. He reflected: They were days full of deeds of heroism, of cruel suffering and of devotion to duty. To go over the battlefield and see the machine-gun nests, the Hun tanks, the place where their anti-tank guns accounted for so many wounded, is to wonder how many could not only stand up and face it, but advance and capture those very guns … My heart bleeds for the suffering and wounded men, and it is impossible to express in words one’s sympathy with those who mourn the loss of some brave and loving boy who died doing his duty and has had no small share (having given his life for us) in beating the enemy to the line of March 21st, and thus to a step nearer his final defeat. God grant that it may end soon and that we may all be spared to return to those whom we love so dearly.

On Sunday 3 November 1918, they marched out from Solesmes, starting at 4:30 pm. It was a rough day. Clive wrote, ‘It was raining hard, the roads were congested, diversions had to be made round bridges and places where the roads had been blown up, and lorries got stuck in the mud.’ At 9:30, the soldiers arrived near Le Quesnoy. They had only marched about eight kilometres, but it had taken five hours, and they had not taken their packs off once. (Clive was 38 years old, and in a letter written on 9 June 1918, he makes mention of getting too old for this life.)

At this time, Clive was attached to the 1st Wellington Infantry Regiment, having been seconded on 26 April 1918. On one occasion he writes, ‘… we buried the C.O. and Adjutant and two company officers

An Advanced Dressing Station, Western Front. Ref: 1/2-012928-G. Alexander Turnbull Library. and 12 men of the 2nd Battalion and our own Adjutant and eight men of the 1st Battalion.’

Clive wrote many letters to the family of men who were killed or died of wounds in Belgium and France, including one to the parents of 38160 James Hobbs, killed on 13 October 1918 near Briastre: We mourn the loss of a keen, cheery and brave soldier and a very pleasant companion. I knew your boy well and often had a talk with him. He was always full of fun and looked on the brightest side of things when sometimes the conditions of life out here made others grumble.

One of his officers, whilst talking to me of him a moment ago, said: ‘He was worth a dozen men because he kept the others so cheerful, and all the company misses him’. Your son was badly hit by shellfire on the night upon which we came out of the front line near Briastre. He died at the advanced dressing station about four miles behind the line, and he is buried in the little French cemetery of the village of Beauvois. We have erected the New Zealand wooden cross over his grace, and this will, after the war, be replaced by a more permanent one of stone. I am sure the French people will care for and reverence his grave (the cemetery is beautifully kept), for these French people know and value the splendid part that the sons of New Zealand have played in the recapture of their homes and country from the enemy.

On 11 November 1918, Armistace Day, Clive marched back to Beauvois-en-Cambrésis before continuing on to Germany. He then went to England, until he left for New Zealand on 28 June 1919, returning to his parish in Cambridge.

In 1926, Clive moved from Cambridge to Hastings to take up the position of vicar there. When the 1931 earthquake hit the town, he became involved with the loss of people and buildings. It was all too similar to his activities in the war—tending to the wounded, comforting those who had losses and burying the deceased.

Clive eventually returned to Cambridge, where he continued to give valuable service to the Parish, and died there on 8 June 1965.

During the Second World War, General Montgomery commented that he would rather go into battle without his artillery than leave his chaplains behind. He reminded one chaplain that during an attack he expected him to be on his knees in prayer to the Most High God, offering prayers for victory and the safe return of as many as possible.

Abridged with permission from A Strong Sense of Duty: The First World War Letters of Chaplain the Reverend Clive Mortimer Jones 1917–1920. Available for $40 (plus p&p) from the New Zealand Military Historical Society Go to nzmhs.org.nz or email: secretary@nzmhs.org.nz

14 WarCry¨19 April 2014

Zoo Boogie Thrills Children in South Island Tour The Boogie Bus headed South in February/March for a whirlwind tour of the Mainland over 10 days. Zoo Boogie travelled to six towns for a dozen performances, which left our small crew exhausted but excited and encouraged by how God is using The Salvation Army and Zoo Boogie to reach our local communities.

While most of the team travelled by air, three of the crew (including Boris the Polar Bear) made their way South via Boogie Bus and ferry. Boogie Buddies on Facebook would have seen snapshots of Boris hiding out at some of New Zealand’s most iconic landmarks throughout the journey.

First stop Christchurch, where we arrived on the third anniversary of the devastating Canterbury Earthquake. Thank you to Linwood, Sydenham and Christchurch City Corps who took time out of their busy schedules that weekend to accommodate Zoo Boogie and host performances at their corps. It was a privilege for us to be able to engage with families and spread a little joy in Christchurch.

On to Timaru, where we were privileged to perform in the majestic Theatre Royale. Such history and atmosphere, the team had to resist breaking into song, ‘It’s time to play the music / It’s time to light the lights / It’s time to get things started on the Boogie Show tonight’, as we felt like we had quite literally walked into the Muppet Show theatre. The atmosphere of the venue was matched by the energy and enthusiasm of the children during and after the show.

Then further South to Winton, which may have been the smallest town we visited, but it delivered one of the largest audiences.

Kindergartens, primary schools and almost every other pre-schooler in Winton came along to the show. I guess it helps when the local corps is so strongly connected with its community that it manages the town’s official Facebook page! Nicely done Winton.

Next stop Gore, for two performances and a wonderful bunch of very energetic and vocal kids. Never have we experienced children so engaged in a show that we struggled to hear ourselves because the kiddies were so vocal. It was a great problem to have!

Invercargill was next, where we performed on the freshly polished floors of new ILT Stadium to a large audience of children, parents and grandparents—including Mayor Tim Shadbolt himself (who most likely spent the rest of the day boogieing away in the Mayoral Chambers).

Then it was on to Queenstown for Children’s Day on 2 March, where we enjoyed performing for the community at a hugely popular event organised by Queenstown Corps (but not before Zoo Keeper Dale took the opportunity to show the animals who was boss down the Skyline Luge ride).

The tour concluded with a visit to Kingsview Preschool, where Dale and Boris were able to share some songs with the children in a smaller setting before making their way home.

The highlight of the tour was undoubtedly the opportunity to meet our brothers and sisters from the wider Salvation Army family and to perform for children, families and communities rarely exposed to the brand of high-quality values-based entertainment that Zoo Boogie so proudly delivers.

The lowlight was definitely the ferry ride home. It turns out that polar bears don’t get seasick in nasty conditions, but zoo keepers definitely do!

A massive thank you to all of those individuals and families who hosted and billeted our crew, and for those who played an integral role in planning and organising the tour. One thing’s for sure—they sure know how to boogie in the Mainland!

Blair Dale (aka Zoo Keeper Dale)

Zoo Boogie is a children’s music group teaching positive values run out of The Salvation Army East City Corps. Zoo Boogie is keen to explore the opportunity to tour other parts of the country in partnership with The Salvation Army. If your corps would be interested in hosting Zoo Boogie for a one-off performance or event, please contact Blair (Zoo Keeper Dale) via admin@zooboogie.com Go to zooboogie.com and facebook.com/zooboogie for more info about Zoo Boogie and its ministry. You can view the latest Zoo Boogie videos at zooboogie.com/music/videos

Our Community | 15

Teams Race at Southern Division Paddy Bash

On 8 March, the Southern Division held its rescheduled 2013 Paddy Bash at the Oxford Speedway track in Christchurch.

About 100 people enjoyed the day, with 13 cars representing seven teams starting the day and around eight still racing as activities wound up. There was some close racing, a few crashes and some spectacular mechanical failures. Some of our younger drivers even also enjoyed the chance to get a feel for racing during the lunchtime break. Although they took it slowly, a few still managed to collide.

Teams came from as far afield as Nelson Tasman Bays Corps in the north, to Timaru in the south, with a good representation from around Christchurch. The racing schedule consisted of social and competitive grades, leading to the afternoon final.

Bruce Rathgen from Linwood Corps was awarded the Individual

Winner’s trophy. Nelson Tasman Bays Corps took out the Team Award, a popular result. The Novice Award was presented to Sharon Kerr who raced with the Christchurch Recovery Church team.

The Oxford Speedway Track team were great hosts, turning on the hospitality on what turned out to be a glorious Canterbury day.

Given that this year’s event was actually a postponement from 2013, there is still the glory of the 2014 Paddy Bash to come. This is scheduled for Saturday 22 November, with 29 November as the rain delay day. Planning is well underway to make this event even bigger and better. It will feature more junior racing, meaning some extra action for younger kids, and will hopefully see some other improvements, such as more shaded areas for spectators and quicker turnarounds between races.

The Paddy Bash is a great ‘doorway’ event for people that aren’t really connected with Salvation Army churches but that are connected to people attending The Salvation Army. This makes it a great mission opportunity!

A huge thanks to Anthony McFarlane for all the technical support and to Major Mike Allwright for organising the cars and liaising with the track guys.

Major David Moody (Divisional Youth Secretary, Southern Division)

Part of the Hornby Family

New Officers at THQ

(l-r) Mjr Barbara Sampson, David Baker and Alan Cross On Sunday 12 January, David Baker was enrolled as a soldier at Hornby Community Ministries. David was a member of The Salvation Army in Lower Hutt in 1990. His number-one supporter at the time was Salvationist Vera Lloyd. ‘She said to me, “Come round to Petone to a house we run for needy people.” She gave me the job of being caretaker there. Vera said, “That’s your job, to take care of these people in their misfortune.”

‘Well, I didn’t know what to say. But God knew from day one that this was for me. So I looked after people, cooking the evening meal for them each day. Then, the following week, I was offered the job of driving the van for the Sallies shop. So I did both jobs and they helped to sober me up. I’ve now been off the drink for 12 years.’

David left Naenae and returned to Christchurch, but didn’t come to The Salvation Army until a Community Ministries centre was opened at Hornby under Major Karen Hayward. ‘Now I help with the bread each Tuesday morning and make sure everyone is treated fairly and equally,’ says David. ‘I love my job as a volunteer!’

David became a soldier under the leadership of Major Barbara Sampson and with support from Major Kingsley Sampson. He says, ‘I am so happy to be part of the family of Sallies at Hornby!’

Territorial Headquarters staff in Wellington welcomed four new officers to the team this month.

From left to right: Captain Kristine Walker joins the Family Tracing Service, Captain Gerry Walker is the new Territorial Secretary for Personnel for The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, Major Lorraine LePine is the new Assistant Secretary for Personnel, and Lieutenant Pauleen Richards is the new Territorial Candidates Secretary (as well a Senior Training Officer at Booth College of Mission).

Captain Gerry Walker and Major LePine also join the Cabinet, The Salvation Army’s senior management group. Major David Bateman (Territorial Financial Secretary and a trustee) has also recently been added to the Cabinet.

16 WarCry¨19 April 2014

‘Watch this Space’ as Parachute Festival Ends After 24 years, the final curtain has dropped on New Zealand’s longest-running music festival.

Parachute Music, the charitable organisation behind the multiday music festival has announced that the event will be discontinued.

‘While we celebrate a great run in this country, it’s important to us that we end well,’ says Parachute CEO and festival founder Mark de Jong. ‘This event is no longer viable financially and our Board doesn’t believe it is prudent to continue the event. Continuing the festival will put all the other activities of Parachute Music at risk.

‘It’s no secret that running an event of this scale in Australasia has become increasingly harder to do in a saturated events market,’ continues de Jong. ‘Over the last few years, we’ve reduced ticket prices, slashed operational budgets, increased artist spend and done many other things to try to make this festival work; we’ve come to the point where we believe this festival’s season is at an end. The last thing we want to do is to ruin this festival’s legacy by forcing it past a natural conclusion.

‘While we realise that this will be a disappointing blow to our loyal supporters, punters and volunteers, we’re excited about the opportunity to focus our energies on the other core activities of

Parachute Music, including the development of emerging musicians, artist mentoring, management and training, as well as our community recording studios. We are also exploring some ideas for new events—watch this space.’

De Jong says, ‘We have nothing but fond memories of so many festivals, and we are deeply grateful for the thousands of supporters, volunteers, artists and punters who have been on this journey with us. We look forward to continuing this journey together as we move into a new season.’

All pre-purchased tickets to the 2015 event will be refunded in full from iTicket.co.nz.

The Salvation Army’s Territorial Youth Secretary, Major Joanne Wardle, says, ‘Thousands of Salvationists have attended Parachute Festival over the past 24 years and loved it—particularly youth groups and families. Parachute Festival has positively impacted so many of our young people: people have been saved, lives transformed and young people inspired to use their own gifts. The Salvation Army is truly sad to see the Festival end, but we are grateful for all the awesome memories and experiences, and excited to see where Parachute Music will go now.’

Congress Music Groups for a Multicultural Army

International Headquarters has released the names of music groups taking part in ‘Boundless’, the International Congress being held in London in July 2015 to celebrate The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary. The New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory is represented among these groups.

Every territory and command was invited to submit names of musicians or music groups. A dedicated team sat through hours of footage before selecting groups and soloists representing a broad spectrum of excellence in God-inspired Salvation Army music-making —from traditional choral, brass band and timbrels, to Chinese lion dancers, Korean fan dancers and a bamboo orchestra.

The breadth of cultures and music-making from the South Pacific and East Asia Zone will be shown. The New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory will be represented by a kapa haka group. The Australia Southern Territory is sending the Melbourne Staff Band and Waverley Temple Corps Timbrel Brigade, the Hong Kong and Macau Command will provide praise dancers with Chinese instrument accompaniment, and the Indonesia Territory will supply its Youth Chorus and

Bamboo Orchestra. From the Korea Territory come samulnori percussion players.

Africa will be represented by the Angola National Band, Ghana Band and Folk Dance Troupe, and Kenya West Vocal and Dance Troupe.

From the Americas and Caribbean Zone will come Ontario Central East Youth Chorus and London Ontario Timbrels (Canada and Bermuda Territory), and soloist Adriana Quezada from Mexico. The USA will send groups from across the country. The USA Central Territory is sending the Chicago Staff Band and Bill Booth Drama Troupe, the USA Eastern Territory provides the New York Staff Band, and the USA Southern Territory is sending worship band transMission.

The USA Western Territory will send the Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters and Youth Chorus, San Francisco Chinatown Lion Dancers, Korean Fan Dancers from Los Angeles, Hawaii Hula Halau, and the intriguing prospect of a ‘Larsson and Larsson musical’. The South America East Territorial Band and South America West Cultural Dance Troupe ensure that South America isn’t left out.

Europe will supply worship dancer Shaw Coleman (Germany

and Lithuania Territory), vocal soloist A-young Lee (Italy and Greece Command) and—from The Netherlands and Czech Republic Territory—a Roma group and the Amsterdam Staff Songsters. The Eastern Europe Territory will be represented

by Captains Valery and Victoria Lalac with Captains Alexander and Svetlana Sharov, and a Scandinavian influence will come from Norway’s Mannssambandet Vocal Group and the Vasa Gospel Choir from Sweden. The host country won’t be left out, with the International Staff Band and International Staff Songsters joined by 2nd Mile Worship Band and interpretive dancers the Hart Triplets.

Finally, the South Asia Zone will be represented by the India Central Youth Singers and India Eastern Mizo Singers, with soloist Judith Lalremruati.

Commissioner William Cochrane (Chair of the Congress Planning and Advisory Council) says, ‘We are extremely pleased by the variety and cultural diversity represented in the list of participants.

The multiculturalism of The Salvation Army will clearly be seen in the groups and individuals who will come from the four corners of the earth to share their gifts in praise and worship to our Heavenly Father.’

Go to boundless2015.org for international congress news.

Register online and sign up to the Boundless 2015 email newsletter.

GAZETTE International Appointment Effective 1 Sept: Lt-Cols Willis and Barbara Howell, officers of the USA Southern Territory, currently serving as divisional leaders in that territory, are appointed Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries, respectively, of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory with the rank of colonel. They will succeed Cols Graeme and Wynne Reddish, who will be retiring from active service.

Appointments Effective immediately: Mjr Louise Kennedy, Case Worker, Waikato Addiction Services; Capt Stuart Tong, Referral Officer, Denver Avenue Independent Living Units (additional).

Bereaved Mjrs Dean and Edwina Herring of their son-in-law, Karl Brookland, on 7 April in Christchurch after a short illness. Please pray for the Herring family along with Karl’s wife Victoria and their children Kalysta, Niko and Saskia, along with extended members of the family in this time of loss.

Accepted Candidates The following people have been accepted as candidates for the 2015 Joyful Intercessors Session: Taehwan Kim and Aram Kwon (Auckland Korean Corps) and Erica and Fraser Kearse (Waitakere City Corps).

Name Change The Territorial Commander has approved a change of name from ‘The Salvation Army Employment Plus’ to ‘The Salvation Army Education and Employment’, effective 22 April. The new name better reflects the current service, which has continued to evolve to deliver education and employment that helps young people achieve qualifications and matches people of any age to jobs.

Noticeboard | 17

CALENDAR APRIL 17–20: Easter Camps 18: Good Friday 19: Junior Soldiers Big Day Out / Northern Division 20: Easter Sunday 22: Southland Anniversary 23–27: Brass Development Camp / Wellington 25: ANZAC Day 25: Taupo Sevens 26: Southern Sevens 26: Safe to Serve (East) / Fiji Division 27: Social Service Sunday / Fiji Division 28: Fiji Sevens (East) / Fiji Division 28–4 May: Red Shield Appeal Week 29: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast / Wellington 30–4 May: Kids Peak Adventure / Blue Mountain Adventure Centre

Prevent People Trafficking Conference 5–6 June / New Zealand Police College, Porirua

This year’s conference is hosted by The Salvation Army, Immigration New Zealand and the New Zealand Police. ‘Exploitation: A Fair Go for Everyone’ is the conference theme, and working together to prevent people trafficking and exploitation in New Zealand is our aim. We invite you to join with us. Together we can make a difference.

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN. For more information e: chris_frazer@nzf. salvationarmy.org, p: (04) 802 6269, ext 24661.

Celebrate 120 Years with Wellington South Band

MAY 1: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast / Auckland 1: Marriage Seminar (Fua’amoto) / Tonga Region 2: Fiji Sevens (West) / Fiji Division 3–18: Fairtrade Fortnight 5–9: Officers Spiritual Retreat / Waikane 7–8: Positive Lifestyle Programme Training / Central Division 8: Marriage Seminar (Talasiu) / Tonga Region

24–27 October

Over Labour Day Weekend, the Wellington South Corps Band is celebrating 120 years of ministry and service. Guest leaders are Majors Steve and Chris Black, former corps officers from Melbourne, Australia. Musical guests for the weekend are David Fiu of the NZ Army Band and Matthew Stein of the NZ Navy Band.

For a registration form and info, e: wsbonetwenty@gmail.com, or p: (04) 389 3530. www.facebook.com/WSB120

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Kapiti, Kelvin Grove, Kilbirnie and Labasa Corps, Kolovai Corps Plant, Booth College of Mission, The Salvation Army in Mexico.

Help children in need develop into healthy, happy and fulfilled young people.

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS The Salvation Army Child Sponsorship Programme

Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 16 April: Spiritual Day / Booth College of Mission 18-20 April: Easter Weekend / Whangarei Corps 29 April: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast / Wellington 29 April: Education and Employment Workshop / Wellington 1 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast / Auckland Colonels Graeme (Chief Secretary) and Wynne Reddish (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 1 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast / Auckland 4 May: North Shore Korean Plant Opening

www.salvationarmy.org.nz/childsponsorship

With your financial support, The Salvation Army can help care for children in need.

Email: childsponsorship@nzf.salvationarmy.org Phone: (04) 384 5649 Fax: (04) 802 6259

Crossword Answers: Across: 8 Although, 9 Laughs, 10 Criticised, 11 Poem, 12 Please, 14 Corrects, 15 Reports, 17 Erasing, 20 Strongly, 22 Sudden, 24 Taxi, 25 Motionless, 27 Screen, 28 Restored. Down: 1 Plural, 2 What, 3 Quickest, 4 Physics, 5 Glider, 6 Suppressed, 7 Threaten, 13 Apologised, 16 Entrance, 18 Response, 19 Mystery, 21 Gaming, 23 Easier, 26 Loop. Quiz Answers: 1 Russell Crowe, 2 Great Expectations, 3 Lent, 4 Mercury, 5 Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38).

To advertise your event, email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

R E G I S T R AT I O N S N O W O P E N

18 WarCry¨19 April 2014

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Come toward the Saviour of the world without fear.

Amid their grief, loss and disappointment, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary made their way to the tomb of Jesus. The events of the previous few days had left the friends and followers of Jesus in a desperate and vulnerable state. Their leader and friend had been falsely accused, beaten and murdered. Their mission and hopes were in tatters and they feared for their lives. The very act of going to the tomb was putting them at grave risk (no pun intended). Of course, we know the outcome of the story; the angel, guards, stone rolled away, empty tomb and grave clothes, but try to imagine the state of their hearts and minds at this moment of time.

In this situation of death, grief and fear, the angel of the Lord appeared and said, ‘Don’t be afraid.’ Of course they were afraid! It was a politically charged and dangerous situation for female friends of a crucified criminal in a nation under oppression. They came to perform a final act of reverence, love and care. And the angel of the Lord assured them that they need not be afraid.

The angel then gave God’s eternal invitation, ‘Come’, ‘Come and see …’, ‘Come and see where his body once laid … He is risen!’, ‘Don’t be afraid … come and see.’ The risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, continues to offer this invitation today. As a consequence of his love, grace and forgiveness, we are all free to come toward the Saviour of the world without fear and in full confidence of his goodness and salvation.

Having looked inside the empty tomb and viewed the folded grave clothes, those who had gathered were instructed to ‘go’.

‘Go and tell’ of what you have seen and experienced. The Saviour of the world has conquered the curse of death. ‘Go and tell’ that the Messiah has risen from the dead and that the grave no longer holds its power. The resurrected Jesus later charged the Church to go and tell and make disciples, and to go in his power and authority. A few weeks later, he told his followers to go from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

The call and mission of the Church remains the same today.

Firstly, to come and see this Jesus in order to experience his love and forgiveness. And then to go and tell others of him through word and deed.

As the followers of Jesus left the empty tomb, the resurrected Jesus met them on the way. His message was the same: ‘Go and tell.’ And his final words echoed the reassurance of the angel when he said, ‘Don’t be afraid.’ Kia kaha.

Commissioner Robert Donaldson Territorial Commander

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE WORD OF GOD Matthew 28:1–10 New Living Translation

‘Don’t be afraid ... Come, see where his body was lying ...

Go quickly and tell.... don’t be afraid!’’

‘Thought Matters’ is an annual conference hosted by The Salvation Army Tri-Territorial Theological Forum (TTTF) that facilitates theological discussion to inform ministry practice.

The forum comprises representatives from each of the contributing territories: Australia Eastern, Australia Southern and New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

The 2014 Thought Matters conference is being held in Auckland from 29 to 31 August.

This year’s conference theme is ‘Honour God with Your Body: A Christian View of Human Sexuality’. The aim is to help people to reflect theologically on their responses to issues of sexuality in their own lives, in the church and in society in general.

The conference location, venue, costs and registration information will be advised in June.

Call for Papers

Thought Matters is calling for papers to address a range of issues relevant to this conference theme. Papers of a biblical studies, theological, historical, practical theology or inter-disciplinary nature are all welcomed. Possible topics may include: • Christian attitudes to sexuality, singleness, marriage and celibacy now and/or through history • pastoral theology: a theological basis for pastoral care/ response relating to all or one of: same-sex families in the congregation, abuse, pornography, questioning sexual orientation, etc • sexualisation of women and/or children in advertising, pornography, fashion, social media and within the church • a theological basis for building bridges with the GLBTI community • agreeing to disagree: how do we work together when we have different views?

The Thought Matters conference is a safe and respectful space for theological conversation. It is expected that there will be a wide range of views expressed through papers and in responses from delegates. The aim of the conference is to explore ideas rather than convince others of the rightness or otherwise of any particular position. Therefore, organisers are looking for presenters who are able to clearly articulate their ideas in a respectful manner, allowing space for disagreement and discussion with others. Papers will be selected that represent a range of views.

Abstracts

Email abstracts of no more than 200 words by 23 May 2014 to thought_matters@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Successful applicants will be notified by 6 June 2014 and will need to submit their final paper (2500 words) by 25 July, 2014. Conference proceedings are published following the conference. All abstracts will remain confidential to the TTTF selection panel.

Go to salvationarmy.org.nz/thoughtmatters2014 or facebook.com/thoughtmatters

Mission Matters 19

Kingdom Tug-of-Wars Part of a series of occasional articles from The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission, looking at the power plays of the first Easter.

BY JAMES READ AND DON POSTERSKI A lot of life is like a tug-of-war. Family quarrels create strain.

Gender debates resist resolution. Workplace disagreements trigger sleepless nights. Church infighting damages friendships. Political powerbrokers attack when they should negotiate. And then there is our conscience. The disparity between who we are and what we want to be can leave us frustrated.

Why isn’t life more serene? Why is there so much push and pull?

So many loose ends, so much unresolved tension? Was it ever simpler?

When Jesus was making his mark, establishing his identity and framing his mission, was life simpler, with fewer ragged edges?

Were the pathways straighter? The tensions fewer? Were political power brokers more inclined to negotiate fairly? A careful look at the tug-of-war events that surrounded Jesus during his last week on earth can help us answer these questions. Let’s start at Palm Sunday, when two processions entered Jerusalem.

Jesus and his common-folk followers came from the west, with Jesus riding on a donkey. Jesus was cheered as he arrived from Galilee and journeyed down the Mount of Olives. His message was about the kingdom of God. His agenda was about peace and justice with a vision of bringing Heaven to Earth.

From the west, Roman governor Pontius Pilate entered Jerusalem at the head of a column of soldiers and the imperial cavalry. His political power was on parade. The agenda of the empire was to exercise control. His mandate was to keep the people in their place.

A tug-of-war was on the horizon.

The prominence of the temple in the life of Jerusalem added another dynamic that played into these events. Confrontational exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees had already set the tone with religious authorities. Jesus’ earlier ‘cleansing’ encounter in the temple meant another faction was ready to pounce. So, rather than allies, the religious leaders were Jesus’ adversaries.

In Jesus’ cultural context, the high priest and the temple authorities were in effect the rulers of the Jewish people, though of course they owed allegiance and tribute to their imperial overlords.

This balancing act was tenuous. ‘They needed to collaborate enough with Rome to keep Rome happy, but not so much as to anger their Jewish subjects,’ write Borg and Cross in The Last Week.

Think of the events that followed. The chief priest developed a

plot to have Jesus crucified. Judas sold his soul for a few coins. Peter denied he even knew his Lord. Jesus’ inner circle went to sleep during his darkest hour in Gethsemane. And then there was the tug-of-war of all tug-of-wars: Jesus pleaded with his Father, ‘If it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.’ In the end, Governor Pilate handed down his verdict: death!

Tug-of-wars were common in Jesus’ day, just as they are today.

What can we anticipate in the future? Will the kingdom-of-God agenda find universal favour? Will the Heaven-on-Earth agenda of peace and justice be easily embraced? Probably not.

In a tug-of-war world, part of the way forward is to embrace the strategy of ‘proximate justice.’ Proximate justice is grounded in realism: • some justice is better than no justice • more justice is better than less justice • true justice is marked by sustainable justice.

Tug-of-wars were common in Jesus’ day, just as they are today.

Nowadays, a strategy of settling for nothing less than the best may not only be impractical, it may be a barrier to justice. In tug-ofwar times, it is sometimes the route of real justice to give a little to get part of what is needed.

For example, one of the current issues pursued by justice advocates and some politicians is to increase the minimum wage for the working poor. Some are unbendable in what must be achieved, while those employing a proximate justice matrix would negotiate, believing that while a specific dollar increase is required, some reasonable portion of that is better than nothing.

When we have issues like climate change, gender equality, sustainable peaceable relationships between Israel and Palestine, and religious freedom on the agenda, a proximate justice approach is more feasible than the ‘winner take all’ strategy.

Tug-of-wars will continue to be part of the way forward. May God give us discernment, courage and boldness to know when to push hard, and when to say that the ground we have gained is enough for now.

Go to salvationarmy.org/isjc for more information on the International Social Justice Commission.

GOD & FAITH

WE’VE GOT THE

POWER!

When Jesus knocked death out for the count, he opened the way for us to live different lives: to put an end to the vicious cycle of paying back evil for evil, being able to survive betrayal and forgive others, and to feel deep sorrow for the things that also sadden God.

Two Bible verses really blow my mind.

They take all the amazingness of Jesus —his works, death and resurrection— then say that our lives will be a direct reflection of it. Talk about raising the bar on human existence! Check these out: ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these …’ (John 14:12).

‘And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he … will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you’ (Romans 8:11).

Think about some of the stuff Jesus did. Healing people, raising the dead, transforming lives, befriending outcasts, and turning world history on its head —these are some of the works that first verse talks of. But more than that, Jesus loved people so recklessly that he went to the point of being tortured, put to death and separated from his father —all for us. And then he victoriously rose from the dead. As Christians, we should see this sort of stuff in our lives.

S

S

BY HAYDEN SHEARMAN

WEATING BLOOD

Don’t you just hate when you’re praying away and blood starts oozing from your armpits?

No? Yeah, I haven’t experienced it either.

What Jesus was going through when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane (just before being arrested) was a medical condition now called ‘hematidrosis’ (yes, I needed to Google that one). It’s usually caused by intense fear or mental contemplation, which matches well to what Jesus was saying to his disciples at the time: ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to

G

Jesus understood Peter’s frailties and his remorse. Jesus asked him

We’ll probably never reach the sweating blood stage, but it’s a challenge to allow God to—as Brooke Fraser says in her song—‘break my heart for what breaks yours’. When we see the world through God’s eyes, our souls will be overwhelmed with sorrow.

And Jesus blazed the trail for that sorrow to turn to action.

ETTING BEATEN UNFAIRLY

Early Christians stayed strong of heart under persecution. Christians were crucified, fed to lions, and met death in all sorts of characteristically nasty Roman ways. Yet, they’d go through this singing worship songs.

There is a cycle of hate in our world that pays back evil for evil (we have a Māori word for it: utu), but Jesus demonstrated how the act of just one person laying down their own life and rights and ego, out of love for everyone involved, can put an end to this vicious cycle.

URVIVING BETRAYAL AND ABANDONMENT

‘What made Jesus’ torture even worse was that most of his close friends had either abandoned, denied or betrayed him publicly.

Friends letting you down, really, REALLY hurts. But notice how Jesus dealt with it after the resurrection.

There was no, ‘Hey, Peter, that whole rooster crowing, denial thing was pretty uncool. You owe me one, bro.’

the point of death’ (Matthew 26:38).

three times if he loved Jesus (Peter had denied Jesus three times). As well as a chance for Peter to make up, this was a way for Jesus to communicate his forgiveness for Peter, reminding him things between them were still all g.

For us, rather than keeping records of wrongs, let forgiveness, open communication and second chances mark the inevitable mistakes that crop up between human beings.

Three hundred years after Jesus, the Romans eventually stopped killing the Christians and became Christian themselves. Martin Luther King Jnr used this same loving resistance in the 1960s American civil rights movement.

Although it cost him his life, King changed American racial laws and mind-sets forever.

Nelson Mandela did the same in South Africa.

In what way can you lay down your life to break any evil-for-evil cycles at your work, school, youth group, or household this week?

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ORGIVING OTHERS

The depth of Jesus’ forgiveness also went to his torturers.

He prayed, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34).

The pinnacle of love isn’t flowers or weddings. It’s forgiveness. It is choosing to love a person who, for all intents and purposes, is unlovable. This is the pinnacle because it’s the hardest form of love. Because God is love and God lives inside us (see Romans 8:11), God will help us soar to these dizzying heights of loving what seems so unlovable.

For one of the most amazing examples of forgiveness Google ‘Corrie Ten Boom forgiveness’.

19 APRIL 2014 | 21

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

L

OOK OUT FOR OTHERS

I love it that Jesus still manages to think of others even while struggling to stay alive. He instructs John to care for his mother.

Then Jesus leads the guy on a cross next to him to spiritual salvation. Amid his greatest trial, Jesus is still consumed with love and thoughts for others.

Imagine if we could live our lives like that, always thinking of ways to bless and love people, no matter what stresses we face. If Jesus did it, the Bible promises that with his help we can do it too.

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ONNECTING WITH THE PEOPLE

As Jesus hung on the cross, he quoted from Psalm 22: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Mark 15:34). To the Jews, the Psalms were well-known folk songs. So this would have been like someone today quoting the first line of a Bob Marley tune.

Jesus was making a connection with his people, demonstrating his humanity and that he understands our struggles more than we can ever imagine. This honesty is a great reminder to us to keep it real as Christians. We shouldn’t hold onto our mistakes, but we also shouldn’t be afraid to admit our doubts and struggles either.

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EVERYDAY HUMANS HANGING WITH GOD WAS A THING THAT JUST DIDN’T HAPPEN ... UNTIL JESUS CLEARED THE WAY. ONQUERING DEATH

The other thing I believe Jesus was saying when he quoted from Psalm 22 is that doubts and desperation aren’t the end of the story. Read on through this psalm and the tone switches 180 degrees to sing of God’s incredible saving power.

This is the lingering tone of the psalm and, I reckon, that’s why Jesus chose to start quoting it.

His listeners would have made the connection that, although it was all sorrow at the time, a momentous change was about to come.

That momentous change was, of course, Jesus knocking death

out for the count.

Since Adam and Eve, humans have been weighed down by physical death, disease, sin, mistakes, greed, hatred, sorrow, pain, and all sorts of stuff that make life way less than perfect.

Jesus rising to life on the third day was the start of a new type of life, starting with the forgiveness of our sins (spiritual new life).

It’s exciting stuff ! And God offers this transformation to start in our lives right now and on an ongoing daily basis. So, have you got your boost of new life today?

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ANGING WITH GOD

Before Jesus, spending time with God was reserved for a select few. Moses caught a glimpse of God’s back from behind a rock, and Jacob even wrestled God. In ancient Israel, high priests would enter the Holy of Holies in the temple (the place where God’s Spirit dwelt) to offer sacrifices once a year. But for everyday humans, hanging with God just didn’t happen. Until Jesus cleared the way.

Hebrews calls Jesus the ultimate High Priest, because he gave up his own life as the perfect sacrifice. When Jesus died, the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest

of the temple was symbolically ripped in two.

When we accept what Jesus did for us on the cross, there is no barrier between us and God any more. No barrier between yourself and the person who lovingly created you and who understands you deeper than you’ll ever understand yourself.

No barrier between the mistakemaker and the ultimate forgiver.

No barrier between the hurt and the only one who truly heals.

Hang with God this Easter, because everything Jesus did on that first Easter was to give you the power to be his person in the world.

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

INTRODUCING | 22

Meeting God Changed My Life

I live on a small farm in Winton, Southland with some sheep, chickens and my horse.

I also live with my family—my mum and dad and my brother, who is high up on the autistic spectrum.

I struggle with that a bit because people tend to judge me because of him. When I started high school, I was bullied because of my brother, so I avoided telling many people about him. It hurts me now that I wasn’t open and honest about him, but when people

Meeting God has given me the strength and confidence to keep going, especially when I am bullied or picked on.

found out he was my brother, they thought it had something to do with me—like it was my fault or that there was something wrong with me.

I know that Jesus walks beside me and is always here for me.

This was really hard on me. My whole friend group, who I thought were my best friends, ended up turning on me and making me feel like rubbish. It really hurt me that they couldn’t accept that everyone is different and that we are all created differently for a reason.

Since that point, I have tried to keep strong and follow God’s instructions. At times, I have found myself wandering off the path but reading my Bible and praying help me keep going forward and help me stay close to God. I especially love youth events like youth councils and the Amplify Creative Arts Camp.

I love using the gifts God has given me to help others, and doing jobs within my corps.

Around this time, I started coming to The Salvation Army through one of my school friends. I was staying at her house and she invited me to come to church one Sunday after a sleepover. I had been to the children’s programme at Winton Corps (church) before, and then when I went to church, I loved it!

I just felt so at home when I went, and so I kept going back. This meant my mum began coming to church with me as well, which was awesome!

High school is still really hard at times, but God has placed some awesome Christian friends around me, as well as our youth group. They encourage me and challenge me to go deeper in my faith. I also know that Jesus walks beside me and is always here for me.

Later on, I went to Southern Youth Councils and I really discovered God properly for the first time. Meeting God changed my life.

There were things I never used to even think about before doing, but now I stop and ask: Is this what God would want me doing? Is this following God’s commandments?

I am excited about my future as I know that God will journey with me, and I trust him because I have seen the miracles he performs.

THE ART OF CELEBRATION

Rend Collective

Worship/Folk

The Art of Celebration is Rend Collective’s third studio album. Although firmly planted in the group’s acoustic folk roots, it manages to preserve the integrity and joyfulness of their song writing, and this contributes to a great, upbeat album. The Rend Collective sound is characterised by dense layers of acoustic guitars, mandolins, kick drums and creative percussion. Yet, it manages to retain a core sound that makes them perfect for corporate worship. This album strikes a good balance between lyrical poetry and biblical insight. Check it out!

MUSIC

LYRICS

GOD CONTENT

ALBUM REVIEW

ALBUM REVIEW

My self-confidence has also grown and God tells me all the time that I am worthy—that I am worthy of him and worthy of myself.

RECONSTRUCTED

Jesus Culture

Worship/Electronic

With the most unfortunate release timing in recent memory, Jesus Culture have gone down remix road while Hillsong’s White Album remix project is still fresh on playlists. Jesus Culture takes a similar yet more adventurous path, delving deeper into the electronica genre on Reconstructed. This is evident on some of the bigger songs. ‘Awaken Me’ stutters and spits, driven by 808 kicks and claps and infused with hip hop groove.

‘He Is Alive’ is a great, synth driven pop remix. Purely experimentation, and worth a listen—even if it only makes your pre-event playlist.

MUSIC

LYRICS

GOD CONTENT

EASTER COLOURING COMPETITION

Fun4Kids | 23

Colour in this picture and send it to us. The best entries will win a prize!

Wherever Jesus went, crowds of people wanted to see him. That’s because he was an amazing teacher and he performed miracles like making very sick people completely well.

But still some people didn’t like Jesus, so they had him killed. But then Jesus came back to life. This proved to his followers that Jesus was more than just a good man—he was the Son of God!

NEW KIDS BOOKS Best Mates is a great story about three mates who are best friends from school. They leave New Zealand together to fight at Gallipoli in World War One. A sad but important story about an important time in New Zealand history. For ages 5–12. Shortlisted for New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults this year.

(New Holland) The Easter Story tells the story of God’s love and what happened in the week that Jesus died.

Beautiful pictures. The person who wrote the book loves singing, learning new languages and everything that’s purple! The man who drew the pictures learnt to be an artist in Italy.

A great book for 5–9 year-olds.

(Lion Hudson)

Name

Age

Address Post to: War Cry magazine. PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

READ IT

This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! … the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death.’

Romans 1:3–4

CUT HERE

LET’S TALK If you made a list of the things you’d expect Jesus to do if he was God, what sort of things would you write on it?

He would be kind He would care about children He would be a great teacher He would heal sick people He would never do anything wrong He would stand up for weak people He would love even his enemies He would teach people to be good

LET’S PRAY Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to earth as a human and dying in my place so that God could forgive my sins. Help me to follow you every day and to tell others about your amazing love and power. Amen.

He would do miracles He would not ever die When we look at Jesus’ life we see the things he did showed that he was special—that’s because he was both human and God.

Because Jesus was a human he understands what it is like for us to live in the world and to have good times and bad times. Jesus cares about everyone in the world who is hurting and who feels sad.

If Jesus was ONLY a man, he could teach us some helpful stuff, but he couldn’t rescue us from our sin. It is because Jesus is human AND God that he can pay the price for our salvation. The Bible says, ‘Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven’ (Ephesians 1:7, CEV).

That’s great news!