8 August 2020 NZFTS War Cry by The Salvation Army SALT Magazine (NZ, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa)

FAITH IN ACTION 08 AUGUST 2020 | Issue 6748 | $1.50

Juggling Faith and Politics Reclaim our Warrior Spirit Gerry Walker: From Captain to Colonel

Relinquishing Regrets Te Manaaki Tāngata Opens in Westgate

WAR CRY The Salvation Army

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

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission. EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone (04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

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Spiritual Continuum In this edition of War Cry, we continue the theme of warfare touched on in Jules Badger’s excellent Heavy Metal series in previous editions, but this time Major Colleen Marshall is challenging us to reclaim the warrior spirit of The Salvation Army. I clearly remember witnessing this warrior spirit in our local corps when I was growing up. I remember testimony time, when people would stand up and testify with tears streaming down their faces. They would challenge us to fervent prayer, to fully trust in Jesus Christ and live a life dedicated to sharing the gospel. There is a need to translate this passion for Christ to our generations. To call our people to purposefully follow in the paths laid down for us by earlier believers. It is not that this is lost to us, but we need to reclaim the warrior spirit and passion and vision of people like the Booths, Brengle and Maraea Morris and Hera Stirling. We have freely propagated the gospel around the world for decades, and in most countries there has been free and easy access. A window of opportunity is still open to us, but we now know this can be shut down within 48 hours, and our ability to access the harvest changes and requires innovation and adaptability. Are we up to the challenge? Will we pray and ask for new and compelling ways to reach our communities with the Good News? Let us walk in the spiritual continuum passed to us by people who have sown liberally in the fields that are indeed still ‘ripe unto harvest’. Vivienne Hill Editor

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

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Self-denial is the test and definition of selfgovernment.

@SalvationArmyNZ

G.K Chesterton

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 137 years | Issue 6748 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

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James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Hemi 1:5 Ki te hapa tētahi o koutou i te mātauranga, me īnoi ia ki te Atua, e hōmai nui nei ki te katoa, kāhore hoki āna tāwai mai; ā ka hōmai ki a ia.

f this morning’s news is anything to go by, it is no surprise that mental health issues are on the rise: masks work, masks don’t work; economy in crisis; unprecedented job losses; business closures and bankruptcy; secondwave of Covid-19—and the list goes on. It is difficult to keep perspective in the midst of all the negativity, but how we react can impact not only our physical bodies but also our mental health. Neuroscientists have studied the connection between attitudes of the mind and the subsequent electrochemical responses in the brain. They have observed, through MRI and brain scans, the effects of both positive and negative stimuli on the mind and body. In other words, your thoughts can dictate how you physically feel. The good news is that we can change the way we think and feel through training our mind, just as we are asked to do in the Bible: ‘We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Corralling our thoughts is difficult in the good times, but requires focussed energy in the tough times. We need to purposefully catch ourselves mid-thought and refuse to entertain fear, anxiety and hopelessness. This does not come naturally, but as you apply yourself to the task, you can counter destructive self-talk and refuse to dwell on the negative thoughts. Martin Luther said: ‘You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair’. By actively dealing with your thought-life you can feel better both physically and mentally.

In Philippians 4:8 it says: ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things’. Paul encourages us to maintain and retain a positive attitude. The Bible also gives us an example of the impact of negative thoughts in Proverbs 17:22: ‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones’. This is a profound truth, particularly when we now know that a healthy immune system is derived from healthy bone marrow. It is interesting that the author correlates ‘dry bones’ to an emotional state, which shows the influence of the Holy Spirit on the author’s work. But, there are times in people’s lives when they need extra support, therapy and, for some, medication to even get to the point where they can begin to take their thoughts captive. If there is an underlying chemical imbalance, PTSD or trauma, then the ability to change your mind can be a mountain too hard to climb. In these cases, the first steps are seeking the help and support needed to progress into wellness. Then you can apply the practice of taking thoughts captive successfully. Our Lord and Saviour is an anchor in this stormy time. We have every reason to trust him through the turbulence of these current days, but now let us refocus and renew our minds to the best of our ability, so that our mind and body aligns with this life-giving truth. BY VIVIENNE HILL

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TOPFIVE

This week, here are ﬁve brilliant plant species names. 5. Sneezewort Yarrow (Achillea ptarmica), or Sneezewort for short—was once used as a powder to make someone sneeze.

Date and Orange Scones 75g butter, chilled and grated ¼ cup sugar 1 orange, finely grated zest 3 cups self-raising flour (or gluten-free selfraising flour) 1 tsp baking powder, siﬞed 2 cups pitted dates, chopped 1 ¾ cups buttermilk (or natural yoghurt) Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°C (fanbake). Line an oven tray with baking paper and lightly dust with flour. Combine orange zest, flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Add butter and use a knife or your fingertips to work into the flour mixture to a coarse crumb. Mix in the chopped dates. Add buttermilk/yoghurt and stir with a knife until the mixture just comes together into a soft, wettish dough (do not over-mix). Turn out onto a prepared tray and flatten into a circle about 25cm in diameter. Cut into 12 wedges and arrange with a little room in between.

4. Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia)—Thankfully, this plant does not resemble a bleeding heart. 3. Butter-and-Eggs (Linaria vulgaris)—A flower named after its supposed similarity to an egg yolk. 2. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)—You guessed it, a smelly plant with yellow or purple leaves. 1. Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)— Unfortunately, this flower isn’t filled with helium that allows you to speak in a high-pitched voice, but it does begin as a balloon-shaped bulb.

Bake until risen, fully set in the centre and lightly golden (about 20 minutes). Dust with icing sugar before serving, if desired.

Source: Annabel Langbein/eatwell.co.nz

Christian Living Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk Eugene Cho How can we seek ﬁrst the kingdom of God when casting our vote and expressing our opinions? Throughout Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk, Pastor Eugene Cho encourages Christians that they must live out their hearts for Jesus through politics. He outlines how to do this in ten commandments, each with reﬂection questions. Although contextualised in American politics, Cho’s suggestions have worldwide application. Whether you are a fervid party supporter, on the fence or somebody with no clue how to vote come September, this book is a helpful guide about how to position our hearts before heading to the polls. (Reviewed by Bethany Slaughter) War Cry has one copy of Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk to give away! Simply email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz to be in the draw. Entries close 22 August.  WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

Weird of the Week: Fairy floss was invented by a dentist.

SALLIEOF THEWEEK

Paul Barber (Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit) Paul Barber is new to The Salvation Army, starting last year as a Senior Policy Analyst for our Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU). Paul is married to Monika and, along with their two teenagers, they share a love of the outdoors, heading away camping and tramping as often as they can. Paul’s a pretty smart guy and knows his stuﬀ, having worked in the non-proﬁt and social services sector for over 20 years. Paul is one of the clever people responsible for The Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report and is currently working hard to help Salvationists navigate the key issues for consideration in the September 19 General Election. And that’s why he’s our Sallie of the Week!

QUIKQUIZ 1 In a standard Monopoly game, which railway station is west on the board?

2 In May 2019, what New York City street was renamed in honour of a show’s fiftieth anniversary? 3 The world’s shortest international border is just 150m long and connects Zambia with which country? 4 What is the name of a bridge which carries water over valleys? 5 Morpheus’ ship in The Matrix is named after which biblical king? Answers on page 22

Glenﬁeld Delivers Joy to Watoto Children’s Choir Watoto Children’s Choir was midway through their New Zealand tour when the pandemic forced international travel to start shutting down. They were checked-in at Auckland Airport when they learned Uganda had officially closed their borders. Calvary Church Glenfield offered to house the choir and their leaders in their church, where their days were structured around schoolwork, devotions and singing practice. ‘I certainly admire the pastors taking on that responsibility,’ says Glenfield Community Ministries Manager Lorraine Brooks, who heard about the situation through one of their volunteers. ‘I gave them a call and asked if there was any way we could help them out with some supplies, and they were very grateful.’

games, puzzles and colouring-in books. ‘They were truly amazed,’ Lorraine recalls. ‘They had expected a couple of baskets of food, so when we turned up with the van filled—every inch of the van—they just couldn’t believe it.’ Lorraine spent some time with the choir and got to hear them sing, which was ‘truly beautiful’. ‘They are truly joyous people. The children are passionate in their belief in Jesus. Their lives are committed to sharing the Word.’ Lorraine has since called to check up on them and hopes their team can continue offering support until the choir can return home.

Glenfield Community Ministries filled up their van with food, as well as brand new

WARCRYINHISTORY WARCRY

These navy, polka-dotted shirts belong to the Levin Home League who met together weekly for ‘fellowship, worship, education and service’. This photograph from 1 August 1 acknowledged the league’s ‘sweet singing in the choir’. Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Ploughman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission

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The 2020 General Election is fast approaching, with a variety of important social and moral issues for us to consider, especially in these economically unsettling days post-lockdown. And while some among us may argue that politics and religion shouldn’t mix, The Salvation Army is not an apolitical movement—far from it. BY JULES BADGER

he Salvation Army’s co-founder General William Booth was very interested in politics because he was very interested in people. He believed that engaging with political issues made sense because it was a key means to address people’s needs and agitate for change to their circumstances. For the General, it was about seeking social justice and promoting wellbeing for the masses. ‘Our work is to deliver people by turning them away from their iniquities. That is a fundamental principle. But we want help in that matter from the government. We want our lawmakers to make just laws,’ said General Booth. One hundred and fifty-plus years on and The Salvation Army’s interests haven’t changed. If anything, they’ve expanded exponentially. The Salvation Army in New Zealand led the way with the launch of the Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) in 2004. This was followed soon after by the establishment of the International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) in 2007. The Salvation Army is not an apolitical movement. To be apolitical means having no interest or involvement in politics at all. The word ‘politics’ originates from the Greek word polis meaning the ‘life of the city’. If politics is about how we live and work together in community, then all of life is political. Furthermore, to have no engagement with politics at all would mean abdicating our responsibility to love our neighbour, and that’s not who we are as The Salvation Army. That’s not who we are called to be as active and discerning participants in the kingdom of God.

Politically non-partisan So, if we’re not an apolitical movement, then what are we? Our International Positional Statement on ‘The Salvation Army and the State’ explains that although we seek to influence government and public affairs, we will not promote or endorse specific candidates of political parties. In working with any State or its agencies, The Salvation Army seeks to promote biblical values including justice, truth, mercy, equity, human rights and peace as part of its religious convictions and practice. This stance makes The Salvation Army a politically non-partisan movement, and, as such, has its origins in the prophetic traditions of the Old Testament. The biblical prophets were participants in the politics of their time—they experienced the reality of people’s suffering, they befriended those failed by 08 AUGUST 2020 WarCry

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their governments and their policies, they denounced abuses of power and they spoke out of a vision of how things might be, rather than settling for the status quo. The Salvation Army follows this tradition, and that of the New Testament Christ who consistently rankled the sensibilities of those in power.

Would Jesus have voted? ‘Jesus didn’t have time for politics. He was too busy helping people.’ This recent Facebook comment demonstrates the divide that can exist when it comes to the purpose and nature of politics. Senior Political Analyst for SPPU Paul Barber says, ‘I think Jesus would have voted. He was a very political figure. Our faith is political in nature. Jesus spent a great deal of time responding to politically-loaded questions. His shocking story of the Good Samaritan being one such obvious and powerful example.’ Paul points out that in the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is demanding that we answer the question: Who is my neighbour?

...TO HAVE NO ENGAGEMENT WITH POLITICS AT ALL WOULD MEAN ABDICATING OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR, AND THAT’S NOT WHO WE ARE AS THE SALVATION ARMY. ‘We need to constantly come back to this story. It’s so outrageous! In fact, we can’t fully comprehend the outrageousness of what Jesus was trying to communicate in twenty-first century New Zealand because we’re so removed from the contentious social and religious situation he was speaking into when he told that story. But his message was basically that the act of caring for a stranger without discrimination demonstrates God’s mercy and love—and this is what he requires of us.’ One of the ways we can care for our neighbour is by engaging in the political process because voting influences 8 WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

systemic change. Paul reminds us that this is one very practical way of responding to the call we have as Salvationists to care for people, transform lives and reform society. ‘Some of the things that will transform lives are those big structural things like how people get housing; how people’s incomes are set, how wages and benefits are determined; how we control hazardous substances within our society and speak into their regulation. If, as Christians, we’re not engaged in the political process, we’re leaving society without the potential for God’s transformational work—being part of the political process is essential.’

Ritual of vigilance As New Zealanders we forget sometimes that we are privileged to live in a democratic country where we have the right to vote. ‘I often reflect on the fact that there are still countries in the world where people die for the right to vote. We see images from countries where democracy is introduced and people are queueing for hours, walking for days, in order to exercise the right to vote. One thing we must never do is take our democracy for granted,’ says Paul. Our system of democracy is not perfect. In 1947 Winston Churchill famously said that, ‘Democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried’. For all its flaws, it’s still the best system on offer. Paul uses an excellent phrase when he describes the vital role of voting citizens in upholding democracy. ‘Voting is a ritual of vigilance! Every citizen of New Zealand needs to recognise that voting is one of the ways we take part in society and make our contribution. We can’t afford to slip into political apathy. History is full of cases where dysfunctional democracies become dictatorships.’

Political apathy versus great acts of love The New Zealand Electoral Commission estimates that there are about 500,000 people who could be voters but are not yet registered to vote (you can’t vote if you are not registered on the Electoral Roll). At the last election in 2017, nearly 700,000 people who were registered to vote did not actually vote. So, if you put those two numbers together, there could be as many as 1.2 million people (about a third of those eligible) who could vote who may not vote this year. ‘By not voting you’re saying I will let somebody else speak for me and I would suggest such inaction is abdicating our

…WE ARE ALL ENCOURAGED TO INFORM OURSELVES ON THE ISSUES, CONSIDER OTHERS WHO ARE VULNERABLE, PRAY AND PARTICIPATE. responsibility as citizens, and especially as Christians. We need to see our fellow citizens as brothers and sisters who are encompassed by God’s love, and personally I believe that bringing about social justice changes that lift people is one of the greatest acts of Christian love that we can participate in. I feel—I yearn and dream—and see this as taking steps to make real the kingdom of God on earth,’ Paul affirms. Jesus didn’t just desire heart change, he offered abundant life. He wasn’t just about heaven—he was about a better life for all on earth now! For Jesus, salvation was wholistic. As his disciples we are called to partner with God to make a better world now, while we wait for the kingdom to come in fullness. For Booth, salvation was wholistic. He wanted people to be saved spiritually, but also lifted from their dire circumstances. In this same way, salvation is both personal and systemic for Salvationists today. If we’re truly about ‘others’, then making the world a better place for all of us is imperative. ‘We all know that the Bible is built around messages of justice and fairness and equality—and our duty is to try and figure out how to put that into practice together. What kind of salvation are you experiencing if you give your life to God, but you’re left in unhealthy housing, or your income is too low to provide for your family or you’re still caught up in addiction? The full measure of our salvation isn’t just about a personal choice to follow Christ—it’s these two things working together.’

All for one and one for all If the effort of our team of five million to beat Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that when we work together to protect the vulnerable amongst us, the result is better for all of us. Most of us would have recovered if we’d caught the virus, but for the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, asthmatic children and pregnant women—to name a handful

of the at-risk groups—the outcome could have been very different. New Zealanders sacrificed comfort and convenience for a few months for the greater good. ‘The Covid-19 response was an amazing act of love. By protecting the vulnerable, we all won. We need to take that kind of thinking into other issues we’re facing. If you think about housing, for example, sure you can think about increasing capital gains on your property and building your personal wealth, or you can say, How can we do this so that I can have a decent place to live, and so can a whole lot of other people who are never going to get near that capital gains space? It’s that kind of ‘others’ thinking that we want to see across all mainstream political thinking,’ suggests Paul.

Who should I vote for then? The Salvation Army will not tell you who to vote for. But we are all encouraged to inform ourselves on the issues, consider others who are vulnerable, pray and participate. More than half of the 500,000 people not yet enrolled are aged under 30, and the SPPU team is wanting War Cry readers to use their networks to encourage younger people to enrol and take an interest in the issues being voted on. This election also includes two referenda questions, giving Kiwi the opportunity to influence decision-making by voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the End of Life Choice Bill coming into force, and the legalisation of cannabis. This is an important election to be involved in, and War Cry will feature discussion on these two issues in an up-coming edition. ARE YOU ENROLLED TO VOTE? | find out at vote.nz

2020 General Election Issues Download our 2020 General Election Issues booklet at salvationarmy.org.nz/election2020 for more about the key issues to consider when voting.

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No Regrets Guilt, shame, disappointment, regret—whatever word you give to that feeling gnawing away at your insides—can eat you alive! When there is something we have said or done that we wish we could take back—especially when there is nothing we can do to cancel out the harm it has caused—it can lead us to selfdestructive thinking and behaviours. While regret can teach us better ways to act, react or interact in the future, agonising over our reaction can make us doubt our own worth, to a point that our self-inflicted punishment doesn’t fit the crime. If you are feeling weighed down by regret, here are some tips to move past that sinking feeling in your stomach. • Apologise. If your actions or words have negatively affected someone else, then it is imperative for their mental health, as much as yours, that you sincerely say sorry and give them an opportunity to explain how what you did you hurt them. • Own your mistake and learn from it. At the time, you made a decision to the best of your ability but, like all humans, occasionally you get it wrong. Think about why you made that choice, and how this experience can inform the way you respond in the future. • Allow yourself to feel blue. Cry, use a stress ball, go to town on a punching bag … but set a time limit. Let the emotions out, then don’t let them back in.

REMEMBER, CHRISTIANS BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO IS SOVEREIGN OVER THEIR MISTAKES.

• Catch negative self-talk. Do not accept these thoughts as fact; identify what triggers these unhelpful inner voices and prepare affirming statements for the next time they strike.

• Embrace your positive qualities. Focus on things you have got right. Despite what your gut might be telling you, you are not a monster—your regret proves that you care. • Focus on the present. Don’t dwell on ‘if only’, ‘I should have …’ or exaggerating what happened. Brainstorm things you can do now to balance out your sense of regret. For example, if you missed an opportunity to be generous, think of other volunteer opportunities you are passionate about to give your time to. • Do helpful activities. Deep breathing. Exercise. Focus on gratitude—start journaling or write down a list of things you appreciate each day. • Forgive yourself.

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Regret itself is not harmful; it is when we begin to resent ourselves— or when a multitude of regrets cause us to doubt our ability to do the right thing—that it overpowers us. Remember, Christians believe in a God who is sovereign over their mistakes. Philippians 3:13 reads, ‘Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead’. It does not help anyone to dwell unnecessarily on the past and continue to punish yourself— move forward, learn from the mistake and continue to chase the person you want to be. Source: Psychology Today—Beverly D. Flaxington, Mark Banschick M.D.

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. Rita Mae Brown

TESTIFY! Since surviving and recovering from a life-threatening stroke, Chris Austin is adapting to accepting help and keeping a positive approach to her new normal. I moved to the Hibiscus Coast about seven years ago; before that, I was North Shore born and bred. It’s the best move I could have made. The Salvation Army’s been the most wonderful place I could have ever wished for and more. I was looking for somewhere to do voluntary work. I first approached the hospice, but they said I was too qualified and my skills would deserve a paid position, so I rang the Sallies. I ended up going to church here and working at the foodbank. It has been a real privilege and honour to work with the people there. I was interviewing clients up until I had my stroke, and I had just started getting back to packing food before the lockdown. I suffered a haemorrhagic stroke in January . Luckily, I was at my daughter Jo’s house or I wouldn’t be here today. I was in hospital for seven weeks. First, I had to learn to talk again, and then I had to learn how to move my body. I couldn’t sit up. I couldn’t move in bed. I couldn’t do anything for myself when I was transferred to North Shore for rehab. Four weeks later, I walked out. I had to work really, really hard. Something that helped an awful lot was that Jo brought my knitting in for me. At first I kept losing all the stitches, but I persevered. It activated my brain and was a big step in my recovery. Now, I can do most things. It didn’t bother me deciding not to drive anymore, or moving house or getting rid of a whole lot of possessions, because the stroke seems to have deadened my emotions somewhat. I have someone help me with my housework, and Jo’s been such a great support and never made me feel bad for

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS FOR ME IS TO ALWAYS HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK. EVEN IF I CAN’T DO SOMETHING, I CAN LAUGH ABOUT IT… needing her help. She and her daughter Xanthee live a m walk away and they were part of my bubble. Hibiscus Coast Corps has been absolutely amazing. Our corps officers, Captains Ben and Karen Schischka, are incredible. I’ve had meals brought to me, received many phone calls and there’s a lot of people who still pray for me continuously, which is really lovely. That has been quite hard for me, because the boot’s always been on the other foot. It’s always been me who’s been the carer and now I’ve got to accept that I need some help as well. It was only when I saw an email Ben had sent to everyone at church, telling them that it didn’t look like I was going to make it, that I realised how big it was—the fact that I came back from something I was unlikely to survive,

and knowing I had so many people praying for me. What you see is not necessarily how it is. Yes, I have made a remarkable recovery, but my reality is more like looking at an empty cicada shell: a perfect image of what it once was. That is what I feel like at times—empty, used, discarded, spent, like a thing without any purpose. But I know that I was saved because God has a plan for me, I just don’t know what that plan is. One of the key things for me is to always have a positive outlook. Even if I can’t do something, I can laugh about it—which I generally do—and encourage other people to laugh at or with me as well. I focus on what I can do rather than what I can’t do.

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Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk! TURNING POLITICAL CONVICTION INTO CHRISTIAN CONVICTION Can we consider politics from a Christian perspective without it turning sour? Pastor Eugene Cho analyses these ideas in his book, Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk. BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

When election day rolls around, the big question is often: Why should I vote? After all, in New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji (Samoa recently introduced compulsory voting), we don’t have to. But what about the crucial follow-up question: How should I vote? This goes beyond the box you tick on your election ballot. If you consider yourself a Christian, then your motives, your attitude towards politicians/parties and the way you speak about politics should reflect your faith. The New Zealand General Election is set for September 19, following which the entire world will turn its eyes to the USA for their 2020 Presidential Election in November. Maybe you are deeply invested in the outcomes of these elections. Maybe you don’t care at all—but you should. 12 firezone.co.nz 08 AUGUST 2020

Part of the Kingdom In his book, Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk, Pastor Eugene Cho believes caring about faith and politics is not an either/ or choice. In fact, he agrees with Pastor Tim Keller that not getting involved is a vote for the status quo. Cho implores readers to reconsider the way they vote to support their neighbours and those in need, rather than voting only to oppose certain people or policies. ‘When I read the Bible, it’s emphatically clear that people matter to God—including and especially people who are marginalised, oppressed, forgotten, and on the fringes of our larger society,’ he writes. ‘Don’t just vote for what you’re against. Show us what you’re about. Create a better story.’ This means prayerfully considering which politician or party best reflects your values. None will ever align perfectly, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vote. ‘The kingdom of God cannot be encapsulated by one gender, one church, one denomination, one leader and certainly not by one political party—even if there are prominent Christian leaders advocating for it.’

Weaponising Christianity Cho worries that people are either becoming disengaged or, conversely, obsessed with politics— and politicians use Christianity as a tactic to win voters in both of these groups. ‘Voters, and especially people of faith, must realise that political parties and candidates may distort, manipulate, cajole, emotionalise, tug and use whatever other tactics to “speak” to our faith. And if we’re not careful, we can be dumbed down and influenced in such a way that a candidate’s strategic use of “Christianese” becomes the dominant or even the only factor in determining our vote,’ he writes. Cho argues we need to approach politics with ‘Kingdom of God Christianity’ so that our politics are informed and transformed by faith, rather than being Cultural Christians whose theology is held captive by politics. Cultural Christianity puts us at risk of distorting the Bible’s true message to justify politics— or even just to win an argument—and idolising our own objectives ahead of God’s.

Vote Love It is easy to use political disagreements as an excuse to demonise the people who did not vote the same way (or at all), but the Bible tells us we are all fearfully and wonderfully made by God. It is wrong to dehumanise and blatantly disregard the views of those we disagree with—or worse, bully them or threaten their wellbeing. Cho explains that he prays regularly for world leaders—yes, including current US President Donald Trump—because prayer reminds us not just of our need for God but also that, as humans, we are all connected to one another. ‘While I disagree much with Trump and have criticized him for many of his policies and bullying tactics, I can’t possibly heap a broad stroke of judgement on the 62,984,828 human beings who voted for him,’ Cho writes. ‘Yes, we can be against policies, someone’s politics and actions … and still acknowledge their humanity and Jesus’ love for them.’ He also believes we need to look hard at ourselves before we judge. ‘We want to preach to others, but we don’t preach to ourselves. We love to flip tables, but not our own. We love to expose the privilege in others while rarely considering our own.’ It is possible—and beneficial—to befriend people you disagree with. Healthy conflict can help us better understand each other. Swallow the initial urge to criticise, and instead ask them about their motivations. It might even reveal your own blind spots.

‘DON’T JUST VOTE FOR WHAT YOU’RE AGAINST… CREATE A BETTER STORY.’ Keep The Faith We need to care about the voting process and ensure that our most important objective is to vote with our hearts focused on God’s love for others. ‘Without a government that values each individual—their life, their health, their future—our society will forget those in the margins. And without intentionally valuing all people, our nation or even any smaller community will never live up to its full potential,’ Cho writes. ‘Injustice is not a right and left issue. It’s a right and wrong issue.’ And even when the vote doesn’t go the way you hoped, Cho reminds us that as Christians we have something no political result will ever trump (pun intended). ‘Every election matters. It’s naive to say otherwise, but no political commentator’s election night announcement can beat the fact that we already have good news—the ultimate Good News. No candidate or party platform is more important than this.’

Don’t pray for a politician to be publicly humiliated, impeached or defeated. Instead, pray they would lead with wisdom, change their heart and for God to use their leadership. Don’t slander politicians or their ardent supporters online. Sometimes, it’s okay to write a measured response and stand up for others, but don’t be rude, dismissive or quick to judge. Don’t bait people or engage in a political pile on. Talk gracefully and listen before you reply in a huff. Published by: David C Cook Publishing.

In a digital media age, we are vessels for political misinformation. Cho encourages us to look deeply and use media literacy before we load biased news and falsehoods into our arsenal. ‘In our partisan, fragmented society, where everyone has access to a megaphone through social media, we often use our megaphones to project lies or half-truths. Sometimes it’s unintentional. Sometimes it’s intentional. Sometimes it’s because we’re lazy. Sometimes what we say and do is intentionally vindictive in order to push the narratives we want others to believe.’

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Dawn blessing: Representatives from The Salvation Army SASH team, Tainui, Meridian Construction, Fat Parrot Architecture, Westgate Corps and Royal Oak housing tenants.

Te Manaaki Tāngata Opens in Westgate, Auckland BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

Salvation Army Social Housing (SASH) has celebrated the opening of its newest housing development in West Auckland. Westgate Corps Officer Captain Daniel Buckingham says the priority going forward is to establish a community with the new residents and surrounding areas. The opening of a new SASH housing development in Westgate will help to alleviate the housing crisis in West Auckland, while providing an opportunity for intentional mission with the neighbouring Westgate Corps. The 22-unit complex—comprising twenty units that are two-bedrooms and two units that are one bedroom—is touted as being among the best insulated homes in Auckland, thanks to SASH, Fat Parrot Architecture and Meridian Construction. Although construction on the project shut down for eight weeks during the Covid-19 lockdown, the process has otherwise run on schedule, and tenants are expected to move in through July and August. The project was blessed with a karakia on 16 July, with local iwi present. ‘It was beautiful having representatives from Tainui there,’ Daniel recalls. ‘They were present as well during a sod-turning ceremony over a year ago, and to have them back along with so many representatives of various areas of Salvation Army mission and ministry was really cool. 1 WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

‘We prayed through each of the units and then came together in our corps building for mihimihi and discussion and korero, and then shared breakfast together.’ The development is built on land that was purchased by Westgate Corps in the early 2000s. ‘Our leadership team was very excited by the project,’ Daniel says. ‘For us, getting involved was a no-brainer. We quickly realised that the corps’ plans for what we wanted to do with that land didn’t need all the space by any means, and that actually there was the opportunity for something really cool to happen.’ The development’s name—Te Manaaki Tāngata—translates to: support, take care, show respect, look out for, enhance the mana of and show hospitality to the people, and is about creating community and caring for the people within it. With only a thirty second walk separating them, establishing a connection with Te Manaaki Tāngata is a priority for Westgate Corps going forward. ‘If this is a village, then we want the corps to be the village square, and that is a key outcome for our Community Ministries

‘PEOPLE WHO WE ARE TALKING TO ARE SAYING, “I’VE JUST HAD A RENT REVIEW WITH MY LANDLORD, MY RENT IS GOING UP BY 30 PERCENT … I JUST CAN’T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE AREA ANYMORE”.’ programme over the next 12 months,’ Daniel remarks. ‘In fact, I would say it is the key outcome for our Community Ministries programme over the next 12 months.’

An Innovative Response to Auckland’s Housing Crisis

café, gymnasium, social hall and hosting the Family Store and Community Ministries on site. However, the corps is aware of the work required in advance of this new building to establish community and be intentional with their mission to the local area. ‘We don’t wait for a new building to be done and pin all our hopes on that,’ Daniel says. ‘We need to start running community events for these people moving in. Right now, we need to expand Community Ministries. Right now, we need to focus on our youth and children’s programmes and on reaching into those communities. ‘There is a real sense of expectation in the corps at the moment and a real sense of drive; not for the new building to define what the corps is, but for the corps to define what the new building is going to be, and to do it now.’ Westgate Corps has been discussing ways that they can welcome the incoming tenants—such as a block party—and make the first connection. ‘It is a key outcome for us over the next twelve months that we establish and create good relationships with the tenants of these houses and that they feel like the corps is a place where they can come and be—and I don’t just mean that in terms of a Sunday church setting … obviously that would be great, but just in terms of “this is our place, this is a part of our home”,’ Daniel explains. And as they celebrate the new development as the first step forward in this new season for their corps, he is excited to see where God leads Westgate in the coming months.

This development has been built with a construction material called Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). SIPs are made from two wooden panels with a foam core, which serves as both structure and insulation. Along with a heat-transfer system, building with SIPs has ensured that these units will be warm and dry and heating costs kept low. ‘I’m told that these will be among some of the best insulated homes in Auckland, possibly in the country, as a result of the implementation of this material,’ Daniel says. SIPs are an integral part of the development’s goal to create innovative, sustainable, low-cost and long-term housing. Demand for housing in West Auckland is ‘overwhelming’ and costs in the Westgate-Massey area, which was once considered largely affordable, have skyrocketed. ‘We have seen a huge issue in this area over the course of the last twenty years, with gentrification pushing people out of their homes and that continues to be a problem,’ Daniel explains. ‘People who we are talking to are saying, “I’ve just had a rent review with my landlord, my rent is going up by 30 percent … I just can’t afford to live in the area anymore”.’ The project team was encouraged by stories from the Te Hononga Tāngata complex which was opened in Royal Oak in 2019, with tenants reporting how thrilled they were to live in beautiful, clean, warm and dry homes of their own. Photography by Taylor Wilson/ ‘We are really hoping that wilsonproduction.co.nz what it creates is a longterm home and village and community for these people, so that even living in West Auckland—“Where am I going to live? How am I going to make my rent?”—becomes less of an everyday struggle,’ Daniel says.

The Future for Westgate Corps Te Manaaki Tāngata is not the only breakthrough on the horizon for Westgate Corps. They are awaiting resource consent from Auckland City Council to begin construction of a new corps building on the land. Plans include a new 08 AUGUST 2020 WarCry 15

From Captain to Colonel Some people just don’t fit inside the usual boxes. The territory’s new Chief Secretary is one of these people. Colonel Gerry Walker’s new role comes with an automatic promotion—from Captain! He feels a bit awkward about it, but it’s the opportunity to serve that matters most to Gerry. And he has very firm convictions about the value every Salvationist brings to the mission, regardless of rank. ‘I’ve always believed that there are different callings, but one is no greater than the other. So yes, I’m going to be the Chief Secretary, but of equal importance is the fact that I’m a soldier of The Salvation Army first. This new role is no more important than any other I’ve had. Colonel or Captain, I’m just here to serve the same as I’ve always done.’ Similarly, Gerry doesn’t view any of the covenants or promises he’s made to God as being of more importance than another. ‘I’ve signed a number of covenants in my life—marriage covenant, soldiers’ covenant; Kristine and I made promises when we dedicated our children; as a local officer I viewed my commission as a covenant, and of course there’s the covenant we signed when we became officers. But I don’t prioritise one over another. They’re all equally important. That includes the contract

I made in 2002 as an employee of The Salvation Army. I wore my uniform to work so that was a covenant to me. I was just doing what God asked me to do then, and it’s all I’m doing now. ‘When I look back over the past 42 years, I realise that the 25 years I worked in the public sector were years of apprenticeship for working with The Salvation Army. Those 25 years, combined with the 17 years since working as an Army employee and then as an officer, have prepared me for this latest role. It’s been a 42year apprenticeship!’ Gerry’s experience to date includes regional management of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) in South Auckland, local officer service that includes four years as corps sergeant major of Auckland City Corps, lay leadership of Manukau Community Ministries followed by divisional Community Ministries, director for the Northern Division and 13 years of officer service spanning Community Ministries, ASARS, personnel and programme/mission sections. As Gerry begins this new chapter, he’s adamant the biggest challenge facing the territory mirrors our greatest opportunity. ‘God sends 120,000-plus people to us every year. What more could God do? This is our greatest opportunity! But the

‘New’ Wellington Homeless To the uninformed, the plight of innercity Wellington’s homeless population might appear largely unchanged since Covid-19 lockdown. However, Captain Joe Serevi, Central Division Court Officer and city outreach worker, tells a different story. ‘There’s a whole new group of homeless people on the streets of Wellington now. When lockdown happened, the Government put everyone into motels, which was good. They are still in motels. But since lockdown ended, a new group of homeless people have arrived in the city from the suburbs and around the country.’ Joe is engaging with people from as far away as Hawke’s Bay, and as close as Porirua. ‘The Porirua City Council is moving the homeless population on, so they’ve come into the city where they’re allowed to beg and also to sleep. Others have moved from out of town because they have lost their jobs and cannot pay their rent. They’re looking for work here, but it’s a struggle. A lot are now on benefits but it’s not enough to pay rent and they are on long waiting lists for emergency accommodation. They’re just waiting, and they have no place to go.’ 16 WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

Senior Policy Analyst Paul Barber of The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit reports that official figures provided by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development shows that applicants on the public housing register (those waiting for social housing) in May were just under 18,000—an increase of 1763 since March when lockdown began. The process for applying for benefits and various forms of assistance are now all online. While the intention was to make things easier, for many it hasn’t, says Joe. ‘For most people this is so hard. They don’t have access to a computer, and so they have to ask someone else to help them do the online process. You can’t just walk into WINZ and make an appointment anymore either, but you can’t get an appointment without filling in the forms online—it’s a catch 22. That’s a big stumbling block for many.’

Opening New Doors for Māori On Sunday evening of July 12, Northern Division Māori Ministry hosted Matariki celebrations at Waitakere Central Corps in Henderson, Auckland. Matariki is a uniquely Māori celebration that marks the Māori New Year. ‘A lot of people only know The Salvation Army because of our Family Stores and social services. They don’t realise we celebrate things that are important to Māori within the framework of The Salvation Army. Matariki celebrations are one way of demonstrating that The Salvation Army has a vision for Māori-responsiveness and for working together to honour the Treaty. It opens another doorway for involvement and kotahitanga (unity, togetherness),’ explains Roxette Ogotau, Māori Ministry Kaiāwhina and key event organiser. Post-Covid-19 lockdown, the 2020 Matariki celebrations took a different shape to previous years. ‘It made sense to

challenge is: How do we engage and journey with people in relevant and meaningful ways on their terms, where they’re at— not where we want them to be—with a view to introducing them to Jesus along the way? ‘For so long Christians have been known for what they’re against rather than what they’re for. But we must be for people. I try and put myself in the shoes of someone walking through our doors for the first time—be that a corps or centre or social service. We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done if the message we’re sending doesn’t cause people to feel welcome and [that they] could easily belong.’ As Gerry begins this new and demanding role, he’s grateful for the values the territory articulated so well in 2016. ‘For me our values underpin everything we do. They say this is what we stand for—this is how we are going to behave and treat people. My aim is to be faithful to these values, and I want to be held to account. I need to be. And that’s not just because I’m sitting in this seat. It’s all roles, for all of us. ‘If I can put my hand on my heart knowing I’ve done my utmost to honour God by making decisions premised on our values, then I’ll be content.’

gather together, eat, sing waiata, reflect and just be together,’ says Roxette. Reflection and remembrance are some key components of traditional Matariki celebrations. Three stations were set up focused on the present, past and future. A photo booth created a fun space for people to celebrate and mark being together in the present moment, complete with a photo strip souvenir to take home.

The last station was about considering future hopes and aspirations. ‘We had a kete and sticky notes and pens and encouraged people to write down their hopes and prayers. Some came from Epsom Lodge and Recovery Church where this sort of prayer prompting is quite familiar. At the end of the night, I read out some of the hopes and aspirations from the kete. Many were praying and hoping for jobs, ongoing recovery from addictions, peace and aroha (love) within their whānau and, of course, for people to come to know Jesus—especially loved ones.’ A highlight for Roxette has been the positive feedback from participants. ‘So many people have spoken about the wairua (spirit) in the space, and the feeling of warmth and welcome. The way everyone took part was tino ātaahua (really beautiful).’

An intimate, discreet remembrance station gave people the space to reflect on the past. Stars cut from sparkly paper were symbolically pegged onto long, dangling fairy lights by participants. ‘Everyone’s been through such a weird time with lockdown. We don’t know how many people lost loved ones, but for people who weren’t able to be with their loved ones and grieve together as they would normally, this was a space to remember. For others it wasn’t just about grieving someone, but something. People have lost their jobs and things have changed, so for some it was also marking the end of a season,’ Roxette explains.

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A March Like No Other General John Larsson (Retired) shares fascinating glimpses of the early Army. Early morning on 1 August 1900 in Tokyo, the most daring march ever undertaken by The Salvation Army set off. And no Army march has ever had greater consequences for good. The Army had only been in Japan for five years, and numbered a scant 50 officers and a few hundred Salvationists. The march that morning was headed by two Brits, Territorial Commander Colonel Henry Bullard and Chief Secretary Major Charles Duce, together with Japanese Captain Gunpei Yamamuro, editor of the Japanese War Cry. Under their leadership the 50 officers marched into the Yoshiwara, a one-mile-square walled city within Tokyo that was the stronghold of licensed prostitution in the capital and housed almost 5,000 girls. These girls were virtually slaves of the brothel keepers, who insistently told them that there could be no escape. An imperial ordinance of 1872 had ordered that no prostitute could be held against her will, but it was written in hard-to-understand classical Japanese and the brothel owners made sure it was not communicated to their girls. The brilliant Gunpei Yamamuro, who as a 23-year-old Christian had become the first Japanese Salvationist and then the first Japanese officer, prepared a special rescue number of the War Cry. Printed on its front page in bold characters was the operative clause of the 1872 ordinance, rendered into colloquial Japanese by Yamamuro, which told the women that they could be free if they wished and that the Army was prepared to help them. Armed with hundreds of copies of this War Cry, and with banners flying, the officers marched into the Yoshiwara, proclaiming their good news from the street corners like town criers. But within minutes a taskforce of 300 thugs in the pay of the brothel keepers swung into attack. In the skirmish that followed, many officers, including Yamamuro, were wounded. The girls screamed and ran for cover. It was pandemonium. Ranged against the diminutive ‘David’ of the Army was the mega-gigantic ‘Goliath’ of some of the most powerful vested interests of the land. The day after the march, as the Army’s leaders had anticipated, the press arrived in force at the Army headquarters and, to a man, the editors joined the Army’s campaign and gave it front-page treatment. From then on it was not only Salvationists who were assailed in the streets, so were pressmen who were writing up the story. The editorial plants of two leading papers were so badly wrecked by gangs of thugs that the papers were forced out of business. But the papers that survived issued two or three editions daily so that readers could follow the

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evolving story. ‘March on, Salvation Army,’ applauded one paper, ‘and bring liberty to the captives.’ The events aroused such nationwide agitation that already by October an imperial ordinance decreed that any prostitute desiring her liberty could achieve it by stating her wish at the nearest police station. The consequences of that march into the Yoshiwara were by any measure spectacular. In the space of one year, 12,000 prostitutes obtained their release, with many of them assisted in the process by the Army. By 1902, two years later, 14,000 prostitutes had renounced their way of life and the number of brothel clients, over a million in 1900, had dropped to less than half. In 1920 a roll of honour was prepared by the government listing ‘the benefactors of Japan’. In the roll only five Europeans are numbered, but among them, to mark a nation’s gratitude, are Commissioner Henry Bullard and Lieut-Commissioner Charles Duce. And it all began with a march! Young Gunpei Yamamuro went from achievement to achievement. The year before the march against prostitution he had used his communication skills to write a book entitled The Common People’s Gospel. This simple story of the life and teaching of Jesus was on its way to becoming a Japanese classic. The Yoshiwara events made the author even better known and increased its sales. To date, the book has sold more than 3 million copies in more than 500 editions. It has been sold in bookstores throughout Japan and, in a country where but one percent of the population are Christian, the book has been a beacon of light that has guided many to Christ. Gunpei Yamamuro was the first Japanese person to become territorial commander of his native country, be promoted to the rank of commissioner and be admitted to the Order of the Founder. It is little wonder that Japanese Salvationists of today revere his name. Reprinted with permission from Salvationist (UK), 6 June 2020.

GAZETTE Appointment: Majors Anne and Peter Lewis, Planting Officers, Pacific Coast Mission, Midland Division. We pray that God will continue to bless Majors Anne and Peter Lewis as they take up this additional appointment. Long Service Recognition: Major Anne Lewis, 25 years. We congratulate and thank Major Anne Lewis for her faithful service and pray God's richest blessing upon her. Bereavement: Cadet Blair Dale, of his nana Rosemary Dale, from Auckland, on Thursday 23 July 2020. We ask you to uphold in prayer Cadets Blair and Lashana Dale, Blair’s father Colin Dale and other family members at this time of grief and loss.

‘WHEN NEW ZEALANDERS NEED US, WE NEED YOU’ According to the World Giving Index published by the Charities Aid Foundation in the UK, New Zealand ranks the third most generous country in the world over the last decade. It states that New Zealand is the only country to feature in the top 10 of all three giving categories. This statistic is one many of us have experienced over the years, and I have no doubt that this ranking has remained consistent over the Covid-19 lockdown period. We have witnessed the nature of the people of New Zealand, who supported us so generously with goods, services and finances throughout the crisis. Our call of, ‘When New Zealanders need us, we need you’, was taken to heart by donors to The Foodbank Project and many other generous examples of giving to the work of The Salvation Army… thank you New Zealand! Salvationists, staff and volunteers have also sacrificially responded to this crisis. When The Salvation Army was given ‘essential service’ status, I witnessed our staff step up to work tirelessly at the frontline. But, I also saw the tremendous work behind the scenes as our people innovated to deliver services in most unusual circumstances. Their ability to adapt and change to the demands placed on them was impressive. People served together in inspirational ways. The public knew we would respond, and our services responded above and beyond… thank you Salvation Army family! In 1 Timothy :1, the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy to commend his people to generosity:

GIVE A GIFT THAT TACKLES POVERTY AND INJUSTICE AROUND THE WORLD GIVE A GIFT ONLINE AT JUSTGIFTS.ORG.NZ INTERNET BANKING AVAILABLE

‘Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share…’ These words exemplify the spirit of generosity exhibited over these last months. Paul’s call to live a life of generosity and sharing goes on to highlight the light and life generosity can bring, both to the giver and the receiver. We are currently in a season of Self Denial and my prayer is that we will continue to see the generosity and sacriﬁcial giving that is already a part of the DNA of our nation and of The Salvation Army. If these last months are an indication of our pulse beat, then we are in good heart. Lt-Colonel Michelle Collins Territorial Secretary for Communications

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The month of July was a call to prayer, to stand in the gap, and a time to rise up and reclaim our warrior spirit. War Cry publication hasn’t changed since the nineteenth century! But has the sound of battle become far distant? Are we uniformed but uninformed of the great purpose for which the Army was birthed? BY MAJOR COLLEEN MARSHALL

I make a confession … I waver. Our Army heritage burns like fire in my bones but at times I retreat into solitude and contemplation. I once googled Can a Salvationist be a contemplative?, 20 WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

Reclaim our Warrior Spirit and was surprised to find many other like-minded thinkers. Far from being incompatible, it was okay to draw aside for a time, sit with the Lord, read and be refreshed, refueled, refined. Then the season waned, the drum-beat called again and the warrior spirit surged with new energy.

Jesus and are passionate for God’s glory and honour. Our song, ‘Storm the Forts of Darkness’, reminds us of our Army heritage. But could the movie title, Once Were Warriors, apply to us? Are we seeing victory?

Armed forces

Psalm . sounds a sad note: ‘The warriors of Ephraim, though fully armed, turned their backs and fled on the day of battle’. Fully armed, looking the part, shiny and polished, yet when the war cry came—the battle—they fled. Was it panic? Fear? The Psalmist continues, ‘They forgot their covenant with God, forgot the mighty wonders and miracles he had done … they stubbornly held out and tested God, bringing down his fury’. They knew the

Prayer warriors are like the armed forces of the church. In New Zealand there has been an unexplained surge since lockdown of people applying to join all three services—army, air force and navy. What’s it about? People are searching, asking questions. Their security has been challenged. And across all denominations the Holy Spirit is stirring up prayer warriors who love

Lost vision

stories well, they had been passed down through the generations. Outwardly they looked armed and dangerous, yet they were ill-prepared with no idea what the war required of them. Proud to be Ephraimites, but lacking the warrior spirit. They had lost their vision.

Stand in the gap Our military terms suggest that we’re the armed forces of the body of Christ. Are we standing in the gap as intercessors on behalf of our nation? The prophet Ezekiel spoke out God’s cry: ‘I looked for someone to rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land … but found no one’ (Ezekiel ., NLT). Can you feel God’s pain? Righteousness had given way to reproach, God’s altars were broken down, sin was rampant. God needed one fearless person with a heart toward him—‘but he found no one’. No one to raise the banner of righteousness or call people back to repentance. Even the priesthood was defiled. The lonely prophet was left to pronounce God’s coming judgment. Lockdown saw Christians from all denominations coming together online to stand in the gap for our nation. A Zoom group continues every Monday night for this purpose (see website Pray As One NZ). Some are like watchmen on the walls praying day and night, concerned about the devaluing of life,

OUR MILITARY TERMS SUGGEST THAT WE’RE THE ARMED FORCES OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. ARE WE STANDING IN THE GAP AS INTERCESSORS ON BEHALF OF OUR NATION?

AS WE SHOUT THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED US OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELLOUS LIGHT, WE RECLAIM OUR WARRIOR SPIRIT. and issues facing our nation. Prayer as one is powerful.

our praise and declare the splendour of our King?

Jesus is the Lion of Judah, the conquering Saviour, the one who breaks every chain, sets free those captive to the forces of darkness. Amazingly Jesus has given us, his disciples, power and authority over all the power of the enemy to do the works of the kingdom (Luke .–). This is our mantle— heart to God and hand to man.

‘Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise, Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!’ (SASB , verse ). Do these words stir you as they do me? These are our battle songs! Reminders that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Reminders that victory belongs to the Lord. There is power in praise.

Take sides

This principle of worship before warfare can be seen in the reaction of King Jehoshaphat (Old Testament) when told that a huge army was coming from Edom against him. He called his people to fast and worship. He declared God’s power and recounted his mighty acts in the past. Then Jahaziel, a Levite spoke out, ‘Do not be afraid, do not lose hope because of this mighty army. Take your positions. Stand firm, and you will see the power of the Lord. Don’t be afraid … the Lord is with you,’ (see  Chronicles ).

How well do we know God’s kingdom agenda, and our authority in Jesus Christ? God calls his army to take sides. To side with him to oppose evil and declare his sovereignty, we align ourselves with his word, his will, his mind and bind ourselves to him. We are called to fight injustice, bring reconciliation, rescue the perishing, and wage war in the heavenlies. We are called to a place of intimacy as his bride where he shares his heart, his love for mankind, his groaning till his glory is restored. The enemy is at large. We carry the very presence of the living God, the Saviour of the world; we carry life and hope. We are Te Ope Whakaora.

Worship before warfare I make another confession: I own a Salvation Army Song Book (SASB)! It carries a section simply called Warfare. No surprise that Devotion and Discipleship come earlier in the book. First is the need for salvation, then to be spirit-filled, to worship, to soak up the word, then to be equipped for battle. The recent War Cry series, Heavy Metal, outlined the spiritual armour as found in Ephesians :–. It reminds us to be engaged in spiritual warfare. We have a high and holy calling. As we shout the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light, we reclaim our warrior spirit. We declare how great is our God. Can you imagine hell’s foundations quivering as we shout

With that the people bowed low and worshiped the Lord with loud voices. Jehoshaphat appointed singers to march out in front, to worship and praise the Lord because of his glory and holiness. Worship came first, then warfare. As they shouted of God’s glory, the enemy quivered and quaked and God’s warriors stormed in and won the victory. They returned to Jerusalem full of joy and entered the temple. What a conquest! The news went far and wide that God was with his people and had fought against Israel’s enemies. The month of prayer has come and gone, but the call will not diminish, let’s reclaim our warrior spirit—God is with us!

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OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS

There are no oﬃcial engagements until further notice.

PRAY Territorial Information Systems Group (IT) and Internal

Audit Services, Invercargill Corps, Jeff Farm, Johnsonville Corps; The Salvation Army in Finland and Estonia.

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Quiz Answers:  Marylebone Station,  Sesame Street,  Botswana,  Aqueduct,  Nebuchadnezzar (found in the book of Daniel).

22 WarCry 08 AUGUST 2020

Word search! Can you ﬁnd these words in the grid? They could be forward, backward, up, down or diagonal. COFFEE CURRY HOT CHIPS PORRIDGE PUDDING ROAST SOUP STEW STIR-FRY TEA

E W P

W O

N N

J W P

S W X

O M M

M X

R W

‘Words satisfy the soul as food satisﬁes the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.’ Proverbs 18:20

Make a Family Photo Puzzle!

Here’s a fun activity you can do with your siblings—maybe you can each make a puzzle, then swap and solve each other’s. Make sure you get permission from your parents to check that you have copies before you start cutting up photographs though! You’ll Need… • Photographs (pick a colourful photograph which will be fun to solve once cut into pieces) • Craft glue • Sticky vinyl film (such as Duraseal) • Strong cardboard • Scissors Step by Step… 1. Find a photograph or print one (the larger the photograph, the better—if you have a photocopier, you can enlarge the image). 2. Use craft glue to paste the back of the photo onto the cardboard. . When the glue has dried, cover the front of the photograph with sticky vinyl film. 4. Use scissors to cut out the photo from the cardboard, and then chop it into large pieces. 5. See how long it takes to solve the puzzle; if it is too easy, cut the pieces into smaller segments. You can be creative when cutting the shapes— they don’t have to be perfect squares! Tip: You can choose a special photograph and make these as a gift for someone. Source: kidspot.co.nz

Our sense of taste is made up of  percent of our sense of smell.

Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert? Because she was stuﬀed!

Have you ever burned your tongue? It’s not a very nice sensation. You’ve sat down to relax with a nice cup of hot chocolate, but one sip and ouch! What’s worse, it ruins all the food you eat for the rest of the day. No one ever burns their tongue on purpose; it happens when we’re impatient, or simply don’t think about the consequences of chowing into a bowl of piping hot curry without testing the heat. But once we’ve done it, we can’t take it back, and have to sit with the unpleasant feeling. Our words can be like this. We say hurtful, insensitive or unhelpful things in the heat of the moment or without thinking. Once those words are out there, we can’t take them back. We all need to be extra careful about the things we say. We are all human, and bound to make mistakes, but words hurt. We need to make sure we aren’t causing pain, but bringing life through our speech. Just like burning your tongue causes you to think twice next time you go to swallow a mouthful of boiling soup, we learn from experience to be careful with our words and apologise when we get it wrong. THINK ABOUT...

Have you said something this week that you wish you could take back? Is there a person you can (and should) apologise to? 08 AUGUST 2020 WarCry

General William Booth launched the first Self Denial Appeal in 1886. This year, we are asking you to give as much as you are able in support of this worldwide appeal. Catch up on videos and give your Altar Service gift at: SE LFD E N I A L .I N F O / N Z F T S

LOVE S E LF

B E YO N D

D E N I A L

A PPE A L

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