Soldiership & Adherent Training

Transcription

1 as Soldiership & Adherent Training 1

2 as Authored & Compiled by Major Colin Hopper 2015 Territorial Mission Department Australian Eastern Territory Layout & Cover Design by Colin Hopper Permission granted for the use of the material Unit 4 Preparing for Battle (2012) Major Brian R. Slous in Our Faith, Our Call Generous Life (Unit 6) content prepared by Major Christine Dickson 2

3 as Outline of Training 3

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5 Video as Freedom Story Video Jennifer Denney mysalvos Jennifer Denney s Story 5

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7 Introduction 1. Sent to CONNECT the Love of God to the hearts of people. CONNECT others to God s love as we go out in our world connecting people through relationship to God s love a. God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. sharing the good news of His Kingdom. On our watch, as His followers and Kingdom agents, we are His new creation. As such we are to be His ambassadors with the message of His grace and mercy. God s heart is to be reconciled with His people. We are to seek the lost and to represent the King, in word and deed, by revealing and offering His love and forgiveness to all. 7

8 Video How urgent is that need to CONNECT the love of God to the hearts of all people? b. Stand in the gap between the living and the dead. In the Old Testament Moses and Aaron were confronted by the people because of the spread of the plague killing the people. That s when Moses sent Aaron on a mission: Making a Difference Koh-Yew Toh & Poh Heng Teo Numbers 16:46-50 (NIV) 46 Then Moses said to Aaron, Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started. 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped. Aaron recognized the urgency of the mission that he was sent to achieve. He ran out into the field of calamity to stand between the living and the dead. What he did resulted in saving the lives and destruction of the people. Today we are a called people sent on a mission to re- CONNECT or reconcile the heart of God with the hearts of people. As people of the cross where Christ made atonement for all, we are to stand between the living and the dead. 2. Sent to CONNECT and as we go make Disciples! When Jesus called Simon and Andrew (Mark 1: 17), and all the disciples to follow Him, it was with the purpose of joining Him on His mission. That mission was to go to the people with the Good News that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Matthew 28:16-20(NIV) 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Discipleship By Dallas Willard Dallas Willard is a great teacher on Discipleship: basic method teaching, example, and imitation to gather 8

9 a group of people by telling the story of Jesus, featuring his resurrection and pending return, to show by example what it meant to live with him now, already beyond death, and to lead others into such a life of being "with Jesus, learning to be like him." No New Testament text better fills out what this life of learning was than Colossians 3:1-17. Then he would proclaim the gospel. Such eccentric practices were common in the Army s early days. Its controversial methods, and not least its employment of female officers, attracted attention in both the religious and secular press, which drew it even further into the public eye. Within the ranks of The Salvation Army, including Officers, Soldiers, Adherents and friends, the banner of innovative evangelism and disciple-making has been passed on from generation to generation. That banner continues to be carried today with the call to live as followers of Jesus and as His agents of His Kingdom. The message of salvation for all remains the same, whilst the methods change according to the needs of its hearers and due changes in the social environment. On the 5th September, 1880, Edward Saunders and John Gore led the first Salvation Army meeting in Australia from the back of a greengrocer's cart in Adelaide's Botanic Park. Standing there, Gore said, "If there's a man here who hasn't had a square meal today, let him come home to tea with me." The needs of people have changed. It is no longer relevant to stand on the back of a greengrocer s cart and invite people home for a meal. But as William Booth said: How do we CONNECT the Heart of God to the hearts of people? From the time when The Salvation Army commenced, it has used many innovative methods to reach out with God s love to the last, the lost and the least film, brass bands, open-air meetings, timbrels, and countless forms of social reforms to meet the needs of the suffering. While women weep, as they do now, I ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I ll fight; while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I ll fight, I ll fight to the very end! Our methods will continue to change and adapt but the message will always stays the same. bit.ly/1vnbfcz One officer, John Lawley, usually carried an umbrella for his outdoor meetings. If he failed to attract a crowd by conventional methods, he would put up his umbrella and run around in circles until the people gathered. 3. CONNECTing God s heart through a caring faith community that offers acceptance and love. We often try to attract people to church with a multitude of things other than love. A cool band, excellent children's program, amazing speaker, or a set of nice 9

10 buildings will never truly attract people to Jesus. If we are a loving family of believers, Jesus says that people will know we're his disciples (John 13:35.) They'll want to be adopted into that family. John 13:35 (NIV) 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. In a family, no one is left out. Everyone s need should be cared for (Acts 4:32-35.) Acts 4:32-35 (NIV) 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. The family takes it upon itself to care for its members. They share with whoever has needs. This is a kind of love that is attractive. The first Christian converts in Acts 2 did not simply make a profession of faith and then seek to live the Christian life on their own. No, these early converts identified with Jesus Christ and His church. People are attracted to authentic, genuine and life-giving love displayed in a church community. Our Corps are to be communities - followers of Jesus who show through the quality of their relationships with one another that Jesus does make a transforming difference not only to individuals but to our life together with others. The prayer Jesus taught His disciples is a prayer for His Kingdom to exist on earth as it is in Heaven. His reign exists on earth as we display His nature in our relationships with one another and His nature is love. If you have a community of agape love then you make a disciple by ravishing them with the beauty of Jesus (Willard) and of the life with Him in the kingdom of God. Discipleship, as Dallas Willard has noted, is simply being with Jesus to learn from Jesus how to be like Jesus. We do this best in community, in relationship with people who are more like Jesus than we are by learning from them, observing them, doing life with them, being involved in a highly challenging, highly encouraging relationship in which we learn how to do the things that Jesus did by imitating the way of life in Christ of someone else. Then we invite others to imitate us as we imitate Christ. Mike Breen - Leading Missional Communities 4. Knowing and Sharing the Good News. CONNECTing God s heart to the hearts of people is about both our actions and our words. We are to live as followers of Jesus in such a way that our relationships with one another are a reflection of the love shared between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. CONNECTing is also about giving reason, in the course of our conversations, for the hope in Christ that we have experienced. That involves both the story of God s generous offer of the free gift of salvation through faith and, our story of coming to faith. God s Story 1 Peter 3:15-16 (VOICE) but exalt Him as Lord in your heart. Always be ready to offer a defense, humbly and respectfully, when someone asks why you live in hope. Keep your conscience clear so that those who ridicule your good conduct in the Anointed and say bad things about you will be put to shame. It s important that we can share the Story of God s saving grace and free offer of salvation. There are numerous outlines of the Gospel message that can be used to retell the story of God s saving grace. The most important thing is to find and use the method that works for you. 10

11 HERE ARE 3 OPTIONS: Outline 1. Business Cards available through Territorial Mission and Resource Dept or Divisional Headquarters. God is justly angry and punishes sin Mankind is cut off from God Mankind ungratefully turn our backs on God s loving rule. We don t want him to rule out lives and we turn away from him in our hearts. The Bible calls this attitude sin. Tragically, sin destroys our relationship with God. It destroys our relationships with each other. And God is rightly displeased. Worse than that, he s angry about how we ve treated him and each other. (Romans 1:18-23; 3:10-18, 23) GOD - God is loving and merciful - God sends his Son Jesus to pay the penalty for sin - God calls us to repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour Outline of the Gospel Presentation: HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN A - Admit your need: Romans 3:23 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. B - Believe that Jesus is the answer: Romans I 0:9 "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.' C - Confess that you have lived independently of Him: I John 1:9 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. D - Depend on Him: John 15:10 'If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love. Outline 2. Gospel Explanation This is a great way to memorise and understand the essential points of the gospel. Start by learning the 5 main points, and then the details under each point. GOD God is our loving Creator God made us to enjoy him forever Because of his great mercy, God has opened up a way for us to be restored to relationship with him. And it s not that God doesn t care, or is indifferent toward sin. No, God is angry and must act against sin. But because of his great love for us, God sent Jesus his Son, to pay the debt we owe to God. By dying the death of sinners on a cross, and taking upon himself the penalty our sins deserve, Jesus has opened up a way of forgiveness for us. As one part of the Bible says: Christ died for sins, the righteous (that s him), for the unrighteous (that s us), to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus has been raised again to life, and he rules the world today as its Saviour and Judge. He now calls every person, from every nation to come back to God, put their trust in him, and receive forgiveness and new spiritual life. (John 3:16) WHAT IF YOU DON T? You will be cut off from God forever If you reject God s gracious offer of forgiveness, you yourself will suffer the penalty your sins deserve. The Bible describes this as a state of spiritual death. Tragically it means being cut off from God eternally, living outside of his blessing, and under his terrible judgement (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10) WHAT IF YOU DO? You will be forgiven You will have eternal life If you are willing to accept your failure, and humbly ask God s forgiveness, God delights to forgive you and welcome you into a right relationship with him. He remembers your sins no more. And he sees you as absolutely clean, spotless and right before him (2 Corinthians 5:21). This new relationship with God is described in the Bible as eternal life. And it is a dimension and a quality of life that means you will enjoy the blessing of God, together with him and the people he has rescued and forgiven for eternity. (Copyright Evangelism and New Churches 2014) God is the loving creator of the world. He made us to enjoy him and his creation forever (Rev 4:11) MAN Mankind rebels against God 11

12 Outline 3: God isn t only For us but also He is With us. Napkin Discipleship (Adapted from One of by Alex Absalom and Greg Nettle) Napkin Discipleship simply involves a series of drawings that anyone can sketch on a napkin at their local Coffee Club, McDonald s, or even in their own home. Simple is GOOD! As well as providing an outline of God s Story it is also a tool that helps to assess where we are as a church and as individual followers of Jesus. It s called One Of. When it is completed, it looks like this: We see this beginning in the Old Testament. God is With the nation of Israel as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God is With Moses as he speaks to him from a burning bush. God is With Joshua as Israel prepares to conquer the land. God is With Daniel in the lions den. God is With Elijah on the mountain. The list goes on! God being With us is certainly better than God being For us. But God is still very different from us His holiness and otherness feels like an unbridgeable barrier. And, therefore, most people feel sad in His presence (the sad face with the baseball cap represents you and me!). God being For people and even being With people still was not enough. But God doesn t stop there. There s even better news: As we draw, we explain... God is For people. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes In him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son Into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17). Not to judge the world, but to save the world. God is For people! That is good news! God is For people (the smiley face with the halo represents God!). In Jesus, God becomes One Of us. For In Christ lives all the fullness of God In a human body (Colossians 2:9). Eugene Peterson says it this way in The Message: The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood (John 1:14). God moved into OUR neighbourhood! Jesus lives as One Of us, loves as One Of us, even likes us while He is One Of us. There are four words in the Greek language that we translate into English as the word love: But most people don t realize this and feel a long way from Him. God being For people was not enough. We continue Storge = family love Eros = sensual love Philos = friendship love Agape = unconditional love When Jesus was crucified, it wasn t because of whom he loved. In Matthew 11:19, Jesus is accused of liking sinners. He was, and is, a friend of tax collectors and sinners - all of us. The Greek word is philos. 12

13 The Pharisees of Jesus day might have endured a mission by Jesus that was all about agape - unconditional love for tax collectors and sinners. And Christ s mission certainly included unconditional love, but for Jesus, agape went hand in hand with philos. And liking sinners couldn t be tolerated. The Pharisees didn t accuse Jesus of loving sinners, they accused him of liking them, of being their friend. God, in Jesus, puts on the baseball cap. As good as it is to know that God is For us and With us, it amazes us that God is One Of us - and that He LIKES us! When most people discover this truth, they are no longer sad. One Of is the crucial transition. Now, here s the best part: When we understand the implications of God being For, With and One Of us, that often compels us to invite Jesus to be In us. And that changes everything. God Himself passes the DNA of Jesus into our very lives, which empowers us to live as Jesus here on this earth. Your Story: - Write out in about 100 words why you are a Christian. - Include some key milestones in your journey towards knowing Jesus. - Try & be specific & focus your thoughts on the reason why you are still a Christian today. Summary of ways to improve your story: - Keep the focus on Jesus, not on you. - Give the glory to God for His work in you. - Keep it natural and normal. - Avoid talking about any "strange" experiences you may have had that might make others feel uncomfortable. - Don't use Christian jargon. - Use ordinary words to communicate. - In seconds you can't say everything. Instead, try and show how Jesus is the answer to your life's greatest need - forgiveness. And show that knowing Him is the best thing that's ever happened to you. - Consider starting with a simple summary statement of why you are Christian, followed by a short explanation of how you came to that understanding. - Try ending your story with a question, to carry the conversation forward. God being For, With and One Of us pales in comparison to God being In us. We are now walking around as little Jesus-es! And here s what happens if God is now In us: This means that, like God, we must be For people, With people, One Of people, so that the DNA of Jesus can be passed through our lives into the lives of others and Jesus will then live In them. (copyright Evangelism and New Churches 2014) 5. Walking the Walk, Talking the Talk How and where do we CONNECT? The Bible tell us that we are to be both salt and light. As we go out into the world, as salt we are to have an influence of godliness and we are to shine our light, the light of God - to point the way to Jesus and His love. We become disciples that make disciples. This is the essence of missional living that is so attractive to others! 13

14 Making meaningful CONNECTion points? Michael Frost, an Australian church leader and Vice Principal of Morling College in Sydney, uses the acoustic B.E.L.L.S. to help to identify ways for us to CONNECT the heart of God with the hearts of people. The five habits of highly missional people are:- B.E.L.L.S. BLESS - Generosity I will bless three people this week, at least one of whom is not a member of our church. EAT - Hospitality I will eat with three people this week, at least one of whom is not a member of our church. LISTEN - Spirit-led I will spend at least one period of the week listening for the Spirit s voice. LEARN - Christlike I will spend at least one period of the week learning Christ. SENT - Missionary I will journal throughout the week all the ways I alerted others to the universal reign of God through Christ. As followers of Jesus, sent by Him on His mission we need to be intentional in our efforts to CONNECT the lost, the last and the least to the life-transforming love of God. To make disciples in in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world. Making Disciples requires both a team effort and our individual participation with Jesus in His mission to seek and to save the lost. As we journey with Jesus on the path of Discipleship His promise to us is the same promise He gave to His disciples to never leave them or forsake them: Matthew 28:20 (VOICE) 20 Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age. The CONNECTion we enjoy with God each day is made more and more real as we savour the authentic, genuine and life-giving love of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are to offer that CONNECTion to the people in our world. And God by His Holy Spirt helps us to do this. John 14:25-27 (MSG) I m telling you these things while I m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I m leaving you well and whole. That s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don t leave you the way you re used to being left feeling abandoned, bereft. So don t be upset. Don t be distraught. They Need Christ There are people living in the world out there They need you, they need me, they need Christ; There are children crying and no one to care They need you, they need me, they need Christ. And they ll go on hurting in the world out there, And they ll go on dying, drowning in despair, And they ll go on crying, that s unless we care: They need you, they need me, they need Christ. There are people living who would rather die They need you, they need me, they need Christ; And their Christian neighbours simply pass them by They need you, they need me, they need Christ. There are people sitting by a silent phone, People cold and hungry, people left alone, Suicides for reasons that remain unknown: They need you, they need me, they need Christ. 14

15 There s the prostitute and there s the prisoner too They need you, they need me, they need Christ; There s the skid row fella who has lost a shoe They need you, they need me, they need Christ. The compulsive gambler dreaming of his yacht, And the lad that s stealing just to get his shot, And the kid that s pregnant and pretends she s not: They need you, they need me, they need Christ. There are runaways who want a place to go They need you, they need me, they need Christ; There are alcoholics who don t seem to know They need you, they need me, they need Christ; There are God-less people who have lost their way, And they need God s love but they re afraid to say. If we close our eyes perhaps they ll go away Without you, without me, without Christ; They need you, they need me, they need Christ. Copyright John Gowans He is calling you today Come, Follow me join Jesus and take a life-changing journey, allow Him to reign in your life as King. I will make you to think, to act, to say, to see, to be like Jesus fishes of men to seek and to save the lost that none would perish. Acts 1:8 (NCV) 8 But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world. The path of Discipleship Like Jesus did when he walked the shore of the Sea of Galilee and saw some fishermen casting their nets, He called out to them: Matthew 4:19 (NCV) That is your call: - Will you follow and accept His invitation? What can you expect if you join His Quest? John 10:10 (MSG). I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. 19 Jesus said, Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people. 15

16 LOVE - a loving relationship with God and - an authentic love for others. GROW in faith and obedience through: - practicing the spiritual disciplines, - Faith building missional relationships SERVE in the church and the community by: - developing a servant heart like Jesus - discovering and developing your unique MINISTRY SHAPE. CONNECT others to God s love as we go out in the world connecting people through relationship to God s love sharing the good news of His Kingdom. 16

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18 Soldiers are a diverse bunch, but they have one thing in common. They re passionate about giving their lives to serve God and see the Salvos mission people finding freedom lived out in the world. We use words like membership to describe belonging to an organisation, club or even some churches. Whilst the experience of belonging to The Salvation Army is important because the Army is a community of faith that offers acceptance and love to all, membership is not what we are called to when we formally commit as a Salvation Army Soldier or Adherent. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus called His disciples to follow Him when He said to them Come follow me and I will make you fish for men. In obedience to His call for us to follow Him today, we are called to enlist in The Salvation Army as followers of Jesus with the same level of commitment He expected of His disciples. That is not a membership that involves turning up once or twice a week and paying our membership dues. Rather it is a call to a relationship with Jesus and a lifestyle that becomes more and more like His. If you think soldiership is for you, the first step is to talk to your Corps Officer. They can talk to you more about what soldiership means for you and start you on this exciting journey. Soldiers of The Salvation Army are Christians who have undertaken a specific covenant (or promise) regarding lifestyle and beliefs. They are not employed by the Salvation Army, although they may take on paid positions by applying through conventional means. Soldiers are eligible to wear The Salvation Army uniform, however this is not compulsory. Soldiers are part of a Salvation Army corps in their local area. What does this look like in The Salvation Army? Soldiership Many Salvationists choose to make a special commitment to the Salvos mission. Soldiership in The Salvation Army is about choosing to make a covenant with God - a promise to fulfil God s work without distraction, to live by the beliefs, values, and mission of The Salvation Army, and to live a life of personal holiness and devotion to God. From The Salvation Army s beginnings in London, the Booth s recognised the importance of being a covenanted people; a people committed to the advancement of God s kingdom on earth. That s why at the heart of soldiership is the Soldiers Covenant; a binding and solemn agreement with God. Soldiers testify that: they worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit they have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord they are committed to the work and mission to which Christ has called The Salvation Army as part of his church they believe in the Bible as the word of God they agree with The Salvation Army s doctrines. 18

19 The Salvation Army International - Soldier's Covenant We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost undivided in essence and coequal in power and glory. We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man. We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. Promises made when becoming a soldier in The Salvation Army. Formerly called 'Articles of War'. Soldier s Covenant HAVING accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God s grace enter into a sacred covenant. I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God expressed in The Salvation Army s eleven articles of faith: We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God: and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice. We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator. Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved. We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation. We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself. We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ. We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked. THEREFORE I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit s work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible. 19

20 I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life. I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought, word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral. I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others: my family and neighbours, my colleagues and fellow Salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community. and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God s help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army. Adherents Adherents are Christians who also pledge to support their local Salvation Army corps. While not entering into a Soldier s Covenant, an adherent declares that they: I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life. I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my money and possessions, my body, my mind and my spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God. I will abstain from alcoholic drink, tobacco, the nonmedical use of addictive drugs, gambling, pornography, the occult, and all else that could enslave the body or spirit. I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged. I will be actively involved, as l am able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of my income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army. I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of Salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution. I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him Participate through worship, fellowship and service at a local Salvation Army corps Identify with the mission of The Salvation Army 20

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22 Doctrine 10. We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Doctrine 11. We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked. Simplified Form Doctrine 10 Saved people are given the chance to be used by God to help him. When they have given themselves to him fully, they can be given power to serve him, and be kept from sinning. Doctrine 11 When our present bodies die we ourselves go on living in a new and different way. At the end of the world Jesus will judge all people. Those who have chosen him to be their saviour will be happy to live with him as their king, for ever. Those who have not done so will always be unhappy because they chose what separates them from all that is good and lovely. BEARING ARMS - Key verse: THE BATTLE PLAN Objectives The primary purpose of this lesson is to focus on the eternal outcome of the Christian life. Participants will: Brief learn what it means to live a holy life before God and people. come into a fresh awareness of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit within their lives. become motivated to live their lives within the context of an eternal perspective. To reach these objectives the following concepts will be included in this week s basic training: 1 Thessalonians 5: NIV May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Sanctification Immortality Judgement Glorification Eternal Punishment 22

23 THE TARGET ZONE The choices we make from day to day, each have their own consequence; either positive or negative, and sometimes both. In the Christian life, there is no exemption from this rule. Everything we do and say has its impact upon others as well as ourselves. In some cases this impact is very small and short lived, in others its impact may have eternal consequences. For example, a child may choose to take a peanut butter cookie from a cookie jar and eat it. In most cases this decision would have a temporary impact - either the child will like the cookie and go away satisfied (or ask for another) or will not like it and throw it in the garbage. If the child did so without the permission of a parent, the impact may have a greater level of intensity. Here the child may learn the importance of asking permission to take something that is not theirs to take. That same decision for yet another child, however, could have an even further reaching consequence. If it was discovered through the eating of that same cookie that the child had a serious aversion to peanuts, one that could prove fatal, the child would learn to stay clear from anything that may contain peanuts altogether. The experience we gain by the choices we make, over time should serve to teach us how to make good decisions. As a group, take a few moments to discuss the following: Can you think of choices you have made which have had a lasting impact on your life? How did these choices impact you (or others) in a positive way? How did they impact you (or others) in a negative way? Were they right choices? BASIC TRAINING I m not perfect, just forgiven. Perhaps you have seen this slogan on the rear bumper bar of a car, or posted on a church noticeboard. Maybe you have used it yourself in an attempt to explain the residual presence of the human nature, which has betrayed your faith in front of others. In any case, there comes a time when each and every person who has accepted Christ as their personal Saviour comes to terms with the fact that although Christ, through his death and resurrection, has dealt completely with the consequence of sin, the battle of the will continues on even after conversion. This is clearly demonstrated for us in Scripture as the Apostle Paul works his way through this dilemma in his letter to the Church in Rome. He writes: So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7: NIV) Sanctification The good news is, in the same way that God has provided for our salvation, he has also provided for our sanctification. God recognizes that in our own strength, even after conversion, we are still powerless to deal with the presence of sin in our lives. Through the ministry and 23

24 work of the Holy Spirit, God makes it possible for the believer to live a holy and blameless life here on earth. At some point in the Christian walk, the believer becomes aware of the need to rely on the presence and the power of God, the Holy Spirit, to guide him/her safely through the battleground of sin. The result is, a desire to seek an even deeper cleansing. The point at which this declaration of the will is made, is what we call initial sanctification - that single moment when our will becomes united with God s. For some this comes at the point of conversion, for others it may come at a later time following a period of repeated failure, trying to live the Christian life in their own strength. In any case, the believer must come to terms with the fact that the power to conquer sin, past and present, can only come from God. Sanctification, like salvation, must be seen in the context of a process rather than an event. Consequently, growth in grace is the outward evidence of the work of grace continuing to take place in the life of the believer. For the apostle Paul, the ultimate solution to the sin problem becomes quite clear: Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5 - NIV) Some people misunderstand the concept of sanctification as referring to a condition where people are brought to a condition where they are no longer able to sin. Look at the verse above carefully and answer the following questions: Does this mean you will always meet the mark? How is the mark met with some level of consistency? How does this help us gain a clearer idea of what sanctification really means? For something to be sanctified simply means that it is set apart for some purpose. For the Christian, this means we are set apart for God. This is accomplished by the submission of one's will to the will of God, in the manner which was perfectly demonstrated for us by Christ, himself. This is why when we speak of sanctification or holiness, what we are really talking about is Christlikeness. When our lives are given over to living as Christ lived, and our will is brought into perfect submission to the will of God, this is what is termed as entire sanctification. It is important to understand that there still remains the possibility of humans to make mistakes. The difference is that when the sanctified individual makes a mistake, once made aware of his/her shortfall, an effort is made to seek God s will and make the situation right What does it mean to have one s mind set on something? 24

25 As a group, take the next few minutes to explore what Scripture has to say about sanctification, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Beside each verse, record the truths revealed. Scripture Passage: Ephesians 3:16-19 Truths Revealed: Philippians 2:12-13 I Thess. 4:3-4 II Peter 1:3-10 Immortality Living Christ-like lives has both temporal and eternal benefits. On earth, we have the confidence of knowing that we are living according to God s will and purpose for us. As Christ indicates in John 10:10, He has come that we, might have, life and have it to the full. The quality of our life is, therefore, not measured by our status or income, but by the quality of our relationship with Christ. God s plan for our lives, however, reaches far beyond what we know as our earthly existence. Our eleventh doctrine makes a number of statements concerning what we believe about the eternal existence that is promised us in God s Word. In stating that we believe in the immortality of the soul, we are affirming God s Word that his plan for us is eternal and we have been created as eternal beings. In his second letter to the church in Corinth the apostle Paul, a tent-maker by trade, uses the analogy of a tent to describe the promise of a transition from a state of mortality to immortality. Read II Corinthians 5:1-5 and discuss the following questions. What would you consider to be key differences between a tent and a building? What contrast is Paul making between our earthly dwelling and our heavenly one? What becomes our assurance that this transition will indeed take place? Judgement The choices we make while in the body have eternal consequence. The greatest of these, of course, is our choice to allow Christ to not only become our Saviour from sin but to become the Lord of our lives. Scripture teaches that at an unknown moment Christ will return to establish his eternal kingdom. At this time a general 25

26 judgement will occur when the righteous will be for ever separated from the unrighteous. One of the most familiar passages of Scripture dealing with the general judgement is found in Matthew 25: As you read through this passage prepare to discuss the following questions: Who are the sheep in this passage? Who are the goats? How has the righteousness of the sheep been demonstrated? Why are they just as surprised as the goats that their acts of kindness have been observed in this way? What is the reward of the righteous? What is the reward of the unrighteous? In what way are our deeds linked to our faith? Glorification At the point of Christ s second coming, Scripture also teaches that the dead in Christ will be physically raised. Our old mortal bodies will be replaced by immortal incorruptible bodies. This process is referred to as glorification. Our perfect bodies will live on for ever in the kingdom of God, free from the trials of all sin and suffering. The apostle Paul writes: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (I Corinthians 15: NIV) It is this condition which is spoken of in our eleventh doctrine as being the eternal happiness of the righteous. This is the culmination of God s salvation plan for the believer - the point in time where the kingdom of earth and the kingdom of heaven are brought together in perfect unity for all eternity. Eternal Punishment Scripture also teaches that those who have died will be raised clothed in immortal bodies. Our eleventh doctrine, while affirming the eternal happiness of the righteous, also points out that the reality of the endless punishment of the wicked. The distinction between these two groups is that the unrighteous will experience what is known in Scripture as the second death, an existence of eternal banishment from the presence of God. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8 - NIV) 26

27 Although it is unwise to identify the fear of hell as one s primary motivation for turning to God, the reality is that this endless existence of divine punishment is clearly marked out in Scripture as a reality. This can present great difficulty for some people. The common question is asked, How can a God who is love send people to hell? For some, this is a way to justify their sin and blame the consequences on God. The reality is, that a life lived on earth without God is as much a foretaste of hell as a life lived with God is a foretaste of heaven. It is God s will that all would be saved and come into a relationship with him (I Timothy 2:4). Those who choose to ignore God do so out of their own free will. While on earth, each individual has been given free access to the presence of God. In times of trouble humans will often cry out to God, even if they are unsure if he really exists. In hell, this access will be eternally cut off. God will no longer be available to answer prayer. MOBILIZATION: During this lesson we have seen how important it is to live a life that is set apart for the purposes of God. We have also discussed the eternal result of living such a life, in contrast with the consequences of deciding to turn our backs on God. In light of these truths, conclude your time together by discussing the following: Why is it important that our lives be set apart for God? Is there anything about the way you live your life that you hope God hasn t noticed? How do these things affect your relationship with God? How can keeping an eternal perspective assist you in making the right decisions? What are you willing to do to ensure you are aiming toward the right goal? 27

28 REINFORCEMENTS The General of The Salvation Army, The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. London, United Kingdom: Salvation Books - The Salvation Army International Headquarters, Chapter 10 - Full Salvation Chapter 11 - Kingdom of the risen Lord The Salvation Army, Chosen to be a Soldier - Orders and Regulations for Soldiers of The Salvation Army. London, England: The Salvation Army International Headquarters, Chapter 6 - Holiness of Heart and Life 28

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30 My Ministry o About the body of Christ OUR CORPS MINISTRY STATEMENT We believe... o (Our Philosophy of Ministry) About Ministry * Salvation in Jesus Christ automatically includes a call to ministry. Every believer is created, saved, called, gifted, authorised, and commanded to minister. * Ministry is the heart of the Christ Life. (Matthew 20:28) * Function follows form in ministry. How God made me determines what He intends for me to do. God has uniquely shaped each individual for a specific ministry. * God has given all his children gifts that can be developed and used in ministry. Everyone is a "10" in some area. Everyone has something to offer. Developing and using your gifts is an act of good stewardship and of worship. * You discover your gifts through ministry, instead of discovering your ministry by identifying your gifts. * The evidence of the right match between my "shape" and my ministry is fruitfulness and fulfilment. * Membership and maturity are prerequisites to ministry. Therefore we encourage attendance at On My Watch Classes and a commitment to membership and developing Christian maturity in those who serve in ministry through our church. * God intends for ministry to be performed through the context of the local church or Corps. Membership includes a commitment to ministry. * The Holy Spirit has provided our church body with all the spiritually gifted people needed to do everything He wants done. Our task is to discover, enlist, train, and support these people in ministry. * The church is to operate on the basis of spiritual gifts, rather than elected offices. We do not elect people to ministries. * The church is a Body, not a business; an organism, not an organisation. Therefore we streamline the structure in order to maximise ministry and minimise maintenance. We do not bury ministries under procedures. * The mobilisation of every member as a minister is the key to balanced growth of the church. * The greater good of the whole Body must always take priority over the needs of any single ministry. There is no place for "turfism" in God's Family. o About the role of Pastoral Leaders * The equipping of the members for ministry is the number one priority of the Pastoral leaders. * The objective of our leaders is to mobilise an army of those involved in ministry who are maximising their unique gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences in a meaningful place of service through our church. * Every member deserves personal assistance in discovering a meaningful place of ministry. We value the individual more than the ministry. 30

31 * Those involved in ministry are entitled to competent leadership from the church. Therefore our desire is for every ministry to have an assigned church leader who is committed to the success of that ministry. * Each Officer/pastoral leader/ministry leader is to provide training, encouragement, guidance, feedback and resources to the ministers under his or her care. o About Accountability * We become what we are committed to. Therefore we encourage growth in commitment to Christ and his Church. * Everything rises or falls on leadership. No ministry can exceed the commitment of those leading it. * There are periodic reviews of all ministries. We do what is inspected, not just expected. Best intentions are not enough. o On diversity of ministry * We have unity without uniformity. We believe diversity in ministries simply illustrates the unique giftedness of individuals. * Every ministry must fulfil one or more of the basic purposes of the church or we don't do it. * Ministries have life-cycles. If a ministry isn't meeting a need anymore, we will give it a decent burial. There are no sacred cows! * Most ministries require a one year commitment but people should be able to change ministries gracefully, without guilt. We don't lock people in permanently. * Your primary ministry commitment should be in the area where you are gifted. Your secondary ministry includes serving in any other area of the Body where you are needed. o About training o About performance * Every leader is a learner. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading. * We emphasise on-the-job training more than pre-service training. We learn best by doing. Our aim is to delegate to help develop people. * We desire to provide regular training for every ministry. * We expect excellence in ministry, not perfection. Excellence is doing your best. God deserves our best. * We encourage creativity and innovation in ministry, which assures mistakes will be made. "No mistakes" means you're not growing or trying anything new. We have no "failures" in ministry at our corps, only "experiments that didn't work!" * A failed project does not mean a failed person. There are no "wrong" people...only "right" people in the wrong ministry! 31

32 Potential Ministry Opportunities & Possibilities. Ministry Area Ministry Possibilities Y N Maybe Administration: admin assistant, newsletter producers, finance assistance, photocopying, computer operator, letterbox drop, resource table, information table, welcome kit preparation, letter & phone follow-up team members. Children & Youth Ministry Kids Fun Nights: coordinator, assistants, caterers, musicians. First Steps: coordinator, visitor. Kid s Church: assistants, admin help, set up/pack away. Junior Soldiers: leaders, assistants, Big Buds. Playgroup: coordinator, helpers, set up/put away. Mainly Music: Leader, team members, catering. Corps Cadets: Leader, assistants. Youth Group: leaders, assistants, life group leaders. Community Ministry: Reception/Bookshop volunteers, Salvo Care Line volunteers, Community Service volunteers, Salvos Caring volunteers - doing acts of kindness in our community, Salvation Army Emergency Services volunteers. The opportunities and possibilities here are as endless as those volunteering to be involved and to commence ministries in our community. Couples: Counselling: Creative Arts: Decor: Graphics: Mission: Prayer: Property: Pastoral: Recreation: marriage preparation, marriage enrichment. (Qualifications needed) family, personal, crisis, pre-marriage, marriage. (Qualifications needed) vocals, musicians, dance team, drama team. decorating, special events. brochures, advertising, photography. Internet Café, evangelism, cross-cultural, short term mission projects, child sponsorship communicators, mission house team. intercessory prayer team, prayer groups. coordinator, cleaners, carpenter, plumber, painter, grounds, gardeners, maintenance, working bee coordinator. community visitors, hospital visitors, prayer support, visitors to shut-ins, casserole carers. Adults Social night, sports teams, picnics and social gettogethers. 32

33 Seniors: Sound/video: Spiritual growth: Sunday Celebration/worship: Other Ministry areas: catering, assistants, group leaders. technical assistants, multimedia technicians, DVD camera operators, setting up/taking down, operating, servicing. Life Groups (Leaders, host/hostess), Alpha, Christianity Explained. set up/put away, greeters, ushers, cleaners, carpark attendants, offering, catering. discovering a ministry is only limited by our imagination. God has created and designed you to be minister. Everyone is a "10" in some area 33

34 WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? 1. Commit to the Ministry Covenant Turn in your signed covenant today. The Corps Leader will sign it and return it to you. 2. Complete your S.H.A.P.E. Self-Evaluation Then transfer your results to your `Personal Ministry file' form. 3. Schedule an interview with your Corps Leader. Call for an appointment. Bring your `Personal Ministry file' with you. Together you will select two or three ministry opportunities that best match your unique S.H.A.P.E. 4. Contact the leaders responsible for the ministries you've selected for possible involvement. An online SHAPE Inventory Assessment can be completed online at: Five assessments will help you discover your unique SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts Heart Abilities Personality Style Experience SHAPE online Inventory Completing all five will take approximately 90 minutes. You can take some of the assessments, and then come back and finish the others at any time. You simply can stop at the end of any assessment, and the answers for that assessment are saved. To begin click on SHAPE Assessment on the toolbar and choose Spiritual Gifts in the expanded menu. It is your responsibility to contact them. They will be waiting to hear from you. Do this within two weeks after your meeting with your Corps Leader while your ideas are still fresh in your mind. 5. Begin Serving! 6. Become the most competent minister you can possibly be. Get as much training as you can in the sphere of ministry the Lord has gifted you for. Enquire from your ministry leaders about courses and seminars you can do or attend. 34

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37 Video LIVING A GENEROUS LIFE HOLINESS All believers need to engage in the Christian journey, going on to deepen their relationship with God, developing the inner life, and growing in holiness. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a lifelong transformation process The pursuit of holiness is the pursuit of Christlikeness, becoming like Jesus in our character, behaviours and discernment. The classical spiritual disciplines provide the tools for this transformation process. (On My Watch p22 Called to be God s people) You may wonder how this relates to living a generous life or is it even necessary to be generous? And as a Christian on the journey, what does it look like to be living a generous life? We do know we are called to be like Jesus, to live a life of holiness. Pastor Rober Morris reminds us that God is generous. We are born selfish, but born again generous. As we become more like Jesus, we grow in our generous life. Ephesians 5:1-2 teaches us Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Imitators of God, living a life of sacrificial love for others and being a fragrant aroma to those we meet. Pastor Robert Morris shares a message asking the question Am I Generous? May God bless you as your discover more and more what it means to live a life of generosity. Am I Generous? If you would like to explore further the wonderous journey of generosity, here is a useful resource. Pastor Brian Kluth has developed an app for your smart phone which features his devotional books and other resources. And its free. Just go to the app store and search for 40 Generosity and download. As we grow in our generous life, in holiness, may we become more and more like Jesus. 37