We had 13 kids turn up last night as we began our new kids outreach which was good going for the first week. As I’ve probably said, Kids Alive is a music based activity with way higher Christian content than our JAM club to begin communiticating the gospel to kids better and seeing more integration into the life of the corps. We had a rockin’ time!
If you could remember this in your prayer, that would be great!
Its 3pm and I’m exhausted already! We’ve had a Christian band called “The One Band” in the town today doing assemblies at three of the primary schools and I was there to cheer them on as school chaplain. The children and youth worker at one of the local churches arranged the visit and its been great to start working together…we do a Scripture Union club together at one of the schools.
Was fantastic to see all the kids ‘bopping’ (or whatever the trendy word should be) along to the music and some great and great to see a clear message being shared. Great back-up work to all that we as the Army are doing in the schools.
So…for the first time since I’ve come to Wick, I’ve been able to have a good jump myelf and thats done me good! Three lots of half hour slots of jumping is good exercse…I thoroughly recommend jumping in worship to you! ;o)
Tomorrow we’re at the High School all day..a different setting altogether…prayers appreciated!
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Praise God also for a successful Bible study at the corps last night. The teaching was on prophecy, tongues and interpretation…..it was very well received and we pray that God will do a new work of grace amongst us.
God has to renew his people before he will go to the world with revival… “if my people….” Bring it on Lord.
I’ve had a request to post the questions I referred to in my last post. Here goes:
Salvation Army Orders and Regulations for Soldiers, 1950, Chapter 3, Section 4.
1. Am I habitually guilty of any known sin? Do I practice or allow myself in any thought word and deed which I know to be wrong?
2. Am I so the master of my bodly appetites as to have no condemnation? Do I allow myself in any indulgence that is injurious to my holiness, growth in knowledge, obedience, and usefulness?
3. Are my thoughts and feelings such that I should not be ashamed to hear them publshed before ?
4. Does the influence of the world cause me to act, feel, or say things that are unlike Christ?
5. Do my tempers cause me to act, or feel or say things that I see afterward are contrary to that love whch I ough to bear always to those about me?
6. Am I doing all in my power for the salvation of sinners? Do I feel concern about their danger and pray and work for their salvation as if there were my children?
7. Am I dulfilling the vows I have made to God in my acts of consecration or at the Penitent Form?
8. Is my example in harmony with my profession?
9. Am I conscious of any pride or haughtiness in my manner of bearing?
10. Do I conform to the fashions and customs of this wrld, or do I show that I despise them?
11. Am I in danger of being carried away with worldly desires to br rich or admired?
As I lift my level of sight to just above my computer screen, there hangs a menacing list of 11 questions that I am sure that some of you at least are familiar with. They are taken from Orders and Regulations for Soldiers 1950 and are a test for self-examination.
Above the questions, there is a picture of an officer in uniform facedown in prayer. The questions and the picture speaks to me, asks deep things of me, challenges me to move further into what he has called me to be for him.
Why do I tell you this? I suppose its because as you find yourself in a new corps, you sometimes feel as if you are being redefined. Much of who you are in a previous setting become irrelevant, and God requires something new of you. I’ve been reminded again and again that what I have to bring is nothing…I have nothing to bring, I’m empty handed…all that I have is from Him who saved me and set me free.
Then you have to separate what is a molding from the Lord and what is a molding from the setting you are in. There is a strong ‘presbyterian’ flavour to the church as a whole in this part of Scotland…(ie minister and congregation) and those of you who know me at all will know how passionately opposite to this I am. If we are to be effective in the Salvation War in this generation, we must press forward in mobilising the whole people of God, not just those whom God has called and commissioned for leadership in one way or another.
A simple way we’ve tried to begin to address this is to look at the area of spiritual gifts, the calling of the soldier, embracing the soldiers covenant and recognising it as God’s golden key to mobilising a people and saving a nation. We’ve preached passionately the call to prayer, the need for revival, the plight of the poor and the lost and in the 8 Sunday evening Salvation meetings, we’ve preached the gospel pure and simple so that none can be in doubt about what God’s message is.
Here, in the land where everyone calls you Captain, it is easy to be a Salvation Army officer in the sense that you don’t ever feel the need to ‘explain’ yourself, because I represent a corps that has a strong 123 year history in this town. But it is difficult to be an officer in this town because there are so many opportunities presented to me for the gospel in the average day I often don’t know what to do with them. I know that is a problem many officers would like to have, but its harder than you think!
It comes back to the list on the wall on front of me. My holiness, my witness, my character, my relationship with the Lord needs to be as such that I will hear clearly what He is saying so that it will be the Potter that shapes the clay, not the clay or the wheel on which it spins!
So, I’ve been at officers councils and been on furlough etc etc…slight pause in he blogging process there! Apologies.
The last months have been a time of ‘intelligence’ gathering. Getting into the community, finding out whats going on, getting the gist of the people and their ways. Our first key development takes place this week.
We’re making a move to begin moving some of the children from our 200 strong kids club into the life of the corps through music and we’re hoping to have a good night on Thursday evening. We’re starting a little music group…teach the kids about the Lord through music. Tried and tested method…we’ll see how it goes. Please pray for the Kids Alive Choir.
I other news, I’ve had a spiritual birthday. I’ve been a Christian for 12 years. Not as long as some of the readers out there, but a testimony to the keeping power of God of someone many thought would run away. They’ve all been deceived, I’m in the fight today (I can hear you humming the tune!) Its always a good principle to take stock of your fruitfulness as a Christian. The only conclusion I can make is that we must work to get more people saved. And, before you say ‘its God that saves’, let me agree with you but he does chose us to be his co-workers, preaching the message faithfully.
We’ve had a few re-dedications at Wick, a few witnessing to sanctification, but not salvations that I know of yet. However, we have had some new people started attending worship, one from my pub round. So we praise God and move forward in hope.
Over and out.
Andrew M Clark 