THE UNIFORM DEFINES MY VOCATION Part Three

I believe the Salvation Army has a very unique commission. There are many denominations within the universal Christian church and we are all brothers and sisters. However siblings may not always resemble each other, either in appearance or personality. The Salvation Army's specific commission is to be an army that proffers salvation; a Salvation Army.

Jesus said: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. " (John 3:16 NIV). Jesus does not want anyone to perish, and so he raised up an army of people whose mandate is to save the people from being lost; a Salvation Army.

I believe in the Salvation Army's mission! People who let themselves be seized by the vision of an army that marches steadily onward to save people. People who are not ashamed of what we are; marching boldly without fear in uniforms and flags and all the trappings that belong to an army. An army that does not try to imitate any of its siblings, but one that’s confident and daring in his own identity. An army that is not a poor imitation of some other church, but dare to be what it is commissioned to be.

THE UNIFORM DEFINES MY VOCATION Part Two

Why should we wear uniforms? Part 2In the first section I wrote about the Salvationists’ uniform serving as a testimony that we believe in the common priesthood of all believers and that we do not draw a sharp distinction between professional clergy and regular, ordinary church members.

Another reason to wear the SA uniform is to testify that; “I have entered into a covenant with the Lord”. The purpose is to enter more deeply into a tradition that has long existed within Christianity. Monks and nuns have historically aligned themselves into special orders identified by unique dress to testify that they have made the decision to resign from a nondescript lifestyle and enter into a covenant with God.

Becoming a salvation soldier means that I commit myself to live in a very specific way. The things one commits to when becoming a soldier are far from being inconsequential. Becoming a salvation soldier means that I have entered into a covenant in which I promise far more than I would do if I were simply a ordinary parishioner in another church. Every time I don my uniform, I remind myself and all within my world what I promised:

Soldier's Covenant

Having accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfill 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 there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - undivided in essence and co-equal 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.

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.

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. 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.

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 non-medical 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 I 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; and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God's help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.

THE UNIFORM DEFINES MY VOCATION Part One

Why should we wear uniforms?

I am constantly challenged to answer the question why we (Salvationists) should wear uniforms. Some say; “I can be just as good a Christian out of uniform as in!” And of course they’re right, one can. But I still maintain there are some very valid arguments for wearing a SA uniform. I will share just a few…

The vast majority of religious communities have some sort of priestly garb. They vary and can look very different one church to the next, but the notion that the priest has some form of distinguishing clothing has been with us since Old Testament times. In the larger denominations they even have uniquely decorated garments based on hierarchy; one’s status in the religious order. But the one commonality is that they have a need and intent to distinguish who is a ‘priest’ from those who are "regular" members.

The Salvation Army is different. The uniform is a testimony that we believe in the common priesthood of all believers. All members / soldiers are active workers. In many religious communities one is considered an active member by attending church services regularly and listening to the priest or Pastor each Sunday. However, being a SA soldier in uniform testifies to the significance that I belong to and am in God’s service. It signifies that all members of Christ's body are functionally responsible and not simply passive spectators.

Peter Baronowsky

Lieutenant

Regional Commander, Latvia

NEW OUTREACH TO BOOST SAGGING RESPONSE Part Four

The third thing I wanted Sven to bring with him was himself.  As I said at the beginning of this article I had always thought ‘Single Spouse’ Officership was a great concept and could open the door to ministry for many who previously could have had a call to ministry denied them through the ranks of The Salvation Army, but never felt it was for me.  I had always believed if I was ever to have married, it would have had to have been to a Salvation Army Officer because I just couldn’t imagine working with what appeared to me, could be split loyalties and commitments.  Now however, I am eternally grateful TSA in the UK allow single spouse officers and would encourage all other territories to follow suite.  The thought of having had to resign in order to marry sounds horrendous and I know for certain is not what God would have wanted of me as I believe I was born for this.  

Life has turned out to be very different to what Sven and I had imagined as our relationship commenced.  However, I believe I have learned much through what has been at times a challenging three years of marriage, of life and of ministry.  I have learned that what I had always believed, I really do believe.  I discovered that what I preach is true.  I found myself during the hardest, toughest times God wrapping me up in His love and faithfulness and assuring me He was / is with me every single step of the way.  And I felt soaked, absolutely soaked in the love and faithfulness of God.

Life has turned out to be very different to what we had expected but there has been a richness, a depth, a strength added to my life.  Sven and I may not share ministry in exactly the way we had hoped and planned but we share ministry and Sven has added a dimension to my life that I would never have had without him. His genuine and realistic love for the Army and our common mission, grounded in his SA history and experience serves us both very well... We'll soon make our 4th foreign mission trip within the last 12 months, something I'd never consider if I was still single.

Now I cling to the encouragement and the assurance we find in Ephesians 3: 20-21  Message Paraphrase : God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.

  Glory to God in the church!

  Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!

  Glory down all the generations!

  Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

I very much look forward to getting to know you and journeying with you as you discern the will of God for your life.  Please know I am here for you and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

GBY real good!

Glad

Glad Ljungholm

Major

Divisional Candidates Officer

NEW OUTREACH TO BOOST SAGGING RESPONSE Part Three

Your spear … ‘the’ rug … and yourself” …


Out of a whole houseful of things collected over a period of many years, and having visited more than 70 countries these were the three things I wanted  Sven to bring to be a special part of our home. 



Any of you who know or have met Sven will know that he is full of stories and usually takes great delight in sharing them and it was because of such stories I wanted him to bring his spear and ‘the’ rug and for them to take pride of place in our home. 



Many years ago as a young man Sven visited Kenya as part of his job and was taken out into the middle of the bush to meet a Maasai tribe.  He travelled with them for sometime and learned something about them, their culture and their ways.  Together they journeyed to what was going to be their new home / camp and when they arrived near their destination the chief took out his spear and threw it high in the air. Wherever it landed, that then became the centre of the world for them.  Before Sven left the group the chief presented Sven with his spear and now it stands at the side of our fire place in every home we have shared as a constant reminder that for us, this is the centre of the world. This is where we believe God has placed us for a reason and a season.  This is where we believe He wants to minister to and through us.  And so, this is the centre of our world.  It is very easy for me to believe this with Liverpool being my birth place, although I only lived here for the first two weeks of my life in the Oxford Street hospital before my parents took me home to Formby and then Southport.  And so I can look at this physical symbol, this spear and know:

‘Just where He needs me, my Lord has placed me,

Just where He needs me, there would I be!

And since He’s found me, by love He’s bound me

To serve Him joyfully’

It’s funny, as I sit here and type and think on this chorus I grew up singing, but don’t think I have sung for years, I had to look it up in our song book as I couldn’t remember if that last word was ‘joyfully’ or ‘faithfully’.  I guess the reality of life means that sometimes it will be ‘joyfully’ but always, ‘faithfully’.

‘The’ rug, is something quite different and it is something I feel absolutely humbled and privileged to have in our home and for my part, I will always cherish and make sure it is passed on to an equally loving and caring home when the time is right.  




Adj and Mrs. Otto Ljungholm 2nd row - 3rd and 4th from left


This rug is old, dilapidated, virtually colourless and to an unknowing person could be tossed into the recycling bin quite easily.  And yet recycling is where it came from in the first place.  Back in 1917 some Swedish Salvation Army Officers, including Sven’s Grandparents and the Grandparents of General John Larson were sent to Russia to pioneer the work of The Salvation Army in an era when times were extremely hard, and literally, their lives were in danger for working on such a mission.  Our rug is something a number of the Salvationists contributed to by bringing wool as close to SA colours as possible from their own jumpers and together they wove ‘our rug’ which was in reality their mercy seat, their portable mercy seat.  

As I consider the Officers, Sven’s Grandparents setting off on foot with their backpacks and their mercy seat into the hardness of Leningrad and the surrounding countryside, knowing their lives were at risk and earnestly, earnestly kneeling and praying at this mercy seat with seekers in remote villages or visiting SA comrades in their home. When I consider what I believe to have been the blood, sweat and tears of prayer that have been poured into this rug I feel very humbled to add my own from the safety and security of our living room in Liverpool. My mind goes to St. Paul asking that his cloak and parchments be brought to his Roman prison cell. A tearstained cloak bleached by the Cyprus sun, the Aegean and perhaps his own blood shed at Paphos.

GBY real good!

Glad

Glad Ljungholm

Major

Divisional Candidates Officer

Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4 NIV)

Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day (October 9). Let me take this opportunity to encourage you to pray for your Officer, and then on Sunday, affirm them. 


Being an Officer is one of the toughest jobs on the planet, but the Apostle John says it can also be the most joyful: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4 NIV).

Spiritual leaders must correctly teach God’s Word … confront false teaching before it spreads … proclaim the Gospel to non-believers …pray for all people, and train and appoint leaders. They must do this all while serving as examples of what it looks like when you’re maturing in Christ-likeness (see 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus).

Accordingly, the Apostle Paul says we should respect our spiritual leaders, overwhelming them with appreciation: “Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:13 NIV).

You can see the enormous responsibility an Officer has to stay in sync with God and to encourage others to stay in sync also. Your Officer is human and every bit as capable as you or me of making mistakes or slipping into sin.  Pray that your Officer will stay focused on Jesus and that your Officers ministry will flow from that intimacy. There is nothing the enemy wants more than to distract your Officer from their purpose by getting them distracted.

Pray for your Officers protection, because the attack they feel from the enemy comes in strong every time your Officer proclaims God’s truth.  It gets even stronger the closer they get to Christ.

Pray that your Officer will know deep within their soul that “not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, ?hostile? powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:38-39 HCSB). And then let your Officer know that your love will never cease, that you are committed to loving your Officer with the love of Jesus Christ.

Now think of some practical bit of service you can do for your Officer, and do it this coming week.

Adapted from Jon Walker  & Rick Warren’s Daily Devotionals. © 2011 Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Major Glad Ljungholm

DHQ

Liverpool, UKT

The Salvation Army has lost a visionary...

Steve Jobs, the visionary "geek" who changed the way the world looked at technology, has died.   This is the news I woke up to this morning. 


STEVE JOBS

 1955-2011


 




The father of four started Apple Computer with high school friend Steve Wozniak in his garage in 1976 but was forced out a decade later. He returned in the mid-1990s and transformed Apple into one of the world's most powerful companies.

Despite resigning as chief executive due to his health, Mr Jobs said he would continue to play a leadership role. He was replaced by Apple's chief operating officer, Tim Cook, and took the role of Chairman of the company's board.

The pioneering businessman, who was the mind behind the revolutionary iPhone and iPad devices, had been fighting pancreatic cancer and underwent a liver transplant in 2009.

Apple's board said in a statement: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

"Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor," Mr Cook wrote in an email to Apple's employees. "Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

The news Apple fans and shareholders had been dreading came the day after Apple unveiled its latest iPhone, a device that got a lukewarm reception. Perhaps, there would have been more excitement had Mr Jobs been well enough to show it off with his trademark theatrics.

A statement released by Mr Jobs' family said: "In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness."

What a man … what amazing tributes to one individual.  Reading these comments made me think of a phrase I often quote when conducting funeral services and I found myself praying it again today in response to a man I have never met, but in response to a man whose life has touched and influenced mine as I sit here typing on my Apple Mac laptop.

‘May his dying challenge my living’

Who of us wouldn’t want to hear said of us at the end of our earthly lives: "Glad's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enriched and improved all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Glad."

  … ‘The Salvation Army has lost a visionary and creative genius’ …

"Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Glad have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor,"

 "In her public life, Glad was known as a visionary; in her private life, she cherished her family.”

I don’t for one moment imagine any or many of these things would be said of me but as I read of this ‘driven’ man I found myself driven to my knees again and praying:

‘All my days and all my hours

All my will and all my powers

All the passion of my soul

Not a fragment but the whole

Shall be Thine Dear Lord

Shall be Thine Dear Lord’

Rick Warren at the beginning of his book:  ‘Purpose Driven Life’ asks the question:  ‘What on earth am I here for?’ … life’s most important question.  Answer that question he says and you will understand the ‘big picture’ how all the various pieces of our lives fit together.

The Apostle Paul had no doubt at all about the purpose of his life or that of the Thessalonian believers.  They were created for relationship with God.  This purpose, this holy purpose was constantly the focus of Paul’s prayers on their behalf.  In 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12 we read:  ‘We constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.  We pray this so that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.’

In His earlier letter Paul had urged them to ‘live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His Kingdom and Glory.’  (1 Thess. 2:12)

Our true value, our great worth, our high calling is emphasised in Ephesians 2: 10 we are:  ‘God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works’.

In his sermon, ‘The Drum Major Instinct’ Martin Luther King Jr asked not to be remembered for his Nobel Peace Prize, his numerous awards or where he went to school.  He asked rather to be remembered as someone who ‘tried to love and serve humanity’.

Our names may never be famous, it is very unlikely for most of us that we will be world renowned and on the day of our death it is very doubtful that such breaking news will hit the world press as has Steve Jobs’. But, may his dying challenge our living and may we be reminded of the high calling that is ours and the purpose for which we were created.



Major Glad Ljungholm
1963 - Eternity