God Will Make a Way

What are we waiting for?

There’s an idea floating around Christian women’s circles. I’m hearing it more frequently. I’ve heard it from missionary colleagues and women at church. I’ve read it in books and seen it posted in comments on blogs. It goes something like this: If God has gifted and called a woman to lead, teach, pastor, or preach then he will make a way for her to fulfill that calling.

We talk about God making a way in terms of “open doors,” as in, “God will open a door for you to preach,” and in terms of time, as in, “At the right time, God will give you the place to use your gifts.” While these sentiments are true on one level—God is absolutely powerful and capable of opening doors and placing his daughters where he wants them—on another level, they trouble me deeply. I believe they represent two faulty ways of thinking that affect many Christians—men and women—today.

The first problem with this kind of thinking: it makes what is really an issue with the system into an issue related to the individual. A woman who is called and gifted to preach or lead ,but who finds herself unable to put these gifts to use, is very likely in a situation that prevents women from preaching or leading based on principle. It could be the tradition or theology of the denomination, local church, seminary, or organization that tells her women can’t do that.
The obstacle arises because of a structure that opposes women using certain gifts in certain ways, not because of the woman herself. Yet when we repeat the “God will make a way” response, we’re reinforcing the notion that the issue is about the individual woman. The unspoken second half of the statement is this: “If God hasn’t opened that door yet, it’s because you aren’t ready or perhaps are mistaken in what you think is your call.” So she waits, and years may go by without her ever using her gifts. Meanwhile, the system that prevents women from using all their God-given gifts to build up of the Kingdom of Christ goes unquestioned.

The second troubling aspect with this line of thought: it leads to a type of Christian fatalism and takes away our responsibility to act. If God will open a door at the right time, then all we have to do, indeed all we can do, is pray and wait. Those are certainly valuable acts for believers, but are they all God expects of us? When I read the Bible and Christian history, I see a long line of believers wrestling and struggling to right injustice. I see beautiful examples of women throwing themselves into the spiritual battle for Christ’s kingdom on earth. When systemic issues regarding women changed in the past, it was usually because women and men decided to act.

For example, in the late 18th century, as the modern missionary movement got underway, sending boards refused to send single women to the mission field. Married women on the field were begging for single women to help in the work, and single women in North America were begging to go, yet the boards refused to send them. So, women from many different denominations banded together to create their own sending agencies. By 1900, more than 40 women’s sending agencies were established and the missionary work force had risen to 60 percent women, according to Dana Robert in American Women in Mission (Mercer University Press, 1997). During the first half of the 20th century all those women’s groups were gradually merged back into the main groups, and now none of those groups exists. Yet the missionary force continues to be composed of about two-thirds women, and hardly anyone today would refuse to send a single woman to serve God overseas. The change happened because the women worked together to fix a faulty system.

So what happens when we continue to tell ourselves and each other that it’s up to God to open a door for us? Can that become an excuse for passivity and disobedience to God’s call on our lives? While God absolutely can and sometimes does miraculously change things for us, can we also consider that perhaps we need to work together to change the system? Or do we need to seek a different ministry setting where women are not prevented from using their gifts?

by Leanne Dzubinski

Leanne Dzubinski has served as an evangelist and church planter in Europe, training missionaries in Bible, leadership, and ministry skills. In 2007, she received her DMin from Gordon-Conwell. As the mother of two teenage daughters, she is passionately interested in how the church and Christian organizations treat women in general and particularly women in ministry.

An electrician and Scout leaders will soon be a Salvation Army officer couple Sweden Part 4

It was love that brought Per Lundell, now 44 years old, to Skövde more than twenty years ago. Stockholm native Per met his future wife Lotta at a scout camp and did military service in the regiment in her home town to be near her. He remained in Skövde and both spouses were active soldiers in the corps.

Now they have four children and wife Lotta's is a officer with responsibility for social projects in Skövde Corps. Per has worked as an electrician while being a active Scout leader.

“It was during a youth conference in 2010 where I was the leader, where I received my ‘call’ from God to apply to train to be a Salvation Army officer”, says Per. During training, he will do his field placement training in Jönköping.

Both Peter and Lotta are prepared to move if they receive ‘marching orders’.

“Moving can even feel like relief”, says Per, adding that he would “become the Pastor and assume responsibility with God's help to provide a corps with a revival spirit, one that might be needed”.

Maria ran a country convenience store on Mörkö (Island) SWEDEN Part Three

The only woman in this year's cadet ring is Maria Sandberg, born in 1964 and raised in Sköndal outside Stockholm. Mary is the mother of two grown sons who live and work in Stockholm.

“I have worked extensively with children and adolescents”, says Maria, who experienced her encounter with God when she was a student at TSA Dalaro Folkhögskola, (College) in 1994. Following her time at the college she worked as a youth instructor in the Salvation Army and also began her officer school training, which at that time was located on Skeppargatan in Östermalm, a stone's throw from the Salvation Army headquarters.

The period of time was not easy for Maria and she dropped out after just one semester, and instead began studies at a teacher training college where she remained for three years while she ran a country store with organic focus on the island of Mörkö along with her sister.

“I went into the wall”, says Mary, “but after sick leave and work in a kindergarten, I ran the café in the Vasa Corps in Stockholm.

The next step was to take charge of the matron job at the Salvation Army Temple Corps in Stockholm, where Mary, together with others developed a popular caf’e which serves lunch several days a week.

The call to become an officer returned during her time at the Temple corps, which is now where Mary does her field training. When I asked Maria what her burning desire is fulfilling the call to be an officer, she says that she lives in the Stockholm suburb Rågsved. “There is a spiritual darkness”, says Maria, “And I would love to tell the young and the elderly living in the area of the advantage of being a disciple of Jesus. But if I get orders to go to Kiruna” (in Sweden’s northern most tundra), I’ll pack my bags” , says Mary.

A concert pianist with a Pastor's vocation SWEDEN Part Two

Nicolaj Vollburg who recently turned 42, has a solid classical music education from the Malmö Academy of Music behind him. He studied at the Academy for five years and was a fellow student with Daniel Viklund, and they are once again classmates.

“Directly following graduation from college, I began freelancing as a concert pianist and conductor”, says Nicolai, and says that “there were many trips within Sweden and beyond. - You have to build a network if you are a freelancer”, says Nicolai, who adds that he is Sweden Director of Crescendo, a network of classically trained Christian musicians.

“Actually, I have lived with a pastor's vocation for many years, a vocation which I suppressed, but now, God spoke in 2008 directly to me and my family. The message was clear that we would move to the Mälardalen region of Sweden. There, I thought about continuing my music career, but God spoke again to us, and I realized that it was in the Salvation Army, that I would serve and that my calling was specifically, to proclaim salvation as an officer.

Nicolai and his wife Helen became soldiers in Västerås Corps and “the decision to enter the officer school felt just right”, says Nicolai. He is passionate about preaching the word and is no stranger to working as an evangelist in the Salvation Army; to travel combining music and preaching, but he adds that, “God will put him where he is most needed.”

(FA Sweden Wbsite: translation Sven Ljungholm)

Salvation Army's School for Officers - SWEDEN

Part One

This year, four men and one woman who affirmed the call to be full time Servants of God in the Salvation Army have chosen to leave their previous professions to study at the officers' school to become Salvation Army officers. Waiting for the five new cadets are two years of intensive study at the School for Officer Training, which include distance learning at home, regular ‘on-campus seminars’ and field training at a corps or department.

“For me, humor is a language to reach people”

Marcus Andersson, 36, was one of the young people who planted a new SA corps in Vårby, a suburb south of Stockholm, 1994-1995.

“Yes, we were five pioneers”, Marcus says, and shares that one of the four was a SA officer, and who is the Training school's current headmaster, Mattias Nordenberg. The other were Veronica Wahlstrom and Johan Grahn both currently officers and serve in the officers' school, and Anna Byberg.

Marcus is married to Rosmarie, working as a instructor/ leader of a Swedish Lutheran Church congregation and they have two boys who are 5 and 1 year. The family lives in Malmo, in the southern part of Sweden with Copenhagen, Denmark as their nearest large city neighbour just 35 minutes across the waters on one of Europe’s longest spanning bridges. Following his employment at Telia (Swedish Telephone Company) Marcus worked as a successful stand-up comedian and has studied theology in Malmö / Copenhagen and the nearby university town of Lund.

“There are too few humorists who engage in theology and also too few theologians who engage in humor”, says Macus with a laugh.

“For me, humor is a language to reach people, and when I complete my training to be a SA officer, I can return to the pub, an environment in which salvation officers were often active during the pioneering days, a tradition that I now want to continue”.

Words spoken and sung are my passion

Daniel Viklund, a renowned singer who last Christmas released his latest CD, was born in 1969 in Vansbro (in Sweden’s fabled Dalarna Province), where the Salvation Army at one time had one of their strongholds.

The SA’s ministry and mission are not new to Daniel, “I actually have links to the Salvation Army in the past”, says Daniel, adding that; my father's cousin Sven-Erik Power, was a SA officer and evangelist”.

Daniel recalls growing up in the Vanbro corps and even as a teenager wanted be a officer and belonged to the group; SAY (SA Youth) which spoke of ministry calling issues. Almost thirty years later Daniel affirms the calling of the officers' commission and becomes a cadet in the Salvation Army.

His musical education brought Daniel to southern Sweden, to the Malmö Academy of Music and the Opera School in Copenhagen. While studying inMalmo Daniel served as Bandmaster of the Malmo SA Corps. After a year as a musician Daniel knew that God called him, and which led him to serve for nine years as Pastor of a free church near his home in western Dalarna.

He had previously been a salvation soldier, but parted from TSA in 1994, sensing that God called him to work within the free churchs’ movement. However, since 2009 he again wears a SA soldier's uniform, and now with a cadet’s distinctive trim.

“When I realized that God wanted me to become part of the Salvation Army again, he opened new doors”, says Daniel, who lives in Västerås and does his field work experience in the Corps.

“I love the Salvation Army's history”, continues Daniel and uses the expression "the redhot idealism" of the Salvation Army's involvement. It suits an artist's soul like me, who requires a passionate commitment, according to Daniel and says there is room for that in the Salvation Army.

Daniel is reticent when speaking of the future, but suggests that he would be very willing to work as an evangelist.

“Words, sung and spoken are my passion”, he concludes.

(from TSA Sweden Website: translation- Sven Ljungholm)

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.