Dangerous Comments for the Salvos. ?????

The Salvation Army seems to be in trouble with this issue of youth and young adults leaving our churches. 

Many youth, including my own children, cant see the need to attend the salvation army any more, and as such go looking for other churches. which of course meets their need as the youth their age are there. 

And it is a dilemma because if they stayed here, then obviously others may attend also. 

I would rather see my kids  in church than stay away all together.... however it fails us (TSA) in a major way, that youth are leaving in such ways as this. 

what is the answer ?

maybe the answer is to be more relevant and try and keep our youth connected. 

That's what our sunday night is about at Ringwood, but it is hard, and it is like swimming against the flow, our sunday morning congregation is our largest, and its overall average age would be around 60, and over 60 years olds deserve church too.

So... the battle and the struggle continues...however one thing I know..

Jesus is not finished with TSA...and if a few would start believing in that and working in that we can change our world.

Some may think I am idealistic and living in an illusion, BUT, no other church has a name like we have in society and no one can do what we can do, all we need to do is believe in ourselves and have a crack and pray that God will turn us around with a revival flowing of youth that will in turn attract youth. 

Oh Jesus pour out your power upon and within us.

these statements flowed out of a post on facebook on our Ringwood group page, and it saddens me deeply, in fact the truth is, "very deeply" .....it disturbs me.... 

you know if the youth stayed, then others may come... but what is happening  is that our youth are going elsewhere.   we can cry about it, and complain about it, but it isnt going to change anything about it.

Now I know I am about to embark on dangerous comments, however this must be addressed somehow, somewhere...

BUT....everytime someone complains about the new churchy songs, and not singing the older songs... bang, another young one makes a decision to leave.  

everytime someone says the music is too loud, or the lights too bright, or the smoke machine not appropriate, we are making some very serious statements to the current generation.

a generation that simply must be reached and discipled for Jesus Christ. 

Worship wars, as some call it.... the fight between traditional verses contemporary... is a generational fight... old vs young.

in many Salvos churches the old always seem to win....

can there be room for both to win ?   Yes  I think so.

But there must be give and take between both....

It doesnt stop the flood of youth leaving our Corps...going to the loud, smoke filled, flashy light contemporary churches scattered around our communities. Where Jesus is also honoured in huge ways.

The Salvation Army is God's idea. We have a mission. we seek to serve humanity. We turn up and people are helped, when we put on that shield on or T shirt, we are making a statement that no other church can make as well as we do,  we must make sure we in turn honour Jesus  by staying pure to our vision, true to our mission and relevant to the culture, otherwise, we will be dead and buried into the history books of time, within a  very short space of time.

I am praying that God will raise up some passionate Jesus followers who will dig in and say  "I am in,  I want to bring change, I want to be used by God for His glory in TSA "

I am also praying that a  few prodigals may return to our ranks.... and help us change our world.

when the Salvos turn up... here's what you can be sure of... 

someone, somewhere, somehow...will be helped and shown the love of Jesus.

we  are THE salvation Army.   ( we are unique)

we are the SALVATION army   ( we are all about Seeing people saved )

we are the salvation ARMY.     ( we are here to fight, we are not wimps)

so if you are under 30.... dont leave us.   NO... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 DIG in and help us.

if you are over 30.... dont complain about the others, encourage them, accept them, work with them and help them to fit in.

please ?  

our future as TSA, depends upon it.

There is a battle goin' on....

Yesterday I posted a comment on my facebook page about my belief in the bible and my difficulty in understanding why some people will read exaclty the same quote and not see the intent of the verse, or read it differently, assuming it doesnt aply to this day and age. What feedback then ensued. wow !!!

What a lie and deception, Satan has sold this current world in which we live.!!!

Yesterday it felt like I was being knocked around .... and last night when I went home, if it hadnt been for the friendship of some dear mates, I would have been feeling quite defeated, and most likely very depleted.

A couple of things happened yesterday which made me feel beaten...

a couple of things happened yesterday which also made me feel angry and frustrated and annoyed.

However, Yesterday I also announced that we are making a strategic step forwards by employing a Youth Pastor and so, one can only assume that retaliation for that spiritual strategic step forwards, is a counter attack from the enemy of the cross.

I dont think we remember it very often, but we are actually at war, we do win some battles, and in truthfulness, in some cases we lose some battles, but I DO KNOW....and so should you, WE WILL WIN THIS WAR.

one battle at a time.

Let me just share here, on my blog, my personal opinion ( if that's ok)

 

here's how it went down.... a subtle thought, a whisper in your ear that you are useless and wont be able to affect anything, that it's too far gone, that no one cares or loves you or is with you...that it will get worse before it gets better, that there is to much confusion and hurt for you Gary Grant to be able to do anything about it. you are alone, and you will always be alone, and you will not change anything, you are a bad preacher, a pathetic leader, and you will amount to nothing. People will leave becuase of you and the reason why these things are happening right now is becuase you are useless.

 

thats kind of what Satan whispered into my ear yesterday.

 

My stubborness and feelings of ... I will not quit, were subdued...

I did for a fleeting moment feel defeated and very depleted.

 

Then a phone call comes, "wanna do supper ? " and a sense of I am not alone, I have people who care for me.. and we do supper and my confidence rises as Gods starts ministering into my spirit through people He has strategically placed around me.

 

In the morning I always feel different than when the hardships are there the night ebofre and today I feel like I am ready to go again.

 

 

Ministry is not an easy thing and the battle rages...

 

I am not a loser.

 

I am a child of the King, a servant of the most high God.

 

I am on a mission, I have vision, I have a plan, I have a friend, I am clay in the masters hands.

 

today I will rise above the struggles, and the battle, and today I will go hard again. and today I will win.

 

I thank God for my friends who were used by Him to encourage and show me I am not alone.

 

My personal opinion then...

 

God is here.

sadly so is Satan.

 

God will win( I read the end of the bible)

 

we may lose some battles along the way, but get back up and keep on going.

 

Satan uses people around us to try and damage us.

 

God uses people around us to encourage and build us.

 

You get to choose for your life, and I do for mine...who we will allow to use us.

 

God or Satan.

 

I choose God.

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Salvo style.... God is here.

For me these days, life is super busy. I used to think I was busy before, but now...my goodness.

Now, so that it's clear, I am happy being busy with the Kingdom stuff, and would never cope if I was blatantly bored in ministry, I am simply not wired in such a way.

Life is good. My ministry is good. My God is good.

For those of my readers who think, that maybe, I think I have arrived..... wash your mouths out...there is no way I think that, last week my head was in such a spin, I literally had to walk out the office and go home. I went for a walk to clear my head and got drenched when it started raining, and it was really good for me... I gained perspective and focus and the next day in the office was a little more sober.

It's a busy place and much is going on.... it does pose questions for me, which over time I will seek clarity from the senior leaders here....and I guess where needed, I will tweak where and when I can.

in the meantime, I am just doing what I feel God is leading me to do and be, here at Ringwood.

For my Craigieburn friends, please dont think for one moment I have forgotten you, nope.... just so busy, that I hardly have time to think about anything else than what is presenting itself to me on a daily basis at this time.

...............................

Have you picked how many times I have said BUSY ?

I think its possible to be so active (another word for busy) that you can forget the primary purpose of your ministry.

There are some amazing people around me, people who have kicked goals for so many years for the Kingdom, people who still remain focussed after decades of ministry.

People, who even though they are flat out, like a lizard drinking.... (australian slang for busy).... they still remain focussed and centred on Jesus.

This weekend I preached/spoke in 3 meetings and attended 4 in total.

God is here.

Yesterday afternoon in the retirement service for Ian and Marilyn Hamilton the words of an old song were reminded to us...

In the pain, In the doubt, in the loneliness
in the struggle of right against wrong
somewhere amidst the confusion
there will be hope,there will be love, there will be God.

my heritage is Salvation Army. I love the church. I was raised a salvo and a salvo I will stay.

Some are leaving the Army these days for whatever reason, seeking after God in other churches, looking for something, which I have found is right here ... As I listened to the Hamilton Kids honour their parents yesterday it so warmed my heart and reminded me of my calling.

 Somewhere amidst the confusion, in the struggle of right against wrong, in the bewilderment of what church to attend, I want to reassure you, my God has not finished with the Salvation Army just yet.

I know this...He is still with us, I felt Him yesterday in our worship, I sensed Hm touch hearts and minds and saw evidence of His power at work ....I know He is here, and I dont need to rush off to some other church to find Him or experience Him. I know it's great to share in kingdom life and share with our brothers and sisters in other churches, I do that all the time....
but I always come back to my home..... I am a salvo and God is not finished with us just yet and is still seekng men and women who will stand up in this Army and be His hands and His feet and His mouth and share His heart.

"in the pain, in the doubt, in the loneliness, and yes...in the busy- ness"
there will be God.. He is here.

Now, finally I want to say a few things which may or may not upset you as the reader.
But this is my blog, and it is my thoughts and my opinions and my stuff... take it or leave it.

I am proud to be Salvation Army. I know that not everyone is, but I am. I am privileged to be the Corps Officer of the Ringwood Salvos. and I know God has placed me here. In the middle of all the Army ways, some of which some people think are weird, (as do I, at times) I know, I just know, that God has still destined this Army to be a world changer.
One life at a time, and that is actually what is happening.

So in my busy crazy ministry life, I will hold to the truth, that amidst our uniforms, and bands and songsters...amidst our songbook songs, our unique ways..... amidst our flag waving, and ministry to the disadvantaged and marginilized.... to our soldiers and friends, our adherents and officers.

There will be God .
There is God.

I will be honest, it really bothers me, that some young ones are seeking God in every other place than the place where they were raised. I know this will be taken the wrong way by some, and I don't want to hurt anyone, but the truth is ... God is with us too in The Salvation Army...

for some, the grass looks greener in the other pastures, maybe it might look better in our Salvo paddock if we planted some more seed here and nurtured it to growth here.

I wonder if it is our consumer mentality that drives this constant searching after a better church or a newer experience. I wonder what it might look like if we changed from "consumer" to "servant" in our heart and mindset.

I know...God leads people here and there, sure I know that... but He also asks us to bloom where we are planted.
To serve those He brings across our paths. To lead others to Him in THIS house.

well, I am believing that God is going to do amazing things in us and through us and amidst us in TSA and in TSA Ringwood.

Salvo style.

You can be a part of it.
...................
One day when I retire..or die, whichever comes first, I pray that some may have seen and experienced Jesus in me. That my life will have impacted many others towards a closer journey with Jesus.

I am His, and He is mine, and His banner over me is LOVE. ..... Salvo style.

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Ringwood Salvos...(2)

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25 NIV)

I have learned much in these past few weeks... one of the huge lessons I have learned is that when people speak to you, trying to be helpful, sometimes painting an ugly picture for your future....thinking they are doing something good for you...

hmmmm....!!!!! it's not always right and true.

Now, I am going to be very careful here.... but the truth is, some people tell lies, or perhaps better put, they dont tell you the whole truth.....and I have learned that the best way, is to find out for yourself.

now this may sound all sort of cryptic like... but short of me getting involved in "slander" (which I wont) it's a shame that you dont get the whole picture and just a one sided perspective that is at best, very inaccurate.

Jesus has made such a huge difference to my way of viewing things... I believe that if we keep things about Jesus in our church and in our lives, that other areas start to gain perspective.

It would do us all good to keep Him as our focus and point of reference. Perhaps then we may see things differently and a different story can be told. Perhaps if Jesus is paramount to our thinking, instead of seeing the bad, the ugly and the hurtful, we may start seeing the tremendous opportunity that He provides for us to impact our world, our Local community, our streets and cul de sacs and courts and neighbours.

When we paint a bad picture, we seem to have become blinded to the potential of what Jesus can do amidst us.

It's a sad day indeed when we cant see anymore, what God can and still wants to do.

It's a sad day when we limit Gods power because of our personal ignorance and blindness.

It's a sad day when we fail to grasp how big God is when it comes to "all" situations.

 

so...my reflections on ministry as I head into my 4th week at Ringwood, and complete the first month...?!?

It's busy. It's awesome. It's got opportunity that I never dreamed of having.

AND....

God is here !!!!!!!

my head has been in a swirl of foggy reality... as I grapple with truth, and not lies, as I grapple with the tremendous opportunities that lay at my feet, as doors open, just waiting for someone to step on through, I want to scream ..why hasnt it been done already ? and then I get it ... God has called me here, and positioned me here, now is the time, now is my time, now is the day of The Lord,

today God wants to use Gary Grant for His purposes. If I will stand up, and take the step through the open door, then huge God sized things will happen... ( just in case your curious...YEP, I am standing up and walking on through those doors) I will not shrink back. I will stand up. I will be counted as reliable and faithful and having courage.

 

Today we will move forwards through the open doors of opportunity.

Why ?

Because Jesus leads us and Ringwood salvos is all about Him.

It always has been, and always will be, even if that seems to have been lost somewhere in translation or blindness by some..........

Jesus is the head of the church, He is the head of The Salvation Army, He always has been and always will be. It's about Jesus, He is what matters most.

Whilst we seem to be blind at times to the opportunities, and lost in a maze of untruths and distractions, I firmly believe that if we keep Jesus as centre, everything else...and I mean "everything"...

will find its way and get into place.

So with the meetings and planning, the busy-ness and work, Jesus is our source, and He is our focus, and He is our power, and He is our purpose, and He is our promise, and He is our hope, He is our foundation, and He is our truth....

if you ever find yourself lost and confused by facts that may not be totally 100 % right...try looking at Jesus, try gaining perspective by turning your attention towards Him.

 

the world will dish up a load of stuff and some of it will cause you to become spiritually blind.

But this one thing I know, I was blind but now I see, Jesus Christ has set me free.

(btw, sorry to anyone I may have caused to be distracted "away" from Him, along the way)

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