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.