How are we doing?

The Salvation Army in the UK is currently emphasising TIDE – Transformation, Integration, Discipleship and Effectiveness. On the matter of effectiveness, it was the management guru Peter Drucker who said some years ago: ‘The Salvation Army is the most effective organisation in America. No-one even comes close to it in respect to clarity of mission, ability to innovate, measurable results, dedication and putting money to maximum use’.

Looking at each of these points, can we ask ourselves ‘how are we doing?’

• Clarity of mission. Jesus was very clear about his purpose. His opening words in Mark 1:15 were ‘The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news’. He was announcing the good news of the kingdom – not just in words, but in deeds as the rest of the chapter shows. Our mission is also to bring the kingdom near in word and deed. Every corps and centre should be clear about this, should encapsulate it in a mission statement, and ensure that every activity is aimed at achieving it.
• Ability to innovate. The opening shots of the American War of Independence were fired at the battle of Concord in 1775. The British troops insisted on marching down the road in formation, while the American militia men hid among the trees and took pot-shots at them. The British lost the battle because they failed to adapt to the terrain. Our social and cultural terrain is constantly changing and so we need to innovate to remain relevant and effective.
• Measurable results. Acts records that 3,000 were saved on the Day of Pentecost and the Lord ‘added to their number daily’. Every few chapters we read that the word of God spread and the church grew. These were measurable results. That’s not to say that everything good can be measured. Much valuable ministry cannot be estimated in terms of numbers or tangible outcomes. But effective ministry and mission will have some measurable results, whether it’s in terms of attendances, membership or numbers of people helped. 
• Dedication. Back in the 1980s Roy Castle presented Record Breakers. At the end of every show he would sing the theme song: ‘If you want to be the best, if you want to beat the rest, dedication’s what you need’. Yes, it is what we need even if we aren’t planning on breaking any records. Dedication sometimes goes unrecognised and unrewarded, but it is vital for our effectiveness. 
• Putting money to maximum use. Whether we’re entrusted with money given by our own members, by the public or by government agencies, we have a responsibility to be good stewards. Careful planning, budgeting, accounting and spending are all part of this. Money is a kingdom resource – let’s use it wisely and well for the kingdom’s sake.     

So, how are we doing?

Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts

All Scotland Discipleship Weekend

Over 100 people from all over Scotland gathered at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel the first weekend in October for the All Scotland Discipleship Weekend. It was a time of praise, worship, teaching, and challenge on how to live your whole life for Christ.

The teaching throughout the weekend was based on the Whole Life Discipleship material from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity (LICC). Neil Hudson led seminars on Introduction to Whole Life Discipleship and Going and Growing as Disciples; Ruth Walker led a seminar on God in the Workplace; Rev Gordon Kennedy led a seminar on The Whole of Life for Christ and Lieut-Colonel Robert McIntyre led a seminar on Prayer and Whole Life Discipleship.

The seminars were well attended and provided lots of interesting and thought provoking ideas and discussion.

Whole Life Discipleship is about living every minute of your life for Christ, being a 24/7 Christian and not just a one hour on a Sunday Christian. Have you ever thought about where you spend most of your time in the week and have you thought about living for Christ in this time, your work time, your family time, your leisure time.

It is good to meet together on a Sunday and be the ‘Gathered Church’ but think how effective we can be as the ‘Scattered Church’ every day in our work place or our leisure time and in our families. We need to learn to live effectively as Christians in these places.

The concept of one degree shifts was talked about a lot – the idea that a small change can, over time, bring about a significant change in direction. We were challenged as to what one degree shift we can make in our lives to influence others for Christ. Can we pray for our colleagues at work, for our boss, do our lives demonstrate our belonging to Christ. Do we smile and talk to the check out girl in the local supermarket, to the bus driver.

There was also a separate childrens and youth programme and the young people shared with everyone what they had learned over their time together.

For me this slide sums up the weekend:

Street Drama

This week we have been involved in a series of street dramas to raise awareness of human trafficking.

The joint initiative, organised by The Salvation Army’s Scotland Office and the Scottish Churches Anti-Human Trafficking Group, took place during the Edinburgh Festival's Just Festival – and sees market stalls in different locations around the city selling ‘people’ as commodities – based on real life stories of human trafficking victims.

Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Roberts, The Salvation Army’s Assistant to the Secretary for Scotland, said: "Human trafficking is taking place all around us; in our local communities and perhaps around the corner from where we live. We want people to know they can play a role in stamping it out.

"The Salvation Army has a long history of supporting victims of human trafficking and pressing for their legal protection. In England and Wales we have provided support services to more than 2000 adult victims of human trafficking in the past four years.”

The street drama is the idea of Keith Turton, The Salvation Army’s drama co-ordinator. Keith said: "We think of slavery as people being chained up and in ropes. That may have been the case hundreds of years ago but nowadays it’s much less obvious to the casual observer.

"And so the idea is to have a market stall where we will pretend to sell human beings. We will have a rail of clothing that depicts the work that people do. You can dress these people up to show how they are seen as just commodities.

“It’s a dramatic way of highlighting the issue of trafficking and it’s a way of saying: ‘people shouldn’t be bought or sold.’”

Hazel Watson, Convener of the Scottish Churches Anti-Human Trafficking Group, added: “All human beings have intrinsic value and have the right to live with dignity in freedom. This drama, shocking as it is itself, is a way of highlighting the reality of human trafficking that is far more shocking. We can all play our part in efforts to combat this horrendous crime.”

The Salvation Army, along with the Scottish Churches Anti-Human Trafficking Group, has contributed to the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill, which is currently going through the Scottish Parliament. The Bill will create a specific offence of human trafficking for the first time as well as increase the maximum penalty for offenders to life imprisonment.

Lt-Col Roberts added: “The Salvation Army welcomes this new legislation being introduced by the Scottish Government because it aims to keep victims central, both by tackling offenders and supporting victims.”

The Scottish Churches Anti-Human Trafficking Group will also be using the UN Gift Box initiative to raise awareness of human trafficking. The initiative is created by Stop The Traffik and the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking (UN GIFT). Two large, walk-in boxes have been created to symbolise trafficking and will be dotted around Edinburgh to provide information and first-hand accounts and pictures from victims inside. Each box highlights a specific aspect of human trafficking – be it forced labour or sexual exploitation.

Seeking Justice where you are

Two new publications by Salvationist authors highlight the importance of seeking justice in local situations through community organising.

Marching Towards Justice: Community Organising and The Salvation Army

This is a good introduction to community organising by Majors Kerry & Nick Coke and Lieutenants John & Naomi Clifton. It is based on their own experiences in Stepney and Ilford. It is a 48-page booklet divided into three sections:

1. History. Examples of TSA's justice-seeking activities in the past.
2. Methodology. An outline of the four steps for community organising: visitation, power analysis, training & development, and public action.
3. Stories. Examples of community organising by TSA in Ilford, Stepney and Camberwell.

The document can be downloaded free here: http://www.theology-centre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Marching-Final.pdf
There is also a blog associated with it: http://matchfactory.org/

Just Mission: Practical Politics for Local Churches

This is written by Dr Helen Cameron, Head of Public Affairs at THQ. It goes deeper and wider than Marching Towards Justice and is a helpful handbook for anyone wishing to address social justice issues in their community. It emphasises that justice-seeking goes alongside evangelism and social action in the mission of God. It outlines eight steps in the process of justice-seeking and includes helpful case studies.

1. What is the burning issue?
2. Building the team
3. Building the case for change
4. Engaging with the Christian tradition
5. Identifying who you need to speak to and what you will ask
6. Making contact
7. Amplifying your voice
8. Evaluating your impact

It is not free - it costs £19.99 - but is a good investment! http://www.scmpress.co.uk/books/9780334052296/just-mission

Edinburgh Prison Visitors Centre

The Edinburgh Reporter blog shared the story of how we’re working with the Scottish Prison Service and Police Scotland to ensure HMP Edinburgh is a welcoming environment for visiting children.

The initiative has been developed as part of HMP Edinburgh’s community engagement strategy, whereby The Salvation Army delivers daily services to focus on building a rapport between children and police staff through interactive activities such as arts and crafts.

As part of our work, we aim to encourage and facilitate dialogue between those who are visiting HMP Edinburgh and police officers, and raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of both communities.

The children were given opportunities to dress-up, learn about police cars, and meet representatives from other emergency services such as fire and ambulance. Prison dogs Buck and Ollie, who work with their owner at HMP Edinburgh, proved particularly popular!

Our Edinburgh Visitors’ Centre Co-ordinator, Kerry Watson, said: “We set out to break down the barriers and that has worked really well, we are confident that the children and their families have experienced a really positive fun day with community police and our friends in the Fire Service.”

She added: “This important educational initiative, identified through our parenting project at the centre, has gone a long way to reverse some of the negative comments we heard about the emergency services, our aim will be to continue to invest in this work and have similar days every six weeks.”

What kind of reward?

The newspaper headlines recently have been filled with the news of alleged cheating in the world of premier athletics. Although most of the allegations are historic, it does still have a resonance for the present day, where the human challenges of sports endeavour push the limits of the legal and moral boundaries. This following on from allegations made against the senior leadership of FIFA, more detail being made available almost daily.

Through our televisions we can share the success of athletes pushing their body to the limit where success and failure are measured in milliseconds. The power of the audiences watching any sport, including football, can alter thinking and behaviour where the dollar is the driving force. Headlines such as those we hear and see just reinforce that human nature is very fragile and succumbs to the power of both fame and wealth.

What we do not hear about so often are the acts of kindness that many people undertake each day that do not reach the headlines. Families around us often have to sacrifice their own time and often money to support less able family members. These occasions are often life events; some are predictable and some are less so, but each mean that we can be called to be the extra support for friends, family, corps members, and often some unexpected contacts we have never met before.

When we give of our time and give of ourselves to help those who are less fortunate than we are, we realise that it costs very little in pounds and it is not done for the power or for position, it is undertaken in love for each other. Power, position and wealth are often transitory in nature.

The commitment to each other, that we show for those around us and the peace that we bring in our daily lives will last and our reward will be much more precious than fame or fortune.

Taken from the West Scotland Division Circular

Praise for The Salvation Army's work in Scotland

 

The transformational ministry of The Salvation Army in Scotland was the focus of BBC Radio Scotland in an extended feature. The high profile Sunday morning programme, hosted by Sally Magnusson, provided listeners with a historical context of William Booth's Christian and social mission from Assistant Scotland Office Secretary, Lt Col Jonathan Roberts.

Lt Col Carol Bailey, Scotland Secretary, unpacks the relevance of the Army's mission to save souls and grow saints in society today. During an inspiring interview, Gorgie Corps bandmaster, Keith Johnston explains that bands are more than just playing music, they communicate the Gospel and enhance the worship.

Joining forces to drive mission through practical professional support from the Scotland Drug and Alcohol strategy, Stirling Corps and Homelessness Services Unit, is also a focus through 'Sandy', who honestly expresses how God has saved his life from addiction.

The full interview is available on BBC iPlayer. It last for 13 minutes and starts at 1:31:40.