Out of the mouths of babes and infants...

I was listening to an interview the other day with the Bishop of Croydon whilst driving my daughter to school.

The Rt Rev Nick Baines was defending his book 'Why Wish You a Merry Christmas?' (This book sets out to return the Christmas story to "its heart")

In the book, Baines says "most carols are OK", and accepts they have a difficult task. "They try, within the constraints of several verses and an easily memorable tune, to capture something of the story of Christmas or the mind-boggling idea of God becoming human and living among us," he writes.

But even accepting these lyrical hindrances, the bishop believes some carols are lacking in substance. He is particularly critical of nativity play favourite Away in a Manger, asking: "How can any adult sing this without embarrassment?"

"I always find it a slightly bizarre sight when I see parents and grandparents at a nativity play singing Away in a Manger as if it actually related to reality. I can understand the little children being quite taken with the sort of baby of whom it can be said 'no crying he makes', but how can any adult sing this without embarrassment? I think there are two problems here: first, it is normal for babies to cry and there is probably something wrong if they don't; secondly, are we really to believe that a crying baby Jesus should be somehow theologically problematic? Or, to put it more bluntly, is crying supposed to be sinful?"

Suddenly my daughter Bethany, who is only 11 years old said "stupid man, doesn't he realise it's just a metaphor used by the poet to illustrate the fact that Christ brings peace to the world!"

Out of the mouths of babes and infants...

Christmas grace and peace, A

The best of both worlds…

It would be interesting to know if the name 'Brindley Boon' means anything to young Salvationists today – especially those outside the UK and Canadian Territories? (Brindley is pictured with his wife Nina)

In these days of contemporary worship songs, mentioning some of the songbook classics he penned still might not even raise a flicker of recognition: 'Spirit divine come as of old', 'For thy mission make me holy', 'Weaver divine, thy matchless skill', 'I would be thy holy temple,'.

In addition Brindley wrote many band pieces, a history of the ISB and two books on banding and singing 'Play the Music Play,' and 'Sing the Happy Song.' He was also the main organiser of the 1978 International Congress.

Colonel Brindley Boon was promoted to glory this year at the grand age of 95 and his autobiography has just been published 'The best of both worlds'.

The Amazon product description says of this book "In 'The Best of Both Worlds', Salvation Army officer Colonel Brindley Boon delves deep into memories covering nine decades to provide a record of an extraordinary life. His twin loves of music and journalism provide the framework for this fascinating autobiography. But, more than that, every experience he recollects seems to shine with his love for God and his desire to serve Him."

In the book, especially the earlier part, Brindley describes a Salvation Army I can only imagine yet one I would have loved to belong to!

Certainly it was an Army obsessed with music yet at the same time it was equally obsessed with soul winning. It wasn't music or evangelism it was both and evangelism always took precedence.

Reading the book was a cathartic experience for me and I feel refreshed and better able to focus on what really matters as a consequence of Brindley's memoirs.

My Dad was appointed to the Editorial Department on IHQ in 1963 at which time 'Uncle' Brindley was already an established and stalwart Army journalist.

Reading the book showed me just how much we have lost our way as a movement and the quicker we can get back to basics the better.

Deportment matters, professionalism matters, discipline matters, regulations matter, uniform matters, respect for leaders matters – all these things matter. They are not all that matters or even the most important things but we diminish their value at great cost to ourselves.

In those territories that are growing the above qualities are still valued and very visible.

Maybe they should put Brindley's book on the curriculum at Western Training Colleges J

Grace and peace, A

Minster and autumnal madness!

Could there possibly be a more picturesque appointment in the UK other than Minster? Minster is a small village about five miles from the coast in Kent. It gets its name from the Abbey (which still functions today) in the centre of the village. If you ask Sister Benedict nicely she will give you a guided tour. The village has everything you might need – dentist, doctor, library, corner shop, newsagent – even a dog groomers! The Army hall is 4 years old and the previous hall is in the process of being changed into a community shop. The Corps is spiritually alive and growing with a mixed aged congregation of about 80 and a small ensemble band. The village has a total population of 3000 making the 80 that attend the Army just under 3% of the local population – is there another Corps in the entire Army world that can boast such a statistic? If Regent hall managed to attract the same percentage of their local population their weekly congregation would be in excess of 100,000! We are here for a week's leave, guests of the Corps Officer Denise Cooper. We've had a lovely week and are ready to return to the war in Dartford.

Minster seems to be in a time warp (the village not the Corps!) there are no traffic restrictions here, parking is free and most people seem to walk everywhere – which brings me on to 'autumnal madness' – like the village of Minster the summer of 2009 (at least in the UK) seems to have got stuck in a time warp too. Yesterday I saw a butterfly, there are roses in the garden coming into bud, the grass is still growing and there hasn't been a day yet when I've desperately needed a coat. Although next week is November the trees are clinging to their leaves and we've yet to have our first frost. What is happening to the weather and who is to blame? Although there are still some sceptics out there who think that global warming and climate change are natural events I side with those who think they are a consequence of human activity.

The truth is we have a responsibility to protect our planet just as we have a responsibility to protect our values. Minster looks idyllic and seems to have retained some of those values yet amongst the quaint cottages is a betting shop and 5 pubs. No doubt behind the chintzy curtains alcoholics still sleep off their binges, husbands abuse their wives, children are neglected and gamblers count their losses. Appearances can sometimes be deceptive. Within a few weeks a storm will shake the leaves from the trees, the frosts will come, the fires will go on and we'll all start getting ready for Christmas.

Time marches on, the planet and our communities develop for better or worse and we make our contribution. One day time will stop for us and we will be asked to account for our lives. Those sins which are forgiven will be ignored, the time we have wasted over which we have wept with repentance will be put to one side – but the life we've lived since we last sought forgiveness will be weighed in the balance. With God appearances are far from deceptive as Paul told the Galatians "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7). As we approach Christmas and 2010 let's heed the advice of Ephesians 5:5-17 " Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

Grace and peace, A

In his time...

Recently I was in conversation with Lee (see blog below) about smoking. Lee has given up so much in the last 8 months that I really didn't feel he needed to get into a battle with nicotine on top of everything else. I shared with him the testimony of the Jesuit writer John Powel (recounted in 'He Touched Me: My Pilgrimage of Prayer') about smoking. Powell had tried to give up smoking on many occasions unsuccessfully then one day as he reached for the first cigarette of the day he unexpectedly heard a quiet voice within say 'no more cigarettes John'. He obeyed the voice and has been nicotine free since. I suggested to Lee that when the time was right God would take the desire to smoke away just as he had removed his urge to drink.

In my own life my two biggest enemies have been lust and gambling (closely followed by pride and selfish ambition). Although these strongholds have been comprehensively demolished by the Holy Spirit temptation still lurks in their ruins and occasionally sallies forth in attempt to ensnare me once more. When it comes to holiness our big sins are easy to identify what takes more time is identifying and surrendering the doubtful things. For me, one of these doubtful things has been coffee. I have tried on many occasions to give up coffee but without success. Recent circumstances have led me to heed my own advice and leave the matter in God's hands.

Coffee seems to be the cement which holds church fellowship together; coffee is entrenched in our very fabric. Go to a Christian conference and coffee is available on tap. Hold a meeting, get together with a potential convert, network with other agencies , go to a church service, attend an Alpha Course, got to a bible study and coffee is there constantly oiling the ecclesiastical cogs. In addition, with the advent of Fairtrade there is almost a moral obligation to support the ethical coffee market. Then there is the fact that the local coffee shop is often the hub of the community - a suburban watering hole where all levels of society find neutral ground – therefore the coffee shop is an excellent place to witness. Then last week I read an (accredited) article about the benefits of moderate coffee consumption. Anything over two cups a day is likely to have an adverse health impact but keeping your intake to just two strong cups a day (preferably taken before noon) can have a very positive effect. Apparently, coffee is full of antioxidants and can limit your chances of heart disease and Alzheimer's. In addition there is a chemical in coffee that destroys the bacteria that causes tooth decay (incidentally all of these claims are equally true for dark chocolate!)

So maybe if Paul was writing to Timothy today rather than encouraging him to take a little wine with his food he might tell him to get down to Costa Coffee or Starbucks!

So (with an absolute clear conscience) I'm going to follow the example of Railton rather than Finney and start knocking back the black gold (but no more than two strong cups a day!)

If God isn't happy with my decision then he will let me know and whisper quietly in my inner ear as I reach for the coffee pot one morning. In the meantime I am not under law but under grace.

"¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men." (Romans 14)

Grace and peace, A

Lee, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Amazing grace!

God's amazing grace never ceases to amaze me!

Just over 8 months ago Lee walked into the Army hall at Dartford – why? Cynics would say because he was drunk, homeless and hungry - believers would say because God had made an appointment for him!

We found him a home, bought him food and booked him into detox. He came out of detox and got saved – thank you Jesus! The first couple of weeks after detox were literally hell for Lee but he (with our support) prayed his way through and eventually God completely removed the desire for alcohol from his heart and mind. Lee hasn't had an alcoholic drink since February!

This week I am at Brunel Manor (once the home of the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel) in Torquay with Lee. One of our corps folk works for a charity who sends deserving people away on a retreat for free. The break was planned for earlier in the year and the gentleman in question was going to go away with Lee. However, Lee couldn't make it at the last minute so it was postponed. The man had already booked his holiday from work and couldn't change it at the last minute I went in his place.

It will be a good chance for us to relax but also to continue discipling Lee.

Tonight I stood next to Lee in a bible study he was so eager to attend! To think that only eight months ago he was a homeless alcoholic with no hope and now (thanks to God) he is a born again Christian who has a hunger for Christ which is contagious!

To hear him singing loudly songs that he doesn't know! To watch him listening to biblical concepts that must be alien to him and then to hear him say how 'relieved' he feels just to be here has quite honestly blown me away.

Please pray that this week will be a momentous week in Lee's pilgrimage (he has brought a lot of baggage to this retreat, by God's grace he'll be going home with a lot less!) Pray too that this will be a momentous week for me as well and please find the time to thank Jesus for his wonderful love and the amazing miracles he still does today - Hallelujah!

If that doesn't brighten your day then nothing wil!

Grace and peace, A

Another William Booth...

The Daily Mail is not my favourite newspaper, it tends to be conservative, middle class, sensationalist and unreliable. It doesn't generally print news but merely comments on it. However, in a recent edition it ran the following story:

A vast study of youngsters' wellbeing in 30 industrialised nations ranked Britain among the worst for health, lifestyles and school standards relative to public spending levels. Under-age teenagers in Britain are more likely to get drunk than those in any other country, and the proportions of teenage mothers and single-parent families are amongst the highest in the survey. In "risky behaviour" - a combination of drinking, smoking and teenage pregnancy - Britain's performance is worse than all nations other than Turkey and Mexico. Educational achievement is low given the billions poured in by Labour, with more than one in 10 youngsters aged 15 to 19 not in school, training or work. This is the fourth highest rate in the 30 countries. Only Italy, Turkey and Mexico perform worse. . . The report, published by the economic think tank the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, compared data from 30 leading countries on children's welfare. . . Teen drunkenness, as measured by the number of youngsters aged 13 and 15 who have been drunk at least twice, tops the league table at 33 per cent.

By coincidence (I think not!) the letters page in the same edition contained correspondence from Derek Hanna, of Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim. It said:

One of the nation's greatest sons, William Booth, once said: "The chief danger of the 20th century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, politics without God, salvation without regeneration and heaven without hell."

According to Mr Hanna what hope does the UK have? That God will raise up another William Booth, or another John Wesley.

What set Wesley and Booth apart from other men and women?

Booth was once asked (close to the end of his remarkable life) what was the secret of his success, was that he had given everything to God when he was a young man? He replied (words to the effect of – I can't remember the exact quote) that there was nothing extraordinary in his giving everything to God, such consecration was not uncommon, what set hi apart from other men was that he never took anything back!

We need holiness, we need it now and we need it to be not complete but consistently complete.

"O thou God of every nation,
We now for thy blessing call;
Fit us for full consecration,
Let the fire from Heaven fall.
Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
With thy power baptize us all."
Grace and peace to all who love Jesus!

A

Courage

What is real courage? Is it leaving all to go and live among the poorest of the poor? Is it being tortured for one's faith? Is it facing ravenous lions or gladiators or is it simply standing up and refusing to compromise when one is clearly in a minority?

Not according to William Booth.

The following quote is taken from an extensive article in The Officer Magazine (1895) the article was printed across several editions.

"Perhaps the highest form of courage of which the human soul is capable is that which goes up with boldness to the throne of grace, claims a full salvation at God's hands, and power to maintain and fight for it day by day. That dares to walk in the light of God, relying upon His arm for all the grace needed for a holy, conquering life.

We want the courage that will face the rebellious world of today, come out from it, renounce its riches and fashions and recreations and follies, which will despise them, and which will reject its friendships as being enmity with God. We want a courage that will recognise and resist and defy the devil. We want a courage that will trample on the daily desires of the flesh for ease and luxury.

We want a courage that will confess our Lord and glory in His salvation and proclaim deliverance from sin by Him before the whole world. We want a courage that will tell the truth, the whole truth, the plainest truth and most soul-cutting truth, on the platform, on the streets; that will warn men of the evil of sin and beseech them to flee from the wrath to come, no matter what sacrifices may be threatened or involved thereby."

According to Booth – "the highest form of courage of which the human soul is capable" is simply being holy.

To meet the conditions of holiness - to comprehensively renounce sin (and all things doubtful), to completely surrender all to God, to establish - and ten to maintain those links which will continuously fuel holiness and finally to embrace the consequences of such a commitment – according to Booth that takes guts – real guts.

No wonder there are so few holy men and women alive in 2009.

God grant us the grace to find such courage.

Amen.