Finishing strong!

I emailed a friend recently and shared in that email the possibility that we might change appointments this year. He replied with the exhortation "If you are transferring, finish strong in your current appointment." This comment set me thinking. I consider myself to be consistent in my service to God and the Army. Above every other possible occupation I would choose Salvation Army Officership every time.

2009 saw some great highs for Dartford. In February, Lee (a street homeless alcoholic) walked into our hall and a month later got gloriously saved and hasn't drunk alcohol since. On Christmas Day, Tracey and I had independent text messages from him thanking us for giving him his life back. Of course God is the engineer behind conversion and we are merely tools in his hands but if we hadn't been here there is a possibility that Lee might not have got saved. Later in the year a young lady who was recently relocated to Dartford under the 'witness protection scheme' and also a victim of domestic violence was led to Christ by Tracey. This year has also seen a family of four (asylum seekers from Sri-Lanka) become a real part of our Corps family – to such a degree they have recently invited friends of theirs (a family of 4 from India) to join our fellowship. Imagine our delight when all 8 of them turned up at our watch-night service and despite obvious language barriers engaged fully with the games and worship. In 2009 we also farewelled Xander to College – Xander was a great hep and encouragement to us during his time here and I hope he feels that Dartford made a positive contribution to his ongoing Officer training. In November we saw an old soldier (85 years old) who hasn't worn uniform for many, many years don the blue surge and silver s's again - Hallelujah! On January 17th a man who was once the Corps Secretary at Dartford but relinquished his soldiership some time ago will enrolled as a Soldier again. In addition we have seen our people grow and domestic situations improve as a consequence of an ongoing pastoral programme.

In the 2 ½ years we have been privileged to be at Dartford God has blessed us greatly and fulfilled his promise to 'do more than we could ask for or even imagine'.

Yet at the same time there have been occasional troughs – fortunately God has given me a personality that is largely immune to depression – but there have been moments of doubt and sometimes even downright rebellion on my part. Yet all in all it has been a very positive experience and our time here will remain a memory when we do eventually move on.

Ideally we would have liked to stay here another couple of years but the complex medical needs of our youngest daughter make this year a sensible time to relocate (she starts Senior School in September).

So back to that encouragement to 'finish strong'... We have 6 months left at Dartford and my motivation remains the same as it was 2 ½ years ago – I am a sinner saved by grace and the knowledge of my unmerited salvation compels me to put all I have into those 6 months. If the the 'call of holiness' makes us anything other than consistent then we are not giving the right answer.

This year I'm starting an MA in theology (at the Army's request) but I am determined that this study should enhance and not diminish my service as a Corps Officer. On Monday I am doing 'Jury Service' which will necessitate at least 2 weeks away from the front (although I am sure that God will use me during this time as a witness to my fellow jurors) then it is back to the battle.

In April Tracey and I have our appraisals and it will be interesting to see if the folk at Dartford consider our 'finish' to be 'strong' I am confident that they will because at the end of the day although we serve them our master is Christ!

This Sunday (weather permitting) is 'Commitment Sunday' in the UK and as always I will be renewing my Officer's covenant as I encourage my folk to reconsider their Soldier's covenant.

The temptation at the end of an appointment to give in to complacency and to become a bit 'demob happy' is very real but praise God we are called, commissioned and empowered by Christ and in his strength we overcome the world.

So as we begin, not quite the last, but maybe one of the closing chapters in this part of our story I will cling to the words of Hebrews 12:1-3

" ¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Grace and peace, A

Dartford for Christ - then the world!

So the Bale family are off to Dartford, a small town on the very outskirts of London. Step out of the hall and you step onto the town High Street - I can't think of a better placed bridgehead from which to mount all out war on the enemy. Lots of social need in the area and of course plenty of people hungry for the gospel.

The SA has a great history in the town...

One Sunday in September 1886, two Salvation Army lasses were brought to Dartford to begin a pioneering work in the town. The early days of the Salvation Army in Dartford were characterised by opposition and hard work. Despite initial opposition, the Salvation Army attracted a strong following in Dartford, local drunkards and criminals were converted to Christianity. A brass band was quickly formed to accompany worship and to attract people to open air meetings.

After holding open air meetings in Dartford for more than twenty years, a dispute arose with the local authorities regarding the Salvation Army's use of the Bull Centre (outside the Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel) for their street services. A general ban on outdoor meetings in Dartford was introduced and the police were ordered to ensure that the ban was enforced. The Salvationists ignored the new ruling and continued to hold their street meetings. A number of their members were summoned by the Dartford police for obstruction. Rather than pay the fine imposed by the local Courts, some of the Dartford Salvation Army Corps members elected to go to prison at Maidstone. This incident caused a public outcry.

The imprisoned Salvationists were given a hero's welcome when they were released from prison and returned to Dartford in triumph. Possibly the largest crowd ever to assemble in central Dartford greeted the Salvationists. The dispute was later settled at a formal meeting between the Salvation Army, the local council and the Kent Police.

A local newspaper report from the day reported the incident like this:

In defence of the Salvation Army - wild scenes on the streets of Dartford

There was a massive and fervent response to the arrest of Dartford's Salvationists. A defence committee was formed to co-ordinate the protest campaign. Public meetings of protest attracted large crowds; protest marches were held and banners, slogans and posters appeared all over the town.

Banners declared 'IMPRISONED FOR CONSCIENCE SAKE'; 'DEFEND RELIGIOUS AND PERSONAL LIBERTY' and 'WE DEMAND LIBERTY TO PREACH CHRIST'. 15,000 people gathered at Dartford Station to welcome home the prisoners when released from jail, two of them still wearing their prison uniforms bearing broad arrows.

During the course of the exuberant celebrations the Dartford police were stoned and pelted with rotten fish heads and bad eggs. Hooligans used the occasion to vent their spleen on the local constabulary. Dartford's Superintendent Poole was pelted for four hours. Policemen were stoned to the station. There were violent speeches at the Drill Hall - a torrent of rancorous abuse."

Sadly there is no band at the Corps now and some over-zealous Officer in the past decided to sell all the instruments! However the Corps does still sell 'War Crys' round the pubs and that is something I am looking forward to.

Read the following in my devotions this morning...

"The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

God bless, redeem and sanctify the people of Dartford!

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army!