a Biblical thought...
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Daniel 4:37)
a Book thought...
Kids need to know they are loved for who they are, not for anything else - achievements, looks or anything else. (p14)
a Dave thought...
Recently I have been reflecting on the fact that many quarters of corps officers are now a few kilometres from the corps they are responsible for. Growing up as a corps officers kid I still remember living next door to Morley for five years where our family of six would continually be answering the door and being available to anyone who had need or just wanted to get into the adjoining facility. Over the last 20 years there seems to have been a deliberate attempt to give the CO some space and let them have some appropriate boundaries from their ministry. The idea that serving as an officer being a 24/7 commitment and being available to all is now a decreasing reality with HR advice and high burnout rates encouraging us to put appropriate safeguards around our work. It is important that we protect our officers but over the last 20 years I also believe the effectiveness of our corps work has continued to decline. Maybe the idea of living next door to the hall once again, although inconvenient may just help us be there for the people God is asking us to serve.
Just a thought.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Daniel 4:37)
a Book thought...
Kids need to know they are loved for who they are, not for anything else - achievements, looks or anything else. (p14)
a Dave thought...Recently I have been reflecting on the fact that many quarters of corps officers are now a few kilometres from the corps they are responsible for. Growing up as a corps officers kid I still remember living next door to Morley for five years where our family of six would continually be answering the door and being available to anyone who had need or just wanted to get into the adjoining facility. Over the last 20 years there seems to have been a deliberate attempt to give the CO some space and let them have some appropriate boundaries from their ministry. The idea that serving as an officer being a 24/7 commitment and being available to all is now a decreasing reality with HR advice and high burnout rates encouraging us to put appropriate safeguards around our work. It is important that we protect our officers but over the last 20 years I also believe the effectiveness of our corps work has continued to decline. Maybe the idea of living next door to the hall once again, although inconvenient may just help us be there for the people God is asking us to serve.
Just a thought.
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12 comments:
Dave,
What were you on when you wrote this! I have spent 23 out of 35 years officership as a C.O. If I'd lived next door to the hall for all these years I would figure in your next edition of insane!
exactly! well said Ross.
The reason we don't have the next edition of insane is because we've chosen the comfortable 'sane' option of distance and middle class lifestyles... unfortunately at the expense of mission.
Dave, whatever you are on - keep smoking it! ;-)
Danielle
I could not agree with you more. Over the past few years the 'mission' side of Officership seems to have taken the back seat. In some cases it is the soldiery who are suffering from burn out as they try to juggle their jobs with all that is expected of them at Corps level. Even when a situation comes up that they need help with you get an answering machine. I know everyone needs some space but how much?
I think this is a really interesting challenge. As an officer's kid I lived both next door to the church and less than a km away. I see real positives to both but I think the responsibility to protect the children of officers must also be considered. I remember one time my sister, who was at primary school, walked home from school (which was just around the corner) to find a very drunk, aggressive man waiting on our doorstep - not ideal...
Sharon
I too am an Officer's child and also often had drunken people around the quarters in Corps but also when my father was appointed to Social work. He worked amongst those who were affected by alcohol etc and often brought some of them home to counsell them and do mission with them. I feel that through this I have grown to a mature adult with compassion for such people. It also had something to do with my choices of jobs. Isn't this where our mission lies as much as in any other area. I was instrumental in helping one of these people who, praise God, got saved because of the care given outside of an institution. How did I help him? I swapped marbles with him every week when I saw him at the Army or our home and he knew that if he hadn't stayed off the drink the marble wouldn't be swapped. He kept up his end of the bargain and so did I for many years. He is now with the Lord.
It is interesting to see the comments from both sides of the fence. I do wonder why we think having the officers living next to the Hall will answer all our problems and stop the decline. Looks too much like a simplistic approach in today's world. As for 24/7 appproach to officership while out of step with scripture, ie sabbath rest, it is symptomatic of an organization that believes that only it is capable of saving the world, and if we are not out there saving souls no-one will be saved. I assume Ross means it would be "insane" and have not lasted as long as he has. Johno
how weird would it be if we started calling people 'people', or 'friends' instead of clients or labelling them drunks etc?
Then maybe when they come over its not work, its just hanging out, its just be a Christian, its just being a friend, its just upholding your end of the soldiers/officers covenant...
i dont think dave is saying this will change decline, (although it might help) i think hes saying its an example of the professionalisation of a suppose to be incarnational Jesus movement...
where does friendship start and end? where does ministry start and end? isnt it meant to be a lifestyle, which is not necessarily have a 9-5 stipulation of time ?
God bless all the officers who have given so freely of their time. whether it was during office hours, or in the middle of the nite.
I can't believe that an officer of the Salvation Army would advocate smoking - especially the implication that it may be an illicit substance.
I also am quite concerned about the common use of the word "insane". Being someone who has struggled with mental health personally and who has been considered insane in the literal sense I find this language a little insensitive.
As for the location of the quarters? That's not my greatest concern. Why aren't the quarters phone numbers listed in the white pages under the salvos any more?
Anon, I believe they are using the term 'insane' to describe an extreme and unconventional trend of behaviour (like Cypress Hill did in 94). Please do not take offence.
Also, what may be an 'illicit substance' to you can be a welcome relief to others. I for one welcome the advocacy of marijuana used for medicinal purposes within the Salvation Army. Too long have too many suffered with back pain unnecessarily.
White Pages listings are a good start in linking COs back to the corps folk. Why stop there? Why not a website or a Facebook thingy displaying names, addresses and phone numbers?
well may you quote cyprus hill Anon! this kind of insanity, drug induced insanity, should not be celebrated in song. as for medicinal use? the cyprus hill quote gives you up! your true motives I suspect have little to do with back pain.
However I appreciate your thoughts on creating an online database available to the world that could geographically locate those homes that are occupied by those available to the world.
don't be so quick to judge me Anon. you are making an assumption about my hemp use, and you know what they say about the word assume, (makes many look like buttheads!!!)
What if a General was suffering from chronic back pain. Bet you'd change your tune then...
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