Controversial Ideas for The Salvation Army to Wrestle with...

Before I say a word, let me remind you; these are my thoughts, and they don't necessarily represent the views of The Salvation Army.

I love The Salvation Army; what it does, who it worships, the people in it, the legacy it has and the future that is destined for it. Though, I want to ask some tough questions and make some observations.

Take a deep breath. Are you ready for this?

1. When we worship traditionalism rather than simply giving thanks for our traditions, we create an idol that distracts us from innovative mission.
2. When our Salvation Army uniform is such that the uniformity is a barrier to people responding to Christ we have a conundrum. 
3. When the gospel is only about the salvation of souls we deprive Salvationism of the fullness of the work of Christ. When the service of God through The Salvation Army is only about cups of cold water to those in need we can let people go spiritually thirsty. Captain Andy Miller III in his new book Holistic Hospitality says, 'The way in which people understood [the] balance between what is social and what is spiritual was an issue in the beginning of the Army and is still an issue today.' He mentions that in some points of The Salvation Army's history we had 'dynamic holistic missiology'. 
4. When you walk through the desert looking for the blessing, you have to realise that sometimes it is in fact the Holy Spirit that leads you into the desert. Why? The desert prepares you for what is to come. See Luke 4 and the start of the ministry of Jesus.
5. My wife and I walked around the City of Melbourne recently and took photos of old Salvation Army buildings. Buildings that were once used for exciting, dynamic, life-changing ministries for Jesus. It then hit me. God, I don't want people to merely take photos of what The Salvation Army used to do!
6. I believe, that the BEST days are still ahead for The Salvation Army.
7. Are timbrels really relevant in the western world context today? 
8. How do we continue to fund and support creative, transformative social work with tightening budgets from State and Federals governments around the globe?
9. Here is a tough challenge in an article entitled, 'Where are the children?' with some thought provoking content from Captain Steven Smith.
10. Are we holy? Are you holy? Captain Scott Strissel puts it this way: Beware of the mines!
11. In an age where businesses are flattening bureaucratic structures and cutting middle management, do we continue with the same structures we have developed years previous? Do they still do the job? (Some argue yes, and I'm not saying either way - just asking the question). Are there better and more efficient ways to make decisions?
12. What is God calling you to do, right now?
13. If you are a Salvo, what can you do in the coming week, to help mobilize an army to transform the world? 

I'm stirring the pot a little. I know that. I apologise if it hurts. I'm not intending to offend. I'm merely asking some tough questions and making some observations. One may argue, I've only scratched the surface.

God bless you today.

Check out a previous post of challenges facing The Salvation Army today.

Pete Brookshaw (Captain).