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RevoDevos - Day 8
Monday, June 30, 2008

Monday, June 30^th
Read: Galatians 3:7-9

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Discuss questions you have about this passage. Here are a few to get started with:

Who is Abraham?
Why does it matter who his children are?

As Paul continues his discourse to the Galatians regarding justification by faith, he uses the example of Abraham. In verse seven, Paul says that those who have faith are spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, even if they are not Jews. Paul's argument is, no doubt, disputing the claim of the Judaizers. The Judaizer’s claim was that one became a genuine child of Abraham by circumcision and subsequent obedience to the law. The idea of Gentiles being saved by faith, without circumcision was still hotly debated among Christians of the time. Peter's vision and the conversion of Cornelius (cf. Acts 10) was most likely not yet well-known, and Paul's letter to the Galatians was likely written approximately two years prior to the Jerusalem Council, when the Christian church decided that Gentiles could be saved by faith alone and could receive the same Holy Spirit as the Jews. So, Paul's example of Abraham is linking the Old and New Testament covenants, while stressing that Abraham's faith was the same as that of the Christian faith.

In verse eight, Paul continues to use Scripture as evidence for the conclusion that he made in verse seven. He quotes Genesis 12:3, which makes two points: 1. The blessing promised to Abraham was, from the beginning, intended to include the Gentiles as well as the Jews, and 2. The Gospel promise preceded everything else in God's dealings with His people—even including the giving of the law (i.e. circumcision). It is interesting to note here that Paul personifies the Scriptures, in that they 'foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham,' this shows that Paul views the Scriptures as if they were God speaking. This is noteworthy because it shows that the New Testament writers viewed Scripture as the words of God, and gives biblical support for the historical Christian belief in the total inspiration of the Bible (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16).

Verse nine wraps up Paul’s discussion and answers the question from verse five: 'What allows us to enter spiritual blessing?' The answer is: those who are characterized by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who had faith. Since the blessing of Abraham is declared to have been intended for the Gentiles as well as the Jews, how then could the Gentiles be blessed except by faith? Therefore, Paul concludes that those who have faith, as Abraham did, join his blessed status.

Process:

- What are Christians justified by? What is Paul's argument regarding Abraham? What does this argument mean for us?

- Where have you relied upon works instead of faith in your life?

Posted By: Anonymous at 9:42 PM : Link : 0 Comments

RevoDevos - Day 7
Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday, June 29^th
Read: Galatians 3:1-6

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort? Have you experienced so much in vain- if it really was in vain? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by your observing the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

What questions do you have about this passage? Here are a few, and then write your own:

Paul is painting a contrast between two things: what are they, and how are they different from each other?
The passage says: “After beginning with the Spirit…” What did the Galatians begin?
How would they have experienced anything ‘in vain’?

Paul makes it perfectly clear that it is not what we do that will get us into Heaven. It is what we believe in. I will not get into Heaven by helping old ladies cross the street, or by pulling my neighbor’s cat out of their tree, but rather my belief that He died for my sins upon the Cross will demonstrate itself by my abounding love for others.

Paul is not saying to stop doing your good deeds. As Christians we are also called to do good and to show Christ through our love. James 2:17 says this: “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

Moral of the story? Believing the message that we have heard about Christ needs to be number one. Número uno. Numéro un. Nr. Eine. Número um. Одно. Aantal. Αριθμός ένας. Numrera en. رقم واحدة. Get the point?

Then, AFTER we have the whole belief thing down pat, we can worry about being a good person. However, Paul once again rebukes us here, because a lot of the time we try to be good by ourselves. Here is where I paraphrase Paul again: “FOOLS!” Why would we try to be better people by ourselves when we already believe the message of Christ? Here is what Paul says: “How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to be perfect by your own effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?”

It is the Spirit that allows us to connect to the source of grace and peace, Christ. When we are connected to Him, we do not need to try using our own power, but rather let the Spirit transform us into Christ’s image in order to represent him and his goodness to the world.

Process:

- How many times have you neglected the message of Christ by thinking that you can get into Heaven by your own works? Have you ever tried to become a better person on your own strength? Are you willing to give up full control of your life to Christ, who will ultimately make you the new and better person?

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RevoDevos - Day 6

Saturday, June 28^th
Read: Galatians 2:17-21

“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the graces of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Discuss your questions about this passage. Here are a few to help you get started:

“If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.”- What does Paul mean by this? What did he destroy?

How do we die but still remain alive?

Note what some of your own questions are, and talk about them:

"If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." –Emma Goldman

This is a revolution of rocks and trees; of people and places; of freedom and spirit. The text states that we are crucified. Why do we always want Jesus to come into our hearts if our whole life is crucified? The movement of Jesus followers is much larger—it is no longer about what we get out of it. We are swept up into a freedom song, and marching to a freedom beat that creation has been groaning. This isn’t just about trying to correct ourselves from sin— because sin has distorted everything on this planet. Even our societies and systems have become sick with sin. Where can we beat our breasts and ask God for mercy on the world’s behalf? We are swept up into the song that is reality at its most basic, and we are asked to dance. We are part of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of people and systems.

It’s not about us and our interactions with Jesus, but us as part of the movement of the Kingdom. This Kingdom has ways of doing justice, economics, poetry, languages, and whole systems of working, like our societies.

That is what being crucified with Christ is about. It’s no longer about ourselves or even how Jesus affects us— buts it’s about Jesus living through us, it’s about getting swept up into something larger. Also it’s about seeing that the movement and way of Jesus is good in and of itself. Jesus’ way isn’t good just because we gain from it— but it’s good because of the way of Jesus is. It’s good because of how we as humans are meant to live. Getting crucified into His Kingdom means that we, like Paul, live this life by faith in the Son of God.

Process:

- Where have we been too narrow in our thinking of the Kingdom of God? What broader things can we see it doing here?

- Have we as community been rebuilding anything that has been destroyed? What societal sins can we ask God for mercy for as community?

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RevoDevos - Day 5

Friday, June 27^th
Read: Galatians 2:11-16

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

When I saw that they were not acting in line with the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”

Discuss questions you have about the passage. Here are some to help you get started:

How could Paul say that Cephas ‘stood condemned’?
Why would Cephas have been afraid of ‘the circumcision group’?
What did it look like when Paul lectured Cephas in front of everyone? What was the reaction?
Write your own questions down, and discuss them:

In this passage, Paul confronts Peter about his hypocritical actions concerning the Gentiles while he was in Antioch. When Peter had first come to Antioch, he was eating with the Gentiles, but when other Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem, he stopped eating with the Gentiles because he feared these men. (They were legalists who still believed in the requirement of circumcision and the necessity of following the Law.)

While staying in Antioch, Peter gave in to peer-pressure from these legalistic Christians, who believed that Jews should not eat with Gentiles, and began to eat only with other Jews. Even though God had possibly already given him the vision of the “unclean animals” on the sheet, and Peter understood this meant that Gentiles were now considered clean (see Acts 10), he did what he was being pressured to do.

Peter knew that what he was doing was wrong. So, by giving in to this peer pressure, Peter was being hypocritical. But his choice didn’t affect him alone—his actions were leading other Christians astray. The issue was so important to Paul, that he called Peter out on it immediately. It wasn’t good enough for Peter to simply understand and accept the Gospel— he needed to practice what he preached! His hypocrisy not only confused others as to how a Christian should live, but it also compromised the Gospel he preached. His behavior demonstrated that he still thought that there was validity to the idea that in order to be saved one must follow certain rules.

In verses fifteen and sixteen, Paul discusses the idea of justification by works versus justification by faith. He argues that neither Jews nor Gentiles are made right with God by what we do, but that we are all justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Faith alone is the indispensable channel of salvation, not anything we can do. Because of Christ’s own righteousness and death on the cross, God then assigns Christ’s righteousness to us who believe—Jew and Gentile. All are justified not based on human deeds, but on faith. Everyone has sinned (see Romans 3:23), but through Christ’s death, we are pardoned, set free, and then reinstated as God’s children and as fellow heirs with Jesus Christ. Amen! So what Paul is saying is that it doesn’t matter whether you are Jew or Gentile—everyone has to be saved by faith.

Process:

- Have you seen someone in your own life that has been hypocritical? How did that make you feel and how did you react?

- How are we justified (made right with God)? What problems do you see with legalism? Have you ever found yourself or seen someone else caught up in legalism?

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RevoDevos - Day 4

Thursday, June 26^th
Read: Galatians 2:6-10

As for those who were held in high esteem- whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism- they added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas (Peter) and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Spend time discussing questions you have about this passage. Here are some to get you started:

Who is held in high esteem in this passage- who is Paul referring to, and why were they held in high esteem?
James, Cephas and John extended ‘the right hand of fellowship’. What could this have looked like? Was there actually a hand…?
From previous passages, what ‘grace’ was given to Paul?

Ask your own questions:

Because some in

Galatia

were opposing Paul’s message by questioning his legitimacy as an apostle, Paul has preceded this passage with his claim to apostleship based on his personal call from God. He is trying to prove that his message is not from himself but is from God. He asserts that those who are ‘held in high esteem’ added nothing to his message, that when he went to meet with them they recognized his authority to preach, as well as the message itself- that it was not lacking anything. They agreed that there was an equal split of audience: some are sent to the Jews and others to the Gentiles, but that the message is the same to all of them: Jesus Christ has come and died and risen again, and we are now able to live as members of his kingdom. It is interesting, however, that the apostles in Jerusalem emphasized that Paul not neglect the poor, as their final point of argument.

Now, it’s important to realize that Paul isn’t defending himself in this passage, he’s defending the Gospel. He didn’t take what anyone was saying about him personally. He was more offended by the fact that the Galatians doubted the gospel and less about what they had to say about him. So ask yourself—

When you witness, who are you speaking for? Is it you or God? Do you express your own thoughts and feelings or do you express the Heart of God? Are you just trying to please people with an emotional story and enticing words? It’s important to know why it is you’re sharing what you’re sharing, to know if your message is from God or from man.

Also, when someone doesn’t agree with what you’re preaching who do you defend? Do you fight for yourself or your message? Do you take what the person is saying to heart or do you listen to what they are saying and gently, with respect, show them how they might be wrong, by showing them the truth? And if they are right, do you admit that? I’m sure if Paul were wrong on this, which he clearly wasn’t, he would be humble enough to admit that to the Galatians.

Not only does this passage show the Galatians the authenticity of Paul’s message, but it can also be a lesson to us. I think that we can sometimes discard some of Paul’s writings a little too frivolously. I mean, almost everyone’s got something to say about his views on marriage. This passage shows us that Paul’s apostleship was ordained by God, and that he was given great authority to proclaim God’s salvation to the Gentiles. So before disagreeing with Paul, consider what he’s saying, pray into it, wrestle with it, lean not on your own understanding, and find out what God says about his writings.

Process:

- “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor” How do we remember the poor?

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RevoDevos - Day 3
Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wednesday, June 25^th
Read: Galatians 2:1-5

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

Spend some time discussing questions you have about the passage. Here are a few to get you started:

What was Paul doing for those 14 years?
How might Paul have been running in vain?
Write down and discuss other questions you have:

Have you ever wondered if you were on the right track, or if you were running in vain? Paul did.

17 years after Paul’s encounter with God on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:7, Galatians 1:18, 2:1) he went to Jerusalem to meet with the Jewish church leaders located there. As Paul said in Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” The leaders he wanted to meet with were the leaders of the Jewish people—even though Paul had been preaching to the Gentiles.

Recently there had been some opposition by some of the Jewish believers. They thought the new Gentile believers should follow the Jewish cultural practices. Because of this pressure on the new Gentile believers, Paul wanted to meet with the church leaders in Jerusalem to discuss these suggested requirements.

Paul’s preaching focused on the freedom we have in Christ—he had not been placing importance on the cultural practices of other believers. Paul wanted to protect believers from unnecessary rules and restrictions. Instead, he wanted to have them focus on the sacrifice that Jesus had made for them on the cross and the freedom from sin that Jesus made possible for us.

When you have disagreements with leadership or any other believers, it may seem easier for you to simply gossip about how you think they are doing things wrong. It seems easier than building up the courage to meet with them and find out what they really mean, and together come to a consensus on the issue. Search God and His Word on the issue, and if you are still not satisfied, humbly (not in anger) meet with the leadership. In this way you will be more likely to find the truth about God and his will, and more able to live in unity with others.

Process:

- When you hear someone has said something about you, do you go directly to that person to find out the truth? I encourage you to do so and not to simply believe what you have heard from others.

- Have you prayed today for the leaders in your church? Take some time now to bless them and ask the Lord to increase their ministry. Pray also for the Church, that we may have unity in the Truth.

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RevoDevos - Day 2
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tuesday, June 24^th
Read: Galatians 1:11-24

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any human source, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter) and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles- only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.

Spend a few minutes discussing questions you have about this passage. Here are a few to get you started:

What does it mean to receive the gospel by revelation? (for Paul’s story, refer to Acts 9)
What might Paul have been hoping to gain from his zealousness for Judaism?
God “was pleased to reveal his Son in” Paul- what does this mean?
What other questions do you have?

Here we have this guy, Paul, who has spent his life working to build himself up—being the best Jew, doing everything right. He devoted his whole life to Judaism. He would do anything for it, even commit murder! This was his life; this was what he put everything he had into. And it paid off! Paul was thought of very highly, because he was zealous for tradition and advanced beyond his years.

However, all this paled in comparison to a revelation of Jesus. When God revealed His Son to Paul, everything else faded away. It didn’t matter how advanced he was in Judaism, or how zealous he was for tradition, or even how highly respected he was. When compared to God— all of this stuff didn’t stand a chance. It wasn’t about what other people thought, or his reputation anymore. We are told that he didn’t consult any man. Now it was completely about God. Paul had tasted worldly success and fame. He had spent years earning respect and favor. But in one moment— that was gone! Years of fame, success and power couldn’t even compare to one moment with God. Everything that Paul had spent years investing in, everything that he had once thought, didn’t matter anymore. It was now irrelevant.

As I thought about Paul, and the revelation he had, this song came to my mind:

“All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,
there is no greater thing…”

From the moment that Paul encountered God, he turned away from his old life and never went back. We are told that God, who set Paul apart from birth, and called Him by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to him so that he might preach amongst the Gentiles. So, our God—who is so mighty, powerful, awesome, good, and beautiful, that nothing else compares with Him— loves each one of us individually and has a specific purpose for us. Even if the only thing that anyone else saw was a zealous Jew, a religious man, a power hungry guy, or even a murderer, God saw something more. Even when Paul was persecuting Christians, God already had a divine purpose for him—God had already set Paul apart. He was called by God’s grace. He certainly hadn’t done anything to deserve it. It was all by God’s grace. No matter what you work at or build up, no matter what you gain or achieve, it cannot compare to our Lord God. And no matter the sins you have committed, no matter the mistakes you make, they can never be too great for God’s grace to cover.

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Band of Survivors | RevoDevos - Day 1

Good News! Band of Survivors is in full swing (and has been for two days), and is off to a fantastic start! Each day, Band of Survivors does a Bible study (we call them RevoDevos) on the book of Galatians, and in order for you to follow along, you'll be able to check back to MetroYouthNetwork.com to read them.

Also, be sure to head on over to BandOfSurvivors.com each day to read an informal report of the day written by a Survivor, as well as view a slideshow of photos from the day.

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Monday, June 23rd
Read: Galatians 1:1-5

Paul, an apostle- sent not with a human commission nor by human authority, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead- and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Spend a few minutes discussing questions you have about the passage. Here are a few to get you started:

What does it mean to be sent with a ‘human commission’ or sent by ‘human authority’?
Why does Paul emphasize the gospel story in the first sentences of his letter?
Why does Paul specify a source for the grace and peace- do grace and peace only come from God and Jesus? What other sources are there? What differences are there between these sources?
What other questions can you ask? Write them below, discuss them:

Who sends you?

It may be a more important question than you think.

Paul had lots of friends in high positions in the church, lots of people who could, and did, influence his decisions. But they did not send him. Paul was a wise man, gifted with the knowledge and wisdom that come straight from God. But he did not send himself. Paul and the apostles in all their giftedness, passion and knowledge—casting out demons, healing the sick and preaching the gospel—still lacked the authority to send. Think about it: these men were given authority to go out and preach, heal and deliver! In Matthew 10 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil (unclean) spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” and told them, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The Kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Mountains melted before these powerhouses, prison doors were opened, blind received sight, men died, demons fled! But still, they could not send.

In fact, glancing at the Bible we see that the word “send” is used mostly to reference God sending people, angels, spirits, wonders, His Son, etc. Sending is something that a lord, a king, or a person in high authority does. When Paul recognizes that it is God who sends, he recognizes God as the highest power. When the apostles went out to heal, preach, and proclaim they didn’t go because they knew they could do miracles— they went because they knew God could do miracles, and that He had sent them to do miracles.

That’s why they had authority. That’s why they had boldness—because they knew that God went with them, that God had sent them. Jesus refers to Himself many times as one sent by God the Father. “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29) Even Jesus knew His authority, because He had been sent.

If God sends you, if you hear His voice telling you to go somewhere, then you can go there knowing that He goes with you! “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.” (John 12:26a) If we call ourselves servants of God, we go where God calls us. He does not send us alone. In fact when He sends us somewhere, we can be certain that He goes before us—that He is already there— where He is, His servants are as well. “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)

Moses had a very good response to God when he and the Israelites were sent to the Promised Land: “Moses said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:15 – 17) Moses knew what God had power to do when He sends people: He parted the red sea and called water forth from rocks! He knew that without God they would look like fools, but if God would be present with the Israelites in their endeavors, the world would know that they were the children of God.

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Monday, June 23^rd
Read: Galatians 1: 6-10

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let that person be under God’s curse! Am I now trying to win human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Spend a few minutes discussing questions you have about this passage. Here are a few to get you started:

To who does the phrase “the one who called you” refer?
What does it look like to try to please people/ or God?
What other questions do you have? Write them below, discuss them:

Sidenote: The Greek word euangelion is translated as ‘gospel’. The word gospel originates from a combination of old English ‘good’ and ‘spell,’ spell meaning news. In confusion, English speakers thought good was god, and the word then became godspell, then gospel. The Greek word euangelion is a combination of euan- good and gelion- news. Under Roman rule, this word was associated with news about the Empire. Thus, when Paul and other Christians began using this word they were appropriating a term that referred to a kingdom. It was the good news about the empire, and in Christian usage, the good news about Christ’s kingdom. Also, the word euangelion sometimes referred to the reward given to those who brought the good news.

No Other Gospel

Paul seems hurt and angry that the Galatians forgot so quickly what their purpose in life was. He had been with them when the Spirit was poured out upon these people, and after just a short period of time they started to turn away from the true gospel. The Galatians were allowing themselves to be lead astray, and beginning to practice beliefs that were not compatible with the gospel Paul had brought to them. Or maybe the Galatians had become confused by what other supposed Christians were telling them.

This is where we need to be very careful to discern truth from lies. We need to make sure that when people are giving us messages that those messages are from God. My advice on this is to pray and ask God to give us hearts and minds to know and understand Him. When we know who He is and what He is like, we will also know what He is not like and that will make it easier to know truth. Paul warns us about others preaching a false gospel—and he even goes as far as saying, in verse eight, that they should be eternally condemned. The key way to know God is to go to His Word. Spend time searching for God in the Bible. As you read, apply what you read to how you understand God.

Have you ever felt pressured to do something? Maybe you’ve felt this pressure from your parents, friends, a teacher or coach of some sort. Did you have the feeling that you wanted to do it because they asked you to, but you didn't feel like that was what God was saying to do? Don't forget that we are here on earth to do what God wants no matter what other people say. God is our first focus, and we need to be careful that our vision of what He wants doesn't get clouded by what others want, or by what we want.

God knows what is best. He knows what is in store for us. Though sometimes that means that we have to do something other than what is popular, He will take care of us and make our lives prosperous (though not in the monetary sense). Paul clearly states, in verse ten, that in order to be servants of Christ, we have to please only Him. This means we are not to try and please friends, but in all our actions seek his will for us. By doing His will, we are able to please Him.

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Who Heals All Your Diseases
Friday, June 20, 2008

Psalm 103

Of David.

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

*******

Sometimes we focus on the negative much more than on the positive. Sometimes we forget, very easily, all the things the Lord has done for us. Don't forget! Remember and rejoice! Remind yourself of what God has done for you, and testify about it. Share it with the world! Amen!

*******

And just a friendly reminder: Band of Survivors 2008 officially begins on Monday, June 23. So, please, if you haven't yet, please pray for us. Ask for the Lord to help us to seek Him with all we are, and then share Him with the world! Stop over at facebook to see a complete roster for this year. Also, check out BandOfSurvivors.com for all the BOS updates this summer, including a recap of the day, each day, by a BOS member, as well as the Bible Study that we studied that day. Fight on!

Posted By: Anonymous at 3:55 PM : Link : 0 Comments

CreativeMYK
Thursday, June 19, 2008

For all you who put worship PowerPoint together for your Corps, and other various worship settings, do yourself a favor and check out the best photo and graphic sight I've seen: CreativeMYK.com. Not only is work high quality, but it's specifically intended for Christians to take use for their Church worship needs: worship slides, bulletins, etc. The best part, it's completely free. You can also network with other artists, as well as upload your own work.

Check it out...

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The Point
Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Context: Matthew 5-7

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

This passage comes at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. A passage where Jesus basically lays out what the life of a Christian looks like. He hits everything from lust to hatred, fasting and praying. After his discourse, he intentionally takes time say the above words. He makes sure that he ends by saying what we are to do with his teaching.

In a word: obey.

In other words, he says that we can hear these words, a million times over even, but unless we act on them, unless we obey, they don't do us any good. The things that God teaches us in his Word aren't meant for us to hear and walk away. Rather we need to act on them.

This is what the book of James says on the subject:

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

When we study Scripture, or hear a teaching from the Word of God, we always, no exception, need to prayerfully consider how it applies to our life and circumstance. This does not mean that we pick and choose what parts we like, and rapidly discard the rest. Rather, it means that we pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how we are to obey him according to the whole of Scripture.

Here are some things that might help you as you study:

1. Ask: What was the point of the Scipture that I just read?
2. Ask: Is my life measuring up to what is taught? Do I reflect God's will in this passage, or do I reflect the world (e.g. Galatians 5:16-26 says that we are not to be sexually immoral or hate others but that we should have the fruit of the Spirit. The question to ask would be, "Does my life reflect the sinful acts mentioned or the fruit of the Spirit)?
3. Get accountable with someone. This means opening up to another human being about what God is teaching you and challenging you with. As you share, talk about what you've been studying and think up ways of how you can be obedient to the Lord. Call each other throughout the week and check up on each other about your commitments

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Band of Survivors Orientation Report
Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Well, Band of Survivors had their first day together!!! It was a blessed day in the Lord and it was an awesome time for the team to connect for the first time, pray for each other, and worship together. We were able to look at the mission of BOS (which is to grow deeper and share our faith), study the word (we looked at Matthew 5:14-16 and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21), and take a general overview of Band of Survivors.

As we looked through our Survival Guides (our manuals for the summer; it includes our schedule, RevoDevos, prayer schedules, etc) we went through our day to day schedule. Just so you know, we'll be hitting up the CFOT, Templo Laramie (Friday, June 27 and Sunday, June 29), East Chicago (Tuesday, July 1-Sunday, July 6), Chicago Midwest (Tuesday, July 8 - Sunday, July 13) and the Family Retreat at Camp Wonderland (Friday, July 18 - Sunday, July 20). Be sure to come out to both summer Prayer & Praise Nights:

Friday, June 27 at 7:00pm at the Templo Laramie Corps (for directions, click here)
Friday, July 11 at 7:00pm at the Chicago Midwest Corps (for directions, click here)

Click on the photo above to see a slideshow of the photos from our orientation, or click here.

Also, be sure to check up on bandofsurvivors.com for more updates!

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Alida and Evangelism

On October 3rd, 2007, MetroYouthNetwork.com featured a story on Salvo on De Majoor, AKA Lieut-Colonel Alida M. Bosshardt OF (OF stands for Order of the Founder). This Salvo was known for her ministry which included working at an orphanage in Amsterdam during WWII (most of the children were Jewish), ministering to the lost and hurting in Amsterdam's Red-Light District, and finally taking control of the Army's social work in the whole of Holland.

Just recently, this famous and well known Salvo was immortalized, so to speak. The Salvation Army's International website reports:

"A SET of nine postage stamps has been produced in The Netherlands to celebrate the life of the country's most famous Salvationist – and one of its best-loved citizens – Lieut-Colonel Alida M. Bosshardt OF. The colonel was promoted to Glory in June 2007 after a lifetime serving the poor and needy. She is particularly remembered for her work in Amsterdam's red light district.

The nine stamps, each worth 44 eurocents, feature a variety of photographs or illustrations of 'De Majoor' ['The Major'] – as she was known even after promotion to lieut-colonel – in her famous Salvation Army bonnet.

Royal TNT Post, the main mail delivery service in The Netherlands, has also produced a special booklet which includes the new stamps and many more photographs of Lieut-Colonel Bosshardt through the years. A biography of the colonel is included in Dutch and English and makes it very clear that her inspiration to work with the poor and dispossessed came from her love of God. The front cover includes – again in two languages – the motto by which De Majoor led her life: 'To serve God is to serve people and to serve people is to serve God.'"

The cool thing about this is that her work and ministry were so great that it her country has decided to commemorate her. This speaks volumes of how we are to work and live out the Gospel.

*******

For those of you who consider yourselves avid bloggers, do yourself a favor and check out ArmyBarmy.com. You won't be disappointed. It's a blog updated daily by Captain Stephen Court from the Australian Territory. He wrote recently:

I heard recently about a guy who'd been invited to a corps for a few years but never got saved. He moved and connected with a church and quickly got saved- totally sold out. He called the old CO who asked how he got saved. The convert confided that no one at the corps ever talked to him about Jesus or how to get saved, but nearly everyone at the church did. Let's be intentional in our evangelising independents who are hanging around our community but haven't slipped in to the Kingdom yet - today.

Are there people that are coming back to your Corps/church week after week that you haven't shared Jesus with yet? Be ready, in all times, to share the gospel with those you meet. Ask the Lord to give you sensitivity to his Spirit's leading. Let's do it!

Posted By: Anonymous at 3:56 PM : Link : 0 Comments

Summer Prayer & Praise Night - Templo Laramie
Monday, June 16, 2008

On Friday, June 27 at 7:00pm, the Templo Laramie Corps is hosting the first Summer Prayer & Praise Night. This Prayer & Praise Night will be done exclusively by Band of Survivors (have you prayed for them yet?). Come to hear what they've been learning about, or come out for for the fellowship, worship, and relevant teaching!

This will be our first Prayer and Praise Night of the summer, and unfortunately, there will only be two. So, don't miss out!

Here's what you should bring:

- Your friends

- Your Bibles

- A focused attitude of worship

Here's what you should know:

- Parking at Templo Laramie is extremely limited, so please try to carpool with your Corps.

For directions to the Templo Laramie Corps, click here.

See you there? RSVP to our Facebook event!

Posted By: Anonymous at 3:52 PM : Link : 0 Comments

Called to Grow and Share
Friday, June 13, 2008

Today was Band of Survivors Orientation at DHQ (For those not in the Metro Division, or in the Salvation Army at all, BOS is our month long summer mission and discipleship school). For the first time, we were all able to sit down in the same room, worship, pray and get ready for the things God has for us this summer. Just to remind you, here's a roster for Band of Survivors 2008. Please, keep us in your prayers:

Directors:
Cathleen Himes
Nate Irvine

Interns:
Kirsten Aho
Amanda Keene
Mike Stiensland

Leadership:
Audrey Hickman
Andres Villatoro
Stephen Rivero

Survivors:
Liz Brundige
Addie Clayborne
Lemard Fields
Maggie Garcia
Raven Gougis
Ryan Gougis
Lindsey Hall
Moteka Harris
Lilly Robles
Lisa Rodriguez
Alejandra Salic
Ricardo Tellez

We started the orientation by stating that BOS really has a twofold mission: 1) To grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord (this takes place through Salvationism classes, 24/7 prayer, bible study [we're doing the book of Galatians. We'll post them on our sight each day], worship) and 2) To share our faith with others (evangelism, VBS, service, etc).

Yet, when you realize it, this is actually the call of every believer. In other words, after we get saved, after God rescues us (see Galatians 1), we are then implored, or called, to share that with others. Don't believe me? Well read the following scripture:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

Or again, read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is what this means: our salvation is not about us. It doesn't end with us. When we get saved, and we live out our faith, others should start seeing that and praise God in turn (Mt. 5:16). Moreover, God has given us, or committed to us, the ministry of reconciliation. Let's be faithful with this amazing tasking, and with this amazing news!

*******

P.S. Stay tuned for more Band of Survivors updates. There will be pictures up next week from our Orientation. Also, be sure to check out BandofSurvivors.com.

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In Nothing Else My Soul Shall Glory Save The Cross
Wednesday, June 11, 2008

There's a hymn that's not sung much outside of the Salvation Army, called Behold the Lamb, which focuses around the story of Christ on the cross. The last and final verse reads like this:

Where'er I go I'll tell the story
Of the cross,
In nothing else my soul shall glory
Save the cross.
Yes, this my constant theme shall be
Through time and in eternity,
That Jesus tasted death for me
On the cross.

(Words by Richard Jukes; 1804-67)

Today, the Lord reminded me, as he will continue to do, that everything is all about giving glory to him. That is to say that our primary ambition should be to point to who God is, and what he's done on the cross. Some people get this confused and twisted and think that means that we all need to be in what some call "full time ministry" (being a pastor or youth pastor). While God is indeed looking for preachers and pastors, men and women alike, he is also looking for people who are teachers, lawyers, technicians, computer analysts, and musicians that are dedicated to bringing him glory in their context.

So you're in high school. Is your life an example for others? Does it point to God effectively?

So you're looking for a job. Are you ready to show others who God is, no matter where you end up?

So you work for the church. Are you ready to give God glory outside your office?

Read the following Psalm. Read it slowly, and ask the Lord to remind you that it's all about him, and not us. No matter what. No matter where.

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.

2 Why do the nations say,
"Where is their God?"

3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.

4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.

5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;

6 they have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;

7 they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.

9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless the house of Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,

13 he will bless those who fear the LORD—
small and great alike.

14 May the LORD make you increase,
both you and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to man.

17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to silence;

18 it is we who extol the LORD,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD. ^[a]

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Call to Prayer
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The following is a news release from the Salvation Army's International Headquarters website:

*******

Released 5 June 2008

General Shaw Clifton has issued the following calls to prayer:

GREETINGS in the name of Jesus.

Salvationists are praying people and we have cause to be deeply grateful for the devoted prayer which has supported God's children through many situations in different areas of the world during this past year. Sometimes there is a need to call the whole Salvation Army to prayer on a specific issue, and this will happen again this year in the month of September.

Call to Prayer for Peace, Sunday 21 September 2008 (International Day of Peace)

As last year, The Salvation Army around the world is called upon to mark the above date by praying for peace. Not only is there conflict between nations, but many countries have suffered internal tension and political unrest. Inevitably, the innocent suffer, and there is tragic loss of life and displacement of people. Our intercession is for the leaders of the nations, striving for peace and justice, and for the victims of war, suffering pain and bereavement. Our heartfelt plea to the Lord is: 'Guide our feet into the path of peace' (Luke 1:79, Today's New International Version).

Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking, Sunday 28 September 2008

Once again, the victims of sex trade trafficking need our prayer and ongoing action for their release and restoration. Befriending those entrapped in the sex trade has been a continuing mission of The Salvation Army. Addressing the issue of demand is also on the agenda as we speak and teach around the world. Society's attitudes can and must be changed through the power of prayer and godly intervention. The Salvation Army is called upon to pray even more earnestly than ever before, for those who are abused and who need protection. Jesus said: 'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me' (Matthew 25:40, TNIV).

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer.

Yours in Christ,

Shaw Clifton
General

Promotional posters for the two calls to prayer (shown above) have been prepared by the International Headquarters Communications Section. PDF files of the posters - with text and without text so that non-English-language versions can be created - are available to download from the International Headquarters website:

Call to Prayer for Peace with text

Call to Prayer for Peace without text

Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking with text

Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking without text

*******

What might you and your Corps do to help raise awareness?

Last year, the Mt. Greenwood Corps organized an informational prayer meeting in order to further the effectiveness of these days of prayer. The meeting included a bunch of cool elements like prayer stations, teaching on the Sex Trade, a united prayer meeting, and a petition for stopthetraffik.org. Start thinking big now about what you can do to be the difference.

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War College Revival
Monday, June 09, 2008

What: Have you been hearing about the War College, but aren't quite sure what it is? Do you want to know more about it? Well, Envoy Josh Polanco and Soldier Nathan Holt are going to explain the call, ethos and hope of the War College Chicago Campus at this gathering. They'll explain exactly how this one year discipleship program will seek to train people to live out the Gospel in a lost and hurting world. So come out for a night of teaching/explaining, worship and prayer. It's time for a revival. Let's go for it!

When: Friday, June 20th; 7:00pm

Where: The Oak Brook Terrace Corps

For more information, check out thewarcollegechicago.com or feel free to contact Nathan Holt (nathan_holt@usc.salvationarmy.org). Also, go ahead and RSVP to our Facebook event.

Posted By: Anonymous at 9:23 AM : Link : 0 Comments

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

{Luke 10:25-37}

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'^[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^[b]"

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins^[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

*******

Just to forewarn, I need to say that the following are a collection of thoughts and that they are in no way (by my own merit, that is) prescriptive. In other words, let the Word of God and Spirit teach you in all things (John 14:26), nothing else.

First of all, notice that when the "expert in the law" answers his own question, he cites two commands: Love God and people. In Matthew 22:34-40, a Pharisee who also happened to be "[an] expert in the law" asked Jesus what the single most important command was. Jesus didn't respond with only one. In fact, he responded with the same answer the "expert in the law" gave in the passage above. Why? Because to Jesus, loving God and loving people are inseparable. You cannot do one or the other. In order to love God, you must love people. 1 John 4:19-21 says:

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Why do you think this is? Why does God demand it from us, and place such importance on it? Do you think it has anything to do with being made in the image of God – or that God values life?

After the man answers, Jesus actually affirms the man, because he really did answer correctly. The only problem is, we can’t do this unless we are born of the Spirit. Love comes from God, and until we have God in our life, we are unable to love. 1 John 4:7-8 says:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

As Jon Courson puts it:

This do, and thou shalt live. Such is the basis of the law. The problem is, we can’t. So we’re dead. Grace, on the other hand, says, “Live – be born again – then you’ll be able to do.” (page 353)

Love is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16-26), and thus is something we can only do when we have the Spirit. Fruit, in the bible is often used to describe a form of evidence. The fruit of the Spirit, then, is evidence that you have God in your life. (This second idea, that of not being able to love without God in your life, came from Jon Courson's Commentary on the New testament, page 353, as you can see).

Take some time to read the passage again. Slowly. Let the words hit you. Try to imagine being the man. Try to experience what he experienced. Try to think what he might have been thinking as he came upon this man.

If this would have happened to you, how would you have felt. Inconvenienced? How might have you reacted? What would you have done?

The reason this is so crucial is because situations similar to these happen every day all around us. We need to see the need, and act as Christ would.

Posted By: Anonymous at 3:39 PM : Link : 0 Comments

The Roots of Salvationists Fighting Human Trafficking
Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Okay, so Nealson Munn and David Collinson have done a great job at writing and putting together the book INSANE! (the stories of crazy salvos who changed the world). And I know I've said this before, but I'm stressing this book for a reason: it's fantastic. Good news to all 2008 Band of Survivors: You will be getting a copy of this book for the summer! Not on BOS? Jealous? You should be.

The most recent subject to kick my behind was a chapter on how the Salvation Army got involved in fighting human trafficking. Nealson and Munn gave this story (the following is compiled from Nealson Munn and David Collinson's book Insane! the stories of crazy salvos who changed the world, chapter 4):

Nealson and Munn start from the beginning: They report that it all began when Florence Booth (Bramwell Booth's wife; formerly Florence Soper) was working at a home for homeless girls in Whitechapel, East London. The girls reported of the stories of the sex trade to her, who then told her husband Bramwell. At first, Bramwell was slightly hesitant to accept the truth of the stories, but promised his concerned wife that he would study the matter. It so happened that one night, a 17 year old girl showed up at the footsteps of the Army's headquarters in a red dress, with a red-song book in hand (Insane!, Nealson and Munn, page 62). She just escaped from a brothel she thought was going to be her nice new job. She had used the address printed on the inside of the songbook to find help.

Finding the girl, along with some more stories that Florence relayed to Bramwell, really sealed the deal. Bramwell then decided that he would stand up against this evil. So he employed the skills of a man named W.T. Stead in order to help fight. Stead was a journalist (and editor of a magazine known is the Pall Mall Gazette) who was also hesitant to readily embrace the idea of such a horrible practice. However, he too resolved to examine the issue, so Bramwell took him to the Salvation Army's headquarters where they met specialists on the issue, as well as a few rescued girls. After the meeting, there was little doubt left in his mind.

They then decided that they would work up an extremely risky scheme to gather the facts in such a way that they could publish them and tell the masses of what was going on. Their first idea was to have a Salvationist infiltrate a brothel under the guise of a prostitute in order to witness first hand the conditions and in order to prove for sure the veracity of the reports that had heard. Somehow, the 10 day trip was successful, reports were verified and no one was hurt or bought.

However, in order to prove to the English people what they had seen, they were going to devise an even riskier plan: Stead was to purchase a girl and send her to somewhere in Europe in order to prove "beyond doubt how easy it was to accomplish such a thing, and, by implication, how regularly it was done" (page 70).

Munn and Collinson write about all the precautions they took in devising this scheme for their reputations and safety of all involved. For instance, Stead sent letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, letting them know of the plan so that someone in power would be able to testify for them in case they were taken to court (which they were). They also tested for the girl's virginity before and after she was bought by Stead to insure that nothing happened.

Stead and Bramwell went through with the idea (except instead of sending the girl to another part of the trade, they sent her to an Army home in France for her care), and when it was all said and done, published the happenings in a series of articles known as The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon. The result was that after two defeats in Parliament, in 1885 the age of consent was raised from 13 to 16, and brothels were made illegal (page 76). Not to mention that while the Parliament was discussing the issue, Salvationists compiled a whopping 393,000 names for a petition in order to help put pressure on Parliament (page 75).

Unfortunately, Stead and Booth didn't come out unscathed. With the release of the articles, and subsequently the release of the methods that Stead and Booth used, the public got upset. One man, W. H. Smith, became so upset that he asked the House of Commons to prosecute them and the person responsible for helping them find a girl for purchase (her name was Rebecca Jarrett). They were charged with child abduction. See, even though the mother of the girl Stead bought had sold her willingly, this fact wasn't able to be confirmed because the articles Stead released did not concretely convey the fact that the whole plan was set up; designed to expose, and not contribute to, the evils of the sex trade. As a result, Jarrett and Stead were arrested while Bramwell Booth was let go. Ironically, Nealson and Munn point out that years after the trial, it was proven that "mother" of the girl was not her biological mother, a fact they report that Bramwell thought could have been used to change the outcome of the trial.

Interestingly enough, while they had victories through the law, Nealson and Munn note that Bramwell didn't consider the trial to be all negative, for he claimed that it actually promoted and advertised the Army. That's a good way to look at it.

Nealson and Munn close the chapter by stating that there was a four step approach that Stead and Booth used to combat the issue of the sex trade:

"1. Thoroughly research the issue.
2. Assemble a credible, competent team and develop a strategy.
3. Be willing to take risks, and, if necessary, put your reputation on the line.
4. Never back down - fight until reforms take place" (page 83).

For a good resource on human trafficking, check out stopthetraffik.org. Educate yourself, and find out how you and your corps can get involved.

Read this book!!! You will not regret it!

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Central Bible Leadership Institute
Monday, June 02, 2008

What are you doing, say, July 26 to August 3? Going to Central Bible and Leadership Institute? I thought so.

For those unfamiliar with CBLI, its name speaks for itself. It's a 10 day retreat at The Salvation Army's Camp Wonderland for Families, Young Adults, and teens aimed at raising up leaders by equipping them through the Word of God (hence Bible and Leadership). Each age group has it's own track. So the teens, ages 14 and up, have their own schedule which usually includes united worship, intense Bible Study, peer leadership groups, various workshops/electives, and more. If you are a teen, and parent is not going, you can still go by yourself as long as your parent gives consent. The total cost for the 10 days is only $220. That sounds like a lot, but considering what you'll be getting out of it (great teaching, worship, change of heart and mind, and some of that Christlikeness), it's nothing! But don't wait, because there may be a late fee starting July 1.

Do you want to go deeper? Do want the necessary tools for reaching out to a hurting and lost world? Then go to the CBLI website, download the application, and get your butt there. You will NOT want to miss this!

Just as a shameless Young Adult track plug: This year's special guests are Aaron and Cherie White from the Vancouver 614. They're great people. Plus, the topic for the 10 days will be the Kingdom of God. There will be baggo. Enough said!

Posted By: Anonymous at 11:28 AM : Link : 0 Comments

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