Twitter Revolution/Hawaii!

I’ve finally taken the leap and joined the twitter revolution. I’ve preached the embrace of change all my life, so better practice what I preach. I’m now omnipresent with a lower-case “o,” who would have ever thought. Let’s get connected over at www.twitter/joenoland.

The Revolution Hawaii team has returned from its mission in The Marshall Islands (Entire team pictured above). Rob’s message below. Check out the new, improved, contemporary website: www.revolutionhawaii.com. Check for some of the amazing stories coming soon. Also follow their tweets at http://twitter.com/revhawaii

Yokwe! (Greetings in Marshallese)
Five team members from the Revolution Hawaii 08-09 year left May 13 for a summer mission to The Republic of the Marshall Islands. Brock Esqueda was sent to the Ebeye Atoll, Brianna Murray and Melissa Henderson were sent to Laura on the Majurao Atoll and Kanysha Mace and Chelcee Bradley were sent to Rita on the Majuro Atoll. They returned at 2:30 this morning with amazing stories of God working in and through them. Stay tuned for their testimonies and pictures. Should be up within the week. Thank you for all your prayers. They were answered! Rob

JN

Pas de Deux!

Thinking back to The Naked Cowboy episode (July 16, 17 below - www.joenoland.blogspot.com), I can’t help but reflect on another Salvation Army historical occurrence in Times Square, NYC, involving Captain Rheba Crawford, dubbed “The Angel of Broadway.” Winston in Red Hot and Righteous writes, “After receiving the appointment, she set out to “revive the moribund Broadway corps…Her Sunday evening open-airs, held on the steps of the Gaiety Theatre, attracted 1,000 listeners each week…Crawford developed a new image for the lassie which ultimately did not pass muster with the Army’s top officers, but was an understandable outcome of the Army’s pas de deux with popular culture.” She eventually resigned when Army leadership tried to silence her.”

Crawford’s appearance on the scene came later on in the American TSA evolutionary process. This after things began to settle down, propelling it into a more civilized era, with leadership now focused on protecting its fought for, died for, hard-earned, positive public image.

Winston continues, “Like it or not, it was this “pas de deux (In step, sync) with popular culture” that propelled the Army forward into the media spotlight; the Broadway and Hollywood production of Guys and Dolls being the most notable. Crawford’s brief tenure with the Army inspired the film, 'The Angel of Broadway' and a host of other plays and films that followed during this period.” Result: Today in America, TSA has a brand image that most corporations would die for.

There wasn’t a “Naked Cowboy” or “Guys and Dolls” in Jesus time (Angel outside the empty tomb, yes), but His message was pas de deux with popular culture. He eventually died a criminal’s death – the religious hierarchy’s futile attempt at silencing Him.

JN

Correction!

It's www.raisedup.org, not .com, corrected below.

Raised Up!

TSA is holding a World Youth Convention in 2010 with 1000 delegates expected from around the planet. I’ve been following the progress closely, this being one of my several interests and passions. I’ve recently visited its newly installed website, www.raisedup.org, and was taken particularly with the presenters, listed as follows:

The General (Expected, of course), three Commissioners (Rank indicative of an upper age bracket), two Lt. Colonels (Young in spirit, comparatively older – ask a 19-year old), a Major (We used to say, being promoted to Major is akin to being promoted to old age) and one Captain (Hallelujah!).

Four things immediately jump out at me: Age, Hierarchy, White and Western. This is not a criticism, rather an observation. No question each presenter being extremely qualified in his or her particular subject matter, and the conference will have an impact, no matter.

I can’t help but wonder, however, why there are no youth presenting. And where is the young Senior Soldiery voice in all of this? What about the ethnic and cultural diversity? Some of our strongest, committed young voices are ministry-minded, non-officer, Soldier employees. It just seems to me that we should be asking and listening, not telling. Leadership needs to understand and grasp the wants, needs, desires and cultural differences of this emerging generation if we want to reach them quantitatively and qualitatively that is.

Again, let me emphasize that this should not be construed as a criticism, only an opinion and observation, placed out in cyberspace for some stimulating mulling over, hopefully. Whatever, you can count on my prayer for the success of this conference, and for a Spirit-filled blessing upon each presenter, whoever they are. One thing I’ve learned through experience, the person at the top can never please everyone (Especially old, retired Commissioners), no matter how brilliant and Spirit-filled he/she is.

JN

A Wink and a Nod!

Another year on this old bod,
With a look, a wink and a nod,
“OK, we’ll give it one more shot,” says God.

If my old bod looked like this cowboy's bod, I'd be out there evangelizing likewise, believe me. Beats standing on your head and spitting wooden nickels, or however the quote goes - attributed to William Booth.

Thanks to the many who tweeted me to a “Happy Birthday” on Facebook. Now a third-year Septuagenarian, I’m not taking each new year granted, for granted. Interestingly enough, the first email I looked at this morning was one introducing the new Revolution Hawaii website (www.revolutionhawaii.com). Check it out. The first tweet to catch my eye, posted on the left-hand side tweet roll was this one:

“We ought to attempt something so great for God that unless God intervenes, we are bound to fail.” — Bruce Wilkinson

I love that and it challenges me to attempt something great, even at my age. So I am, and you can read all about it over at www.hallowedgroundproductions.com. We are bound and determined to fail…unless God intervenes, that is. Umm, I may need more than one more year, God (hint).

Permission to fail: Three words that are uttered often by great leaders.

Go for it! Here are another three words spoken routinely by great leaders, without fear of retribution if Go for it fails, perceptively or otherwise. How many times have I heard the words, “You have embarrassed me and The Salvation Army!” even after resulting successes, the perception being more important than the result.

I’ve purposely posted the pic of The Naked Cowboy again (not really naked, see last post www.slightlyirreverent.blogspot.com) as a glaring example of this perception/results thing, and because I’m not inclined to let it go right now. It needs to be aired a little more thoroughly, me thinks.

With this “fear of failure” hanging over one’s head, all innovation and creativity is suppressed, consequently repressing any attempt at “something great for God.”

To be continued.

JN

The Naked Truth!

Check over at Slightly Irreverent: www.slightlyirreverent.blogspot.com for this post. It just feels like this is where it belongs.

JN

Two Things!

When we speak of the importance of reaching children, let’s put our priority, money and effort where our mouths are. Talk without works is dead, or something like that.

Leadership is earned; not appointed or commanded.

JN

Street Level!

One final comment on TILC, perchance anyone out there is interested. I note that somewhere on the agenda, the leader of a developed and developing territory will be presenting a paper on the subject, “Financing My Territory.”

If I were presenting the paper, speaking as one previously with the responsibility of financing an extremely affluent developed territory in the U.S. of A., it would be very short, sweet and to the point, and go something like this:

“This TC had very little to do with it. Credit goes to those grass roots, entrepreneurial officers and soldiers who paved the way, laying the foundation (unsung, mostly forgotten hero’s), and, secondarily, to those who are presently in the trenches, likewise setting the pace for future generations (The local Corps is where the action is). The short answer is, “Compassion in Action.” All I had to do was chair the Corporate Board Meeting every Tuesday morning and affix my signature to the proliferating stream of wills, bequests and legacies flowing in unceasingly and unendingly, all because of the goodwill generated at street level.” Alas, the substance of my presentation, if I were making it.

Izzie Gaither in a recent NHQ newsletter put it this way:

(The findings of) A just-released collaborative study by Cone, Inc and Intangible Business:

1. The Salvation Army is the top-ranked nonprofit for responding to domestic social needs.
2.The Army ranks second behind the American Cancer Society in overall “brand image.”
3. Our overall brand ‘value’ is estimated at $4.7 billion.
4. The report speculates that much of the success of the power of our brand results from the iconic ‘Red Kettle.’

“The power of our name, presence and voice in America is a direct result of the leadership of every officer, and the impact of tens of thousands of Salvationist Soldiers and volunteers who are determined that our service in the name of Christ will make the difference for people and places touched by our ministries.”

Oh, almost forgot, I also had something to do with the distribution of earnings on those investments. After my first year in the chair, the Secretary for Business Administration knocked on my door and said, “Last year, the earnings on our portfolio totaled $100 million. What do you want to do with it?” After picking myself up off the floor, brushing myself off, I said, “Give it back to those responsible for raising it!” Thus we distributed a majority chunk of the earnings back to the corps for program expansion purposes.

And interestingly enough, as I write, the following snapshot appears in Reader’s Digest “Best of America” issue, July 2009:

"In an era when bankers are being vilified as scoundrels, Leonard Abess stands out. Rather than keep the $60 million dollar profit from the sale of City National Bank of Florida, founded by his father in 1946, he gave it away."

"All 399 employees, along with 72 retirees, received bonuses based on how long they’d worked at the bank. Many got more than $100,000. Abess said, 'I owned the bank, but there were 400-plus people doing the work. I felt they were owners too.'”

“In an era of unprecedented affluence when…” would be the beginning of my closing statement. I’ll let TILC leaders representing developed territories complete the paragraph.

JN

Freedom of Expression!

For those of you reading this blog (www.joenoland.blogspot.com) and not on facebook, I feel led to share Rick Munn’s response to the post below, because I think it’s important for all to hear his viewpoint. Those on facebook will see his response twice.

“Sorry Joe - I'm with Steve on this one. I'm covenanted to Janet with a similar principle - till death us do part. Once the ramifications of covenant are processed, deep in a person's spirit, it gives unmatched freedom.”

“Therefore, I always say, covenanted people should be the freest people on the face of the earth. I'm not always looking over my shoulder, I'm not checking out other options, I'm not living with regrets - I'm free as a bird to invest all my passions and energies in one holy direction.”

“Ministry and marriage covenants - I love them.”

My response back to him on facebook:

“No need to be sorry, Rick. I have tremendous respect for you, as you know. Freedom of expression is a beautiful thing, something we celebrated in America a couple of days ago. May it continue unhindered.”

Additionally, whilst I like what he says, poetically, I have trouble equating marriage and ministry in the same context. The Bible is very specific about marriage, not so about covenanting with a particular denomination “until death us do part.” Now, if we’re talking about “the Bride of Christ,’ no argument from me there.

Incidentally, Rick is delegate to the TILC where I’m sure the majority will agree with his viewpoint (a very conservative body), not mine. Can’t win ‘em all, but thank God for the freedom of expression.

JN

Covenant!

Steve Court is someone I respect very much, an exceptionally talented, committed and visionary Salvation Army officer who has a huge following. I just don’t happen to agree with everything he says, and for the sake of balance, feel obligated to present an opposing viewpoint now and again, especially for those of us Jesus liberals who represent TSA minority voice.

I refer specifically to his July 5 quote by, and comment on George Scott Railton over at ArmyBarmy Blog: www.armybarmy.com. The quote is Railton instructing his children regarding the potential future misdirection of TSA. I’m OK with Court’s comments up until he writes, “Covenant demands it.”

I’m not sure what covenant he signed, but the one I signed at the altar, on my knees, had only one clause in it that concluded with the phrase, “all my days,” and that was “to love and serve him supremely.” Mine did not say additionally, “as a Salvation Army Officer.”

Now I made the choice “to love and serve him supremely all my days” as a Salvation Army Officer. Technically, even in retirement I am still an officer, even though I am now loving and serving him through a non-Salvation Army medium – a faith-based film making Production Company. Another retired Army officer friend is pastoring a church in another denomination, but technically he is still an officer. So the covenant line blurs a little bit here, doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I have other former officer friends who have left the Army, but are still “loving and serving him all my days,” only in another evangelical venue. Honestly, have they really broken their covenant?

Now, I am in agreement with Court’s statement, “to stay in and fight and transform the movement so that God could optimise its potential again.” I would have probably added the words, “where possible.” In fact, I made that choice, even when there was reason and good opportunity presented to do otherwise. Obviously, historically, if others had made that same choice, we wouldn’t have some of the great evangelical movements available to us today, the Protestant Reformation notwithstanding. Don’t bother to set me straight on this; I know all the arguments. I would even be so bold to suggest that sometimes covenant demands reformation.

I have written previously, “There is a thin line between cult and covenant” and we should always carefully and prayerfully divine the difference. For me, personally, my covenant is with God, contracted to love and serve him supremely” through TSA…until, when and if he decides to call me elsewhere. For the moment, with Steve, I prefer to stand fast, “fight and transform the movement within.”

This would be a good subject for TILC to tackle, wouldn’t it? It could be broached when discussing the agenda item, “Cadet Statistics…” just in case one of the “minority voice” delegate leaders might chance upon this post within the next couple of days.

JN

Tomorrow's Leaders!

“Identifying and Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders” is another agenda item on the ILC. I wrote a post on this subject at the inception of this blog, titled “Incarnational Leadership” (8-15-06). I recently updated it for posting over at The Rubicon, but since that site is down for a while and because the subject has suddenly resurfaced relevantly again, I ask you to reread the original.

In the rewrite, my new title was to be, “The Making of a Leader | Discerning the Differences.” Otherwise, the body of that piece remains essentially the same. Add to this my post over at The Rubicon, “The Thirteenth Column,” and the questions I would pose at the ILC (were I there) are these: How do we define the term, leader? Do we really mean, "Identifying and Preparing Tomorrow's Managers?" How will/should “tomorrow’s leaders” differ from “today’s leaders?" I would amplify those questions with two asked in the previous post: How was Peter transformed from manager into leader? What can be done to set future leaders free from the cultural conditioning bondage that captivates them? My sense is, that those in attendance are too far removed to be objective on this subject, myself included, were I there to pose the questions of course. Thus, I would suggest a future forum, inviting future leaders to educate and advise us – this emerging generation “who assertively seek more feedback, responsibility, and involvement in decision-making.”

Perhaps there’s still a way to conduct this future forum on line, which has been suggested to me. Still mulling it over, wondering how views can be articulated in a non-threatening way, intelligently and positively of course, and without the fear of repercussion.

JN

Come Join our Army!

The International Leader’s Conference (The Salvation Army) will convene shortly in London, England. There are a number of topics on the agenda to be addressed. As a retired leader, I wasn’t invited to attend, but there’s not a thing preventing me from entering the discussion via cyberspace, thereby voicing my own personal concerns. So for the next week or so, I will do just that, tackling each of the various topics very briefly and succinctly.

First item on the agenda: Army Growth (Come Join our Army).

Were I there when this topic is considered, and after the presentation, I would introduce this quote from Reggie McNeal,s book, The Present Future: “The need of the North American church is not a methodological fix. It is much more profound. The church needs a mission fix – suffering from severe mission amnesia. It has forgotten why it exists… It was never intended to exist for itself.”

Only I would substitute the word, “church,” with the word, “Army.” By North American, we can imply the Army Western World, because this is where the decline is being experienced, isn’t it? I would then raise this question for discussion: Has the meaning of the word, “Army,” in our name changed today; where once it meant mission, it now means institution? When we sing, “Come Join our Army,” aren’t we really singing, “Come Join our Institution?” If so, what can we do about it?

I’ll never know what kind of a response this question might get because it will never be asked. So I’ll just let you who are reading this post mull it over. I already feel better for asking it. Remember, this is a question, not a statement of fact. In fact, I think the answers will vary depending on where you sit. Tomorrow or the next day we will touch briefly on another agenda topic. Stay tuned.

JN