Changes – More than Just a Song

According to Wikipedia “Changes”, a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, was originally released on the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 and as a single on 7 January 1972.

Despite missing the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, “Changes” became one of Bowie’s best-known songs.

The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, the frequent change of the world today, and frequent reinventions of his musical style throughout the 1970s.

When looking at some of the meaning behind the lyrics of this song I came across the following written by Mike O’Brien (Lead singer of chart dodging pop group Pocketful O’Nowt): “I believe that Bowie was saying that over the years, a person is changed by their experiences and the events which happen to them, but that it is very difficult to properly track the process. It is difficult to trace what time has done to you. In fact, the best that one can do is just to turn and face the strange changes, rather than try to understand them.”

“Changes” is definitely more than just a song! It has become a bit of an anthem of the world in which we live in today – as we know that it is going through constant changes at an ever increasing fast-paced rate. We are constantly faced with changes within society, and the Covid-19 pandemic that is sweeping the world has meant that we in the ‘church’ have had to adapt, pivot, morph, change – sometimes at a moments notice, so that we can continue ministering to people in an age of uncertainty and constant change!

But change is not easy – and at the moment changes in our church environment – especially for those that are used to uniformity, structure, order, or a certain way of doing things etc. are hard work. But somehow we have to embrace them!

The technological advances incorporated within our church buildings over the past 20 years or so, have also had a huge effect on how we do church today.

And Carey Nieuwhof’s blog entitled 12 Things Covid has Taught the Analog Church About Digital Church raises some interesting thoughts:

The debate about technology’s role in the church has ranged from wineskins and a torn curtain, to pipe organs, (Brass Bands, the use of drums and amplified music) radio, and streaming video. With each advance, church leaders have had to grapple not only with the new medium, but also with the implications on power, ministry, and trust.

In many ways, Christianity owes its global spread to the work of people powered by technology. In fact, a sense of curiosity among Spirit-led pioneers of the past led us to adopt innovative technology for the work of the church. The implications were often positive, though often not fully anticipated (or accepted by some). Consider:

• The printing press enabled not just Scripture distribution, but also increased literacy rates and changing roles in the church. It also changed the understanding of “prophets, priests, and kings,” which eventually led to full-scale reformation.
• Broadcast technology allows God’s Word to transcend borders, even into closed countries. It also enabled the rise of large-scale revival and personality-driven ministry. This made possible the rise of the megachurch in the late 20th century.
• The combination of streaming media, video conferencing, and data-informed ministry made ministry possible during the Covid-19 pandemic. Quite literally, it was the lifeline that kept churches connected and, in some cases, made the decision between survival or closure.

Leaders who recognize the possibility of the moment are the ones who can smartly make new technology (including social media platforms) a tactic in their ministry strategy.

Carey Nieuwhof goes on to ask the question – Are we in an Awakening?

We are in a watershed moment for the Church.

In a recent interview, James Emery White (pastor at Mecklenburg Community Church) shared this with me: “I think the pandemic may have just saved the church in many ways. It got us out of a Sunday/weekend-centric approach. It forced us online and into social media, it also made us open to change, being creative when we were not creative before, and open to innovation. It also got us back down to raw mission–what is our mission? You add all of that up, and it is dangerously close to an awakening.”

Carey then outlines 12 key trends that have emerged so far this year – You can read them here.

General William Booth adapted to the technological advances of his day – embracing the change!

He utilised the motorcar – I know that might sound a bit far fetched, and some of you may be thinking ‘what?’ But check out what was / wasn’t available back in his day.

He embraced world travel and got to visit far off countries that many leaders of his day never got to see because they were to afraid to embrace the change!

He was strongly encouraged to utilise moving pictures, which were then screened in movie theatres up and down the countries that he visited. He embraced recording technology so that ‘His’ message could be broadcast across the radio.

He embraced light shows, brass bands, banjoes, in fact any and all technology that became available so that nothing could stand in the way of God’s Word being spread to the masses – for his aim was to ‘Win the World for Jesus!’ by whatever means necessary.

The advancement of The Salvation Army around the world was unprecedented, colonialism had a huge part to play. But his leadership and his embracement of the technology at hand enabled this to happen all around the world.

I wonder have we become to comfortable in our surroundings today, that we no longer embrace the change? Do we settle for the status-quo because we do not want to upset a select few who inadvertently could be holding back the mission of reaching those in the community that need Christ?

William Booth’s wife and co-founder of The Salvation Army, Catherine Booth once said that “If we are to better the future we must disturb the present.”

Maybe we have been a bit slow off of the mark – God is constantly at work doing amazing things that are happening all around us. God’s Greatest Miracles Happen in and Around Us All the Time according to Randy Alcorn of Eternal Perspective Ministries.

Maybe “the best thing that we can do is just to turn and face the strange changes, rather than try to understand them.” And maybe we need to embrace them and stop trying to control what He is doing in our midst!

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Called: to the office or officership?

The following article entitled Called: to the office or officership? was originally posted on Spirit Cry: A Call to Freedom a blog written by former Salvation Army Officer, Cameron Horsburgh on 4 May 2016.

It is something that resonates with me, especially as it refers to my previous appointment ‘in a Corps’. As there would be days in which I was out of the office, spending more time out in the community amongst the people.

If people wanted to touch base with me they would often have to book an appointment with our centre receptionist so that we could touch base in the office or organise another space to meet.

It is reposted with permission 🙂

I’ve been following a thread in a Facebook group for Salvation Army officers. The original poster was wondering about the normal working hours for officers. What time do we start in the morning? What time do we knock off?

A few officers gave a bit of an idea. Some start early—8:00, 8:30am. Others are responsible for getting children to school and don’t get in until after 9:00.

Yet others said it depended on what else was going on. If they had programmes or other work activities that night or the night before they might start a bit later or finish a bit earlier.

That’s all quite fair. However, there was one assumption that seemed to go unchallenged: it seems to be assumed that ‘work’ for an officer happens primarily in an office.

The work day, according to this view, begins somewhere between turning on the computer and making coffee.

For many that’s true. Officers in T/DHQ appointments, for instance, often have administrative roles and their work is primarily conducted from behind a desk. Even in a corps there’s always a lot of administrative work to be done.

What I am questioning is the fact that the default setting for a corps officer in the 21st century is administration.

What do you do on a work day when you have nothing else specifically planned?

You go into the office. And do officey things. It’s as if our standing orders are to get to the admin block and look busy.

 

Why don’t we default to something else? Is it that we have to be seen to be working? Do we have to be seen by our employees and other staff to be putting in just as much, if not more? Are we worried that we’ll be setting a bad example if we don’t? I remember hearing one Commissioner say that the most important thing an officer can do is turn up to work on time.

Well, I question this. As I had to explain to someone once (on being questioned for not unnecessarily hanging around their workplace) my being an officer doesn’t mean I live in an office.

Now, I get that admin is important. There will always be another email to reply to and another form from THQ to accidentally shred. But why is it the default? Couldn’t we put something else in there instead?

There are always going to be corps folk who need visiting. There are always going to be books that need reading. There are always going to be biscuits to buy for the Home League.

There are always going to be hospitals that need visiting. There are always going to be prisons that need ministry. There are always going to be homeless people who need a feed.

There are always going to be kids at the local school who need help with reading. There are always going to be scales that need to be practised. There are always going to be Facebook posts that need to be made. There are always going to be weights to be lifted. There is always going to be furniture that needs moving at your thrift shop. There are always going to be playgrounds to take your kids to.

There are always going to be people needing your prayers. There are always going to be sermons that need writing. There are always going to be assignments that need research. There are always going to be friends who need a chat. And yes, there are always going to be payroll forms to sign.

Is there an O&R that says we have to do these things in our office? Not that I know of. Some of them are most appropriately done in the office, but some of them can be done outside as well. Some of them should be. I cannot work on a sermon at the office. I can study at the office, but not with people around. Funnily enough, I spend most of my office time out of office hours.

Now please, don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that corps officers shouldn’t spend time in the office. I’m not saying that admin tasks should be blown off. I’m not excusing tardiness and I’m certainly not condoning unreasonable laziness. I’m simply pointing out that officership isn’t a nine-to-five job and there’s no reason why we should fall into that pattern by default.

I wonder 4 years later:

Have we succumbed to the pattern of this world? Have we accepted the Status Quo? Are we truly living out our calling or are we waiting for people to come and see us whilst being shut away in our offices, looking busy?

Mobile phones and technology have made us more accessible – But are we really?

As always I’d be interested in your thoughts on this – God bless

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