The Purpose of Mandy’s Life and Death

Address at a funeral led by Geoff Ryan

“All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share in God’s comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

P

urpose is a loaded word. It contains potential and power. It is a threat with positive and negative implications. › Continue reading

Selling Jesus

How did Jesus become a product up for sale?
What do you think he’d say about it?
Aaron White asks some difficult questions of Christian ‘culture’.

Jesus on the radio, Jesus on a late night show
Jesus in a dream, looking all serene
Jesus on a steeple, Jesus in the Gallup poll,
Jesus has his very own brand of rock and roll
Watched him on the silver screen
Bought the action figurine
But Jesus is the only name that makes you flinch.

Lyrics from The Real Jesus, by Downhere
2006 release Wide Eyed and Mystified
Centricity Records

T

here has been a revival going on in recent years, nay, decades, that very few people have been talking about. The salvation numbers are pretty amazing and they have been growing steadily for years. You would have thought we’d have heard of this mass turning to Jesus in some of our churches, but it all seems to be happening under the radar. A lot of stuff has become ‘Christian’. › Continue reading

Is The Salvation Army Pentecostal?

H

ere is a description of an early Salvation Army meeting recorded in General Bramwell Booth’s autobiography Echoes and Memories:

‘At night Corbridge led the hallelujah meeting till 10 o’clock. Then we commenced an All-Night of Prayer. Two hundred and fifty people were present till 1am; two hundred or so after. A tremendous time. From the very first, Jehovah was passing by, searching, softening and subduing every heart. The power of the Holy Ghost fell on Robinson and prostrated him. He nearly fainted twice. The brother of the Blandys entered into full liberty and then he shouted, wept, clapped his hands, danced, amid a scene of the most glorious and heavenly enthusiasm. Others meanwhile were lying prostrate on the floor, some of them groaning for perfect deliverance ….’

This happened in 1878 - 22 years before the official start of the Pentecostal movement. Was The Salvation Army Pentecostal, or did it at least begin that way? › Continue reading

Areopagus #6: Geoff Ryan

W

e are like fractured mirrors – cracked, scarred and chipped. We reflect the brokenness of our humanity but we’re told that the partial image flickering in the shards of our lives can be pleasing to God. In this 32:40 minute episode of Areopagus, Major Geoff Ryan examines how imperfect people can relate to a perfect creator. Geoff, who is the corps officer (pastor) of The Salvation Army’s Corps 614 in Toronto, Canada, was speaking at the ACC Reform conference in Melbourne, Australia in September 2005. To listen click on the arrow.

Or click here to visit iTunes where this episode is available on the Areopagus podcast.

Saved to Surrender

Marching as to war: Jason Pope takes another look at

The Salvation Army’s military metaphors

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord my rock and my redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)

T

he Psalmist realized sometimes the words we choose to use convey much deeper meanings and connotations than just their literal definitions. That is why he said let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord my strength and my redeemer. “Salvationists”, members of The Salvation Army church, are engaged in a controversy over whether their use of military terminology in the Christian arena is merely metaphorical or whether it represents a real war.

› Continue reading

Reaching the digital generation

Russell Rook and Sarah Doyle consider yesterday, today, forever

W

e could learn a lot from Mr. Gutenberg and by that we don’t mean Steve Guttenberg of Police Academy fame. The year was 1450 and the man was Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith who invented the movable printing press. This man imagined life differently, invented the most significant gadget of his day and transformed the world, almost in an instant.

It was with his truly remarkable movable printing invention that Gutenberg made his name. Until this point in time, every book in existence was the work of a scribe, usually a monk, who had painstakingly etched each and every word by hand onto expensive parchment and bound the copies between wooden boards. The end result: it took years to copy out a book, and that was without the illustrations. Illiteracy was the norm, accuracy was dubious and mistakes were handed down and multiplied throughout the generations. Gutenberg changed all this - with the power of the printed word, he lifted his culture from the dark ages and watched as a world of new possibilities sprang into life. › Continue reading

What is war good for?

ALOVE writer Aaron White expresses his views on why war should be killed and invites you into the debate.

I

n my last year of high school I had to take a final exam in History. One of the main essay questions on the exam asked us to explain how a war could be justified, and to give an example of a war that was justifiable. I got very high marks describing how one war in particular was an example of a justifiable use of military force.

I don’t think I would do so well on the exam at this stage in my life. › Continue reading

Kingdom Living

Brian Armstrong looks at Jesus’ challenge to us, in Luke, to reach out to the poor, vulnerable and disenfranchised

O

ver the last six years, I have been challenged with the task of communicating “Kingdom living” principles to students at William and Catherine Booth College in Winnipeg (Canada). After several years of academic study and practical ministry, I felt confident that I had learned some things along the way that would be helpful to pass on the next generation of Christian leaders. In fact, I felt very much like Luke who, “after carefully investigating everything,” wanted to present an orderly account so that students might know the truth concerning the things of their faith in Jesus Christ.
› Continue reading

News flash: Areopagus

A

s part of the relaunch of theRubicon we’re delighted to announce one of our newest milestones. Areopagus – the audio magazine of theRubicon – is now available on iTunes. Episodes will continue to be available here but now you can also subscribe to the podcast by clicking on the icon. Stay tuned, more new features are on their way.

Theology of Humpty Dumpty

by Russell Rook & Sherri Golisky

S

he was the very personification of her name. Grace, a walking miracle, a precious trophy of divine triumph. Born and brought up on the wrong-side of the tracks, Grace found herself, at 40 years of age, with one grown child in a small downtown apartment. Her only escape, the contents of the next syringe, the prescription of her own private chemical counsellor. And then, on one unusually bright day, some Christians offered Grace a way out. Within weeks she was free; a follower of Jesus made clean in body, mind and soul and the newest evangelical stalwart in a growing urban church. To this day, many members of her congregation mark their own journey to freedom from the moment when they first encountered Grace.

A few months ago, Grace was found dead. Lying in the gutter, her body once more ravaged by narcosis, she suffered the violent death-sentence of her own destructive freewill. › Continue reading