Definition

Larry Ashcraft | Being defined or defining your being?

I

know this forum is usually reserved for a more academic treatment of issues surrounding our beloved movement. I have never been accused of being an academic or for that matter an author. Occasionally, though, I do allow myself the opportunity of putting my questions down in writing in an attempt to find kindred spirits and stimulate conversation. This is one of those times.

I have been called many things. Dad, Captain, Cappy (a moniker from my camp director days), Major, CO, TYS, innovator, malcontent, liberal, conservative, rebel, Christian, disturbed, goofy, funny, buddy, friend, boss and son are some of the many names and adjectives that I have been called. I am sure there are other names I don’t know about. I have often let names and titles define me.

I have been in my current role just over a year. I am a General Secretary, which means that for my division I am the chief operations officer, with an administrative role. People have chided me over the past year, because they say that I often do not act as I should in this role. I have been told by many that I have to be a rule enforcer and strictly business type guy. Maybe people do not see things the way I see them in this role.

Those who know me well will know that being an enforcer is at best difficult for me and being strictly business…. oops wrong guy! I understand that we have rules and standards for a reason. I know policies are often thought-out in their inception and have good reasoning behind them. My motto is, “Rules are meant to be questioned or changed if they don’t make sense.” I admit that stance often gets me into trouble. In fact, one of the people I supervise recently scolded me for my views on rules saying, “You have to be corporate. You are the GS. You keep everyone in line. We need you to be the enforcer of the rules.” Now I know someone has to keep discipline, but anyone can enforce rules. More on this later.

This past year I have struggled against being defined. One of my favorite stories is Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up . Peter, Michael and Wendy set out on adventure that was not without its mischievous episodes. Just before assuming my role here I was told not to be a “pirate.” The pirates in Peter’s world had no fun and were stuck in their routine. The Lost Boys were filled with wonder and excitement. They were carefree, fun-loving and glad to be alive. The pirates were the types who had lost all of their joy and were forced into a role that they may have never dreamed of living. The infamous Hook was the worst. He was determined to be in charge no matter what.

I think many times we find ourselves being defined by an organization, the expectation of others or even by what we think of as cultural norms. In our worst times, we can become pirates. I have spent this year trying not to be defined, but trying to redefine the role I am in to maintain who I believe God has made me to be in personality and in ministry. It has not been easy.

In fact, just recently, a soldier from a corps where Janet and I were the corps officers looked at me incredulously and said, “Why did they put you on headquarters? You are not serious enough.” I think that meant I was not “mature” enough. I am not sure that maturity needs to equate with being serious all the time. Even the grass roots seem to have a definition of how I should act and be in this role and the rules of conduct they perceive I need to obey.

I serve in an organization with a quasi-military structure and that, according to Tony Campolo, would be great if “1954 ever came back.” Talk about rules, we have them by the bushel. That often runs counter to my nature. Enforcement of rules is difficult for me.

I am taking a different approach. I am trying to develop relationships of trust and depth with people who would be considered my subordinates (not a good term). I want them to be my friends and co-laborers. I am also trying to lay down some roots with people. I have found some new, meaningful relationships and re-kindled old ones (I lived in this neck of the woods almost 20 years ago). I have developed a few very close friendships. Some I have not seen coming. I have tried not to see myself in the traditional role of General Secretary as defined over the past 30-plus years. I have tried to see myself more as team leader or facilitator. For the most part I think I have been successful. I have also encouraged a less-formal approach to my work, which has served me well. I do have an incredibly detailed Brief of Appointment (job description for officers) to which I try to stay faithful, but with some individuality. I struggle with the parts that ask me to be the rule enforcer (my wording not the brief’s).

This is not in any way meant to denigrate any of my predecessors. I just feel the need to be true to who I am and who God is making me. I need accountability and a couple of friends in particular are helping me with that by defining guidelines and checking my motivation. I don’t want to turn into a passive aggressive, (we have enough of those in this world) who nods “yes” but does what he wants to do or a rebel who digs in his heels at every request because he always needs to be right. That does the Kingdom absolutely no good. Also, my leaders and movement deserve better.

Yes, there will be times when I will be asked to do things that don’t fit my nature (there could be a huge debate here about what some consider the extra-biblical constraints in our movement.) As my Appalachian grandmother would often say in response to such circumstances, “Them’s the breaks.” We all have to do things we don’t particularly enjoy doing; it is part of life. It also helps us grow and challenges our thinking.

Here is where the difference between discipline and rule enforcement lies. Discipline comes from relationship. Pastoral and deep love for those who are serving with you and follow your leadership leads to godly guidance. In the mode of discipline a hard word needs to be spoken from time-to-time. Being an enforcer of rules is easy. You don’t have to love. Cops can enforce policies and rules. Discipline is more than rule enforcement. It is guidance, nurturing and love. It also means, in my opinion, bringing out the best in those who are under your influence. It is allowing those under your influence to develop as God wants them and in the way God made them, in personality and in style of operation as a way of helping the Kingdom flourish here on earth.

On the other hand, I think there is definitely a need for us to ask some hard questions and come to terms with some current realities as it pertains to this idea of developing out of what many would consider the normal range of operation in our ranks. What if the Booths and other early pioneers of the Army had remained in the box? Our early days were full of eccentric people. Joe the Turk went to jail scores of times for what would amount to disturbing the peace. We trumpet his accomplishments now. I think that if he was serving now he would probably be asked to leave officership or, at the very least, have a very different, maybe marginalized, role.

I know the argument could be made that such characters would be more accepted back then. But today I think we may have been infected by a dose of utilitarianism that used to serve us well, and perhaps still does, but in these days of innovation and postmodern thought, may serve more often to stifle creativity and curtail recruitment of leaders in the western world.

The numbers of candidates for officership in the past few years have declined in the West. I have not done a study (shame on me as a former TYS) but I think the downturn has more to do with what some perceive officership has become, in contrast with what it was when the “characters of the faith” were operating with freedom.

Is it possible that officership in the West is seen as safe and business-like? This current style fits with a second career and an older generation. We do less pioneering in the West now and have become incredibly concerned with minor details of things like uniform-wearing, for instance. While not insignificant in itself, uniform wearing has become almost a polarizing issue in our movement and is seen by many as an issue of the greatest importance in discipline. I see it as a matter of conformity.

As a movement we extol the innovation and creativity of the past but honor conformity in the present. Could it be that we are experts at defining the individual by role instead of allowing God to define the role of the person in ministry? Could this be why emerging generations are not flocking in response to our mission to the poor and marginalized? In this day of social justice and activism by Christians of the emerging generations it would seem a natural that we would be attracting college-aged people, in particular, by the hundreds. Do they see our methodology or flavor as safe and utilitarian, when they are looking for sacrifice and daring? Maybe people like me (when I was in the TYS role) have not asked the right questions in calling them to join us. Our conformist lifestyle may be an impediment to really thinking outside of just the traditional methods of recruitment and showing not just what we are as a movement, but what we can become under the guidance and power of the Spirit.

We can live solely by the expectations of the organization or we can define our role within the organization with God leading us. I hope I am defining my role. I don’t want to be defined by a job alone, but molded by the hand of God and a divine calling to a mission that is unique to The Salvation Army. I don’t want our Army to be molded by traditionalism and limited thinking. Rather, I want us to be rooted in our tradition of out-of-the-box thinking and methodology, in order for us to continue to become what God wants us to be. I believe in doing that we will really see a revival of huge proportions in our ranks.

Do you think that people are more apt to be defined by their role in an organization than by their own sense of being? What do you think would happen if we stopped being defined by organizational demands or the expectation of others? Is trying to define your role or me trying to define my role, just being selfish? Who knows? Maybe I have joined the cynics club. Maybe this issue deserves a good discussion.

Writer: Larry Ashcraft has been a Salvation Army officer for more than 25 years. He serves as the General Secretary for the North East Ohio Division in the USA Eastern Territory. Larry and his wife Janet founded of the Eastern Territory’s Project 1:17 School of Youth Ministry and Mission in 2001 and recently turned over the leadership of the school. Larry and his wife have two sons and a daughter-in-law who are their pride and joy. Larry enjoys sports, reading and good political debate. Larry and Janet’s joint passion is to see the emerging generation engaged and discipled for the mission of God, through The Salvation Army.

7 Comments to Definition

1. Larry,

   Thanks for your courage and insight and for putting your thoughts down on “paper” for us to read. “Being” vs “doing”; “influence” vs “power”; “our expectations” vs “organizational expectations” vs “God’s expctations”…it all gets very confusing. Thanks for putting it out there.

   Geoff
Geoff Ryan on November 1st, 2007

2. I experienced a lot of culture shock coming from orthodox Judaism, where one is enjoined to ‘find oneself a rabbi’ to the Salvation Army where one is found for you, and you can put up with it or get out.

   I can’t help but wonder if one of the greatest assets of the Jewish communities I was part of was that each person or family had found themselves the rabbi they naturally respected and trusted. The rabbonim tended to stay put geographically, and those who wanted to look to them moved to their localities, and were generally settled there. It created stable communities where trust levels were generally high. Of course the community has its own problems, and other areas of challenge, but this element of being able to find someone I naturally trust to look to for leadership I find the hardest of all. Looking around I sense there are many who also expend large amounts of emotional, spiritual and mental energy, wastefully, in struggling to follow someone they simply wouldn’t look to naturally. Sometimes they struggle on for years, and I hear, ‘We just have to wait this one out,’ and ‘Remember in the army it’s not forever, there are years like this.’ and so on.

   Well I don’t want to spend ‘years like this’ personally, and I want to spend all my time learning from the Christlikeness of someone who has genuinely earned my respect rather than demanded it by right. Perhaps there will be found some better shape of leading in the future, where controlling soldiers will become less of an issue and spiritual formation happens more easily?
Eleanor Burne-Jones on November 1st, 2007

3. Eleanor,

   My point is not about control here. It is more about expectations and how we balance them with who we are in God and who God is making us. We are all under authority. It is how we react to it and then model Christlike and God-gifted leadership to those who follow us that is the question.

   In my particular area of service, I am simply trying to find out how God wants me to fit in as I honor Him and yet fulfill a necessary role in the Movement. I do not see them as mutually exclusive. I see them as complimentary, if kept in balance.

   Does that make sense?
Larry Ashcraft on November 1st, 2007

4. When I was very little, I went to a “hippie” school. Instead of a flag salute, we’d sit in a circle and talk, or a guy would come and play “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” on his guitar. We didn’t have desks; just stations where we were invited to expore our creativity: costuming, blocks, maybe math or reading, whatever caught our attention. We called our teachers by their first names and they tried to “relate” rather than teach.
   I somehow learned to read and add, and have a lot of fond memories of those days (hey, I can even tie die!), but my father loves to tell the story about how, several months after starting school, I came home and announced very proudly: “Papa! I figured out the rules!”
   I guess my point is that sometimes, maintaining order is a great blessing and very reassuring to the vulnerable ones entrusted to your care, whether they are kindergartners in fact or in faith.
   I am a long way from being a “submitted” wife (and am still seeking interpretations on that point, for sure), but I have been greatly enlightened by women more fully embracing that role on the value of truly empowered fatherhood. Male leadership, with its call not to nurturance particularly, but to protection, role modeling and even rule enforcement is I’m sure at times burdensome, but it can be a great blessing to those living under your care.
   And as to the uniform, I always feel like I’m listening to the guys in “The Last Battle” sitting at the feast, thinking they’re in the barn eating rotten food. Have you shopped for a daughter lately? Our homeschool group is constantly putting out edicts on modest dress: “If you raise your arms and your belly shows, don’t wear it.” “Nothing above the knee.” And this doesn’t even begin to deal with commercial brands stripped across little girls’ chests. I’m not looking for a burka, but can’t anyone make jeans that don’t leave half my little girl’s underwear hanging out? To me, I don’t get what’s not to like about the uniform!
Catherine W on November 2nd, 2007

5. Catherine,

   Thanks for your response. No one advocates throwing out rules here. It is a struggle though to enforce corporate rules with compassion.

   Now as to the uniform, I did not denigrate the uniform. I just noted that it is sometimes a polarizing issue that is a matter of conformity if you belong to this outfit. I guess my feeling is we have greater issues to deal with in leadership.
Larry on November 2nd, 2007

6. Hi Larry, it makes sense, I am just absolutely no longer convinced it works. My point is just practical. You can spend literally years in the army leading people who don’t want to be led by you, and following people you don’t want to have as leaders. I’m not saying the leaders are acting in a sinful way or that the led are, but that trust isn’t an optional factor. But it is increasingly an endangered element. The difficulty is that so much energy is dissipated in struggling to handle having been ‘put’ in situations rather than being able to follow a natural journey of finding someone you want to learn from and getting on with seeing the life of Christ in them and becoming part of that flow of his life as you learn from them.

   I’m arguing we need to look at church structures and culture again from scratch and find out what works better? I have considerable authority as a parent in my home, and I exercise it. But I don’t find it tense or difficult because of the natural love, trust and years of experience we have together. I so rarely need to put a foot down I don’t experience a dilemma (mind you I’ve one more to get through teens yet! :0) ). That is the heart of it for me, the rabbis I looked to over the years were like a father to their people, and it isn’t the same as manager and managed, or rule enforcer and the one controlled. The disciples called Jesus ‘rabbi’, this is what sticks in my mind. Blessings on your journey!
Eleanor Burne-Jones on November 2nd, 2007

7. Conforming..being defined. Two things I have always had an issue with. While I am not in a leadership role as you are, I have had a few encounters with individuals both officer and non where the impression was given that I had to “conform” or behave a certain way due to my employment in this “organization”. Judged based on my attitude, look, or personality..and asked to “tone it down” as it may be different from those around me. Watch my relationships or pay mindful eye to how much I joke or whom I joke with. I understand that in a workplace…in an organization..there must be rules. There must be guidelines and restrictions in place to efficiently and productively run a business. However, I do believe that one cannot let these effect one’s true self and being. Personalities, work ethics, even beliefs are going to vary from one person to the next in any setting. When you get to the point of defining how one should be based on their position in the company, or church, is where my problem lies. I refuse to change my personality because of a position I hold..or because of what one may think. We are the way we are for a reason. What one person may not agree with…may be the one thing that touched or saved another. I have started to convince myself that I cannot please everyone. I realize that in life there will always be those who do not agree with my beliefs, attitude, or opinions on things. What I cannot do is let that define me. There must be a reason why I was made an analyzer, a joker, an inquisitor, and a friend. There is a reason why you were made “not serious enough” and I believe that is something you should grasp and hold onto and not let go of.
   Being raised in a Roman Catholic household…I attended what you could call a formal Catholic church, St. Peter’s. You knew the priest by name..he knew mine but I think that is only because I attended the catholic school since kindergarten. There was an implied sense of authority in that church…and a feeling of openness and welcome was not present. Things felt…well…businesslike. We were members…we were…rule followers. I dont attend that chruch anymore and have not for years. I want to be an equal..I want to be accepted. I want to be welcomed. The element of reaching out to others and the sense of equality that can be given by a pastor or boss is a powerful and I believe positive tool. From experience, I can tell you that I personally do not want to be involved in a pastoral or employment relationship where I am fed what to think or do. I look for discussion and q & a’s. I look for a sense of acceptance and a sense of personal relationship. In my opinion, what it is that you do should be adopted by more. Feelings are key…personality is key…emotion is key…openness and compassion is key. Without that, really what are you? No offense to anyone..but you become a robot. The mission that you seek to be a part of..the goal you are trying to obtain becomes a job. The people you are trying to save..wont come. I have been deeply touched by the words and actions of a few officers in the Salvation Army..all were individuals that may be somewhat looked at as the “rebels” of TSA. More power to the rebels then…they’re the ones who are making a difference in my life. And I guarantee in more lives than they even know.
Jennifer on November 8th, 2007

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