Raised Up?

Is this really what SA Youth need? asks Joe Noland

T he  SA is holding a World Youth Convention in Sweden 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 but rather an observation. There is no question that each presenter is extremely qualified in his or her particular subject matter, and the conference will have an impact, no matter.

But I can’t help but wonder, however, why there are no youth presenting? Where is the young Senior Soldier 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.

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. Whatever, you can count on my prayerful support 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 is that the person at the top can never please everyone (Especially old, retired Commissioners), no matter how brilliant and Spirit-filled he/she may be!

 

Writer: Commissioner Joe Noland’s ministry can be summed up in three words: chaos, creativity and controversy - three elements implicit in any successful innovative endeavor. Cecil B. DeMille, renowned producer of Biblical epics, once wrote, “Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.” Joe’s mantra reads, “Creativity is my drug of choice.”  Access Joe Noland’s complete bio, among other things, by clicking into his website.

14 Comments to Raised Up?

1. Great article.

   From my own few years of Officership I have seen that often the ones organising events such as these (which tend to be Officers) tend to think only in Officer terms. And so whilst we may have brilliant, young soldiers who would be extremely capable of presenting at something like this, unless the organisers are thinking in those terms (which is often way outside the box for those people) then they just don’t even invite them. Quite often, they’re right under our noses too!

   Sadly it’s another sign of the growing disparity between Officers and Soldiers within the Army.

   Sigh…..
Adam Couchman on August 4th, 2009

2. hi.. I’m not sure its a “growing disparity between Officers and Soldiers within the Army”, Adam.

   I think that many if not all of these events are a product of the objective that brought it into being.. if “we” wanted an event that really captured a vision of what young people/ young Salvationists see for the future then we would have asked them.

   Personally, my biggest disappointment with this event is the selection criteria - what about the many fired up young disciples who are not uniformed soldiers? By design they are excluded from even applying to be present.

   my turn to sigh now ..

   blessings
David R on August 4th, 2009

3. David, Adam, Joe - yes and yes again!

   The Salvation Army has been resourced by God with many brilliantly talented people. They are focused, inspiring and passionate, yet somehow the preparation God has given these people sometimes “slips by without notice” as a result, they and their giftings fail to be nurtured in the context of our faith community. This seems to be true for many young people be they junior soldiers, senior soldiers, corps cadets or young officers.

   A few years ago I had the privilege of a short term ministry mission with a young Salvationist soldier who during the week was an amazingly competent, high flying human resources manager for a very well recognised multinational. In her professional role she was a much sort after speaker, trainer and facilitator. Answering “the call” to officership she went to college - since then she has served faithfully in her entry level, new officer appointment. Incredible giftings and talents, all resources under utilized and unrecognised. Where is our stewardship?

   Ke
Ke.enn on August 4th, 2009

4. Why would a young non-officer be there as a presenter? That would imply to the delegates that there is a future in leadership in TSA that does not include being an officer, and that is not the message that I think TSA wants to send right now.

   I remember it was at one of these types of events in South Africa that I first saw non-officers in significant leadership roles, and decided to follow them in that. They were far more effective and free than any officer I had ever seen (in my limited experience), and I wanted to emulate that. 12 years later, I am still doing that, and trying to inspire others to do the same.

   This is not a knock on officership by any means. I’ve since seen incredibly effective and free officers (though this is the exception, I must say), and of course I’ve seen soldiers and employees who were non-effective and handcuffed by the system. But even showing that there is room for non-officer leadership at an event like this one would counter the current desperate drive for candidates, so I really don’t expect it.
Aaron White on August 5th, 2009

5. Recently I was told that a couple of high positions in The Army were extended beyond retirement. The reason…”A leadership deficite.”

   That’s interesting, considering the fact that I know lots of brilliantly, young, tallented, visionary leaders in The Army. There is a genuine fear of change in The Army, I believe, that prevents those at the top from allowing those underneath from expressing themselves and their generational ideals of Salvationism.

   Johnny
Johnny Gainey on August 5th, 2009

6. Aaron… I was really encouraged by your post. It’s great to hear your continued contribution to the Kingdom through the Army. God bless you in that, and also as you encourage others to “follow you as you follow Christ!”

   In my own territory (Australia Eastern) the latest rhetoric is about the need for “30 cadets” each year. Largely this is spoken of in terms of “maintaining” current “ministries” (which I think is used synonymously, and wrongly, with “appointments”) with very little to do with “expanding” or “growing”. For me the motivation is one of “fear”. Fear of what will happen as our “Baby Boomer” officers (the largest proportion of our officer numbers) approaches retirement. For the latest published form of this rhetoric see http://www.salvos.org.au/pipeline (see the cover story in the August 2009 edition of Pipeline).

   For me, though, this “fear” (as I have called it) highlights an addiction to Officership. Growth in the early day Army was not ‘because we had Officers’. Rather, growth happened (thanks be to God!) and it was so rapid that we needed some sort of leadership structure that worked for us. As it happened, the militaristic style of leadership fit the bill at the time and ‘Officers’ happened to be a part of that. In reality, soldiers were also “appointed” places to start up the work, or continue where others had left off. Crazy stuff!!!

   Now we’ve gotten to a point where many of the soldiers in pew so rely on their Officers to do the “ministry” that they’ve become fearful of what will happen to their corps if the inevitable happens… there are not enough officers to go around and so no-one gets appointed to their poor corps. This addiction and fear has pervaded our present leadership so much so that for them to think of any other form of leadership apart from Officership is very rare, at least that’s what I hear when they continue to call for “30 cadets” instead of faithfully asking God to supply the right people. This is just reflected in the problem identified in the Commissioner’s original post above, and makes me think this problem is international as well as in my own territory.

   What we need is a response of “faith”. I don’t necessarily know what that is, but I believe that if God is going to take our movement forward then he knows the problem of dwindling officer numbers and we should in fact be asking him about the solution (sounds innovative I know). Surely that should include the 10,000 soldiers rather than just the 550 active officers (the numbers in my territory)??? Or am I just an optimist???

   By the way, I am an officer and I’m 32 at the moment so I am very aware that this problem is going to be mine to deal with in about 10-15 years or so (or is it already?!?!?!)…. That’s why I’m desperately praying for our Army… God show us the way… Please!
Adam Couchman on August 9th, 2009

7. I hear the sighs all the way over here in Hawaii, added to my own. And I’m intrigued by where this discussion is leading with very insightful comments, deeply considered. Adam hits the nail right on the head with his reasoning about fear, our real nemesis in this TSA 21st Century. In the beginnings of any successful movement, risk is not only embraced; it is revered, thereby minimizing fear. During its puberty phase, bureaucracy, hierarchy (officership valued over lay leadership) and the safety of institutionalism begin to raise their ugly heads, growing unwieldy from there. I have quoted consistently in my blogs from two books on this subject: “Self Renewal,” John Gardener and “Orbiting the Giant Hairball,” Gordon MacKenzie. They inspired my own book on the same subject, “Out of the Rubble…Revolution!” (Links below) Not yet published, although online in its entirety over at joenoland.com: Note how the one common chord holding the movement together, “LOVE” eventually metamorphoses into “FEAR!” Click on the “Self Renewal” link below and jump down to page 14, 15 where two attributes of self-renewing people: “Courage to fail” and “Love” can be found.

   My greatest fear is that the right people are not reading these posts, nor paying attention to your comments, and that’s a shame. Hopefully, those who do will be tomorrow’s leaders. This is what keeps me writing. And, prayerfully, eventually The Rubicon (along with other cyberspace forums) will become a force to be reckoned with.

   http://positivesharing.com/2002/10/book-review-orbiting-the-giant-hairball/
   http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2IaWFlhGnx0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR19&dq=%22Gardner%22+%22Self-renewal%22+&ots=ddrJhZQLHU&sig=r0_SLZyAG1cprSgEGPrZq3xsI_I#v=onepage&q=&f=false
   http://www.joenoland.com/joenoland/Revolution%27s%20Cadence.html
Joe Noland on August 9th, 2009

8. I am an officer in a country where so many people expect someone to do something for them: government, social service system, churches, neighbors. So many lack any initiative and are ensconced in a lifestyle that totally relies on others. Often times, corps have the same mentality. I feel like a solider cannot understand how much is expected of corps officers. For instance, corps were supposed to make a two year commitment as to how many soldiers they would enroll in preparation for this past Commissioning. This was supposed to be from the corps leadership; however, I am sure that most officers had to just come up with a number. At officers councils we received a reminder a year ago that we made a commitment yet hardly any corps had enrolled soldiers. Why just make SS/JS for an event? I would like to know two years from now, how many of those JS/SS enrolled at Commissioning still attend the corps.

   Another example, officers work all year trying to meet the minimum standard. For the most part, the officers have to plan and execute everything on their own. Even though they have managed to operate mandated programs, they find out at corps review they don’t meet the minimum standard after all because the programs didn’t hit the ceiling for the required number of meetings annually. Why? Again the officers have to run everything, plan everything, pick up and take home everyone… So, if you take vacation or go to officers councils or a conference for the new continuing education requirements - you can’t be in two places at once. There is no other alternative to not having meetings while you are away.

   An officer works to build a ministry where he finally, after a number of years, hits 40 - 45 on a Sunday. He is looking forward to the next year because now he really can do some things utilizing the new leadership waiting to be trained. Then is moved and the next people are looking forward to retirement. The retirement is almost 10 years away, yet he knows in his heart these people are already retired. Now, he is sent to another corps that has nothing for his own children (again) and has to start all over again. This one is in worst shape than the other. He has a 10th of the paid staff he had before, 25% of the money he had before and yet he must accomplish what he did before. Budgets, staff, vehicles are resources.

   Needing some encouragement one day, I picked up the New Frontier. In it was an article from Bob Doctor openly criticizing officers who talk about appointments in the way of how big the budgets are or how many staff a corps has. Well, I thought it was not appropriate to put something like this in writing. Why would he be allowed to put something like that in print? It was discouraging to me and I was disappointed in the leadership of the periodical. I have not picked up one since that time. Is this a periodical only for soldiers and friends of The Salvation Army? I thought this was a periodical for Salvationists. I am an officer because I am a Salvationist first.

   Other officers understand what it means to have a certain budget. When someone says to you that the budget is $400,000 or under, you know what that means. Finance balances budgets and so they underestimate expenses and often overestimate income. As a seasoned officer, you automatically understand that it is not going to be easy and there isn’t going to be money to really do programs or have any staff. If they have a couple of million, you know that there will be more headache to manage programs in place; however, you also know that there are some resources to support some of the things that the corps may want to do.

   I would have not been so discouraged by this if there was a little balance. I know that there are a few officers who directly relate their appointments as a confirmation of their self worth. This is the way the system is designed. Our last two appointments, people had the nerve to actually ask us what we did to be sent there?

   I would like for someone to write about how some soldiers will sit in the pews and watch officers work themselves to death. My first appointment, half of the congregation were the children and grandchildren of officers. They didn’t want the officers to move and would not lift a finger to do anything to help us get settled in and proceeded to punish us for 3 years because we were not the other people. They treated us terribly as if we had personally something to do with the other officers moving. What about soldiers who hop from corps to corps because they don’t want to work through problems or issues? There isn’t any spiritual discipline because they’ll just go somewhere else. Yet, you as the officer can’t just say, well, I am not going to church today because these people don’t want to love me or take care of me. Many of these soldiers never stop to think that we are soldiers, even deeper than that, we are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

   I am a solider. I am a soldier in full time service. I only wear red because that is the system and a requirement of the system. There is a disparity between headquarters and the field. There may be in some corps a disparity between corps officers and soldiers. I am in a corps where the only soldiers are my own two children. Everyone else holds no formal commitment to the Army. They don’t have any desire to commit in that way. We are loved here and so that helps make up for the lack of resources at this appointment.

   It is very easy for people to look at someone else’s life and think they have it easy. Officers do not lead easy lives. I think the most disheartening thing is that after I moved a couple of times, I realized that all of the work I was killing myself to complete, be on time with, meet the standards of - everyone is not doing that. I wish that someone would have come alongside of us in our first appointment. Instead the only thing they could do was tell us it was a mistake to send us to a corps like that. Our next appointment we were dearly loved by our Sunday congregation. Yet, the same lack of discipline in the first corps with the soldiery was evident in the large staff. So, they did the same thing that the soldiery did to us in the first appointment. No one helped, just apologized that they were not in a position to help.

   Almost 90% of the time, my encouragement comes from retired officers. Especially those who have left staff appointments to retire and then accept corps appointments to help out. Many of them are shocked by the daily demands of the Army and the community. The physical demands can be absolutely overwhelming at times.

   I am a multigenerational Salvationist. It is not just the management of the talent of soldiers that is at question. It is the mismanagement of soldiers and officers alike. So many officers want to quit most days. I hear it every time I go to officers councils. But once you have spent almost 20 years doing something, what else are you going to do. What about women who technically haven’t worked in 20 years. They don’t want to quit the Army, but are tired of feeling mistreated and not appreciated by the people they work for and the people they work with. If most officers were truly honest, they would tell you that they feel ineffective in many ways because you can’t do the jobs of 5 to 10 other people and be 100% effective at any 1 thing.

   I know that the original post was in regard to the make-up of speakers at the international series of meetings; however, there are very deep concerns that run underneath the surface of how these events are planned and staffed. The problems with leadership is a lack of understanding about what is actually happening in the field with soldiers and officers. Other events are the same way within our own country. It is the same people who are always chosen to do things at WYI, WMI, Bootcamp, you name it. At Commissioning, it was the same people playing and the same people singing. There wasn’t one meeting, other than the Bible Bowl, that represented the Territory in any way.

   There is never a forum where field officers can speak frankly with the people who govern them. During business at Officers Councils, we are told that this is not the time to speak of such things. The problem is there never is a time.

   I have followed the posts of Commissioner Joe on a couple of different internet sites the last couple of years. I find he can say things that we can’t say. It is refreshing to read because it seems like he isn’t afraid to make “observations” that get to the heart of issues that lie before us. The National Commander and our current Commissioner spoke of the liberalism in our country’s government and how that is going to affect TSA. They are not listening to the American people and are trying to socialize our country. While listening to their words, my husband and I have discussed so many times the socialization of this Army. Don’t ask us anything, just tell us what we are to do, say and be.

   This next generation entering the training school are different from anything this leadership has ever seen. If they don’t like something, they simply don’t do it. Most are not 14 to 16-hour a day people and in some appointments that is what it takes to do everything they want from us all. In the end a soldier can come and go because they are a soldier. They can pick and choose what to be involved with at the corps. I am all in favor of soldiers empowering and participating in the leadership of The Salvation Army. However, in most places that I have been, soldiers may want this but do not want any accountability. In the end, who is the one accountable for what happens…the officer. Being an officer in the United States is different than being officer in other countries. I am sure that each country has different challenges and woes. Perhaps, there are some similar complaints, too. Most days I love being an officer and it is a good thing that so far neither my husband nor I wanted to quit on the same day. We have come close and continually try and look at this as a calling. The day it becomes a job is the day I look for another job.
Female Officer (USA) on August 9th, 2009

9. To the ‘Female Officer’,

   I was an officer in the Australian Eastern Territory for 6 years. You can read some of my story on other posts, so I won’t repeat it here. Suffice to say, I fully understand where you come from. And yes, after 6 years in officership and 2 years in Training College, it was very difficult to find a job - I had to start - as a 29 year old - as an office junior, answering to teenagers who were my line managers simply because I had officially been ‘unemployed’ for 8 years and no one wanted to employ me (in Australia, ministry in any denomination is not considered employment, and most employers will not take it into consideration on a resume unless you want to work in the outback with no or little support).

   I can assure you, all the difficulties that officers face and talk about are just as prevelant in the secular world bar one - hypocresy. In the secular world, you expect people to be mistreated by management, you expect bad conditions etc. But in any religious organisation, you don’t expect it because you are supposed to be working with people who embrace the teachings of the gospel, the teachings of love etc. So when you do get mistreated, it’s all the worse.

   Back to the original thread…..
   Part of the problem I believe is the dwindling size of The ‘Army, and it’s soldiership, and the demands placed on soldiery in the secular world. We live in a different world to the time of the Booths etc. Things are different for people today. You expected to go hungry, to get your meals from soup kitchens etc. It’s a different society today. If we lived like they did back then, your children would be taken from you under abuse laws, most countries would take away your welfare payments, you would lose your employment. You would have no money to assist The ‘Army. Back then, money was not a necessity - you could do without. Today it is. Back then, The ‘Army could do its’ work on less than a shoe-string budget - today it can’t. We have to stop comparing ourselves to Booths day - there is no comparison.

   Add to that the type of people who are becoming soldiers. With the exception of some large city areas, most of the soldiery (from my experience) are (forgive me) ‘God’s special people’. Yes, there are capable soldiers around, but these are few and far between - that is the reality. We could probably put together a quickly readable, exhaustive list of capable soldiery (and officers I might add) globally. Those that are capable, many of them have their own concerns - like feeding their family (or themselves), keeping their jobs, maintaining relationships, getting qualified for their work or working towards promotion etc. This leaves little time to commit to work within a corps except at the lowest, least time consuming way. Many find it difficult enough just to find time to go to Band or Songster Practice, let alone take on ministry roles. If we want them to take on ministry roles, we need to pay them and give them the conditions and security of officership. Those who fit into that category either do go into officership (which defeats the purpose of having soldiers doing the work), or leave because The ‘Army is afraind of having full time workers they can’t ‘control’ like they can officers.

   I take my hat off to people who can do it all , but these people are the EXTREME minority, and (forgive me again) may not be the most appropriate people to have speaking at events either, because the vast majority would not be able to ‘follow suit’ as it were. Why make people feel like they are a failure because they can’t do everything like some people can?

   We need people who can relate to today’s people, understand them because they are one of them, yet lead them inspiringly as well. To do that, we need to change enough to attract them and keep them.

   Just some thoughts,
   Yours in Christ,
   Graeme.
Graeme Randall on August 9th, 2009

10. I believe that this increasing trend to “fill” our training colleges without balancing the need for strong local leaders in our corps will eventually hurt us…possibly even sending us further down a slippery slope. As long as I’ve been an officer, soldiers have been whispering about how the Army is an “Officer’s Army.” It has never been more true, in my opinion.

    I recently was on the staff of a territorial youth event where a discussion panel was assembled to field questions from the delegates. Of the four panelists, there was one non-officer soldier. My understanding is that it was difficult to get that one person approved…a fourth officer was desired. I’m glad common sense won out and the soldier was included. Our young people need to see that there are viable options in the Army for them outside of officership. A strong soldiery is to be the life-blood of our Movement. An army entirely or largely comprised of officers would be redundant!

    Add my sighing and groaning to the list. Perhaps someone will hear and intercede on our behalf…
Rob on August 10th, 2009

11. As a former officer of 25 years I would like to think that I have something to offer here. Having served in The Eastern Territory during the leadership of Commmissioner Joe Noland I served during an exciting era in a corps in Ohio. My son in law and daughter who are now officers were recruited , employed and sent to training during that time. The leadership flowed from THQ down to the department heads, down to the Divisional Commanders and staff all the way down to Corps Officers. Incentives by financial means and other areas of support were provided for ministry and corps growth from….You guessed it , Joe Nolan. What is needed is keen , specific, Spirit led, purpose driven leadership. The focus on corps life is vital during these days. There is no promise of the existence of The Salvation Army and it’s mission. In order to be effective change is in order once again.

    I rememeber years ago McDonalds had only men serving in a small carry-out fast food restaurant. As soon as you went in the door at least one or two young men would say “Welcome to McDonalds , may I help you “?
    I also remember that the sign near the Golden Arches would display “Over one million served”. As the years went by of course it is billions served . Did the business change very much over the years ? You bet it did. Drive-thrus added , new sandwiches, new drinks,and promotion of products sold. Two major reasons for growth in the organization were because of change- new ideas, and leadership-management.
    The Salvation Army is not a business for profit. It is in the business of serving mankind as we are equipped by the Holy Spirit. What is needed in any generation are Spirit-led members that will be permitted to use their gifts and talents in the capacity that God desires and to be encouraged by leadership that is in tune with the Spirit to do so. So… Changes in leadership style. I know for a fact that I and many other former officers or current for that matter, would chase the devil into the pit if we had the concern , care , and spiritual support of our leaders. The Salvation Army leadership would do well to seek guidance from other sources which would include The United States Army leadership and a sleeping giant of sources-Advisory Boards. Having said all that, I think that it is time to also have more emphasis on Salvation and a bit less on Army.
    There will be more growth and wonderful things happening in the future of The Salvation Army if there is an outward look . A true look on the fields that can be harvested.

    I know that I have strayed a bit too, but “Female Officer”,
    stirred some of my thinking.
Robert Deidrick on August 10th, 2009

12. I feel deeply Female Officer’s (USA) frustration and feelings of perplexity, not imagined but real and endemic within the system. As an evangelical entity, the corps is our life-blood and without it we will die evangelically. Our brand and social work will keep us going for a long time hence, otherwise. It is the most difficult and challenging appointment in TSA, the swelling complexity and demands of society making it increasingly more so. In my opinion, we need a serious re-evaluation concerning the role of a corps officer and where it fits on the hierarchical scale, so much so, that I will dedicate the entirety of a future post to this very subject. Look for it.
Joe Noland on August 11th, 2009

13. Somewhere I collected a quote by William Booth, when he was apparently given very short notice to speak to 1000 young people at a special youth workers’ rally. He refused, saying, “I don’t want a thousand, I want only twelve. And I want them to talk to me, NOT me to them. Then I will know what to say at your big goes.” Sorry I don’t have the provenance, but applying the rule of thumb in Biblical criticism that the most difficult variant reading is the most lkely to be the correct one, it’s probably genuine.

    Harold Hill
Harold Hill on August 12th, 2009

14. @ David R: It’s actually not just uniformed soldiers who can go. Delegates can also be adherents - I think I read that somewhere and one of my friends who is an adherent is actually going.

    I just wish I came from a smaller territory so I had a chance of being picked!
John on February 25th, 2010

Leave a comment