Catalytic leadership

Areopagus #31

H

olding a magazine advertisement in one hand and gripped with a passionate urgency, General Eva Burrows offered five detailed and cogent leadership tips to a group of officers at the opening session of the ACC | Others conference in Melbourne, Australia in October, 2007. The former leader of the international Salvation Army is now retired but her sense of urgency and her conviction that while good leadership is rare, it is also vital, makes this 32:36 talk something you shouldn’t miss.

Although her address is directed to officers, it is applicable to anyone in church or spiritual leadership. To listen click on the arrow below, or visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

The secular challenge

Areopagus #29

Major Campbell Roberts takes the message of hope into the often arid and polarized world of politics and public policy. He shares his hard-earned insight and some specific challenges in this Areopagus episode, recorded at ACC in Melbourne, Australia in January 2007. To listen to this important presentation (runs: 33:07), click on the arrow or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

“What do themes of mercy, justice and faith mean? And have we, as Christians, shrunk from taking on the secularist challenge?”

“… my task is to speak as a disciple of Jesus, but how do you do that when you’re surrounded by political spin?”

“… the Christian approach is not always obvious.”

“… we need to speak the language of Islam, of the terrorist, of the lonely, the language of people being trafficked, people being hurt…”

Roberts’ biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Questions

Areopagus #28

T

he question mark - the most potent symbol in the language: it indictes an implied curiousity, it shows you want to know more, it demonstrates a lively interest. Is a faith without questions worth having? Find out in this January 2007 talk by John Evans at the last ACC in Melbourne, Australia. To listen to this 21:36 presentation, click on the arrow below or click on the question mark image to visit the Areopagus podcast on iTunes, where this talk can be downloaded.

John Evans is the pharmacy manager at Epworth Eastern Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. With his wife, Lynda, John served for 13 years as a Salvation Army officer. His appointments included roles as a corps officer and editor of the War Cry and Onfire magazines. With a penchant for long distance triathlons, John is aiming to complete Ironman Australia in April 2008.

Slavery

Areopagus #27

I

n a talk as current as today’s headlines and as wide-ranging as a quality newspaper, Tim Costello takes listeners around the world for a better understanding of human and sexual trafficking and slavery. And it’s not a dry recitation of facts: this gifted communicator offers context and variety - three ways a church can avoid supporting this international trade in human misery; details of his first successful legal case defending a prostitute; why Christian musicians and songwriters need more of life’s bumps and bruises in their lyrics because they have more influence than preachers and theologans. Don’t miss this 51:13 presentation from January’s ACC in Melbourne, Australia. To listen, click on the arrow below or download the episode from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

Costello’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Move over

Areopagus #26T

he only way for The Salvation Army to fulfill God’s mandate is for officers to relinquish their ownership of the organization to soldiers. At the 2006 ACC conference in Melbourne, Australia, Phil Wall takes on one of the ’sacred’ ideas of Army culture: that professional clergy should continue to be the ones in charge. Don’t miss the debate. To listen, click on the arrow below or click here to download the episode (runs 22:24) from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

Wall’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Renew your resolve

Areopagus #25

W

e worship a God who ferociously values justice. Throughout the history of the church, God births prophets who shake believers out of their complacency to rededicate themselves to the impossible, outrageous, yet God-inspired task, of changing the world. One of those prophets was William Booth and one of his poems of war is rendered into a powerful battle cry in this gripping Areopagus episode. Major Janet Munn calls us to fight… to fight to the very end in this passionate January 2007 presentation at Roots South in Talladega, Alabama. Munn calls us to love and pursue justice with the same resolve as our God… no matter the cost. To listen click on the arrow below (runs: 39:22) or click here to go to our Areopagus podcast on iTunes where this episode can be downloaded.

Munn’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Faith & the city - part 3

Areopagus # 24

W

here do faith and the city intersect? What does faith in the city look like? In June, Dr. Jonathan Chaplin challenged participants to consider those questions at the Faith and the City Symposium sponsored by The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg Canada. The event drew a capacity audience of people who are engaged with these issues and under Dr Chaplin’s leadership they grappled with the everyday challenges of living faith in the living organism of the city. Articles written by Chaplin have appeared on theRubicon: Sphere sovereignty & public life | Street-level justice

Chaplin’s final talk of the Symposium was the sermon during an evocative Sunday morning service. It was entitled: Seeking the Welfare of the City. To listen to this presentation (runs 24:59) click on the arrow or click here to go to our Areopagus podcast on iTunes where this episode can be downloaded.

Chaplin’s first lecture from the Faith and the City Symposium appeared on theRubicon on July 27, and the second was posted last Friday. Chaplin’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Faith & the city - part 2

Areopagus # 23

W

here do faith and the city intersect? What does faith in the city look like? In June, Dr. Jonathan Chaplin challenged participants to consider those questions at the Faith and the City Symposium sponsored by The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg Canada. The event drew a capacity audience of people who are engaged with these issues and under Dr Chaplin’s leadership they grappled with the everyday challenges of living faith in the living organism of the city. Articles written by Chaplin have appeared on theRubicon: Sphere sovereignty & public life | Street-level justice

Chaplin’s second, and primary, lecture at the Symposium was entitled: Street Level Justice: A Christian View of the City. To listen to this talk (runs 1:00:45) click on the arrow or click here to go to our Areopagus podcast on iTunes where this episode can be downloaded.

Chaplin’s first lecture from the Faith and the City Symposium appeared on theRubicon last Friday; the final presentation will be posted on August 10. Chaplin’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Faith & the city - part 1

Areopagus # 22

W

here do faith and the city intersect? What does faith in the city look like? In June, Dr. Jonathan Chaplin challenged participants to consider those questions at the Faith and the City Symposium sponsored by The Salvation Army Ethics Centre in Winnipeg Canada. The event drew a capacity audience of people who are engaged with these issues and under Dr Chaplin’s leadership they grappled with the everyday challenges of living faith in the living organism of the city. Articles written by Chaplin have appeared on theRubicon: Sphere sovereignty & public life | Street-level justice

Chaplin’s first lecture at the Symposium set the scene and provided background for his two subsequent presentations. To listen to this initial talk, entitled “God’s Servant for Your Good”: A Christian View of the State (runs 43:30) click on the arrow or click here to go to our Areopagus podcast on iTunes where this episode can be downloaded.

The two subsequent Chaplin lectures from the Faith and the City Symposium will appear on theRubicon on August 3 and 10. Chaplin’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading

Innocence & shrewdness

Areopagus #21

H

ave you had enough of pizza parties, ice cream socials and mall scavenger hunts? Are you a young person looking for a more meaningful engagement with the ancient truths and imperatives of the Christian faith? Are you an older person ready for an unapologetic foray against the enemy of our souls? Major Richard Munn sounds the battle cry to join a fight we dare not neglect. In a thunderous January 2007 summons at Roots South in Talladega, Alabama, Munn declares war… and calls for reinforcements. To listen click on the arrow below (runs: 29:16) or click here to go to our Areopagus podcast on iTunes where this episode can be downloaded.

Munn’s biography is available on the next page. › Continue reading