A not-so-hypothetical situation

[Abiel]

Imagine you are married to a dear dear person, who is not a Christian. Imagine you begin to see signs of a breakthrough happening.


Further, these signs emerge in ecumenical contexts which are vastly different to 'Army'. The dear person has already made it perfectly clear that 'army' doesn't float their boat- but today says they have no objection in principle to attending a local funky church, as a family, at some point in the future.

Do you stay together as a family and migrate, or split up- staying loyal to the Army, and let him go off on his own, knowing that he probably won't, because 'as a family' was what he said.

 

[shadistarr]

hmmm. Well I'm sure you're praying about it. So I'll just give you my opinion. This maybe unhelpful because I'm not really a salvationist, just a groupie, so to speak. I think you should be supportive of the dear dear loved one and help them to find God, even if it isn't in the context of the Army. I would hope that your corps would understand that for a season you may need to leave and "stand in solidarity" with your loved one. That doesn't mean that you will be gone forever. Again, perhaps I have a slightly reversed perspective of this topic because I am going through the process for the opposite direction. However, I have a dear loved one that isn't a Christian that likes to go to the church that I've been going to (not a Salvation Army), but wouldn't like going to a corps, so I think I can relate.
I hope you find confirmation and peace about the whole situation, and that your dear loved one comes to know the Lord.

 

[mac8]

Will pray you find a good way through. :0)

Warmest blessings
E.

 

[Abiel]

He has said that tomorrow, we go as a family to the sunrise service...admittedly the bacon butties are a big draw, but still dh getting up at 5.30am to do church???

 

[ChristInAction]

Pray.
u can do both. you can stay true to the church your heart is & take ur husband to the other church. maybe after he gets use to a church setting he'll diside that the salvation army isnt that bad. in the mean time try to do both wether its go to a morning meeting one place & night meeting the other. idk what the church times are so I dont know if ether have a night service but its an opition.
Or if different meetings doesnt work you could try alturnet weeks. There just 2 suggestion to help you.
seeing out side your own church & even denomanation is good. gives you a better understanding of what goes on in the world & u see God in different lights.
But dont what ever you do turn you back on where you know is right, dont leave your salvo home all together. Your husband needs you stronge in faith to grow in his & the best place to get & stay stronge is where you know, love & have a caring family to support you.

 

[Evangelina]

*huggggggggggggggg*

First - woooooohooooooo!!!!!!!

Second - TSA ain't the be all and end all of god's family (whoops, am I gonna get kicked out? ). The important thing is staying in the family!

Third - pray. And don't worry in the meantime. God will guide. In his time.

Fourth - maybe you need to move to australia and check out our funky and modern corps (plural)

 

[Abiel]

Moving to Australia sounds great! So jealous of the army there. We've got Bob Street back now- we had hoped that Vic and Ros Poke would bring sweeping change, but they all get here, and I think assume we are mostly happy with the drabness they find

Anyway. I popped along to a local funky church for the evening service yesterday. It was most excelletn, and refreshing, and kind of gave me the energy for the battle to come. We have no evening meeting, so no conflict there. Praying for DS as he grows, knowing that there are alternatives.

And I tend to agree with the suggestions which say that staying together as a family would be important. When he comes to faith, he will be a baby, and I want to be there to see him grow!

 

[mac8]

I'm hearing 'it's drab' from one of my young people. I'm asking them to describe what would not be drab, and then working to create it outside the corps, either at home or in a small group somewhere for them and their friends - not instead of the corps, but to make sure their needs are met elsewhere if not in the regular programme.

But it needs pinning down really carefully, if you don't understand what needs changing it is difficult to do. I'm trying to bear in mind a suggested formula for what people look for - (was it Stott who came up with this one) significance, community and transcendence.

Hmm. Getting the music right is crucial. My kids want to play and want everyone involved in making music and dancing and so on, so I've shown them a bunch of resources and told them to describe their ideal music, etc. and do they want to choose it and invent it themselves?

Come back with more ideas!

E.

 

[Abiel]

we are always forced back to dull though- we are allowed a token, but anymore leads to open revolt.

Anyway, we have corps review in two weeks time. It's going to be interesting!

 

[Abiel]

just by the act of worshipping in a normal frock, i was able to kneel, bow, wave my arms, dance, shake my tush, so on and so forth. it was so liberating

 

[Timyone]

go forth and find a church that suits