The clock ticks 8:25am and half of the desks are full. Computers going tap, tap, tap in the background. Staff sitting in little rooms on conference calls. The kitchen staff are making minestrone soup (and for some reason they're only charging $3!). The photocopiers are already spitting out leaflets that means someone needs to plant some more trees. The I.T. department are answering calls. People are writing on whiteboards. Someone's recording a video for an up and coming production.
Then there's meetings. And a couple of more meetings. And another meeting. There's a plethora of items to discuss. Great productivity! I find a quick moment to grab a coffee. International roast. Ok, that wasn't positive.
Production plans. Strategic plans. Resource plans. The best laid plans. Lots of plans.
This is THQ.
Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters.
It's all happening. It's hard to describe, and I honestly don't know why I feel so energized.
I'm choosing to park my own previous cynicism and pessimism into the parking lot of history. See, the last couple of days I have witnessed an energy and passion about the mission of The Salvation Army that I didn't particularly expect to come from where it has. Forgive me, but some of you know what I mean. Perception is different to reality. The reality is, I see many people absolutely committed to transforming the soon to be Australia Territory into the best it can be. Some change and project management staff are working mighty long hours, with an amazing attitude, totally committed to producing the systemic change that The Salvation Army desperately needs to see.
For the sake of the Kingdom of God.
I am gobsmacked by the number of staff who may or may not have a faith in Christ, who are like pocket-rocket-change-management-gurus who love what The Salvation Army stands for, and who we are. Sometimes they love it more than Salvationists who have supposedly signed a Soldier's Covenant! They get the mission. They are for the mission. And they want to see The Salvation Army succeed.
There is no us and them. There is no pretention. There is no talk about 'who's better than who'. There's just paper flying everywhere and more PowerPoint slides than I've had chicken dinners. And I've had a lot of chicken dinners.
So, I have an opportunity for the next few weeks. I choose to support the change work that is being done in the national transformation of The Salvation Army in Australia. And, I feel like there's a fire in my spiritual belly to do what I can, with the time allotted to me, with the current capacity I have, to make a difference and play my part. (I have a 4-week secondment to learn and support the transition process - and I'm grateful for the opportunity).
I can see God truly doing a new thing through this movement. I see a picture of Jesus literally holding up The Salvation Army with his victorious right hand!
