Believer's Creed

I believe life is more than survival.
I believe the heart is more than a muscle.
I believe we can know right from wrong.
I believe in hope and freedom.
I believe my life can make a difference.
I believe the message of the cross.
What do you believe?
(c) 2004 OneWayOut

I believe following Jesus should be radical
I believe being filled with the Holy Spirit gives us the power we need for ministry
I believe the Salvation Army is a passionate movement reaching the lost
I believe I'm a part of that movement
I believe Corps Planting needs to be a focus for our Territory
I believe we are called to do more than maintain, but to establish and build
I believe that in the future God is going to bring breath and life into our Salvation Army.
I believe it. Do you?

I consider our Church to be Traditional?

The Australia Southern Territory did a Natural Church Development survey back in 2005, and struggled with the question, 'Do you consider your church to be traditional?'

A guy named Joe S Ellis says, 'Traditionalism elevates expedient forms or practises to a sacrosanct position and insists on their perpetuation. Traditions frequently outlive any semblance of reason. Tradition may become a handicap...'

Are you still with me? The Salvation Army struggled generally with this question, maybe because in the past we've focused too much on preserving the form of the Army, as opposed to the mission of the Army. See, our mission is to reach the lost. The form that that takes should look different as our world changes/progresses. (If I'm still singing 'Shout to the Lord' in 2040, I'll shoot myself - and Darlene from Hillsong church will probably shoot me too).

Lets recapture the thought, that the Salvation Army is about bringing salvation to the lost, and within that, reforming society. We are not called to go into all the world and make brass players. Nor are we called to make soliders who just sit in church on Sundays. We are called to build an army sold out to Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Lets seek first the Kingdom of God and let everything else be secondary to that.

Whose with me? Whose gonna change their world for Jesus? Don't be sold out to holding onto traditions, but hold on to the author and perfector of our faith - JESUS!

2007: A Year of Fruitfulness

Last year, contained many challenges and many busy nights involved in ministry. The ministry at Werribee was starting to take form, and take off, but then God has called Jo and I off to the Salvo Training College. Bec Shinkel said to me, 'You know Pete, you'll probably never get to see the benefits of the work you've put into our Youth Ministry.' What a funny thing. Right when things are beginning to take shape, God says, 'Oih! You! It's time to move on!' I guess God has it in control of course, but my heart knows that for Werribee, 2007 will be a year of fruitfulness.

The seeds are planted, and they're ready to blossom. The church is ready for something bigger. The church is beginning to be expectanct again for miracles, for Jesus to transform lives and the community to be reformed. The church will move into its new facilities in the early part of the year, and momentum will build. The church community will continue to express its love for Christ through it's wider community involvement. People will be saved. 2007, will be a year of fruitfulness.

Kev said in a prayer meeting recently, that we need to continue to be faithful, and frutifulness will flow out from that. If we strive to be faithful to God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, then God will birth results that will amaze us and bless us. The apostle John knew this, when he wrote, 'If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit' (15:5). I pray God will help Werribee Salvos continue to be faithful, passionate and intentional about growing the Kingdom, and I believe God will make 2007 a year... of fruitfulness.