Aggressive Christianity Conference

I had a great opportunity this past weekend to attend the Aggressive Christianity Conference in San Francisco. Let me start off by saying that I don’t believe there could be a better place in the States to have a conference like that. Humanity is all around you in San Francisco.

The opening session started off as many Salvation Army events do. The PraiseWorks band did a great job of getting everyone excited and ready to begin our mission for the weekend. By the time General Gowans spoke there was something in the air. Something that could only be attributed to the Holy Spirit moving in there. Something that made you forget there were nearly 300 other Salvationist in the room with you.

General Gowans theme Friday night was obedience. He talked about how it was better than sacrifice and even better than worship. He spoke about how we could do all the things for the Lord that we wanted, but if we weren’t doing what He was asking us to do, even the smallest thing, then we weren’t being obedient to His will. For me, this was the most powerful part of the weekend and the perfect way to start.

Over the course of the weekend we heard several people speak. People who all had amazing stories. People who were obedient to God and stepped out on faith, against their better judgment and out of their comfort zone. Among the speakers, perhaps the most dynamic was Michael Collins who took “aggressive Christianity” to a new level. He’s a very animated, in-your-face speaker, but does so in a manner that makes him easy to relate to.

We also heard amazing stories of God at work during Saturday afternoon outreaches. The most interesting of these I heard was about the group that came head to head with war protesters during their open air. The general feeling was that there was something working against them–a force that didn’t want them to be there. However, they stayed faithful to their chosen mission that day, as faithful soldiers do, and proceeded in spite of the chaotic surroundings and the hundreds of people gathered on the street.

The presentation of “Joe the Turk” by Major Edward Hobgood was no less exciting. It was a good history lesson and example of an aggressive Christian. It reminded me of how lucky we have it today that we can worship how and when we want, but also how much weaker we have become. We’re an Army in 110 countries yet our churches sit empty Sunday after Sunday.

I also had the opportunity to attend a workshop by Corey Harrison called “The De-Evolution of The Salvation Army.” Corey is the guy who gave us the modernized version of Catherine Booth’s Aggressive Christianity. Corey is also a guy who turned down a job of being a Divisional Youth Secretary in London, England and moving his family into a homeless shelter in Chattanooga, TN. If that isn’t extreme and aggressive, I don’t know what is. He shared with us how he brings in homeless people from the street, recently clean drug addicts, and brings them into his home, the apartment above the shelter, and lets them live with him and his family.

God really took some time to humble me and convict me during the weekend as well. He forced me to open my eyes to the world around me. That conviction hit me hard on Sunday morning. After a spirit-filled weekend I still chose to look away. Before the workshop Sunday morning I went to Starbucks to get a latte. On my way in the door a homeless man asked me for spare change. I shook my head like I didn’t have any and turned away. Here I was, Bible in hand, proudly wearing my new Salvation Army shirt that says “Saved to Serve”, walking into Starbucks to spend $3 on a single drink, and I ignored one of God’s children. One of my own brothers. God stood in my path and I denied Him and ignored Him.

One of the questions posed during the Action Summit was “what do we do with what we’ve learned here?” What was encouraging to me was that even though all of our Corps have different needs and concerns and problems, we all had faith, and a fire sparked in us that we knew a difference could be made. We made connections with each other. We got to know each other–other people that can remind us and encourage us in our mission to be more aggressive Christians.

A great verse to serve as a reminder of our call as Christians is Matthew 10:5-16.

Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.
“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
“When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.
“When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll be mighty sorry—but it’s no concern of yours now.
“Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.”

No related posts.