Farewell?
Today, our corner of the Kingdom went through the yearly ritual of the announcement of farewells. For those of you unfamiliar with Army nomenclature, that means that over the past few days, people have been given the news of new appointments in our movement. Those of us who signed up as officers don't have a choice really. When you supervising officer indicates you are moving, you move.
This year is an unusually short amount of time for people to uproot their families and get their affairs in order. In four weeks, people will be settling into new homes, communities and assignments.
I grew up in this system. My parents are retired officers. I thank God for their faithfulness, but wonder how they did it with the four of us. The longest I ever lived anywhere prior to one of my own appointments was four years. In fact, I attended four different high schools in four years. I must admit, it was brutal.
I had the duty of informing people of their moves. Some received the news with great exuberance, others with a sense of duty, still others struggled. I know of that struggle as an officer. I have thought a couple of times, "Why me? Why there? Why now?" To be honest, I did not always have an answer. I was not always happy. In fact, in one move, I struggled mightily.
I say all this, because like many of my colleagues, I struggle with the appointment system. I believe that the movement of officers is prayed over and not taken lightly. I know moves at times are even agonizing for our leaders to make. In fact, one leader I worked with would not even kid about moves. He saw our duty as a sacred trust and that it was about the lives of people. I carry that mantra with me today.
Unlike some of my colleagues, I choose to believe that moves are made with the best intentions of the Army and the individuals involved. Many, I believe, are convinced there is a more political agenda in moves. I don't think that to be true all of the time. I don't believe in the "dart board" theory either.
No, my struggle lies in someone else controlling my movements as a person. I have always struggled with this, but then submitted to what I believed to be part of my calling. My mentor, Bill, calls it "intentional obedience." There are many days I lean this way.
I am not convinced that I have always chosen to obey. I think at times, I have not really had an option of what to do. I admit I have not had time to process my options. If I had, I wonder in those times of doubt if I would have maintained my officership. There were trying days. I am enough of a rebel at heart, that the idea that people in a room, no matter how prayed up, would put me in a place with little consultation from me frightens me. Maybe it is my controlling nature. Maybe it is the fact that our culture as an organization needs to become less authoritarian and more collaborative, especially as it pertains to honoring the commitment of officers and the pain of leaving places we love, while protecting our families.
I know I tread on dangerous ground here. I am probably not going to be viewed favorably by many who see our system as totally God-ordained. I think even the best intentions of people involves our humanity and is not a perfect science. Sometimes, I do think we get it wrong. Most times, I think it comes out at least acceptably. Many times it comes out just right. Often times though, I am not sure those of us in this system, fare well.
I love the missional thrust of the Army. I know that it is a God-ordained movement. I believe, however, it may be time to look at the move system. Should we give officers a bit longer time to get ready? Should the process be more collaborative? If so, what would that look like? Even when we pray over the moves do we get them right?
I am not about Army bashing here. As I said, I do struggle with some of this. It is a spiritual struggle for me, I know. I would like some constructive dialogue. I don't want venomous talk. I do think that we need to be truthful. For many of us this will take courage in this open forum. I hope we are not viewed as rebellious or in some way insubordinate. By jumping in you may well be viewed that way. Rather, I want us to really be constructive. As always, I would like to know....
What do you think?
This year is an unusually short amount of time for people to uproot their families and get their affairs in order. In four weeks, people will be settling into new homes, communities and assignments.
I grew up in this system. My parents are retired officers. I thank God for their faithfulness, but wonder how they did it with the four of us. The longest I ever lived anywhere prior to one of my own appointments was four years. In fact, I attended four different high schools in four years. I must admit, it was brutal.
I had the duty of informing people of their moves. Some received the news with great exuberance, others with a sense of duty, still others struggled. I know of that struggle as an officer. I have thought a couple of times, "Why me? Why there? Why now?" To be honest, I did not always have an answer. I was not always happy. In fact, in one move, I struggled mightily.
I say all this, because like many of my colleagues, I struggle with the appointment system. I believe that the movement of officers is prayed over and not taken lightly. I know moves at times are even agonizing for our leaders to make. In fact, one leader I worked with would not even kid about moves. He saw our duty as a sacred trust and that it was about the lives of people. I carry that mantra with me today.
Unlike some of my colleagues, I choose to believe that moves are made with the best intentions of the Army and the individuals involved. Many, I believe, are convinced there is a more political agenda in moves. I don't think that to be true all of the time. I don't believe in the "dart board" theory either.
No, my struggle lies in someone else controlling my movements as a person. I have always struggled with this, but then submitted to what I believed to be part of my calling. My mentor, Bill, calls it "intentional obedience." There are many days I lean this way.
I am not convinced that I have always chosen to obey. I think at times, I have not really had an option of what to do. I admit I have not had time to process my options. If I had, I wonder in those times of doubt if I would have maintained my officership. There were trying days. I am enough of a rebel at heart, that the idea that people in a room, no matter how prayed up, would put me in a place with little consultation from me frightens me. Maybe it is my controlling nature. Maybe it is the fact that our culture as an organization needs to become less authoritarian and more collaborative, especially as it pertains to honoring the commitment of officers and the pain of leaving places we love, while protecting our families.
I know I tread on dangerous ground here. I am probably not going to be viewed favorably by many who see our system as totally God-ordained. I think even the best intentions of people involves our humanity and is not a perfect science. Sometimes, I do think we get it wrong. Most times, I think it comes out at least acceptably. Many times it comes out just right. Often times though, I am not sure those of us in this system, fare well.
I love the missional thrust of the Army. I know that it is a God-ordained movement. I believe, however, it may be time to look at the move system. Should we give officers a bit longer time to get ready? Should the process be more collaborative? If so, what would that look like? Even when we pray over the moves do we get them right?
I am not about Army bashing here. As I said, I do struggle with some of this. It is a spiritual struggle for me, I know. I would like some constructive dialogue. I don't want venomous talk. I do think that we need to be truthful. For many of us this will take courage in this open forum. I hope we are not viewed as rebellious or in some way insubordinate. By jumping in you may well be viewed that way. Rather, I want us to really be constructive. As always, I would like to know....
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 3:38 PM
19 Comments:
Tough topic - the system seems wrought with difficulty, particularly as the power is held in so few hands, and none is given to the officer or to the congregation, perhaps the greater sin and a sign of disrespect to our people.
See The Officer, May/June, So Long, Farewell, for some thoughts on the process of farewells.
A larger question to me, however, is, 'is this a godly way of living in biblical community?' Is it just, merciful, and loving? Is mission effectively achieved when people are sent somewhere where they don't want to be, or when a shepherd is uprooted from a flock without warning? Obviously it works relatively well for the organization, or it would be changed. We're pragmatic in that way. But I don't think that's true on an individual level.
So how do we answer the questions? If we use the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, which gives a paradigm for thinking about all kinds of practical theology questions, what do we find?
Is the appointment system biblical? A case could most likely be made either way on this one, although I don't think that you could prove that the Army system is the only one by using scripture.
What does reason tell us? Reason would tell me that when people feel as though they have some choice, they do better.
What does history tell us? Would we find support for this in other demoninations throughout the centuries? Some, but not too many in our current culture.
What does experience tell us? Currently, experience would tell us that the system needs change - but that's my experience and your experience speaking - there may be others whose experiences with the appointment system has been wonderful. (Please join the conversation).
Someone recently asked me, 'if you had it to do all over again, would you become an officer?' My answer would be no, because of this very subject. What I thought I could handle at age 20 has become increasingly more intolerable. While it does provide wonderful opportunities for ministry, the lack of self-determination on a number of levels would keep me from choosing this path as the person I am now, more than 30 years later. It may work for many, but it doesn't for me.
Now I'll get even more daring. If we removed the God card from this, would we, as professional people, be willing to submit to the kind of authority that we do in this organization? As a university professor, nurse, biologist, would we be willing to relocate with a month's notice on an average of evey 3.4 years, without any input as to whether or not to go, or where we would go or what we would do? So does adding the faith overlay make it more palatable? Or does guilt at not having enough faith or willling obedience make our questioning of the system less than holy?
Wonder why William and Catherine weren't willing to submit to that kind of authority, but required it of those who followed them? When they were given farewell orders, they quit, because they thought that they had a better idea of God's direction for them than did the church leaders. Hmm . . .
To end on a light note, I guess we should be grateful that the Booths decided against vegetarianism - we would have had to refuse that Big Mac money on principle.
My neighbors were asking me this vein of question last night we stood in a driveway placing wood on a raging fire as a rather enormous gang of 7 families worth of children were chasing lightning bugs, toasting marshmallows, playing baseball with nerf footballs, mother may I? and jumprope.
This is a new neighborhood, us having purchased the quarters about 18 months ago.
We received a move phone call this week. It was not received with peals of encouragement, celebration or good vibrations.
So these new friends, these new collaborators with raising our children - who know A. doesn't like chocolate and T. needs insulin, K. can hold her breath for 45 seconds and N. is a Lego Staw Wars X box champion, this is "their" first move and they are slightly bewildered with many things. At a time I am more dazed than ever, in need of a kit gloves treatment I need to console these bothered hearts who are bewildered by:
:the horror of 4 weeks notice.
:the amazing efficiency of 4 weeks notice
:the phenomenal detail of not needing to purchase and sell a home
:the exceptional timing of all transfers being notified on one day and in four weeks the input/output transfer - a home which could only be empty for an hour if necessary
:the sheer surprise that is administered with 1 phone call
:a card file system which can keep all owned items in check and balance
:how little "stuff" we own
:the fact it doesn't matter if I don't "like" the new house, I still have to live there. They didn't have any idea about the original home we lived in as transitional housing when we first moved here, the back-breaking cleaning (shoveling/sterilizing) we needed to achieve, that Dave and I didn't have a bed for 9 weeks because the furniture was all stolen
:how many children were crying on Thursday evening and how apologetic Dave and I were about that.
I have not taken a world wide web nuclear waste information dump opportunity about this appointment and have been criticized by some about "not being open about problems". I will not dump about its toxicity. All of this appointment's complexities/voids of integrity/embezzlement issues/illegal real estate traffic and a dump truck much more have equaled an unduplicatable experience - and it has turned out to be a complete cycle: an unduplicatable reaction to a move.
And there were people in place to listen.
Thank you Larry.
And those who were in that very short line of people who needed to listen were able to diffuse much of this terrible reaction by one thing:
:including my husband and myself with much needed, relevant information, professional, vocational input and a brief glimpse at a 10 year window.
There is a better way to manage the efficiency of the appointment system and balance it with the input of the people it affetcs most intensely - collaborative inclusion.
Working within the local vineyard of God's global ministry does not need to leave people bleeding and empty.
Collaborative inclusion - there is high value and esteem and ministry achieved by making moves a conversation instead of a pronouncement. It can diffuse the doubts which seem like time bombs that can attack; it is a viable trust system which has all the componants in place at the ready.
I never dreamed that I would ever try to persuade someone to LET me stay here, to try to fight to stay here. But I was able to be persuaded by legitimate, spiritual, relevant, applicable vocational input which I was able to wrap my heart and my head around.
Every officer needs to be able to benefit from that same treatment, and not during a crisis moment of "where do I live/work otherwise if I don't do this?" No, this collaborative inclusion needs to be done regularly, systematically, viably every 5 years through a face to face interview with details on paper.
It is porfessional, vocationally, spiritually negligent to harvest candid responses from officers, especially about appointments, and not provide candid intentions back.
Having said more than I wanted, I end this comment, but I continue in the timely achievement of moving details.
And today I bought another 3 boxes of kleenex because the tears that have been shed have not all been my own.
HS and Jessie,
You both raise the question of efficiency in one way or another. Efficiency is not always as easy as we think. Now that I am in this role, I am more accutely aware of this.
I do think, however, the question of biblical community is one that is raised correctly. I am not sure that this is now the best way of living in biblical community. I know that Jesus was homeless, and when it comes to simplicity of life, we should mirror the that trait. I don't own much stuff either.
Today in conversation with my parents, who lived for over 50 years under this system, they indicated that there were times they had 2 weeks to pack us all up and move. I could not believe that they did it. I think it also took a great toll on them and their various flocks.
Jessie's thought about collaborative inclusion is one that has merit. That would mean we would need a major overhaul in the way we conduct officer reviews and in the way we pastorally act toward our officers. It would make the move process painstaking and cause officers and their leaders to really ask the very hard questions of each other. Sometimes, the move is the easy way out. We move people and do not need to ask the question.
Moves are extremely complex . . . so complex that we are stuck in a system that is automatic. It almost can’t be changed. The day of moves being more “collaborative” are a long ways off . . .
The Army needs to spend about a million dollars on a top notch consulting firm to come in and conduct an organizational audit and figure out how to address some of our challenges.
Of course the leader that initiates the plan will get moved at about the time the consult is completed. The next leader won’t agree and will probably think that his predecessor was a nut job . . . and so the story goes . . .
My head hurts every time I think about addressing challenges like this . . .
My fear is that there will come a day when we are forced to either change or die. God may have raised up the Army . . . but he’s entrusted it into our care.
Good post!
Blessings,
Bret
Bret,
You do have an interesting perspective. I am afraid it is borne out of experience and based in reality.
You are right though, maybe it is time for us to have someone from the outside look at us again. The last time that happened, was over 25 years ago.
i realize this is mostly an officer forum. But as a child of officers and a bit unusual one at that, I am still locked into the psychology of moving. I just did again. Sometimes, I wish I was still in the "machine" of the army, so like Joseph, I could count being in the prison of other people's choices for my life to be part of God's will/call in a more certain way. Now, as I follow the call of God to unknown parts of the country, I have to daily struggle with is this from God, or is this a product of being moved so many times in my childhood? I attended 7 grade schools (that's a different one every year), and 2 high schools.
I don't think we need an outside guy to come in and do a study. I just think the Army needs to say, bridge repair, let's pause for a time and fall on our faces.., all of us. Although the Army believes it's "doing the most good," the machine is whirring enough to sustain a period of re evaluation and soul searching.
I wonder how many officer's kids become officers because it is the life they knew. I still feel the call of officership on my life. And I'm 51. But does it come from God, or from the pattern of my upbringing? It's not that I've run from it all my life, it's because I could never be sure.
It sometimes seems to me, this pattern of doing things all these years doesn't leave much room for the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit. Am I wrong
Jeff,
Funny that you would ask about the call being just something that you were accustom to. I had that same conversation with an officer's kid just the other day, who is a successful officer by all standards. Their answer was ambiguous at best. I do believe in divine calling. I wonder if it always comes as a lightning bolt?
I love the idea of collaborative consultation. Would it be an easy thing to do? No, it would require beginning the entire move process much earlier, and it would be necessary to remove the "veil of secrecy". I think we are long past the days of moves being arbitrarily made...not only should the officers be consulted, but dare I say it?...our soldiers should have a say- one way or another! What would that look like? I'm not sure, but I think it would be a much healthier system. More difficult to manage, but much healthier.
larry,
I'm beginning to think lightning bolts may be reserved for those that have difficulty seeing the beautiful weather of God's gentle leading. There all along.
We were given the call this past week with several emotions spinning through our minds. With 2 children (ages 2 and 6), 1 dog, and a huge summer program beginning just as we farewell...we cringed at the 4 week notice. 2 weekends we are away (mandatory), so we have to prepare home and corps physically, emotionally, and spiritually for the transition in total less than the 4 weeks notice given.
Sadly, there isn't a quick fix to the situation. So many people involved...can you imagine every corps officer (not to mention DHQ and THQ) being consulted about their appointments? Getting people's input and opinion for a county event takes 3-6 months of consultation and there are only 3 sets of officers here! A challenge, yes...but one that I think would help the officers in every scope of ministry feel valued and appreciated.
Jeff,
Sometimes, I wish I was still in the "machine" of the army, so like Joseph, I could count being in the prison of other people's choices for my life to be part of God's will/call in a more certain way.
Your words are powerful - the system does allow us to avoid the spiritual wrestling that stretches our soul.
Joy to you in your journey.
Alright well here is what I think.
I'm not an officer or an officers kid but I have been the army and attended the same corps my whole life. The whole moving process is probally the part that I like least about the Salvation Army.
I think that the soldiers of the corps and the officer should have say in the moving decision. I have witnessed personally that sometimes "they" get it wrong and the officers come to the corps and leave shortly after. What I don't understand is why it seems that there is such a rush to move someone approximately every 3-5 years. It really messes with the people who go to the corps too. You get to know your officers and you begin to trust them and build up a relationship with them and then May comes and they get orders to leave. Its also hard for the officer coming in too. If you have an amazing corps officer and everyone gets really attached to them and then they leave, the poor officers coming in have some BIG shoes to fill. I know because I experienced this personally at my corps.
Anyway this is going to get off topic but I'm really excited for when my generation takes over the Army. I really think that God is going to send a fresh new wind through and things are going to get shaken up. For the better of course. All this talk on blogspot, facebook and myspace affects the youth more then you think. Although the youth don't always write comments on the blogs and stuff we talk about these issues. I don't know what I am getting at but I just thought I would say it.
thank you hs. And to you too.
Allison, just before I left my corps to begin this new journey to where I am now, my pastors,(CO's) were supportive, but seemed distant. Then 1 week after I arrived here, I found out they were under orders to move. That would explain them being distant. I guess as Salvationists, we are all in God's will somehow. To keep moving. Maybe, the Army way is His way.(?) Aren't we all under God's commission to go out into all the world...? And the disciples, apostles never stopped. Until their lives were taken from them.
Allison,
It rips at the heart of CO's too when we have to leave places we love. I remember the last Sunday in Hempstead, I couldn't breathe. It was if my right arm had been taken off my body. There are still pangs from that move now 9 years ago. You were so little back then.
I too believe that people should have some say in the placement of their Corps Officers. I wonder how difficult that would make things.
I remember that sunday too. I remember the cake you guys had and a picture taken with your whole family behind it. Your faces were sooo red. Everyone was balling their eyes out. I didn't really understand that you were actually leaving I just cried because everyone else was. It was a sad day. It wasn't just that Sunday either. After you guys left everyone was miserable.
The more I think about it shouldn't it be like that everytime an officer leaves their corps? If they did their job right and built relationships with the people in the corps then shouldn't everyone cry and be so sad when their officer leaves? hmm...
I'm sure people having a say in the placement would make it more complicated but the results would be much better. Why not go the extra mile??
What do we know about how other denominations do it? The methodists move their pastors, and, as a friend explained, the congregation has one vote, the pastor one vote, and the bishop three votes. Some manage to stay a long time . . . And they also have a level of connection to the denomination that doesn't require the itinerant commitment. They still do struggle with their system, but at least there is some semblance of consultation.
Allison - the tears are so precious - I love the thought found in I Thess. 2 - Paul talks about being orphaned by being separated from his brothers and sisters - ministry and community happen when we love each other.
Thanks for your honesty, Larry.
I'm a Canadian salvo. Our Territory is experimenting with more consultation, but at this time it is not being applied evenly. What I mean is, our COs (I am a soldier) are moving, and no one from DHQ came to talk to us about it or ask about how a new officer would fit. On the other hand, some corps have had personal visits from the DC and even interviewed potential officers.
Also, we now have a policy that appointments will be at least 5 years, and reviewed every 2 years thereafter, although this doesn't always work out.
There is some progress, but it is slow. It is very complicated, of course. Our move process starts in September! Corps officers in their 5th year are to indicate at that point if they want to move, and Corps Councils are also supposed to have input at this point. But can you imagine, as a CO, telling your Corps Council in September that you want to leave, and then trying to work productively with them for the next 10 months? Same goes for the corps council. This is a big wrinkle.
I think getting rid of the "annual" change should be considered. By moving everyone at once, we create a need to move people, and I think we could go to an as-needed system. That would mean more notice (maybe 8 weeks), to find an appointment for the officer, and find another who is interested.
On a personal note, I know of many young people in my generation (I am 28) who are very interested in ministry, but are not interested in officership, because of the appointment system. These are talented, committed people, but they just can't reconcile themselves with this set up. I think we are losing good people over it.
I also think there are theological considerations here. I mean, we profess a strong doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and our centralized decision making practice is at odds with this. Our recent official publications (I'm thinking in particular of Salvation Story and Servants Together) paint a radically egalitarian picture of community life for the local congregation. We need to consider how our centralized decision making structures square with this.
We all have access to the same Spirit. The appointments board does not have more access to the Spirit than the local corps council. I know our leaders do their very best, but I think we set them an impossible task. It wouldn't matter if Abraham, Moses, and Elijah were sitting in that boardroom, I think they would struggle to discern the will of God for so many diverse people and ministries.
I do think we can learn a lot from other denominations. Methodists and Anglicans have historically had similar authority structures, but have found ways to bring more people to the table while still working within that structure. It is interesting that they sensed the need to change long ago and have acted on it, and we still have this completely top-down system.
If anyone is interested, I wrote an article about this a few years ago for the Journal of Aggressive Christianity (Issue 24, April/May 2003), which you can find in the archives at http://www.armybarmy.com/pdf/JAC_Issue_024.pdf
It is a fairly blunt assessment from a layperson's perspective, and I think I still stand by what I wrote.
Once again, I really appreciated the honesty of all here, and concern for the health of the Army. In the end this is not about control, it should be about the stewardship of our human resources, and trying to find a way to do this that is both effective and consistent with the rest of our theology.
James,
Welcome. The point you make about the priesthood of all believes being at odds with our central governance system is very interesting. I would like to chew on that one for a while.
This is such a hard topic to try and address through the comment section of a blog, or even on a blog itself.
One thing I’ve learned about myself is that, among my greatest passions, evangelism and church growth rest near the top, and so I tend to see all church issues through those two lenses.
Pick up any book on church growth and you’ll see, among others, the following issues addressed; Leadership, Stability, and Time.
Leadership & Stability. People follow leaders. I know that it’s the trendy thing to point out that people who go to a church, simply because of the person preaching or leading worship, are spiritually immature people. I tend to disagree but, even if it’s true, welcome to life on earth. That’s how we’re made and that’s how we work. So, in the rare case that somebody is drawn to one of our Corps because of its new leadership, it’s equally as true that people will leave for the exact same reason. And, when that leader gets moved, people will most likely leave with them. Rotating leadership only leads to instability. TSA works on the notion that, because we’ve created cookie cutter Corps, any CO can step into any Corps and lead without missing a step. Problem is, we’re not living in that world anymore, nor are we worshipping in that church. Where there are still cookie cutter Corps, there are no people, and where there aren’t cookie cutter Corps, there is massive upheaval when its leadership gets moved. Furthermore, we’ve gotten ourselves to a place where our CO’s do all of the leading and all of the work in a Corps, so with new officers, comes new everything. And with new everything, comes a ticked off congregation. It’s not a mathematical equation kids. It’s pretty simple.
Furthermore, most church growth books will tell you that, in the case of an already existing church, it takes a good two years to earn enough trust among a congregation to begin changing the structure of its community life. (Let’s pause here to say that many CO’s don’t wait two years, and thus we so often see angry parishioners writing letters to DHQ.) So two years to earn trust, and then (on average) another two to four years to actually begin changing the structure, getting people to buy into it, getting people to invest in and take ownership of it, finally beginning to see the structure work (and btw, this plan depends on the original plan working exactly right with no room for error whatsoever…good luck), begin to reach out to the community, and begin discipling and introducing the newcomers in and to Christ. And then its time for that new officer, whom these new converts have come to love and see as their pastor, to move on.
I guess it must first be said that, to actually find that kind of success in that amount of time, takes an absolute mover and shaker, a person with a magnetic personality, an exceptional gift of teaching/preaching, or a talent for music (though these last two mostly relate to Christians looking for a new church home). Sorry, but I’ve not met a lot of people with any of the above gifts in the Army. I know that’s harsh, but we’re just not raising up or reaching a lot of those kinds of people. And so, in my mind, we’re left with only one option…and that is to build relationships.
Do I even need to go any farther?
Our current appointment method does not, to say the least, have relationships in mind. So where does that leave us?
In my mind it leaves us with our arms overboard, paddling with all of our might, while the ship goes down and the captain stands behind the wheel swearing that there isn’t a problem.
It’s not often that I praise Canada (or ever, come to think of it), but praise God for your willingness to set aside ego and see that massive pink elephant standing in front of you. It won’t be long before some old leader stands up and says something like, “I’ve been speaking to some of my colleagues in Canada, and they’ve come up with this daring plan to actually visit with the Corps and the CO about upcoming moves. They’ve been having success with it and I wonder if it’s not something we should take a look at.” And then we’ll be one step closer to 1950.
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