What Difference Does Christ Really Make??

“Faith today is treated as something that only should make us different, not that actually does or can make us different.  In reality we vainly struggle against the evils of this world, waiting to die and go to heaven.  Somehow we’ve gotten the idea that the essence of faith is entirely a mental and inward thing.”—Dallas Willard

I recently began reading the book The Hole in Our Gospel:  What Does God Expect of Us? by Richard Stearns.  Stearns seeks to answer a number of relevant questions pertaining to the Gospel.  Questions such as:  What does God expect of us?  What is the Christian faith about?  What does it mean to be a Christian? How are Christians to live in the world?  What kind of relationship are we to have with a holy God?

Sterns puts forth his thesis in the Introduction as he writes; “The idea behind The Hole in Our Gospel is quite simple.  It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God.  It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.”

What difference does Christ really make in the life of a Christian?  Does the acceptance of Christ into our life, in fact, change our belief system, our worldview?  Does the behavior of the Christian really change?  Do the desires of life change when one becomes a Christian?

What concerns me greatly in recent years is that when life’s issues and crises push hard into the life of the Christian, how do we respond?  It is alarming that, according to The Barna Group, the born-again Christian is just as prone to divorce as the non-Christian.  So what difference has Christ made in the life of the Christian?  Do Christians take better care of themselves physically than non-Christians?  So what difference does Christ really make in the life of the Christian? It is alarming that Christians seem to gravitate toward the same system of values that non-Christians possess.

Sterns postulates that “in our evangelistic efforts to make the good news accessible and simple to understand, we seem to have boiled it down to a kind of ‘fire insurance’ that one can buy.  Then, once the policy is in effect, the sinner can go back to whatever life he was living—of wealth and success, or of poverty and suffering.  As long as the policy is in the drawer, the other things don’t matter as much.  We’ve got our ‘ticket’ to the next life.”

So what difference does Christ really make, if in hard times we revert back to the way of life we lived before we came to Christ?

I am astonished that you  are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all.—Galatians 1:6 – 7

The evidence of a life dedicated to Christ must be observed in the transformation, of not only one’s system of values; but, in one’s behaviors, as well.  One’s system of values must be evidenced in one’s behavior, especially in the hard times of life.  Let us intentionally seek to determine how we should live our lives in Christ.  Let’s walk the walk as we talk the talk!  We all know, however, that walking is a much harder task to accomplish than talking! 

The 10,000-Hour Rule (Part II)

As we move forward with our dialogue concerning:  What does it take for a candidate, cadet, or officer to become an expert in Salvation Army/Christian ministry?  What might the 10,000 hours of intensive practice look like for the individual who desires to become a Salvation Army officer?

First, it is vital to state the purpose of Salvation Army officer training.  The Orders and Regulations for the Training of Salvation Army Officers expresses that the supreme aim is "to develop officers possessing such Blood and Fire spirit that they will be enabled to sustain and advance the interest of The Salvation Army."  The National Statement of Training Goals states that the program should produce Salvation Army officers who:

1.      Know God, evidenced by holiness of heart, purity of life, prayer, witness, service, sacrifice, nobility of character and quality of living.

2.      Know themselves, their strengths and how to direct them, their weaknesses and how to overcome them, their potentials and how to develop them.

3.      Know their mission, understanding the implications of God's call to officership, understanding the nature and mission of The Salvation Army, understanding their commitment to it and their place within it, both men and women together, sharing the burden of the world's sin and suffering, desiring above self, comfort, recognition, and all else the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

What will the 10,000 hours resemble in the training of Salvation Army officers utilizing the three pillars outlined in the earlier post?

Achievement is talent plus preparation.  How would the 10,000 hours be calculated?  The current training program is comprised of three components:  Pre-Training, Training and Continuing Education.  I have calculated the Pre-Training program liberally to be comprised on 250 hours (50 hours for the course, 50 hours for mentoring and coaching by the corps officer, and 150 hours of corps level experience) during the year prior to entering the School for Officer Training.  The Training program can be calculated at 8 hours average per day for six days per week (48 hours per week) times 95 weeks equals 4,560 hours over the 22 month training period.  This is a conservative estimate encompassing spiritual formation, in-class hours, field training, worship, and summer assignment.  I further would calculate the probationary period of officership (first 5 years) as the Continuing Education program.  This five (5) years of experience can be calculated as 1,000 hours per year.  This equals 5,000 hours.  For some it will be more, or others less depending on the type of experience gained and the level of praxis (study, practice, dialogue and reflection, study, practice, dialogue and reflection, etc…).

This calculation, of course, must be individualized.  Does the candidate, the cadet, and the officer excel at each training level—making the most of the time and opportunities presented?  Or do they simply move through the motions at each or any level of these training programs?  Is the first five years of officership a continuation of an intense training?  Is the officer exposed to field practice in their appointment which builds upon the prior training received?  Is our field experience building upon the prior training through intense study and practice during this time period (first five years of officership)?

Opportunity.  Each newly commissioned officer is given opportunity through their appointment.  Is (s)he presented with new experience while being mentored and coached by a highly functioning, experienced officer—a mentor or coach who will guide, instruct, correct, allow for practice and experimentation during this on-the-job training period?  This, furthermore, is an extremely impressionable time period in which new officers need an expert (a seasoned “blood and fire” officer) who will listen, advocate and provide spiritual guidance and encouragement.

Divine Providence.  This involves being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people.  We do not trust in luck or coincidence, but believe that our Heavenly Father is actively involved in where we serve and with whom we serve as His salvific purposes unfold. 

May we seek to be in tune with the Heavenly Father so that we can make the most of every opportunity presented to us.  May our lives and work be blessed as we serve the Lord!

The 10,000-Hour Rule

A spirited debate has existed among psychologists for at least several generations regarding the question of whether expertise in a given field is gained through innate talent or intensive practice and experience. Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers seeks to discover why some people succeed far more than others. Gladwell argues that the true story of success is much more complex than innate talent. He postulates the theory, with abundant supporting research, that one’s rise to top of any given field is determined by what is described as the “10,000-Hour Rule.”

This theory is based largely on a study by K. Anders Ericsson. According to Ericsson, Prietula and Cokely, new research shows that outstanding performance is “the product of years of deliberate practice and coaching, not of any innate talent or skill.” In their article, entitled The Making of an Expert, they outline three key factors that underlay elite performance in a given domain. These factors are deliberate practice; outstanding coaching, feedback and mentoring; and a significant investment of effort over time (typically ten years or more).

Gladwell claims greatness or expertise requires far more than a God-given talent. The 10,000-Hour Rule is centered upon three pillars. The first is that achievement is talent plus preparation. Researchers have largely agreed on what they believe is the number for true expertise: 10,000 hours.

Daniel Levitin in his book This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession writes: “The emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—in anything. In study after study, of composers, basketball players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again. Of course, this doesn’t address why some people get more out of their practice sessions than others do. But no one has yet found a case in which true world-case expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that needs to know to achieve true mastery (197).”

Obviously, ten thousand hours is an extraordinary amount of time that requires an encouraging and supporting team to achieve. 10,000 hours is roughly 3 hours a day times 10 years. Furthermore, not all hours of practice or experience are equal. This level of practice must be deliberate, intentional. It requires not simply monotonously repeating tasks and experiences, but building upon previous knowledge and experience. This is what is called scaffolding in education where strategies are developed and implemented to assist learners to succeed through support and experience by activating prior knowledge, building new experiences based upon past successes and failures, providing clear direction, clarifying purpose and expectations, and establishing momentum. The 10,000 hours must, therefore, be intense moving from one level of understanding to new heights of knowledge and experience at each new level.

The second pillar is opportunity. If one is to achieve the 10,000 hours of intensive practice to become an expert, there has to be some kind of opportunity for this practice to take place. This will often take the form of family or friends who will enable the expert-in-training to be able to escape some of the pressures of every-day life to embark upon a journey toward expertise. Normally top achievers also work closely with teachers, coaches or mentors who have reached high levels of performance themselves. This expertise requires individuals who will give of themselves and share their positive successes and painful failures of the past to motivate and guide.

The third pillar is luck. Or in our circles, we would describe this as divine providence. Gladwell illustrates this point by examining the formative years of Bill Gates and several others. The computer savvy Gates succeeded in part as a result of an incredibly lucky series of events—connecting with the right people at the right time in the right location.

What does this have to do with becoming a Salvation Army officer?? Everything!! The question before us is simply this: What does it take for a candidate, cadet, or officer to become an expert in Salvation Army/Christian ministry?? There are a number of great-hearts in The Salvation Army today and in the years past. I can name a few and you probably can, as well. How did they become the experts in ministry they are today?? And who influenced them and how??

In the next blog, I will seek to contextualize the 10,000-Hour Rule to expertise in Salvation Army/Christian ministry. What might the 10,000 hours of intensive practice look like for the candidate, cadet, Salvation Army officer??

The Cost of Discipleship--Forsaking The Old Life!

To truly follow Jesus Christ, we must consider the cost and put Christ above everything else. Therefore, discipleship requires. . .

Forsaking The Old Life!

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61 – 62)

The response of Jesus to this potential disciple indicates that Jesus interprets this response as a desire to cling onto the old life. One who turns back from the task shows themselves to unworthy of discipleship. Darrel Bock comments that “only Luke quotes this symbolism of the plow, a detail that stresses the disciple’s commitment. Disciples cannot back off from the task. Discipleship is not a second job, a moonlighting task, an ice-cream social or a hobby. It is the product of God’s calling and should be pursued with appropriate seriousness.”

A disciple cannot have one foot in Christian life and ministry and one foot left in the old life. Discipleship is not a game of Christian Twister. Saying farewell to one’s friends and family is also an essential courtesy in the east. However, this would take a long time and would result in this man being unable to accompany Jesus.

Cyprian wrote . . . “The Lord warns us of this in his gospel lest we return to the devil again and to the world, which we have renounced and from which we have escaped…Lest anyone, either because of some desire for wealth or by his own charm be persuaded from following Christ.”

Turning back from discipleship is showing oneself unworthy of discipleship.

Friends, it is time to take hold of the plow. It is time to put kingdom business ahead of worldly business. Following Christ may be difficult. It may make your life a little less comfortable, but I can assure you that nothing on this earth is more fulfilling, more joy producing, than following Christ.



Friends, are you willing to engage in a totally focused commitment to discipleship?

Are you willing to Trust Fully in Christ?

Are you willing to Lay Aside All Excuses?

Are you willing to Forsake the Old Life?

The choice is yours: Will you consider the cost, put Christ above all else, and not turn back?

The Cost of Discipleship: Laying Aside All Excuses!

To truly follow Jesus Christ, we must consider the cost and put Christ above everything else. Therefore, discipleship requires. . .

Laying Aside All Excuses!

He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the main replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (59 – 60)

At face value, the request seems more than reasonable. Burial was a sacred duty among Jews during this time. Burial must take place on the day of the death. In all likelihood, the father had not yet died. If this man waited for his father to die, he would miss the opportunity to accompany Jesus. The response of Jesus shows that He expects a radical transfer of loyalties. For this individual, providing a suitable funeral for one’s father is a religious, family and social obligation. The “dead” are to perform the burial. In those words, let the spiritually dead bury the physical dead. The spiritual dead would not be following Jesus and they would be at home and could fulfill the task.

Discipleship requires laying aside religious obligations. Discipleship requires laying aside family obligations. Discipleship requires laying aside social obligations

Basil the Great wrote… “Disciples must learn that the divine takes precedence over the human and that human obligation cannot stand in the way of Christian discipleship.”

Even the very best of excuses must not get in the way of true discipleship.