15 June 2019 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION  15 JUNE 2019 | Issue 6719 | $1.50

GOD in the

Age

Science of

A Special Issue

Three Salvationists Share How Science Inspires Their Faith Salvationist Andy Oliver Becomes Online Sensation

Seven Days: A Scientist Reflects on the Creation Story Hands Up! National Volunteer Week

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

MANAGING EDITOR Ingrid Barratt | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Matt Gillon | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Hugh Collins, Major Shar Davis | PROOF READING Major Jill

Gainsford, Vivienne Hill OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box

6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

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The Poetry of Science My inspiration for a special War Cry edition on God and science came from an unlikely place. I was listening to an interview with James Corden, the celebrity host of the Late Late Show in the US. James was brought up in The Salvation Army (in true Army style he is even related to one of our local officers—but being the classy publication we are, we shan’t name names).

In the interview, he was asked whether he believes in God, and responded something like: ‘I do believe there must be something out there, but you can’t deny science.’ I was saddened by how commonly people—even within faith—receive the false view that God and science are incompatible.

So this edition celebrates the poetry of science and how it sings of the beauty of creation. Physicist Richard Feynman describes what he sees when he looks at a flower: ‘I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it’s not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimetre; there’s also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure … The fact that the colours in the flower … attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the colour … Science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower.’

As Carol Brieseman says on p.10, we are ‘only dipping our toes in the ocean that is God’. The more we get to know the infinite world around us, the more we stand in awesome wonder at the God of science.

Ingrid Barratt Editor

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Publishing for 135 years | Issue 6719 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

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There is no conflict between science and religion. Our knowledge of God is made larger with every discovery we make about the world.

Joseph H. Taylor Jr 1993 Nobel Prize in Physics

Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Roman 11:36 Ko ngā mea katoa nei hoki, nāna, ā kei runga anō i a ia, ā e ahu ana hoki ki a ia.

Mōna te korōria ake tonu atu! Amine.

Volunteers for the Red Shield Appeal 2018, Lieutenant Colonels Wes and Daphne Rabbitts.

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ands up if you’re a volunteer! It’s National Volunteer Week from 16–22 June, and even if you don’t know it, you are probably volunteering—whether it’s signing up to a church roster or offering to mow your neighbour’s lawn.

Phil Daly studied volunteering as part of his Masters in Education. Growing up in The Salvation Army, volunteering was part of life, he says.

During eight years as an educator at Booth College of Mission, Phil found volunteers to ‘be really passionate and inspiring’.

But unpaid workers are a different breed from paid employees—and the reasons why we might ‘put our hand up’ are not as obvious as we might think.

‘Our motivations for volunteering are widely misunderstood, even among volunteers themselves, because the natural tendency is to assume it’s an altruistic motivation—so most volunteers will say, “I want to help”. But underlying that, the motivations are much more complex,’ he says.

One of the benefits of volunteering is the social aspect. ‘People don’t like to say, “I’m lonely”, so the social aspect gets misreported. But young mums, retired people, young people—they’re looking for connection.’

Another big motivator is career experience—and that should be celebrated: ‘If The Salvation Army can give a person some experience and it’s good for their CV so they can go on to a paid job, that’s good for society and good for the individual. It’s part of our mission to transform lives,’ says Phil.

Research says volunteering can be a life-enhancing experience—not just for the community, but for the volunteer themselves. One retired teacher had

a life-time of skills, including post-graduate literacy training. In her retirement, she found a new lease of life teaching adult literacy. ‘She said, “I still get to use my skills and it gives me a real buzz”. So it’s really positive, because you feel energised by contributing.’

But there is one big motivator most of us don’t want to admit: guilt. ‘In the church we do use that a lot. We’ll say: “If we don’t have Sunday school teachers, we’ll have to shut the programme down”.’

But guilt won’t keep someone motivated for long. ‘So, sure, you might get someone through the door because they feel guilty about Sunday school shutting down. But if they see the difference they are making to the children, and they feel invested in their lives, then that becomes really positive.’

The key to getting the best out of volunteers is to match their motivation with the work they are doing. ‘So if someone volunteers for a social reason, don’t have them folding clothes out the back by themselves. Or if someone really wants to make a difference, make sure they understand that what they are doing is really meaningful.

‘Volunteering is not free labour,’ adds Phil. ‘If you have volunteers, you should be really busy training them and inputting into their lives. As a leader, think about how you can support them to feel fulfilled in their role. Too often we rely on finding bodies to fill a gap. But you actually need to plan and give your time.’

National Volunteer Week is a great opportunity to remember that volunteers are the heartbeat of The Salvation Army. So, this week, volunteer to make them a cake, or simply say thanks!

BY INGRID BARRATT

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 3

OURPEOPLE

Thriller The Hummingbird Project (M, offensive language) Kim Nguyen

For a film that is literally about digging a hole in the ground, it’s a surprisingly fun financial jape that hints at deeper themes. That’s if you can swallow the outlandish set up, where you’re asked to believe Jessie Esienberg (Anton) has the kind of charisma that would convince an investor to hand over millions of dollars.

‘What’s at the end of the tunnel?’ asks the investor ominously. The answer is money. It’s always money.

It’s a race-against-theclock challenge to build a straight fibre tunnel that will shave milliseconds off how quickly information is transmitted to Wall Street.

Alexander Skarsgard has an absolute ball playing a socially awkward coding genius and generally steals the entire show. But where the film begins to get good, is when it starts questioning the futility of our race for money. What is at the end of the tunnel?

It turns out to be a good question. (Reviewed by Ingrid Barratt)

Major Jill Gainsford (War Cry Proof Reader) When Major Nola Reddish was editor of War Cry, she asked Jill to try proof reading because, as Jill recalls, ‘She said I read more than anyone she knew and I could spell—and I’m still here and a happy volunteer!’ Jill is a retired officer with a fairly large family, mostly around Auckland—although she also has one child in the US, and two in Australia.

Her major hobbies are reading (surprise, surprise) and helping looking after her youngest grandson. At War Cry we’re grateful for Jill’s sharp eye for detail, and almost 20 years of dedication!

TOPFIVE

With winter’s official arrival, we’re looking at some of the coldest places you could actually live (ie not Antarctica or Mt Everest!)

5 Yellowknife, Canada: In the depths of winter this city in Canada’s Northwest Territory struggles to get above -21°C. 4 Dudinka, Russia: Located above the Arctic Circle, this Siberian town is home to more than 20,000 people, and in January has an average daily minimum of -33°C. 3 Harbin, China: Known as the ‘ice city’, Harbin has over ten million inhabitants and can drop as low as -42°C. 2 Winnipeg, Canada: The capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba is home to more than 715,000 people, and has a record low of -47.8°C. 1 Yakutsk, Russia: Only a few hundred miles from the Arctic Circle, Yakutsk has the coldest winter temperatures for any major city on earth.

Its lowest recorded temperature was -64.4°C!

Winter Warming Chicken Laksa 1 Tbsp canola oil 3 chicken breast fillets ⅓ cup laksa paste 2 tsp chilli paste 1 Tbsp coriander paste

Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in a large saucepan or wok. Cook three thinly sliced chicken breast fillets for 4–5 minutes or until almost cooked through.

Add ⅓ cup laksa paste, along with the chilli and lemongrass pastes.

Cook until fragrant.

3 tsp fish sauce

Add 500ml light coconut milk, 3 teaspoons fish sauce and 1½ cups reduced salt chicken stock. Simmer for 6–8 minutes or until reduced slightly. Meanwhile, cook 200g thin egg noodles and 100g thin rice stick noodles.

1½ cups reduced salt chicken stock

Follow packet directions until tender.

Drain. Divide amongst serving bowls.

200g thin egg noodles

Add 1 Tbsp coriander paste to pan.

Cook until heated through. Ladle broth over noodles. Serve topped with trimmed bean sprouts and sliced green onions.

1 Tbsp lemon grass paste 500ml light coconut milk

100g thin rice stick noodles Bean sprouts and green onions to serve

Source: countdown.co.nz

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‘Welcome Home Packs’ for Kids in Army Housing Many children who come into Salvation Army centres and housing arrive with very little.

Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.

Roy T. Bennett

QUIKQUIZ

1 How many elements in the periodic table?

Some children even show signs of trauma and unsettled behaviour due to a lack of stable housing and the family’s upheaval.

With this in mind, Salvation Army Community Ministries has prepared Welcome Home Packs for children to receive as they enter Army housing.

These consist of pyjamas, a toilet bag with basic toiletries, a flannel, a pillow case, and brush and comb. Some beanies and soft toys have also been collected.

Central Division Community Ministries Secretary Major Pam Waugh came up with the initiative after observing children in Army centres. ‘I had also been taking part in the “40 Acts of Generosity” Lent project which gives you a challenge to complete each day, around being generous in a different but tangible way,’ Pam says.

‘This is about saying to the children, “welcome, we will take care of you, you’re safe here”,’ she says.

‘We hope the impact is that children will see this and experience something that is just for them—something they can treasure and remember that coming into our houses was special for them.

2 What is the study of weather called?

3 What is the name of mad scientist Brain’s assistant?

I’m miserable!

4 Who was the first person to split the atom?

5 Who was the first scientist in the Bible?

Answers on page 22

Weird of the Week: Astronauts can’t cry in space because there’s no gravity to enable the tears to flow!

‘We also hope it provides some of the practical things that are often scarce.’

MORE INFO | to contribute to the welcome packs, please contact Pam Waugh cdhq@salvationarmy.org.nz

WARCRYINHISTORY

Invercargill Thrift Shop, as published in War Cry on 27 November 1971. The display models were donated by a local business firm in recognition of The Salvation Army’s service in Southland.

Source: Booth College of Mission Heritage and Archives Centre 15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 5

In Awesome Wonder

Top left: Teacher Carol Brieseman. Centre left: Cadet Jonny Whybrow.

Bottom left: Dr Janelle Sinclair.

Science is often cast in opposition to faith. But three Salvationists reveal how the wonder—and even doubt—behind science has inspired their faith.

Award-Winning Science Teacher: Carol Brieseman

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arlier this year, primary school teacher Carol Brieseman won the prestigious Prime Minister’s Science Award, for her work in teaching science. She received the award at Parliament, supported by family, friends, colleagues, and former students (including three with dyslexia) whose passion for science Carol ignited.

Although clearly out of her comfort zone talking about the prize, Carol’s enthusiasm bubbles up as she speaks. ‘I’m very humbled and it’s a real honour to receive the prize. Science is a subject that I just can’t help being passionate about. I love tapping into kids’ curiosity about the world around them. There’s an untainted awe about the world that kids display, and I love being able to nurture that,’ says Carol, who has 30 years teaching experience.

Her classroom is ‘buzzing’ with exploration—kids bring all sorts of bugs (preferably dead!) and the magnifying glass comes out. Carol says she is passionate about how science builds children’s confidence in all sorts of ways.

‘I can especially think of a Pasifika student who struggled to pick up a pencil and write. Yet, when we made Cartesian divers, he became my expert on it. He was able to write this fantastic piece of procedural writing, because he knew how to make them and troubleshoot—and he was going to other classrooms teaching others. Having that piece of writing gave him success and his confidence stemmed from that.’

Her love for science stems directly from her Christian faith, says Carol—who attends Salvation Army Tawa Corps. ‘Science has made my faith stronger—I can’t help but see God in it all. My passion comes from my love of God. That’s what drives me.

‘Christianity and science both require faith and both require evidence—and God has been proved for me. It’s so obvious to me that they fit together.’

Carol has helped build a bush walk at her school in Tawa, complete with insect boxes. She has also been instrumental in starting a veggie garden, butterfly garden, composting projects and a score of other nature-based programmes.

‘Science removes the walls of the classroom,’ smiles Carol.

Her conversation is peppered with stunning scientific facts: ‘Every second breath we take comes from the ocean because of the Phytoplankton that live there [microscopic plants that produce 50–85 percent of the world’s oxygen].

So we really need to care for our ocean!’

Her interest in science was further enhanced when she won a Primary Science Teacher Fellowship to study with crown research institute NIWA for six months.

This included time on a research ship in the Southern Ocean.

‘The Antarctic tooth fish is a favourite of mine—they have one heartbeat every six seconds, and their blood has something in it that acts like anti-freeze, which means they can survive in those harsh conditions. Only God could work 15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 7

that out. There are so many things that make me think, “Thank you Lord—what an amazing designer!”.’

During her time on the ship, Carol developed an education programme based on Argo floats, which measure the temperature, salinity and velocity of the ocean. As a result, she built a teaching website and was invited to present educational workshops in France.

Carol has attended The Salvation Army since she was in her early-twenties. Commissioner Andy Westrupp—who was then a corps officer—even officiated Carol and husband Philip’s wedding.

Carol is an advocate for questioning and learning in her relationship with God: ‘You need to be open to being wrong, and growing and learning about God. ‘Just because I believe in God doesn’t mean that I know all there is to know about him—no way. I am just dipping my toes into the ocean! There is so much more to learn.’

Jonny Whybrow: Finding God in Doubt For Cadet Jonny Whybrow, science has always been a natural love. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Jonny studied ‘electronic and cybernetic engineering’ before becoming a physics teacher.

He and his wife Char felt called to become Salvation Army officers, and are now in their second year of training at Booth College of Mission in Upper Hutt.

Jonny says he loves learning new things around the intricacy and complexity of the universe. ‘For example, I can explain the basic principles behind how stars work, and how the light travels vast distances across space in order for us to see them on earth.

‘Or I might notice a small detail in nature when walking in the bush, in how different species depend upon each other for survival. This gives me a sense of awe and wonder, and prompts me to worship God who I believe is behind it all.’

Raised in The Salvation Army with officer parents, Jonny says there was a period when the ‘loud voice’ in the scientific community claiming God is a human-made invention caused him to question his belief in God. But asking the hard questions ultimately deepened his faith.

‘I think “reconcile” is a good word because it’s not that you sit in either a Christian way of thinking, or a science way of thinking, but rather you can sit within both,’ the former physics teacher says.

‘Both beliefs have been reached through reasoning and thinking. And, so, I came to the realisation that the voice 8 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

‘I THINK “RECONCILE” IS A GOOD WORD BECAUSE IT’S NOT THAT YOU SIT IN EITHER A CHRISTIAN WAY OF THINKING, OR A SCIENCE WAY OF THINKING, BUT RATHER YOU CAN SIT WITHIN BOTH.’ within science saying, “God is a human-made invention”, is in itself a position of faith, as much as it is to say, “I believe in the Christian God”.’

He began to accept the fact that there was no way he could ever have all the answers—yet this was part of the mystery of God and faith. ‘There’s always an element of “not knowing” and being okay with that, while at the same time not being afraid to ask questions.’

It was this journey that saw his perception of God begin to change. He has always felt uncomfortable with a theory known as the ‘God of the gaps’—where anything that cannot be explained is attributed to God. ‘The problem is then—however many years later—science comes along and discovers how something can happen. If your idea of God is based upon “he made this happen” and then suddenly we can explain how something happened, then that doesn’t work. My idea of God had to grow to be something so much bigger—one where he is a part of everything that goes on. But, also, he is outside of everything that goes on at the same time.’

Jonny says he’d love to see more of an openness from churches to explore the tough questions. Research shows people are leaving because they don’t feel their doubts can be properly explored.

‘The assumption is “Ah well this can’t fit with my faith, so therefore my faith must be something I’ve just got from my parents and something made-up”. And so a lot of people leave. A much healthier approach is to accept questions and explore them together, even if no answer is reached, which is often the case.’

Ultimately, Jonny believes doubt is a part of faith, in the same way it is part of science. ‘In terms of doubting science,

that’s part of the nature of science progressing. And so for me, that’s a part of my faith progressing.

‘Doubting my faith and questioning my faith has then led me to go deeper and gain a much bigger understanding of who God is.’

Dr Janelle Sinclair: Chemistry and natural medicine For Dr Janelle Sinclair, there is no conflict between science and faith. ‘God revealed to me when I was teenager that science confirms his word,’ she says.

She points to Colossians 1:17: ‘He existed before anything else and He holds all of creation together’.

‘It was like God said to me: “Janelle, you’ve learnt in science class about atoms, protons, neutrons, positive and negative charges. You know that in the middle of it all there is energy.

That energy is me—holding it all together”.’

Growing up, Janelle’s father suffered from salicylate food intolerances. ‘As a scientist I was sure there must be something out of balance in the body bio-chemically. Some sort of deficiency that could be corrected.’

Completing a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Genetics at Auckland University, Janelle then studied in Switzerland obtaining her PhD in bio-chemistry. Upon returning to New Zealand, she connected with ACNEM (Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine).

Her science background, family history and sense of Godgiven calling to help people, propelled Janelle into various jobs that deepened her learning and positioned her to bring together the fields of bio-chemistry and natural medicine.

‘I use bio-chemistry to identify deficiencies in the body, but then find natural solutions so that we’re giving back to the body what it needs through natural medicine. In our world the soils—and therefore our food quality—is not good. We’re not resting the land like it says to do in the Bible. Since World War II, the number and quantity of toxins in our environment has just exploded. This has an impact on the body because biochemically we are not designed to process all these toxins, and they get stored in our bones and brain and fatty tissues, and this depletes our bodies.’

When her then-boyfriend was mis-diagnosed with depression, mental health become a focus for Janelle. In 2009, she wrote a book called Depression and Anxiety Management Techniques: How treating unrecognised nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and toxic overload can help you.

She quickly discovered that there just weren’t enough practitioners specialising in mental health, and her consulting practice was soon born.

‘It’s not well known what people can do for their mental health naturally,’ she says. ‘I had a few clients—these are the miracle ones—I literally prescribed one mineral and their lives were changed. After a week they said: “I woke up and saw the world differently”. All because they lacked one mineral which only costs about $30 a month. Other cases take a lot more research and work of course!’

Realising that this sort of information is not mainstream, Janelle has just changed the direction of her business to make it all more accessible and affordable.

‘I started a YouTube channel and do a weekly video showing people what they can do with their diet, supplements they can try, what blood tests to do, different signs of deficiencies they can look out for.’ Not surprisingly, Dr Janelle has a global following.

For Janelle, Proverbs 3:5 has always been an anchor: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’

‘I was never someone who wrestled with any conflict between science and faith—I just trusted in the Lord. And I feel that people are just arrogant to think that we know everything and can explain everything! I believe science and faith work together—they’re not in conflict. My life’s purpose is to worship God and become more like Jesus. Out of that comes a calling to love and serve the world. I do that by using the science tools God has given me.’

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Cultivating Healthy Communication Communication is something we all do, every day. When was the last time you stopped to think about how you are communicating? What we speak and what we write either cultivates connection or challenges it.

Is it possible to disagree with someone without being disagreeable? How can we have a meaningful and respectful conversation with someone who has a very different view than the one we hold true?

Author of Loving on Purpose, Danny Silk, says that most often the goal in communication is agreement—we try to persuade each other to agree with our stance. ‘The longer you refuse to respond to my efforts to convince you to agree with me, the more anxiety grows in the conversation. Before long, the battle lines are drawn and we are allowing our need to be right to overtake our need to protect our connection,’ says Silk.

It’s an easy trap to fall into. Sure, we can have some robust conversations about whether pineapple on pizza is acceptable.

But what about issues that really matter to people? The ‘End of Life Choice Bill’, abortion law or the legalisation of marijuana.

Or, perhaps even more personally, our Christian beliefs on everything from evolution to equality. These are issues that are hotly debated online and in person. We tend to plant our feet firmly on one side of a barbed wire divide.

How can we dialogue about important topics in a way that honours the other person, even if we disagree with them?

Watch out for relationship killers According to Silk, a relationship killer is ‘a message that invalidates or disqualifies one person’s thoughts, feelings or needs in some way’. Perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end, when you’ve mentioned your feelings and the person responds with, ‘Well, that’s not logical’.

What’s your lens?

We each see the world through different lenses. If we have personally been affected by something, our perspective will be very different than someone who hasn’t. Perhaps you’ve nursed a loved one through a painful death. Were you born into violence, or a loving family? Have you always had enough money, or have you needed foodbank assistance? Our experiences inform our views, and it’s important to recognise our own bias.

The goal is understanding If we shift focus from ‘agreement’ to ‘understanding’, our perspective changes. ‘The person whose goal is to understand says: “I want to understand your unique perspective and

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HOW CAN WE DIALOGUE ABOUT IMPORTANT TOPICS IN A WAY THAT HONOURS THE OTHER PERSON, EVEN IF WE DISAGREE WITH THEM? experience. I want to understand the truth of what is happening inside you. And I want you to understand the same things about me. If I understand your heart, then I can move toward you in ways that build our connection. I can respond to your thoughts, respect your feelings and help to meet your needs”,’ sums up Silk.

Source: lovingonpurpose.com

Seven tips for productive conversations: 1 Be mindful of your tone 2 Don’t use ‘you’ statements 3 Do your research 4 Don’t get personal 5 Be mindful of your body language 6 Assume best intent 7 Know when to take a break Source: Carly Stec, hubspot.com

TESTIFY! It was a warm ‘welcome home’ to The Salvation Army for Cameron Pearce, who composed the arrangement for ‘Amazing Grace’ on the Offering project. But despite his international reputation in the music industry, Cameron is very down to earth about his faith.

I was born in Christchurch and raised in a Christian family. For the first 20 years of my life I attended The Salvation Army Christchurch City Corps. Like most young people of the time, I had a brass instrument placed in my hands when I was 10. I was taught to play the cornet from scratch by Martin Robertson who was a tireless servant of young brass players in those days (and still is).

Faith has always been part of my life. In the very best possible sense, I grew up around people with strong Christian values both at home and at church. As a young person, there were always people praying for me and taking an interest. I felt all the better for it—grounded. I’m inspired to be that sort of man for younger people in the future.

Playing in the brass band as a young person was the springboard into my love for music, and my career in the industry. I gained a Bachelor of Musical Arts from CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology), where I stayed on as a teacher for a decade. Then I went to New York and completed a Master of Arts degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music. I returned to New Zealand and ran the music department at CPIT (now Ara)—I’m back to hands-on trumpet teaching, which I love.

Music spans so many spheres of life.

Let’s face it, everyone has some sort of special connection and sense of personal ownership to music. That’s the beauty of music. As a musician

IT WAS GREAT COMING BACK AND WORKING WITH THE BRASS BAND— I WAS THRILLED TO BE ASKED …

I get to perform, teach, compose and arrange, as well as be part of the worship team at my local church. I love it, but it’s not all about me—making music is for the enjoyment of the listener which is why I work hard.

One of the things about playing the trumpet is that it fits into a bunch of different styles. While jazz is my speciality, I’ve ended up playing with people in the rock and pop world I never would have expected. At the end of the day, even famous people are just people—so, as a Christian, I try to

work as hard as I can for whoever I’m working for. If I’m doing my job well, my actions support the integrity of my faith. I try and be a decent human being as much as possible and show my faith through action.

Having worked with Dave Dobbyn in the past, it was this connection and not my Salvation Army background that initiated my involvement in Offering.

But it wasn’t long before people put two-and-two together! It was great coming back and working with the brass band—I was thrilled to be asked to do the brass band arrangement for ‘Amazing Grace’. I owe a lot to the Army and have nothing but good things to say and think about the Sallies.

Life doesn’t always work out the way you planned. If you do anything long enough there are always ups and downs, but faith has remained a significant and solid part of my life. Despite challenges, I’ve never questioned it. God has been my constant.

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What happens when we run out of water? Dry is the latest novel in the craze for dystopian teen thrillers—but it has a very real message for the world today. Part two of our focus on climate change.

DAY ONE The kitchen faucet makes the most bizarre sounds.

BY JULES BADGER

It coughs and wheezes like it’s gone asthmatic. It gurgles like someone drowning. It spits once, then goes silent. Our dog, Kingston, raises his ears, but still keeps his distance from the sink, unsure if it might unexpectedly come back to life, but no such luck.

Mum just stands there holding Kingston’s water bowl beneath the faucet, puzzling.

Paramount Pictures has just bought the rights to Dry, the bestselling teen novel by father and son Neal and Jarrod Shusterman. And it’s not hard to see why—I read it in 24 hours straight.

Part way through reading, I determined we needed to move out of Auckland immediately. Complete selfsufficiency, in a rural area where we could store our own water in large quantities, being the number one goal.

Okay, so I might have just totally freaked myself out reading Dry. But it wasn’t just the result of a gripping plot line. Dry might be fictional, but climate change is not.

Set in America’s Southern California, rising temperatures have resulted in a drought—or ‘the tap out’—as everyone calls it. Long showers and the watering of gardens have long since become things of the past. But one fateful day, in the height of summer, the situation reaches catastrophic levels and the real tap-out begins. Running water to suburban homes is cut, with city reservoirs all but dry. Water is re-routed to essential services like hospitals only.

Supermarket riots begin, with bottled water at the top of everyone’s shopping list. But within a day of the tap-out starting, the shelves are completely empty. Main character Alyssa cleverly buys a bath tub’s worth of ice to keep her family hydrated—surely the water will be back

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on soon? For the characters in Dry, it’s not long before thirst becomes a very real threat.

Alyssa has endured living next to oddball Kelton and his weird family all her life, but it turns out they are the only ones who are prepared for this very type of scenario.

Luckily for Alyssa, Kelton has always had a crush on her.

He just needs to convince his dad she’s worthy of sharing in their precious water supply.

DAY THREE ‘They’re our neighbours!’

‘When it comes down to survival you don’t have neighbours!’

‘We’re going to have to live with these people when this is all over.’

‘Live is the key word here! If this is as bad as I think it is, not everyone’s going to make it—and if we’re going to remain among the living we need to stick with our survival plan and keep a tight lid on our supplies.’

Kelton’s father is a pseudo-Noah figure in the novel.

Until the tap-out, everyone thought he was a paranoid lunatic. Now—even though he has the resources to help save others—protecting his family, the perimeter of their home and its precious resources, becomes his sole focus. The measures he goes to are drastic, the outcomes tragic.

It’s not long before the ‘water-zombies’ emerge.

The human body can only go without water for about 5–7 days. We need both food and water to survive. But while we can go for more than three weeks without food—Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days of complete starvation—around 60 percent of the adult body is made up of water. Every living cell in the human body needs water to keep functioning.

DAY FOUR ‘We saw him hide a bottle of water in his car! He won’t share a drop of it!’

‘So?’ I counter. ‘It’s his water! You have no right!’

‘We have every right!’

Only now do I see how dry his lips are. Not just dry but parched and chapped to the point of bleeding. None of these kids look right. Their skin is thin and almost leprous grey. The corners of their mouths are white with dried spit. And the look in their eyes is almost rabid.

This may seem like scaremongering, but in the last issue of War Cry, Colson Verdonk reminded us that ‘the evidence for climate change is overwhelming and substantive’.

Climate change is real, and as Christians our response matters. Some might suggest that the priority is simply to know Jesus, so that whatever the future holds might be found in him. But this limits our role as stewards of creation and our responsibility to future generations.

As designated stewards of the planet and its resources in Genesis, we should be the loudest voices and most passionate proponents of climate change activism. Faith and action are not opposing forces, but one and the same. As General William Booth famously said: ‘Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step like the legs of men walking.’

Young people across New Zealand chose to strike in March and again in May, leaving the classroom behind and standing up for what they have dubbed ‘the issue of our generation’. On the steps of Parliament, students like Isla Day spoke out about the threat of climate change, to a crowd of more than a thousand. ‘We need adults to listen to young people and to the facts—this is our future.’

The early Salvation Army was full of passionate young activists wanting to change the world. When Catherine Booth said, ‘If we are to better the future, we must disturb the present,’ she was doing so much more than giving future generations a cool slogan for the back of t-shirts! She was raging against the injustice of the day and campaigning for systemic change.

That same DNA exists in our movement today. The Holy Spirit is still calling young people today to make a difference—to stand up and be counted! To speak out and lead the way where the courage of adults has failed, or the lure of money has prevailed.

If climate change really is ‘the issue of our generation’ (and the science tells us it is), then characters like Shusterman’s Alyssa and Kelton could provide the kind of inspiration needed to motivate us to action.

And if faith is driving that call to action, we could literally change the world!

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 13

Andrew Oliver escorting a Fonterra tanker.

A Sacred Life

Salvationist Andrew Oliver became an internet sensation when Radio New Zealand shared the story of his special relationship with Fonterra tanker drivers. The story quickly went viral, and the Oliver family are now speaking out about the importance of valuing people with disabilities.

BY INGRID BARRATT

The licence plate on Andrew Oliver’s specially-made trike says, ‘ANDREW—Fonterra No 1 Fan’. And for good reason.

Having grown up on a dairy farm, Andy is naturally mad on trucks and tankers. He has Fryns-Aftimos syndrome, a genetic condition so rare he is the only person in New Zealand ever diagnosed with it. At 35 years old, he has the intellectual age of a six-year-old and five different types of epilepsy.

For the past 15 years, Andy’s nightly ritual has included drawing a picture for the tanker driver and waiting for the familiar honk, before going out to greet the truck. But sometimes the tanker wouldn’t arrive until the early hours of the morning.

‘If the tanker hadn’t come, he wouldn’t go to bed,’ Andy’s father Ken Oliver told RNZ’s Indira Stewart. ‘I phoned the [Fonterra] call centre and I actually started crying on the phone I was just so shot, and I said “Look, my life has become impossible”, and explained what was going on … The person at the call centre said, “Well, I think we can help”.’

As a result, the diary giant Fonterra changed their entire 14 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

collection schedule to ensure they got to Andy before 8pm every night.

The team at the local Fonterra plant even held a sausage sizzle to raise money for a new trike for Andy. Now, every night when Andy hears the honk of the tanker, he jumps on his trike— complete with Fonterra hat and vest—to give the driver his picture, talk trucks and catch up.

The story, which featured on RNZ, has captured hearts around the world, with over 20,000 views and counting.

God’s creation Both Ken and Deirdre are life-long Salvationists—Ken is treasurer of Hamilton City Corps and has played in the brass band for 50 or so years.

Andy’s new-found fame has given the family an important platform to talk about the sanctity of life—for all people. It’s a belief they have fought hard for, since before Andy was born.

‘We had an 18-week scan when Deirdre was pregnant with

I CAME TO CONCLUSION THAT SIN HAS CAUSED US ALL TO BE BORN AS A BROKEN VERSION OF THAT WHICH GOD INTENDED—SO BROKEN THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USAIN BOLT AND SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR IS NOT THAT GREAT. DESPITE OUR FALLEN STATE WE ARE STILL THE CROWNING GLORY OF GOD’S CREATION. Andy, and we found out he had some deformities,’ explains Ken. ‘We were told to get a termination, but we said that life is sacred, so “no”.

‘I came to the conclusion that sin has caused us all to be born as a broken version of that which God intended—so broken that the difference between Usain Bolt and someone in a wheelchair is not that great. Despite our fallen state we are still the crowning glory of God’s creation.’

Ken, who has a PhD in Chemistry, believes every life is a miracle. ‘We all begin life as a single human cell and that single human cell contains all the human information that determines the final product. That’s a miracle. How dare we say that anyone at any stage of life is not human and therefore expendable.

‘I don’t consider my son to be significantly more disabled than I am. Compared to God’s standard of perfection, we are all disabled, and it just shows more with some people. That’s the whole essence of atonement—that we are all disabled and that the whole of creation will be restored.’

A new life Funding and support for people with high needs is woefully inadequate in New Zealand, often driving their carers (usually parents) to breaking point. ‘Between us, Deirdre and I have been caring for Andy for 168 hours a week—which is the equivalent of four unpaid jobs,’ reflects Ken. Andy’s condition is so rare that funding systems don’t recognise it, so when it came to getting support ‘there just wasn’t any’. At times, it bordered on the ridiculous: ‘I rang ACC when [Andy] broke a bone in his foot and I got told by the agent “Well, I can’t talk to you, I can only talk to him”, and I was like, “Well, here, talk to him, he’ll tell you all about fire engines. He won’t tell you anything about his broken foot”,’ Deirdre told RNZ. But a trial initiative called Enabling Good Lives is now giving Andy greater independence than they could have ever dreamed of. The programme is a new way of providing support for people with disabilities, which allows them to choose how funding is used, to meet their individual needs.

Andrew’s parents, Ken and Deidre Oliver

‘Our motivation with Andy is that we realised we are getting older. We have been his 24/7 carers, and as we get older we want to know that he will be cared for,’ reflects Ken. Through this initiative, Andy is now living in his own home right on the Oliver farm, with the help of carers he has chosen himself. ‘He tells the carers what meals he wants and he helps to prepare them if he’s in that sort of mood. He gets out and about, he goes to the library,’ says Deirdre. ‘I never wanted him to go into residential care. I like the idea that he can help to choose his carers.’

Andy’s new independence is a source of comfort for Ken and Deirdre, alongside their deep faith: Deirdre recalls the precious moment when Andrew, still a child, accepted Jesus as his Saviour.

‘I sense that Andrew does understand about God and I believe that God will act justly towards him. I have great confidence in that and take comfort from it,’ says Ken. Original story by Indira Stewart, Radio New Zealand.

Photos taken from video by Tim Collins.

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 15

‘Mega Pop Up’ a Mega Success They came, they saw, they bought … an impressive $25,000 was raised thanks to the donation of thousands of items to The Salvation Army pop up mega store held in Lower Hutt last month.

‘It was an awesome effort,’ Salvation Army spokesperson Wendy Lobb said.

‘We sold everything, right down to the kitchen sink.’

With tens of thousands of donated items, Crown Relocations, a long time partner of The Salvation Army, offered a warehouse to host the weekend pop up.

They provided staff volunteers to help with the set-up and selling, and gave customers discounted deliveries on larger furniture items.

‘Over the years we have put together some great fundraisers with the Sallies.

This one is right up there at the top of the pile. It is humbling to see how generous and selfless our Wellington team have been, not just on the weekend but for the months leading up to the event,’ said James Logan, Country Manager of Crown Worldwide. ‘The money raised will be used to support the Sallie’s Transitional Housing Programme, a programme designed for those who have been down on their luck and in desperate need of shelter.’

Mega it was—several months of planning went into the event, and there was a collective gasp as the roller door went up on Saturday morning and those waiting to enter the warehouse saw just

how much was on offer.

Some of the more unusual goods for sale were a pedal car, model boats, and old vinyl LPs— one of which had a connection with a current Salvation Army fundraiser: the Offering project.

‘There were some really interesting old LPs from the likes of Elton John and The Seekers,’ Wendy said. ‘There was one that was favourite hymns of all time, from 1976. Five of the hymns on that are also on the new Offering album, so it was sort of like an early version of that.’

Auction house Dunbar Sloane priced some of the high-end goods. There was a lot of interest in items like designer furniture, chinaware and dinner sets.

‘There was so much stuff, and really you could have fitted out a whole house from the things for sale there,’ Wendy said. ‘A lot of people bought things for their upcycle value. I was constantly surprised what people bought, and I had some really interesting conversations about upcycling with people.’

Wendy says there were also other, unexpected, benefits of the mega sale. ‘Apart from the money raised for

emergency housing, there were a lot of non-financial gains as well. There was a lot of team-building among the many volunteers who helped over the weekend.

We also diverted goods from going into landfill, and we helped hundreds of lowincome families.’

Wendy said it was particularly satisfying to see so many Salvation Army members help in the lead-up to the weekend and while the sale was on. People came from all over the organisation, including community ministry, transitional housing, communications, public relations, family stores, and officers.

‘It felt like “mission impossible” early on in the piece. But it was really satisfying to work together for a common goal. We were united as one.’

History Group Remembers Past Salvationists The Christchurch Salvation Army History Group visited the sites of 15 Salvationist graves in the Linwood, Bromley and Ruru Lawn Cemeteries recently. The field trip was a way of keeping alive the stories of some of the significant Salvationists who are buried in these cemeteries.

The graves visited ranged from the early 20th Century grave of Captain Edith Garner, who died in 1903 at age 37, to the most recent being that of Major Pearce McNabb who died in 2012, aged 84.

Among other significant graves visited were those of two Linwood Salvationists: Order of the Founder recipient Envoy Olive Lord (died 1983, aged 87), and Life 16 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

Saving Guard Chaplain Iris Elwood, who perished in the infamous Ballantyne’s fire on 18 November 1947, aged 23.

At each grave, something of the story of the person was told and a photo taken of people with some connection with that story. A booklet was also distributed containing more information and photos about each person.

BY KINGSLEY SAMPSON From left: Shirley Thorner, Iris Derham, Rodney Derham, Dorothy Gray, Kingsley Sampson, Jill Swansbury (kneeling) at the grave of Olive and Effie Lord.

Oasis Strikes Rare Victory Over SkyCity The Salvation Army’s gambling addiction service has prevented New Zealand casino ‘goliath’ SkyCity from increasing ‘potentially harmful’ credit allowance for customers.

In December 2018, SkyCity applied to the Gambling Commission to extend conditions around gambling ‘credit’ that could be offered to customers visiting from overseas. This would increase the credit they could use, which they would only later pay back.

Oasis, the Army’s gambling addiction service, was informed and invited to make a submission to the commission around whether this would pose potential harm to SkyCity customers.

‘We’re opposed to providing credit in general because it encourages people to gamble excessively and to gamble beyond their means,’ Oasis health worker Siobhan Kemp says.

‘It also enables them to chase losses and encourages people to abandon precommitment or strategies they have in place to limit their gambling.’

As it stood, SkyCity could only give credit to visitors in New Zealand staying no more than 28 days. This was money given to them to spend in the casino which they would later pay back.

While providing credit in that way was generally prohibited in the Gambling Act,

SkyCity had a small approval to give credit to overseas visitors who were staying for no more than 28 days.

Siobhan says SkyCity believed that period was ‘arbitrary’ and was getting in the way of their business interests. ‘It was their argument that they wanted to be able to provide credit to basically all international patrons, regardless of how long they were staying,’ Siobhan says.

However, in April, the Gambling Commission declined the proposal based on issues highlighted by Oasis.

Siobhan says the rejection is a big win because it was a rare case of the Gambling Commission agreeing with what Oasis had advised in their submission.

‘We feel like sometimes we’re shouting into the void against these big Goliaths,’ she says. ‘They agreed with us in that extending the amount of people this credit could go to would probably have an impact on harm.’

She says SkyCity’s proposal was purely based on their financial gain and wasn’t balanced by evidence the changes wouldn’t have impacts on harm. ‘So we didn’t think it was in line with the Gambling Act, a harm minimisation act.’

Siobhan explains that every time a casino such as SkyCity wants to make a change to their licence, they have to make an application to the Gambling Commission.

The commission then asks The Salvation Army Oasis and various other parties to provide submissions with opinions that can help them to make an informed decision.

Ronji Tanielu of The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) says Oasis is truly battling some ‘giants’ when it comes to challenging massive corporations like SkyCity and other casinos around problem gambling issues.

‘Any wins against these corporates are a huge blessing because they are rare and difficult to achieve,’ Ronji says.

‘Yet we still have to fight and speak out on these issues because that is our mission and we have to consistently share the voices and realities of those people and whānau using our churches and social services.’

Glen Eden Family Store Opens in Style Shoppers took the chance to snap up designer clothing, at the opening of the Glen Eden Family Store on 27 April.

Thanks to some generous donations of top-end fashion labels, including Chanel and Manolo Blahnik, the day was a roaring success. ‘We absolutely killed it,’ laughed Glen Eden Corps Officer Lieutenant Ivo Pyper.

The original store, which was across the road, was only meant to be a temporary premises, explained Ivo. The space had access issues, and with the rent due to double, it was time to make a move.

The new store at 273 West Coast

Road is bigger and better, with 14 dedicated car parks.

‘It’s bright and spacious and we’ve had a lot of great feedback about how nice it looks,’ Ivo said.

The Glen Eden Family Store is growing in popularity, but is yet to reach its full potential, he added.

But manager Emma Addy is ‘really hard working and knows her customers and knows her stock and staff’.

More volunteers are needed to assist the five paid staff, and Ivo is hoping to see students in need of work experience apply

for positions. ‘Family Stores are a good place for work experience, and Emma is a great person to show them the ropes,’ he said.

Ivo and Heather Pyper have only been at Glen Eden for four months, and the opening was one of the first tasks they performed. The couple are enjoying being Westies.

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 17

Fiji Junior Soldiers Get Ready ‘Be ready’ was the theme of a fun-filled Junior Soldiers’ Camp for the East and West regions of Fiji, held in April. The camp offers a welcoming, lively, safe, positive and diverse environment where children gain confidence as we engage them in every activity.

The camp exposed campers to a variety of challenges, through messages shared by our guest speakers, Majors Arone and Tauan Cheer. The camp, organised by the young people and youth board members, had 123 children and 28 leaders.

The campers were full of zeal and

enthusiasm during the camp. They energetically completed the activities and no tasks were left undone.

The theme, ‘Be Ready’, was based on the ‘armour of God’ in Ephesians 6:11–18.

Through activities and presentations, Majors Arone and Tauan emphasised the importance of putting on the full armour of God. Major Arone inspired the children with his words: ‘The enemy is already defeated; we are not for fighting victory, victories were already in us. Victory that Jesus Christ already won when he died on the Cross.

The enemy does not take a rest. Be ready and always at your spiritual best. Pray at all times, and put on the full armour of God.’ He reminded the Junior Soldiers of the importance of wearing full armour of God at all times, in order to tackle every fiery dart that wants distract them from their spiritual journey. After he shared God’s word, the children all went to the mercy-seat and renewed their relationship with God.

BY LIEUTENANT RUCI NAPOLIONI

Celebrating 10 Years of ‘a Difference Over a Cuppa’ Last month, we celebrated 10 years of Salvation Army Senior Services at New Lynn Corps. I was employed in April 2009 as the Senior Services Coordinator. I had to develop a client and volunteer base, with the task of matching lonely older people with a friendly volunteer.

Our slogan was, ‘Can you make a difference over a cuppa?’ Our first client was a parent of someone who attended Mainly Music. He was matched with one of the members from The Salvation Army.

Over the last 10 years, Senior Services has grown both in numbers and in the scope of services we provide. The landscape of aging has changed, with a greater number of clients in their 90s, people receiving more help at home and increased challenges for older people with complex needs—often involving mental health.

Volunteers have given hundreds of hours to lonely older people— visiting, listening, showing kindness, transporting, extending hospitality, journeying through last days, and facing the sadness when the inevitable last goodbye takes place.

Something that I never tire of in this role is finding out about the lives

18 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

some of our older folk have lived— hearing stories of their younger days and their experiences of life growing up. As I listen to these stories I am amazed by the courage and fortitude that was required by so many.

Edna’s story comes to mind: She was in her 90s when I met her—of small, stooped stature and quietly spoken. I was taking her to an appointment and she asked me if I liked driving a manual car.

I was surprised by her question, but as it turned out, she had driven ambulances during WWI in England.

She spoke of how she met her husband during the war, and their first date was in an ambulance with a corpse in the back!

Edna’s husband became a chiropodist and they spent many years in Nepal, working with leprosy sufferers. In that time they met Sir Edmund Hilary—she had a photo taken with him that had pride of place on her sideboard. I was amazed, to say the least, and it was a good lesson for me to not be fooled by the outward appearance or stereotype older people.

Edna had done things in her lifetime that no one would ever have known if they had not taken the

Alison Shaw, Senior Services Coordinator. Inset: Edna.

time to engage. Not only that, but she had a vibrant Christian faith that had sustained her over the passage of time. I remember her and I singing together, ‘Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey’. Thank you Edna for what you taught me.

BY ALISON SHAW

‘THE MIRACLE OF GOD’S TRANSFORMING GRACE IS STILL AT WORK.’ What is the all-giving gift, hinted at through science and philosophy, and finding its fullness in Christ?

In this issue of War Cry, scientists are sharing their faith. Philosophy and science, reason and enquiry, are the key points of ancient Greek philosophy.

It reminds me of learning about the myth of Pandora’s box in Hesiod’s works. Pandora literally means ‘all-giving’ but it was a jar full of evils—a bit like ‘letting the genie out of the bottle’ in the movie Aladdin.

But, today, many also have a bracelet named after Pandora, with individual charms added to make a unique piece of jewellery. Charms are given for special occasions, making the bracelet beautiful and special for the person, recognising who they are. It is an ‘all-giving’ gift.

I am assured in Scripture that God created the world. He made all things beautiful.

After the fall, God gave his greatest gift: John 3:16 says, God loves the world so much that he gave his only son, Jesus. Then in John 1:14, God, through Jesus, moved into our neighbourhood.

Junior Soldiers’ Camp for the East and West regions of Fiji.

GAZETTE Rescinded Appointment: Effective Immediately, Major Ivan Bezzant. Senior Denominational Defence Force Chaplain Salvation Army (additional part-time appointment). Major Glenton Waugh will continue to represent The Salvation Army (as the Territorial Secretary for Chaplaincy Services) within the Defence Force. We pray that God will continue to bless Major Ivan and Major Glenton in their appointments.

Bereavement: Major Silone Collins, of his brother Teivi William Collins, who passed away on 20 May 2019. Please uphold Teivi’s wife Rose, Major Silone and other family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss.

Bereavement: Major Beverley Price, of her mother Mrs Joan Price (nee Risely), on 18 May 2019. Please uphold Major Beverley and other family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss.

I have the privilege of being in Greece and Turkey at present, sharing in the ‘Pilgrimage of the Footsteps of the Apostle Paul’. We are visiting place names I have known from throughout Scripture, such as Corinth, Thessalonica and Ephesus.

I anticipate experiencing this Christian pilgrimage and seeing significant biblical sites that changed history.

As I have re-read Scripture and looked at artists’ impressions of what these sites would have looked like, the Word of God has inspired me, coming alive and fresh once again.

It has also reminded me that Jesus visited some of these sites. I think of the footsteps of Jesus through Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee. Jesus did amazing miracles in these historical sites.

But it is not just historical; it brings me right up to date to our 21st Century. The miracle of God’s transforming grace is still at work and transforming lives today.

We hear powerful, inspiring stories of God’s miracles in real people’s lives. The Salvation Army provides hope through our mission of transformation—helping in practical ways with food parcels, budgeting services, social work, emergency and transitional housing, addictions services, safe accommodation, and re-integration services to name a few.

Through all of these, we bring the love of God—the hope of transformation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus paid the price for each one of us so that we could have the victory and the gift of life through him.

As former General Albert Orsborn wrote, ‘Let me love thee, let me serve thee, first to know thee, then to serve thee, then to see thee as thou art’, May God’s transforming grace touch all of our lives again and again.

Colonel Melvin Fincham Territorial Secretary for Programme and Communications 15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 19

the

first

SEVEN

DAYS

Scientist and pastor Dr Nick Goodwin provides a fascinating insight into the first seven days of the Universe …

Genesis 1 is a magnificent piece of literature, its language spare and economical, its elevated style, similar to poetry or a hymn, beautifully matched to the power and universal significance of its message. And what a message! Unlike any number of ancient pagan myths of creation, full of tumultuous divine warfare, Genesis 1 speaks of a Creator who is utterly unrivalled, boundless in wisdom, and source of ‘every good and perfect gift’ (James 1:17).

Unfortunately, the foundational lessons of this chapter are frequently overshadowed by debates—sometimes acrimonious—about how Christians should understand the seven days of creation, and their relationship to modern science. Among Christian 20 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

teachers and scholars who affirm the inerrant truth of the Bible, a number of positions are held. Some believe Genesis reports on an historical week of 24-hour days. Others take the seven days as a figurative or artistic representation of God’s creative activity. Still others have proposed something between these two poles. For instance, the idea that each day is a long age has widespread support, while John Lennox has suggested there are six actual 24-hour days, but that the days might be separated by long ages.

Why seven days?

In our scramble to determine whether God’s creative week should be understood historically, figuratively, or in some other way, we Christians often forget to ask a simple but profound question: Why seven days? After all, if this chapter is understood literally, we must admit God in his power could have created instantaneously (in fact, several early figurative interpreters, such as

Origen and Augustine, actually believed in instantaneous creation). Why does God take so long, continually putting off till tomorrow what he could have achieved in one day?

If the chapter is understood figuratively, it obviously follows that the seven days will likely have a symbolic significance; but even literalists must ask themselves about the deeper meaning of a weeklong creation.

Why seven days? Drawing on the expertise of biblical scholars such as John Walton, Richard Middleton and Gordon Wenham, the best place to begin answering this question is with days six and seven—the climactic days in the story of creation.

There are several indications in the text that these days have special importance.

One of these pointers is the general structure of the six days of activity. As the table opposite shows, these six days can be divided into two sets of three:

first there are three days of ‘forming’ or separating, then there are three days of ‘filling’ that correspond to the first three days. For instance, day and night are created on the first day, while on day four the light-bearers ‘fill’ the night and the day. There is a clear progression from the first set to last set.

Also, there is progression within each set, where days three and six contain double activity. On day three, both dry land and plants are created; on day six, both land animals and humanity are created.

The overall impression is of step-wise progress culminating in day six. The English translation traditionally reads ‘the first day’ (Gen 1:5), ‘the second day’ (Gen 1:8) and so on. In fact, the original Hebrew provides an important pointer: a literal translation would be ‘a first day’, ‘a second day’, and so on, up to ‘the sixth day’ (Gen 1:31) and ‘the seventh day’ (Gen 2:2,3). In such a carefully crafted text, this seems significant.

Why did God rest?

What then are the key lessons we learn from these two important days?

Let’s start with the seventh day. This is a day on which God rests (Gen 2:2).

We may be puzzled by the idea of God resting, as though he was tired. But for the Israelites the connotations were probably different.

Importantly, according to the Bible, divine ‘rest’ is associated with temples.

For instance, in Psalm 132:14, God says of Jerusalem and the temple: ‘This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell’. I believe the inference we should draw from this connection between temples and resting, is that Genesis 1 is describing the creation of the universe as a kind of vast temple—a divine resting place where God is worshipped.

As God says in Isaiah 66:1–2: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?’ The universe is the true temple of the Lord—earthly temples like the tabernacle and Jerusalem temple are mere miniature facsimiles.

The seven-day pattern for creation parallels the inauguration processes for both the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple, which were associated with seven-day feasts (Exodus 29:35;

Table: Structure of the six days of creative activity as described in Genesis 1.

‘Now the earth was without form and void.’

(Genesis 1:2) Days of Forming (Genesis 1:3–13)

Days of Filling (Genesis 1:14–31)

Day 1: (1:3–5) God separates light from darkness.

Day 4: (1:14–19) God creates light-givers.

Day 2: (1:6–8) God separates the waters above and below.

Day 5: (1:20–23) God creates swimmers and flyers.

Day 3: (1:9–13) God separates the sea from the land. God brings forth vegetation from the soil.

Day 6: (1:24–31) God creates land-dwellers.

God creates human beings, and grants vegetation to all for food.

‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.’

(Genesis 2:1)

1 Kings 8:65). Some limited archeological evidence suggests such seven-day temple inaugurations may have also been practiced by other ancient near-eastern peoples.

kind of temple where God is worshipped, then it makes sense that it might contain idols or images of God. And it does—God makes humanity, ‘in our image, after our likeness’ (Gen 1:26).

The number seven is linked to temples throughout scripture. For instance, God’s instructions to Moses for building the tabernacle were revealed in a series of seven speeches, the last of which is about Sabbath observance.

As God’s images, we humans have a job to do in his universal temple. We represent God’s rule on earth, exercising ‘dominion’ (Gen 1:26,28) by caring for God’s creation. We channel the praise of creation back to God, as modelled in Psalm 148.

I believe these parallels reveal the primary significance of the seven days—the creation week is a festive inauguration of God’s universal temple.

The holiness of the seventh day (Gen 2:3) makes perfect sense in light of the idea that the universe is a place for God’s worship. When something is designated as holy, that means it is set aside for God and his service. This is what happens to the seventh day.

Interestingly, the seventh day is the only day which does not bear the formula, ‘there was evening and there was morning’, which brings each day to an end. At least since the time of Augustine, it has been suggested that this indicates the seventh day has never ended. We still live out our creaturely existence within this seventh day, a day dedicated to the worship of God.

In God’s Image Finally, then, what shall we say about the sixth day? Well, if the universe is a

But unlike other ancient near-eastern creation stories, we are not simply slaves created to serve and feed the gods. In fact, the true God feeds us and blesses us (Gen 1:28–29)! Over six days, God systematically provides the seasons, weather and crops required for agriculture and settled human life.

This comprehensive, caring provision is also part of the significance of the creation week.

Why seven days? Because we exist to worship God. And because God cherishes us, his creatures.

Dr Nick Goodwin has a PhD in Chemistry and a Masters in Theology.

He is Associate Pastor at Raleigh Street Christian Centre in Cambridge; an associate staff worker with Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship; and the Waikato contact for New Zealand Christians in Science.

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 21

PRAY Tauranga Corps,

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 15 June: Māori Ministry Council Hui, Wellington 16 June: Corps visit to Miramar Corps, Wellington 19 June: ASARS Leaders’ Conference, Wellington 30 June: Corps visit to Westport Corps, Westport

Taveuni Corps, Tavua Corps, Tawa Corps and Territorial Headquarters in Wellington, The Salvation Army in Latin America North.

Colonels Suzanne (Chief Secretary) and Melvin Fincham (Secretary for Programme) 5–19 June: Footsteps of Paul Study Tour, Europe 20 June–9 July: Furlough Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) No official engagements at this time.

What A Ride!

by Judith Bennett

A journey of unexpected turns and extraordinary adventures

‘ … helping women who are on their journey of faith and brokenness. to encourage them that they are beautiful regardless.’

COMING SOON

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salvationarmy.org.nz/shop

Palmerston North Corps women’s conference July 26–27 Speakers: Colonel Suzanne Fincham, Chief Secretary

Colonel Heather Rodwell, Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries

Sheryn Adamson, former police officer, infertility advocate and style consultant.

To find out more, and register, go to:

somethingbeautiful2019.com

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JULY 19TH - 21ST 2019 W W W . M O R E CO N F E R E N C E . CO . N Z

Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

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To subscribe, contact Salvationist Resources, p: (04) 382 0740, e: mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz Quiz Answers: 1 118, 2 Meterology, 3 Pinky, 4 Ernest Rutherford, 5 Moses (Exodus 3:3).

22 WarCry 15 JUNE 2019

Let your imagination go wild and create your own animal!

�ur Wildly Wonderful World

My animal’s name:

My animal’s special characteristics (for example: feathers, wings, octopus tenticles, scales, claws, fur, beak, ears …)

Make a pinecone bird-feeder!

You’ll need:

• A pinecone with a stalk • A plate with birdseed on it • Butter knife • Smooth peanut butter and lard

Make your bird feeder:

• Tie a long piece of string around the stalk at the end of the pinecone, making sure it’s secure.

• Using the knife, spread peanut butter and lard all around the pinecone, getting inside the gaps.

• Roll the pinecone over the birdseed on a plate, sprinkling it on if needed.

• Hang your birdfeeder on the end of a tree branch, at least three metres off the ground

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buds the taste et. g ’ s n i e i v fe rfl n. l s e ha Butte e on their one e n 64 billio e r ’ a m p o tirru is 1 i e of s the ‘s rice. hanc int as you s c n. i e y h d T of huma bo rpr n e r i a n our g u a n r o n fi tha xies i are in y ze of a g a r l e e a t n same s o g st b is the si un fa he r e illion malle can r 125 b r galaxy, t stars. s n u a The s ear, which m h o ta re t llion t ou r e mo r s e . In j u s 0 – 4 0 0 b i ippop your a h e e d A i r s e 10 in Th unive

Fu

Before boats full of people came to Aotearoa in the 1800s, the country was covered in native bush, from the great kauri to the ponga fern.

The trees dropped leaves. Because of the leaves, there were weta who ate the leaves. Because of the weta, there were birds who ate the weta. The bush was filled with song, with birds as big as the moa and as small as the pīwakawaka.

They ate the berries, dropping seeds so that more and more plants could grow.

God created a wildly wonderful world, where everything fits together perfectly.

God asked humans to care for the world.

But when we don’t care for it properly, God’s perfect world starts to fall apart.

More and more people arrived in Aotearoa, and they cut down the bush.

They introduced animals like possums that didn’t belong to the bush, who ate the birds. Kiwi no longer roamed freely.

And humans hunted the moa to extinction.

It’s too late for the moa, but maybe not for other birds like the the kiwi.

Some sanctuaries have planted bush and kept out the predators that people introduced. This means that birds have come back, and the bush can thrive.

God still asks us to take good care of the world he created. Just as God loves us because he created us, he wants us to love the planet he made for us to live in.

I WONDER …

What could I do to help bring birds into my backyard?

(Hint: see our activity on this page!)

15 JUNE 2019 WarCry 23

O galaxies of the immense heavens, give praise to my Lord, for He is omnipotent and good.

O atoms, O protons, O electrons, O bird-songs, O blowing of the leaves and of the air, in the hands of man as a prayer,

sing out the hymn which returns to God!

Enrico Medi Italian physicist 1911–1974