24 March 2018 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION  24 MARCH 2018 | Issue 6688 | $1.50

Who is This Man?

Ko wai tenei tangata?

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL André Cox | 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, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford, Vivienne Hill | COVER ARTWORK ‘Māori Jesus’ by Sofia Minson 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

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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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It’s just the beginning …

Our relationship with the man, the God, we call Ihu Karaiti—Jesus Christ—is so thoroughly mysterious we struggle to describe it. We reach for metaphors like, ‘I asked Jesus into my heart’. When I was a child, I really thought I had a tiny Jesus living inside me—which, when you think about it, is quite beautiful. We can know Jesus so intimately that it is like he is within us, a constant companion.

Yet, he is so much more than our ‘tiny Jesus’, he is the God who embodies the universe. The real mystery is that Jesus is big enough to bring his restoration to every corner of the cosmos. But intimate enough that I can talk to him as a friend.

In my twenties, I spent a year reading the Bible accounts of Jesus, putting myself into the stories and reflecting on my own reactions. In that year, Jesus became so much more than a concept or set of values, he became a real human being—compassionate, lively and extraordinary. I wanted to know him more and more. And yet, this Jesus was also obviously God. How can this be? Tom Wright says that it’s quite right we find this bizarre— when Jesus rose from the dead he appeared as thoroughly human, but could do things like walk through doors. Wright says that in this unique event, heaven was meeting earth, interacting and inter-locking. Jesus is the ‘firstfruits’ of a new creation (1 Corinthians 15:23)—a new life we are all invited into.

This is what we celebrate during these sacred days of Easter. But it is Day One— and it’s just the beginning …

Ingrid Barratt Editor

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 134 years | Issue 6688 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 salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

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A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have.

Dwight L. Moody

John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Hoani 19:30

Ā, nō te inumanga o Īhu i te winika, ka me ia, ‘Kua oti’: nā ka tuohu tona matenga, tukua ana tona wairua.

DAY ONE

Behold

THE MAN UPON A CROSS MY SIN UPON HIS SHOULDERS How Deep The Father’s Love For Us Stuart Townend

ONTHISDAY INHISTORY March 23, 1743: Handel’s Messiah premieres in London.

March 25, 31 AD: The first Easter is celebrated, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus.

March 25, 1807: The slave trade is abolished throughout the British Empire.

March 26, 1845: The medicated plaster, which became known as a bandaid, was invented.

April 1, 1957: A BBC news item about Swiss families harvesting ‘spaghetti trees’ becomes arguably the biggest April Fool’s prank ever, with hundreds of calls from viewers asking how to cultivate spaghetti trees.

April 3, 1973: The first cell phone call is made in New York City.

April 4, 1968: US civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated.

April 5, 1614: American Indian princess Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe.

GOODSTUFF

My Life Is Worth Living Frank Stephens—a man with Down Syndrome— defended his right to life at the White House recently. The video went viral with over 27 million views. To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, which was on 21 March, here is some of his moving speech.

I am a man with Down Syndrome and my life is worth living.

Sadly, across the world a notion is being sold that maybe we don’t need research concerning Down Syndrome. Some people say prenatal screens will identify Down Syndrome in the womb and those pregnancies will just be terminated. It’s hard for me to sit here and say those words.

I completely understand that those people pushing that particular ‘final solution’ are saying that people like me should not exist. That view is deeply prejudiced by an outdated idea of life with Down Syndrome.

Seriously, I have a great life! I have lectured at universities, acted in an award-winning film and an Emmy-winning TV show, and spoken to thousands of young people about the value of inclusion … I have been to the White House twice, and I didn’t have to jump the fence either time!

I don’t feel I should have to justify my existence, but to those who question the value of people with Down Syndrome, I would make three points: One—we are a medical gift to society, we are a blueprint for medical research into cancer, Alzheimer’s and immune system disorders. Two—we are an unusually powerful source of happiness. A Harvard-based study found that people with Down Syndrome, as well as their parents and siblings, are happier than society at large. Finally, we are giving the world a chance to think about the ethics of choosing which humans get a chance at life. Let’s pursue answers, not ‘final solutions’.

The Easter bunny should be replaced with an Easter kiwi, says the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute—which works to protect our country from invasive species.

The cute and cuddly bunny is one of our most ‘villainous’ creatures, destroying land and native species.

‘The symbols around Easter have come from many historic and cultural origins, so why not put our own slant on Easter?’ says Institute president Rebecca Kemp.

‘The obvious choice would be the kiwi.’ Plus, our national bird actually lays eggs—gorgeously large ones— so a chocolate kiwi egg gets two thumbs up from us!

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Biography, Drama The Mercy (M, offensive language) James Marsh

The Mercy portrays the mysterious tale of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst (Colin Firth) who sets out to complete the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. The pursuit of his dream proves to be his undoing, as Crowhurst sets off underprepared and under pressure from sponsors and media.

This biopic feels more like a tragedy, exploring one man’s battle with ambition, isolation and what he terms ‘the sin of concealment’. The Mercy makes it easy to empathise with Crowhurst, and is less about a journey across the sea and more about a journey into the mind of a desperate, but wellmotivated man. The rich period aesthetic and seascape shots are beautifully engaging. Ultimately, though, I came away feeling somewhat disheartened. (Reviewed by Lauren Millington)

‘Kiwi’ Eggs An Easter indulgence—Kiwi style! | Makes 12 12 egg-sized chocolate eggs (to fit in an egg carton)

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, icing sugar, cream, vanilla and salt.

225 g cream cheese, softened

Place your chocolate eggs in an egg carton. Cut tops off the chocolate eggs, and spoon or pipe cheesecake filling into each shell.

½ cup icing sugar ½ cup cream 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

QUIKQUIZ

1 Who directed Disney’s 1988 classic film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

2 What is the name of English author Richard Adam’s first novel?

pinch of salt

Top with a spoonful of apricot jam. (If apricot jam begins to slide off, freeze for 10 minutes to firm up.)

⅓ cup apricot jam Source | delish.com

3 What country consumes 40% of the world’s eggs?

4 76% of people eat which part of a chocolate bunny first?

5 What was the name of the garden where Jesus prayed before he handed himself over?

Answers on page 22

‘Every one of us is a shard of clay with a spark of God in it. It’s our duty in this life to fan that spark into flame.’

Joy Cowley

Weird of the Week: A woman in the States recently tried to board a plane with an emotional support peacock, named Dexter. She booked Dexter his own seat, but the airline refused to let him board—and has since tightened up its policies on support animals.

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Who is This M

Ko wai tenei tan

Man?

ngata?

Jesus has been depicted in every culture and corner of the earth.

But who is he? Do we dare to see him as a Māori warrior, a black man or even a New York taxi driver? Jesus is—put simply—everything.

BY INGRID BARRATT

J

esus is the most depicted person that ever lived. We all recognise his image—the long hair, beard, tall slender frame, and calming demeanour.

So when Richard Neave, a medical artist and expert in forensic anthropology, created a realistic depiction of what Jesus may have looked like (see picture centre right), the results were shocking: he seemed to resemble a New York taxi driver.

Jesus’ facial features were gleaned from first-century Jewish skulls and other archaeological data. Neave reasoned that Jesus would have been around 1.7 m (5’ 5”). His lifestyle would have made him muscular but slight, and probably as rough as old leather.

In her new book What Did Jesus Look Like?, historian Joan Taylor says Jesus would have had Arabic-like features. ‘Judaeans of this time were closest biologically to Iraqi Jews of the contemporary world,’ she says. According to cultural data, his black, curly hair would have been short, and his beard closely cropped using a knife.

‘I think what you would recognise Jesus as being was just really someone who looked very poor,’ says Taylor.

All depictions of Jesus are imaginative, of course. Biblical accounts are stubbornly silent on what Jesus actually looked like. The way we have depicted Jesus over the ages says a lot more about us than it says about him. It is telling that Neave’s original depiction of Jesus was later modified to give him a more dignified expression, and dare-we-say-it, more attractive appearance. We do like our heroes handsome and powerful!

The fact that the Bible gives us no clue about what Jesus looked like, is God’s first clue to us: he does not judge by human standards. In Jesus, he was about to turn all our expectations of power, success and even divinity inside-out.

Knowing the unknowable Film depictions of Jesus often show him calm and emotionless, moving above the fray—the ‘Prozac Jesus’, as author Philip Yancey calls him.

But this is not the Jesus we find in the Bible. It’s perhaps surprising to discover how much Jesus was a people person—he constantly allowed himself to get distracted by passersby (no doubt an annoyance to the disciple keeping his schedule). Jesus seemed to build rapport almost instantly. He was easily moved by others. As Yancey points out, Jesus was generous with his compliments— ‘your faith has healed you!’ he declared, deflecting credit away from himself.

But he also got angry and impatient. ‘Are you still so dull?’ an exasperated Jesus snaps at the disciples (which, quite frankly, doesn’t seem very ‘Christian’).

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He cried openly and accepted public displays of affection.

He was an incredibly vulnerable man—would you ever face up to your friend and ask, ‘Do you love me?’ Well, Jesus did!

He was not play-acting at being human. Jesus felt things fully, he lived life deeply. In many of our depictions of Jesus, we seem to resist his humanness. It’s as if we would rather he kept a dignified distance. But Jesus mucked in with our humanity.

In Jesus, the impenetrable distance between heaven and earth collapsed into nothing. Through Jesus, God is saying: ‘Here I am. I am with you.’ Because of Jesus, we can know the unknowable. We have seen the invisible God.

THE GREATEST MIRACLE JESUS EVER PERFORMED WAS BEING A WHITE MAN IN FIRST CENTURY ISRAEL. The architect It’s important we understand Jesus as a fully-fledged Jewish man, because there is no doubt that his followers believed he would be the Jewish King—the Messiah who had been prophesied. He would return Israel to freedom and prosperity.

It was only a matter of time before an army would rise up to overturn the Roman Empire.

Then, just as Jesus was reaching the height of his fame and popularity, he presented his manifesto. This time he spoke plainly, not in parables. And quite frankly, it was confusing.

Weird. Offensive even.

‘Blessed are you when you are “poor in spirit”,’ says Jesus (see Matthew 5–7 for the full account). When you grieve, when you’re humble, merciful, pure-hearted and love peace.

The people were expecting a declaration of war. Instead, they got a manifesto for meekness. ‘They were looking for a builder to construct the sort of home they thought they wanted, but [Jesus] was the architect, coming with a new plan that would give them everything they needed, but within quite a new framework,’ says Tom Wright, in Simply Jesus.

Many complex influences collided to culminate in Jesus’ death. The Romans were determined to stamp out any threat to their rule. But Jesus also failed to meet the Jewish expectations 8 WarCry 24 MARCH 2018

of the Messiah—so they concluded he must be an imposter. He was crucified as a traitor to Rome and blasphemer before God. But the Bible claims the impossible—that Jesus very thoroughly, and very bodily, came back to life again. Wright makes the point that this story was as strange then as it is today—it had never happened before; it has never happened since. ‘The stories don’t fit … They seem to be about a person who is equally at home “on earth” and “in heaven”. And that is, in fact, exactly what they are.’

Jesus was revealed as the longed-for King; the Messiah. But not in any way we would recognise. He would not rule in time and space. Instead, he continues to rule through an unseen kingdom. He did not overcome with power, he infiltrated us with love. He did not stake out his greatness, he subverted us with grace. These truths continue to up-end us today.

How different are we to those first-century followers who wanted a king of power? We try to fit Jesus into our self-built values of consumerism, wealth, power and success. And Jesus is still refusing to enter that building. He is still insisting on being the architect of a whole new way.

For all people There is a joke that the greatest miracle Jesus ever performed was being a white man in First Century Israel. As the dominant culture became European, images of Jesus became blue-eyed and pale-skinned. And so Jesus became yet another symbol of colonial oppression.

Yet every culture in the world has appropriated Jesus for themselves. Artists have portrayed Jesus as black, as Asian, with dreadlocks, and with Celtic red hair.

In Aotearoa, Sofia Minson has beautifully re-imagined Jesus as Māori. He is a warrior, a chief—but instead of proving his greatness with war and utu, Ihu Karaiti has shown us a new path.

He proves he is the great Atua by coming in forgiveness and peace.

The miracle of Jesus’ life is that he lives on as part of every culture and every historical nuance. The ability of Jesus to

THE PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING A DECLARATION OF WAR. INSTEAD, THEY GOT A MANIFESTO FOR MEEKNESS.

transcend culture, and yet fit within every culture, shows us that God really is with us.

The idea that Jesus can ‘be my best friend’ is often mocked.

But, actually, isn’t that the miracle of Easter? The divide between us and God was shattered. We can know God, and even call him friend. God and humanity were never meant to be separate. In Jesus, we were brought back into intimate relationship with each other.

Jesus is everything But that was just the beginning. The reverberations of Jesus’ life and death and life again, can be felt through the cosmos. ‘ “Heaven” and “earth” are not like oil and water, resisting each other and separating themselves out,’ says Wright. He argues that the Bible sees heaven and earth not as separate, but as interlocking and connecting.

During his lifetime, Jesus’ constant refrain was, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ ‘Can’t you feel it?’ he seemed to whisper. When Jesus taught us to pray, he said, ‘Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.’ He showed us heaven— through his miracles, his healing, his compassion and grace.

‘A new power is let loose on the world, the power to remake what was broken, to heal what was diseased, to restore what was lost,’ sums up Wright.

The defining moment in history, when Jesus rose from the dead, was the beginning of a whole new creation that is still revealing itself today. Within three decades of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Paul—who had been an orthodox Jew until he discovered Jesus—described how ‘God placed all things under [Jesus] feet and appointed him to be head over everything … who fills everything in every way’ (Ephesians 1:23).

This vision of Jesus is not just as a personal saviour, although that is important. It goes further. He brings salvation to the universe—he is restoring the whole world to its original and perfect creation. Whenever we act according to the Kingdom of Jesus—when we bring healing, love, grace and peace—we become active participants in this new creation.

Who is Jesus? He is everything.

Q&A with Sofia Minson … the artist who created Māori Jesus.

Why did you depict Jesus as Māori ?

I depicted the Messiah as tangata whenua with full face moko to symbolise the continuous rebirthing and resurrecting of culture. Each generation and each individual has the task of integrating the wisdom of their ancestors for their own time.

What does Māori Jesus mean to you?

To me, Māori Jesus suggests a freedom to bring Christ, which I understand as the love and enlightenment of the soul, into our hearts regardless of its traditional form.

People in every culture have portrayed Jesus looking like people they know. I think the symbols should be flexible because it’s what they point to that matters.

What is the meaning of the full face moko?

It’s an outward sign of what we all contain in our DNA— I see tā moko as carving fundamental lines of Te Here Tāngata, The Rope of Mankind. We are infinitely precious nodes of consciousness experiencing reality from different perspectives, but we are all from the same source. Te Here Tāngata is a humbling concept that imagines a long rope or vine stretching from ourselves into the past until the instant of creation and on into the future.

What does this artwork say to you about faith?

To me this painting says that faith is a personal journey. We should engage it in a way that is meaningful to us culturally, and in a way that stimulates our imaginations. Māori Jesus is about feeling the message of who we really are, as love.

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‘YOU’RE THE ONE, BROTHER’

So paranoid he couldn’t walk into a supermarket, Steve Dutton discovered that God could break the chains of addiction and set him free.

As told to Shar Davis.

My mum walked out of the family home when I was five years old and never came back. I am the youngest of five children and my three oldest siblings also left home at the same time, leaving my 11-year-old sister and I with our dad. I had no idea where my mum had gone and if she was ever coming home again.

If my dad wasn’t working, he was drinking—and he was often angry.

That anger was a big factor in my parents separating. Because dad worked so much, from the age of five I would get myself off to school, and then I would come home to an empty house—

that’s just how life was. My sister and I raised ourselves really.

When I was 12 years old I went to a Christian kids’ camp at Kiwi Ranch in Kaitoke, and at that camp there was an opportunity to say ‘yes’ to God. So, I did—even though I didn’t really know what I was doing. Nothing happened and I didn’t feel any different.

‘WELL I SMOKE A LOT OF WEED BUT THAT’S NOT THE PROBLEM,’ I SAID. I left school at 15 years old, got a job, bought a motorbike and started smoking weed. I got mixed up in all kinds of crazy stuff. By the time I was 28 years old, I had zero social skills— once I started smoking marijuana all the time, my development basically stopped and I became really paranoid.

The paranoia was so bad I couldn’t even walk into a supermarket. I didn’t have any real relationships—I had a few mates but they were all drug mates.

I was working to pay for the hooch and then using the hooch because I couldn’t stand my job. I was basically trapped in a vicious cycle. Despite the drugs, paranoia and anxiety, I managed to figure out that something wasn’t quite right, so I went to the doctor. He asked me what I did when I went home each night from work. ‘Well I smoke a lot of weed but that’s not the problem,’ I said. The doctor suggested I deal with the drugs first and the other stuff later.

It was suggested I go to Arawhata, the addictions clinic that The Salvation Army ran in Akatarawa Valley. I thought ‘Really? Please don’t make me sing!’ My perception of the Army was they wore weird uniforms and had flash buildings.

Despite having no interest in God or The Salvation Army, I said ‘yes’ and found myself in a three-month

residential programme. I didn’t want to stop using drugs. My plan going into the programme was to stop for a while, clear my head and deal with whatever else was going on in my head, and then get back into the weed.

I could see myself smoking marijuana for the rest of my life.

my will, I would have failed. It is only because of God’s grace. Whatever he did then, he’s still doing it now. My life has been a journey of redemption, of discovering who God created me to be. Over time, all that dysfunction I was born into is being replaced with a truer sense of being a son of God.

A couple of weeks into the programme I realised this was a chance for some really good stuff to happen. So, I decided to take every opportunity that was presented. There was always a spare seat in the van that went to the Upper Hutt Corps every Sunday morning. One Sunday, I decided to hop in, what’s the worst that could happen?

It was an opportunity, so I thought I might as well go for it.

My call to officership was unexpected.

I was happy as a corps administrator, helping others to do the upfront ministry stuff. But I kept seeing officers retiring or leaving, and meanwhile there were all these stories of people living in homelessness and sleeping on pieces of cardboard in shop doorways, which were affecting me deeply. The officerforce was shrinking and the need was growing! So once again, even though I didn’t really know what I was doing, I said ‘yes’ to God.

Majors Ivan and Glenda Bezzant were the officers at the time. I turned up at church and it felt like when Ivan was talking on behalf of God, he was talking right at me! I remember thinking, ‘How does he know this about me?

How does he do this?’ I decided to go again the next week. The same thing happened again! I thought, ‘This is pretty odd.’ The third week I went again and he gave an altar call. He was speaking and my heart was pounding.

I started to think, ‘I really need to do something about this.’ Then Ivan said ‘There’s someone in this room who God is speaking to right now—your heart is pounding in your chest.’ He could have been speaking to anyone but I knew he was speaking to me!

I went forward for the second time in my life, still feeling like I didn’t know what I was doing. Ivan said ‘You’re the one, brother.’ God met me there that morning. He said to me, ‘I remember you when you were 12.’ As I’ve reflected back over the years, I know it was God who brought me to that spot at age 28. It wasn’t an instant fix, but I did instantly have a sense of well-being.

I didn’t make a conscious choice not to smoke or drink again, but it’s been 25 years. I know that’s not because of my own will power. If it was just up to

‘ALL THAT DYSFUNCTION I WAS BORN INTO IS BEING REPLACED WITH A TRUER SENSE OF BEING A SON OF GOD.’ If it wasn’t for God getting hold of my life, I could have been one of those living on the edges of society. When I think about Easter, I cannot help but reflect on the enormity of what God did for me! He saved me from myself and my circumstances—he changed me. As I ponder God’s love, I can’t help but say ‘wow!’ It’s easy to want to get ahead of God and do things in my own strength sometimes. I’m still learning how to change that. The Easter season reminds me that I couldn’t save myself, but that Jesus could!

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To the Person Who Doesn’t Believe:

An Apology

Dear person who doesn’t believe—

in Easter, Jesus, going to church or in Christianity, You probably have good reasons for why you don’t believe.

As Christians, we have too often been judgemental. We have made people feel they don’t belong. We have hurt people.

We have turned people away.

Jesus never turned people away.

Jesus loved unconditionally.

Jesus criticised the religious leaders who burdened people with rules and regulations.

Christians have sometimes become the very thing Jesus hated. If you have been hurt by the church, we are sorry.

If you have felt excluded and judged, we are sorry.

Being a Christian is only ever meant to be about loving Jesus, and trying to follow his example by loving others. When we fail to do this, we are not being truly Christian.

You are important and loved by God. You are made to bear God’s image.

God loves the world so much that he became a man.

Jesus bridged the gap between God and humanity.

When Jesus died, in some mysterious way, he took on all the burdens we carry. God loves us so much that he was willing to die so that we would understand his love.

When he came back to life again it was his final, dazzling, miracle to show the world that the gap between God and humanity had been fully bridged.

You can know what God is like by looking at Jesus. You can experience a deep connection with the God of the universe by simply asking God to be part of your life.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’

Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

DAY TWO

How long LORD?

LOOK TO ME AND ANSWER, GOD I PRAY …

El Roi, The God Who Sees Bearers

Transformed by the Cross An Easter Message from The Salvation Army’s international leader, General André Cox. The message of God’s restorative and redemptive love, as evidenced in the cross and empty tomb, is still as powerful and relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.

The cross is central to our faith and gospel message. It is integral to everything we believe and is our motivation in reaching a dying world with the message of hope, love and salvation. The cross is purposefully located at the centre of the Salvation Army crest.

A Personal Encounter Each of us needs to have a personal interaction with the cross, for it is there that we kneel to surrender our lives to Christ.

The cross is our place of repentance for sin; where we receive restorative grace and begin a new life in Christ.

The cross is transformative as God’s love, grace and forgiveness are unleashed in our lives. We come to the cross condemned but leave forgiven (Romans 8:1). We come to the cross dead in our sin, but leave with new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20). Through the cross our eternal destination changes from Hell to Heaven (John 3:16).

The Salvation Army’s sixth doctrine states: ‘We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by his suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.’ The cross is available for everyone and the gospel message is for the whosoever—this is central to our faith and witness, particularly as Salvationists.

We know this. We preach this. The key question and challenge is: do we always experience the power, reality and transformation of the cross in our own lives?

More Than …

You see, it is more than simply admitting sin and acknowledging our need of salvation; more than recognising that Jesus died for our sin; more than a personal and corporate need; more than a simply sacrificial act.

Yes, the cross is about the price of sin being paid, but it is also about the power of sin being broken. Yes, the cross is about forgiveness, but it is also about restoration. Yes, the cross reminds us of our weakness, but it is also a place of power. We come in shame, but we leave in victory!

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The cross is about victory over the powers of evil. The cross cancels the curse of sin and breaks its power.

Christians can have lives of victory and strength because of the cross. Defeat is exchanged for victory. Weakness is exchanged for strength. The old self is left behind and the new self is embraced.

This gospel of Christ and the power of the cross are holistic.

Our 10th doctrine clearly states that we believe ‘that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’.

Stay Focused What a glorious reality! What a complete work! All because of the love of God, revealed in Jesus and manifested on the cross.

Never lose sight of the cross. We stumble and fall when we forget the cross.

The songwriter Fanny Crosby prayed: ‘Jesus, keep me near the cross’ (song 178, The Song Book of The Salvation Army) and George Bennard said he would ‘cherish’ and ‘cling to’ the old rugged cross (song 191).

The apostle Paul never lost sight of the cross. In Romans 1:16– 17 we read: ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the

power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’ Paul also asserts that ‘the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:18).

It makes no difference how the world views the cross. The inability of generations to grasp the fullness of all the cross accomplishes does not diminish its power or eternal impact.

The message of the cross may not be a popular one, yet its truth is eternal and relevant.

THE CROSS IS ABOUT VICTORY OVER THE POWERS OF EVIL. THE CROSS CANCELS THE CURSE OF SIN AND BREAKS ITS POWER. The Empty Tomb Good Friday and the cross is only one part of the Easter story.

Praise God the story does not end with a dead Saviour! We worship a risen Lord who, in addition to cancelling the curse of sin and breaking its power, also defeats death to provide eternal life and Resurrection power to every believer!

The glorious reality of Easter morning is symbolised by the empty tomb. ‘He is not here; he has risen’ were the words of the angel in Matthew 28:6. The question posed to the women who went to the tomb on that morning was: ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’ (Luke 24:5).

Nothing can constrain God—not sin and certainly not death. The events of Easter demonstrate the sovereign power of God who intervenes in our physical and spiritual realities.

God reveals the full extent of his power, defeating Satan and crushing the two most limiting and controlling aspects of our fallen humanity.

A Prayer for You As we once again reflect on God’s incredible gift of freedom from sin, it calls for a personal response from each one of us. I pray that we will all know the love, forgiveness, grace and power of God as we experience his risen presence in our lives.

Aussie Leaders ‘Expectant’ in Southern Division

Southern Division welcomed their new divisional leaders, Majors Earle and Christine (Chris) Ivers from Australia, with both a pōwhiri at Rehua Marae and an installation service at Christchurch City Corps.

The pōwhiri was a rich, cultural experience for the couple who have done numerous short-term mission trips over the years, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, the Philippines and Singapore. ‘We continue to be culturally sensitive and look to grow in our understanding,’ said Earle.

The Ivers have a depth of experience in The Salvation Army, having served as divisional leaders in Programme and Personnel, as well as youth and candidates secretaries. Almost 20 years of their officership has been as corps officers, which they describe as their first love.

Discovering the new thing God has in store for The Salvation Army excites the couple. ‘We love and honour the heritage and history of our movement and seek to build on that,’ said Earle. ‘We’ve adopted the theme “Expectant” for 2018, and this is being well received across the division.’

They are also passionate about exploring creative worship experiences together, with a focus on spiritual formation.

Their first impression of New Zealand is one of a ‘beautiful land with very genuine people,’ said Chris. Having visited Christchurch previously, they recognised the incredible challenges the city has faced.

Coming to New Zealand meant leaving behind three adult children and their families, including six grandchildren. Earle is a Wallabies supporter, but hinted Canterbury may get a new supporter shortly. While Earle enjoys attending cricket matches with his sons, Chris prefers to watch from the comfort of home.

Southern Division is in good hands with Chris and Earle—and as long as no one mentions Pavlova or Phar Lap, this trans-Tasman partnership will be rewarding for all.

24 MARCH 2018 WarCry 15

Needs Ongoing in Gita Clean Up As the clean up continues from Cyclone Gita, The Salvation Army is working to meet urgent needs, as well as bringing dignity and hope.

In Tonga, regional commander Captain Sila Siufanga said more than 100 people sheltered in Salvation Army corps buildings during the storm and for a week after. The work has shifted to providing emergency supplies and psychological support.

The Army provided food, shelter and support to those staying, while they repaired their homes and made sure houses were secure before people left, Sila said.

About 3000 houses had more than 50 per cent of the house damaged, while 400 houses were totally destroyed, he said. The government was looking after shelter and reconstruction, while the Army had been active with other practical aid.

WE WANT TO BE ACTIVE IN PROVIDING DIGNITY, INTEGRITY AND RESPECT FOR THESE PEOPLE AS HUMAN BEINGS. The Army provided more than 100 emergency food parcels—which included extra supplies of canned vegetables, clean water and a toiletries pack with washing powder, toilet paper and adult nappies for those unable to access a safe toilet.

A lack of clean water remains a major concern, with the country already seeing 53 cases of dengue fever as a result, and fears this could spread, Sila said. The Army is also concerned about access to toilets, particularly for elderly and disabled people.

‘There are no toilets. We want to be active in providing dignity, integrity and respect for these people as human beings through things like this.’

The Army also has teams at each corps to assist people who have been left shaken by the cyclone, helping with psychosocial support, Sila said. This is expected to be an ongoing work with many fishermen having lost about 60 per cent of their nets, boats and other gear. Farmers are facing six months to a year before their next harvest will arrive. Sila said there is a fear people may turn to alcohol or drugs to cope.

He was grateful for the many offers from people wanting to help, but said the most useful thing people could do was to donate to The Salvation Army’s Pacific Emergency Fund. This will help the Army in Tonga to provide the next round of emergency food parcels and to help build up disaster relief supplies for the next emergency.

‘I say to people, “Think what can $5 buy you in New Zealand? In Tonga, that money will go beyond what you can imagine. A whole family can be fed, or have access to a bathroom”.’

The cyclone also affected parts of New Zealand, and The Salvation Army Corps in Nelson was open as an emergency shelter over night during the cyclone, with staff caring for seven people. In both Nelson and New Plymouth, the corps have been active in helping those affected.

TO MAKE A DONATION | Salvation Army Pacific Emergency Fund salvationarmy.org.nz/PacificEmergencyFund 16 WarCry 24 MARCH 2018

Salvation Army Responds to PNG Earthquake

Fresh Hope for Homeless in Auckland

Associate Housing Minister Jenny Salesa & Salvation Army Social Housing’s Sharon Heslop tour the new facility.

The Salvation Army is responding to a devastating magnitude 7.5 earthquake affecting 10,000 households and killing at least 55 people in Papua New Guinea.

The earthquake devastated the Hela and Southern Highlands provinces of central Papua New Guinea in the early hours of Monday 26 February, severely affecting roads, airstrips, power and communications to the remote region.

The Salvation Army is the emergency relief response partner of ExxonMobil—the international oil and gas corporation—which has a gas conditioning plant in the affected area. Plans are being developed to provide emergency relief assistance to 500 households in the immediate vicinity of ExxonMobil’s site in Hides.

Salvationists in PNG have been working to prepare food and medical supplies for the affected area, with support from ExxonMobil. The Army is working to send three teams of eight trained responders into the area to distribute emergency food and other essential household items, as part of a coordinated response in conjunction with the local authorities, local churches and other non-governmental organisations.

Depending on a detailed needs assessment, a second phase of response would extend the relief efforts to more homes in the Hides and Gobe corridor—an extremely rugged and remote part of the country, in which access is difficult.

TO MAKE A DONATION | visit the International Salvation Army website salvationarmy.org

A new housing development is aiming to offer new hope to hundreds of homeless people in Auckland.

The 50 Salvation Army run units in Manurewa—built by Housing New Zealand—were officially opened in a ceremony at the start of the month.

The units will house around 200 individuals, couples or small families who will stay at the site for 12 weeks at a time.

The Salvation Army staff will provide wrap-around support and assistance, to enable them to make and complete a plan to find and stay in long-term housing.

At a dawn blessing of the site, staff spoke the names of the six buildings, each named Hope in the languages of people from the area—Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Cook Islands Māori, Hindi and Mandarin Chinese. The complex will also be given a name in te reo Māori and English.

A pōwhiri, led by representatives from Manurewa Marae, welcomed the dignitaries to the site and officially opened the buildings. Commissioner Andy Westrup thanked Housing New Zealand and the Ministry of Social Development for their work and partnership with the Army, and encouraged the Salvation Army staff in the work they would undertake at the site.

‘Up till now, we have been focused on getting the buildings here; from now we’re focused on the people—to serve them, to offer hope, to be Christ to them, to come alongside them, to do what we’re made to do. Let’s continue to be The Salvation Army here.’

Associate Housing Minister Jenny Salesa thanked the Army for its work with the most vulnerable. The units were a great start in the government’s plan to open over 2000 transitional housing units to help address the housing crisis, she said.

Green party MP Marama Davidson thanked Manurewa Marae for its work in housing the homeless over winter last year, and spoke passionately about her hope that new units were the start of work that would transform Manurewa and the country.

‘What we’re launching here is not just bricks and mortar. It’s a brand new narrative that has to overtake the story that’s been told to us for far too long—that not everyone is worth supporting, that some people end up on the streets because it’s their fault. All of us have a role to play to ensure this is not the story anymore.’

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GAZETTE

Appointment: Douglas and Janet Newman have been re-accepted to officership. Effective 9 April: Capt Douglas Newman, national coordinator, Emergency Services, and Central Divisional Emergency Services Coordinator; Capt Janet Newman, director, Community Ministries, Kāpiti Corps.

Bereaved: Colonel Doreen Bridge, of her brother Tom Matheson, on Friday 2 March 2018 at Aidanfield, Christchurch.

A service celebrating Tom’s life took place at Christchurch City Corps on Wednesday 7 March. The service was led by Leo Hanson, assisted by Mjr Janee Sawyer.

Please uphold Cols Doreen and Kenneth Bridge and other family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss.

Promotion to Glory: Mjr Noel McFarlane on Sunday 25 February, aged 90, in California, USA. Noel was born on 7 March 1927. He entered The Salvation Army Training College from the Papakura Corps with his wife Jean in 1954, as cadets in the Shepherds session. Following their commissioning on 22 January 1955, Noel and Jean were appointed to Rangiora Corps as corps officers. This was followed by appointments at Port Chalmers Corps, Oxford Corps and Carterton Corps, as corps officers.

In 1961, they were appointed to Rotoroa Island. This was followed by an appointment as assistants at Epsom Lodge in August 1962. In July 1969, Noel and Jean were appointed as managers at Hillcrest Eventide home in Napier. They returned to Rotoroa Island in January 1973 as assistants.

In June 1980, Noel and Jean were appointed as assistants at the Bridge Programme Wellington. In 1982, Noel was appointed as assistant at the Trade Department. His last appointment was manager of Bridgehaven Island Bay, Wellington, from where he and his wife Jean retired on 23 January 1986, having given 31 years dedicated service.

Noel and Jean moved to Thames on their retirement, and served in the corps there. Jean was Promoted to Glory from Thames, on 8 October 1996.

Noel married Claudette Hester in January 2009 and they moved to Oxnard, in California, USA, a few months later.

A service of celebration was held on Monday 5 March 2018 at Oxnard Corps, California. Please uphold children Mjr Bronwyn McFarlane, Capt Dale McFarlane, Carol Christopher, Robyn and Noel Rivett, Chana Gershom, and Ya’akov Yehudi; grandson Lt Gavin Rivett with Lt Veronica Rivett; wife Claudette, and other family at this time of grief and loss.

18 WarCry 24 MARCH 2018

‘… HE IS THE SON OF GOD, CRUCIFIED AT THE HANDS OF GOD’S OWN CREATION.’ The thought of a young person being willing to sacrifice their perfectly healthy life for others is both offensive and heroic …

It’s offensive, because the notion that any person should find themselves in a place where they might have to seriously consider offering their own life for another goes against our ideals of individual rights—the paramount one being the right to life.

Surely no one should feel cornered or compelled to put their own life on the line for whatever reason.

And then, heroic, because we recognise that it is the ultimate sacrifice, with no real equal. Later in April we will all pause for another ANZAC Day. This commemoration doesn’t pass in New Zealand or Australia without the words hero or heroic being mentioned in tones of abiding gratitude and deep respect.

While we lived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, we attended the ANZAC dawn service at Bomana War Cemetery. Standing with thousands of hushed and awed individuals, in the rising pre-dawn heat, and listening to the sounds of a waking tropical jungle around us, was a very different experience from a dawn service in the cooling temperatures of autumnal New Zealand. More than 3300 Australians and six New Zealanders are buried, row-upon-row-upon-row, beneath sun-bleached gravestones—the vast majority etched with a simple cross.

The cross is the most recognised symbol of Christianity, and rightly so, because Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death is both offensive and heroic. His death is offensive not just because it was so barbaric, but principally because he is the Son of God, crucified at the hands of God’s own creation.

And it also heroic, because we have come to understand the deep mystery of his willingness to offer up his life—rather than it being taken, unwillingly, away from him. ‘[Jesus] came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage,’ (Mark 10:45, The Message).

This, to me at least, above all else is the most precious truth of the story of Easter. That God loved us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his own loved son. God loved us so much that he was willing to give the life of his son so that we might have life.

I pray that you will have the opportunity this Easter to pause and reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, and how you respond to that great offer of spiritual life.

Commissioner Andy Westrupp Territorial Commander

DAY THREE

THE HEAVENS ARE

THE PRAISE OF YOUR GLORY FOR YOU ARE RAISED TO

life again What a Beautiful Name

Brooke Ligertwood & Ben Fielding

WHAT IS EASTER REALLY ABOUT? So what’s really going on at Easter?

What do Christians really mean when they say that ‘Christ died for us’? This isn’t a question about events, but about what those events mean …

BY IAN GAINSFORD

I want to suggest one rule: let’s agree that God is love. This is what the New Testament tells us, summed up in the book of 1 John by the words, ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God … because God is love,’ (1 John 4:7–8).

What are we talking about when we say God is love? Well, we read that: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4–7).

20 WarCry 24 MARCH 2018

An unloving God? Why does this matter? Because, in recent years, the most common way of speaking about what it means to say ‘Jesus died for us’ is what we call ‘penal substitution’— that is, the idea that Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins; to take on himself the wrath of God that had to be placated in order for sins to be dealt with. But an increasing number of Christians have a problem with speaking about Easter and the cross in a way that requires God to seem un-loving.

Penal substitution has a history, of course: it was really formulated by John Calvin back in the 1500s. To some extent he was building on the work of a man named Anselm of Canterbury, who lived in the 11th Century, and talked about the death of Jesus providing ‘satisfaction’ for God’s honour.

Calvin was a lawyer, so he used legal metaphors. He took Anselm’s ideas and moved them into the realm of criminal law: essentially, he said we are guilty before God and the only appropriate punishment for sin is death. Jesus, then, assumes this punishment for us: he becomes the substitute for our penalty.

What’s the problem? Well, those who criticise this theory argue that it portrays a God who is violent and vengeful, who can only be satisfied by blood: he has been slighted and demands vengeance.

Or it gives us a God who is divided: God the Father who demands retribution, and Jesus, the Son of God, who forgives freely—he even tells a story about a debt not being paid, but set aside.

Or it tells us that the only difference between the gods of the ancient world (who demanded sacrifices to be appeased or persuaded) and this Christian God of love is that our God made his own sacrifice. Or… you get the idea. There are issues.

Self-giving love If Calvin only formulated this way of speaking in the 1500s, are there alternatives? Of course. Do they all require a model of good being achieved through violence? No—many speak of Christ’s death achieving good despite violence; as a triumph over the tendency of humankind to react to radical love by mocking it, belittling it, or even by putting it to death.

Some very early Christians spoke of Jesus as a ‘moral influence’: that is, his death was a way of providing an example of self-giving love. Others concentrate on the victory that was achieved when Christ was raised again to life: a victory, first and foremost, over death.

To put it another way, God does not desire sacrifice in the sense of the shedding of blood. He does desire that we do God’s loving will, and Jesus does the will of God perfectly—then takes on himself this system of blood sacrifice and forgives it all.

Sin carries the consequence of death.

Christ’s victory is not about receiving our punishment, but undoing this consequence. Hebrews 2:14–15 tells us, ‘So that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.’ And in his victory he conquers not just this fear of death, but death itself.

Words are not enough

‘AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SPEAKING ABOUT EASTER AND THE CROSS IN A WAY THAT REQUIRES GOD TO SEEM UN-LOVING.’ What God is like Rather than being our sacrifice, or our ‘payment for sin’ designed to appease the wrath of God, Jesus is God’s offering.

Jesus shows us what God is like, because God comes in the form of this perfect man of love.

But he also shows us what we are like: we so easily turn to violence. We kill him. It isn’t God who desires death, but us. We hold on to the lie that violence can put things right, when the truth is that violence always cycles back to more violence.

And Jesus accepts this death rather than forcing himself on us. Jesus rejects the myth of redemptive violence—he accepts our decision to choose our own selfinterest over his self-giving love. Then God raises Jesus to life to demonstrate that death is not God’s desire, and death will not have the final word.

Is this all complicated? Yes! There are individual verses in the Bible that support different ways of speaking about the death of Jesus, and no doubt those who support one interpretation or another have had moments of, ‘But wait, doesn’t the Bible say…’ as they’ve read this. There are limits to every theory put forward because we are trying to understand something that we believe fundamentally transforms the world, and our words are sometimes not enough.

But the overarching story of God, revealed in Christ and outlined in the words of the Bible, is clear. God is love.

God does not desire violence and death.

God is not pleased by sacrifice as much as he is by lives of justice and mercy.

And regardless of the system by which we get there, the death and resurrection of Jesus allows us to step, by faith, into a life lived with purpose freed from sin and death.

Even that seems strange at times. We still sin. We know these bodies still die. And yet we hold on to the promise that God forgives, and that we will live again. Because we’re not just freed from something, we’re freed for something.

We’re not freed to all look the same; we’re not freed to abandon our culture or personality—all the things that make us who we are. And we’re certainly not freed to force our moral agenda onto others. We’re freed to give ourselves in love. We’re freed for kindness, and goodness, and a fullness of life that will carry us into eternity. Now there’s a journey worth taking.

‘JESUS SHOWS US WHAT GOD IS LIKE … BUT HE ALSO SHOWS US WHAT WE ARE LIKE …’

24 MARCH 2018 WarCry 21

Final Thought: The Power of Words

BY BRUCE TONG When I was in high school I had a dream to become a doctor. In my final year, and starting at another school, my fate was set with the words from the sixth form dean. He looked at my schooling history and my academic record, and asked me what I would like to become in the future. With a certain confidence I proclaimed, ‘a doctor’.

He slowly shook his head, uttering the words that would determine my future, ‘I don’t think so Bruce, you’re not academically suited for that career … you’ll have to think of something else to do’. His words destroyed me—and I let them! Those words have stayed in my memory bank and are brought back to life and cause me to believe the possible will be impossible. Words do have power, don’t they?

On a lake, in a little boat, a storm was brewing. The wind began to howl and shake the waves into a frenzy.

In the boat were Jesus and his disciples. They were well acquainted with sailing, but were now turning pale.

Some clung to the mast, some hung off the edge laying a burley trail, and some just clung to each other in fear.

They were about to die!

Jesus stood, as if his feet were on solid ground, and said two words: ‘Calm down.’ The wind and the waves — which were like a thousand voices screaming at him, berating him, abusing him­­—suddenly stopped.

The disciples stopped, too. No more burley trail, no more death grips around the mast and no more life hugs. Instead, they were paralysed with amazement and fear. Those two words challenged the 12 men’s

outlooks on life. More importantly, it changed their faith in the man on their boat.

Jump forward a few years and the disciples are again frightened for their lives. The scene is different, but the fury is the same. The wind and the waves are not there, but the voices of the crowd have stepped up in their place, hurling insults and abuse.

Jesus is now carrying a cross. Words of anger and abuse constructed this cross. Hatred nailed the two boards together. Evil motives placed this cross on his back. The crowds watched with glee as he carried their sins, their anger, to the hill known as Golgotha.

When the fury was at its loudest, he said two words: ‘Forgive them.’

Those words came from a foundation that he had stood on before—a foundation that no one could destroy.

These words shook the very foundations of faith, culture, and the lives of all that were there. Those two words set the world on a course of dramatic transformation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind. John 1:1–4

Want to Know More?

I would like: to learn about who Jesus is information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me prayer for the following needs:

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 30 Mar–1 April: Easter Services in Palmerston North 7 April: Re-opening of Gisborne Family Store

Name Email

Colonel Suzanne Finchmam (Chief Secretary) 29 Mar–1 April: Easter services in Levin

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

Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 25 March: Westgate Corps (am), Flat Bush Corps Plant (pm)

Quiz Answers: 1 Robert Zemeckis, 2 Watership Down (1972), 3 China, 4 Ears, 5 Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–46).

22 WarCry 24 MARCH 2018

Jesus is not here, he has risen!

Worst day ever!

Answer these questions, then fill in below, to come up with your worst day ever!

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

[6] [7] [8] [9]

Name an animal Favourite place An activity Something squishy An emotion

I was riding a [1]

to [2]

when I [3]

on a [4]

Suddenly the [1]

got [5]

began playing [6]

[ 7]

It [8]

Luke 24:6 NIV

Something that can be played A word ending in ‘ly’ A funny word Part of your body

. and .

ed and broke my [9]

.

Best day ever!

What would be your best day ever? Where would you go? What would you eat?

My best day ever would be

Have you ever gone to lick your ice cream and it fell right off the cone onto the ground? Worst day ever!

.

Can you find the Easter eggs through the maze?

Well, did you know that the world had a worst day ever? It happened on what we call ‘Good Friday’—it was such a bad day that there were earthquakes and the whole sky went dark! It was the day that Jesus was put to death on a cross. God felt really sad, because Jesus is God’s son.

So, why do we call it a ‘Good’ Friday?

It’s because, even though it was horrible, it was all part of God’s plan.

Imagine you have a fight with your best friend—it makes both of you feel sad, but it's hard to say sorry.

Sometimes you need an adult to help you make up, and you feel so much better afterwards. That’s what Jesus did for us. We had let God down by being mean to each other, but Jesus helped us become friends again.

Did you know the world also had a best day ever? Because when Jesus died that was only part of the plan.

Jesus came back to life again! It was amazing! Awesome! Incredible!

Jesus showed us that he is God. By learning about Jesus and asking him to be part of our lives, we can be friends with God.

R A T S

T

Jesus, thank you for being my friend.

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YOU HAVE NO RIVAL YOU HAVE NO EQUAL NOW AND FOREVER

YOURS IS THE KINGDOM YOURS IS THE GLORY YOURS IS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES What a Beautiful Name

Brooke Ligertwood & Ben Fielding