Spiritual Formation Journal - Chapter 5

Master of Transformational Development

Leadership & Organisational Development

At the beginning of this semester, we launched the Territorial Strategic Plan for Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands Territory in the Solomon Islands. The strategic plan is based on the theme: “Rebuild – Restore – Renew” taken from the Scripture, “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations” (Isaiah 61:4). The vision driving this theme states, “The Salvation Army will actively rebuild, restore and renew where a broken world needs it most.”

In the last six months, the relevance of this theme for Solomon Islands has been punctuated by the riots in November 2021, the community outbreak of COVID-19 in January 2022, proceeding lockdowns and curfews, economic hardship, China security pact, localised flooding and food shortages; all of which exacerbates the brokenness that normally plagues this nation. The impact of COVID-19 related restrictions on meeting together and travelling has greatly hindered The Salvation Army’s ability to put into effect this strategic plan in ways that come naturally to us. It has also slowed down the rapid mission growth we have experienced over the past four years. So, as an action-orientated leader, I have found this period of time to be immensely frustrating!

A time will come soon when we can return to our normal program and set into motion mission activities that will ‘rebuild’ and ‘restore’ but maybe this hiatus has given us time and space to ‘renew’. Ironically, renewal means to ‘resume an activity after an interruption’ but I sense there is space for renewal amid the interruption in this context. For me, this time has led me back to the journal I kept during our pilgrimage to the Holy Land back in 2019, just three months prior to the pandemic. At the end of each full and rich day of exploring places where Jesus walked, I spent some quiet time over a double espresso recording the experiences and insights from our adventures. Reflecting back on those experiences and insights over the past couple of months has indeed been a time of personal renewal in the absence of significant activity and adventure. Ascension Sunday this year provided me with one such moment as I recalled our trip to the Sea of Galilee to the place where Jesus reinstated Peter before His ascension into heaven. This is what I recorded in my journal on that day:

“The first location we visited today had the most profound impact on me! We travelled to the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee where Peter was reinstated by Jesus after his denial of Christ. Here the words of Jesus, “Do you love me?” spoke powerfully to me. We stood on the shore of Galilee and sang the words of Howard Davies song, “Lord, You Know That We Love You.” This was a most fitting song for a very sacred moment. Three rocks shaped as love hearts imbedded into the ground nearby added to the impact of the moment. As we sang the final verse I was overwhelmed with such deep emotion I could no longer sing but could only allow Christ to speak through the singing of the rest of our group…

“Lord, you know that we fail you;

Our sins, how sorely they grieve you!

Many times we have fallen,

Lord, lift us up again.

May we walk to be worthy

Of the call that is ours.

May your will and your purpose

Claim our undivided powers!”

Following this powerful moment, I went and stood in the Sea of Galilee and allowed Christ’s deep, deep love for me flood my soul.”

Remembering that experience in our current circumstances was a powerful challenge to me that ‘my walk may be worthy of the call that is mine’. This has also spoken into some personal conversations with Vanessa about whether we want to extend our time in the Solomon Islands for a third term of another three years. We have been wrestling with this decision, flipping back and forth between our desire as parents and duty as officers, unsure of which way we ought to go. This period of renewal and reflection has given us space to find clarity in our own spirits that our work here is not done and claim the last line of the song that spoke to me on the Sea of Galilee three years ago: “May your will and your purpose claim our undivided powers!” While there are processes outside of our control about whether we stay or go, we are content to say, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).