Testimony 7 - Matthew Elcome [Vancouver, BC]

God has definitely been teaching me things. He is showing me grace. Not with myself, but grace for other people. I haven't overcome this yet, but it is a process that He is helping me through, and just to have patience and grace for people.

I'm am growing in lots of areas. Coming to TWC has improved my relationship with God. My rations have become better and more intense, and my war room shifts are showing me a more intimate picture of God. Coming to TWC meant a HUGE step in faith, and it so far has paid off.

He is just encouraging me to step out more in faith, and trust Him with more of my life.

Testimony 6 - Matt Armstrong [Vancouver, BC]

My big deal in coming to War College was fear. Before attending the college I did not feel safe, and was constantly uncomfortable in the downtown east-side. Since I have been down here, I have quickly learned that the Lord is faithful to those who obey him. By taking that step and coming to the War College, God has over taken my fear with strength. It's pretty freaking radical. I never thought that I would ever be able to walk down allies in the middle of the night. Don't get me wrong though; I still do get nervous on occasion. God is changing and strengthening me everyday. As I turn to Him more and more, HE graciously blesses me to do things way beyond my “self.” I'm deffinatly digging what God is doing in my life, and the rest of the Revolutionaries. They are neat, and have cool hip-hop style.

Putting all of your trust in to God is something I am constantly growing in. It's super hard sometimes to give “ALL” you have to Him. However, it's the best thing anyone can do! It is mighty awesome that God tells his people to cast their cares apon him. And God is faithful to that. He takes our burdens off of our backs, and then throws them away remembering them no more. Seems like a sweet deal to me. As I continue to seek God and His will, he continues to reveal truth and understanding to me. This has made me tighter in relation to God, and has allowed me to minister better from what I have learned. An example of this is how God has been teaching me to Love people better. It's so amazing how God sometimes just calls us to love people. You don't even need to mention Jesus. God does all the spiritual work. We just need to hang out and show people we care (like Jesus does for us).

The War College has been a great experience for me to really focus on my relationship with God. It has given me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone in faith, and experience the blessings in which God bestows on those who are faithful to Him. It is an incredible opportunity, and has definitely impacted my life in a big way already.

The Lord has been encouraging me to seek his face in all that I do. No matter what the circumstance is, God wants to help. He wants us to rely on his strength, and He will fight our battles for us. He is gracious and
compassionate, and loves us to death. This can be a hard lesson to take in and understand, but it's true. As I seek God's face more and more, he continues to build me up. It's good stuff. You should all try it!

Testimony 5 - Joshua Ivany [London, ON]

God is teaching me to trust Him more and more everyday. Over the past few months there have been many difficult times where my wife Jenn and I have stressed out because things weren't working out job wise. I worked as a security guard at the Centre of Hope which is a homeless shelter in London. I did not like this job. For those of you who know me, I'm not the most intimidating guy so there were times when it was difficult to lay down the law. I even got punched in the face which was an interesting experience. On top of all of this I was only working 16 hours a week so it was difficult to pay the bills. Jenn can't legally work right now so things were challenging for a while. I knew that God had a plan and that He wouldn't leave us stranded but there were times when I wanted to know the plan. Jenn and I had no choice but to trust. Every single day for over 6 months I prayed that God would increase my faith. We didn't lose hope and now things are going great. I have a full time job looking after 2 boys. My brother likes to call me a Manny. Their father died when the were babies so it's been amazing to encourage these boys, laugh with them, and wrestle with them which is by far their favourite activity. As hard as the past few months were, I feel like my level of faith has grown immensely.

In proverbs chapter 3 it says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." God was teaching me how to completely let go and teaching me how to trust in Him with all of my heart. A lot things didn't make sense to me which was scary but God doesn't want us to lean on our own understanding, He wants us to lean entirely on Him. If we do this and keep Him as our main focus in all that we do and say, He will make our path straight. This sounds like a pretty good deal to me. God knows our every move, He won't leave us or abandon us, we just need to learn how to let go and let Him take control.

I am so blessed! I have been married to Jennifer Lauren for over 8 months. She is without a doubt the most beautiful woman inside and out that I have ever met. I fall in love with her more and more every day. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I'm married but I honestly couldn't imagine life any other way. I love waking up in the morning and seeing Jennifer, I love staying up late with her and laughing. I want to be the best husband possible. I want to encourage her, lift her up, and cover her. It's a sweet deal being married to your best friend!!!

Sally Ann Open Air Practice in Nanaimo

My friend Shawn is one of the most advanced disciplers of youth in the Territory. Check out just a glimpse of what they are doing behind the scenes... [Props to my spy Carlye!]

Bridal College

Some Bible Colleges are called Bridal Colleges. People are just looking for a mate. A girl was asked why she was going to Trinity Western University in Langley, She quipped, 'To get my M.R.S."

Briercrest College in SK is joked as, "Bridal Quest." I've heard the training college joked about 'Ring by Spring.'

Somehow, The War College has been lumped into this stereotype. I have some exceptions to that while seeing a handful of people get together: [Rob and Heather started it off. Then Josh and Jenn. Now Regan and Jeni are courting]. First that is only 3 couples who have 'hooked up.'

Secondly, you might have heard we're hard and fast on a 'No Romance' rule. That is we don't get distracted by starting any new relationships with a hint of romance. We maintain a year of focusing on Jesus and the rest of the community. This is successful for a couple of reasons. First, we don't get involved in the juvenile spats that young people in romances spread to the community. Community takes priority over individual agendas. Secondly, we put all our efforts into ministry rather than the emotional, physical and mental drains new love stirs. Song of Songs puts it fittingly, "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." For us, after a year is at least the cut off for until it so desires. However, one student has put it on herself to abstain from romance for a second year... until she's ready. That doesn't sound like any Bridal Quest!

Let's face it. This works. It works out mostly for the students who get a year of building a foundational friendship that a 'love shack' can be built. Why do our students, after their year all of a sudden get engaged? Because God has confirmed it without the cheap teenage romance. These warriors have gone through the same growing process. They are equally yoked. They have been poured into so much and poured themselves out that they would be hard pressed to find someone somewhere else with the same spiritual intensity, love for the poor and maturity. And what are these students doing? Continuing in sacrificial bi-vocational ministries across North America.

Glory to GOD!

Testimony 4 - Catherine Marquis [Vancouver]

The greatest difficulty the Lord has helped me overcome since being at the War College is being apart from my children with almost no contact. Through constant prayer and agonizing with Him He has reminded me that He was the one who made them and He actually loves them more than me (believe it or not I actually thought I had to CONVINCE Him to take care of them while I am away from them)! It has been two months now since arrived and God is SO good. I have been encouraged by a friend back home that even as God has sent me here to minister to the adult children of other people who are living on the streets of East Vancouver, so He will send people to minister to my children back home and continue to bless them and draw them ever closer to Him.

I have totally grown in my trust in God since coming to the War College in early September. Here in East Van I would say that trust even of my physical life is not an exaggeration. God continues to teach me and challenge me to trust Him in everything and with everything. God needed to separate me from everything familiar and dear to me to do the work He has designed for me and has chosen the War College as a means of doing that.

God has been encouraging me to be faithful. Even when I don't see how He is working He has encouraged me to continue (Galatians 6:9 'Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up')

Testimony 3 - Katherine Walker [Phase 2 - Metrotown]

I thought committing to come to the War College for a year was a huge steep of faith. To live in a different country were I didn’t know anyone, to study and minister while at same time not feeling inadequate required faith.
The last few months God has been stretching and growing my faith even more. He is strengthening me to live a life were I say yes to God no matter what. God has brought me to a place were I am content not having all the answers. I no longer need to be in control and can say ‘I trust You, You are sovereign and in control.’ Even when that means following God, when I only know the next steep, and not the full destination when my family would rather me do anything but follow God. I am letting go of positions that hold me to the past and not doing things 'my way.' I'm surrendering it all to the Lord.

From Court

Mike Yaconelli wrote this on his Youth Ministry Rant:
"What is the deal with Christian colleges, anyway? Shouldn’t they be graduating students who are revolutionary, anti-institutional, anti-cultural extremists? Isn’t anyone else upset that most of our Christian colleges are graduating compliant, materialistic, irrelevant students who don’t have a radical bone in their bodies? Who will push the envelope in the generations to come?"

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We know some War College warriors who are answering the bell on this one. Hallelujah.

As you read these testimonies you may want to take note of the revolutionary students. They have actually left home and family. They didn't get any couching professional Christianity job but are working hard in the world and spending the spoils on the kingdom. Which person in the world after working 40 hours and wakes up at 4:30AM stays up late ministering to prostitutes in the night? Who huddles in a cold slum hotel, doing as much to stay awake between 2AM and 5AM to bless the Lord? They have radically given the finger to the world system, the devil and many of our rational Christian thinking types to sacrifice, comfort, education and more money 'for the least of these.' I'm proud they are my students and my friends. PTL!

Testimony 2 - Dan White [Phase 2, London]

Moving away from home to here is a collosal faith builder. The contrast between home and here is huge. ...comfort/discomfort, ...big community/small community, ...sense of strength/feeling of weakness, and so forth.

Learning that my biggest weapons are vulnerability and humility, makes the fight uncomfortable yet exciting. This is the highway to holiness, right here in community.

Its difficult when the trials come. A persevering steadfast faith takes time, and not without its struggles. Every victory makes us stronger. My strength to overcome is in Him.

I'm encouraged by the reality that its not God in our plans, but us in God's plans. This is a timely encouragement everytime I mess up or fall short. I am in his hands, and in his plans. Amen.

Perspective

We were at the Worship and Justice weekend hosted by Seattle Temple. Geoff Ryan, Danielle Strickland, Tom & Raechel Freeman and The Singing Company specialed. It was a great weekend to look back at why we do what we do. Our worship is not separate from what we do for the poor. Our text was Amos 5:21 for the weekend, a repetitive theme from God. That is, He really despises our worship if we don't do anything for the poor, vulnerable, 'submereged tenth', the dregs of society. This is repeated in The Salvation Army's foundational scripture: Isaiah 58.

Geoff capped things off with Matthew 5 encouraging our corps or whatever we call them to be salt and light. Salt [used as a preservative, not flavouring] is to be located WHERE society is most vulnerable to decay. A light is to shine in dark places. We sould be asking ourselves, what difference does our corps make on our community in these areas? Is there less crime because we are around? Less addiction? Is God mentioned more? etc.

Pray that we fulfil the role of God's people in the DTES.

Sat Night part 4

booyah!

Sat Night part 3

Sat night part 2

Aaron picks it up where we left off

Spiritual Leadership

I am humbled by the great students that make Vancouver their home for at least one year. It is a process I go through that shows me I am completely lacking in areas. I've been reading more Brengle and came across the chapter 'Spiritual Leadership.' I was struck at my lack in certain areas:

Spiritual leadership is not won nor established by promotion, but by many prayers, tears and confessions of sin and heart-searchings and humblings before God, and self-surrender and a courageous sacrifice of every idol and a bold and deathless, and uncompromising and uncomplaining embrace of the Cross and an eternal, unfaltering looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves [Jer45.5], but rather, like Paul, by counting those things that were gain, loss for Christ. Hear him: "What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. [Phil3.7,8]

That's what I'm aiming to attain. I want these students to have a better leader than last year. May God grant me the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord and the suffering that comes with it.

JE

Aaron part 4

Aaron part 3

Here is part 3 of 4. I'll try to put up part 4 today. Let us know what you think. Any challenges, applications or insights?

Kate Booth

- from "The Heavenly Witch, The Story of the Marechale" it is by Carolyn Scott. It was published in Great Britain [1981] by Hamish Hamilton Ltd. The words in the book were gathered from friends and relatives of Catherine. She was called the "heavenly Witch" because of her passion for souls. It burned in her eyes and shone in her face, her passion "bewitched," that is converted many people.

Rebuild, Renew Restore

Before our very eyes, The DTES is being rebuilt. Dawn took these pics earlier in the year.

rev2

Aaron brought up a scenario while teaching class where he came to the War Room and I was in my underwear.... I was painting and didn't want to get my clothes wrecked. Anyway, here's the continuation of Aaron's rEVOLution preach with that sort of humour.