When we introduced both our girls to paddling in the sea for the first time their expressions were very similar. Both of them freaked out! There were great screams and then a few moments of crying. But I’m sure that many of us can relate to that feeling. When we’ve taken those first steps towards the sea, as the tide brings the water in and we know it’s going to be cold and we’re bracing ourselves. Sometimes we run away before it’s even touched our toes because the fear of it being cold is greater than our strength to face it. Sometimes we wait and let it touch our toes and then run!
Most of us know however, that often when we face the cold water and stay in it, it begins to get warmer – we get accustomed to it and it becomes comfortable to cope with.
Today sees the launch of The Salvation Army’s new mission strategy T.I.D.E. The acronym based on the Founder of The Salvation Army’s song “O Boundless Salvation” where in one of the verses it says,
The tide is now flowing, I’m touching the waves.
I hear the loud call of the Mighty to Save
My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;
I plunge ’neath the waters, they roll over me.
This verse talks about the transformation we find in salvation. TIDE is a tool to measure how effective our mission is by asking: is it TRANSFOMATIONAL? Is it INTEGRATED? Does it promote DISCIPLESHIP? Is it EFFECTIVE?
In his ministry, Jesus often challenged and changed the way things were done if there was a more effective way of doing it. When the fishermen were out fishing and caught no fish Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side and amazingly their nets were filled to overflowing!
TIDE is an opportunity for us to look and, if need be, change the way we do mission to make us more effective in transformational ministry; more effective in bringing people to the brink of the tide and encouraging them to plunge ‘neath the waters and find salvation and opportunity for their faith and Christlikeness to grow stronger. TIDE is also an opportunity for us to look at and change the way we spiritually grow ourselves.
Let’s not run away before it’s even begun, give it a chance, embrace the TIDE, stay in the water and hopefully see exciting transformational mission.
God bless
Captain Clare