My venture into work at S21 was an early one, and I was looking forward to an hour or so quiet before the buzz of a typical day would begin.
As I crossed the main square in the city Dawn spotted a man sprawled out on a public bench. We both instantly recognised him.
It was Richard.
One of our regular guys to S21.
Richard for many years was homeless, we worked extremely hard to get him housed, managing it about eight months ago.
So I was more than concerned to see him flat out on a city bench, fast asleep.
I'd had my suspicions for a few weeks that he wasn't going back to his bedsit.
For the whole time he has been in the bedsit we managed to get him into we have kept a watch on him checking he was still there. I knew he had a few problems settling in. He had slept on concrete for so long when he was on the streets that for the first few months when I visited him I would notice he had made a bed on his bedroom floor!
So this morning when I found him sleeping in the city, I gently shook his shoulder and woke him up.
I asked him why he was there.
It then became apparent he was totally drunk. He had the Salvation Army hoodie on that I had given him last winter because he had no hat and his ears were freezing, so it didn't look to good a guy drunk in an SA top! Ive told him loads of times if you wear that don't get drunk!
He will get me the sack!
We got him up to S21, and I sat with him for the whole morning.
After some coffee and then later some soup, his drunkenness diminished hour by hour.
I got it out of him that he didn't want to stay in the bedsit anymore.
I was gutted.
We've seen a real change in Richard since he's been living inside.
He's cleaned himself up a bit. Mainly because he had a bath and a washing machine.
So I really felt gutted because we've made such progress with Richard.
After dealing with his physical needs we are beginning to make some progress spiritually with him, getting into many conversations about Jesus.
I'm worried for him.
The winters here in the North East of England are harsh and cutting.
And Richard will probably be back in his old space, a doorway in the city.
I really am gutted.
He won't even come home with us, he just feels that the only place where he feels at home is the street.
Later that day I sat in the main prayer room and tried to get my head round this problem.
I prayed hard.
I've seen God do some miraculous stuff. In my own life and in the lives of others.
But it's amazing how that fades into the mists of the past when someone seemingly doesn't get a miracle.
I felt a bit at a loss what to do next.
What else can I do for Richard?
As I reflected on this in the prayer room my mind switched to a difficult conversation I had a while back.
I was being challenged about our approach at S21 as to how we gauge growth etc, which without getting wrapped up in the measurement business is to try and measure our progress in terms of kingdom values.
This person had challenged me and said the only way to measure Kingdom success is by the number of soldiers you are making.
Soldiership is a Salvation Army membership avenue open to all who want to make that particular commitment.
I think Soldiership is amazing and it's great when people make that commitment. It's such a blessing.
But as the only measurement tool for the kingdom?
I don't think so.
If we get into that game, saying a church is successful by how many members they have on the role then in my opinion we are on the road to nowhere.
As I thought about that challenge that was given me, God kind of used it to softly speak into my heart about Richard.
Richard, in his tattered clothes and with his filthy body, in his fight for his very life against the power of alcoholism. In his complete depletion of self worth and motivation, right now is not heading for Soldiership.
Don't get me wrong.
That is totally possible.
There is evidence of that I'm sure.
But right now? Richard doesn't give a monkeys about Soldiership or membership of the church.
He is right now actually dying in every way.
So because he isn't a number on a role does that mean we have failed this guy?
Does that mean he doesn't belong?
So what do I do next Lord?
As a Salvation Army officer, as a christian what more can I do for this guy?
As I'm writing this I'm drawn to a poem someone has written on the wall in the prayer room, I don't know whether they have wrote it or whether it's a published poem so I can't give the source but this is what it says.
I kind of think it says it all really.
You are the caller, you are the poor, you are the stranger at my door, you are the wanderer, the unfed, you are the homeless with no bed. You are the man driven insane, you are the child crying in pain. You are the other who comes to me, if I open to another? You are born in me.
(S21 prayer room 1 wall)
What do I do next.
As I read this, God shows me that kingdom work is mostly about standing with the broken. It's essential we stand beside those in need. The Richards of this world. It's about seeing Jesus in everything and everyone.
It is vital that we open ourselves up to others, no matter what.
You can't always put that on a set of statistics.
We need soldiers, don't get me wrong. We need workers for the harvest field. I pray that our Soldiership increases and continues to be blessed in the Salvation Army forever.
But let's not limit the work of God by using that as a gauge of how successful we are.
As frustrating as it is right now in this case with Richard. Richard is one of many who we all come across in life and ministry. As frustrating as that can be sometimes, the next move is a kingdom move.
I realise today more than ever that God requires us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
That requires standing and hanging in with those who seem so hopeless.
Whether they become a member of the church or not.
And they are and always will be a part of us anyway regardless whether they are members or not.
As I prayed this morning I think the answer I got was pretty immediate this time! I just have to be there. To continue to hang in with him. To love, accept, and be compassionate towards him.
All the time.
Relentlessly.
I'm sure if we leave Soldiership or membership of our congregations to God. Trust him to add to numbers those are being saved, and focused more fixedly on the needs of those who need saving?
We do trust him to do that?
Don't we?
Then I truly believe we will see kingdom results. Whatever they are or whatever that means. We will see movement and transformations in our own lives and the lives of others.
I pray God will continue to touch the lives of millions through your ministry guys.
