Challenge to JA members
If you are perfectly happy with your membership of the Jesus Army and do not see anything wrong with its beliefs and lifestyle, then I have no challenge for you and would advise you not to read on. The same applies to those of you who feel that the Jesus Army is essentially going along the right lines, yet acknowledge there could be room for improvement here or there.If, however, you have you have a definite (or nagging) feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with the ideology and lifestyle of the Jesus Army, then I would urge you to do something about it!! In my experience, there are at least three extremely important obstacles to action.
1. The fear of being disloyal to all the wonderful people who have become your friends within the Jesus Army. Make no mistake about it, many of these people (but NOT all) who you have cast your lot in with are very special indeed. Like you, they are people they are hungry for "spiritual reality" and for a lifestyle which has genuine meaning and purpose. In pursuit of this, they are ready to make huge personal sacrifices. How could you possibly forsake them?
2. The fear of being disobedient to God. You feel, no doubt, that it is God himself who is "behind" the Jesus Army and therefore, by definition, your own involvement with it; and for all kinds of reasons (fear, humility, compliance, indoctrination, zeal......) you don't want to go against His will. Depending on the extent of your involvement with the Jesus Army, you will no doubt have also been warned about the serious consequences of breaking the "covenant" you have made.
3. The hope that things will change! You are not a quitter, and you think (hope) that those aspects of the Jesus Army which distress you will sooner or later be made good...and, after all, Noel Stanton has a unique "prophetic" anointing by God, doesn't he?
There are also other obstacles, of course; but I cannot list them all here. The question is, are you ready for my challenge? Here it is!
Be ruthlessly honest with yourself, even if it hurts and makes you afraid of what lies ahead! Do you honestly and truly believe that the Jesus Army lifestyle is right? Do you honestly and truly believe that this is what the Christian lifestyle, or life in general for that matter, is meant to be like? Do you honestly believe that your estrangement from the rest of the world is God's intent? And what (remember, be honest with yourself), is your GENUINE impression of Noel Stanton, and other high ranking leaders (Mick Temperate? John Campbell?). It can be very very hard, and it can mean the breakdown of everything you've believed in so strongly. But if your answer to these questions is the one which I suspect it will be, then you have no moral choice other than to do something about the situation you're in.
You can try to change things from within, of course...but I myself have no faith in this option. So be bold and cut yourself loose. Ignore the torments from within your own head and from elsewhere, they will soon subside. Take your place in the mainstream of society again. Oh yes! There's a lot of corruption, selfishness, dishonesty (you name it!) all around. But there's also a lot of goodness to be found, if only you have the eyes to see it. The world is there for the brave to live in and, if necessary, to change!