New Ecumenical Officer for Salvation Army
Major Paul Robinson has just been appointed to the role of National Ecumenical Officer for the Salvation Army, here he reflects on his ecumenical journey
Major Dr Paul Robinson has moved into the national ecumenical role. Many of you will know that his previous posting was the Norwich Mile Cross Corps of the Salvation Army. He was also the Salvation Army Denominational Ecumenical Officer for Norfolk and Waveney and a volunteer chaplain at HMP Norwich. He writes…
The Lord has a way of encouraging His people to see things His way. Sometimes, we are slow, and other times, we are disobedient, yet His way is always best.
I love the way Jesus tells His stories, how He interacts with individuals, and how He just draws alongside those He needs Him most. However, there are things that still surprise me. Take, for instance, His prayer in John chapter 17: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."
Through the years, I have seen time and again, the beauty of Jesus be seen in the hearts and lives of Christians of all denominations. Yes, there is much that separates, but so much that unites.
Why does it matter to Jesus that Christians are one, united together in bringing the world to Him? Can’t we do our own thing? Yes and no. There are lots of things we can do, but being one means connecting with Him first.
I grew up, first in the Methodist Church and later as a soldier in The Salvation Army. The love and support of fellow Christians have always been important to me.
Some of the struggles faced by one church are faced by all. In one town we served in, Churches Together brought all the churches together and lived in covenant for witness, worship, and unity. No church had sufficient young people or adults to run a youth club, so each church provided youngsters and adults, and we had a great time. No one felt the need to ask which church people attended, the need was to see Jesus in each church and in each person.
It was agreed that when conducting school assemblies, two ministers from different denominations led together, representing all the churches, alternating as appropriate. So, at the end of the school year, when all the clergy gave a book to all school leavers, they understood that the church stood together. And when they went to any of the churches, they already knew at least one person.
I do not know about you, but I think I am a bit nosey. So, when there is something that I do not understand about another church, the way they do things, etc., I ask, I learn, and I enjoy. We do not have to be uniform to be united. At school, I remember, there was one Christian Union to which we all belonged. We all prayed for each other, and with each other, and we all had time for each other.
As a minister, visiting a hospital or care home, you tend not just to visit the person you are visiting, there are brothers and sisters who would value the Word of God being shared, or a blessing being prayed, and I have known it, a song being sung (although my singing may not be such a blessing).
Have you considered why Jesus prayed for us to be one? When He imagines a fellow Christian, He imagines you as their friend, their support, their encourager. The world is full of people doing their own thing, and we see the Lord praying that we would do His thing. It is beautiful, meaningful, and family.
Article by Dr Ian Watson, County Ecumenical Officer for Norfolk and Waveney, adapted from CTE News 5 August. NWCT did an earlier article from Paul before his departure from Norwich: click here.
Picture: courtesy of CTE showing Major Paul and his wife Major Susan