WCA Training Danielle Strickland

Danielle Strickland

Salvation Army Background

Author of A Beautiful Mess

Thesis:  We have an addiction to order.

God is defiantly a God of order, but the question is what kind of order.

Chaos - foundational in the scriptures to all of the order we perceive in scripture. 

Acts 10:9-17a (Peter's Vision about Clean and Unclean)

When God is going to bring about a movement - it always starts with Chaos.

Peter is disturbed.  Literally saying no to God.  We often resist chaos, because we don't know what to do with it and risk losing control. 

First thing God does in creation order - after chaos - is bring light.

• We don't know how to deal with chaos, but we sit and do nothing.
• What's so interesting about this story is that the 'light' in this story comes from a Roman soldier, a very unlikely source.
• If I would have had the entire light it took to climb the mountain (Mt. Sinai), I would have never ascended because once the light was up, you could see all the items there are to fear.

Second thing God does in creation order - is bring expanse.

• Religion has the capacity to make our lives smaller
• Leaders have small lives. The order obsession shrinks our lives. 
• Are you larger, is your reach and depth expanding?
• Do you have friends that people find uncomfortable?

Third thing God does in creation order - is create land.

• Land is a foundation. 
• www.Infinitumlife.com (Be like Jesus) Based on Surrender, generosity, mission
• The enemy is always attacking your gifting. 
• it's not about my organizational affiliation or how good they are at things, but the missional focus God has called me to.

Fourth thing God does in creation order - is create seasons.

• seasons are always beyond our control.
• What season do you dread?
• What season have you learned the most from?
• What season are you in?

Fifth thing God does in creation order - is fish and birds.

• Creates life.  Fish - most simple life form
• Birds are most complex.
• God creates most simple and complex thing on the same day.  God is simple, yet complex.
• Can you sum up the OT - Jesus sure...LOVE.
• What you find it difficult to embrace the simplicity of what it means to follow Jesus?
• Why do you think that is?
• Is possible to take apart a brothel system with a 72 year old lady?

Sixth thing God does in creation order - is humanity.

• the Gospel story starts in Gen 1, not Gen. 3
• We don't view people who are different as having much value.

Seventh thing God does in creation order - is rest.

• in defiance of slavery - because slaves were not able to live that way.
• Sabbath is literally established in defiance of slavery.