A pivotal moment that brought our world leader to his knees
BY LAUREN MARTIN
At the final rally to mark the visit of The Salvation Army’s world leaders to Australia, General Lyndon Buckingham shared his ‘Present, Prominent, Pre-eminent’ message – and how it impacted him personally.
The Golden Theatre at the Melbourne Convention Centre was packed on Sunday (1 September) as Salvationists travelled from across Victoria to worship Jesus together and hear from General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham.
There was an atmosphere of joy as the worship team, Melbourne Staff Band and Melbourne Staff Songsters led praise, and there was an exciting children’s and young people’s dance group performance to the song, Praise.
Another highlight was a spoken word presentation by Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, Auxiliary-Lieuteant Rosy Keane, based on Psalm 150, titled Praise the Lord 13 Times.
Earlier, Commissioner Bronwyn said that across Australia during the tour, the Holy Spirit had moved amongst Salvationists who had gathered.
“We are believing because we have been praying for it that it would happen again in Melbourne,” she told those gathered. “So, I pray that you’ve come expecting; I pray that you’ve come with open hearts and open minds to hear what the Spirit of God might have for you here in this place today.”
So, in a spirit of expectation, the General began his final rally message for the Australia tour after preaching in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart.
He spoke about a pivotal prayer meeting that he attended at International Headquarters when he was Chief of the Staff. In it, Commissioner Ted Horwood, International Secretary for Program Resources, asked the question, “So far as we are concerned, is Jesus present, prominent or pre-eminent?”
“It just slammed into my brain,” said the General of the question, adding that he “got lost” inside the concept and began thinking about The Salvation Army across the world and where Jesus sat within different aspects of it.
“All of this was going on in my head, and I can’t remember what else we prayed,” he shared. “In fact, the prayer meeting ended, and I was still there, thinking, ‘Where is the Lord Jesus Christ in the context of our movement?’”
But at that moment, the Holy Spirit broke through, and the Lord challenged him with these words: “Forget The Salvation Army. Where am I, so far as you are concerned?”
It was a question that brought him to his knees.
“I had to kneel in the chapel,” he revealed. “I had to do a little bit of work. Maybe, not necessarily by intention – maybe by accident, maybe by lack of attention, maybe by distraction … maybe the demands of the work, the appointments, the decisions that have to be made …
“Maybe, without my even realising it, he [God] has been relegated to a place of prominence, … or maybe he’s kind of, sort of, maybe, nearly present.”
He said that he discovered that the Holy Spirit’s power is not found with having Jesus present, or even prominent, but is poured out when Jesus is pre-eminent in our lives.
“When I moved to that place of surrender and obedience and faith and trust in the reality of the risen master, it’s in that place that something is unleashed within me.
“There’s something about when you are in a relationship with the Lord when he is pre-eminent in your life, you find yourself wanting to do the business of the Kingdom!”
After the message, the prayers that were offered earlier in the meeting for the Holy Spirit to move were answered as the mercy seat filled and people stood at their seats or in the aisles leading up to the stage for prayer.
Earlier in the meeting, Major Narelle Jacobsen from St Kilda’s ‘The Well’ Community of Hope and Majors Brendan and Sandra Nottle from Project 614 were awarded the ‘Cutmore Award’ for their work as pioneers. Lieutenant Paul Trotter from Colac Corps was awarded a ‘Mission Regeneration Award’ for a re-imagining of The Salvation Army’s work in his community.
To read the full story on the award recipients, click here
On Monday morning (2 September) the world leaders conducted Officers Councils at Box Hill Corps, their last engagement on the Australian tour.
Click through the slideshow below to view more photos of the General’s Rally in Melbourne.
