Category: The Lord Jesus

Howard Davies – Salvation Army

Who Howard Davies Is (Salvation Army Context)

Howard Davies is an internationally‑known Salvation Army composer and songwriter, widely recognised for his contributions to Army vocal and brass music. His work spans decades and appears in songster repertoire, brass band selections, and recordings across several territories.

He is particularly associated with:

  • Songster music (vocal works used by Salvation Army choirs)
  • Devotional and encouragement‑themed songs
  • Brass band arrangements used in corps, divisional, and staff band settings

🎼 His Contribution to Salvation Army Music

1. Composer & Songwriter

Davies has written numerous songs that have become well‑loved in the Army world. His book Words & Music: Stories Behind the Songs highlights the background and inspiration behind many of them, including both humorous and deeply moving stories from his ministry life.

2. Brass Band Arranger

His brass band selection “Songs of Encouragement” (1978) is a well‑known devotional piece incorporating melodies such as:

  • Guardian Grace
  • His Eye Is on the Sparrow
  • He Is Able
  • Keep on Believing

This piece is still sold today through the Salvation Army Music Index.

3. International Reach

Davies’ compositions appear on recordings by:

  • The International Staff Songsters
  • Canadian Staff Band
  • Birmingham Citadel Band
  • Hendon Songster Brigade
  • Hamilton Temple Band

This shows his influence across the UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and the USA.

📘 Autobiographical Insight

In his autobiographical introduction to Words & Music, Davies reflects on:

  • His Salvation Army heritage
  • His musically gifted family
  • His lifetime of service within the movement

This makes him not just a composer, but a storyteller and chronicler of Army musical life.

🎧 Recordings & Discography

Discogs lists 22 recordings featuring his compositions or arrangements, spanning from the early 1970s onward. These include LPs by various Salvation Army bands and songster brigades.

🧭 Why He Matters

Howard Davies is significant in Salvation Army circles because:

  • His music is devotional, accessible, and spiritually warm.
  • His songs are used widely in worship, concerts, and personal devotion.
  • His work bridges songster, brass band, and congregational traditions.
  • He documents the stories behind the songs, preserving Army musical heritage.

If you want, Kenneth, I can also prepare:

  • a short biography suitable for your WordPress blog
  • a devotional reflection based on one of his songs
  • a list of his most influential works for corps musicians

Churches doors closed

Stone church with clock tower, arched windows, and path in graveyard
A charming old stone church with surrounding graveyard and greenery

Yesterday it was announced from The Salvation Army’s headquarters in London to all SA Churches in the UK that not only weekly activities should be cancelled but also usual Sunday worship for the foreseeable future to help avoiding the spread of COVID-19

I later learned that The Salvation Army wasn’t the only church to be closing their doors for this reason, The Church of England I heard on the TV news and The Church of Scotland are also cancelling services

Being a member of The Salvation Army it is unimaginable ‘The Salvation Army – closed doors’. Especially when they were on the frontline of two world wars with their soup kitchens and serving cups of Tea to the troops, which is of course where the phrase ” There’s nothing like an Army cup of Tea comes from”

Undercurrent in The Salvation Army

Salvation Army worship and community center building with people walking inside and two flags flying outside
People entering the Salvation Army worship and community center on a fall day

In The Salvation Army, “undercurrents” refer to hidden negative influences—attitudes, conversations, or behaviours—that quietly work against unity, leadership, and mission. They are not open conflict but subtle forces that erode trust and spiritual health within a corps.

🌊 What “undercurrents” mean in Salvation Army life

The term isn’t formally defined in Salvation Army doctrine, but it’s widely used in pastoral and leadership circles to describe unspoken resistance or negativity beneath the surface of corps life. These undercurrents often take the form of:

  • Gossip and whispering that spread discontent.
  • Cliques or factions that divide fellowship.
  • Passive resistance to officers or local leaders.
  • Private criticism that undermines public unity.
  • Unresolved hurt or bitterness that festers quietly.
  • Influential individuals steering others away from mission focus.

Such patterns mirror the biblical warnings against murmuring and division (Philippians 2:14; Romans 16:17). They are spiritual rather than merely social problems—signs of hearts drifting from holiness and shared purpose.

⚠️ Why undercurrents are dangerous

Undercurrents can:

  • Disrupt fellowship and discourage participation.
  • Undermine spiritual authority of officers and leaders.
  • Distract from mission and outreach.
  • Create tension sensed by newcomers, damaging witness.
  • Lead to division or even corps decline if left unchecked.

Leadership studies within the Army, such as Michael Hutchings’ work at Moorlands College, note that effective officership requires awareness of these hidden tensions and the courage to address them openly.

🕊️ How Salvation Army leaders address undercurrents

Typical pastoral responses include:

  • Bringing issues into the open through honest, prayerful conversation.
  • Encouraging reconciliation using Matthew 18 principles.
  • Promoting transparency in decision‑making and communication.
  • Teaching holiness and unity as core Army values.
  • Rebuilding trust through consistent, humble leadership.

These steps align with the Army’s doctrinal emphasis on holiness and community life found in The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine, which calls believers to purity of motive and mutual love.

✝️ A reflective takeaway for your blog post

“An undercurrent may be unseen, but its pull is felt by all. Only when truth and grace surface together can the fellowship sail steady again.”

Lord Jesus, You are the One who calms the storm and stills the hidden currents of the heart. Search us today. Where there is hurt, bring healing. Where there is bitterness, bring release. Where there is whispering, bring truth spoken in love. Where there is division, bring Your peace.

Make our corps a place where grace flows freely, where leaders are supported, where fellowship is warm, and where Your mission is unhindered.

Unite us by Your Spirit, purify our motives, and let Your love be the strongest current among us. Amen.

Singing about Jesus and his love

Psalm 95 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 95

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,[a]
    as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me;
    they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

Joy Webb a member of The Joystrings of The Salvation Army wrote many songs. One of the was entitled “I want to Sing it”

The Last Supper

Maundy Thursday is one of the most moving and meaningful days in the Christian calendar. It marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum—the three holy days leading to the resurrection—and it invites us into the heart of Jesus’ love, humility, and sacrifice.

🌿 1. The Word “Maundy”

The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning commandment. It refers to Jesus’ words at the Last Supper:

“A new commandment I give you: that you love one another as I have loved you.”

This commandment is the heartbeat of Maundy Thursday.

🍞 2. The Last Supper

On this night, Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples. Here He:

  • Broke bread and shared wine
  • Spoke of His body and blood
  • Instituted what we now call Holy Communion or the Eucharist

It is a moment of deep intimacy—Jesus giving Himself completely for the world.

🧼 3. Jesus Washing the Disciples’ Feet

In an act of radical humility, Jesus washed their feet—something normally done by servants.

This teaches us:

  • Leadership is service
  • Love is practical
  • No one is beneath our care

It’s the gospel lived out in action.

🌙 4. The Garden of Gethsemane

After the meal, Jesus prayed in agony, preparing for what lay ahead.

Here we see:

  • His humanity
  • His obedience
  • His willingness to carry the weight of the world

It is a night of surrender.

🔥 5. A Night of Betrayal and Love

Maundy Thursday holds both tenderness and tragedy:

  • Jesus’ love poured out
  • Judas’ betrayal
  • The disciples’ confusion
  • The beginning of the Passion

It reminds us that God’s love remains steadfast even when human hearts falter.

🌿 Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, the most sacred week in the Christian year. It remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey — a symbol of peace rather than power. Crowds welcomed Him with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” meaning “Save us!”

It’s a day full of contrasts:

  • Joyful celebration as Jesus is welcomed as King
  • Quiet sorrow as we know the cross is only days away
  • Deep reflection on the kind of King Jesus chooses to be — humble, compassionate, self‑giving

🌿 Key Themes You Can Use in a Devotion

✨ 1. The Unexpected King

Jesus arrives not with armies or grandeur, but in humility. A reminder that God’s ways often surprise us — and challenge our assumptions about power and success.

✨ 2. Hosanna: A Cry for Help and Hope

“Hosanna” isn’t just praise; it’s a plea. Palm Sunday invites us to bring our own cries for help to God — personal, communal, and global.

✨ 3. From Crowds to Commitment

The same crowd that cheered would later fall silent. Palm Sunday asks: What does faithful discipleship look like when the cheering stops?

✨ 4. The Journey Toward the Cross

This day sets our feet on the path toward Good Friday and Easter. It’s a moment to pause, breathe, and prepare our hearts.

🙏 A Short Prayer You Can Use

Lord Jesus, As we remember Your entry into Jerusalem, give us hearts that welcome You with honesty, courage to follow You in humility, and hope that trusts in Your saving love. Prepare us for the journey of Holy Week and lead us toward the joy of resurrection. Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent — Laetare Sunday

A Sunday of Joy in the Midst of Lent

The Fourth Sunday in Lent is traditionally known as Laetare Sunday, from the Latin laetare meaning rejoice. It’s a gentle lifting of the Lenten mood—a reminder that even in seasons of discipline, God’s grace breaks through with hope.

Many churches use:

  • Rose-coloured vestments instead of purple
  • Flowers on the altar
  • A lighter, more joyful tone

It’s a moment to breathe, to remember that the journey to the cross is also a journey toward resurrection.

📖 Key Themes

✨ 1. Joy in the Desert

Lent can feel like a wilderness season—self-examination, repentance, restraint. Laetare Sunday reminds us that God meets us in the wilderness with refreshment and encouragement.

✨ 2. God’s Provision

Traditional readings often include images of God feeding, healing, or restoring His people. It’s a reminder that God sustains us even when the path feels long.

✨ 3. A Glimpse of Easter

This Sunday is like a window opening toward the coming victory of Christ. It whispers: “Hold on—light is coming.”

Third Sunday in Lent

🌿 What the day focuses on

Different traditions emphasise slightly different themes, but common threads include:

  • Self‑examination — looking honestly at the heart
  • Turning back to God — the ongoing call to repentance
  • Strength for the journey — recognising our dependence on God’s grace
  • Living water / spiritual thirst — especially in lectionaries that use the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)

📖 Typical Scripture Themes

Many churches read passages that highlight:

  • God’s patience and mercy
  • The danger of spiritual complacency
  • Christ offering renewal and transformation
  • The call to bear good fruit

🕯️ A simple reflection you could use

Here’s a short devotional thought you might appreciate for your blog or meetings:

“Lent invites us not simply to give something up, but to wake up. On the Third Sunday in Lent, we remember that God meets us in our thirst, offering living water that restores, refreshes, and redirects our steps.”

Second Sunday in Lent

The Second Sunday in Lent is traditionally understood as a week of deepening discipleship, where the focus shifts from simply entering the Lenten journey to actively wrestling with what it means to follow Christ.

The heart of the Second Sunday in Lent is the cost and call of discipleship. Many churches read passages where Jesus challenges His followers to trust, surrender, and walk faithfully even when the path is uncertain.

Common lectionary themes include:

  • God’s covenant faithfulness (often through Abraham’s story)
  • Trusting God when the future is unclear
  • Jesus’ call to take up the cross
  • Growing in spiritual maturity

📖 Typical Scripture Readings

While readings vary by tradition, these are commonly used:

  • Old Testament: God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12 or 17) — highlighting trust and promise
  • Psalm: A psalm of confidence, such as Psalm 27 — “The Lord is my light and my salvation”
  • Epistle: Encouragement to stand firm in faith (Romans 4 or Philippians 3)
  • Gospel: Jesus teaching about discipleship (Mark 8, Matthew 16, or Luke 9)

These passages together emphasise faith, obedience, and the journey of transformation.

✝️ Spiritual Focus for the Week

Many Christians use this week to reflect on:

  • Where God is calling them to deeper trust
  • Habits or attitudes that need surrender
  • How to walk more closely with Christ in daily life
  • What “carrying the cross” looks like in practical terms

It’s a week that often feels more introspective than the first Sunday, inviting a quieter, more reflective posture.

🕯️ In Worship

Churches may highlight:

  • More reflective hymns (e.g., Take Up Thy Cross, Be Thou My Vision)
  • Themes of covenant, promise, and faith
  • A continued absence of “Alleluia”
  • Purple vestments and a focus on repentance and renewal

🌱 A Thought for Reflection

A simple prayer often associated with this Sunday is:

“Lord, teach me to trust You more deeply and follow You more faithfully on this Lenten journey.”