Alice in Wonderland has this memorable line where Alice says there is no use in trying to believe impossible things! Some of us might relate well to Alice, especially if we have found ourselves in situations where our dreams or expectations have not been realized. It is the ill-tempered Queen of Hearts who puts matters in perspective when she suggests Alice's problem is really her lack of practice. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day,” says the Queen. “Why sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

In this day and age where the Church is being forced to navigate its way among the limits secular society would place upon us, what is it we believe is possible? Can we imagine our churches filled to overflowing with people? Can we imagine these same individuals arriving early on our doorstep Sunday morning? Can we see them lining the sidewalks leading to our building, anxious to get their prime seating for worship? Can we imagine our mercy seats overflowing weekly with souls seeking the Saviour? Can we picture people so “intoxicated” with the Spirit that our phone rings off the hook with new ministry volunteers? In the season in which we are now serving as Salvationists, what do we believe is possible in the name of our Lord and King?

It is no secret that Salvationsists have been known as people able to dream big dreams for the Kingdom. We inherit the fervour to do this from our own founder, William Booth, who had a bold vision of the whole world being won for Christ. He saw, through the aggressive proclamation of the Gospel, that troubled lives could find direction and hope; broken people could be made whole and the moral fibre of a nation could be reshaped and redefined toward the truths of God.  The secret to realizing this vision was first and foremost reflected in the spiritual formation of God's people.

In 1869, the East London Evangelist captured these sentiments when William suggested “how much more might be done if you had all received Penetcostal baptism in all its fullness. If every soul was inflamed, and every tongue touched and every mind illuminated and every heart purified with the hallowed flame.” William went on to say that “the whole city would feel it. God's people in every direction would catch the fire and sinners would fall on every side…all flesh would see the salvation of God.”

While our Army today often laments its challenges to balance budgets, provide adequate human resources and keep standards of ministry intact, perhaps our greatest challenge is to believe for that which seems impossible. Such was the message Jesus gave to the rich young ruler who likewise saw an impossible reality before him.  In order to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, he was to go and sell all his possessions and give them to the poor.  Then he would find his treasure in Heaven and the means to follow Christ (Matthew 19: 16-26).  He ended up going away sad because he had great wealth. For the disciples, this became a powerful teaching moment. Even though this seemed a hard thing, Jesus had an important point to make. On a human level what was being required of the rich young ruler did seem quite difficult and perhaps to some unrealistic and unnecessary. Yet with God, nothing was beyond the realm of possibility!

The greatest obstacle for the rich young ruler was to find a way to get over the speed bumps that were going to challenge his way into the Kingdom. Sacrifice was going to be required and mindfulness toward the needs of others. His life was to be turned upside down by new Kingdom priorities. His world was no longer his own. The One who was calling him to follow would require hard things of him. Yet there was no challenge that could not be overcome if one was “with God.”

Perhaps in this, we unlock the key to re-imagining new possibilities for the places we serve. The secret is found by not being limited by hard things but pushing over the speed bumps as we seek our own experience of “with-ness” with God. In many respects, wasn't that what Pentecostal baptism was all about―all of God's people, with him in one place, drawn together by the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit, waking believers up to dream new dreams? Subsequently we witness the birth of the Christian Church and the spreading of the Gospel message, where thousands upon thousands are being added daily to the divisional stats! It was enough to make any divisional commander jump for joy!

Yet, herein, we are challenged as a spiritual people to re-evaluate how much of our work is done “with or without” our anticipation of divine eventfulness? When we fail to see instant results, do we abandon the vision just because it seems improbable in the moment? Let there be no mistake about it, Kingdom building is hard work. Yet where there is no vision, the people perish. And so, how big are we willing to dream? Could it be “whole cities could feel the impact of the ministry of The Salvation Army? Might people “on every side” catch a vision of the hope that is found in Christ alone? Perhaps it is important to note that this inspired vision will call for more than just words committed to the page of the corps mission statement. Inspired vision will call for the full engagement of God's people to do the work of the Kingdom.

While prescribed practicalities and calculated probabilities may seek to limit our expressions of faith, God calls us to be visionaries. Maybe it's helpful to remember that if common sense and logic had won the day back in the times of the Booths, we would probably not know the presence of a Salvation Army today. Yet God dared to dream a big dream when he launched Salvationists into the east end of London, England. This dream probably defied that which seemed sensible and reasonable in the day. In fact, many early critics projected that that the light of The Salvation Army would not last. Yet here we find ourselves all these years later and Salvationists are still part of God's big plan to redeem the world.

If we started the practice of “believing six things before breakfast,” how might this change what could be happening by lunch and supper? As John Lennon said, “some will say we are just dreamers.” But I can't help but wonder, from divine perspective, if this would really be a bad thing? While we will be careful to anchor our faith projections in what we know to be true about God, we still serve an Eternal Father who can do the surprising, the unexpected and the unimaginable! The proof lies in the discarded grave clothes of an empty tomb and the knowledge that this same resurrection power is reaching into the hearts of men, women and children today.

Can you imagine?

Major Julie Slous is corps officer at Winnipeg's Heritage Park Temple. She also serves as adjunct faculty at the College for Officer Training. In May 2009, Julie completed her doctoral studies in biblical preaching. Her thesis work centred on “Preaching a Disturbing Gospel─The Homiletic of The Salvation Army for Postmodern Times.” When not studying and writing, personal hobbies include reading, cooking, musical composition and, of course, listening to sermons! Married to Brian, she has three children.