The Salvation Army has today announced its new world leader and the 19th General will be Canadian-born Commissioner Linda Bond.
Commissioner Bond becomes the third woman and the fourth Canadian to hold the post of General of The Salvation Army since the international church and charity organization was founded 146 years ago.
The Commissioner, who currently heads up the church and registered charity’s work in the Australian Eastern Territory, was elected by The High Council of The Salvation Army made up of senior leaders from around the world who met this week in Sunbury-on-Thames near London.
Commissioner Linda Bond (64) will have the title General-Elect until she succeeds the current world leader General Shaw Clifton, who retires at the beginning of April.
Once in post as General of The Salvation Army, the Commissioner will become the head of more than one million Salvationists in 123 countries. The Salvation Army also has more than 100,000 employees who between them communicate in 175 different languages.
In recent days and months, The Salvation Army has been involved in relief work in the aftermath of the Australian floods, the devastating mudslide in Brazil, floods in Sri Lanka, and the New Zealand earthquake.
Commissioner Bond comes to the role of General of The Salvation with 42 years experience of Christian ministry and leadership.
Since 2008 Commissioner Bond has headed up The Salvation Army’s work across Eastern Australia, a huge territory with its headquarters in Sydney. This includes the recently devastated state of Queensland where The Salvation Army continues to be heavily involved in assisting victims of widespread flooding.
Prior to this, the Commissioner worked at Salvation Army International Headquarters (IHQ) in London, as the Secretary for Spiritual Life Development and International External Relations. This was her second spell at IHQ where she had previously served as Under Secretary for Personnel in the mid 1990s.
As a Salvation Army officer (ordained minister of religion and leader) Commissioner Bond has served in local corps (church) ministry, on the staff of Salvation Army national and regional (divisional) headquarters and as part of the training staff for new officers in her home territory of Canada and Bermuda. During those years she also served as a divisional and subsequently a leader of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.
Other appointments have included divisional leadership roles in the Manchester region of the United Kingdom between 1998 and 1999, and as Territorial Leader in the USA Western Territory of The Salvation Army.
Top photo: General-elect Commissioner Linda Bond salutes the world immediately following the public announcement of her election to be the Salvation Army’s nineteenth General. Credit: Paul Harmer.
Thanks Lord for our General Me and my wife are very happy,We hope The Lord will be with our new General and blessing around the world for The Salvation Army for Thy kingdome,Amen
We, Sandra and I are well pleased with the election of Commissioner Linda Bond as our new General and promise our continued prayer support for her and those tasked with leadership of our ‘Army’.
So pleased for Gods Army, may we mover forward with the Holy Spirit in new growth.
I had hoped Dick Krommenhoek. But I wish Linda Bond, of course, God’s blessing in her new position with the Salvation Army.
Congratulations Commissioner Bond! I know that the Lord will do great things through your leadership and you can count on our prayerful support.
May God bless the new general
Amen Amen!
Congratulations Commissioner Bond! I have prayed for you and for Whomever becomes general.
I AM, WITHOUT DOUBT, THE PROUDEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD. LINDA WILL FULFILL THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION IN A WAY TO PLEASE THE LORD.
May God continue to bless you Linda as you take on this very important ministry, our prayer is that God will pour out his Holy Spirit on our Salvation Army, so that we might proclam the gospel in the power and annointing of the Holy Spirit in the 123 nations where we have influence and minister.
We pray that God will give you great wisdom, knowledge and vision in the mission He has set for you to lead.
Every Blessing
Yours in Christ
David & Karen
God bless the General elect!!
praise lord!!!!!!
being a salvationist iam very happy to hear our new general appointed.may god bless her and give good health.hope and pray to god that are salvation army progress day -by- day.god bless our army and his officers.
We give praise to God for the selection of General-Elect Linda Bond of this time and place in the development and proclamation of the Gospel to the people,now in 125 countries of the world.
We pledge our support, especially in prayer that God will give her a double portion of His grace, wisdom and power. May the gracious Holy Spirit completely surround her daily with renewed vigor and insight into the world’s problems. Fire a volley!
May Gods Peace, Blessings Knowlege and Strength carry on with you in your new adventure in life, especially in these troubled and confusing times. God Bless you and congratulations..
Congratulations Aunt Linda,
On behalf of my family; twin Shelly Bond, sister Sherry Stewart, and mother Ruby Bond we are very proud of you. We wish you the best in your new appointment. My mother said Byron Bond (your brother and our father deceased of 1964) would be very proud of you.
Love,
Suzanne Bond
I am a former officer who has been deeply hurt by leaders of the Salvation Army. I’ve witnessed too many people who I feel put The Salvation Army above the Kingdom of God. You can’t serve two only one.
I pray for God’s hand to be upon you and that you will follow Him and not the traditions of men. Jesus didn’t. He followed His Father!
May God richly bless you, Commissioner Bond. We are praying for you and for the Salvation Army around the world. God bless our leaders, our soldiers, adherents, supporters, and those we minister to in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory. In Him there is no Jew nor Greek, male nor female. We are all one in Him!
Congratulations on being elected as our new General. I know you will always uplift Jesus and serve Him through the Army. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.
Lucy/Warrick
Praise God fir The Salvation Army. And Gerenal-elect. We will be praying for her.
I am thrilled that you will be our new General! I will pray
for you often. God will anoint you for the task!!!! Sam
God Bless The Army …. Praise The Lord for the Next
General, Commissioner Linda Bond – God Bless Indonesia
Territory
God Bless Commissioner Linda Bond on being elected as General-Elect.I will allways Pray for Our General God Bless YOU in the days to come.And GOD Bless The Salvation Army.
“MABUHAY” to our new General. Congratulations Commissioner Bond, may God bless you in your new task. To God be the glory
Congrats from Kitchener …we told you so !! We are very pleased and excited to hear the news and know God will use you.
May God Bless our new General.
Congratulations Commissioner Bond1
may God bless her and give her good health.
This is just what the Army needs in today’s world,
we need a female leader to give it a differnt touch on things
but keep Christ in it all.
Let us not lose our Army standards
We are so proud of Aunt Linda. All the small community of Glace Bay is a buzz of happiness and well wishes. congratulations Linda
Love form all your Glace Bay Family. Your sister Audrey is saying her prayers for you today and in the future. I (nephew Mel am so proud to brag about playing baseball and fishing with the General of the Salvation Army!!
Congratulations General-Elect Linda Bond. May you walk in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Looking forward to connecting with you again along you journey. Love and prayers, Bruce & Mildred Jennings
Praise God!!! What a wonderful moment in history. God bless our General.
Congratulation to the new General elect Commissioner Linda Bond. I Pray that the spirit leads you in all your endeavours in the Name of Jesus.
God bless Commissioner Linda Bond, God bless The salvation Army Ghana Territory, God bless The Salvatio Army worldwide!!! Amen.
Halleluya we have a new General!!!
God bless the Salvation Army Service with a new leader.
From Indonesia Territory
Congratulations to our newly elected General annointed by God to lead The Salvation Army…. May God bless you and the Philippine Territory… hope to see you soon… =)
Congratulations to you on your new appointment. May God continue to Bless all you do for His Kingdom.
Congratulations. Be assured that I will continue to pray for you in your new responsibilities. The Bible Study group who met in my home tonight lifted you up in prayer.
A truely Blessed & Beautiful Person!! She was an awesome Candidates Fellowship Officer back in the 80′s. The High Council was truely lead by God when they elected Comminsioner Bond as our new General!! God bless General Bond…God bless The High Council & God bless our beloved Salvation Army!!!!!
Thank God for Comm. Linda Bond elect as general.will be praying for you.
May God Bless and Lead you be your comfort on nights in indecision and fear, may the Holy Spirit be your best friend, as you walk out this new appointed challenge. May Jesus Be Glorified in all you do and the The Salvation Army does in this new day.
Praise God for the Lord’s Army will continue to march forward and the gate of hell will never prevail against His Church. Congratulations our General elect. May God grant you wisdom, good health and strength for the great task ahead of you.
Grace Omolola/Grace Okim
God bless new general and the salvation army around the world.God anoint the new general commissioner bond for his service in serving of humanity through the salvation army.amen
congratulates commissioner linda for new responsibility.God bless you and give you strength in coming time.amen
Congregulations, Linda. God Bless, I always said that one day, Linda Bond would make a good General.
Praying for God’s hand on the leadership of the Salvation Army. May He guide our direction and keep us always on track in His will and holding firm to the integrity of our mission.
Congratulations, Commissioner Linda Bond. Your dedicated and faithful service to God and mankind over the years has earned you this greater opportunity to serve as General of God’s Army. I pray God’s blessing upon you as you take on this new responsibility.
Way to go Linda! We are always thiking of you The Army could not have a better person in office. We are proud to be a member of the family and can say we know a General and a angel. It’s been too long since we last seen you but. We look you up on the net and ask (nana) Audrey, About how your doing all the time. hope to see you soon
Good Luck and all of our Love
Donald,Naomi,Noah
Way to go Aunt Linda. Thinking of you and seen you on the News. Iam so proud
Good luck love Jim
Linda: Our prayers are with you as you take on this new role in your life. You are truly a woman of God and I believe great things will happen for Him under your leadership. You have been faithful in living your life for Him and He has now given you even greater things. God bless you.
Dear General-Elect, Linda Bond,
Jane Anne joins with me in assuring you of our love and prayer support as you take up the awesome responsibility of leading our Army during these troubled yet exciting days in our history.
God has made you a blessing to many through your ministry and He will go with you now as you continue to allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you in your new challenge as our General.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that you do not go in your on strenth but in the strenth and power of the Holy Spirit upheld by God’s love and grace.
So many Scriptures will flood your thoughts at this time. May you prove the promise of Romans 8:28.
May God bless our Army and you as His Servant-Leader!
Ron & Jane Anne Bowles, Majors
Linda,
As a fellow Cape Bretoner let me say-YOO-HOO. We always knew God placed His hand on you for a special purpose. May His grace and strength be yours as you prepare to take on this awesome responsibility.
It’s no wonder that William Booth said: “Some of my best men are women!” (Spelling of rank corrected)
May the LORD Richly Bless and Strenghten You [GENERAL] as You take the
work load of LEADERSHIP !
Commissioner Linda Bond:
The internet truly is a great tool. I followed the High Council from the onset and once I knew you were nominated I knew you would be the next General.
I was thrilled to finally hear that you will be General. I am so proud for you. A great move for The Salvation Army!
P.S. I remember you fondly from training college day!