General Linda Bond

Linda Bond’s early experience in Salvation Army corps (church) life and activities in Canada shaped her thinking and approach to ministry and prepared her for the time when she felt that God was calling her to make a lifetime commitment to Him for service as an officer in The Salvation Army. General Bond says: ‘The call to officership came as a gentle whisper from the Lord and there has never been a day, not even a second, when I doubted this call.’

Linda Bond attended The Salvation Army College for Officer Training in Toronto for two years and was commissioned with the rank of lieutenant in 1969. Nine years were spent in corps appointments, then Captain Bond was appointed as a member of the training staff at the Training College and later was appointed Candidates Secretary.

Following these important developmental leadership experiences, Captain Bond was appointed once again to corps ministry, with an appointment as the commanding officer of the Kitchener Corps, during which time she was promoted to the rank of major. After that, she served at the College for Officer Training in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as Assistant Training Principal.

Divisional leadership came in 1991, first with an appointment as Divisional Secretary of the Maritime Division and, two years later, as Divisional Commander of the same division.

In the summer of 1995, with promotion in rank, Lieut.-Colonel Linda Bond embarked upon her first ministry experience outside of her homeland, being appointed to International Headquarters (IHQ) in London, England, as Under-Secretary for Personnel.

On completion of her IHQ appointment during 1998, Lieut.-Colonel Bond was appointed as Divisional Commander of the UK Territory, Central North Division. She returned to Canada a little more than a year later when, on November 1, 1999, with promotion to the rank to full colonel, she was appointed as Chief Secretary for the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

In July 2002, promoted in rank once again, Commissioner Linda Bond was appointed to the USA Western Territory where she served as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries.

Commissioner Bond was subsequently appointed to International Headquarters in 2005, when General John Larsson appointed her Secretary for Spiritual Life Development and International External Relations. These appointment responsibilities involved considerable international travel throughout the Army world, enabling her to fulfil a ministry of teaching and preaching to the enrichment of officers and soldiers alike.

In May 2008, Commissioner Bond was appointed Territorial Commander of the Australia Eastern Territory, from which she travelled to London to participate in the High Council that elected her to the Army’s most senior office – General. The High Council elected Commissioner Linda Bond as the 19th General of The Salvation Army on Monday, January 31, 2011. She succeeded General Shaw Clifton as the International Leader of The Salvation Army on Saturday, April 2, 2011.

 General Linda Bond holds a bachelor’s degree in Religious Education and a master’s degree in Theological Studies and an honourary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Tyndale University College in Toronto, Canada. Through a period of many years she lectured regularly at The Salvation Army’s International College for Officers in South-East London and effectively engaged her intellect and spiritual passion as a member of the Spiritual Life Commission.

Discover More in our Archives Collections