Moving with God takes courage, vision and conviction. The Salvation Army is a movement, and the very definition of movement calls us to be brave, creative, imaginative and available if we are to move with the innovative inclination of the Holy Spirit. Our Founders, William and Catherine Booth, caught the vision splendidly and courageously. They bravely listened to and moved in sync with the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Their determination was leading edge, outside of the norm, heroic, unacceptable compared to the mainstream religious practices and traditions of their period. They were criticized by some, rejected by many, but determined, inspired, undeterred and, consequently, praised by those needing this new idea of sharing God’s love. Over the past 140 years of presence and service in the Canada and Bermuda Territory, the brave, the convicted, the courageous and the imaginative have carried the Salvation Army flag forward, unashamedly proclaiming its symbolism. They led valiantly, the Lord has been blessed and our movement has flourished.
We stand on their shoulders, find our inspiration from them, thank God for them and say we are just as courageous, bold, ambitious and determined. God is calling us to be brave because the fields remain ripe for harvest (see John 4:35). We are still motivated by seeking the kingdom of God first and we have vision and his Spirit.
The ordination and commissioning of officers is inspiring. How grateful we are to those who step forward by faith and by call and conviction as they yield self-will to his will; as they step into a future of possibility and potential, of ministry practice and service, where for such a time as this he prepares, equips and makes bold for the sake of the kingdom. Lord, give us, give them, a “can do” spirit. Let us lead with the same passion and determination as those first disciples and early Salvationists and officers who didn’t stumble when confronted by the challenge and the enormity of the task, but depended upon the Holy Spirit, and who didn’t take the enemy’s no for an answer. Let us not settle for the easy, but battle through the difficult, the challenging, the impossible for others, but not for the anointed of God. Let us say to the evil one, “Step aside, out of the way, I’m in the Lord’s Army!” Let us remember that God makes the impossible possible. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 RSV), to which we respond with a resounding “Hallelujah!”
THE LORD’S SALVATION ARMY NEEDS YOUR EXPERTISE, CAPABILITIES AND WILLINGNESS.
The pathways into full-time ministry are many. We have officer pathways through the cadet and auxiliary-captain models and non-officer pathways through the envoy and auxiliary-lieutenant models. Standard and flexible training programs geared to meet the needs of this time are offered. I am calling our faithful Salvationists who are approaching the conclusion of their careers to explore the possibility of ministry opportunities. The Lord’s Salvation Army needs your expertise, capabilities and willingness, and we do, too, as we resource our Salvation Army, focusing on the mission mandate of our movement.
While all of the ministry we offer in the territory is important, corps ministry is being prioritized, to make sure we have joyful, faithful, well-supported, visionary corps officers, as well as Salvationists and friends who are released to dream and reimagine possibilities, who won’t take no for an answer, who are highly motivated to achieve the movement mandate. As General Lyndon Buckingham has stated, “First and foremost, we run churches!” Our community services and social services are mission critical, but they must exist in relationship to our corps. We are intentionally bringing together an energized, faith-filled candidate recruitment team for the territory, whose joy and conviction lead to the building of relationships and asking, “Why not officership?” “Why not local leadership?” “Why not ministry employment opportunities?”
On June 22, we will witness the ordination and commissioning of the Defenders of Justice Session at Mississauga Community Church, Ont. This sacred time of thanksgiving, celebration and releasing of our five cadets to take up their new appointment responsibilities will stand as a testimony to the work God continues to give to us in this territory. The fields are still ripe for harvest. The Salvation Army continues to be a prophetic voice, chosen by God to proclaim the good news. “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). And we shall prevail!
This story is from:
Leave a Comment