JAC Online

Salvationism 501:  MMCCXX
"The Salvation Army System and World Evangelisation"
by Commissioner Paul du Plessis
an excerpt from his chapter in SALVATIONISM 501.
Parts 1-3 (of 7)

The Salvation Army System and World Evangelisation

1. Understanding The Salvation Army

God’s promise to Abraham – ‘I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you; …and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ (Gen 12:2 – 3)

‘The Army is poised to take its place as part of the evangelicals in winning the world for Christ.’ Paul Rader, addressing the 1999 Pre-High Council Conference

What is The Salvation Army?
The Christian Mission is a Salvation Army. That was William Booth's inspired definition of what has since grown into a world wide international movement, sharing in the mission of Christ and his Church for the salvation and transformation of the world.

In a post-imperial, multi-faith, post-modern era The Salvation Army remains a Christian mission. It fulfils its prime object - the advancement of the Christian religion.⁽¹⁾ At the centre of its religion is faith in the person of Jesus, who is saviour, teacher, healer and Lord. It is his story, as it blends with our own, that every Salvationist is called upon to share. Derived from the Latin word ‘to send’, mission implies movement outwards – outreach as far and as widely as possible.

Part of the world evangelisation movement
The Salvation Army plans to fulfil its commitment to world evangelisation at the beginning of the 21st century, part of the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world - a world movement committed to world evangelisation - to all people and to the whole person, enabling everyone to hear the gospel in a way they can understand, and have a valid opportunity to become a Christian. ⁽²⁾

Our commitment to world evangelisation is embedded in God’s eternal and universal purposes for the world.⁽³⁾ That purpose is transformational, restoring the world to its state before ‘the fall’. Our aim is to share this news so that those who hear it will respond, accepting the atoning work of Christ. Each believer is changed and in a process of authentic transformation, taking on the character and attributes of God.

The activity of sharing the news requires incarnational involvement. We can share in these divine missionary activities for the world which God loves (John 3:16) but the initiative is always from God; we share in the missio dei; he takes the lead. It is this acceptance that forces us to wait on God in prayer for guidance and to be led on the journey ahead in the power of the Spirit (Acts 8:26; 13:2; 16:6; 21:4 etc).

Jesus commissioned his disciples with simple principles of evangelisation: clear directions, a defined task, conditions of travel, tactics of engagement, an exit strategy, a warning about opposition, a promise of the Spirit’s help, a charge to endure, a promise of reward. (Matt 10: 5-23)

The motivation for evangelisation is obedience to the great commission (Matt 28:19-20); the methodology of evangelisation is in obedience to the great commandment (Luke 10:27).

The place of the congregation/outpost
Salvation Army congregations are communities that gather for worship and spiritual nurture in preparation for mission in their world.⁽⁴⁾ All Salvation Army programmes are viewed in Christian ‘missionary’ terms. Salvation Army engagement in emergency relief, health and welfare services provides opportunities to serve in the spirit of Christ, the healer, but also to discover him in ‘the other’ (Matt 25:43 ff). Educational and development programmes provide opportunities to serve in the spirit of Christ, the teacher, but also to spread intrinsic Christian values and attitudes through society.

Well-functioning, purpose-driven Salvation Army corps/outposts and Salvation Army centres are effective instruments of evangelisation.

Questions

How does establishment of a SA outpost in one of the cities of the world contribute to accomplishing the Army’s prime object?

In what ways might a MMCCXX missioner find a contradiction between an understanding of the divine mission and the purpose of TSA?

How can the MMCCXX commitment relate to Salvation Army emergency relief work and development programs?

References
1. The Salvation Army Act (1980)
2. IHQ Website - World Evangelisation Page - http://www1.salvationarmy.org/worldevangelisation
3. Salvation Story – Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine – Foreword by General Rader – International Headquarters (1998)
4. Orders and Regulations for Officers - Volume 2 – Procedures; Part 1 - The Salvation Army; Chapter 5 - Structure



2. A Salvationist Perspective on Mission and Evangelisation

Paul makes his commitment – ‘It would always be my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, ….. Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’ (Rom 15: 20 – 21)

A passion for souls marked his religious life from the first to the very last. His whole conception of the service of God was expressed in two words, holiness and warfare. - Bramwell Booth, speaking of Railton

Definitions
Evangelisation is a process enabling every person on earth to hear the gospel in a way they can understand, and have a valid opportunity to become a Christian.⁽¹⁾ It calls people to faith, and works with them for their spiritual, psycho-social, physical, economic and moral well-being.

Mission is the context in which evangelisation takes place.⁽²⁾ This mission is an action – a movement into the world, a movement towards people. The word mission is also used to denote the purpose of an organization, hence mission, or purpose statement defining its reason for existence. The Church doesn’t do mission; it is mission.

Mission may take place within a country – sometimes designated home mission; mission may also take place across national borders – sometimes designated world mission.

Integrated mission is one of the hallmarks of The Salvation Army.⁽³⁾ All Salvation Army work is regarded as wholistic and profoundly spiritual, being an integral part of the liberation and healing that God brings to his broken world and its often bewildered people. All aspects of the Army’s work help people to hear the gospel in a way they can understand, so that they have a valid opportunity to become a Christian. All aspects of the Army’s work contribute to people’s spiritual, psycho-social, physical, economic and moral well-being.

A combination of methods for maximum effect
We accept that a variety of methods may be necessary in order to evangelise, accepting the seven categories of ministries listed: hidden words, visual words, personal words, proclaimed words, written words, printed words, electronic words.⁽⁴⁾

The combination of methods may vary in different settings and at different times. Two components are fundamental in all parts of the world – intercessory prayer and personal evangelism. However beyond these the following appear more important in societies with a differing degree of evangelisation:⁽⁵⁾
-In un-evangelised societies (define) – the presence of a Christian worker is important
- In evangelized societies (define) – personal evangelism works best
- In Christianised societies (define) – electronic evangelism tops the list
- In post-Christian/post-modern societies (define) – witness in the context of a helping relationship seems most effective

Relational evangelism
Salvation Army submissions to Lausanne 2004⁽⁶⁾ sounded a consistent message: ‘Relationships are fundamental to the task of evangelisation, and these begin in our own spirituality.’ These submissions highlighted the same principle in approaches to children and youth, to oral learners, to migrants, to people of the two-thirds world, to people at risk. They also drew attention to opportunities for evangelisation in places as different as the market place, in business, in bio-ethics, in the arts and in the media and modern technology.

Gracious evangelism
William Booth articulated some of his views on world evangelisation in his paper: The Mission of the Future.⁽⁷⁾ In this he classified countries into either the friends or the enemies of Jesus Christ.
‘I would set to work to compel the friends and soldiers of Jesus Christ to charge down upon the enemy wherever found, whether at home or abroad.’
In spite of this seemingly aggressive language he was determined ‘….. to bring them back to God, … by any lawful means of persuasion.’

The Army discourages evangelisation which relies on compulsion. (Luke 14:23). The global emphasis on human rights makes this unethical. A culture of love, expressive of the presence of God, must permeate our thinking. That love is translated into a non-negotiable commitment to all people, but especially the marginalised and socially excluded, creating an environment of inclusion where they may experience the fullness of all God intends for us.

Questions
To what degree will the purpose of establishing a SA outpost in one of the cities of the world further the cause of world evangelization, and to what degree will it further denominational advance?

How will an MMCCXX missioner address human need in establishment of an outpost? Should the team concentrate of establishing a worshiping community or serve a needy community? Or both?

What cluster of ministries is more likely to be effective in establishing an outpost in Istanbul, in Vientienne and in Yerevan?

References
1. World Christian Trends - Barrett D and Johnson T. Oxford University Press (2001)
2. The Church is Bigger than You Think – The unfinished work of world evangelization. Patrick Johnstone. Christian Focus Publications (2000)
3. Statement on Integrated Mission – www.salvationarmy.org - international health services/policies and practices
4. Quantifying 45 Dimensions (Ministries) of Evangelism - World Christian Trends - Barrett D and Johnson T. Oxford University Press (2001) – copy attached.
5. - World Christian Trends - Barrett D and Johnson T. Oxford University Press (2001)
6. Salvation Army submissions to Lausanne 2004 – www.salvationarmy.org
7. The Mission of the Future – William Booth - The Salvation Army IHQ (1889)



3. Understanding Salvation Army Strategy

Habakkuk receives a prophecy: ‘For the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.’ (Hab 2: 14)

Plan as if there were no such thing as prayer. Pray as if there were no such thing as planning. - John Raleigh Mott

Prayer, pragmatism or planning?
In early years the Army responded to opportunities and challenges as they arose, with not much in the way of a strategic plan. It’s not clear just when strategy was consciously adopted, but at some stage the move to a planned programme of future action happened. In areas of rapid and almost spontaneous growth there appears to be less need for documented plans. Strategy is almost instinctive. Prayer must continue to saturate our thinking irrespective of what approach we take.

A Salvation Army commitment to world evangelisation
The Salvation Army has been part of the Lausanne movement and has not only incorporated the Lausanne Covenant into Salvation Story⁽¹⁾ but also contributed to Lausanne 2004.

Rely on the individual
Promises are made by soldiers in their covenant, declaring willingness ‘to be active in God's work both in sharing the gospel and in serving the needy’. Junior Soldiers too make a promise: ‘…. striving to help others to follow him.’

Spontaneous and informal witness by Salvationists remains the foundation of evangelisation.⁽²⁾ Sharing the same language, ethnic origin and living conditions adds to effectiveness. Where someone from 'outside' is the only person available, then there must be a firm commitment to providing resources for cultural orientation, including language study where necessary. Ideally, such study should start before the initiative.

Every Salvationist employee and volunteer in Salvation Army programmes has opportunity to exert a positive influence through personal witness. Corporate credibility shapes an environment of acceptance in which the world takes notice of us and our message as we identify with and articulate it.

Although some officers function as tent-makers, the denomination has generally not yet acknowledged the potential for effective evangelisation within this concept. MMCCXX missioners could function as such.

A Salvationist style of witnessing?
Whilst this does not exempt the Salvationist from the obligation to verbalise and explain where opportune, the call to holy living emphasises the importance of witnessing by who we are and what we do rather than only by what we say. In the tradition of St Francis Salvationists preach the gospel and use words if they have to. And in the tradition of Charles de Foucauld we proclaim the gospel from the rooftops of our lives.

Evangelistic strategies
In planning approaches to new countries a combination of methods may need to be adopted, tried, evaluated and revised. Adaptation and flexibility are key ingredients.

The Salvation Army has a special calling to minister to those with ‘no place’, including those displaced by natural or man-made disasters.⁽³⁾

Reaching remote but relatively well-defined rural communities may prove logistically difficult; reaching people in a cosmopolitan city with little sense of community may prove even more complex.

The need for focus
It is important for the unit planning evangelisation (territory, division, corps, centre) to identify a specific geographic area or place (country, province/state, district, ward, city etc) alongside community groups or people (nation, people group, sub-group etc). The more defined the unit to be evangelised, the more likely the success.⁽⁴⁾

When MMCCXX missioners establish an outpost they must remember that however small that may be it is part of the total task of world evangelization.

Questions
How have you tried ‘to help others to follow him’ to date? What are your special gifts in communicating with others?

Discuss the pros and cons of ‘tent-maker’ ministry.

Will the outpost you decide to establish have a specific focus or will it be established for ‘the whosoever’?

References
1. Salvation Story – Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine - Appendix 13 – International Headquarters (1998)
2. Chosen to be a Soldier – Witnessing and Working – Ch 4, Sect 5.
3. Voices of Our Global Family – The Salvation Army Poverty Conference (2002) – www.salvationist.org
4. Joshua Project - http://www.joshuaproject.net/index.php