JAC Online

Mission
by Lieut-Colonel Ian Southwell
President,
The Salvation Army,
Australia Southern Territory World Mission Fellowship

 

Jesus – a Man with a Mission
The Gospels leave us in no doubt that Jesus’ greatest desire and aim was to bring the whole world to accept the kingship of God his Father.
Mark 1:15
15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Matthew 10:5-7
5 ‘These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'
Initially, Jesus wanted to gain the support of the chosen people of Israel for his mission to take the good news to the world. They had been chosen, not for privilege, but to fulfil God’s initial vision for their great ancestor Abram and the world (Genesis 12:2-3):
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you." (My emphasis)
Hence his focus initially was on the ‘lost sheep of Israel.’ If they could be ‘found’ (see the parables in Luke 15), they could be put to work world-wide.

When Samaritans came to hear him near Jacob’s well, Jesus saw ‘fields ready for harvest’ (John 4: 35-38).
35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour."

When Greek seekers came to visit him just before his passion, Jesus could see this as a foretaste of the world being drawn to him (John 12:20-32).

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
27"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!"
Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (My emphasis)

Our biblical mandate for mission
Following his atoning death and resurrection, Jesus commissioned and equipped his followers to take the message to the world.
Luke 24:45-49
45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (My emphasis)
Matthew 28:16-20
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (My emphasis)
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (My emphases)
The Acts of the Apostles outlines the progress of that mission from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, to Asia and to Europe within a generation. Your reading of church and Salvation Army history will help you comprehend the spread of Christ’s message ‘to the ends of the earth’.

The task has not been easy. Jesus never promised it would be! Christians have faced opposition by followers of other great world religions such as: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism; and also in areas where animistic practices are common. ‘Missionary’ became a misunderstood and reviled term because certain world powers manipulated the efforts of sincere Christians. Missionaries were identified with traders, enslavers and colonising invaders in the 18th to 20th centuries in some parts of Africa and China. Sadly, less-than-Christlike behaviour by some followers of Christ in certain situations reflected badly on the church and our Saviour. The pressures of constantly re-teaching the message to each new generation take their toll, too. Fast progress is rare.

International overview of Salvation Army mission
“Where can I find such heathen as these?” William Booth asked as he saw the poverty and degradation in the East End of London in the 1860’s. His heart for mission throbbed in tune with the heart of his Saviour. Members of the successively named East London Special Services Mission, East London Christian Mission, The Christian Mission and The Salvation Army fanned out – officially or unofficially – across England. Then they moved on to Scotland and the Channel Isles (1879); USA, Ireland and Australia (1880); France (1881); Canada, India, Switzerland and Sweden (1882); Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand, Isle of Man and Pakistan (1883).

In other words, within five years of becoming The Salvation Army, we had outposts in Europe, North America, Africa, Australasia and Asia – five continents!

Frederick Coutts, p.140 points out that, ‘National boundaries meant less and less to him (William Booth). “I thought”, he once wrote to Bramwell, “that the word ‘foreign’ had been banished from Salvation Army language.” “In our attempts to save the lost”, he declared, “there must be no limitations to human brotherhood.”’

By William Booth’s promotion to Glory in 1912, Army work had commenced in 35 other countries. On his death bed, he made this request of his son, Bramwell:

‘I have been thinking very much about during these last few nights about China. I greatly regret that the Lord has not permitted me to raise our flag among that wonderful people. Promise me that you will begin the work in China.’ (Check-hung Yee, p.2)
Today The Salvation Army works in 115 countries and uses 175 languages including tribal languages to communicate the Gospel (The Salvation Army Year Book 2008. p. 29f).

The following map comes from the back inside cover of The Year Book 2008.

Namibia and Mali, not marked on the map, now have a Salvation Army presence in 2008.

The scope of our work
The scope of our work largely depends on the greatest needs of the people in the country in which we work.
• Proclaiming the Gospel is the first and foremost priority, in languages the national people understand and in culturally sensitive manners.
• Needed administration in business, finance and property especially.
• Medical programmes (hospitals, clinics, mobile, and specialist centres).
• Education programmes (schools from kindergarten to high school, vocational education, staff training, universities and colleges).
• Social services (residential; day care; addiction dependency support; services to armed forces; emergency relief operations; services to the community such as: courts and prisons, counselling, employment programmes, accommodation, anti-human trafficking, and agriculture projects including water supply, electricity supplies and micro-credit projects.)
• Training of local people to provide ministry and leadership in all the fields mentioned above in a Christian context and within the ethos of The Salvation Army.
Personnel Needs, and Ideal Qualifications
Who do we need to do this work?
• Persons with a deep love for the Lord, with an established prayer life and knowledge of God’s word and the Christ-culture.
• Persons with psychological, emotional and social maturity (people-skills), and in good physical health.
• Persons with specialist skills in one or more of the areas mentioned above in The Scope of our Work section above.
• Persons adaptable enough to work in different cultures with limited resources and, if needed, in different languages to their own.
• Persons who are humble enough to be teachable.
• Persons with enough knowledge and skill so as to be able, ideally, to work without a translator in a language other than their own. Some can be learned in Australia such as: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Russian or other European languages. Arabic and Nepalese may be helpful for the future.
• Persons prepared to work long hours, often in difficult climatic conditions, with few opportunities to de-brief; all the time attempting to reflect the beauty of Jesus in what they do.
• Persons prepared to be ‘servant leaders’ to equip national personnel to take over their roles.
• Persons prepared to serve for two or three years without any return to their homeland that is paid for by the Army – except in the case of the death or serious illness of a parent or child.
• Officers with most of the qualifications outlined above, usually with a minimum of three to five years of good experience in their homeland.
A quarterly Service Opportunities List is issued to all territories by the International Personnel Department of International Headquarters. This list is compiled from what territorial/command leaders indicate are the current needs that are impossible to cover within that territory/command. National visa restrictions make movements of personnel around the world for service very difficult at times. Your territorial personnel secretary or overseas personnel secretary could keep you up-to-date with current needs.

Prayerfully consider the needs listed now and prayerfully reflect on the potential needs such as countries in the ‘10-30 Window’ roughly between latitudes 10o and 30o north of the equator (North Africa, Middle East, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam; plus former Soviet Union countries, and North Korea …)

Share these needs and opportunities with suitably qualified soldiers you know. Some of these may be delighted to serve internationally and return to their corps enriched in spirit and experience – or step into officership.

Prayerfully consider the gifts and talents God has graciously given you. Could these be used beyond your country in the interests of Christ’s mission? Should you be offering for such service? Should you be preparing for such service with language, cultural or other specialist skills such as those mentioned above?

If you are an officer and have skills, abilities and availability to serve beyond these shores, inform your leaders – in writing. Keep on reminding them or your availability year by year – in writing! Learn all you can about the scope and needs of Army work internationally. You will be asked where and in what type of specialised field you feel you can best serve to fulfil Christ’s mission. Seek to equip yourselves with knowledge, skills and attitudes – including, above all, a passionate love for the Lord – that will allow you to be the most use in his service.

What if you are a soldier, with dedication and skills outlined above? Two-year or three-year terms of service are available in mission situations outside your homeland in many of our grant aided territories supported financially by The Salvation Army. Speak and write initially to your local corps officer or divisional commander about your conviction regarding doing mission service outside of your homeland. (They will be the first to interview and recommend you – or otherwise.) Outline your testimony to your relationship with God. Provide a CV (curriculum vitae) outlining your family situation, schooling, qualifications and professional experience. Indicate with your application how much notice you would need to give to your present employer. If you are married, you should make a joint application. If you have school-aged children, be sure to state this as early as possible and indicate their educational levels. As with officers, state where you believe your knowledge and skills would best be used. Be aware that processing applications may take six months to a year due to challenges of international communications, plus visa and work permit processing. Do not resign or seek leave from your present work until you have confirmation of acceptance and your actual appointment.

Seriously consider, however, if God is calling you to be an officer. My observation over 20 years of service out of my homeland is that you can do so much more and have better short and long-term support for international mission work if you are an officer. Of course, officers usually bring tested qualities of dedication and availability. Mostly they can serve as and where needed. Such availability makes a significant positive difference and opens doors to easier placement in international mission initially and on return to one’s homeland.

Terms shorter than the standard three or two years have to be negotiated by the individual. Such negotiations need to take place with the territorial or command leader in the particular territory of proposed service rather than International Headquarters. Terms of service, travel costs, luggage support, insurance and so on all have to be negotiated individually. For very short terms, they may become your responsibility entirely. Grant aided territories have little flexibility in these matters due to lack of available finance.

If you are a non-Salvationist friend of the Salvation Army with specialist skills and a heart for world mission, you can also be involved. Some of the staff at our secondary schools and hospitals in Africa have been dedicated Christians from other denominations. They were seeking opportunities to make positive differences in the lives of young Africans – and did so. This would apply particularly if your own church or associated mission agency cannot offer you suitable opportunities. All of the steps outlined for soldiers (full members of the Army) as outlined above would be required for you. Probably more detailed scrutiny would be given to your application and recommendations sought from your church minister and others who know you well. You will understand that we want to protect the reputation of The Salvation Army worldwide for high integrity and credibility. You would take similar steps for any who wanted to work in your denomination!

Financial Needs
Most territories and commands in Third World Countries are grant aided from International Headquarters. To give the needed support to these Grant Aided Territories, International Headquarters needs increasing Self Denial giving from all territories.

Please set the example for others by giving at least One Week’s Salary (allowance) on Missionary Sunday annually. My wife and I have done so for many years – even when we served in grant aided territories ourselves. Much of our Salvation Army work in the developing world would not be possible without the generous support of Salvationists and friend in the developed world.

Prayer Needs
If you cannot go to the frontline for international mission service, please pray for those who do. Pray also for those national officers and soldiers who work there. They need all the spiritual and material support we can possibly give them.

News of Army work is readily available from many sources. For instance: http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/, The Salvation Army International Headquarters website, carries much current news. Save it as a Favourite on your Internet browser!

The Salvation Army Year Book (annual); All the World (monthly); On Fire (fortnightly) are all excellent sources of information and inspiration.

World Mission Fellowship (or similar territorial support group)
The Salvation Army World Mission Fellowship in the Australian Southern Territory has been operating for 53 years (although under the name The Salvation Army Missionary Fellowship until October 2006). Our Fellowship supports the Overseas Personnel Office in this Territory. We do this by trying to keep the territory up-to-date with news about officers and non-officers who serve internationally. We try to provide spiritual and moral support for such personnel before, during and after their overseas service.

Your territory may have an equivalent group. If not, you may want to encourage your territory to commence one.

Currently we have 244 members (including some from overseas) who, for a fee of (A) $10.00 annually, receive the monthly (or bi-monthly) Intercessor Letter with news from our personnel around the world. Members also receive an annual Prayer Calendar (updated from time-to-time) with a person, family or other significant topic listed daily for prayer. Additionally, we have a weekly international prayer topic so that each Salvation Army territory, command or region is the focus for one week each year.

The Intercessor Letter can be delivered by post or electronically to save the environment and postage. Whatever we save, or fund-raise, the Fellowship uses the money to provide small Christmas recognitions for those on international service in grant aided territories; or a small recognition when they leave for or return to overseas service. If you are interested in becoming a member and obtaining our Intercessor Letter, contact our Secretary, Captain Tim Lynn at timothy.lynn@aus.salvationarmy.org or The World Mission Fellowship, PO Box 479, Blackburn, Vic 3130, Australia.

We hold a monthly meeting in Melbourne on the first Monday of each month (except January) currently at Inala Chapel, 220 Middleborough Road, Blackburn South, from 6.30 – 7.45 pm. In these meetings we receive reports from those serving internationally, spend time in prayer and usually hear from someone on homeland furlough or who has recently served internationally. Meetings are held for South Australian members and visitors four times a year at Norwood Citadel in Adelaide.

Having been supported in prayer and love gifts by the Fellowship during the 20 years of our service internationally, my wife and I commend to you membership of the Fellowship (or your territorial equivalent). The prayer support of the Fellowship is wonderful!

May I encourage any officer-readers to invite your people in each appointment to be members of your territorial fellowship as well? The more prayer support we have for those on the front line of international mission, the better they will be able to fulfil Christ’s mission.

Conclusion
The world mission of our Lord still continues today. If your area of mission can only be in your homeland, serve here faithfully. Give sacrificially to assist the mission. Pray for those serving internationally. Encourage your people to give and to pray as well. Look for those with potential to serve internationally and encourage them to prepare.

If you have skills, abilities and availability to serve beyond your shores, apply as outlined above as soon as possible. Learn all you can about the scope and needs of mission work internationally. Seek to equip yourselves with knowledge, skills, attitudes and, above all, a passionate love for the Lord that will allow you to be the most useful in his service.

If you are still a student, seek courses of study that will help you make positive contributions to the lives of others in developing countries. Grow in your spiritual experience and be as involved as you can in your local corps. In so doing you will learn much that will help you to fulfil Christ’s mission on earth in the years ahead.


Reference List:

Coutts, Frederick. 1974. No Discharge in this War, A one volume history of The Salvation Army. Hodder and Stoughton, London.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. 1978, 1980, 1985. International Bible Society, New York, USA.

The Salvation Army Year Book 2008. 2007. The Salvation Army International Headquarters, London.

Yee, Check-hung, Good Morning China – The Chronicle of The Salvation Army in China 1916-2000. 2005. The Salvation Army Crest Books, Virginia USA

 

 

 

   

 

 

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