Laity
by Xander Coleman
1979 was the
official Salvation Army Year of the Layman. Which is
interesting, because we don't believe in the concept of laity.
We acknowledge the priesthood of all believers, which means
every Christian man or woman or boy or girl has a call to
administer God to the world.
When I was in Melfort, Saskatchewan I found a pamphlet from
the 1979 Year of the Layman, written by Lieutenant E. Palmer.
It likens the Army to a hockey team - the coach can be the
best coach in the world but if he doesn't have a committed and
hard-working team he will never win the Grey Cup.
It's a good analogy
I liken the Army to an army. An officer could be a tactical
genius, a great leader and an awesome fighter but all that
won't help him very much if he doesn't have a hearty,
committed and disciplined group of soldiers under his command.
Soldier, you are not a parishioner. You're not a congregation
member. You are a SOLDIER with a war to fight. Your officers
are in place to lead and command you!
Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle describes an ideal SA outfit
of soldiers thus:
If their officer could not feed them, they were able to find
their own soul-food from the Bible. If nobody blessed them,
they rose in their splendid spiritual manhood and womanhood
and blessed others, even those sent to lead them. 'I will
guarantee,' said their divisional commander, 'that I can send
the worst kind of backslidden officer to the corps at W., and
in three months the soldiers will have prayed for him and
helped him and loved him and gotten him so blessed that he we
be on fire for God and souls.
Jesus, may we be true soldiers of the cross.
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