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Soldiership & Adherent Training
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Authored & Compiled by
Major Colin Hopper
©2015
Territorial Mission Department
Australian Eastern Territory
Layout & Cover Design by Colin Hopper
Permission granted for the use of the material “Unit 4”
– ‘Preparing for Battle’ (2012) Major Brian R. Slous
in ‘Our Faith, Our Call’
Generous Life (Unit 6) content prepared by Major Christine Dickson
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Outline of Training
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Video
Freedom Story Video – Jennifer
Denney
mySalvos
Jennifer Denney’s Story
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Introduction
1. Sent to CONNECT the Love of God to the
hearts of people.
CONNECT others to God’s
love
a. God has given to us the ‘ministry of
reconciliation’.
– as we go out in our world
connecting people through
relationship to God’s love
– sharing the good news of
His Kingdom.
On our watch, as His followers and Kingdom agents, we
are His new creation. As such we are to be His
ambassadors with the message of His grace and mercy.
God’s heart is to be reconciled with His people. We are
to seek the lost and to represent the King, in word and
deed, by revealing and offering His love and forgiveness
to all.
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How urgent is that need to CONNECT the love of God to
the hearts of all people?
b. Stand in the gap between the living and
the dead.
In the Old Testament Moses and Aaron were confronted
by the people because of the spread of the plague killing
the people. That’s when Moses sent Aaron on a mission:
Numbers 16:46-50 (NIV)
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put
incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar,
and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them.
Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has
started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into
the midst of the assembly. The plague had already
started among the people, but Aaron offered the
incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood
between the living and the dead, and the plague
stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in
addition to those who had died because of
Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the
entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had
stopped.
Aaron recognized the urgency of the mission that he was
sent to achieve. He ran out into the field of calamity to
stand between the living and the dead. What he did
resulted in saving the lives and destruction of the people.
Today we are a called people sent on a mission to reCONNECT or reconcile the heart of God with the hearts
of people. As people of the cross where Christ made
atonement for all, we are to stand “between the living
and the dead”.
Video
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Making a Difference
Koh-Yew Toh & Poh Heng Teo
2. Sent to CONNECT and as we go – make
Disciples!
When Jesus called Simon and Andrew (Mark 1: 17), and
all the disciples to follow Him, it was with the purpose of
joining Him on His mission. That mission was to go to the
people with the Good News that the Kingdom of God was
at hand.
Matthew 28:16-20(NIV)
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When
they saw him, they worshiped him; but some
doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I
am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Discipleship
By Dallas Willard
http://bit.ly/DWillardDiscipleship
Dallas Willard is a great teacher on Discipleship: basic
method—teaching, example, and imitation …to gather
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a group of people by telling the story of Jesus, featuring
his resurrection and pending return, to show by
example what it meant to live with him now, already
beyond death, and to lead others into such a life of
being "with Jesus, learning to be like him." No New
Testament text better fills out what this life of learning
was than Colossians 3:1-17.
Then he would proclaim the gospel. Such eccentric
practices were common in the Army’s early days. Its
controversial methods, and not least its employment of
female officers, attracted attention in both the religious
and secular press, which drew it even further into the
public eye.
Within the ranks of The Salvation Army, including
Officers, Soldiers, Adherents and friends, the banner of
innovative evangelism and disciple-making has been
passed on from generation to generation. That banner
continues to be carried today with the call to live as
followers of Jesus and as His agents of His Kingdom.
The message of salvation for all remains the same, whilst
the methods change according to the needs of its
hearers and due changes in the social environment. On
the 5th September, 1880, Edward Saunders and John
Gore led the first Salvation Army meeting in Australia
from the back of a greengrocer's cart in Adelaide's
Botanic Park. Standing there, Gore said, "If there's a man
here who hasn't had a square meal today, let him come
home to tea with me." The needs of people have
changed.
It is no longer relevant to stand on the back of a
greengrocer’s cart and invite people home for a meal.
But as William Booth said:
How do we CONNECT the Heart of God to the hearts of
people?
From the time when The Salvation Army commenced, it
has used many innovative methods to reach out with
God’s love to the last, the lost and the least – film, brass
bands, open-air meetings, timbrels, and countless forms
of social reforms to meet the needs of the suffering.
bit.ly/1vNbFCZ
One officer, John Lawley, usually carried an umbrella for
his outdoor meetings. If he failed to attract a crowd by
conventional methods, he would put up his umbrella
and run around in circles until the people gathered.
“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while
children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men
go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll
fight; while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,
while there remains one dark soul without the light of
God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!”
Our methods will continue to change and adapt – but the
message will always stays the same.
3. CONNECTing God’s heart through a caring faith
community that offers acceptance and love.
We often try to attract people to church with a multitude
of things other than love. A cool band, excellent
children's program, amazing speaker, or a set of nice
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buildings will never truly attract people to Jesus. If we are
a loving family of believers, Jesus says that people will
know we're his disciples (John 13:35.) They'll want to be
adopted into that family.
John 13:35 (NIV)
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another.”
In a family, no one is left out. Everyone’s need should be
cared for (Acts 4:32-35.)
Acts 4:32-35 (NIV)
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one
claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but
they shared everything they had. 33 With great power
the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at
work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons
among them. For from time to time those who owned
land or houses sold them, brought the money from the
sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was
distributed to anyone who had need.
The family takes it upon itself to care for its members.
They share with whoever has needs. This is a kind of love
that is attractive. The first Christian converts in Acts 2 did
not simply make a profession of faith and then seek to
live the Christian life on their own. No, these early
converts identified with Jesus Christ and His church.
People are attracted to authentic, genuine and life-giving
love displayed in a church community. Our Corps are to
be communities - followers of Jesus who show through
the quality of their relationships with one another that
Jesus does make a transforming difference not only to
individuals but to our life together with others.
The prayer Jesus taught His disciples is a prayer for His
Kingdom to exist ‘on earth as it is in Heaven’. His reign
exists on earth as we display His nature in our
relationships with one another and His nature is love.
If you have a community of agape love then you make a
disciple by ‘ravishing them with the beauty of Jesus’
(Willard) and of the life with Him in the kingdom of God.
Discipleship, as Dallas Willard has noted, is simply being
with Jesus to learn from Jesus how to be like Jesus. We
do this best in community, in relationship with people
who are more like Jesus than we are—by learning from
them, observing them, doing life with them, being
involved in a highly challenging, highly encouraging
relationship in which we learn how to do the things that
Jesus did by imitating the “way of life in Christ” of
someone else. Then we invite others to imitate us as we
imitate Christ.
Mike Breen - Leading Missional Communities
4. Knowing and Sharing the Good News.
CONNECTing God’s heart to the hearts of people is about
both our actions and our words. We are to live as
followers of Jesus in such a way that our relationships
with one another are a reflection of the love shared
between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. CONNECTing is
also about giving reason, in the course of our
conversations, for the hope in Christ that we have
experienced. That involves both the story of God’s
generous offer of the free gift of salvation through faith
and, our story of coming to faith.
God’s Story
1 Peter 3:15-16 (VOICE)
15-16
but exalt Him as Lord in your heart. Always be ready
to offer a defense, humbly and respectfully, when
someone asks why you live in hope. Keep your
conscience clear so that those who ridicule your good
conduct in the Anointed and say bad things about you
will be put to shame.
It’s important that we can share the Story of God’s saving
grace and free offer of salvation. There are numerous
outlines of the Gospel message that can be used to retell
the story of God’s saving grace. The most important thing
is to find and use the method that works for you.
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HERE ARE 3 OPTIONS:
God is justly angry and punishes sin
Mankind is cut off from God
Outline 1.
Business Cards available through Territorial Mission and
Resource Dept or Divisional
Headquarters.
Mankind ungratefully turn our backs on God’s loving rule. We don’t
want him to rule out lives and we turn away from him in our hearts.
The Bible calls this attitude sin. Tragically, sin destroys our
relationship with God. It destroys our relationships with each other.
And God is rightly displeased. Worse than that, he’s angry about how
we’ve treated him and each other. (Romans 1:18-23; 3:10-18, 23)
GOD
God is loving and merciful
God sends his Son Jesus to pay the penalty for sin
God calls us to repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour
Outline of the Gospel Presentation:
HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN
A - Admit your need: Romans 3:23 'All have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God.
B - Believe that Jesus is the answer: Romans I 0:9 "If you confess
with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.'
C - Confess that you have lived independently of Him: I John 1:9 'If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
Because of his great mercy, God has opened up a way for us to be
restored to relationship with him. And it’s not that God doesn’t care,
or is indifferent toward sin. No, God is angry and must act against sin.
But because of his great love for us, God sent Jesus his Son, to pay the
debt we owe to God. By dying the death of sinners on a cross, and
taking upon himself the penalty our sins deserve, Jesus has opened
up a way of forgiveness for us. As one part of the Bible says: “Christ
died for sins, the righteous (that’s him), for the unrighteous (that’s
us), to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus has been raised again
to life, and he rules the world today as its Saviour and Judge. He now
calls every person, from every nation to come back to God, put their
trust in him, and receive forgiveness and new spiritual life. (John 3:16)
WHAT IF YOU DON’T?
You will be cut off from God forever
If you reject God’s gracious offer of forgiveness, you yourself will
suffer the penalty your sins deserve. The Bible describes this as a
state of spiritual death. Tragically it means being cut off from God
eternally, living outside of his blessing, and under his terrible
judgement (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
D - Depend on Him: John 15:10 'If you obey My commands, you will
remain in My love.
Outline 2.
Gospel Explanation
This is a great way to memorise and understand the essential points
of the gospel. Start by learning the 5 main points, and then the details
under each point.
WHAT IF YOU DO?
You will be forgiven
You will have eternal life
If you are willing to accept your failure, and humbly ask God’s
forgiveness, God delights to forgive you and welcome you into a right
relationship with him. He remembers your sins no more. And he sees
you as absolutely clean, spotless and right before him (2 Corinthians
5:21). This new relationship with God is described in the Bible as
“eternal life”. And it is a dimension and a quality of life that means
you will enjoy the blessing of God, together with him and the people
he has rescued and forgiven for eternity.
(Copyright Evangelism and New Churches 2014)
GOD
God is our loving Creator
God made us to enjoy him forever
God is the loving creator of the world. He made us to enjoy him and
his creation forever (Rev 4:11)
MAN
Mankind rebels against God
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Outline 3:
God isn’t only For us but also He is With us.
Napkin Discipleship (Adapted from “One of” by Alex Absalom and
We see this beginning in the Old Testament. God is With the nation
Greg Nettle)
of Israel as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God is With
Moses as he speaks to him from a burning bush. God is With Joshua
Napkin Discipleship simply involves a series of drawings that anyone
as Israel prepares to conquer the land. God is With Daniel in the lions’
can sketch on a napkin at their local Coffee Club, McDonald’s, or even
den. God is With Elijah on the mountain. The list goes on!
in their own home. Simple is GOOD! As well as providing an outline of
God’s Story it is also a tool that helps to assess where we are as a
God being With us is certainly better than God being For us. But God
church and as individual followers of Jesus. It’s called One Of. When
is still very different from us – His holiness and otherness feels like an
it is completed, it looks like this:
unbridgeable barrier. And, therefore, most people feel sad in His
presence (the sad face with the baseball cap represents you and me!).
God being For people and even being With people still was not
enough.
But God doesn’t stop there. There’s even better news:
In Jesus, God becomes One Of us.
As we draw, we explain. . . God is For people. “For God loved the
world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone
“For In Christ lives all the fullness of God In a human body” (Colossians
who believes In him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his
2:9). Eugene Peterson says it this way in The Message: “The Word
Son Into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world
became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood” (John
through him” (John 3:16-17). Not to judge the world, but to save the
1:14).
world. God is For people! That is good news!
God moved into OUR neighbourhood!
God is For people (the smiley face with the halo represents God!).
Jesus lives as One Of us, loves as One Of us, even likes us while He is
One Of us.
There are four words in the Greek language that we translate into
English as the word love:
Storge = family love
Eros = sensual love
Philos = friendship love
But most people don’t realize this and feel a long way from Him. God
Agape = unconditional love
being For people was not enough.
When Jesus was crucified, it wasn’t because of whom he loved. In
We continue…
Matthew 11:19, Jesus is accused of liking sinners. He was, and is, a
friend of tax collectors and sinners - all of us. The Greek word is philos.
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The Pharisees of Jesus’ day might have endured a mission by Jesus
Your Story:
that was all about agape - unconditional love for tax collectors and
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sinners. And Christ’s mission certainly included unconditional love,
but for Jesus, agape went hand in hand with philos. And liking sinners
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couldn’t be tolerated. The Pharisees didn’t accuse Jesus of loving
sinners, they accused him of liking them, of being their friend.
God, in Jesus, puts on the baseball cap. As good as it is to know that
God is For us and With us, it amazes us that God is One Of us - and
Write out in about 100 words why you are a
Christian.
Include some key milestones in your journey
towards knowing Jesus.
Try & be specific & focus your thoughts on
the reason why you are still a Christian
today.
that He LIKES us! When most people discover this truth, they are no
longer sad. One Of is the crucial transition.
Summary of ways to improve your story:
-
Now, here’s the best part:
When we understand the implications of God being For, With and One
-
Of us, that often compels us to invite Jesus to be In us. And that
changes everything. God Himself passes the DNA of Jesus into our
very lives, which empowers us to live as Jesus here on this earth.
-
-
Keep the focus on Jesus, not on you.
Give the glory to God for His work in you.
Keep it natural and normal.
Avoid talking about any "strange" experiences
you may have had that might make others feel
uncomfortable.
Don't use Christian jargon.
Use ordinary words to communicate.
In
45-60
seconds
you
can't
say
everything. Instead, try and show how Jesus is
the answer to your life's greatest need forgiveness. And show that knowing Him is the
best thing that's ever happened to you.
Consider starting with a simple summary
statement of why you are Christian, followed by
a short explanation of how you came to that
understanding.
Try ending your story with a question, to carry
the conversation forward.
(copyright Evangelism and New Churches 2014)
God being For, With and One Of us pales in comparison to God being
In us. We are now walking around as ‘little Jesus-es’!
5. Walking the Walk, Talking the Talk – How and
where do we CONNECT?
And here’s what happens if God is now In us:
This means that, like God, we must be For people, With people, One
Of people, so that the DNA of Jesus can be passed through our lives
into the lives of others and Jesus will then live In them.
The Bible tell us that we are to be both salt and light. As
we go out into the world, as salt we are to have an
influence of godliness and we are to shine our light, the
light of God - to point the way to Jesus and His love.
We become disciples that make disciples.
This is the essence of missional living that is so attractive to others!
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Making meaningful CONNECTion
points?
Michael Frost, an Australian church leader and Vice
Principal of Morling College in Sydney, uses the acoustic
B.E.L.L.S. to help to identify ways for us to CONNECT the
heart of God with the hearts of people.
The five habits of highly missional people are:B.E.L.L.S.
BLESS - Generosity
I will bless three people this week, at least one of
whom is not a member of our church.
EAT - Hospitality
I will eat with three people this week, at least one of
whom is not a member of our church.
LISTEN - Spirit-led
I will spend at least one period of the week listening for
the Spirit’s voice.
LEARN - Christlike
I will spend at least one period of the week learning
Christ.
SENT - Missionary
I will journal throughout the week all the ways I
alerted others to the universal reign of God through
Christ.
As followers of Jesus, sent by Him on His mission we need
to be intentional in our efforts to CONNECT the lost, the
last and the least to the life-transforming love of God. To
make disciples in “in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in
Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
Making Disciples requires both a team effort and our
individual participation with Jesus in His mission to seek
and to save the lost. As we journey with Jesus on the path
of Discipleship His promise to us is the same promise He
gave to His disciples to never leave them or forsake
them:
“Matthew 28:20 (VOICE)
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Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and
postures that I have taught you, and show them how to
follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will
be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.
The CONNECTion we enjoy with God each day is made
more and more real as we savour the authentic, genuine
and life-giving love of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are
to offer that CONNECTion to the people in our world.
And God by His Holy Spirt helps us to do this.
John 14:25-27 (MSG)
25-27
I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with
you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will
send at my request, will make everything plain to you.
He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m
leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to
you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to
being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be
upset. Don’t be distraught.
They Need Christ
There are people living in the world out there…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ;
There are children crying and no one to care…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
And they’ll go on hurting in the world out there,
And they’ll go on dying, drowning in despair,
And they’ll go on crying, that’s unless we care:
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
There are people living who would rather die…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ;
And their Christian neighbours simply pass them by…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
There are people sitting by a silent phone,
People cold and hungry, people left alone,
Suicides for reasons that remain unknown:
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
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He is calling you today –
There’s the prostitute and there’s the prisoner too…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ;
There’s the ‘skid row’ fella who has lost a shoe…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
The compulsive gambler dreaming of his yacht,
And the lad that’s stealing just to get his ‘shot’,
And the kid that’s pregnant and pretends she’s not:
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
There are runaways who want a place to go…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ;
There are alcoholics who don’t seem to know…
They need you, they need me, they need Christ;
There are God-less people who have lost their way,
And they need God’s love but they’re afraid to say.
If we close our eyes perhaps they’ll go away
Without you, without me, without Christ;
They need you, they need me, they need Christ.
Copyright © John Gowans
“Come, Follow me” – join Jesus
and take a life-changing
journey, allow Him to reign in
your life as King.
“I will make you” – to think, to
act, to say, to see, to be – like Jesus
“fishes of men” – to seek and to save the lost that none
would perish.
Acts 1:8 (NCV)
8 But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive
power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of
Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
That is your call: - Will you follow and accept His
invitation?
The path of Discipleship
Like Jesus did when he walked the shore of the Sea of
Galilee and saw some fishermen casting their nets, He
called out to them:
Matthew 4:19 (NCV)
What can you expect if you join His Quest?
John 10:10 (MSG)
…. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more
and better life than they ever dreamed of.
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Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish
for people.”
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SERVE in the church
and the community by:
GROW in faith and
obedience through:
LOVE
- a loving relationship
with God and
- developing a servant
heart like Jesus
- practicing the spiritual
disciplines,
- Faith building
- an authentic love for
others.
CONNECT others to
God’s love – as we go
out in the world
connecting people
through relationship
to God’s love –
sharing the good
news of His Kingdom.
missional relationships
- discovering and
developing your
unique MINISTRY
SHAPE.
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Soldiers are a diverse bunch, but they have one thing in
common. They’re passionate about giving their lives to
serve God and see the Salvos mission – people finding
freedom – lived out in the world.
We use words like ‘membership’ to describe ‘belonging’
to an organisation, club or even some churches. Whilst
the experience of belonging to The Salvation Army is
important because the Army is a community of faith that
offers acceptance and love to all, membership is not
what we are called to when we formally commit as a
Salvation Army Soldier or Adherent.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus called His disciples to
‘follow Him’ when He said to them “Come follow me and
I will make you fish for men”. In obedience to His call for
us to follow Him today, we are called to enlist in The
Salvation Army as ‘followers of Jesus’ with the same
level of commitment He expected of His disciples. That
is not a membership that involves turning up once or
twice a week and paying our membership dues. Rather
it is a call to a relationship with Jesus and a lifestyle that
becomes more and more like His.
If you think soldiership is for you, the first step is to talk
to your Corps Officer. They can talk to you more about
what soldiership means for you and start you on this
exciting journey.
Soldiers of The Salvation Army are Christians who have
undertaken a specific covenant (or promise) regarding
lifestyle and beliefs.
They are not employed by the Salvation Army, although
they may take on paid positions by applying through
conventional means.
Soldiers are eligible to wear The Salvation Army uniform,
however this is not compulsory. Soldiers are part of a
Salvation Army corps in their local area.
What does this look like in The Salvation Army?
Soldiership
Many Salvationists choose to make a special
commitment to the Salvos mission. Soldiership in The
Salvation Army is about choosing to make a covenant
with God - a promise to fulfil God’s work without
distraction, to live by the beliefs, values, and mission of
The Salvation Army, and to live a life of personal holiness
and devotion to God.
From The Salvation Army’s beginnings in London, the
Booth’s recognised the importance of being a
covenanted people; a people committed to the
advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. That’s why at
the heart of soldiership is the Soldiers Covenant; a
binding and solemn agreement with God.
Soldiers testify that:





they worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
they have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and
Lord
they are committed to the work and mission to
which Christ has called The Salvation Army as
part of his church
they believe in the Bible as the word of God
they agree with The Salvation Army’s doctrines.
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The Salvation Army International - Soldier's
Covenant
We believe that there are three persons in the
Godhead—the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost—
undivided in essence and coequal in power and glory.
We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine
and human natures are united, so that He is truly and
properly God and truly and properly man.
We believe that our first parents were created in a state
of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their
purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their
fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and
as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
Promises made when becoming a soldier in The
Salvation Army. Formerly called 'Articles of War'.
Soldier’s Covenant
http://bit.ly/SoldiersCovenant
HAVING accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord,
and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on
earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God’s
grace enter into a sacred covenant.
I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God
expressed in The Salvation Army’s eleven articles of
faith:
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments were given by inspiration of God: and that
they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and
practice.
We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely
perfect, the Creator. Preserver, and Governor of all
things, and who is the only proper object of religious
worship.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His
suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole
world so that whosoever will may be saved.
We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are
necessary to salvation.
We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath
the witness in himself.
We believe that continuance in a state of salvation
depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be
wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and
body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the
resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the
end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the
righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
THEREFORE
I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and
obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace
through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the
Bible.
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I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the
values of the world the standard for my life.
I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life,
allowing nothing in thought, word or deed that is
unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or
immoral.
I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with
others: my family and neighbours, my colleagues and
fellow Salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am
responsible, and the wider community.
and therefore do here declare my full determination, by
God’s help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.
Adherents
Adherents are Christians who also pledge to support
their local Salvation Army corps.
While not entering into a Soldier’s Covenant, an
adherent declares that they:
I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life.

I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my
money and possessions, my body, my mind and my
spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God.


Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to
follow Him
Participate through worship, fellowship and
service at a local Salvation Army corps
Identify with the mission of The Salvation Army
I will abstain from alcoholic drink, tobacco, the nonmedical use of addictive drugs, gambling, pornography,
the occult, and all else that could enslave the body or
spirit.
I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up
The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus
Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His
name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged.
I will be actively involved, as l am able, in the life, work,
worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a
proportion of my income as possible to support its
ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.
I will be true to the principles and practices of The
Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the
spirit of Salvationism whether in times of popularity or
persecution.
I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into
this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own
free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and
now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of
my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world;
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Doctrine 10.
We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and
that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Doctrine 11. We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the
body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness
of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
Simplified Form
THE BATTLE PLAN
Doctrine 10
Saved people are given the chance to be used by
God to help him. When they have given
themselves to him fully, they can be given power
to serve him, and be kept from sinning.
Objectives
Doctrine 11

When our present bodies die we ourselves go on
living in a new and different way. At the end of
the world Jesus will judge all people. Those who
have chosen him to be their saviour will be happy
to live with him as their king, for ever. Those who
have not done so will always be unhappy because
they chose what separates them from all that is
good and lovely.

BEARING ARMS - Key verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - NIV
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you
through and through. May your whole spirit and soul
and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will
do it.”
The primary purpose of this lesson is to focus
on the eternal outcome of the Christian life.
Participants will:

learn what it means to live a holy life
before God and people.
come into a fresh awareness of the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit
within their lives.
become motivated to live their lives
within the context of an eternal
perspective.
Brief
To reach these objectives the following
concepts will be included in this week’s basic
training:





Sanctification
Immortality
Judgement
Glorification
Eternal Punishment
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THE TARGET ZONE
How did they impact you (or others) in a negative way?
The choices we make from day to day, each have their
own consequence; either positive or negative, and
sometimes both. In the Christian life, there is no
exemption from this rule. Everything we do and say has
its impact upon others as well as ourselves. In some
cases this impact is very small and short lived, in others
its impact may have eternal consequences. For example,
a child may choose to take a peanut butter cookie from
a cookie jar and eat it. In most cases this decision would
have a temporary impact - either the child will like the
cookie and go away satisfied (or ask for another) or will
not like it and throw it in the garbage. If the child did so
without the permission of a parent, the impact may have
a greater level of intensity. Here the child may learn the
importance of asking permission to take something that
is not theirs to take. That same decision for yet another
child, however, could have an even further reaching
consequence. If it was discovered through the eating of
that same cookie that the child had a serious aversion to
peanuts, one that could prove fatal, the child would learn
to stay clear from anything that may contain peanuts
altogether.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
The experience we gain by the choices we make, over
time should serve to teach us how to make good
decisions. As a group, take a few moments to discuss
the following:
Can you think of choices you have made which have had
a lasting impact on your life?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
How did these choices impact you (or others) in a
positive way?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Were they right choices?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
BASIC TRAINING
“I’m not perfect, just forgiven.” Perhaps you have seen
this slogan on the rear bumper bar of a car, or posted on
a church noticeboard. Maybe you have used it yourself
in an attempt to explain the residual presence of the
human nature, which has betrayed your faith in front of
others. In any case, there comes a time when each and
every person who has accepted Christ as their personal
Saviour comes to terms with the fact that although
Christ, through his death and resurrection, has dealt
completely with the consequence of sin, the battle of the
will continues on even after conversion. This is clearly
demonstrated for us in Scripture as the Apostle Paul
works his way through this dilemma in his letter to the
Church in Rome. He writes:
“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil
is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in
God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members
of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and
making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within
my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will
rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:21-24 NIV)
Sanctification
The good news is, in the same way that God has provided
for our salvation, he has also provided for our
sanctification. God recognizes that in our own strength,
even after conversion, we are still powerless to deal with
the presence of sin in our lives. Through the ministry and
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work of the Holy Spirit, God makes it possible for the
believer to live a holy and blameless life here on earth.
At some point in the Christian walk, the believer
becomes aware of the need to rely on the presence and
the power of God, the Holy Spirit, to guide him/her safely
through the battleground of sin. The result is, a desire to
seek an even deeper cleansing. The point at which this
declaration of the will is made, is what we call “initial”
sanctification - that single moment when our will
becomes united with God’s. For some this comes at the
point of conversion, for others it may come at a later
time following a period of repeated failure, trying to live
the Christian life in their own strength. In any case, the
believer must come to terms with the fact that the power
to conquer sin, past and present, can only come from
God.
Sanctification, like salvation, must be seen in the context
of a process rather than an event. Consequently,
“growth in grace” is the outward evidence of the “work
of grace” continuing to take place in the life of the
believer. For the apostle Paul, the ultimate solution to
the sin problem becomes quite clear:
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have
their minds set on what that nature desires; but those
who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds
set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5 - NIV)
Some people misunderstand the concept of
sanctification as referring to a condition where people
are brought to a condition where they are no longer
able to sin. Look at the verse above carefully and
answer the following questions:
Does this mean you will always meet the mark?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
How is the mark met with some level of consistency?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
How does this help us gain a clearer idea of what
sanctification really means?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
For something to be sanctified simply means that it is
“set apart” for some purpose. For the Christian, this
means we are set apart for God. This is accomplished by
the submission of one's will to the will of God, in the
manner which was perfectly demonstrated for us by
Christ, himself. This is why when we speak of
“sanctification” or “holiness,” what we are really talking
about is “Christlikeness.” When our lives are given over
to living as Christ lived, and our will is brought into
perfect submission to the will of God, this is what is
termed as “entire” sanctification.
It is important to understand that there still remains the
possibility of humans to make mistakes. The difference
is that when the sanctified individual makes a mistake,
once made aware of his/her shortfall, an effort is made
to seek God’s will and make the situation right
What does it mean to have one’s mind set on
something?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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As a group, take the next few minutes to explore what Scripture has to say about sanctification, and the work of the
Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Beside each verse, record the truths revealed.
Scripture Passage:
Ephesians 3:16-19
Truths Revealed:
Philippians 2:12-13
I Thess. 4:3-4
II Peter 1:3-10
Immortality
Living Christ-like lives has both temporal and eternal
benefits. On earth, we have the confidence of knowing
that we are living according to God’s will and purpose for
us. As Christ indicates in John 10:10, He has come that
we, “might have, life and have it to the full.” The quality
of our life is, therefore, not measured by our status or
income, but by the quality of our relationship with Christ.
God’s plan for our lives, however, reaches far beyond
what we know as our earthly existence. Our eleventh
doctrine makes a number of statements concerning
what we believe about the eternal existence that is
promised us in God’s Word. In stating that “we believe
in the immortality of the soul,” we are affirming God’s
Word that his plan for us is eternal and we have been
created as eternal beings.
What would you consider to be key differences
between a “tent” and a “building”?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
What contrast is Paul making between our earthly
“dwelling” and our heavenly one?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
What becomes our assurance that this transition will
indeed take place?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Judgement
In his second letter to the church in Corinth the apostle
Paul, a tent-maker by trade, uses the analogy of a tent
to describe the promise of a transition from a state of
mortality to immortality. Read II Corinthians 5:15 and discuss the following questions.
The choices we make while “in the body” have eternal
consequence. The greatest of these, of course, is our
choice to allow Christ to not only become our Saviour
from sin but to become the Lord of our lives. Scripture
teaches that at an unknown moment Christ will return to
establish his eternal kingdom. At this time a general
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judgement will occur when the righteous will be for ever
separated from the unrighteous.
One of the most familiar passages of Scripture dealing
with the general judgement is found in Matthew
25:31-46. As you read through this passage prepare
to discuss the following questions:
Who are the “sheep” in this passage?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Who are the “goats”?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
How has the righteousness of the “sheep” been
demonstrated?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Why are they just as surprised as the “goats” that their
acts of kindness have been observed in this way?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
What is the reward of the righteous?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
What is the reward of the unrighteous?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
In what way are our deeds linked to our faith?
Glorification
At the point of Christ’s second coming, Scripture also
teaches that the dead in Christ will be physically raised.
Our old mortal bodies will be replaced by immortal
incorruptible bodies. This process is referred to as
“glorification.” Our perfect bodies will live on for ever in
the kingdom of God, free from the trials of all sin and
suffering. The apostle Paul writes:
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we
will be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the
dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be
changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the
imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” (I
Corinthians 15:51-53 - NIV)
It is this condition which is spoken of in our eleventh
doctrine as being “the eternal happiness of the
righteous.” This is the culmination of God’s salvation plan
for the believer - the point in time where the kingdom of
earth and the kingdom of heaven are brought together
in perfect unity for all eternity.
Eternal Punishment
Scripture also teaches that those who have died will be
raised clothed in immortal bodies. Our eleventh
doctrine, while affirming the “eternal happiness of the
righteous,” also points out that the reality of the “endless
punishment of the wicked.” The distinction between
these two groups is that the unrighteous will experience
what is known in Scripture as the second death, an
existence of eternal banishment from the presence of
God.
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the
murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice
magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be
in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second
death.” (Revelation 21:8 - NIV)
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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Although it is unwise to identify the fear of hell as one’s
primary motivation for turning to God, the reality is that
this endless existence of divine punishment is clearly
marked out in Scripture as a reality. This can present
great difficulty for some people. The common question
is asked, “How can a God who is love send people to
hell?” For some, this is a way to justify their sin and
blame the consequences on God. The reality is, that a
life lived on earth without God is as much a foretaste of
hell as a life lived with God is a foretaste of heaven. It is
God’s will that all would be saved and come into a
relationship with him (I Timothy 2:4). Those who choose
to ignore God do so out of their own free will.
While on earth, each individual has been given free
access to the presence of God. In times of trouble
humans will often cry out to God, even if they are unsure
if he really exists. In hell, this access will be eternally cut
off. God will no longer be available to answer prayer.
MOBILIZATION:
During this lesson we have seen how important it is to live a life that is set apart for the purposes of
God. We have also discussed the eternal result of living such a life, in contrast with the consequences
of deciding to turn our backs on God. In light of these truths, conclude your time together by
discussing the following:
Why is it important that our lives be “set apart” for God?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Is there anything about the way you live your life that you hope God hasn’t noticed?
____________________________________________________________________________________
How do these things affect your relationship with God?
____________________________________________________________________________________
How can keeping an “eternal perspective” assist you in making the right decisions?
____________________________________________________________________________________
What are you willing to do to ensure you are aiming toward the right goal?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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REINFORCEMENTS
The General of The Salvation Army, The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine. London, United Kingdom: Salvation Books
- The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 2010.
Chapter 10 - “Full Salvation”
Chapter 11 - “Kingdom of the risen Lord”
The Salvation Army, Chosen to be a Soldier - Orders and Regulations for Soldiers of The Salvation Army. London, England:
The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 1977.
Chapter 6 - “Holiness of Heart and Life”
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My Ministry
OUR CORPS MINISTRY STATEMENT
o
About the body of Christ
* God intends for ministry to be performed through the
context of the local church or Corps. Membership
includes a commitment to ministry.
(Our Philosophy of Ministry)
We believe....
o
About Ministry
* The Holy Spirit has provided our church body with all
the spiritually gifted people needed to do everything He
wants done. Our task is to discover, enlist, train, and
support these people in ministry.
* Salvation in Jesus Christ automatically includes a call to
ministry. Every believer is created, saved, called, gifted,
authorised, and commanded to minister.
* The church is to operate on the basis of spiritual gifts,
rather than elected offices. We do not elect people to
ministries.
* Ministry is the heart of the Christ Life. (Matthew 20:28)
* The church is a Body, not a business; an organism, not
an organisation. Therefore we streamline the structure
in order to maximise ministry and minimise
maintenance. We do not bury ministries under
procedures.
* Function follows form in ministry. How God made me
determines what He intends for me to do. God has
uniquely shaped each individual for a specific ministry.
* God has given all his children gifts that can be
developed and used in ministry. Everyone is a "10" in
some area. Everyone has something to offer. Developing
and using your gifts is an act of good stewardship and of
worship.
* You discover your gifts through ministry, instead of
discovering your ministry by identifying your gifts.
* The mobilisation of every member as a minister is the
key to balanced growth of the church.
* The greater good of the whole Body must always take
priority over the needs of any single ministry. There is no
place for "turfism" in God's Family.
o
About the role of Pastoral Leaders
* The evidence of the right match between my "shape"
and my ministry is fruitfulness and fulfilment.
* The equipping of the members for ministry is the
number one priority of the Pastoral leaders.
* Membership and maturity are prerequisites to
ministry. Therefore we encourage attendance at ‘On My
Watch’ Classes and a commitment to membership and
developing Christian maturity in those who serve in
ministry through our church.
* The objective of our leaders is to mobilise an army of
those involved in ministry who are maximising their
unique gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences
in a meaningful place of service through our church.
* Every member deserves personal assistance in
discovering a meaningful place of ministry. We value the
individual more than the ministry.
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* Those involved in ministry are entitled to competent
leadership from the church. Therefore our desire is for
every ministry to have an assigned church leader who is
committed to the success of that ministry.
* Each Officer/pastoral leader/ministry leader is to
provide training, encouragement, guidance, feedback
and resources to the ministers under his or her care.
o
About Accountability
* We become what we are committed to. Therefore we
encourage growth in commitment to Christ and his
Church.
* Everything rises or falls on leadership. No ministry can
exceed the commitment of those leading it.
* There are periodic reviews of all ministries. We do what
is inspected, not just expected. Best intentions are not
enough.
o
About training
o
On diversity of ministry
* We have unity without uniformity. We believe diversity
in ministries simply illustrates the unique giftedness of
individuals.
* Every ministry must fulfil one or more of the basic
purposes of the church or we don't do it.
* Ministries have life-cycles. If a ministry isn't meeting a
need anymore, we will give it a decent burial. There are
no sacred cows!
* Most ministries require a one year commitment but
people should be able to change ministries gracefully,
without guilt. We don't lock people in permanently.
* Your primary ministry commitment should be in the
area where you are gifted. Your secondary ministry
includes serving in any other area of the Body where you
are needed.
o
About performance
* Every leader is a learner. The moment you stop
learning, you stop leading.
* We expect excellence in ministry, not perfection.
Excellence is doing your best. God deserves our best.
* We emphasise on-the-job training more than
pre-service training. We learn best by doing. Our aim is
to delegate to help develop people.
* We encourage creativity and innovation in ministry,
which assures mistakes will be made. "No mistakes"
means you're not growing or trying anything new. We
have no "failures" in ministry at our corps, only
"experiments that didn't work!"
* We desire to provide regular training for every
ministry.
* A failed project does not mean a failed person. There
are no "wrong" people...only "right" people in the wrong
ministry!
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Potential Ministry Opportunities & Possibilities.
Ministry Area
Administration:
Children & Youth
Ministry
Kids Fun Nights:
First Steps:
Kid’s Church:
Junior Soldiers:
Playgroup:
Mainly Music:
Corps Cadets:
Youth Group:
Community Ministry:
Couples:
Counselling:
Creative Arts:
Decor:
Graphics:
Mission:
Prayer:
Property:
Pastoral:
Recreation:
Ministry Possibilities
Y
N
Maybe
admin assistant, newsletter producers, finance
assistance, photocopying, computer operator,
letterbox drop, resource table, information table,
welcome kit preparation, letter & phone follow-up
team members.
coordinator, assistants, caterers, musicians.
coordinator, visitor.
assistants, admin help, set up/pack away.
leaders, assistants, Big Buds.
coordinator, helpers, set up/put away.
Leader, team members, catering.
Leader, assistants.
leaders, assistants, life group leaders.
Reception/Bookshop volunteers, Salvo Care Line
volunteers, Community Service volunteers, Salvos
Caring volunteers - doing acts of kindness in our
community, Salvation Army Emergency Services
volunteers. The opportunities and possibilities here
are as endless as those volunteering to be involved and
to commence ministries in our community.
marriage preparation, marriage enrichment.
(Qualifications needed)
family, personal, crisis, pre-marriage, marriage.
(Qualifications needed)
vocals, musicians, dance team, drama team.
decorating, special events.
brochures, advertising, photography.
Internet Café, evangelism, cross-cultural, short term
mission projects, child sponsorship communicators,
mission house team.
intercessory prayer team, prayer groups.
coordinator, cleaners, carpenter, plumber, painter,
grounds, gardeners, maintenance, working bee coordinator.
community visitors, hospital visitors, prayer support,
visitors to shut-ins, casserole carers.
Adults Social night, sports teams, picnics and social gettogethers.
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Seniors:
Sound/video:
Spiritual growth:
Sunday
Celebration/worship:
Other Ministry areas:
catering, assistants, group leaders.
technical assistants, multimedia technicians, DVD
camera operators, setting up/taking down, operating,
servicing.
Life Groups (Leaders, host/hostess), Alpha, Christianity
Explained.
set up/put away, greeters, ushers, cleaners, carpark
attendants, offering, catering.
discovering a ministry is only limited by our
imagination. God has created and designed you to be
minister.
Everyone is a "10" in some area
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WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
An online SHAPE Inventory Assessment can
be completed online at:
1. Commit to the Ministry Covenant
Turn in your signed covenant today. The Corps Leader
will sign it and return it to you.
SHAPE online Inventory
http://www.sbpcshape.org/
Five assessments will help you discover your unique SHAPE:
2. Complete your S.H.A.P.E. Self-Evaluation
Spiritual Gifts
Then transfer your results to your `Personal Ministry file'
form.
Heart
Abilities
Personality Style
3. Schedule an interview with your Corps Leader.
Call for an appointment. Bring your `Personal Ministry
file' with you. Together you will select two or three
ministry opportunities that best match your unique
S.H.A.P.E.
4. Contact the leaders responsible for the ministries
you've selected for possible involvement.
Experience
Completing all five will take approximately 90 minutes.
You can take some of the assessments, and then come
back and finish the others at any time. You simply can
stop at the end of any assessment, and the answers for
that assessment are saved. To begin click on SHAPE
Assessment on the toolbar and choose Spiritual Gifts in
the expanded menu.
It is your responsibility to contact them. They will be
waiting to hear from you. Do this within two weeks after
your meeting with your Corps Leader while your ideas
are still fresh in your mind.
5. Begin Serving!
6. Become the most competent minister you can
possibly be.
Get as much training as you can in the sphere of ministry
the Lord has gifted you for. Enquire from your ministry
leaders about courses and seminars you can do or
attend.
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“All believers need to engage in the Christian
journey, going on to deepen their relationship
with God, developing the inner life, and growing
in holiness. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a
lifelong transformation process The pursuit of
holiness is the pursuit of Christlikeness,
becoming like Jesus in our character,
behaviours and discernment. The classical
spiritual disciplines provide the tools for this
transformation process.” (On My Watch p22 –
Called to be God’s people)
You may wonder how this relates to living a
generous life or is it even necessary to be
generous? And as a Christian on the journey,
what does it look like to be living a generous
life? We do know we are called to be like Jesus,
to live a life of holiness.
Pastor Rober Morris reminds us that “God is
generous. We are born selfish, but born again
generous.” As we become more like Jesus, we
grow in our generous life.
Ephesians 5:1-2 teaches us “Therefore be
imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk
in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave
Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to
God as a fragrant aroma.”
Imitators of God, living a life of sacrificial love for
others and being a fragrant aroma to those we
meet.
Pastor Robert Morris shares a message asking
the question “Am I Generous?” May God bless
you as your discover more and more what it
means to live a life of generosity.
Video
LIVING A GENEROUS LIFE – HOLINESS
“Am I Generous?”
http://gatewaypeople.com/sermons/512111
If you would like to explore further the
wonderous journey of generosity, here is a
useful resource.
Pastor Brian Kluth has
developed an app for your smart phone which
features his devotional books and other
resources. And its free.
Just go to the app
store and search for
“40 Generosity” and
download.
As we grow in our generous life, in holiness,
may we become more and more like Jesus.
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