LET'S KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER BY DOUGLAS RILEY, COMMISSIONER
IT’S NO SECRET there are a number of things in our
gry and the destitute. You may have even heard of our
world that cause dissension. All you have to do is turn
early motto from that time: Soup, Soap and Salvation.
on the TV, sign in to Facebook or read the tabloid head-
While the world has changed in many, many ways
lines while you’re in line at the grocery store. We live in
since 1865, The Salvation Army’s mission has not. Sure,
an age where anything can be an argument—even if it
we’ve come up with a number of creative ways to car-
was not the initial intent. And sometimes those things
ry it out—and I’m proud of how our officers, soldiers,
can turn even the best of f riends against each other.
employees and volunteers have nimbly pivoted our
But let’s not let it. As The Salvation Army, we are called to be more like God and less like the world. Let’s start today with a renewed focus on him. You don’t need me to say the past two years hav-
lose sight of Scripture. Now, let’s draw closer to God and not allow social issues to drive cracks into our foundation. Instead of
en’t been easy. You know. Whether the pandemic
wasting our short time on this earth fighting each oth-
caused you to lose your livelihood or life as you knew
er, let’s fight against the desire to be critical and con-
it, we’re all still processing the grief that remains. Still,
troversial, which can water down the Gospel.
I have faith. I have hope that we will emerge stron-
This is The Salvation Army, an army mighty in power
ger, more connected. We are The Salvation Army.
and purpose. We can’t allow political pressures to drive
It can only be done with our eyes on him and
us against each other. We can’t lose our faith. We need
our focus on Scripture—it guides us and helps us
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services, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We must not lose sight of this. We must not
to keep Jesus at the center. And we need each other.
fully grasp God’s design for us. Returning to Scrip-
The Salvation Army is an international movement
ture reminds us of what truly matters. It keeps us
in 132 countries. While we might display our worship
from distractions and those things that divide us.
differently throughout the world, we are unified in
We have a solid foundation, started on the streets of
our core beliefs, our doctrines. In addition to Scripture,
London in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth. They
they hold us to our commitment to practice what we
walked the streets, preaching to the homeless, the hun-
preach.
CARING 2022
