SAconnects, Volume 1, Number 5

the magazine VOL. 1, NO. 5 • SEPTEMBER 2015

a spectrum of experiences the rich ministry of the

Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings page 16

de estudiante a maestro page 24

love & safety

in Manchester, N.H.

page 7

SACONNECTS.ORG

ILD SPO CH ORSHIP NS

OVERSEAS

Graham, 5 years old, walks home from school in K ibera, Africa’s largest slum. He is fortunate. Most of the children in his school are AIDS orphans. Graham’s mom is HIV–positive, but she is healthy. She is grateful that The Salvation Army helps with Graham’s school fees. You can help children like Graham all around the world through Overseas Child Sponsorship.

Call Today!

Eastern Territory: (845) 620–7435 • overseaschild@use.salvationarmy.org 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994

our leaders

IN focus

faith in our children fe en nuestros niños Autumn brings crisp air, back–to–school activities, colorful leaves crunching under our feet and all of the cozy trappings that welcome us home. And at The Salvation Army, it is also a time for new beginnings, as our children and teenagers flood the halls of our corps to attend an array of programs and spiritual development activities.

We’ve seen resurgence in our territory of our Corps Cadets and junior Soldier programs. From 2014 to 2015, our junior soldier attendance rose from 50,484 to 52,533 participants.

And during that same time, Corps Cadets saw a similar increase, from 25,229 to 26,283 participants.

One expression of the Salvation Army’s faith is that we believe young people can be saved and can do something.

We essentially are telling them, “Your life matters, and you can have a vital role in God’s kingdom!” We can never underestimate the human need to belong. These programs provide a worthwhile place for many kids, where they find meaning in their lives. The corps also becomes a place where they feel connected and learn to give back by serving and helping in numerous ways.

It is easy to see the value our youth programs provide for our children and for our teenagers. Embrace this season and all that it represents for renewed opportunities to engage our up–and–coming youngsters.

But now, the question is, what can you do to encourage them to keep attending and to get excited about what they’re learning? All of us need to take an interest in developing the faith of our children. Let’s follow Paul’s admonition and not look down on any of them because they are young (1 Timothy 4:12), but let’s cheer our young people on as they advance in their faith and relationship to God.

El otoño trae consigo aire fresco, actividades iniciales del año escolar, coloridas hojas que crujen bajo nuestras pisadas y toda la acogedora ornamentación que nos recibe en casa. En el Ejército de Salvación también es un tiempo de nuevos comienzos, puesto que nuestros niños y jóvenes llenan los pasillos de nuestros Cuerpos para asistir a una variedad de programas y actividades de desarrollo espiritual.

En el Territorio Este hemos experimentado un resurgimiento especialmente en los programas de Cadetes Locales y Jóvenes Soldados. Nuestra matrícula en el programa de Jóvenes Soldados aumentó de 50,484 participantes en 2014 a 52,533 en 2015. El programa de Cadetes Locales experimentó un aumento en matrícula similar, de 25,229 participantes a 26,283.

Una de las mayores expresiones de fe del Ejército de Salvación es que creemos que los jóvenes pueden salvarse y hacer algo. Lo que esencialmente les estamos comunicando es: “¡tú vales la pena y puedes jugar un papel relevante en el Reino de Dios!”. No debemos subestimar la necesidad de pertenencia del ser humano. Estos programas les ofrecen a muchos niños un valioso lugar en el que le encuentran significado a la vida. El Cuerpo se convierte en un lugar donde ellos se compenetran y también aprenden a servir y trabajar.

No se requiere mucho tiempo para ver el valor que tienen nuestros programas con nuestros niños y jóvenes.

La pregunta entonces que queda por hacer es: ¿qué puede hacer usted para animarlos a continuar asistiendo y a emocionarse con lo que están aprendiendo? Es necesario que todos nos interesemos en el desarrollo de la fe de nuestros chicos. Consideremos la advertencia de Pablo a no menospreciarlos porque sean jóvenes (1 Timoteo 4:12), al contrario, vamos a apoyarlos mientras avanzan en su fe y en su relación con Dios.

— Kenneth W. Maynor, Lt. Colonel Secretario Territorial de Programa / Territorial Secretary for Program

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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Looking for the latest news, USA East r e s o u r c e s & in f o r m a ti o n a b o u t Youth Youth Programs?

Department visit www.boothyouth.com & follow us on social media l w o b bible junior soldie

sunday school

rs

corps cadets

adventure corps s m a e b moon

sunbeams girl guards

Vol. 1, No. 5

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2015 16

IN focus

1 leader letter 4 from the editor 6 letters from you

ON file

5

5 relevents Jon Avery talks about his spiritual journey through 11 countries.

26 wholly living Major Lauren Hodgson reflects on 37 years of officership.

28

22 24

unity

features

Three officers talk about the importance of the Army’s youth ministry.

30 #Boundless 2015

7 Love and Safety

How social media helped Congress delegates reach the world.

at the Kids Café

31 profile

The Manchester, N.H., Corps is seeing an influx of new soldiers, thanks to an effective after–school program.

Colonel Richard Munn talks about morality, culture, and theology.

FAITH in ACTION

30

22 Instruments of Light Jeff Crabtree’s music students needed new instruments—and he found a unique way to get them.

Cover photo by Captain Mike Laro

Nenah Dabor grew up as a Muslim in Sierra Leone, but she was always strangely drawn to Jesus and the Bible.

COVER STORY

16 FAITH in ACTION

24 Edward Hardy A young man from Newark, N.J., brings his musical talents and leadership skills to the Ironbound Corps.

12 Under Her Pillow

A Spectrum of Experiences

26

Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings attracted record crowds at the Seaside Pavilion, the beach, and the Pier, providing passersby with a memorable spiritual ride.

finds 32 Book offerings from

Salvation Army authors.

Para leer más artículos en español por favor visite

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SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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IN focus

from the editor the magazine

your connection to The Salvation Army

Be a flagbearer! ¡Sé un abanderado!

USA EASTERN TERRITORY TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner Barry C. Swanson Commissioner E. Sue Swanson CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel William A. Bamford III SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Lt. Colonel Cheryl A. Maynor

This year, at the end of every Old Orchard Beach Pier ministry, specific young people identified themselves to the crowd as counselors who were available to discuss questions of faith.

Each counselor held a small flag.

Printed on it in white was a line drawing that symbolized the evangelistic campaign—a question mark enclosed inside a light bulb. Inscribed next to the bulb was the question, “Do you know the Secret?” Only the brilliant lights from the Pier stage, the amusement park rides, and from concession stands illuminated the flags against a night sky.

After all was said and done (electrifying music, worshipful praise & dance, the spectacle of “magic and miracles”), the flagbearers would begin the important task of leading people to Christ. When the Pier ministry finally concluded, they counted 15,269 “gospel encounters,” of which 760 were “meaningful conversations”; 222 were “prayers”; and 19 were “conversions to Christ.”

Distributed Bibles, tracts, and books totaled 3,044.* Today as you read this SAConnects, I encourage you to see yourself as a “flagbearer” and to be excited about having similar discussions about faith in your community!

Durante las reuniones del Campamento de Old Orchard Beach, y al final de cada ministración vespertina efectuada en el muelle, ciertos jóvenes alzaban la mano para identificarse ante la multitud como orientadores dispuestos a responder preguntas relacionadas con la fe.

Cada orientador sostenía en su mano una pequeña bandera. Esta tenía, impreso en blanco, un dibujo lineal que simbolizaba la campaña evangelística en el muelle: un signo de interrogación dentro de una bombilla eléctrica. Junto con la bombilla, estaba impresa la pregunta: “¿Sabes el secreto?”

Una vez que todo fue dicho y hecho, la música, las alabanzas, las danzas de adoración y el espectáculo de “magia y milagros”, los abanderados comenzaron la importante tarea de dirigir a las personas a Cristo. Se contaron 15.269 “encuentros con el Evangelio”, de los cuales 760 fueron “conversaciones significativas”, 222 “oraciones” y 19 “conversiones a Cristo”. Las Biblias, tratados y libros distribuidos totalizaron 3.044.* En este SAConnects, quiero animarte a verte a ti mismo como un “abanderado”, dispuesto a realizar discusiones similares sobre la fe en el contexto de tu propia esfera de influencia.

* Volunteers were officers, soldiers, and youth from the Quebec Division, the Canada & Bermuda Territory, and USA East. Pier team, 150; Prayer Team, 11; Children’s Ministry team, 10; Street Ministry team, 9; and the Evangelism Team, 20.

— Salvation Factory

* El equipo del muelle estuvo conformado por 150 personas. Los voluntarios eran oficiales, soldados y personas jóvenes de la División de Québec, del Territorio de Canadá y las Bermudas, y el Territorio Este de EUA. El Equipo de Oración contaba con 11 personas; el equipo del Centro de Redención (Ministerio Infantil), con 10; el equipo del Ministerio en las Calles (globos y caras pintadas), con 9; y el Equipo de Evangelismo, con 20.

— La Factoría de Salvación

— Warren L. Maye

Editor in Chief / Editor en Jefe

EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo KOREAN EDITOR Lt. Colonel Chongwon D. Kim ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Karena Lin, Joe Marino CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Lotz, Major Young Sung Kim CIRCULATION Deloris Hansen DIVISIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENTS ARCC Major Charles Deitrick PENDEL Randall Thomas Major Kathryn A. Avery EMP Jaye C. Jones MASS Drew Forster NEOSA Major Thomas Hinzman NNE Cheryl Poulopoulos PR & VI Linette Luna SNE James Gordon WEPASA Captain Kimberly DeLong NJ Siran Farrar CFOT, GNY, SWONEKY, ARC

New divisional corrspondents will be appointed soon

Territorial Music Liaison Ronald Waiksnoris Territorial Youth Liaison Captain Gillian Rogers

THE SALVATION ARMY

MISSION STATEMENT

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

SAConnects is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA’s Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per month for 25–100 copies.

Single subscriptions are available. Write to: SAConnects, The Salvation Army, 440 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739.

Vol. 1, No. 5, September Issue 2015. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAConnects, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAConnects accepts advertising.

Copyright © 2015 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory.

Articles may be reprinted only with written permission.

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relevents

ON file

Jonathan Avery, divisional youth program specialist for the PENDEL Division, reflects on his 12–month trip to 11 countries and shares the life lessons he has learned so far during his spiritual journey with God. Photography is a great way to remember moments and capture pieces of time. It’s a way for me to reflect on how God had worked in that split second. I can imagine a scenic shot being a beautiful painting that God created just for me, or as a reminder of the people He has brought into my life. With photos, I can look back on moments that I may have completely forgotten.

Interview by Hugo Bravo

When I travel the world, engaging people and hearing their stories is so encouraging to me. My travels are enriched by their incredible testimonies and become much more than simply sightseeing. That’s when I feel the strongest connection to God: when I see and hear how people who live with so little still have so much faith in Him. I wear my necklace all the time. It’s a little guitar made out of a coconut shell, with a cross in the center of it. I received it while in Cambodia. It’s a reminder of my time there and to keep Christ in the center of everything I do, such as my music, my relationships with others, and even my work as a graphic designer.

The books Love Does by Bob Goff and Greater by Steven Furtick spoke to me on my travels. Love Does taught me that love is an action, rather than simply a word. It reminded me to show love to everyone I met on my trip, especially in countries where law forbids directly teaching about Jesus’ love. In Greater, the author tells us that God’s plans will always be greater than what we can ever imagine. Although the next adventure in a new country might be a mystery, I’m reminded that God knows.

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Avery; Bottle Cap, iStock

I listened to Selah’s album “You Deliver Me” while I was in India. One day while I was sitting on the roof of our church, which overlooked the city, I practiced chords from one of the songs on my guitar. As I played, a little Indian boy came to the church roof and sat next to me. He spoke no English and I sang in English, but I could tell he was getting something out of the music.

I like to collect Coca–Cola bottle caps. They’re easy to just grab after a drink. I have a picture frame made of 11 bottle caps for the 11 countries I visited in 2013. Each cap comes with a special memory. Coke is a drink that I can find wherever I go overseas. But the taste changes, depending on the country you’re in. South Africa’s was my favorite, while the taste of India’s Coke was, for me, a little too acidic.

2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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IN focus

letters from you

‘a fine magazine’ I have just read (SAConnects July/Aug. 2015) and I couldn’t put it down! It was absolutely marvelous. Praise God for the story on Stanley Jackson.

I was thrilled to read that story!

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Now as for “Finding Balance” (SAConnects, May, 2015, “Letters from you”), you cannot please everyone all the time. I’m “old school” but I’ve been out of the box my whole career. While I always did and still do wear proper uniform, I liked the cover in question.

I didn’t love it, but I understood it was appealing to another generation. I hope I never get too old to appreciate that! In the words of Mrs. Brigadier Doris Berry, “We can’t make a magazine for just Joy.” You have to appeal to an entire readership! And you are doing it well. Congratulations on a fine magazine.

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(SAConnects “D.U.C.K.: Willie and Sadie Robertson,” July/Aug. 2015) It was great to be there in Hershey for this. The atmosphere that morning was awesome.

—ANNE MORTON Saylorsburg, Pa.

(Response to video posted June 29, 2015, celebrating the Salvation Army’s 150 years of ministry) This is my history—how I was raised by my parents and grandparents on both sides who so deeply believed in the Salvation Army’s cause to work constantly for the good of others.

In fact, the motto of the Sally Ann is simply, “Others.” I miss the simplicity of this faith. I miss some of the music.

But most of all, I miss those dear old souls who gave so much of themselves for a higher purpose. There will always be a part of me who is Sally Ann, and who is grateful for all the good [the Army] taught me.

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Photo by Robert Mitchell

love & safety

by Robert Mitchell

at the Kids Café

Captains Herb and Miriam Rader are finding that God works in mysterious ways.

The corps officers at the Manchester, N.H., Corps grew up on the mission field in India and at first were wondering what to make of their assignment in Manchester, N.H. The Raders soon learned that it’s where the federal government assigns many refugees from other countries— giving the Raders exactly what they’ve always wanted.

“We keep asking to go overseas and it has never happened, but we come here and we have

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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love & safety at the Kids Café

“

”

We are a destination city for refugees for the federal government.

—Miriam Rader

every single country,” Miriam says. “It’s been great. It’s been such a blessing for us.

“This is very much a mission field. It’s everything that you could possibly imagine. You’re dealing with current issues.”

The Manchester Corps is home to “Kids Café,” a wildly successful after–school feeding and community center program that is celebrating its 20th year. Miriam said many of the refugee children enjoy coming to the café and to the corps.

EXPLOSIVE GROWTH

“There is a lot of crossover to the corps,” Miriam says, “more than there’s been for a lot of years. We probably have about 40 to 50 kids coming to church every Sunday on their own and they’re all out of Kids Café.

“In the last two years, we’ve enrolled 30 junior soldiers.”

Kids Café runs Monday thru Thursday from 5–7 p.m. for ages 7–12. Teen Night is Friday and Saturday from 6–10:30 p.m.

Bob Champagne, who as the community center director has led Kids’ Café since the beginning, says, “We started 20 years ago meeting one night a week with 12 kids and now we run six nights a week.”

Champagne said 110–120 kids will show up on a typical night.

“We haven’t been under 100 for Teen Night all year,” he says.

Low–income housing surrounds the corps and most of the children walk to Kids Café from a six–block radius.

Champagne said 97 percent of kids qualify for free or reduced lunches at the two elementary schools the program serves.

Captains Herb and Miriam Rader, corps officers.

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3,217 refugees have settled in New Hampshire

since 2008 with the most coming from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

In 2014, most of the refugees came from Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Iraq. *The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

FUN AND GAMES

Champagne said 176 different dialects are spoken in the local schools. The most recent refugees are Iraqi Kurds, some of whom escaped dangerous conditions.

“We are a destination city for refugees for the federal government,” he says. “The diversity in this program is immense.”

The children come and eat an orderly dinner (with volunteers supervising each table) followed by a host of kid–friendly activities. Some kids stay in the gym and play dodge ball, while others go to the game room, which is equipped with the latest game technologies, including PS3s, Xbox1s, and Kinect.

There is also a poolroom and a computer lab with 28 computers. Captain Herb Rader has even taught some of the teens his video skills.

Champagne says, “There’s always something for the kids to do.”

Champagne, who grew up in the corps, said he encourages kids to stay in school and then to pursue college or the military.

amor y seguridad en el Café para Jóvenes

ASIA

IRAQ

AFRICA

137 refugees

80 refugees

BHUTAN

112 refugees

155 refugees DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO 108 refugees

MIDDLE EAST

81 refugees

“I just think these kids all have a chance to find their way out of poverty,” he says. “My proudest day of the year is going to all the high school graduations and watching these kids graduate. That’s a great rewarding day.

“You can talk the talk, but you’ve got to walk the walk.

You’ve got to be here for the kids and show them you love them.

You’ve got to show them you care. Christ tells us to give back.”

Paul Fitzgerald, who has cooked for Kids Café for 19 years, agreed. “We see a lot of kids who are going on to be successful,” he says. “It feels good to be a part of this. A lot of kids who don’t have a good family background, they get morals here. If they don’t get it at home, they get it here.”

Kids Café depends on volunteers from the community, including local colleges.

“The interaction between the volunteers and the kids is pretty dynamic,” he says. “A lot of our volunteers are kids who grew up here.”

Photos by Robert Mitchell; Map, iStock

LEAVING A LEGACY

El Cuerpo de Manchester, New Hampshire, está ubicado en una ciudad a la que el gobierno de Estados Unidos envía refugiados de muchos países. El Cuerpo está conformado por personas de muchas de esas naciones. Es el caso de los hijos de esos refugiados avecindados en Manchester. Sus padres saben que, después del horario escolar, sus hijos pueden asistir al Café para Jóvenes y la Noche para Jóvenes que ofrece el centro comunitario porque ahí encuentran un lugar seguro que los mantiene alejados de las calles y les enseña valores que les ayudarán a salir adelante en la vida. Los oficiales directivos del Cuerpo, Capitanes Herb y Miriam Rader, encontraron en este nombramiento lo que siempre habían deseado: servir en el campo misionero, si bien lo hacen en su propio país gracias a la política del gobierno de acoger en Manchester a muchos refugiados. Esos programas han sido todo un éxito: más de 100 niños llegan todas las tardes al Café y luego a la Noche para Jóvenes. Muchos de ellos terminan integrándose al Cuerpo y se convierten en soldados, o bien optan por devolver el apoyo que de niños recibieron, regresando al Cuerpo para servir en el Café o en la Noche para Jóvenes. Como dice la Capitana Rader, el contacto estrecho con las familias de los refugiados hace del Café para Jóvenes algo más que un programa social del Ejército: una familia muy unida en la que los integrantes hablan los idiomas de muchos países de todo el mundo.

Para leer este artículo completo en español, por favor visite saconnects.org/amor-y-seguridad/

love & safety at the Kids Café

“

”

We started 20 years ago meeting one night a week with 12 kids and now we run six nights a week. 110–120 kids will show up on a typical night.

Photo courtesy of Herb Rader

—Bob Champagne

FINDING A HOME

Among those returning to help out is Korum Roumraj, 20, a native of South Sudan who will soon go into the Air Force.

Roumraj has been coming to Kids Café since he was 7 and now volunteers.

“There is something to do here and it helps kids stay out of trouble instead of doing stupid stuff in the streets,” he says.

Another volunteer, Dustin Rivard, 23, started coming to Kids Café at age 6. He said the program gives kids “consistency” that they might not find at home.

“Everybody’s here and nobody leaves,” he says. “They’re always here if you need it. That’s what I got. I got a lot of consistency here. It’s just a happy environment.

“Being a volunteer is my way of giving back. I understand and know what a lot of these kids go through. It’s nice to be here for them.”

A SAFE PLACE

Rivard grew up near the corps and, while his family wasn’t poor, “we didn’t have a lot of money and it was nice to come down

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and eat, use the facilities, and make a lot of friends.

“This is where they get to hang out and see each other and have fun and just be a kid for an hour and a half,” he says. “It takes a lot of these kids off the streets, especially the teens.”

Champagne said The Salvation Army is one of three “safe havens” in Manchester.

“The parents know this is a safe place to bring their kids,” he says. “They know us as a church. They know us as a safe place.”

That was important to Daisy Cruz, a parent who in 1999 came to the United States from Puerto Rico. She had little money and four kids, who all found a home at Kids Café.

“They were able to come here and play and be off the streets in a safe environment,” she says. “They were able to make friends and they learned how to help other kids in need.

SHARING CHRIST

“We would all come over here and spend evenings, then go home and do homework. Everybody here is like a family and they try to stay connected. My kids respect that.”

Her son, Luis Lopez, returns to volunteer.

A simple rescue: basketball

by Sheri Davis

“I learned as a kid that there’s always someone to help you here,” he says. “That’s the reason why I come back. I’m pretty grateful for having this place to come to when I was a child.

It’s the way I give back.”

A prayer before the meal at Kids Café, is the full extent of the program’s spiritual emphasis.

“The church programs are open to the kids,” Champagne says. “I’ve actually had three kids who have come through Kids Café become officers.”

Captain Miriam Rader said she often eats dinner with the kids during Kids Café and invites them to Sunbeams and to the music, dance, drama, and timbrels programs at the corps, where Christ is freely shared.

Although 40 years ago I was born into a dysfunctional family stricken by alcoholism, abuse, and unbelief, God had a plan.

At age eight, He led me to The Salvation Army. He provided caring officers as well as many kids who became my extended family.

Through Him, I found a best friend who introduced me to many Army activities. At every chance I had, I played basketball. As I grew up, the Army offered further opportunities, such as summer camp.

Many people helped lead me to Christ. While at Youth Councils, I felt the Holy Spirit enter my life and I began a deep relationship with God. As I got older, I recycled what God had given me.

I became a Sunday school teacher, and then, a youth leader. Every Sunday, I drove my car through the neighborhood, inviting kids to church.

Later, my mom, who battled alcoholism, gave her life to Christ. And my sister, when we were kids, teased me for going to church. But later, she gave her life to the Lord at a Joel Osteen event.

As a corps sergeant major, I wear two silver stars on my uniform that represent my two children, both of whom are officers. Though I’m proud of them, I wear the stars to remind myself of how God broke my family’s generational curse.

To this day, I’m amazed that He used a simple thing such as basketball to rescue my life.

Now, I watch my children teach their children about God. It takes His divine love, shared with one another, to restore a life.

SAVING SOME

“A lot of them are unchurched. We’re doing the ABCs of salvation (steps to accepting Christ) before we can enroll them as junior soldiers. You have to understand they’re new to church and they’re new to Christianity. A lot of the kids we get in church right now are from Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds.”

Rader said the parents come to special events, but not for church.

“They have no problem with letting us teach their kids about the Bible, which is great,” she says. “The Muslims won’t let you do that, but the Hindus and the Buddhists will.”

Miriam said girls from Nepal and India enjoy dancing.

After she noticed them in the computer lab watching dancers in “Bollywood” films, she urged them to form a dance troupe.

“They started a dance group and pretty soon, we had 20 kids coming every Thursday,” Rader says. “They just started coming and they started bringing their friends.”

GAINING TRUST

— Sheri Davis is the corps sergeant major (CSM) of the Manchester N.H. Corps. She shared her testimony during the Soldiers Rally held in May.

iStock

Rader says she believes in home visitation and has developed relationships with parents who call her when their children need something or are having trouble in school.

“I know where all the kids live who come to church,” she says. “I visit the families.”

“That was the old way we did it in The Salvation Army.

We have to do things differently, and I get that. But at the same time, you can’t give up visitation. That is the key in getting the family to support what we’re doing.”

During a recent Kids Café, Sheri Davis, the corps sergeant major, was on hand to mingle in the bustling game room.

“They’re family,” Davis says of the children. “They come to church. It’s no longer Kids Café and the Salvation Army.

Now it’s all just one big family.”

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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under her

n

eneh Dabor grew up in a Muslim home in the Republic of Sierra Leone in West Africa, but always felt strangely drawn to Jesus Christ.

Her parents sent her to a Christian school because those were the “good schools” in her country, and she always slept with a Bible under her pillow—not a Koran.

“If I had a nightmare, I would turn the light on, take my Bible and read it, and then go back to sleep,” Dabor says. “I depended on it.”

Today, she depends on that same Bible to help her teach Sunday school at The Salvation Army in Yonkers, N.Y., an inner–city corps that serves 17 different nationalities and some former Muslims.

Dabor said her parents were upset when they finally discovered that Bible under her pillow. Her grandfather didn’t understand the Trinity and told her Christians worshipped three gods. She prayed five times a day and fasted during Ramadan like all devout Muslims, but God seemed distant.

IN JESUS’ NAME

“One day I just said, ‘I cannot feel this god that the Muslims are calling on.’ He felt far away,” Dabor says. “Now, I know that it is through Jesus, the Son, that you get that relationship with the Father. I yearned for that.

“Jesus was always faithful. Every time I was in trouble, even though I was a Muslim, I always called on the name of Jesus and He always helped me. I knew that He was the way, but my mind was into material things.”

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Dabor said she also found Christians a bit boring.

“I didn’t see the joy on the outside,” she says. “I thought it was like a scary thing to become a Christian because I’m thinking, ‘I’m going to be bored like them.’ I didn’t understand until I got saved. That’s when I knew there was joy on this side.”

Dabor later came to America and married a Muslim man, but the marriage didn’t work out and left her a single mother.

HUNGRY FOR TRUTH

“Everything came crashing down,” she says, “It was at that moment in my life that I cried out to the God from whom I had run away.”

In 2007, Dabor went with a friend to a small Pentecostal church in Yonkers. One day, she walked down the aisle, said the sinner’s prayer, and officially became a Christian.

“It was a silent peace within me,” she recalls. “I did give my life to Him and I asked God to help me make up for lost time, which He has done.

“I knew I had to get to know Him more for who He is and that’s when the Lord gave me the love and desire for studying the Word of God in my heart. There was a fascination about the Word of God that was in me even as a young child growing up in Africa.”

Dabor says as a “baby Christian” she didn’t understand the Trinity, but as she studied the Bible more, she learned that Jesus really was God who “came in the flesh” and died on the cross for her sins, unlike what she had been taught in Islam.

“

Jesus was always faithful. Every time I was in trouble, even though I was a

”

Muslim, I always called on the name of Jesus and He always helped me.

—Neneh Dabor

by Robert Mitchell

Bajo su Almohada

iStock

La historia de una ferviente salvacionista que recorre las calles de Yonkers con el deseo de ayudar a los más necesitados y con la misión de evangelizarlos es, de por sí, ejemplar. Pero lo que la hace inusual es que se trata de una joven nacida y criada en el seno de una familia musulmana de Sierra Leona, África. El hecho de que sus padres la matricularan en una escuela cristiana marcó el inicio de una relación ambivalente, pero que se hizo cada vez más fuerte en cuanto a la fe cristiana. Siendo niña, recurría a la Biblia que guardaba bajo su almohada, para sentirse protegida en los momentos difíciles. Luego de mudarse con su famila a Estados Unidos, se acercó aun más al ambiente cristiano. La figura de Jesús la incomodaba, porque le parecía relativizar la de Dios Padre. Con el tiempo pudo superar esas dudas; leyendo 1 Timoteo 3:16 comprendió que, en Jesús, Dios se manifestó al mundo, y que eso no significaba ningún desmedro de la figura de Dios, pues, en su Hijo, Dios se hizo más cercano al ser humano. Y eso hizo que se decidiera. Se convirtió al cristianismo en una iglesia pentecostal y más tarde ingresó al Ejército de Salvación donde, en el Cuerpo de Manchester, en Yonkers, Nueva York, es hoy maestra de Escuela Dominical y evangeliza a los indigentes y a los musulmanes de esa ciudad.

Es su testimonio personal de conversión y de fe lo que les transmite a las personas que evangeliza, y también lo que logra el milagro de que esas personas —muchas de ellas de origen africano y musulmán—, se conviertan y trabajen mano a mano con ella por el Reino de Dios.

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‘HE IS GOD’

She also was struck by the differences she found in the Koran and Bible: Allah was unforgiving; Jesus forgave even His enemies.

Her eyes were also opened by 1 Timothy 3:16, which references the incarnation of Christ; “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached about among the nations, was believed by in the world, was taken up in glory.”

“I began to realize that’s the key,” Dabor says. “He is God! I began to realize, He is God who came in the flesh. Without that, there is no salvation.

“I struggled with Him being God because in my mind I was always thinking it was an insult to the Father. Why would you put Jesus as equal? Now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I know He is God the Son.”

A REQUEST GRANTED

Six months after her conversion, God led Dabor to The Salvation Army in Yonkers, N.Y., “and told me that’s where He wanted me to grow.” She has been there now for eight years.

“I said, ‘Lord, can you please send me where they help the poorest of the poor?’ I always had that desire,” she says.

Dabor waited to become a senior soldier until she was sure the Salvation Army’s doctrine was sound. She has been teaching Sunday school for more than a year.

“Nothing gives me more joy,” she says. “I love doing it.

This is my passion. This is my desire. I give God all the glory. This is Him doing it. I never miss a Sunday. I get ready and I go and teach His people.

“Growing up as a Muslim, I knew more about the Bible than about the Koran,” she says. “I really believe that was an act of God and He was preparing me all along, even though I wasn’t saved. I thank Him for His faithfulness.”

HITTING THE STREETS

Today, you also might see Dabor out in the streets of Yonkers telling people about her amazing journey and the Savior she loves.

“Today, my life is going everywhere in the streets witnessing,” she says. “That’s my No. 1 calling—evangelism. I will witness to Jews. I will witness to Muslims. My background has helped me a lot and I give the Lord all the glory.”

Dabor said her family was “not happy” about her decision, but they have “respect” for the woman she has become.

“They say, ‘You are no longer the person that you used to be.’ I know it’s because of the fruit of the Spirit,” she says.

Dabor says her family calls in times of crisis.

“When they call me and I begin to pray in the name of Jesus, they get results,” she says. “I use it as evangelism now.

I tell them, ‘Listen, it’s not me. I’m just an empty vessel. It is the name of Jesus and the faith that comes with that name.’”

PREACHING TO EVERYONE

Dabor has seen a brother and an aunt accept Christ through her witnessing, which involves passing out War Cry magazines on the streets of Yonkers.

Evangelism is also the heartbeat of her corps, which reaches out to the hurting along the busy streets just outside its doors.

Captain Luxene Claircius, who is the corps officer and who was born in Haiti, said about 10 people with Muslim associations from Liberia and Nigeria attend the corps and four have (Left) Neneh with Captain Luxene Claircius and Auxillary Captain Cilianise Claircius. (Below) Neneh worshiping at Yonkers Coprs.

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Photos by Phillip Jensen–Carter

Neneh leads Sunday school.

become soldiers.

“They come to our Bible study, they come to our fellowship, they come to our prayer meeting,” he says. “We attract people in the way we show the love of Christ, without discrimination. That makes them comfortable being a part of The Salvation Army.

“Our job is to go preach the Gospel to everyone. Jesus Himself did not discriminate against anyone. My responsibility is to preach to everyone.”

nice assembly. The population of the corps has been growing.

There is love in this place.”

Captain Claircius said the fellowship time was the brainchild of his wife, Auxiliary Captain Cilianise Claircius. “Our job is to invite people to come to church and talk about God and then they can be saved the same way we are saved,” Cilianise says. “We feed them and we clothe them and we talk about God with them.”

‘LOVE IN THIS PLACE’

Dabor said the evangelistic spirit of the corps is one reason she loves to teach and to lead.

“My desire is for the lost,” she says. “That’s what keeps me going. I have to witness. This is a time to wake up as never before. We cannot sit back and keep our mouths shut.

“Time is short. Every true believer that is full of the Holy Ghost has to be working toward the Kingdom of God. We study and we learn, but we also have to go out. I don’t want to only teach it, I want to demonstrate it, and lead by example.”

Among those people is Andrew Adeghe, born in Nigeria. He came to the United States in the 1970s and for 30 years was a New York City public school teacher.

Adeghe, who grew up in the largely Christian area of Nigeria, has been coming to the corps for three years and appreciates the biblically sound teaching of Christ as the Son of God and His admonition to love your neighbor as yourself.

“We all relate as one family,” Adeghe says. “We have a very

WALKING THE TALK

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

15

FAITH in ACTION

a spectrum of experiences

by Warren L. Maye

Perchance you’ve been a Salvationist all your life, but the opportunity to enjoy the rich ministry, the incomparable music, and the comradeship found at Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings (OOB) has eluded you.

Or possibly many years have passed since your toes pressed the soft, warm sand that remains untouched by time and mass tourism.

Or maybe you were among the unprecedented number of first–timers who sat under the protective wings of the Seaside Pavilion and heard anointed Salvationist preachers share God’s word. And later that evening, you actually visited the Pier and there you discovered “The Secret!”

As many as 625 delegates of the Greater New York Division (GNY), of which 80 were members of the division’s Music & Creative Arts Forces (Youth Band, Youth Chorus, and Timbrel Brigade) along with their friends and families, fell somewhere on the spectrum of OOB experiences. In lieu of holding its annual family camp, the division supported these young Salvationists in a unique opportunity to help host and participate in this year’s camp meetings.

The meetings served as a wonderful opportunity to reunite with friends and colleagues and to meet new people and to share in the festivities with them for the first time.

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“ This is my first time at Old Orchard Beach. And it’s really amazing. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked for The Salvation Army. And now, I’ve finally come to experience this for myself! It’s really been a blessing. The Bible says that we should not forsake the gathering of ourselves together. And so, this fellowship has been really great for me. My first corps officers are here [the now Colonels Janice A. and Steven M. Howard]. I’ve also seen old friends from years ago. And this just confirms for me what The Salvation Army is doing and what God is doing through The Salvation Army.”

—MATT DV WILLIAMS Risen.TV in New York City

“ We are excited because this is the first time most of our corps people are here.”

—CAPTAIN ELIAS GOIZ–ESCOBAR Bronx (Citadel), N.Y., corps officer

Photography by Stephen Ditmer, Gary Curtis, Major Richard Sanchez, with contributions from our editors and staff

“ What has impressed me about the camp meetings thus far is seeing the large number of people who have committed to giving their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and to being a light in this world!”

“ I’m very happy to see that we have such a togetherness of salvation from the Eastern Territory where we can come to Old Orchard Beach and remind ourselves that we are one in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And I’m very happy to be here with my brothers and sisters who love the Lord.”

—JAMES PAYNE Riverhead Corps, Long Island, N.Y.

— CSM FITZ LEWIS Bronx (Citadel), N.Y., Corps

“What’s exciting for me is being here for the first time and seeing the Army at work in the streets and seeing its mission obviously living itself out in the [OOB] community. I see people coming together and moving forward in their faith. This morning, I saw and heard the Adult Rehabilitation Centers Chorus. It was great to witness the success the Lord Jesus Christ is having in their individual lives and as a community.”

—DEAN HEELE Birmingham Citadel Corps, England find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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FAITH in ACTION

a spectrum of experiences

Commissioners Swanson enjoy some ‘quality time.’

‘It feels like home’

by Captain Samuel D. Alarcon

When we come together as brothers and sisters here at Old Orchard Beach (OOB), it serves two important purposes.

The first one is that we do it for the Lord. It makes Him smile and rejoice to see us celebrate Him. He loves to see His children from all over come together as one.

The second purpose is for each of us as individuals. Every officer, soldier, employee, and volunteer from our territory works hard, year round. Many of us arrive at OOB tired from the drive and from our daily lives. But when we meet our brothers and sisters, and we share and hear about the wonderful happenings in each of our corps. We feel grateful and renewed because even though things may seem stressful or difficult at home, we are reminded that God is watching over all of us. Although this beautiful part of the country can feel different from our corps, it still feels like home.

OOB is the perfect place to recharge, both spiritually and physically.

An ‘Army on its knees’

by Colonel Janet A. Munn

In the Gospel of Luke 18:1–8, Jesus describes kingdom prayer as a widow constantly pressuring a corrupt judge, insisting on justice against her adversaries. The widow’s only asset is her persistence, and that was enough to bring justice, even with a judge who did not fear the Lord. Jesus used this parable to show His disciples that they should always pray, and never give up.

As Americans, Christians, and Salvationists, we have boundless resources, strengths, and a wonderful reputation. We are known for ‘doing the most good’ and, indeed, much good is done. But the danger for us is that we place confidence in our strengths. We lose the widow’s sense of desperation for divine help. We lose touch with the profound reality of our utter need and dependence for God. In the Kingdom of God, things are upside down. The dirty are made clean, sinners are made holy, the brokenhearted are healed, strangers are welcomed as family, the enslaved are freed, and the weak are made strong.

To the world, prayer can be seen as the weakest thing that one can do to change the world. To talk to an invisible God, telling Him what He tells us to tell Him—when nothing seems to happen for a long time—seems a weak strategy.

But that is the way of the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us to pray like the widow who is desperate, who has no one to turn to, but who will not give up as long as she has breath. God identifies with that victimized widow who embodies Godly power in the midst of powerlessness.

What could be weaker than an army praying on its knees? Followers of Jesus are invited to take on that stance and to draw upon the power of that apparent “weakness,” saying to the Lord, “We cannot do this without You.”

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Colonel Janet A. Munn, College for Officer Training principal, delivers a message full of passion and scriptural power.

“Juggling Jeff” and Commissioner Swanson.

Christ died for ‘your mess’

by Robert Mitchell

Keep your eye on the ball

by Robert Mitchell

David Cain, a world–champion juggler, repeatedly spun four razor sharp battleaxes into the air. His audience watched spellbound as he, with his bare hands, caught the handles rather than the blades. When he emerged from the routine unscathed, the crowd offered applause and loud sighs of relief.

“I’m glad I didn’t shed any blood,” Cain told everyone at the Pier in Old Orchard Beach, Maine (OOB), “but I’m glad Jesus shed His blood for me.”

Welcome to the art of juggling used to reach the masses for Christ. At this year’s camp meetings, two jugglers, Cain and “Juggling Jeff” Koziatek, thrilled crowds.

While Cain performed at the Pier on Tuesday, Koziatek put on a show during “Family Night” in the Pavilion.

Koziatek struggled to free himself from a straightjacket while balancing himself atop a large red ball. He later juggled flaming torches and talked about the Apostle Peter’s attempt to walk on water as Jesus did. Peter was fine—as long as he kept his eyes on the Lord.

“I hope that the live shows I do serve as a sampler,” Koziatek says. “I hope the audience gets a little bit and then they dive back into the Word for the rest of the story.”

Koziatek and Cain both believe in using any means possible to reach the unsaved, including the gospel arts.

“If you’re a follower of Christ, it’s your job to share the Gospel.

Whether you’re standing behind a podium or sitting in a pew,” Koziatek says, “you’re to be a light to the world.”

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Point of Grace vocalist Denise Jones shared some transparent moments with the audience during the trio’s concert at the Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings.

Jones said when she reached her 40s, the pressures of being a parent and a Christian performer with a constant smile became too much. She also felt she had to perform for Jesus to love her.

A self–described “mess,” Jones sought the help of a counselor, who reminded her what Jesus really thought of her.

“The truth is, He just loves me. Period,” Jones says. “I just needed to be reminded of that. He loves you so much.

He knew your mess and He died on the cross for you anyway. You don’t have to prove yourself. You’ve just got to trust Him. “I am so thankful for that [time spent] at the counselor’s office because it has reminded me just how precious my Lord and Savior is and just how He gets me through the day and He is my friend and my God.” Today’s version of Point of Grace, a hugely popular group in the Christian music world, features Jones, Shelly Breen, and Leigh Cappillino. The group started as a quartet in 1991 with Breen and Jones among the founding members.

The group was scheduled to perform at last year’s camp meetings, but a rainstorm left them stranded in Newark, N.J. “We were so sad and just hated that,” says Breen.

This time, some of the group drove to Maine a few days early to be sure they made it.

Point of Grace performs in the Pavilon at OOB.

2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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FAITH in ACTION

a spectrum of experiences

Ready, Set, 5K

by Hugo Bravo

Outside Old Orchard Beach High School, runners laced their sneakers and stretched their limbs in preparation for the Freedom 5K Run/Walk on Monday, July 27. Salvationists, their loved ones, and members of the Old Orchard Beach (OOB) community had gathered for a morning of exercise to raise funds and to raise awareness of antihuman trafficking efforts in Connecticut, Maine, and Ohio.

Major Eunice Champlain, director of Women’s Ministries and command secretary for Spiritual Life Development (SLD) for the Southern New England Division, is now in her second year as organizer for the Freedom 5K Run/Walk. The event also serves to raise awareness of what The Salvation Army is and does.

“We have from 5–to 70–year–olds here,” said Champlain. “They’re families of officers and members of the [OOB] corps. But most surprisingly, we also have a lot of runners who aren’t in The Salvation Army, but who heard about the run on our website or through our Facebook page. Attendance has been great!”

A spiritual ‘trifecta’

by Robert Mitchell

Lieutenant Stephen Mayes, Stapleton (Staten Island), N.Y., Corps officer, said he was “humbled” when he was asked to lead a Bible study on the beach at this year’s camp meetings.

“It was a privilege because I’m a younger officer,” says Mayes, who found Jesus Christ through the ministry of Camp SWONEKY in Oregonia, Ohio. “And some of the officers who have done it in the past are some of my heroes in a way.”

On the first day, Mayes looked around and saw about 130 people in beach chairs or standing, waiting to hear him teach on the Holy Spirit. The former youth outreach specialist and officer since 2011 said the “public proclamation of the Gospel” was somewhat unexpected.

“I knew we were going to have a lot of Salvationists, but I wasn’t expecting other folks to listen in and to join us,” he says. “That’s now been something in the back to my mind, even as I’m teaching. That is a blessing to me to be a part of that.”

At the same time each morning in the Pavilion, Colonels Janet and Richard Munn led a Bible study and drew crowds of more than 100.

Mayes said it was a blessing to know that, between the two Bible studies, more than 200 people were hearing the Gospel.

“I love the beach. I love the Word. I love fellowship,” he says. “You put all those three things together and you’ve got the perfect trifecta.”

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A rich Salvationist history

by Robert Mitchell

For Tom and Marsha Walker of Tom Walker’s Gospel Train Big Band, ministering at the Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings was like coming home.

The Walkers, who live in St. Louis, are both children of officers.

“Between the four of them, [they served] 160 years,” Marsha says. “We’re very proud. We consider it a rich heritage to have been raised in the Army.”

Tom, who has taught music at several universities, said his parents spent their entire careers in one Mississippi division. After his father learned to play three chords, he formed a family band.

Marsha had a similar upbringing.

“I learned to sing [and] I learned music in The Salvation Army and a lot of that happened at camp when someone put a cornet in my hand when I was about 7 years old,” she says.

The Walkers showed photos of their parents on the big screens. And at one point during a concert in the Pavilion, they performed in their soldier uniforms.

Marsha said that, while growing up in the South, she encountered many people who were curious about The Salvation Army. She performed a song she wrote about those experiences called “More Than Ringin’ Bells,” which includes a story about ringing bells at a local Kmart™.

“The Salvation Army is a gift to me and I’m proud of that legacy,” she says.

Later in the week, the band performed at the Pier. “Thank God for The Salvation Army and this evangelistic outreach,” he says.

The best place to be at OOB!

by Hugo Bravo

While adult Salvationists participated in worshipful prayer and singing at the Old Orchard Beach (OOB) Pavilion, just a few yards away in the Corps Chapel, children enjoyed their own exciting meetings. They played, did arts & crafts, and meet Bumble, the Abominable Snow Monster.

Majors Jodi E. and Philip A. Lloyd, associate territorial youth secretary and territorial youth secretary, have been hosting the children’s meetings for the past three OOB camp meetings.

“Old Orchard Beach is great for families,” says Major Jodi Lloyd. “When the adults are in meetings or busy with Army duties, the younger crowd can experience Jesus in a fun way and meet other children from Salvationist families.”

Children enjoyed activities according to their age group. The younger kids had engaged in arts & crafts and read Bible stories, while the older ones had sports such as wall climbing.

On Sunday morning, all age groups combined to draw in 250 children. They made new friends and learned more about the Lord.

“Parents tell us that, after their children come [to the children’s meeting], they say they would rather come here than be at the Pier,” said Major Jodi Lloyd.

Major Kim D’Amaro, territorial Christian education director, says that the children’s meetings, along with all the events at OOB, are an incredible ministry opportunity.

“Old Orchard Beach is a homecoming for many of us in The Salvation Army,” said D’Amaro.

“We see old friends, make new ones, and worship together as a community.”

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FAITH in ACTION

INSTRUMENTS “Necessity is the mother of invention” —ENGLISH PROVERB

A finished product

This saying sure rings true for Jeff Crabtree.

He’s the Salvation Army’s regional music director for the Western Pennsylvania Division (DHQ), who arrived from Texas a year ago. He soon found there was a lack of instruments for his young Salvation Army music students in Corry, Warren, and Oil City, Pa. “After looking in the music closets, it was clear that I didn’t have enough instruments,” Crabtree says. “I wanted to start a beginner’s band. I was picking up as many instruments as I could find, but I couldn’t get a lot of them to function.”

Crabtree remembered how an old trumpet teacher told him that many musicians turned their non–working instruments into lamps. He went online and found some converted lamps selling for as much as $150.

CREATIVE THINKING

* The lamp fundraiser is for the hopeless instruments. Have yours checked by a Salvation Army or music store expert before turning it into a lamp. Lamp buyers should have finished lamps checked by an electrician before use.

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That’s when the proverbial “light bulb” came on.

“I had three personal instruments that I quickly turned into lamps,” he says. “I raised $900 by selling the horns, which allowed us to buy three new cornets.”

Crabtree said the effort has raised $1,225 so far (counting donations) and DHQ is giving him more instruments.

One music storeowner offered Crabtree a donation if he would turn the storeowner’s inoperable trumpet into a lamp.

“I don’t view it as selling and I definitely don’t view it as a sustainable model for raising funds,” Crabtree says of the venture. “We take donations. We also are

looking at grants and at other sources.”

Crabtree said the Arts Council in Corry is “quite intrigued” and has asked for at least two instruments to be part of an upcoming art auction. Crabtree also has spoken before community groups to let them know about his idea.

“It’s not just selling the lamp, we’re selling the program, and we’re selling the story as well,” he says. It has helped us get the initial revenue needed to get a few instruments into kids’ hands.

“How do you find money in a place where the community is tapped out?

You’ve got to think outside the box.”

Crabtree said turning an instrument into a lamp can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. The most difficult part is feeding the electrical cable through the tight bends of an instrument’s tubes and valves, which are narrower on older models.

“The more bends you have, the harder it becomes,” Crabtree says.

After choosing an appropriate base, Crabtree said, the final stage is to pick a lampshade.*

THE LIGHT, NEW LIFE While giving an old instrument new life has a certain charm, Crabtree is more concerned that his young music charges find new life in Jesus Christ.

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Crabtree took a post–master’s class on the history of the Church in America and was impressed by what he learned about The Salvation Army.

“It really was the writings of Booth that caught my attention,” Crabtree

of LIGHT said. “Booth talked about wanting to serve the community and be the ‘hands and feet’ of Christ, giving your ‘heart to God.’ That spoke to me and my wife.”

CHANGING LIVES

Photos courtesy of Jeff Crabtree; Photo of Jeff by Robert Mitchell

A fan of brass bands and an instrumentalist himself, Crabtree began attending a corps in Odessa, Texas, where he volunteered to help young people.

“Working with the group of kids in Odessa really changed my perspective on what The Salvation Army is and what band programs can do,” he says.

“I have seen students go from failing, to making straight A’s, to winning awards,

by Robert Mitchell

and to choosing to follow God.” He says when he spied a job posting for a regional music director, “I prayed and fasted before I made the move.

And so did my wife. I felt called to this path in ministry to help make a difference in the lives of kids who struggle in school and have difficult home lives.”

His stay in Pennsylvania will be short. Crabtree plans to return to Texas later this year to serve on a divisional music staff.

A LIFELONG PASSION Crabtree was raised in the Church of God (a holiness movement) and

accepted Christ at church camp. In 4th grade, he won an essay contest that allowed him to sit with a local orchestra.

The principal trumpet player let him hold the instrument and play.

“I played my first note on stage and that’s how I got connected to music,” he says. “That one experience influenced me for a long time.”

When finding performance space was a challenge, The Salvation Army offered a solution.

“One thing I love about the Army is, they’ll get you going and worshiping,” he says. “That’s a great ministry and a great way to get kids connected.”

Jeff Crabtree holds one of the many discarded instruments that he has converted into functional lamps.

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

23

FAITH in ACTION

de estudiante a maestro

Edward Hard from student to teacher

by Hugo Bravo

At the Newark (Ironbound), N.J., Corps, 15–year–old Edward Hardy has gone from merely participating in Salvation Army programs to actually becoming a leader and a teacher at the corps.

When a friend who was also a member of The Salvation Army first invited Edward to the corps, Ironbound’s diverse and multicultural corps family welcomed him right away.

“I didn’t know anything about The Salvation Army,” says Edward. “It was very surprising that the church offered to pick me up so I could have a ride for my first visit.”

“Afterwards, I took some time to think about it,” says Edward. “But after

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going there a few more times, I said to myself, this is the place for me.”

It was also the place where Edward’s untapped talent grew. He impressed church members with his drum–playing abilities, which he had started to develop at age seven.

However, he played strictly by ear rather than by reading music.

In less than two months and with the help of Dean Farrar, the New Jersey divisional music director, Edward learned to read sheet music and play the snare drum. Since then, he has won both the divisional and territorial Star Search competitions. This year, he won 1st place in the Level Three Snare Drum Soloist competition.

Edward shares both his musical ability and his love of The Salvation Army with people. After becoming a member of the corps, he introduced his siblings to The Salvation Army. He now performs in musicals for the division. He also joined the marching band in his school.

Edward has become a teacher and a mentor to younger soldiers of the corps interested in playing the drums.

His two students have competed in Star Search for the snare drum; both have won first place, like their teacher.

“I teach the younger students, and they go on to win,” Hardy says with a smile.

At this year’s Future All–Star Weekend, a mentoring event for young musicians of

lo que escuchaba, nunca había leído música directamente en una partitura.

Al cabo de menos de dos meses, y con la ayuda de Dean Farrar, el director divisional de música de la División de Nueva Jersey, Edward aprendió a leer en partitura y a tocar el “redoblante”. Desde entonces, ha ganado tanto la competencia Star Search (Búsqueda de Estrellas) divisional como la territorial. Este año, obtuvo el primer lugar en la competencia de Solista de Redoblante de tercer nivel.

Edward comparte su habilidad musical y su amor por el Ejército de Salvación con la gente. Después de convertirse en integrante del Cuerpo, presentó a varios de sus hermanos al Ejército de Salvación. También se integró a la banda de música de su escuela.

Edward se ha convertido en maestro y mentor de los jóvenes soldados del Cuerpo que están interesados en tocar el tambor. Sus dos estudiantes han competido en Star Search en la categoría de redoblante; y al igual que su maestro ambos ganaron el primer lugar

“Yo les enseño a los estudiantes más jóvenes, y ellos van y ganan las competencias”, dice Hardy con una sonrisa.

Durante el fin de semana de futuras estrellas de este año, una actividad de capacitación para jóvenes músicos del Ejército de Salvación, el Tte. Coronel Kenneth W. Maynor, Secretario Territorial de Programa, fue el compañero de oración de Hardy.Él elogió a Edward por ser una rica fuente de aliento e inspiración para los jóvenes del Ejército.

“Edward ha sido bendecido con un entendimiento realmente precoz para su edad”, dice Maynor. “Él está enfocado en las cosas que realmente importan en la vida: la fe, la familia y la autodisciplina”.

El Teniente Darell Houseton, oficial directivo asociado, dice: “Edward no es sólo una persona de la que uno dice: ‘Él puede hacer grandes cosas’. Edward ha hecho bien de manera constante todo lo que hace, de modo que a estas alturas ya ni siquiera nos sorprende. Hemos llegado a saber con toda certeza que a él le irá bien en cualquier cosa que decida hacer”.

Photos by the Communications Department

En el Cuerpo de Newark (Ironbound) Nueva Jersey, el joven Edward Hardy, de quince años de edad, ha pasado, de participar en los programas del Ejército de Salvación a convertirse en un líder y maestro en el Cuerpo.

Cuando un amigo, que también era miembro del Ejército, invitó a Edward por primera vez al Cuerpo, la diversa y multicultural familia de ese Cuerpo le dio de inmediato una cálida bienvenida.

“No sabia nada acerca del Ejército de Salvación”, dice Edward. “Realmente me sorprendió que la iglesia ofreciese pasar a recogerme a la casa para llevarme al Cuerpo en mi primera visita”.

“De vuelta en casa, me tomé un momento para reflexionar bien sobre la idea”, dice Edward. “Pero luego de asistir al Cuerpo unas cuantas veces más, me dije a mí mismo: Este es el lugar para mí.”

Era también el lugar en el que Edward dejó que floreciese un talento que nunca había podido cultivar de la mejor manera. Impresionó a los integrantes de la iglesia con sus habilidades para tocar el tambor, algo que venía haciendo desde que tenía siete años. Sin embargo, había tocado sólo imitando

Edward Hardy practices on a six–piece drum set at the Newark (Ironbound) Corps.

The Salvation Army, Lt. Colonel Kenneth W. Maynor, territorial program secretary, was Hardy’s prayer partner. He praised Edward for being a rich source of encouragement to the Army’s young people.

“Edward is blessed with insight beyond his years,” says Maynor. “He is focused on the essentials of life: faith, family, and self–discipline.”

Lieutenant Darell Houseton, associate corps officer, says, “Edward isn’t just a person about whom you say, ‘He can do great things’. Edward has continuously done so well in everything he tries that it has reached the point where it doesn’t even surprise us anymore. We have just come to know he’s going to do well in whatever he tries.”

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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wholly living

‘I would do it all over again’

“

Photography by Bodi

by Major Lauren Hodgson

This 1988 photo, which included Major Lauren Hodgson (second from left) and Major John Hodgson (center), appeared in The New York Times as a promotional supplement.

In recent months, I’ve become more aware of myself. I’ve also become more sensitive to what is going on around me, and particularly, what’s happening within me. You see, my husband, John, and I retire this fall. And I’ve been a Salvation Army officer for 37 years.

As an active officer, the events of this year’s Commissioning weekend were my last. That’s why many of them took on a deeper meaning. I made a point to “drink it all in.”

Although the Sunday morning Ordination Service had its usual solemnity, it also brought June 11, 1978, to

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mind—my own commissioning day.

Like an old married couple attending a wedding, listening to a bride and groom recite their vows, and reliving the emotions of their own commitment all over again, John and I held hands and watched the new officers recite their vows to the Lord. At that moment, God gently pressed upon my heart my ongoing commitment to Him. What made the moment even more significant for me were the words of Commissioner E. Sue Swanson, territorial president of woman’s ministries, as she led the call to officership. As people

came forward to openly declare God’s call on them, she said, “Officers, how many of you would do it all over again?”

From where I sat, I saw hands going up all over the room (mine included).

I’ve thought about that moment quite a bit. Yes, I would do it over again—and in a heartbeat. But the second round would look so different.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I believe I did the best I could, at the time, with my spiritual understanding. But if I knew then what I know now, I would worry less and pray more; work less and listen more; plan less and trust more.

I can honestly say that I have always physically worked hard, but not always spiritually smart. On this journey, the greatest lesson I’ve learned is to cultivate my soul so that, in everything I do, I come from a healthy, pure place in my spirit.

“

On this journey, the greatest lesson I’ve learned is to cultivate my soul so that, in everything I do, I come from a healthy, pure place in my spirit.

”

During the Friday evening worship service, entitled “In Spirit and in Truth,” Something happened that gave me joy about the Army’s future. A young leadership team led the worship. Twenty to 30 years old, they were engaged, and passionate in their worship of Jesus.

Regarding my retirement, I thought, rather than “laying down of my sword,” I’m “passing the mantle.” I‘ve come to a place in my life where I’m wiser. I will continue to serve with fervor in any way God calls me.

First and foremost I will be listening to, praying for, and encouraging people.

And if God sees fit, I’ll also be equipping today’s soldiers to proclaim Christ in new and relevant ways.

Yes, I would become an officer all over again and I would do it differently.

This is exactly what God is doing in this new chapter of my life.

To God be the glory!

—Major Lauren Hodgson is the assistant secretary for spiritual life development

The Call to War

by Matt Hodgson

WE call Salvationists worldwide to join spiritual battle on the grounds of a sober reading of Scripture, a conviction of the triumph of Christ, the inviolable freedom and dignity of persons, and a commitment to the redemption of the world in all its dimensions—physical, spiritual, social, economic, and political.

We affirm that Christ our Lord calls us to join Him in holy war against evil in all its forms and against every power that stands against the reign of God. We fight in the power of the Spirit in the assurance of ultimate and absolute victory through Christ’s redemptive work. We reject extreme attitudes towards the demonic: on the one hand, denial; on the other, obsession.

We affirm that the body of Christ is equipped for warfare and service through the gifts of the Spirit. By these we are strengthened and empowered. We heed the injunction of Scripture to value all God’s gifts, and rejoice in their diversity.

The Commission highlights the Lord’s call “to join Him in holy war against evil in all its forms….” It’s an important distinction that this war is not against people. The Army has been purposed to fight for people, to help rescue them from poverty, misery, injustice, and pain.

The Commission also points out that the Christian fights in the power of the Spirit, and is assured of ultimate and absolute victory through Christ’s redemptive work. In John 16:33, Jesus tells His disciples: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” If Jesus is confident of the victory, then so should we be confident.

With such an assurance, there exist “some urgent battles [that] are not being fought—such as unjust legislation, racism, failure to distribute wealth among people who are most in need, remaining silent against the powers who defy the authority of the Church.” The call is to ensure that these and other battles are fought for the sake of leaders of the Army at corps, divisional, or territorial levels. The battles are also fought so that every Salvationist can play his or her part by the Spirit’s power to make the world a better place.

Paul’s words embolden us in our mission, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:38–39.

Such confidence is at the heart of our faith. We are now urged to claim it, to live it, and to prove it.

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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unity

In this month’s Unity section, three Salvation Army officers talk about the important role that youth ministry plays at their corps, and how their ministries focus on nurturing and encouraging the next generation of Salvationists.

매일을 삶을 예배로 드리는 청소년 세살 버릇이 여든까지 간다는 속담이 있습니다. 이 말의 뜻을 바꾸어 생각해 보면, 어린 시절에 잘 훈 련되어진 것들은 후에 성인이 된 후에도 잘 변하지

Photos courtesy of Captain Amanda Kruger; Lt. Hwang Kim; Captain Moisés Muñiz

Living Proof

28

I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I was 12 years old and going to a Salvation Army Corps for the first time, not knowing that day would change the course of my entire life.

I came from a tough home. But The Salvation Army offered me the chance to get away from that situation for a bit and to just be a kid. I started attending the corps and immediately was hooked on Bible Bowl. I joined the Salamanca team. As a teen, that program had a profound impact on my life. I loved the competition, the friends, and the overnight trips to Long Point Camp.

We became good as a team and won the territorial championship six consecutive times. As a kid who wasn’t getting a ton of affirmation at home, being on a winning and loving team gave me confidence and helped me to believe in myself.

At a time when life was very difficult for me, Bible Bowl introduced me to Jesus, helped me to develop a deeper relationship with Him, taught me how to study the Bible and commit Scripture to my heart, and rooted my faith.

Bible Bowl also introduced me to camp. Some of my favorite memories from my teenage years are from working at camp. Each year, I received a chance to be away from home for a portion of time, I made lifelong friendships, and I received my call to Salvation Army officership—all because of camp.

Fast forward 21 years, and it takes my breath away to think of the ways in which God pieced the puzzle of my life together and how He effectively used The Salvation Army to reach me as a youth. Now, I am a divisional youth & candidates secretary (DYS) for the Northern New England Division, which means that youth ministries are a large part of what I do.

How beautiful it is to see things come full circle. Today, I spend my summers at Camp Sebago in Maine, running a Salvation Army camp that is much like the one where I spent so many summers while growing up. I am blessed beyond measure to see camp change the lives of so many kids, day in and day out. Being a DYS, I am privileged to be in charge of organizing our divisional Bible Bowl. It is so exciting to have the program that started it all for me, still be part of my life.

If you are ever tempted to wonder if your youth ministry efforts are in vain, be encouraged. God is using you and The Salvation Army to reach them and to change lives.

I am living proof.

SEPTEMBER ISSUE 2015

—Captain Amanda Kruger

않고, 잘 지켜진다 혹은 훈련되어 진 것들을 지속 해서 잘 지킬 수 있다고 해석할 수 있을 것입니다. 우리의 신앙교육도 같은 맥락에서 생각해 볼 수 있습니다. 청소년의 시절에 주님 안에서 믿음 으로 신앙교육이 잘 된 아이는 후에 자라서도, 영 문 안에서나 세상에서 믿음으로 맡겨진 사명에 충성을 다하는 그리스도의 병사로서의 사역을 다 할 수 있지만, 청소년의 시절에 믿음 안에서 자라지 못하게 되면, 성인이 되어서도 그 믿음의 깊이가 깊지 못해, 세상의 빛과 소금의 역할을 다 하지 못하는 경우가 생기게 되는 것입니다. 자녀를 믿음 안에서 양육하는 가장 좋은 방 법은 바로, 자녀를 영문에서 살게 하는 것입니다. 일주일에 6일은 학교와 가정에서 보내고, 주일만 영문에 나와서 주일학교를 통해서 성경공부를 하 는 것만으로는 자녀가 신앙 안에서 자라기에 충 분한 시간이 되지 못합니다. 아이들이 믿음이 성 장하는 것은 단지 “성경공부”와 “예배”를 통해서 만이 아닙니다. 영문을 통해 이루어지고 있는 모 든 프로그램에 참여함을 통해서 아이들의 믿음 이 자라게 되는 것입니다. 제가 사역하던 몽클레어 영문에서는 다양 한 청소년 프로그램이 진행되고 있습니다. 그 프 로그램을 통해서 영문은 아이들에게 배울 기회 를 제공하게 됩니다. 하지만 프로그램이 단지 배 움의 기회를 주는 것은 아닙니다. 모든 프로그램 을 통해서 하나님께 영광을 돌리 는 것입니다. 한 예를 들면, 음악프로그램에 서는 반드시 하나님을 찬양하는 노래만 부릅니다. 그것이 목소리 로 부르는 노래가 되었든지 악기 로 부르는 연주가 되었든지 아이 들은 음악으로 하나님을 찬양하 는 방법을 배우고 또 음악으로 예 배를 합니다. 단지 노래뿐만이 아

니라, 드라마, 댄스, 아트와 같은 모든 프로그램도 이와 같습니다. 모든 청소년 프로그램의 목적은 아이들에게 재능을 통해 하나님께 예배하는 방 법을 가르치는 것입니다. 트룹스 프로그램에서도 하나님께서 창조하 신, 다른 사람들과 생태계를 어떻게 돌보고, 도우 며, 함께 어울려 살아가야 하는지에 대하여 배우 고, 프로그램을 통해 하나님께 대한 감사한 마음 을 느낍니다. 청년병 프로그램을 통해서, 성경공 부를 하고, 구세군의 역사에 대해서 배우면서, 성 경에 대한 지식이 깊어지면서 하나님에 대해서 더 알게 됩니다. 그리고 구세군의 병사로서의 자 부심과 긍지를 가지게 됩니다. 저는 아이들에게 하나님께 영광을 돌리는 것 은 후에 훌륭해 지고 성공한 다음에 하는 것이 아니라, 매 순간마다 매일의 삶속에서 하는 것이 라고 교육합니다. 저희 영문의 청소년들은 매일 영문의 프로그램에 나와서 하나님을 찬양하고 예배하며 영광을 돌립니다. 하나님은 매 순간 삶 속에서 우리 청소년들이 드리는 이 감사의 예배 를 기뻐 받으십니다. 그리고 어렸을 때부터 이렇 게 항상 영문에 나와서 하나님을 찬양하고 예배 하는 신앙교육이 된 청소년들이 후에 자라서 성 년이 된 후에도, 늘 영문에 나와서 아이들을 가르 치고, 봉사하고, 전도하는 그들의 매일의 삶이 영 문 안에서 사는 삶을 살게 될 것이라 확신합니다. 청소년은 우리의 미래입니다. 저는 이러한 청소 년 사역이 비단 우리 영문뿐이 아니라 모든 영문 에서도 진행되고 있음을 알고 있습니다. 그렇기 에 우리들의 미래는 밝습니다.

—부위 임 황(Lt. Hwang Lim 구세군 Kearny Corps 담임사관)

Mi Juventud Meditando en mi juventud, recuerdo que en el grupo de jóvenes del Cuerpo de Bayamón —al cual asistía— se cantaba mucho el coro: “Mi juventud está en las manos del Señor, no mora más en mí el poder de Satanás porque él sabe que yo fui a la fuente carmesí, a la fuente carmesí él sabe que yo fui”. Fue un tiempo de gran avivamiento entre la juventud, se veía a los jóvenes con hambre y sed de la Palabra de Dios. Una época en la que se enseñaba a la juventud a entrar en la presencia de Dios y a entregarse por completo a Él.

Hoy vivimos en un ambiente en el que impera el avance de la tecnología, un mundo lleno de distracciones y tentaciones que nos fuerza a actualizar los recursos y herramientas con que contamos para que la juventud de esta generación pueda experimentar un avivamiento como en tiempos pasados. Recuerdo que escuché una crítica poco constructiva en cuanto a que debemos influir en los jóvenes para que porten la Biblia en sus manos y la lleven consigo a la iglesia, a los retiros y a cualquier lugar en que la necesiten. El argumento de dicha crítica era que la juventud no debe usar sus tabletas electrónicas o teléfonos inteligentes para leer la Biblia. En mi experiencia trabajando con jóvenes he observado que debemos enfocarnos en lo que verdaderamente importa en este tiempo en que vivimos, lo cual es llevar el Evangelio de Cristo Jesús utilizando al máximo la tecnología que tenemos a nuestro alcance —un privilegio, dicho sea de paso— y emplearla para ganar almas para el Renio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

El 1° de julio de 2015 oficialmente, mi esposa y este servidor, comenzamos en nuestro nuevo nombramiento como Secretarios de la Juventud y Candidatos en la División de Puerto Rico e Islas Vírgenes. Ministrar a la juventud siempre ha sido mi pasión en la obra de Dios. Él me llamó a su servicio como Oficial del Ejército de Salvación cuando tenía 16 años. Gracias al ministerio de amor y a la dedicación de varios oficiales soy la persona que soy. Siempre llevo en mi corazón, como mi oración cotidiana, el coro de la canción: “Lo que yo soy”, que dice: “Lo que yo soy y puedo ser, todo lo que yo tengo traigo a ti. Que tú lo aceptes a tu servicio, me entrego a ti. Toma mis dones, mi pasión, cambia mis sueños a tu voluntad. Mi ser te doy Dios, venga lo que venga, viviré por ti”.

—Capitán Moisés Muñiz

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2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

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Boundless 2015

Delegates talk #Boundless2015 #OneArmy #WeAre150

by Warren L. Maye

If you were a Boundless Congress delegate who happened to have also been active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, the International Headquarters (IHQ) Social Media Wall, or on your own blog, you provided the world with an intimate perspective that reached far beyond the scope of the Salvation Army’s traditional media. Statistics show that your contribution was significant and immensely appreciated by 16.6 million viewers who watched via the Internet.

And if you were watching the festivities from home, today you can review Congress events and continue to contribute online (Boundless2015. org/photos). Salvationists are sharing their memories of the Congress as well as how it continues to influence their lives and their ministries.

Major John P. Murray, IHQ communications secretary, said, “We knew that Boundless would be the most international congress ever, but the response across social media has been unprecedented.” He continued, “While the statistics tell part of the story, it’s also been notable that we’ve been able to use technology to communicate on a one–to–one basis. Integrating the important work of

our photography and writing teams with our social media outputs was vitally important in telling the Boundless story to our followers around the world.”

Jon Knaggs, social media director for the USA Eastern Territory, served on the Boundless web and social media team, which included 13 communications professionals from around the Army world.

Knaggs used some creative strategies such as posting “memes” (still images of congress speakers with shareable quotes from them) on Facebook.

“This was our first social media conference ever!” Knaggs said. “And there was such an underbelly of things happening, all at once.” He said that what he saw was overwhelming. “And it didn’t matter who you were, where you came from, we were all sisters and brothers in Christ.”

This congress also marked the first gathering of the Army’s social media professionals. “Now, we know [this kind of outreach] is possible,” said Knaggs. “Even though social media helps close the [geographical] gap, meeting face to face provided us with that moment when we could actually see each other and know that we are all in this together—to proclaim His name.”

Leanne Westwater @westwater32 Jul 4 What an amazing time so far at #Boundless2015 loved every minute so far. It’s great to have the youth lead the session tonight.

•

Photos by International Headquarters

SACONNECTS @GeneralAndreCox

profile

ON file

Interview by Warren L. Maye

Photo by Gary Curtis

join our energies and minds to complement each other’s roles. We’re a theological tag team.

Holiness, Culture, and Passion Colonel Richard J. Munn is leader of the territory’s new Theology and Christian Ethics Department. In this profile, he shares his vision for the task and reflects on today’s USA Eastern Territory.

Moral, theological, and spiritual issues have always been part of the human journey.

That’s what makes these subjects so intriguing. And today, we may be in a unique season unlike any other in recent western democracies.

Our society is moving from being a Christian culture to being a decidedly post–Christian culture. So, the sanctity of life, human sexuality, inter–faith relations, immigration, and the environment are very much under scrutiny these days.

What excites me regarding my new appointment is the charge to nurture “the critical development of thought and strategy in areas related to theology and ethics, giving special attention to the interpretation and application of Salvation Army policy.” I am

privileged to serve closely with Commissioner Barry C. Swanson, territorial commander. This is exciting because Salvation Army doctrine and theology are both dynamic and missional. The subjects never fail to evoke passion.

I look forward to the discourses, gleaning insights from colleague Salvationists in our territory, and indeed around the world.

And I look forward to serving as a catalyst to stimulate critical thought that would ultimately strengthen our mission and bring confidence to our communities of faith.

Let’s start with the distinctives of our Wesleyan theological personality, then move on to the orthodox beliefs we have in common with other worldwide denominations,

and then offer a chance to feature our bracing Salvationist values on sacraments, on women in leadership, and on holiness. In time, we surely need to look at the issues of homosexuality, euthanasia, abortion, inter–faith relations, pornography, addictive behaviors, poverty, and the environment. And that’s probably just the beginning.

Our beautiful doctrine of holiness is one especially shining jewel in our overall soteriology [theology of salvation]. My role encompasses a wider range of theological material, and also incorporates the moral, social, and ethical dimensions. Of course, what a delight to serve alongside my esteemed colleague, Major Young Sung Kim, territorial ambassador for holiness, and we will certainly

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Seven years away from the USA East seems as if it was just a few months ago, and a lengthy lifetime both at the same time.

The change that warms my heart is the immediately noticeable “Impact 150 Initiative.” I recall cadet sessions striving to reach the mid 30’s in terms of numbers. Now, we anticipate a session closing in on 100 cadets. Remarkable! The “Army Essential/Essential Army” values are clearly impactful, and the current statistical profiles for the USA Eastern Territory show positive numerical growth.

What remains the same is warm USA East hospitality, a commitment to multi–cultural Salvationism, superb music and creative arts, and aggressive, adaptive evangelism.

Having just returned from Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings I am referencing them as the “new and improved” camp meetings. The Pier ministry is unrecognizable. The mid–week family fun night is dynamic. And the “LEAD” soldier development gathering is new and fresh. Add to that our vibrant social media presence and live streaming, and the net effect is a sharper and more piercing mission.

And it’s more fun and clever.

We’ll set up a digital presence and establish forums for public dialogue. And of course, nothing beats sharing ideas over coffee.

My treat!

2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE

31

finds YOUR ministry RESOURCE

saconnects.org

This month, our book offerings by Salvationist writers focus on prayer and spiritual leadership.

Bible–Believing Christians: A Guide to Trusting the Bible and Resolving Apparent Contradictions Phil Layton

Amazon.com

This paperback shows how the Bible can always be trusted, how traditions must always be tested, and how apparent difficulties can be resolved. It also discusses “How can trusting the Bible be problematic? Is the Bible open to interpretation? Is it just another religious book? Is it a loaded Canon? Is it God’s revelation? Is the Bible inerrant? Is it the Christian’s primary authority? Is it the Word of God? Is it even understandable? And how can we solve apparent contradictions or difficulties?”

From Her Heart: Selections from the Preaching and Teaching of Helen Clifton Commissioner Helen Clifton, Edited by Major Trevor Howes, Paul Mortlock, and General Shaw Clifton, Illustrated by Berni Georges

Amazon.com

This compilation in paperback and on Kindle and chosen by her husband, General Shaw Clifton (Ret.), represents writings from almost every phase of Commissioner Helen Clifton’s service as a Salvation Army officer. Included are testimonies, personal insights from her prayer journals, and material from her time as World President of Women’s Ministries.

Warfare Prayer: Praying the Bible on the Battlefield of Salvation Life Stephen Court and Colonel Janet Munn

Boundless Books

32

SEPTEMBER ISSUE 2015

A spiritual sequel to Praying the Bible (Campbell & Campbell) and a strategic sequel to Army On Its Knees (Court & Munn), this devotional/study guide will broaden your knowledge of the Bible, of God, and of His purpose. A weapon in the hands of spiritual warriors, it also serves as a scriptural memory aid.

Building Blocks of Spiritual Leadership Commissioner William W. Francis In this book and Kindle edition, Commissioner Francis distills the basic building blocks of leadership and the essential elements of servant leadership as mandated in the Bible.

“I’ve much more to learn and to become on the journey to being a consistent spiritual Amazon.com leader,” says Francis. “My prayer is that this concise volume will serve as a basis for the reader’s continued study and modeling of biblically centered spiritual leadership.”

Tsunami of the Spirit: Come Roll Over Me Commissioner Joe Noland, Stephen Court This paperback, published by The Salvation Army, is a collection of writings by Salvationists and friends of Commissioner Kay F. Rader and General Paul A. Rader on the occasion of his 80th birthday. “Tsunami of the Spirit” was a metaphor he used in 1994 shortly after Amazon.com his election to General. Co-edited by Stephen Court and Commissioner Joe Noland, this book takes the four stages of an actual tsunami’s formation (initiation, splitting, amplification, and the run up) and uses them to describe stages of one’s spiritual development.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! The Littlest Christmas Kettle Major Deborah L. Cranford

Illustrated by Michael R. Cormier Readers of all ages will enjoy this delightful Amazon.com Christmas tale of Anna and her mission to find a purpose for Sallie, the littlest Christmas kettle. Bright and colorful illustrations will engage readers as they follow the story of a community coming together to find ways to raise money and to bring joy to less fortunate people during the Christmas season.

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