SAconnects, Volume 6, Number 2 — March/April 2020 by The Salvation Army: SAconnects

VOL. 6, NO. 2 M ARCH / APRIL 2020

Gender equality is a human right, rather than just a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fight.

#MeToo

From Genesis to Revelation to Us

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testimony Finding Life Support

Brendaliz Arroyo shares her story of surviving physical and emotional abuse. SACONNECTS.ORG

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the General’s Easter message

Healed and Made Whole Surely he took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. —ISAIAH 53:4–6 (BEREAN STUDY BIBLE)

The Easter message is the most profound, true, life–changing, life–giving message we can ever hear, respond to and participate in. In short, the Easter story is the culmination of God’s plan of salvation for the redemption and restoration of humanity. Such unconditional sacrificial love unleashes the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of God. We should be experiencing boundless joy, caught up in awe and wonder, celebrating our new–found freedom and living in a new dynamic relationship with the Almighty. We see in these verses from Isaiah just what God has done for us in Jesus. In going to the Cross, Jesus does something extremely positive, yet it involves him being subjected to pain, ridicule, brokenness and separation from the Father with whom he has shared a deep intimacy for all eternity. Jesus takes on everything that is negative, destructive, and painful. This display of genuine, unconditional and sacrificial love is unparalleled in human history. Even as we read and consider what Jesus takes on himself, we sense a release, an unburdening, and a freedom. Jesus takes on our infirmities and carries our sorrows. Yes, there is a glimpse of the humanity of Jesus here as the Word that “became flesh” (John 1:14)—fully human while fully divine—understands the frailty, weakness and imperfection on a personal level. Having said that, we need to recognise that there is much more going on. Jesus is doing more than identifying with us. He is taking on our weaknesses, infirmities, and sorrows so that we don’t have to carry them. Link that opening statement to Philippians 4:6–7 (“Do not be anxious about anything …”) and 1 Peter 5:7 (“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”) to better understand what is offered to us in Jesus. Look again at what happens to Jesus—he is pierced, crushed, punished and wounded. Why would Jesus accept all of that? Why would God allow his only Son to endure all of that? Another read of the verses from Isaiah illuminates what we receive through this sacrifice—peace and healing for ourselves. The punishment inflicted upon Jesus brings us peace. We experience healing because Jesus was wounded. It is almost beyond our understanding, but a horribly painful

moment brings us healing and a horrifically violent act brings us everlasting peace. There is something of an unfair transaction going on that demonstrates the extravagance of God and his unmerited favour that we call grace. There is also something profoundly theological, sacrificial and covenantal taking place. The sacrificial code and practices we find in the Old Testament are there to atone for our sins and imperfections. Here on the Cross, the spotless Lamb of God pays the ultimate sacrifice once and for all, ushering us into a new dispensation of grace and deliverance. We have peace with God because of all that was accomplished by Jesus, and this peace is experienced by having faith in Jesus (see Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”). Yes, it’s that straightforward—we don’t have to complicate it! The Easter story doesn’t end with Calvary. Easter Sunday is about resurrection and new life. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are reminded that, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” The old reality of being held captive by sin, of death being our final enemy, is gone! On Easter Sunday we rise to new life in Christ—that new life is eternal life, it encapsulates victory over sin and death, it includes our healing and wholeness, it is a life of deep peace (Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you”). This Easter you can experience healing and wholeness in Christ. It’s why Jesus came to earth. It’s what God desires most for you.

Una versión en español de este mensaje está disponible en SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

—General Brian Peddle

2020 MARCH / APRIL

ONLINE BACHELORS IN SOCIAL WORK

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MARCH / APRIL

contents VOLUME 6 | NUMBER 2

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in every issue 4 from the editor 5 an active army 6 relevents 24 snapshot 30 wholly living

departments 7 LEAD Read what four women say about leadership. What are the issues? What stories need telling?

8 what’s the digital? Discover how a 20–minute church movie became an award–winning TV series.

26 testimony Brendaliz Arroyo found support from The Salvation Army.

28 great moments

11 #MeToo Captain Olivia Munn–Shirsath of the Times Square Corps looks at the #MeToo movement from a biblical perspective and offers a challenge to love like Jesus did.

13 A boundless ministry Author and speaker Danielle Strickland shares her amazing story of rebellion, repentance, reconciliation, and renewed purpose in Christ.

Learn how a Christian woman added her voice to the conversation on women’s rights.

32 20/20 Congress See how gathering in community will revive your spirit and keep you alive.

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16 Hope after the storm Andrea Kassimatis and her family were on a rough road until they found the Pathway of Hope.

20 Returning love for love Mary MacKay of the Bangor, Maine, Citadel Corps found love at The Salvation Army as a young girl and now she gives it back to the youth in the corps.

Para leer los artículos en español por favor visite SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

2020 MARCH / APRIL

from the editor your connection to The Salvation Army

Resolution: to connect

USA EASTERN TERRITORY TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Philip Maxwell COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY

According to FranklinCovey, makers of calendar/planners, 40 percent of us blame our busy schedules for our lack of follow through when it comes to fulfilling resolutions. These experts suggest that one of the most common reasons is because we become overzealous when making them in the first place. So, I want to be extra careful as I make this promise to you. This year, we resolve to give you more practical and spiritual resources and inspiring true stories that model tomorrow’s Christian lifestyles. We resolve to make our magazine an even more authentic depiction of The Salvation Army, which is among the world’s most respected Christian organizations. That’s because you are the kind of person who: • Volunteers precious hours, days, and weeks away from family, friends, and coworkers to be first responders when disaster strikes. • Donates financially to help people in need. • Lives responsibly by purchasing quality items from Salvation Army thrift stores. • Partners in ministry with the family of God. • Leads in your community. • Reads this magazine to be informed and shares it with others to help them find Christ. We resolve to publish 6 quality issues, post articles online, and offer evangelistic and service–oriented advertising that will connect you to places for worship, effective social services, exciting summer camps for kids, and meaningful adult programs. Through a diversity of stories, testimonies, and topics, we’ll strive to be your essential source of Christian lifestyle information. Overzealous? Maybe. But God has resolved that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). We stand on that promise.

Lt. Colonel Kathleen J. Steele EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo KOREAN EDITOR Lt. Colonel Chongwon D. Kim HISPANIC EDITOR Minerva Colon–Pino ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION MANAGING DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Joe Marino, Mabel Zorzano STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Love CIRCULATION Doris Marasigan

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.

Member since 2015 Award winner 2016, 2017, 2019

www.saconnects.org www.facebook.com/saconnects www.twitter.com/saconnects SAconnects is published bimonthly by The Salvation Army USA’s Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per issue for 25–100 copies. Single subscriptions are available. Write to: SAconnects, The Salvation Army, 440 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Vol. 6, No. 2, March / April 2020. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all

— Warren L. Maye, Editor in Chief

MARCH 2020 / APRIL 2020

ed only with written permission. All scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless indicated otherwise.

an active army

ADVENTURE CORPS by Hugo Bravo

In his youth, Gene Spence belonged to the Adventure Corps. Years later as a cadet at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) in Suffern, N.Y., Spence got a look into just how the Salvation Army boys program had grown since then. “Members from the Suffern, N.Y., Temple Corps and Spring Valley, N.Y., Corps came to the CFOT to do the lessons for Adventure Corps,” remembers Spence. “The concept of earning badges for doing fun activities was one of the many ideas that was new to me. But I brought those same ideas I learned in New York’s Adventure Corps to my ministry in Ohio.” Today as corps officer of the Salvation Army’s corps (church) in Salem, Ohio, Lieutenant Spence is also the Adventure Corps leader, of which his son, Drake, is a member. Made of two groups, Explorers and Rangers, the Adventure Corps introduces boys and young men to The Salvation Army and to the world around them. Trips to planetariums, pinewood derby races, and instructions on how to build model rockets are combined with Bible study, devotionals, and a deep appreciation for God’s daily miracles. Adventure Corps participants are also welcomed to the Army’s ministries and resources, such as service projects for the community and visits to the Army’s Camp NEOSA. “It’s a way to introduce them to another aspect of the church that they would enjoy,” says Spence. “After visiting Camp NEOSA, they want to know how they can go to

camp too.” “Many of the boys in Adventure Corps are at–risk youth or have a learning disability,” says Spence. “We try to give them an opportunity to experience something or visit someplace where they may not have had a chance to go before.” A trip to the Heritage Museum at Territorial Headquarters in West Nyack, N.Y., helped Spence create a unique activity for the Adventure Corps. “In the museum, I read through files and documents on the Army and brought back scans of what I discovered,” says Spence, an admitted history buff. “With that information, we incorporated an Adventure Corps badge for learning about the history of The Salvation Army.” Salem’s Adventure Corps was also inspired by an idea from the Salvation Army’s Western Territory on how to share its history. They combined Flat Stanley, a paper–thin, two–dimensional children’s book character who travels the world seeking fun and adventure, with the persona of one of the Salvation Army’s most unique figures, Joseph Garabedian, widely known as “Joe the Turk.” “Flat Joe” traveled with the Adventure Corps to describe what The Salvation Army does and to tell the message of Jesus, as did the real Joe the Turk. “Using nature and God’s creation to get closer to Him is the main goal of Adventure Corps,” says Spence. It’s something that has remained the same since his early days as a Ranger.

WHAT IS ADVENTURE CORPS? The Adventure Corps program consists of the Explorer program (Grades 1–5) and the Ranger program (Grades 6–12). The Explorer and Ranger programs are organized into troops, and sponsored by the local Salvation Army corps. Adventure Corps provides a program that gives a boy an opportunity for personal growth spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially; and to increase his understanding of service to others by exploring God’s Word and God’s world. This purpose is expressed in the Adventure Corps pledge, prayer and motto, which must be understood by all members, and are the guiding principles for all programs and activities. For more information, please visit saconnects.org/ rangers-adventure-corps. “There are members of the Salem Corps who own a farm with a pond on their property. Our next project is working with them to set up a whole Adventure Corps weekend of camping, fishing, and boating,” says Spence. “Since everything is close by, the parents don’t have to worry about their children being far from home.” Events like this, says Spence, is what separates Adventure Corps from other youth groups. There are churches in the area that hold indoor events for the children, but they don’t focus on nature and the outdoors. “The Salvation Army has always been an outdoors church,” says Spence. Adventure Corps prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to discover You as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and to find for myself that following You is the greatest adventure of all.

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relevents

Lieutenant Stanley Weems, assistant administrator and chaplain at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Paterson, N.J., talks about helping beneficiaries forgive themselves, the importance of being a “living sermon,” and how God brought back his family. interview by Hugo Bravo

A person going through addiction would rather see you live out your sermon than just talk about it. When I was addicted, that’s what I wanted to see too. After I finished the ARC program in Erie, Pa., I watched a man I had graduated with work his way up to resident manager. One winter day during a blizzard, I saw him walk to The Salvation Army. That’s how deep his connection was to God. He became my role model and we took senior soldier classes together. Being an example is talking the talk and walking the walk.

The men at the ARC can forgive everyone—except themselves. This mindset sends many of them back to the streets. But here, time is their friend; they can start over and forgive themselves. I use this example: A husband makes breakfast for his sick wife. But as he takes it up the stairs to her, he trips and it spills. The only thing he can do is start over. But first, he needs to clean up the mess. Never be afraid to start your own process over.

No matter where God sends me, I will always help people who suffer from addiction. During my summer assignment as a cadet, I served at the Harlem Temple Corps in New York. While there, I saw just as many souls addicted and in need of God as I see in the ARC today. The corps didn’t house them, but it still fed, helped, and provided spiritual guidance for them. Every corps can help with the fight against addiction because we all see those hurting people every day. They come to our soup kitchens and canteens to be helped, and to help.

When I met Qwantyonia at the Paterson, N.J., Corps (church), I knew that it was only a matter of time until she heard the call to serve. Today, she’s my wife and enrolled in the College for Officer Training (CFOT) to be an officer. Living with her at CFOT brings back a lot of memories of my time as a cadet. But this time, I’m there as a supportive husband. Now free from my addiction, God has given me a new family and even brought back the family I had lost. I’m part of my children’s lives again. Before The Salvation Army, I did not have that opportunity. It’s amazing what God can do.

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One of the programs I do with beneficiaries is “Guardrails.” We talk about something in their life that saves them from falling over the edge, such as a number to call or a support group. Another program, “Purpose Driven,” reminds them that the purpose of everything they do is to give God Glory. Don’t get clean to impress your corps officer; do it to surrender to God and accept His plan for you.

LEAD

Leadership Insights by Isaiah Allen

What issues need clarity? “Leadership is not a static quality that suits one type of person,” says April Foster, director of Others, a Salvation Army initiative designed to financially empower women in various parts of the world. She suggests that definitions of leadership need to be “more inclusive of the gifts that men and women bring.” Foster hopes that women will trust their own experience and recognize that their experience is valid and qualifies them for leadership. For Lydia Mills, a health services coordinator at a private college and the corps sergeant–major at the Salvation Army’s Newburgh, N.Y., Corps (church), “leadership involves nurturing, instructing, and serving as much as deciding and demanding. Women often exhibit underappreciated qualities such as insight, intuition, compassion, discernment, focus, and consistency.” Experiences in non–conventional leadership roles, including the home and neighborhood, equip women to lead in diverse contexts. While staying at home to raise children, Kris Hevenor shares, “I didn’t stop learning and growing. We need to respect the vocational choices that women make.” The newly appointed advocate for Salvation Army soldiers (members) in the Eastern Territory asserts that, in Christ, all work and all workers are sacred. “Everything, regardless of whether I’m in a position of authority or on the floor playing with a child, is holy and a calling.” God calls and appoints women to leadership. Mills points to Ephesians 2:10, which says, “For we are God’s

I interviewed four women to gain their insight into issues surrounding leadership. I condensed significant points from these illuminating conversations.

handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works….”—as equally true for men and women. “Above and beyond any title, women need to seek and understand what God is calling them to do and where God is putting them, whether it be at home, at church, in a classroom or a boardroom.” Women are key contributors and stakeholders in society, but institutions often fail to welcome and incorporate women as full participants. Hevenor notes that women constitute most of the Army’s attendance, membership, and service. They deserve affirmation, support, and empowerment. In her capacity, Major Yolanda Cortés de Rodríguez, the Salvation Army’s divisional director of women’s ministries and command secretary for Spiritual Life Development for Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands, encourages women to assume responsibilities. However, Mills notes a complication in The Salvation Army: “Women’s identities as leaders are often secondary to their husbands’ roles.” Institutional policies are only a partial solution. Individuals play a pivotal role. Hevenor acknowledges that husbands must sometimes sacrifice for their wives to succeed. We teach that all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–28). Yet, even in organizations that value equality, bias and discrimination present real obstacles for women. Foster says, “That can take a lot of energy that is not used in developing the gifts and abilities that God has given, like we’re starting from behind.” Someone interviewing Rodríguez for her previous government auditor job

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asked if she was looking for a husband. She said that she didn’t need a husband. After working there for 15 years, she eventually earned their respect, but women often must prove themselves more than men.

What stories need telling? Hevenor urges us to “recognize everyday women—mothers, sisters, and aunts who serve, lead, and testify every day.” Mills was taught, inspired, and mentored by several strong women local officers in the Salvation Army’s Harlem, N.Y., Temple Corps, where she has spent most of her life. Through Others, Foster comes face–to–face with hundreds of women across the globe: “The everyday woman is taking care of family, being a compassionate neighbor, struggling against many odds, and working hard to see that her children have different and better opportunities than she had. Their stories are unknown in the wider world. Yet, in their own contexts, what they do is amazing. Any influence I have is not for my own voice but to open the door so that the stories of Others can be seen and heard.” Foster says that doing so helps the Army better understand itself. “Stories inspire us and challenge us to think about our own situations. These stories become part of understanding who we are in The Salvation Army, what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it.”

Listen to the “OnPoint” podcast for the full interviews at saconnects.org/on-point-webinars.

2020 MARCH / APRIL

what’s the Digital

The Chosen

New technologies in movie making and in fundraising are allowing Christians to conceive, finance, produce, and distribute movies and TV shows on a wide variety of platforms. This story is just one example.

by Warren L. Maye

Rarely is a short movie all–embracing enough to cause audiences to imagine the smell of hay in a country barn or hear the cries of herded sheep or feel the wonder of a divine miracle. Nonetheless, people have said “The Shepherd” was so wide–ranging, that they also experienced the pain of the shepherd’s rejection but walked away sharing enthusiastically in his ultimate vindication. The film, produced and directed by Dallas Jenkins (“What if?” “Midnight Clear,” “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”), does all that and more. After seeing the mere 20–minute presentation, legendary evangelist Joni Erickson Tada said to Jenkins, “Thank you for telling the old, old story in an impossibly fresh way.” In an exclusive interview with SACONNECTS magazine, Jenkins said, “If we can pull that off, if we can tell the story that we’ve heard so many times, but in a fresh way, without even changing anything; I’m just adding backstory, adding historical context; boy, that could really be powerful!” In the pilot film, Roman soldiers wearing sheath–covered swords and loosely

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fitting armaments seem as authentic as the dusty, parched paths under their sandaled feet. In the final scene when a Pharisee says, “Ok, do you have a spotless lamb now?” the endearing shepherd responds by returning a restrained look of satisfaction that is simply unforgettable.

SOMETHING SPECIAL “I remember when I was driving in my car and I had the idea for that short film,” said Jenkins. “When I thought of ending it on the shepherd’s smile, I started crying in my car. I thought, maybe we’re on to something if even now I’m getting emotional just thinking about it.” Today, “The Shepherd” has evolved into a highly anticipated TV series called “The Chosen” and is available now on VidAngel, a Christian– owned, family–friendly streaming app and original content studio (see our December 2019/January 2020 issue and the sidebar of this article). However, getting off to such an amazing start does come with challenges. How difficult will it be to maintain the show’s unique take on its portrayal of Christ’s ministry? Will it remain convincing in such a secular and cynical world? Will it become financially viable? Jenkins says its portrayal of the Truth through the eyes of common people is what will stir emotions and motivate viewers to return to see future episodes despite barriers that lie ahead. “That is really the main reason for the show—that a lot of people can relate to it,” says Jenkins. “That short film ended up being the catalyst for us doing the show because it’s all about allowing the audience to see Jesus through the eyes of those people who actually met Him. In turn, the audience can be impacted in the same way that they were. That happens when you can relate to these characters.

A RECORD BREAKER “A lot of times in Jesus projects, we go from Bible verse to Bible verse, miracle to miracle, but the characters that Jesus touched are like flyby characters. We barely get a chance to know them at all. So, we can’t really relate to them. “So, when we can really spend time and get to know these characters and get to identify with them—that encounter becomes our encounter with Jesus. In some ways, doing this show is scary because I feel a weight and a responsibility to get it right. But in other ways, it’s just so exciting.” In late 2017, The Chosen Productions, LLC, partnering with distributor VidAngel, released “The Shepherd” a concept pilot on social media to gauge potential public interest in The Chosen. The video was seen by more than 20 million people around the world.

The project moved record numbers of people to offer their financial support, making it the biggest crowdfunding pitch ever. “When they said, ‘well, we want to raise the money through crowdfunding,’ I got depressed,” says Jenkins. “Because I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s never going to work.’ The all–time crowdfunding record was $5.7 million for a show that was very popular, right? And we weren’t famous. We didn’t have any built–in marketing. We just kind of built a Facebook page from scratch. “We needed more than $5.7 million to do Season One. They said, ‘we really think we can do that.’ I just thought it was ridiculous. But we’ve raised over $10 million from 16,000 people from around the world and shattered the all– time crowd funding record.” Jenkins says such support makes him and his team feel humble rather

HOW TO WATCH DOWNLOAD The Chosen app on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Available in English and dubbed in Spanish. PURCHASE Season One on DVD and Blu–Ray at TheChosen.tv STREAM Season One via your Roku, AppleTV, Google Chromecast, Android TV, Amazon FireTV, and Samsung Smart TV. Just look for The Chosen App.

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2020 MARCH / APRIL

FACTS

about “The Chosen” than arrogant, “because we have a responsibility to these people who’ve given a portion of their means to spread the gospel. So, we want to get it right. It shows that there’s a hunger for this. “What’s interesting is that they’re not donors, they’re actually investors. As money comes in for Season One through the sales of downloads and putting episodes on the VidAngel streaming service and eventually DVDs, people will also have the chance to purchase them. “The investors have a choice; they can keep pouring their investment back into the show for a financial return. Sometimes crowd funding is all donors, so they give money and hope we spend it wisely. Hopefully, the show will also generate income.

 I t is the first–ever worldwide launch of a streaming TV series via its own app D ownloaded and streaming in 142 countries B eing translated into 52 languages N umber 1 crowdfunded entertainment project in history  F irst–ever multi– season TV show about Jesus O fficial trailer now available Dallas Jenkins (seated) works with a crew member on a scene.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS “What’s interesting is that the short film was just intended for my church’s Christmas Eve service,” remembers Jenkins. “I shot that on my friend’s farm in Illinois in less than a week. We put the whole thing together in less than a month. But after I made it, I thought, This has a chance of being something really special. It was then that I had the idea of doing this first– ever, multi–season show. “There’s been movies and miniseries, but never a multi–season show about the life of Christ. The beauty of a multi–season show is that you can dig into the characters and spend some time with them; it becomes like a family that you are a part of. That would be a great opportunity to get to know Jesus and those He surrounded Himself with, even better. “Even as the filmmaker, I felt like I got to know more about the shepherds in those 20 minutes than I had in my lifetime after hearing those stories dozens and dozens of times. Authenticity is also something that I’ve struggled to find in

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a lot of Jesus projects. They seem kind of clean and sanitized. I think that the redemption and the joy is more powerful when you are honest about what these characters are going through. “That was really powerful to me as I was studying it. That’s what the audience related to too; it just felt real. It illustrates a Jesus who came for those on the lower end of the totem pole. “It felt dirty and dusty and grimy, and, at times ugly. We as human beings can be ugly, and the setting was ugly, and Jesus came right into the middle of that. That, to me, is powerful. He talked to these guys who nobody even cared to know about and revealed to them the most important message that anybody could possibly share.” On January 10, The Hollywood Reporter announced that VidAngel had earned two Movieguide Award nominations for its original production of “The

Chosen: Season One.” The new 8–episode first season tells the stories of characters in the Gospels who encountered Jesus and were changed forever. “More than two years of work, sacrifice, and heart were baked into Season One of The Chosen,” said Neal Harmon, CEO of VidAngel. “These nominations from Movieguide serve as a fresh demonstration, alongside millions watching the show globally in over 150 countries, that there is a strong appetite for redemptive and authentic storytelling.” Harmon concluded, “We’re grateful for the recognition of everyone’s contributions to this historic undertaking and are honored to participate in these awards alongside so many prestigious projects.” On January 24, Jonathan Roumie (who plays Jesus), won the Grace Prize for his performance in Chosen’s Episode 8, “I Am He.”

#MeToo

From Genesis to Revelation to Us by Captain Olivia Munn–Shirsath

“Me Too.”

Tarana Burke coined this phrase back in 2006. It all began with Myspace. Before Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook—there was Myspace. Today, this online platform still exists but is irrelevant to most of us. We often associate the Me Too movement with something more contemporary: the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations and subsequent trials. In October 2017, celebrity Alyssa Milano made the hashtag #MeToo go viral by tweeting, “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” How swiftly and powerfully multitudes of women came together to openly share their stories of sexual harassment and assault from people of power. #MeToo created a sense of honesty and empathy that drew out testimonies from thousands of women online. Through the simple unifying tool of a hashtag, women realized that they were not alone, but that sadly, experiences of harassment are extremely common. Is this primarily a women’s issue? Yes, it largely is—91 percent of victims of rape and sexual assault are female and 9 percent are male. And while many may imagine these nightmare scenarios happening in a dark alley in the wrong part of town, in 8 out of 10 cases the victim knows the perpetrator. This widespread problem affects women around the world, and it affects the women you relate with every day.

A MASSIVE PROBLEM I want to say that the problem is bigger than we ever knew, but I’m not sure that’s the truth. We’ve always known that women are regularly on the receiving end of unwanted sexual advances. More than 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact

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at some point in their lives. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed rape or attempted rape in their lifetimes. These statistics are shocking. But #MeToo isn’t about the shock factor. It’s about how unsurprised women are. You’ve been sexualized against your will? So have I. We are half the global population, and yet we can all empathize together in this familiar experience. If the movement is intended to include harassment, as mentioned in the original tweet, almost 100 percent of women would be qualified to state “Yes. Me too.” Some women would choose not to participate in the #MeToo movement because of the pain of resurfacing trauma, and

“ More than 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact at some point in their lives.” this should be honored. But whether it is an extreme case of assault or just an unwanted comment, most women can relate to this movement. The magnitude is beyond what the general public previously acknowledged. Myspace is old, but the pattern of sexual harassment against women is even older. If Tarana Burke’s original post is from 2006 and didn’t gain momentum until it resurfaced 11 years later, how far back does this problem go? It goes back several millennia and has not improved through the generations. The crisis that #MeToo is addressing is not a trend that will fade away with today’s young people—this is a deeply–rooted human problem that has been passed down through the years and adapts to match the culture.

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AS OLD AS TIME At the inception of human history, Satan launched an intentional demonic attack against women. I recognize that my language here is strong, and I weigh my words carefully. In Genesis 2, the enemy approaches Eve first. When Adam and Eve sin, God curses the serpent and we catch a glimpse of what is to come: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel” (Genesis 3:15). War is declared between Satan and women. This is echoed again in Revelation 12, when Satan is portrayed as a serpent who intends to devour the offspring of a woman in labor. The child is born and reigns on the throne, but the serpent continues to pursue the woman. He is enraged at her (Revelation 12:17), and wages war against her and her offspring. From the first to the last book of the Bible, Satan hates women.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF Sexual violence against women is also a pattern found in the historical books in Scripture. In 2 Samuel 11, we have the infamous story of David and Bathsheba. The record only states that King David saw her bathing, sent someone to get her, and then they slept together. This was a king with immense power, using his authority and connections to take advantage of a woman, with or without her consent. Would Bathsheba have been allowed to reject the king? David flexed his social power and used it to abuse Bathsheba. Unchecked privilege and power are at the center of the #MeToo movement. When some people are given power without limits, they can begin to think that others exist only to meet their desires. This is one reason why we need both men and women together in positions of influence. In 2 Samuel 13, Amnon becomes obsessed with Tamar and calls his feelings “love.” He manipulates the circumstances so that they are alone, and though she clearly protests, he rapes her. Once it is done, he suddenly hates Tamar and cannot stand the sight of her. Tamar is not given justice, but instead her brother Absalom encourages her not to “take it to heart.” Amnon is the clear villain in this account, but Absalom was in a position to defend his sister, and instead diminishes her trauma. How many women today have also been encouraged not to take their abuse to heart? We are told to forgive, to avoid making a big scene, to smile and to move on.

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The hatred of women has always been a demonic influence among humans, and it continues in our generation. The #MeToo movement has pulled back the curtain on sexual predators in Hollywood and in other positions of influence. Women are speaking up, more than before, and the darkness is coming to the light. I would encourage women in the Church to do the same. If you have been assaulted or harassed by a spiritual leader, as you feel ready, please tell someone. You do not need to protect such a person’s reputation, we need to know the truth.

A DIFFERENT WAY Jesus shows a different way. Jesus includes women, even encouraging Mary’s counter–cultural choice to sit in the place of a disciple and learn (Luke 10:42). Jesus protects women, not allowing husbands to divorce and abandon their wives just because they are done with them (Matthew 5:31–32). Jesus honors women, praising the so–called “sinful woman” for her choice to worship Him, and declaring that she would be remembered in the history books (Mark 14:9). Jesus relates with women as human beings, having an extended heart–to–heart conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, even though this would have been considered inappropriate at the time (John 4:1–26). Jesus defends women, refusing to shame a woman who was brutally, publicly, and singularly punished for committing adultery (John 8:11). Jesus listens to women, granting the request of the Canaanite woman who asked for healing for her daughter, and affirming her great faith (Matthew 15:28). The #MeToo movement does not need to cause us fear or division. Instead, let’s be inspired to act like Jesus. Let’s include women, ensuring they are equally trained and promoted as men are. Like Jesus, let’s protect women, creating a Kingdom culture that does not allow them to be pushed aside. Like Jesus, let’s honor women, recognizing their value and their significant contribution, rather than only observing their past. Like Jesus, let’s relate to women as human beings, unafraid to engage them in thoughtful dialogue and to send them out to preach. Like Jesus, let’s defend women, shutting down those who would condemn them while simultaneously holding a high bar of holiness. Like Jesus, let’s listen to women, hearing and responding to their needs and acknowledging their significant strengths. Let’s fight for a Church that is not rife with testimonies of abuse, but rather with radical stories of inclusion and honor.

Danielle Strickland’s Boundless Ministry by Warren L. Maye

In 2018, she appeared on stage in front of a live audience of about 7,000 people. Danielle Strickland was one of several speakers at the annual Global Leadership Summit (GLS), the world’s largest leadership conference. Because it is also accessible by any location with internet service, thousands more watched via livestream as she thoughtfully paced the massive stage or stood behind its plexiglass podium at the Willow Creek Community Church Worship Center. It was the year Bill Hybels, pastor of the Chicago– based church and founder of the Summit and its network, resigned amid allegations that he had sexually harassed members of his own staff. His departure came just weeks before the Summit would broadcast around the world.

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“I was asked to speak at the Summit,” recalls Strickland. “It was at the height of the Hybels scandal; lots of pressure, things going on. They asked me if I might speak on how men and women could work better together. We were also in the midst of the #MeToo movement, specifically. So, I

“ This isn’t even just about what God can do for me; it’s about what God wants to do for others through me.” — Danielle Strickland

really felt like God gave me a word that was hopeful and faith–filled instead of fear–based. “I had 27 minutes to address an issue that was raging, and I had only a few weeks to prepare.” Fortunately, Strickland was prayed up for the task. “I had been in prayer before they called me. I had an inclination from God that I should be ready. It was a beautiful combination of opportunity and inspiration. Basically, I did a lot of research. That 27 minutes was jampacked with a lot of things I thought needed to be said.” Parts of her speech dealt with the topics of oppression as it relates to gender inequality; the scourge of pornography and its effects on the spirit; as well as a discussion about the perils of power in the workplace. “This year, I’m hosting all their ‘GLS Next’ events, which are geared to leaders around the world and streamed live,” said Strickland in an exclusive interview with SACONNECTS magazine. “I’ll also do some TV on my new book, Better Together. There’s a video teaching series and I do an online course.”

EMBRACING GOD’S FAMILY For Strickland, such topics land close to home. Her

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personal story of struggle, rebellion, repentance, reconciliation, and renewed purpose causes her messages to resonate and reach hearts beyond the four walls of megachurch worship centers and global internet livestreams. “Before my parents became Salvation Army officers, they were both vulnerable orphans who were rescued by the Army in Eastern Canada. My mom was a foster kid and my dad had been sold illegally as a baby. “People from the Army had been knocking on neighborhood doors, looking for kids and found them separately. My parents eventually found each other at a music camp program. They married at 17 and 18 and then went to training college to become officers. They had no family, so The Salvation Army became our family; it was almost like a grandparent, in a way. So, for me, the Army is a kind of a tribe; in a weird way, we belong to these people.” In the process of growing up, Danielle experienced a lot of emotional pain. Rebellion became her response. “Eventually, I left my home, I left the Army, and I left God,” she recalls. “I didn’t really get God, you know.” Strickland’s journey included frequent and excruciating transitions. How did she come to define herself in a world she believed was bent on defining her? “In my life, I came to the point where I tried to define myself but fell for all the classic lies of the enemy. I thought that rebellion was freedom, but I got caught up in drugs and crime.

FEELING GOD’S PRESENCE “In 1990 I was 17 when I ended up in jail in Toronto. A Salvation Army chaplain came to visit me. Her name was Joyce Ellery. She just gave me a big hug and told me she loved me. She didn’t give me any lectures; nothing else. That was it. She just left. “Maybe it was because I wasn’t receptive; I was cold. ‘You know, you didn’t even bring me a smoke,’ I said to her. But when she left my holding cell and the door closed, it was just me, alone. “Then I felt the presence of Jesus come into my cell and do the same thing that Joyce had done. That’s really when something woke up inside of me. I thought, What am I doing? This isn’t freedom. “I had thought God was perpetually disappointed in my behavior. But I realized that God was for me, not against me. At that moment, I changed direction. Just as fast as I had been headed to hell, I was now headed toward the Kingdom. Just the idea of life being bigger than me was a fantastic salvation moment. This isn’t even just about what God can do for me; it’s about what

To follow her ministry start at www.daniellestrickland.com

God wants to do for others through me.” When I got out of jail, I went to a Salvation Army drug treatment center. After that, I went to Africa, I went to Germany, and I volunteered on a street outreach van in downtown Toronto. I just went from mission to mission to mission.

FROM MALAWI TO MOSCOW “Then, I just kinda got it; got sort of hooked on this idea that I could serve God around the world. I went to Malawi with an interdenominational mission team. I spent a year in Moscow when The Salvation Army returned to Russia in 1992 under General Eva Burrows. I volunteered for a year. It was a remarkable time.” Danielle later met Stephen Court while serving soup to the homeless in downtown Toronto. They later married and enrolled in the training college. “I think most of my officership had been about creating new things; going to new cities, making new corps plants, new discipleship training schools, new justice departments. Somewhat off the traditional path, but I loved all of it.” Some listeners in Strickland’s audiences are surprised to learn of her association with The Salvation Army. “Is The Salvation Army a church?” many ask. Sure, they know it as a first responder to natural and man–made disasters, a provider of social services to the poor, a chain of thrift stores for the middle and working class, and a network of rehab centers for substance misusers, but a church too? “I think that’s a symptom of us not getting out much,” said Strickland. “So, if they never meet a Salvation Army church member or never meet a soldier, they don’t know that’s also what we do and who we are. So, I think a lot of Christians are genuinely surprised. When I share my experience as a church planter within The Salvation Army, people will be like, ‘What?’ I call The Salvation Army one of the best kept Christian secrets.” Strickland typically finds people are genuinely interested in knowing more about the Army. Their curiosity offers her a door of opportunity to speak freely. “They say, ‘Tell me more.’ They want to know how it actually works. Nobody feels strongly against the Army about anything. That’s good. We represent neutrality in the midst of diversity, and we are a great gift to the body in that way, if we would use it in our service to the poor.”

MOBILIZING THE CHURCH In the year 2020, Strickland is laser–focused on mobilizing, bringing down boundaries, and making a difference

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in the lives of seemingly voiceless and invisible people. “I feel like we’re living in a time when God wants to mobilize the entire Church, not just a specific one. I really feel God is saying, ‘Hey, all these things, like social justice and women’s rights, are for everyone; for the whole Church.’ “I feel a lot of hunger from different churches. They’re saying ‘Would you teach us? Would you help us? We want to do this, but we don’t know how.’ So, all these things that I’m involved in are mobilization strategies. They’re all action–based strategies that churches or communities or organizations can use to disciple others to get the Kingdom to come to earth. “When we limit ourselves, when we put the boundaries on a little too tight, we don’t allow people the freedom to use some of their gifts for the larger body. Certainly, that’s been the case in my life. It kind of came to a head when it was impossible to say ‘yes’ to what I felt God was calling me to and where the opportunities were to speak and to collaborate with other kingdom– minded people and to be an officer at the same time.

BACK HOME “I’ve come full circle, back to Toronto, the place where my journey began,” she reflects. “When I was an officer, being a speaker was always something I did on the side

“I refuse to believe that all men are bad. I also refuse to believe that all women are victims.... I want to be strategically hopeful.... I want to work toward a better world....” —Danielle Strickland Available in paperback and audio book at all major retailers.

for fun. I loved doing it. I loved those moments when I could see people come alive with a new knowledge of the Truth of God Himself.” Whatever boundary Strickland throws her hat over from here, one thing is certain, God’s truth will meet her there on the other side.

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HOPE AFTER THE STORM by Robert Mitchell

uperstorm Sandy didn’t last for 40 days and nights as did the Great Flood in the days of Noah, but Andrea Kassimatis and her family felt the devastating effects of Sandy for many years. Andrea says her Union Beach, N.J., family went through some “dark days” after the October 2012 storm, but finding The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope (POH) program in 2017 helped turn things around. She now feels and displays an “attitude of gratitude.” “The Salvation Army was our guiding light and our guiding force through this whole process. It was like Noah’s Ark through the storm,” Andrea says. “People underappreciate what The Salvation Army means to local communities. I don’t think people understand how important and vital The Salvation Army is to the community. “Over the past seven years, The Salvation Army has been there for my family and throughout the many seasons. They have been able to provide services to us that have covered all aspects of our physical recovery process, as well as the internal healing that was needed

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Andrea Kassimatis and Mike Aponte walk with three of their six children: Donovan, 2; Alysia, 5; and Collin, 11. Not pictured are: Xavier, 17; Ethan, 18; and Devin, 22.

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while dealing with the aftermath.” Andrea and her partner, Mike Aponte, and their two children at the time, lived a quiet life until Superstorm Sandy hit. Several neighbors had above–ground oil storage units that were destroyed during the storm. An estimated 225 pounds of diesel fuel seeped into Andrea’s home and made it uninhabitable. “The entire structure of the house just reeked of diesel fuel,” Andrea recalls. “So, for health and safety reasons, we unfortunately had to demolish our house. “We were directly impacted by the storm and its effects physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. It was such a struggle for us and just put a strain on all areas of our lives.”

“ We would have never recovered our lives if it wasn’t for The Salvation Army and I can say that with 100 percent honesty.”

MORE TRIALS Andrea said her family found hot meals in Hazlet, N.J., along with spiritual help and a listening ear from Salvation Army volunteers. “There were always people to talk to there,” she said. “We found warmth. There was always that connection and that love, and that big embrace was there for us in a very dark time. The Salvation Army was there from the day that Sandy came, and they’ve been there since and throughout our community. “We would have never recovered our lives if it wasn’t for The Salvation Army and I can say that with 100 percent honesty.” The family got into a new home three years after Sandy, but things took a negative turn again not long after Andrea went on maternity leave. The township miscalculated the property taxes and wanted a year and a half of arrears; the mortgage increased by $850 a month and depleted the family’s escrow account. “We live paycheck to paycheck, and we work hard,” Andrea said. “There was no way we could come up with

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a ridiculous amount of money in 30 days like they were asking. It started to feel like that war zone feeling again. It became a very, very dark time. “I began suffering from postpartum depression. We were in jeopardy of losing our home we had fought so hard to rebuild and Mike and I began fighting constantly which trickled over to the kids. I felt lost, overwhelmed, and in darkness. I was losing hope.” Andrea’s mother, Madeline, a soldier and volunteer at the former Hazlet Outpost, had requested prayer for the family many times. Major Betty Israel, then the outpost director in Hazlet, mentioned that Andrea and her family would be good candidates for the POH program, which works with families through intense case management to help them break the cycle of poverty.

THE PATHWAY BACK Andrea began the POH program in July 2017 and met weekly with case manager Jesabel Cruz. “I was able to work on setting short–term and long– range goals for myself and my family,” Andrea said. “Through our two years in the initiative, I learned how to better manage time and set more realistic goals for myself. I also learned that it was OK to not be OK sometimes. I learned to forgive myself and to try to be easier and kinder to myself. I learned the importance of making me a priority.” Some of the goals Andrea set included going back to school to obtain her RN degree, gaining full–time employment and, of course, fighting to save the family home from foreclosure. “The intensive case management meetings are essential because they allow us to troubleshoot, brainstorm, and problem–solve any areas that may hinder the growth and progress of achieving my goals,” Andrea said. “It has been quite a journey going through the Pathway of Hope and my family and I have gained tremendous insight and strength.” However, there were some roadblocks. For example, while Andrea sought full–time employment, her CPR license was expiring, and she was financially unable to pay for the bi–annual certification. Cruz helped her get into a free certification workshop at New Jersey Divisional Headquarters. Andrea said she would highly recommend the POH program. “If you’re really looking to turn your life around and get on the right track and are willing to work hard, I’d

say go for it,” she said. “It’s a fantastic program. You only get out of it what you put into it, so you’ve got to attend your regular meetings and stick to your goals. “You’ve also got to open up and admit when you need help. It was very hard for me to open up and I found out when I didn’t, I would fall backward in my progress. Being open and honest is very important.”

A GOD CONNECTION Sara Jenkins, a POH regional coordinator in the New Jersey Division, said Andrea came to the program “during a low point” and “her hope was lost.” However, those are the kinds of people the POH program is designed to help. “Andrea refused to continue to let life happen to her and found a way to take control of her life,” Jenkins said. “Through tough love and pastoral support, Andrea was able to pick up the pieces to make her family whole. “Through hard work and dedication Andrea learned how capable she truly is of taking the reins and following her own path to her destiny. Andrea will no longer allow life to happen to her. Instead, she will control the outcome with her newly developed skillset and positive attitude.”  Andrea has also found a spiritual rebirth through the experience. Her son, Collin, began attending services at the Red Bank, N.J., Corps in 2015 and is now a junior soldier. “We worked through a lot of our issues by going to counseling and even to church,” Andrea says. “It’s a great feeling when you go to church and you have that connection with God and with others. You have that feeling that everything is OK and that it’s going to be OK and it kind of gives you that fuel to keep going. “It’s such a renewing and cleansing feeling going to church. You walk out of it feeling renewed. That was such a nice feeling and a change from what was going on in our lives at the time.” Andrea tries to attend church services when her work schedule allows. “Church has provided us with a sense of love and support from a loving, powerful, and all–embracing God,” she said. “It serves as an emotional and spiritual reset for me. I am grateful for The Salvation Army and its Pathway of Hope initiative for all it has done to make my family whole.”

A FAMILY RESTORED Andrea also found a silver lining in the storm clouds brought by Sandy and a real–life example of Romans

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The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope initiative provides individualized services to families with children who desire to take action to break the cycle of crisis and vulnerability that repeats generation after generation. It seeks to address the root causes of poverty by helping families overcome challenges like unemployment, unstable housing, and lack of education — leading families down a path toward increased stability and self–sufficiency.

THE APPROACH:  Catalyzing community collaboration in service of shared clients.  Moving families from crises and vulnerability to stability and eventually self–sufficiency, tracking family progress along the way.  Bringing all The Salvation Army’s internal resources to bear, aligned to the goals of clients.  Focus on hope as a measured outcome, which represents the distinctly relational, spiritual outcome that The Salvation Army seeks in the work it does.  Strengths–based case management services. Are you in need? Find a Salvation Army corps in your area at www.salvationarmyusa.org.

8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” “Despite Superstorm Sandy being as awful as it was, it brought so much light into our life too,” she said. “We met the most incredible people because of it, and I can’t imagine my life without these people and these areas of my life that have changed because of it. “Despite all the darkness, there’s always that light that comes from God and that faith and feeling from God that you know it’s going to be OK and you’re in His hands. With Him, you can accomplish anything.” Andrea believes her family, including children Devin, 22; Ethan, 19; Xavier, 17; Collin, 11; Alysia, 5; and Donovan, 2, is now back on track. Ethan recently became a U.S. Marine. “We’re never going to be the same people we were 7 or 8 years ago, but we’re a strong family, we’re a very grateful family, a loving family, and a humble family,” she said. “I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.”

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Returning love for love by Robert Mitchell

hen the van pulls into the parking lot of the Bangor, Maine, Citadel Corps (church), the children jump out and run excitedly into the building and down the halls shouting “Mary! Mary!” They’re looking for Mary MacKay, the young people’s sergeant–major (YPSM). Fifty years ago, she came to the Bangor Corps as a scared victim of sexual abuse, seeking a place of refuge from a cruel world. Her family—already reeling from the sex abuse allegations—lived in an old farm house in Hudson, Maine when life took an unexpected turn. One night, when someone tried to break in, Mary’s mother, Damaris, quickly moved the family to an unfinished apartment over a barn in Kenduskeag, Maine. Sometime later, they moved to Bangor, where her mother was born and raised and she knew people from The Salvation Army. Her mother had once been involved in the Girl Guards youth program. “My mother was familiar with the Army programs and some of the people who were still involved,” Mary says. “At the time, she sent me, my sister, and four brothers to The Salvation Army. Out of the six of us who went, I’m the only one it stuck with. “For me, The Salvation Army became a haven of safety and release. People loved me, people cared about me, and that was something that I had never really had before.” Mary’s family was poor, and she was often teased, such as the day a group of girls threw sticky burdock plants at her as she walked from school to Girl Guards. “I had them in my hair,” Mary recalls. “I had them on

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Photo by Ashley L Conti

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2020 MARCH / APRIL

“ Somebody invested in me. I always want to be there for kids and teenagers and whoever needs the help because people were there for me. It just Photo by Ashley L Conti

seems right.” —Mary MacKay

my clothes. They made fun of me the whole walk. I was very distraught.” The YPSM at the time, Lillian Bragg, picked the burdocks off and helped calm Mary once she arrived at The Salvation Army. “I remember her combing my hair and pulling them out of my hair as I sat in her office crying,” Mary said. “She soothed me and combed every one of those things out of my hair and off my clothes. That’s just one example of the love and the care that was always given to me at The Salvation Army. “There were many people that invested in my life when I was a young girl at The Salvation Army, and I think that’s one of the things that always stuck with me. In turn, I wanted to invest in the young people involved now.”

GRACE AND A PARKING SPACE Mary has done that for the last 30 years as the YPSM, overseeing all youth programming, including Sunday school and youth groups, and making sure the programs are staffed and that the teachers have supplies and training. She once led Girl Guards and Sunbeams,

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including when her own children were in the programs. “I’ve always told the kids, even if only one person came, we would still do the youth programs because they’re important,” Mary says. “If they’re making an effort, then we certainly should be making an effort to be there for them.” Mary, who has played cornet in the corps band since she was a pre–teen, also occasionally teaches music. “I’m not a teacher so that’s always interesting,” she says. “I teach them what I know.” Her motivation is quite simple and harkens her back to when she first arrived at the corps. “Somebody invested in me,” Mary says. “It seems only right to invest in young people. I love kids. I love young people. I’ve taken some into my home. I always want to be there for kids and teenagers and whoever needs the help because people were there for me. It just seems right.” Mary lived with her corps officers, Paul and Ruth Sweger, during her teen years and that hospitality rubbed off. She has invited several relatives into her home, as well as students from The Salvation Army’s War College in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The War College, where student live incarnationally amid drug addicts and prostitutes, holds a special place in Mary’s heart. Several years ago she served a 10–day internship with the students there. She also has attended conferences at the Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado and holiness institutes held in the USA Eastern Territory. “All of those things shape you and help you to see that having a relationship with Jesus Christ is most important—a relationship where you can talk to Him,” she said. “My kids and the kids that I’ve worked with over the years think it is hysterical that I will pray for parking spots,” Mary said. “I will pray for green lights, I will pray for directions, and they will see those things happen. They’re silly little things, but I think it’s important that we’re constantly connected. The Bible says to pray without ceasing. “He never leaves us. When we feel alone, He never leaves us. He is always involved in our lives.”

TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS Mary also believes in maintaining a strong devotional life through Bible reading, a daily devotional, church, and fellowship. “It’s important to continue to maintain my spiritual balance to be the woman God wants me to be,” she said. “Christ means everything to me. I wouldn’t be here without Him. I don’t get through life without Him. I’m here because of Him. I’m here because He loves me unconditionally, no matter what.” She also understands the importance of being in church regularly. “It’s nice to have individual worship and things like that, but I think it’s very important to have corporate worship and that we set an example for those young people that we work with all the time to see us in worship and for them to know that’s a natural part of being a Christian,” she said. Captain Rebecca Kirk, the corps officer in Bangor, said soldiers like Mary are the backbone of the corps. “Mary is such a beautiful example of committed service to the Lord,” Kirk said. “As she has walked through victories and hardships, Mary’s consistent and steadfast faith in who God is, and His love for her, can be seen woven throughout her story. Although she has gone through many seasons of her own life while serving as our YPSM, the love and kindness she gives to the youth who come through our door has never changed. “It is so awesome to know that as officers come and go, there are generations of Salvationist children who have been loved and mentored by a dedicated and

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compassionate soldier in Mary.” Mary also lets everyone know what The Salvation Army is all about. About a decade ago, she remembers one child becoming emotional and upset when someone accidently hit him. “In his anger, I looked at him and I said, ‘This is a place of safety, a haven of love.’ That student is now a volunteer here at the corps. “I’ve received many letters from people who are now adults—some of them Salvation Army officers—and others who have families and have written to me and thanked me for my time and my efforts in showing them love. That came easy for me because it was done to me.”

SHE FINDS HEALING Mary has also been able to share her sexual abuse experience with a few young girls who went through similar experiences. Over the years, she has come to forgive her abuser, who threatened to cut out her tongue if she ever told anyone. “When you’re 7, you believe it,” Mary said. “You do what you’re told because you believe someone may actually do that. You do what you’re told because you’re being threatened all the time.” While attending a conference at Glen Eyrie, she was asked to write a letter of forgiveness to her accuser. She never gave it to him, but the exercise was therapeutic. “The forgiveness was the hardest thing,” she said. “The Bible says, ‘vengeance is mine saith the Lord.’ You forgive, but you don’t forget. If we don’t forgive, God can’t forgive us.” Mary, who also is the development assistant at the corps, began working there in 1986 as a part–time secretary for Captain Frank Kirk. Today, Kirk’s son, Jeffrey, is her corps officer. She also was a bookkeeper and program director. Besides her corps responsibilities, Mary cares for her husband, a former medic in Vietnam who suffers from PTSD and is disabled. Except for a four–year period when they moved to New Hampshire, the couple has lived in Bangor, where they raised four children. The couple has six grandchildren. Mary also is an advocate for children’s health issues; her son had leukemia when he was 4. Three decades ago when Mary took over the YPSM job, the woman she succeeded was in her 70s. Mary didn’t anticipate doing the job as long as her predecessor. “I said, ‘I’m not going to be doing this when I’m 70.’ But I’m 68 and I’m still here so, I don’t know,” she said.

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snapshot

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A CALL TO: REBUILD, RESTORE, RENEW “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations,” Isaiah 61:4. —The Prophet Isaiah predicted that God’s people would finally rise up and become what they were always meant to be—ministers of His grace to all the world. For more photos and stories related to this recent event “Candidates Seminar 2020” go to: saconnects.org/candidates-seminar-2020-weekend-wrap-up

testimony

“My life was in a storm from the time I first became pregnant,” says Arroyo. “But the lessons I learned taught me to never stop fighting for myself, and to never stop trusting God.”

PUSHING GUILT

Finding Life Support by Hugo Bravo

Brendaliz Arroyo, a social service case worker, welcomes every woman she meets at the Salvation Army’s Greenfield, Mass., Corps. They walk into her office and see a proud mother. Her walls are covered with photos and drawings done by her two children, Arieliz and Isiah’n. “Some women who talk to me feel so scared that they don’t want to give me their real name or even write it in their file. That’s how much they fear their abuser,” says Arroyo. She understands those fears well. Years ago, Arroyo was in an abusive relationship with “Walter,” the father of her children. It took a public display of violence on his part and an encounter with law enforcement before she could finally leave him.

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Even though Brendaliz’s mother had liked the young man and both their families had known each other for years, her mom did not approve of Brendaliz being pregnant with her first child at 20 years of age. After being forced out of her mother’s home in Springfield, Mass., Brendaliz moved in with her boyfriend and his family. Within days, Brendaliz discovered Walter had a drinking problem. “I didn’t want to be in the house with him,” she remembers. “I almost didn’t want to have his baby anymore, because it was what was tying me to him.” But whenever Brendaliz tried to leave, he threatened to take his own life. Having recently lost her father, she could not imagine her child living without a dad too. The thought that she might feel responsible for such an outcome was powerful enough to make her stay. Two years later, she had a second child with Walter. As time went by, everything seemed to “trigger” him. Verbal and emotional abuse directed toward Brendaliz became physical abuse as he blamed her for the violence in their relationship. “Everything that happened would somehow be my fault,” remembers Brendaliz. “After hearing it so much, even I started to believe it. Maybe it was me, and maybe I was doing something to deserve this.”

A LIVING NIGHTMARE One night, Brendaliz went to bed earlier than usual; she had a medical examination the next morning. Later, Walter entered the room and struck her head with her cell phone. The pain woke her. Now, with eyes wide open, a

new nightmare began. “He had gone through my phone and accused me of talking to another man he didn’t know,” says Brendaliz. Walter did know the man; he was in a relationship with a family member of Brendaliz. But Walter didn’t care. He said she had no right to be talking to anyone. “He was making everything be about me again, trying to justify what he was doing,” says Brendaliz. Walter violently choked Brendaliz until she passed out. When she regained consciousness, she was in their bathroom, and Walter had taken her phone. Seeing that Brendaliz was awake, he locked her inside their bedroom. “He forgot there was a separate cell phone in there. I called 911 and kept the line open so they could hear us fighting. He didn’t know it was me who had called the cops; he assumed it had been a neighbor,” says Brendaliz. Police arrived, took their children to Brendaliz’s mother’s house, and escorted Brendaliz to the hospital where doctors examined her. Walter followed them to the hospital but security there denied him access to her. The next day, when Brendaliz was discharged, Walter was waiting by the front door of her mother’s house when she and her sister returned. “I asked my sister to drive me to the police station. I wanted to request an escort back to my mother’s home. I would file charges the next day. But right now, I just needed to rest.” At the police station, Brendaliz waited to speak to someone who would help her. Then she saw Walter walking towards the building. “I could not believe he was doing this. I ran to the desk and told them the man I had warned them about was here. They could not believe it either, until Walter walked in and tried to take me home with him.” Walter fought the officers as they tried to keep him away from Brendaliz. The breaking point came when he

threatened to find the cops when they were on the street and out of uniform. He was arrested and charged with assault and battery, criminal harassment, and witness intimidation. “Seeing him become physical with the police proved something that I had known for years; if he was willing to

with Walter, issues with her health, and her current state of mind. “There are times when I feel that I’m just waiting to slowly die,” she confessed. “I realized that a lot of the problems I had in my life had come from never having a stable support system,” says Brendaliz. “There was none at home

“ Some women who talk to me feel so scared that they don’t want to give me their real name or even write it in their file. That’s how much they fear their abuser.” do this with cops, there was no limit to what he could do to me.” With that realization, Brendaliz finally left Walter.

when I became pregnant or when I was living with Walter. But that support was waiting for me at The Salvation Army.”

SALVATION SUPPORT SYSTEM

SHARING HOPE WITH OTHERS

After two years of living in shelters, Brendaliz and her children were able to get Section 8 housing in Greenfield, almost an hour away from Springfield. It was there that they discovered the local Salvation Army corps and its afterschool program. “The children would come home with snacks and art projects from the program. But I didn’t know that it was being done in the name of God,” says Brendaliz. Captain Scott Peabody, the corps officer, met with Brendaliz and offered to drive the children to church on Sunday. She agreed and came with them. On New Year’s Day of 2018, a bad reaction from skipping prescribed medication left Brendaliz in a state of shock and paranoia. Without having anyone to turn to, she began to pray for help. “I asked God to show me anything to calm me. Captain Scott’s name popped up in my head,” she said. She texted the Captain and asked if she could be driven to the corps. There, she spoke to Captains Scott and Karen Peabody about what she had gone through—from her years

Brendaliz and her children became Salvation Army soldiers and involved themselves in the corps and the community. When she was offered the position of social service case worker by the Captains, they said that her life experience would be an asset in speaking to families who come to the corps needing more than just help with food. “Hearing that from them made me feel good,” says Brendaliz. “I like to know that my life can give others hope, because coming here and being part of The Salvation Army gave me hope too.” Recently, a woman came to the Greenfield Corps food pantry. She recognized Brendaliz immediately. Years ago they had both been in the same shelter. Like Brendaliz, this woman had also escaped a violent relationship. She was now settled with a different partner and had started a family. The woman said that she often thought of and talked about Brendaliz to all the other women in the shelter. Her stories gave them hope. They know that, if Brendaliz can come out of such a life and be the person she is today, they all can too.

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2020 MARCH / APRIL

great moments

The New

Woman 1886–1896

excerpted from Red–Hot and Righteous: The Urban Religion of The Salvation Army by Diane Winston

standing–room–only crowd packed the auditorium at The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters. Listeners filled every seat in the orchestra and balconies as latecomers lined the walls and aisles to hear Maud Booth’s address on “The New Woman.” By 1895, New Yorkers were quite familiar with the New Woman. Her demands for education, economic independence, suffrage, and sexual freedom had been debated in the popular press for almost a decade. On both sides of the Atlantic, supporters praised her bid for autonomy while critics denounced her rejection of marriage, family, and religion—the bulwarks of Victorian society. That The Salvation Army would have something to say on the subject no doubt struck many New Yorkers as odd, since some considered Army women compromised by their public ministry and their “sensational” methods. Thus, drawn by the currency of the issue and the dubious reputation of the organization, men and women who ordinarily would never attend an Army meeting were seated in the 14th Street auditorium on a late summer Sunday evening. Maud Booth, who shared command of the American Army with her husband, Ballington, was familiar to the general public. The daughter of a genteel English family, she had charmed New York’s business, civic, and social leaders with her beauty, refinement, and properly plummy tones. She

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also appealed to young women seeking meaningful vocations yet unwilling or unable to identify with the New Woman. On this particular evening, Booth had assigned herself a difficult task. In her appearance before the curious crowd she needed to project several different images. As Christian slum worker and Salvationist commander, dignified matron and assertive woman, critic of the media’s New Woman and advocate for the Army’s “born–again” woman, Booth’s performance manifested the Army’s vision of a sacralized society in which polarities were transcended. Further embodying the New Testament faith that in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, Maud Booth’s ministry inverted social conventions by instructing single male officers on housekeeping and transforming Hallelujah lassies into women warriors. Among Booth’s preferred modes of presenting her message was the Chautauqua–style lecture popular in this period. Chautauqua, a retreat in upstate New York, provided Protestant laity with a comfortable compromise between religion and commercial entertainment. For The Salvation Army, seeking to widen its outreach to the middle and upper classes, the Chautauqua format had undeniable appeal, offering an opportunity to speak in a cultural vernacular that mitigated the sensational use of the streets. For Booth, in particular, the use of a familiar medium helped palliate her transgressive message. When the audience, assembled for a religious critique of the New Woman, gazed up at Commander Booth, they saw seated alongside her an all–female platform of officers, band members, cadets, and soldiers. “This is a woman’s meeting,” Booth told her listeners. “The women are going to do everything here tonight.” She then described a model of womanhood that, while implicitly affirming many of the

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New Woman’s aims, explicitly condemned what the media caricatured as the “mannish” female. Calling her ideal the “advanced woman,” Booth enthusiastically supported women’s right to education, athletic exercise, and work. But, most important, this new creature must be a “womanly woman” rooted in the love of home, family, and religion. In her diatribe against the New Woman, Booth suggested turning her “huge sleeves” into dresses for the poor and tossing her cigarettes, gum, and “realistic” literature into a bonfire. Equally dismissive of the New Woman’s attitude to men, she reasoned that the best cure for those who spoke of “tread[ing men] underfoot” would be to turn them over to “a strong–willed, self–assertive husband.” In conclusion, Booth explained that the truly new woman must be “born–again” since “if any woman be born in Jesus Christ, she is a new creature.” Such women, blessed with “a new heart” as well as “new power” would have a “new influence upon the world.” The Ballington Booths’ tenure, from 1887 to 1896, marked the Army’s initial acceptance by mainstream American society. During this period Salvationists became involved in the issues of the day, especially poverty relief and the changing role of women. Evolving from a strictly evangelical movement to an organization increasingly involved with social welfare work, the Army reached out to slum dwellers, the homeless, and “fallen women.” While expanding Salvationist outreach to the poor, the Booths also built up an auxiliary organization for men and women who supported the Army’s work but did not wish to be members. As the Booths spread the Army’s message and bolstered its financial support, they employed various strategies, from parlor meetings to Chautauqua lectures, to improve the upper classes’ perception of the movement. Woven into the Army’s efforts to extend its mission was its role in the debate about women’s place in society. One gauge of public opinion on the Army was the secular media’s depiction of Salvationist women. In the early 1800s typical descriptions cast the lassies as coarse, uneducated, and morally lax. With the arrival of Maud Booth and the emergence of other upper–class female officers, a new model of Salvationist womanhood began taking shape. Booth played a singular part in constructing and defining that model for both the Army and the society at large. Whether called the advanced woman, the truly new woman, or the woman warrior, this person combined Victorian womanliness with a sense of mission that empowered her to act boldly in the public sphere.

“The women are going to do everything here tonight.” Maud Ballington Booth, daughter–in–law of Salvation Army founder, William Booth, gives an address at socialite Alva Belmont's Newport, Rhode Island estate, 1913.

2020 MARCH / APRIL

wholly living

The Gift of From my earliest childhood memories, I recall a young version of myself lining up toys that I could find in our house—dolls, stuffed animals, and even an Ultimate Warrior action figure in order to play church with them (I have three brothers). I knew then that God had impressed upon me a call to ministry. That call has never wavered. Even in times of challenge and adversity, I have audibly heard the voice of God remind me of who I am and that He chose me. Ministry is simultaneously difficult and beautiful. Being a woman brings an extra measure of challenge, especially in recent days as some women are being told in particular denominations that their place is not in leadership and that they should “go home” rather than preach. But Scripture does not tell us to go home. In Matthew 28, Jesus commands us all to go to the nations and make disciples. This sounds more like a herald to boldly march forward with the Truth of salvation.

MY CALLING AFFIRMED I am blessed to belong to a church that affirms my call to ministry. I equally share the pulpit at our corps (church) to teach and speak because God has called me to do so. It has never once occurred to me to do anything other than that because doing those things are acts of obedience to my Lord. Throughout its history, The Salvation Army certainly has maintained a woman’s right to do these things and for that, I am grateful. However, my journey as a woman

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officer has not been without challenges. Certainly, within the Army’s organizational structure, there are ways that things are typically done. Traditionally, I believe men and women officers take on appointments relative to their gender. I have a tendency to challenge that tradition because, in a moment of vulnerability, I am good at almost none of what is assumed to be a woman officer’s appointment. Instead, I like math, administration, and fixing problems. I am a good organizer and human resources is something I look forward to handling. I am the business and financial administrator for our corps. I really love business and thrive in that because God has chosen to gift me in those areas. I’m sure other women share similar skill sets. In my marriage and ministry, my husband and I have taken an egalitarian approach and it has worked well for us. We do what we are gifted by God to do. We thrive when we have been afforded opportunities to function in the roles that

Equality God has gifted us, rather than assumed roles based upon gender. Scripture supports this idea of using the gifts God gives us individually. In Romans 12, Paul writes about this topic and addresses both his brothers and sisters (12:1) that “we have different gifts. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully (12:6–8). Rather than assign gifts based on a particular gender, He addresses both genders and the command here is to simply use your gifts in service to the Lord, male or female. This idea that we work to our strengths is a biblical one. Yet in my experience, this idea is sometimes missed.

ENDURING THE SETBACKS The Army has recently made a good amount of positive movement in the way of gender equality. However, despite these strides in the right direction to change mindsets regarding officers’ roles based on gender, my journey has often times been difficult. While I have never been told to “go home,” I have been ignored, overlooked, and have had certain assumptions made about what I can and cannot do because I am a woman. In other unintentional moments,

by Captain Amanda Krueger

a person has questioned my ability to carry out my call to ministry in the fashion that God designed for me. My husband has had similar assumptions imposed upon him for being a man. These words can never be unsaid, but such mindsets can be changed. The truth is, God formed us, called us, gifted us, and continues to equip and sustain us.

GIVING ALL TO JESUS When confronted with these situations, I want to loudly defend my ministry and my call. The truth is, I don’t need to. They aren’t mine to defend; they are God’s. Everything I am and everything I have all belong to Him. So, in that realization I rest, both wholly and holy. I offer what I have in service to Him. I know that I honor Him by obeying His call. My character and my competence speak louder than any oral argument. Wholly living for me means offering everything and every gift—even the ones that are frequently ascribed to men—in service to God. My journey has been beautiful in so many ways but also challenging. I am so encouraged to see brighter days on the horizon. Until then, I will continue to roll up my sleeves and work as I honor God with every step of my journey. —Captain Amanda Krueger and Captain Alan Krueger are corps officers of the Rome, N.Y., Corps.

Connecting at the Congress by Warren L. Maye

“ Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” — ACTS 9:15

From June 11–14, The Salvation Army will hold a congress for its members that promises to accommodate over 7,000 people. The multitude of attractions planned for this event in Harrisburg, Pa., will have the potential to be the most dazzling, mesmerizing, and inspiring congress held to date in the northeast. Under the theme “Refocus ‘… and go carry His name,’” attendees will enjoy abundant praise, worship, conversation, and song. Exciting exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, TED–styled talks, and revealing presentations will turn heads as they rubberneck to take it all in. “We’re coming together as a body of God’s believers to celebrate God’s goodness to us,” said Commissioner William A. Bamford, territorial commander in a promotion video. Skirted–display tables with imaginative backdrops adorned with attractive giveaways will abound. Passersby will stuff them into colorful logoed bags. Their eyes will widen, and their minds will race with ideas to implement in their ministries when they return home. For a century, such events have energized Salvationists throughout the world. These meetings have inspired longtime members and newcomers to pursue ministries and careers in The Salvation Army for the glory of God.

An essential gathering These exciting assemblies are essential as they address frequent feelings of loneliness that many ministers of the gospel experience in the course

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of serving in their appointments. In their corner of the mission field far from inspiring crowds, they toil daily, sometimes in the face of adversity. Occasionally challenged by meager resources, they nonetheless strive to fulfill the great commission of God. In anticipation of the Congress, they load their vans with congregants and drive many miles to get there in hope that such a grand gathering will infuse them with optimism, heal feelings of disconnectedness, and revive their spirit. “I’m excited and enthusiastic about what the 2020 Vision Congress will bring to the USA Eastern Territory,” said General Brian Peddle, international leader of the global Salvation Army. He and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle will lead united sessions that will teach Christian leaders how they can work effectively in their communities. To accomplish this, the General and Commissioner Peddle will base their keynote addresses on the book of Acts chapter 9, which features Saul’s conversion to Christianity and his miraculous spiritual transformation into the Apostle Paul. The General and Commissioner Peddle will present a series of five points gleaned from Paul’s transformation — the 5 Rs of revival. (see sidebar)

Innovation in 2020 Among other attractions, the InnoVision Center and OnPoint Talks will highlight the offerings. Envoy Steve Bussey, codirector of the Innovation Department for the Eastern Territory,

THE 5 Rs OF REVIVAL REVEAL God reveals himself to Saul on the road. REDIRECT God redirects Saul from his tyrannical mission to a divine one. RESPOND Saul (now Paul) literally picks himself up in response to God’s call. REIMAGINE Ananias, who reimagines the possibilities, now sees Paul as a member of the Christian community and God’s messenger of peace, love, and hope. REVIVE At the Congress finale, which will include the appointment of new Salvation Army officers (pastors), the planners are hoping for a spiritual revival that will impact all in attendance—officers, soldiers, colleagues, families, and friends—so that they may be revived in their spirit and catch a powerful vision for 2020 and beyond.

said, “This isn’t just an exhibit or a show, but is a showcase of innovative ideas that are taking place throughout our territory and are having an impact. They are the means by which we can cross–pollinate those ideas and inspire similar ideas that we can bring back to our local communities. “So, we’re taking what is already happening informally and making it formal. We’re not a ‘one–trick pony’ in The Salvation Army; we’re filled with great core competencies and there are hundreds of creative experiments taking place that will be part of tomorrow’s culture.” Bussey acknowledges that some of these innovations may fade but says that’s okay. “Some things just have a temporal impact, but other things are going to be the seedbed that will grow to become a defining factor in what we do tomorrow.”

To discover more about the 2020 Vision Congress, go to SACONNECTS.ORG.

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THANK YOU, MR. AND MRS. HALABY! The Salvation Army is excited to have a giving opportunity that furthers our mission AND benefits our dedicated and generous donor friends and members. Our work could not reach all those who need our ministry and services if it weren’t for “the army” of support we have. It is an honor to have the trust of Salvation Army Gift Annuity donors like Mr. and Mrs. Halaby. It gives us great satisfaction to know they are pleased with the way this gift opportunity meets their needs for income and for putting their money where their values will be reinforced for generations in the future.

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SAconnects, Volume 6, Number 2 — March/April 2020

Articles inside

A boundless ministry

Returning love for love

Hope after the storm

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