Congregation members and officers themselves now have greater input into the appointment process-but the transition to a more consultative approach takes time.

The following includes an interview with Lt-Colonel Don Copple, Divisional Commander, Greater Toronto Area Division:

When The Salvation Army was founded more than 140 years ago, many of its officers were young men and women-often still in their late teens-who had recently come to faith in Christ. They had boundless energy and enthusiasm for leading others to that same saving and cleansing knowledge of the Lord.

Those early officers worked tirelessly, enduring hardship and sometimes persecution to accomplish that task. They moved from appointment to appointment, as often as every four months-regularly interspersed with a few weeks of sick furlough.

As The Salvation Army became more established, officer appointments lengthened to two or three years on average. However, neither the officers nor their congregations had much input into the process of choosing pastoral leadership for local corps.

In recent years, The Salvation Army has been working to revise its appointment system to allow more participation for both its officers and its corps. Change, however, is not always easy. It takes time for people to adapt to new ways as well as for all of the “bugs” to be identified and worked through.

Lt-Colonel Don Copple has been a Salvation Army officer for 42 years. He has experienced these changes from the perspective of a corps officer, as well as various positions in divisional leadership. He addresses some of the questions arising from these changes in procedure.

How have corps responded to the changes in the appointment process?
For the most part local corps have welcomed the opportunity to have input into the appointment process. There is some confusion as to whether they are free to identify specific individuals for appointment, whether they can interview those individuals or whether they still only have the opportunity to outline characteristics desirable in a new corps officer. When corps members discover they have little input as to the specific individuals who may be assigned, there is some waning of interest.

What issues have arisen from having lay leaders contributing to the appointment process?
The primary benefit to the system is that it allows the divisional leaders a forum to engage in productive conversation with the corps members. It is also a valuable opportunity for corps members to meet and discuss the elements of the ministry of their corps in their communities. This has been enlightening and has increased the appreciation of the demands made on officer staff.

One of the challenges of this system is that it is created primarily for an urban division whereas most of the Army in this territory is rural. Logistics involving frequent visits to corps for reviews, evaluations and now local officer consults are complex and costly.

It also has the potential to create expectations that are simply out of reach. In most instances the “wish list” of what corps leaders are looking for in corps officers is somewhat unrealistic.

What factors are involved in the appointment process now that would not have been included in the past?
There is a tendency for every corps (church) to take on characteristics of their own. In fact, no two corps look alike these days. This makes the appointment process much more complicated. Liaison with the local congregation helps to clarify local expectations and needs.

Are there any further steps that The Salvation Army can take to make the local leaders feel more a part of the decision making process?
At some point we will want to extend the process, allowing corps members the opportunity to interview “candidates” for the position of corps officership. Initially this should be reserved for a few corps that have a high level of local leadership.

What is the main challenge to the new system?
The transition from our old, quasi-military system to a more consultative approach will be a long and arduous journey for us as a denomination. It will require considerable time for us to develop the skills necessary to proceed with confidence in this direction. We will have to contend with the ongoing discussion between the traditionalists and those who want to move us rapidly into change. Continued experimentation will help us to redefine our approach to officer appointment in the sphere of corps leadership.

Watch for more articles on the appointment process in future issues of Salvationist and on Salvationist.ca