In November 2005, more than 150 officers and lay Salvationists gathered for a symposium to review the current state of our territory and look to the future. Coming out of those days was a cry for a new emphasis on discipleship and a critical awareness of the need to more effectively connect with our current culture. Now, as we enter into another new year, I am more convinced than ever that these dual priorities are inherently linked.

Has our discipleship focus of recent years centred around “training and equipping God’s people for works of service”? It’s not a bad foundation, but its interpretation and practice has fallen short of the mark. The biblical concept of the “priesthood of all believers” has been paraphrased to become “every member a minister.” Again a good concept, but it has fallen short of its potential. How often has this approach assisted new believers in finding their place in the Church? How often have spiritual gifts workshops provided a list of various church ministries in which specific roles can be best aligned for maximum fulfillment and effectiveness?

Congregations operate best when a discipled people-maturing in their faith, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit and using their spiritual gifts with heartfelt passion and a deep sense of calling-serve both within the Church, and as the Church in the community.

In his book The Present Future, Reggie McNeal challenges the Church to shift from the mentality of turning members into ministers and address the tougher issue of turning members into missionaries. This latter mandate comes into focus through the bifocal lenses of discipleship and culture/community connection, reflecting the priorities arising out of the territorial symposium. The failure to wrestle with this question will cause the Church to be perceived as an institution irrelevant to new generations of followers who are responding to Christ’s call to be salt and light in the world.

McNeal outlines what he sees as a second Reformation within the Church. The first Reformation accompanied a new age of communication with the arrival of the printing press in the 15th century. It was an event that sought to set the Church free. McNeal suggests that this modern Reformation, also accompanied by a new era of communication, seeks to set God’s people free from the Church as an institution-free, in essence, to be the Church as God intended it to be.

Imagine the power of well-discipled Christians who are left within their realms of greatest influence to serve as salt and light rather than being pulled out of their respective worlds to do jobs required inside the Church. Places of employment, schools, community activities, sports teams, parent-teacher associations, whole neighbourhoods could become places of divine transformation.

According to our mission statement, The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world. The realization of that mission is directly related to our ability to engage the tougher question of discipleship: “How do we turn members into missionaries?”

To wrestle with this challenge is to echo the heartbeat of delegates to the territorial symposium. Becoming a transforming influence in our communities this coming year may mean that our corps calendars become less busy, with less meetings and likely less people attending. It may mean that our ministry becomes out of control, even messy. It will require a new gauge to measure spiritual maturity. Means of “supporting the church” may be drastically altered. The definition of “success” will need a whole new set of parameters. The Church will be called to teach a missional theology both from the pulpit and through new learning opportunities within the community.

As we wrestle with the question of turning members into missionaries we not only embrace the priorities voiced through the symposium but also help other followers of Christ live abundant and mission-focused lives. Jesus told his followers, “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth … to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world…. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up to God” (Matthew 5:13-16 The Message).
As we stand on the brink of a new year, may God give us the insight, perspective and courage to be his salt and light in our own individual spheres of ministry.

by Major Floyd Tidd, Corps Ministries Secretary, THQ