Returnships Redux Part 2 of 3

Our post, a couple of days ago, on borrowing a business idea of temporary internships, especially for those who have been out of the workforce for years raising children, and applying it to those who have been out of officership for years, focused on changes to the individual.

We looked at official reasons for leaving officership (health / doctrine / dissatisfaction / ‘unsuited’…) and how changes in dynamics could provide openings for returnships.

What we didn’t consider was how The Salvation Army might change to welcome back former officers. 

So, here goes:

. Health.  In the west, The Army seems to have a generous support system concerning officer health.  There are realities to which we apparently have to defer when it comes to physical abilities to fulfill covenantal obligations.  I’m not sure how The Army can change on this issue to make it easier for former officers to return.

. Doctrine.  I suppose that some who have left want The Army to change doctrines to fit their views.  But toward which set of divergent views should The Army change?  Should The Army go more fundamentalist, with stronger statements in the Handbook of Doctrine about inerrancy and infallibility of Scriptures?  Should The Army go more liberal, with broader, more inclusive positional statements on various lifestyle issues?  Should The Army go more mainstream, with more traditional and imitative statements on sacraments?  (regular armybarmy readers have a good idea where WE stand on these)

Let’s say we lose a few officers each year because we’re not conservative enough and a few because we’re not liberal enough and a few because we’re not churchy enough.  A shift to save a few will alienate others, including the vast majority of officers who aren’t quitting.  Plus, what a lame reason to change what you believe!   

Here’s the thing – we’ve believed what we believe for 147 years, and certainly for the lifetimes of everyone alive.  We’re not tossed about, carried about with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14).  Not only that, but every officer knows that, signed up for these doctrines at her/his soldier enrolment, at the start of her/his training, and at her/his covenant day.  Is it reasonable that 1.5 million soldiers today and the many more over a century and a half change our beliefs because you changed yours? 

. Dissatisfaction – This reason refers to the individual’s dissatisfaction (personal, with The Army, etc.), not with The Army’s dissatisfaction with the individual!  But let’s agree that The Army often has a role in personal dissatisfaction. 

Why are you dissatisfied? 

Do you not like your appointment?  Take that up with God.  You can suggest other appointments if you figure God wants you to move.  The big majority of appointment moves are made because officers request them.  So you’re not stuck.  Do you shine cadets’ boots?  Brengle did – and it turned out all right for him.  What a blessing that God and The Army think you worthy of any appointment!

That said, there seem to be timing issues – particularly with children – of which we’ve heard that could have been handled differently.  We’re not suggesting we know the will of God on all of this but it seems tragic that officership is jeopardized because of apparent lack of flexibility on occasion in dealing with these situations.

Do you not like your living conditions (in the west)?  Consider comrades in the 2/3 world.  Or, just consider comrades at your corps (since, even in the west, officers seem to live at higher standards than most of the soldiers and recruits at their corps).  What a blessing that God and The Army provide for your needs.    

Do you not like your leaders?  Pray for them.  Try to help them get better.  Don’t be a victim.  Be a leader.  Part of the measure of your success is sorting through dealing with less-than-fantastic leaders.  What a blessing that God and The Army place people in our lives who do their best to serve God in leading us.

That said, The Army does seem to have made some leadership appointments in the last generation or so that have raised eyebrows.  Accountability for those moves and for performance in those appointments would go a long way to solving a lot of the dissatisfaction around your leaders. 

Do you not like your life?  Well, how’s your soul?  Maybe pray more, read the Bible more, evangelise more, disciple more… Or maybe be ruthless with your schedule and make sure what you are doing is focused on advancing the salvation war on your front.  What a blessing that God and The Army consider you worth the investment and the responsibility of a life like this.

Do you not like mediocrity or failure?  Who does?  A good holy dissatisfaction can be applied to generating zeal.  This one can lead people outside of the parameters of covenant in search of success.  And that’s a problem.  What a blessing that God and The Army provide a context for covenantal officership.

The Army is on the hook for your appointment, your living conditions, your leaders, and pretty much, your life.  So you can blame it for them.  But it shouldn’t be on the hook for your response to mediocrity or failure.   

. ‘Unsuited’.  I guess the individual’s expectation of change on the part of The Army is that The Army is currently sometimes responsible for the ‘unsuitedness’ of some    officers.  Agreed.  Some soldiers are not discipled.  Some cadets and officers are not discipled! (we blogged survey stats this autumn from USA Western Territory on this subject).  As such they are unsuited to soldiership, let alone officership.  But we have also, in some cases, let our officers down by the training we give to them as cadets. 

Solution?  The system needs a cleansing (not a new system, just a worthy application of the existing one).  We need to evangelise thoroughly so that we have real converts.  We need to disciple comprehensively so that our soldiers and local officers and cadets are actually disciples of the living God.  We have to train cadets effectively so that we have blood and fire officers who are holy, covenanted, zealous, passionate, apostolic, prophetic end-time warriors.  That one is on The Army – each officer, and ultimately every training principal.

Quick summary:  Yes, The Army can change to help former officers return – in family flexibility in appointments and in training, particularly.  Pass that one on to your chief secretary (since a couple of days ago we suggested passing returnships on to your personnel secretary).

Major Stephen Court
Canada