I dedicated my book, Quit Going to Church, to The Salvation Army, in acknowledgment of the debt I owe to it, and I proudly boast of the Army's ministry and promote it to everyone I can. So it is in that context I offer the following, three things I'd like to see change in the years ahead:
1. Its modernization The Salvation Army (in the English-speaking world that constitutes my experience, at least) is a marvelously preserved expression of life, faith, and witness in Victorian England. Of course, we no longer live in Victorian England, but things that made perfect sense in that milieu are often defined and defended as marks of "Salvationism" today. Uniforms. Brass bands. Perhaps even its military structure, terminology, and management style. I'm not suggesting that these expressions have no utility at all in many places, but that their utility is nowhere near as widespread as it once was, and that many in the movement have turned these means into ends.
As a result, the means (brass banding, etc.) have survived while the ends ("go for souls!") have suffered. I know I am certain to be misunderstood on this point; it won't be the first time. For example, I love the uniform, and hope it will always have a witness, but serious and courageous thought must be given to when and where it is no longer useful.
I love the Army's musical heritage, and I know there are more and more contemporary uses of the great storehouse of talent still alive in the Army world; however, with a few exceptions, a brass band is not nearly the practical and adaptable worship resource it was in the Army's early years. I could go on.
Unfortunately, as with all worthy traditions, greathearts who are in the best position to initiate such discussions are most attached to the traditions. Though some "Good Old Army" ways may be outdated, they meant much to many who owe the most to the Army, which makes change unlikely...and all the more urgent, as more and more souls who could be touched by new means are left by the wayside.
2. Its approach to personnel matters In my experience, The Salvation Army has the best human resources in the world--big-hearted, hard-working, self-sacrificing, God-loving men and women. And it seems to me that great strides have been made in recent years in giving attention to pastoral care of officers, improving communication up and down the chain of command, etc. But it also seems safe to say that the Army AND its personnel suffer greatly from the lack of a cohesive Human Resources philosophy and approach. This may be due to differing challenges from one territory to another, and frequent changes from one administration to another. I get that. But both as an officer and a former officer, I have often shaken my head at policies and actions that seem likely--even, at times, designed--to lose good people, alienate them, and keep former officers from being returned to the ranks.
It is not only a coherent, cohesive philosophy and policy that must be developed, but also a culture that must change. Army leadership must lead the way in reversing the stigma and suspicion that is sometimes directed at former officers. Active steps must be taken to retain the service of good officers, and strategies for sensitive cultivation of former officers--as soldiers, employees, or officers--must be adopted.
3. Its adoption of multi-site thinking The "multi-site" phenomenon has been around for awhile now in many churches--in which a single church worships in multiple locations. For example, Crossroads Community Church in Cincinnati, located in the central Cincinnati community of Oakley, has in the last few years opened "campuses" in a northern suburb and a southern suburb (across the river in Kentucky). Each campus has a campus pastor and various staff and volunteers, but many of the church's functions are combined with other campuses (the weekly sermon, for instance, is recorded or simulcast for playing on large video screens in the other two locations). Some "multi-site" churches simulcast worship music sets while featuring live preaching on site. This approach saves much duplication of effort from one site to another, and allows campuses of relatively meager means to benefit from the resources of other campuses. I have long thought there is no better place for this model to thrive than in the Army. Various corps in a region or division could link with other corps and share resources electronically on Sundays, such as a thriving music ministry or a gifted graphic artist.
Divisional leaders could designate strategic corps to receive certain advantages—financial or otherwise—in order to resource other corps. Corps officers could rotate preaching and some of the labor-intensive work of getting a fresh, meaningful worship experience off the ground every week. A divisional or territorial leader who visits a corps could enlarge his or her ministry by “remotely” visiting the other “corps campuses” in that area. The already-rich Army fellowship would be enriched even more as people in one location share parts of a worship experience with their fellow soldiers in other locations. And that is just the beginning of the benefits. I realize, of course, that big changes like these could be painful to many, and would certainly invite disagreement and opposition. But I also believe that the Army has some of the greatest minds in the Church—minds that are capable of bringing about such things--and that progress in these areas would reap a rich and abundant harvest for generations to come.
Former Officer
USA National Headquarters
USA Eastern Territory
In 2000, Bob (with his wife) helped to co-found Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio. He has served that church in leadership and teaching pastor roles.
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