Call to Win the World for Jesus

[You can watch the 15 minute video of this by clicking here.]

I’m convinced that the 15 fine Lieutenants we have just appointed, are not the only people God is stirring to service in The Salvation Army in this Territory.

The need is great, and ever increasing, and I just sense in my soul that God has been preparing and calling many – even those who are in the ‘Army’ today – to step up to some form of full time or part-time service and leadership.

I want to invite these people from around the territory who are already serving as soldiers or employees in officer roles, to serve with me. We have 27 people who have chosen to serve God in the Salvation Army, not as officers, but doing the functional roles officers have traditionally undertaken. They are:

Josie Cheng, Aaron Mills, Stephen Hill, William Ng, Grant Whitehead, Railton & Anne Hill, Rhys McKenzie, Claire Ruthven, Fiona Mangos, Mark Ingram, Gwen Brundrett, Frances Ebsary, Mark & Zoe Schatz,  Maria & Robert Baker, Tracey Brown, Marj Rava, Melanie Norton, Stuart Foster, Angela Davis, Gary & Judith Cox, Ben Fewster, Ben Trewren, Ashley Proctor

I want to thank each of you for your willingness to serve, and my prayer is that your witness, and the roles you are performing will inspire others to step up. We need more people to serve, and friends, today I want you to consider the need, the call. Your call!

We currently have a total of 174 Corps in the Australia Southern Territory, and all our mission centers are doing some great Kingdom work – but God has stirred us to launch a campaign to intentionally and significantly increase this total.

History has shown us and our conviction remains, that starting new corps or local centers for mission is the most effective means of fulfilling the great commission and bringing people to Jesus. Our initiative is called 210 in 2010. By the end of next year we want to have 210 corps.

Divisional Commanders have identified great possibilities for new corps, opportunities for planting and growth across the Territory.

210 is an increase of 36 corps, but the leaders of the Territory, including Divisional Commanders and the Cabinet, have considered the potential of starting one corps each week next year – that’s 52 corps.  This will
require significant commitment from all of us as we pray, envision, recruit, invest, and support these new initiatives.

We have mapped out the list of places we have targeted to create corps or start new work in 2010. And let me reinforce, that’s on top of our existing corps mission centres and all the powerful Kingdom work that goes on at these already.

Our officer field force is already stretched – in fact we don’t have enough officers to appoint to existing vacancies across the Territory.

So an ambitious goal as I’ve just shared with you, from a human, logical, rational perspective, may seem outrageous.

I can testify though, that we serve an outrageously extravagant God, and I have faith to believe that through His Holy Spirit, God has already been moving and nudging and preparing those we will need to see this ambitious plan achieved.

You know we are also a Territory that is sending people out to serve in the Mission of The Salvation Army overseas. I want to acknowledge those officers preparing to move to appointments overseas.

I want to acknowledge Majors Drew and Leanne Ruthven who go to serve at IHQ – Leanne as Editor of the Officer publication, and Drew as International Emergency Services Personnel Officer.

Majors Alan and Denise Milkins are also going to IHQ – Alan as International Auditor, and Denise to serve as Associate Officer at Cambridge Heath Corps in Central London Division.

We’re also sending Captain Lynn Jones to the Carribean Territory as Eastern Jamacia Social Services Secretary.

We will continue to send people out to serve the broader mission of The Salvation Army, believing that God is raising up those to do His work here.

When I look at the list of opportunities for new centres for mission, I want to say to you, that I think there are people in the “Army’ today, who feel prompted to step forward and say ‘I’m prepared to obey, I’m prepared to step out, and I think God is calling me to one of these places’.

I’m looking for people who are prepared to give even 12-18 months, and I promise you the most exciting 12-18 months you can imagine. Maybe you can take a gap year after school or uni? How about considering taking a year without pay from your job? We can’t offer you a fortune, but we will give you a living wage and a place to live – whether you’re single or a family.

Maybe you’re a professional person, or a trades person? Maybe you’ve just finished school or you’ve been working or parenting or serving the Lord outside the Army. Won’t you consider how God might use you in the mission of His Salvation Army?

I think there will be retired officers, who know they are not finished yet! Capable and faithful retired officers, who are being moved to step up and be appointed to lead a new plant or a new corps. Won’t you come –and offer yourself again for service?

There are active officers today who I know have a heart to support Kingdom growth in neighbouring areas to their current appointments. Won’t you come forward and commit to supporting new work around were you currently serve? You might be an officer appointed to a role at Territorial or Divisional headquarters, and God is stirring in you a passion to be part of new plants and new initiatives in addition to your current appointment. I want you to come too.

There are those I know God is leading towards becoming officers in The Salvation Army – and there are many ways that can happen.  We have territorial envoys, we have cadets in appointment, we have single spouse officers, we have ways to make a pathway for those who want to serve, and are called to be officers in The Salvation Army.

We have employees and soldiers who are great leaders, and are well capable of being appointed to some of these places. If you are feeling prompted to any of the places listed – then I want you to respond to God today, so we can journey with you in finding ways for you to serve.

I’m not going to labour the point – I simply present to you the vision of a new wave of obedient servants. God has called us to be The SALVATION Army, and we know the establishment of new mission centres is the most effective way to bring people to Jesus. We MUST be about this business, we must be about saving souls!

I’m believing God for this ambitious goal of 210 centres for Salvation Army mission in 2010. God is already doing His work amongst us, and I’m praying you’re sensitive to what he’s saying to you.

I want to ask those who are sensing a specific call to one of the places listed, or to a particular role of service in this Territory, to come forward.  Would you contact me, your corps officer, or Divisional Commander to say so?

I know God is raising up a mighty army of servants who are going to do His work in the Australia Southern Territory. If you’re willing to be part of that……….. would you come?

^{Matthew 28:18}Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”