A couple of days ago Stephen Court blogged a list of nine affirmations he found somewhere on someones blog, I think. He didn’t quote, so I can’t either. Here they are:
1. I believe the doctrines of The Salvation Army;
2. I believe that we should (and can) be holy;
3. I believe that we should (and can) win the world;
4. I believe that lots of people are going to hell forever (some who never got saved, and some who lost their salvation);
5. I believe that signs and wonders and prophetic and deliverance will play a big role in winning the world;
6. I believe that charismatic cell-based Christian communities are the most effective means of accomplishing mission today;
7. I believe that God can do something unprecedented with The Salvation Army.
8. I believe that The Salvation Army is a revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus.
9. I believe that covenant is the only hope of avoiding the international fragmentation of The Army within 20 years.
They are an excellent summation of salvationism. I’d want to add something about our call to the poor – the lost the last and the least, but otherwise great. Actually, they are in essence a good summary of all the good stuff that has been coming Stephen himself for the last decade, its the emphasis of every faithful salvationist and I hope that people would hear those things under my ministry.
Those nine little sentences evoke hope, faith, vision and joy and are just an excellent reminder of what I, as a Salvation Army officer, am about.
In this last year or so, you’ve probably noticed, I’ve had some serious doubts and concerns, not about God or my faith, but about my calling and more specifically, my calling as a Salvationist. No doubt they are from the enemy, trying to divert me off track. However, God – gracious, faithful and merciful as he is – has used this last year in a serious time of solidifying and confirming…not to mention shaping and refining. I maybe needed it again just to confirm that resolve of my heart.
I am sincerely in a place today where I can thank God for it all.
Like Stephen said when he posted them, there are some who don’t sign up to this for whatever reason, either through ignorance or through determined objection, perhaps. We can’t always do much about the determined objectors, but there is certainly great purpose in teaching and instructing those who just haven’t heard salvationism described in these ways.
It is my hope, over the next nine blogs, to take each statement and just give comment. Hope you’ll tune in and wade in with your tuppence.
Andrew M Clark 
As always, an inspiring post. I’m definitely challenged by point 6. Is that really the most effective means? It’s definitely going to be interesting finding that one out!AMEN to the rest of it, though! God bless the Salvation Army!
I’ll comment more on number six as I get to it, but yes, there is much to be said about small, charismatic, mission-focussed, supportive, pastoral and accountable groups of disciples. It was the main mode of the early church. It is also in place in every case where the church is currently exploding with growth.Also, as institutional church increasingly is losing its effectivness in reaching the lost (not necessarily in ‘keeping the sheep), different and more infomal set up are going to be needed without a doubt.Discipleship has to return to the heart of the Army and cells/wards are the only way I can really see that happening.The other alternative is that we continue to set up more radical colleges like the War College, but then not everyone can go to the war college. On the local front, its the way to go.It is cheap (requires no buildings), it is flexible (doesn’t need a leader with a theology degree), and it is missionally potent…can meet anywhere and everywhere. Its why I’m sold on the idea. Take the Army closer into authentic community and models something which actually, all of us, in our DNA, are looking for….community which is the by product of making a significant difference in the lives of people and in the winning the world for Jesus.A
I took that picture in my corps chapel several years ago. It is interesting to see how it has gotten around since. I put it on some SA Resource website, which to my knowledge is no longer up… I like it!
yeah, I think thats where I got the image. I like it, good one. I’ve used it lots of times for lots of thinks.Thanks! Pray that God is blessing the war on your front today.A
“I’d want to add something about our call to the poor”please, please, please write more about this!
The first main session on Missional Salvationists will be ‘Gospel for the Poor’ …coming soon! blessingsAndrew