Back to basics

Both the present and older orders and regulations for officers point out the essential qualities of a Salvation Army officer.

Salvation.
Unless an officer is converted, however acceptable his abilities or however strong his desire to continue as such he/she will not be equal to the requirements of their calling."

Holiness
An officer should possess this experience because:

he/she was commissioned as such upon profession of faith in this doctrine and their personal life must exemplify the initial pledge;

they can hardly lead their people into this experience unless they enjoy it themselves;
the most powerful argument in his/her platform ministry in a holiness meeting will be their own clear testimony.

Prayer
The officer who is a man or woman of God will also be a man or woman of prayer. It will enrich an officers own spiritual life, it will exercise influence upon the lives of their people and the officer will become more and more senstive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I know that this is basic stuff but if we don't get this basis right we don't get anything right. So hopefully to reassure my leaders and those for whom I'm responsible I thank God for my salvation. I thank God because I can point to a day when the power of sin was broken in me so that my desire is to live wholly for God. I thank God because along the way I have discovered more and more the joy and necessity of prayer.

Yet I need to know it all more and more.

"Not that I have already attained all this, or have already been made perfect but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus has taken hold of me." (Ph 3:12)

God bless

Carol