The General of The Salvation Army, Lynden Buckingham, has called for a new global strategy. It’s intention is to mobilize the Army for mission through increasing its governance, improving it’s structures, freeing it’s recourses, and empowering it’s members. This is my reflection on it.

Introduction

At the moment, an overview page and a short video by the General have been released. We have been told that more resources will be made available in the future. As they are released, I intend to review each one, which means that, at the moment, this is very much a surface-level review.

Also, just a reminder, these are just my thoughts on the material, not anything official.

The general’s short introduction video helps us get a sense of what is going on. One key point he makes is that: every centre, every corps, can be involved in the framework, as well as those at the territorial level.

Shared Purpose For Everyone

Unity of purpose and mission is being emphasised. Identity emerges from shared purpose and a unified sense of direction. Everyone moving in the same direction to achieve the same aims creates a strong identity and sense of unity.

A shared mission worked out at every level of the movement also increases capacity because it reduces what is frequently referred to as ‘mission drift’ which is when elements of the movement end up focusing their resources and time on achieving something which is not related, or only tangentially related, to the overall mission of the movement.

By placing the movement’s goal as something that every level of that movement can contribute towards, and not only the larger, more strategic elements, mission drift at the local level is reduced, and resources can achieve a higher return on investment.

The aim of the global strategic frameworks is to advance the cause of our movement. The strategy is not the aim in itself; its goal is to advance the cause of the movement. This returns to the previous point: everything is directed towards achieving the movement’s mission.

The strategy itself seems to be a classic three-year model. However, at the moment, there have not been any indicators for measurable success of implementation of achievement through this strategy. But, as I said earlier, more resources are coming out, and it has only been a day since this announcement was made.

Impact factors for measuring success will hopefully be released so that we can know how the strategy will be judged as a success or failure and how the framework will be introduced.

Compass does not exist on its own

This strategy has not emerged in a vacuum.

In 2016, General Cox introduced the International Accountability Framework called the Journey of Renewal.

This was designed to improve accountability for the movement worldwide, particularly around using resources, safeguarding, and implementing the Army’s mission.

https://accountability.salvationarmy.org/#:~:text=We%20all%20need%20to%20be%20accountable%20for%20every%20aspect%20of

This new global strategic framework seems to be building on the same intentions as the Journey of Renewal attempted to achieve. Unifying the Army world, streamlining and improving the effectiveness of its structures, tightening the focus on mission goals, and strengthening the identity of the Army.

The webpage for the new strategy is here, including the resources currently available and, I imagine, where future resources will be published.

https://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/strategy

Overall Framework

The overall framework is structured into three sections, each with four points, creating 12 mission priorities for the Army. This structure is designed to act like a ‘compass’ to help the Army and its constituent parts find the right direction. The one-page brochure says: With Compass, we’re dedicated to leaving a God-honouring legacy behind by adopting three areas of focus.

The language of legacy is an interesting choice and forms one-third of the mission’s focuses: empowering people, enhancing mission impact, and establishing an enduring legacy. I think the language of legacy is being used to highlight the Army’s future work rather than something for which the Army will be remembered.

Just as the modern Army draws from the legacy left to it by the historical Army, for good and for ill, so the future Army that this strategy intends to shape will build on the legacy left to it by the Army of today. Strategy is forward-looking; it is about changing the present to secure the future.

The final part of the one-page brochure finishes with a typically Salvationist call to action: With Compass, our legacy is known. What legacy will you leave?

The language of legacy is important to remember. This strategic framework is not just about the next five years. Considerable emphasis is being given to the long-term survival and thriving of the Army.

Compass, the global strategic framework, has set out the kind of future the General and International Headquarters want for the Army. The challenge is for individual Salvationists, centres and corps, divisions, regions, and territories to make this happen.

This challenge is framed in the sense of personal legacy. Each member of the Army is responsible for shaping the future where they are. It is a call to personal responsibility for the mission of the Army.

The intentional framing throughout this initial document is that the success of achieving the mission of the Army rests on each member and not only on territorial commanders.

Empowering People

People are at the heart of our mission. We want to ensure our people understand our mission and how they can participate in making it happen more effectively.

There is perhaps a slight ambiguity here over whether people are at the heart of achieving the Army’s mission or whether people are at the heart of the Army’s mission’s goal.

The four priorities for this focus suggest that for the Army to be able to achieve its mission, care and attention must be given to its people. But, more importantly, there must be ‘buy-in’ from its people.

Every Army member needs to know how they can participate in making the Army’s mission happen. The more members who are directly involved in achieving the Army’s mission, the more likely it is that the mission will be accomplished.

However, the Army, as a hierarchical institution with its internationalism centred on the movement of officers and the role of IHQ, gives two out of four of the priorities in this section to officers.

In the UK, the mission of the Army is increasingly achieved through its Officers, volunteers, and employees. Due to the changing circumstances of life, which reduces the amount of free time people have available to support the work of the Army, there has been an increased reliance on these groups to achieve the Army’s mission.

This focus, and the strategic framework more generally, seeks to mobilise the Army’s membership to get involved in the mission and not leave it to the organisation to achieve. Full participation is being called for.

I’d suggest that the first priority for this section, Spiritual Life, is central to every other part of this mission framework. If people are not doing number one, then it doesn’t matter if any of the other eleven priorities are achieved.

1 – Spiritual Life – Know Jesus, be like Jesus, do what Jesus did.

Without this, nothing else matters. Everyone is called to be a disciple of Jesus: to know who Jesus is through faith, to be like Jesus through sanctification, and to live like Jesus through the life of holiness. The mission of the Army can only be achieved by disciples—people who love Jesus and want others to love him, too.

2 – Leadership Development – Equip leaders with the tools they need to be effective.

This is an interesting point. Leadership development is not necessarily framed from the perspective of personal formation but through ‘tools.’ Whether this is personal skills in ministry, better technology, access to equipment, or improved lines of communication, it is about what supports the leader in achieving the missional goal. It does not seem to be about who the leader is.

But I think this could be because a leader is simply someone who fulfils priority number one and is then given access to the skills and equipment necessary to influence and support others into fulfilling priority number one for themselves. A leader is a disciple with additional tools and skills.

3 – Officer Wellness – A greater focus on officers’ mental, physical and spiritual health.

This is a vast topic, and I am thrilled it has been made a mission priority for the Army. The Army depends on officers for it to thrive and function effectively, and officers need to be healthy to do this.

Physical health is important. It improves capacity long term, provides resilience when undertaking the physical requirements of being a corps or centre officer, and also speaks to a healthy understanding of incarnational theology.

It can be difficult for officers to maintain physical health, and so support from the Army is key to encouraging and enabling officers to maintain their physical health—a journey that I am only just starting to work on myself.

Mental health is foundational to the capacity of an officer. Many officers experience difficulty with their mental health. I go through periods of depression and anxiety regularly. Others will have complex needs, ongoing problems with their mental health, or various forms of neurodiversity.

People minister out of their context in a truly beautiful manner but need support. Equally, there is a cost to being an officer. The mental load of supporting people in complex situations eventually takes its toll.

In the UK, work is being undertaken to ensure pastoral supervision, mentoring, and spiritual direction are in place for each officer, alongside the wonderful work done by the Wellbeing department.

The spiritual health of an officer is easy to overlook, but when it is, the whole officership of that person comes crashing down. An officer needs to be able to take time to pray, study, read their Bible, and attend to the needs of their faith and relationship with Jesus. They need to be able to do so without feeling that it gets in the way of other work or that it is a personal indulgence.

Officers need to model priority number one so that other disciples know that’s what they should be doing, too.

4 – Officer Compensation – Provide full allowances for all active officers.

This is something that General Shaw Clifton worked towards, and that was further emphasised by the Journey to Renewal. The health and well-being of the Army depend on officers getting full and reasonable allowances in every part of the Army world.

This improves the health and well-being of officers, decreases corruption and temptations for sinful behaviour, and increases the availability of officers to maintain their ministry for the whole of their lives.

This might not seem particularly missional, but the whole point of the first focus is not directly achieving the mission but supporting the Army’s members in achieving it. I think that this will be key for understanding ‘Compass’ going forward—the emphasis is less on the mission goal and more on mobilisation for the mission.

Enhancing Mission Impact

God has given us this mission – to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination. By knowing and understanding God’s mission, we can trust he will guide us through an ever-changing future.

The Army’s mission hasn’t changed, and the international mission statement remains the same. This framework is about how to better achieve that mission, not altering it. It is a strategic framework, not a new outcome.

Central to it is supporting and encouraging people to know and understand this mission. Understanding what God wants for the Army, as expressed in the mission statement, means that the members of the Army can trust God to lead them through difficult times and complicated decisions.

By keeping the ‘main thing the main thing,’ the Army can achieve its mission.

Another important element of this framework seems to be that everything is to be targeted towards achieving the Army’s mission. Missional drift is to be avoided by making sure every level of the Army and every member of the Army knows, understands, and believes in its mission. Full mobilisation for the mission is the key to achieving the mission.

5 – Membership – Define how people can belong to Salvation Army fellowships.

This is a hot topic in the Army world at the moment. What does it mean to belong to the Army? Who can be a member? What does it mean to be a soldier or an adherent?

I have no idea what the answers to this will be, only that I doubt it will be able to make everyone happy. But, there has been a need for a central statement on this issue for a while. Hopefully, this will bring clarity to the question of membership in the Army.

6 – Covenant – Review soldiers’ and officers’ covenants with a 21st-century lens.

Lt. Col. Karen Shakespeare, who wrote the current Handbook of Doctrine, has been working on reviewing the Orders & Regulations for soldiers. The soldiers’ covenant (what used to be called the Articles of War) and the officers’ covenant have remained mostly unchanged for quite a while.

Reviewing and potentially updating either the language or the content for the context in which the Army is currently serving means that the Army can maintain its focus on mission in the world as it is today and not as it was yesterday.

A mantra for military strategy is do not fight yesterday’s wars. The Salvation Army seems to be seeking to follow that mantra.

7 – IHQ/THQ – Assess the relationship between International Headquarters and territorial headquarters.

This could result in several things, all of which are entirely speculative now. Historically, there has always been tension between IHQ and the various territorial headquarters.

Initially, this was part of the backlash to the London-centric and British-centric leadership of the early Army, which saw the USA try and split away and various territories, including Germany and Norway, try and find ways to remain in the Salvation Army without being controlled by IHQ. However, the Army’s international unity depends on the role of IHQ and the General in particular.

There have been calls for a more federal-style approach, with each territory able to make more decisions about its operations. However, since the question of membership is also a priority for this framework, I would suggest that this is not something that will emerge.

However, as the relationship between IHQ and THQs is part of this framework, it appears that some clarification will be made. Obviously, this will only be revealed when more resources are released.

8 – Mission Integration – Purse strategies that integrate corps and social ministry delivery.

This has been a problem for the Army since 1890 when the social reform work and the evangelism work were separated. Officers were trained separately and worked separately with separate leadership structures.

Now, as the formal social work of the Army is increasingly undertaken by employees, not all of whom are disciples of Jesus, there is again an increasing tension between evangelism work and social work.

I think that this priority is really important. The whole spectrum of what the Army does is all proper Army. Corps, social centres, drop-ins, hospitals, disaster relief, mission persons’ work, schools, social enterprises, and many other things are all part of that greater mission: to transform the world.

Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ includes meeting human needs. They are not separate things. By seeking to more closely integrate the two elements of Army work, I am hopeful that a greater Army identity will emerge.

Establishing An Enduring Legacy

We will strive to pass on a healthy, flourishing Salvation Army to future generations by being excellent stewards of all that is entrusted to our care.

This framework concerns the future of the Army. The modern Army will need to adapt and change to stop looking backwards and start looking forward.

This means taking responsibility for the use of Army resources, including people, buildings, and money. It also means taking responsibility for the Army’s impact on the world around us, including partnerships with other churches or charities, governments, and independent bodies such as the United Nations.

There is so much negative talk about the Army by its members, especially in the echo chambers of social media. If members of the Army could gain a sense of positivity and hope for its future and then exercise that hope in practice and communication, it would revitalise and energise the Army in a way which would be amazing to see.

This mission focus seems to be trying to do something similar: increasing positivity around the Army by intentionally building for the future.

9 – Resource Allocation – Commitment to local and global financial stability.

If the Army has no money, it can’t operate—simple as that. The Army does not make enough money from its various enterprises to support itself and requires donations from members of the public and its own membership to survive and thrive.

Using this money, therefore, carries a moral burden to achieve the best results and honour the intentions of those who have given it.

The Army needs to gain local and global stability with its finances rather than depending on some areas of the Army to prop up other areas. Without financial stability, the mission of the Army will always be at risk from financial problems.

This means more attention is given to funding than creative and innovative missional ideas. Getting the finances sorted means that the mission of the Army can endure beyond today.

This includes the way officers spend money at their corps and the way territories plan their budgets. It means asking members to contribute faithfully and regularly and seeking external funding.

This is not secondary to the mission; it is part of how the Army will achieve its mission.

10 – Institutions – Maximise excellence in institutional services.

It will be interesting to see how this will be developed in the upcoming resources. I think it links back to the idea of ensuring everything is aimed towards the mission and that the best return on investment is being achieved.

By maximising excellence not only do you get a better return on your investment, you also increase the possiblity of repeating that return in other locations.

But I think there is also a spiritual element to this.

If everything that the Army does is for the sake of the mission of God, not only in corps but in every aspect, including its institutional services, then only the best is good enough. It is not simply the case of trying to be good at what we do, it is because what we do is being done for God, and so needs to be done to the best of our ability.

11 – Global Partnerships – Establish new strategic funding models to ensure financial stability.

This links back to priority nine. There is a need to get the funding right. At the moment, there are territories with lots of money and territories with no money, territories with lots of members and territories with few members, territories that are growing and territories that are declining.

I obviously don’t know what this priority will look like, but it seems to suggest that the way funding is allocated around the world will be changed.

12 – THQ Operational Health – Develop systems of efficiency to amplify our mission in every territory.

The systems and structures matter for a territory’s capacity to achieve the Army’s mission. If those systems and structures restrict missional capacity, then they need to be altered or removed.

The aim is efficiency, which reduces waste, increases the return on investment, and emphasises the achievement of missional goals. No resources are wasted on mission drift; instead, they are focused on achieving those missional goals.

This could be a priority which profoundly impacts territories across the Army world. But again, we will need to wait and see what the resources say.

Wait And See

Ultimately, everything I’ve written could be wrong (just like everything else, really!), but we won’t know until more resources are rolled out. I would particularly like to see how the framework’s success will be measured. When more resources are released, I will write about those as well.

From what has been released so far, I am positive and encouraged about what this could mean for the Army. I think this could have a very real and positive impact on the Army today and in the future.

My biggest takeaway is the emphasis on members’ personal responsibility for the Army’s mission and the call to total mobilisation to achieve that mission. If this is taught well and people take it up, then it really could make a huge difference to this movement.

Conclusion

I hope this has been interesting and helpful. It is only my own thoughts and reflections on a limited amount of information. It reflects what has been released and makes guesses about what it all might mean.

This could all change going forward as new information is released. It will be an interesting journey to see where this takes us.

If you have any comments, questions, or thoughts about the material, please leave a comment.

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