As a symbolic act, the launch of The Whole World Mobilizing, the international Salvation Army initiative to encourage and enable Salvationists and friends to engage more closely with their communities, could not have sent a clearer message. The event was not a gathering in; it was a sending out: a time of vibrant worship that spilled from International Headquarters (IHQ) onto the streets of central London where passers-by were swept along by a wave of joy and praise.
Interviewed by IHQ employee Andrew Yates (a soldier at Bromley Temple Corps), General André Cox said the initiative follows in the footsteps of the international prayer and Bible reading programs linked to the Boundless International Congress in 2015. In a way, he said, the initiative is the legacy of the congress, which emphasized the urgency of being mobilized.
“We need to get out and rediscover our mission,” said the General, addressing not only the congregation at IHQ but also a worldwide audience that was following the event online through a live stream. He emphasized the importance of The Salvation Army’s two-fold mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination. “Where the Army is growing,” he said about his international travels, “is in the places where we remember the two-fold mission.”
The General spoke about The Salvation Army’s potential that is yet to be fulfilled. “The Army is in 128 countries in so many grass-roots communities. Jesus turned the world upside down with 12 people. We have 1.2 million soldiers! It’s incredible to think what we can achieve, powered by the Holy Spirit.”
The video of the launch can be viewed at sar.my/mobilisinglaunch. For more information and resources go to mobilising.salvationarmy.org.
Source: International Headquarters Communications
