I just read this below quote and thought it would be interesting for people tor research and find out all the way that the salvation army used for evangelism:"People have said that he poked his umbrella into the ground and talked to it, like a man mad, to attract a crowd. Others asserted that he was so striking in appearance, and eloquent in speech that he would not have needed such a device." (speaking of william booth)
the Salvation Army used many ways to attract a hearing for their gospel. One preacher kicked a large biscuit (cookie) tin through a poor part of London and when the crowd gathered to protest about the noise he preached to them.Another ran through a district ringing a large handbell and crying 'fire, fire'. The crowd followed and asked him where the fire was. You can quess his answer. ;-) Another placed a hat on the ground and danced around it crying 'it's alive'. When the crowd gathered he lifted up the hat to reveal a Bible which he described as the living word.A procession walked through London streets with a coffin (casket) on their shoulders. When a crowd gathered the lid was removed and a man sat up in the coffin and preached about resurrection and judgement.I don't know about the specific incident mentioned here, but it would not surprise me at all. This sounds very much like William Booth.They used to say that wherever the Salvation Army went they either had a revival or a riot, but no one ever ignored them.
Does the Salvation Army still do such evangelism today?
Does the Salvation Army still do such evangelism today?A friend of mine is a Salvationist and herself is a keen evangelist but, like others, she has come up against what are known in 'the Army' as 'top brass' - even though their most senior officer until recently is a gifted hymnwriter, whose work is included in their current hymnbook.There has been resistance to innovation and overt use of the gifts of the Spirit, although without doubt these are in operation in many lives of ordinary 'soldiers'.One such, is a name you could investigate - Phil Wall. He is a preacher evangelist who has used some wacky gimmicks to get his point across to conference audiences and local corps. His home corps is in London, UK, but he is invited worldwide to preach - and no-one can stop him!He is passionate about challenging poverty - which means challenging those with financial means to give more. Not sure how often he's done this, but he took a very large sum of cash in £10 notes into one gathering. This real money he offered to give away. The recipient had to decide whether he was going to keep the money, or, try to double it, as an exercise in increasing his 'talents'. Part of the meaning of 'giving' the money, was to say that salvation is free. I'm sure the end of this exercise will have been reported somewhere in print, but all I can remember is that he genuinely did GIVE £10 to anyone who would take it - to keep - or, to try to mulitply it for the furtherance of the Kingdom. Some people found they could keep on doubling their money.... sorry, I don't know what they did with it next! :-?Apart from the exercise itself, it is a great bye into sharing something about God's love with those who've never heard of His generosity. 8-)
One man put a violin case down on a busy sidewalk and backed away with his hands in the area saying "It's gonna go off! It's gonna go off!" It would startle the crowd, and then he would run, pick up his violin, and play it before preaching to the befuddled on lookers.Another man had no musical ability so every evening he lay on his side in the snow. This was quite odd to the on lookers. He did this all week until at the end of the week, once everyone became accustomed to this strange sight, he shot up and started preachingThey did all these before they started using musical bands to attract an auidence.
Does the Salvation Army still do such evangelism today?William Booth is reputed to have said;"salvation, soup and soap; in that order!"The SA in the UK is now famous for the latter but not so famous for the former.
Actually I believe it was... soup, soup then salvation (SSS). So the army is continuing to look after people with the love of Christ but is refraining to offer salvation as a paramount object of their mission. I saw a video of the current general and he seemed pretty intense and spoke of salvation as the primary means to help anyone.
Actually I believe it was... soup, soup then salvation (SSS). So the army is continuing to look after people with the love of Christ but is refraining to offer salvation as a paramount object of their missionI was in a meeting in Des Moines with a brother preaching to Salvationist leaders calling them back to their roots. It was quite a scene! Yet every person there but one stood up at the end of the second session to make a commitment to to begin turning back to those early roots (they were all leaders of one rank or another). Some seemed to only have a limited knowledge of these things. Others knew more, but were seemingly hesitant to go that route. I detected it in the conversations after the meeting. The encouraging thing is that they were willing to listen! Would it not be an awesome thing if somehow these things could be brought before them on a large scale for their reconsideration?
Some seemed to only have a limited knowledge of these things. some years ago I had what I call my 6 months in the Salvation Army. I read everything I could get my hands on about the movement. I read biographies of William, Catherine, Bramwell. I read Railton and Logan Brengle. I saw how most of C T Studd's personal fortune was actually given to the SA for their charitable work. 'Sell what you have and give to the poor...' I was so excited that I took advantage to enthuse to some Salvationists. They were quite ignorant of their origins.I wish I could find the quote but on one occasion William Booth declared that the special mission of the Salvation Army was the stewardship of the Wesleyan teaching of Sanctification. "There is One God, and John Wesley is his prophet" was one of his phrases. Anyway the quote I can't find is one in which he said something to the effect that if the Salvation Army lost its distinctive stewardship 'he hoped the movement would die, and that he would ask God for permission to come to the funeral'.In the UK the believers' meeting is still called the Holiness Meeting. Is that so elsewhere? It is sobering to talk to Salvationists about the army's early days, and to talk to Methodists of theirs.Somewhere on this site there used to be a couple of pictures of the Booth graves in London. Don't know whether Greg could locate them? They are a challenge too.
In the UK the believers' meeting is still called the Holiness Meeting. Is that so elsewhere? It is sobering to talk to Salvationists about the army's early days, and to talk to Methodists of theirsIt is amazing how widespread their influence is in our parts. They have several Salvation Army Thrift Stores and they generally play some sort of Christian music throughout the store. They do a lot of work with charity, etc. I have some friends who were raised up in the Salvation Army, but I don't think they are aware of Wesley's works. They have since gone on to other ministries. The feeling I always get no matter where I am is a sort of 'peer pressure' from Christians to 'tone things down!' this means not to get to heavy in scripture but just send the kids to camp and let them learn that serving God is 'fun.' This is a common line for those who were in youth ministry, even in Salvationist youth camps. The emphasis in my very limited experience seems to go anywhere BUT Wesleyian. Charismatic or some other thing- but not Weslyian. What I know about Willaim Booth is that he was radical for the souls of men. People were on fire for God. I have heard that the bell ringers have had to be hired over the years in some cases due to a lack of volunteers. What a contrast! God send revival to the Salvation Army!
Great comments RW. That would be great to see the SA revived, or anyone to the level of Booth. Like Campbell said: "Oh, that we might see it."Phil, this is hilarious:"There is One God, and John Wesley is his prophet"...still laughing.
My girlfriend when she was in high school volunteered to ring the bell outside a Walmart at Christmas time with the Salvation Army. I remember when they used to be allowed outside of Target, and I saw one Salvationist smoking a cigarette while rining his bell. William Booth would probably roll over in his grave if he saw such today.
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