A ‘new chapter’ of mission and ministry is coming, General tells Adelaide Rally
BY LAUREN MARTIN
General Lyndon Buckingham has urged Salvationists of the Australia Territory to “be ready” for a new wave of the Holy Spirit.
In an inspiring message at a packed Adelaide City Salvos auditorium on Wednesday night, The Salvation Army’s world leader challenged people to consider where Jesus stood in their lives – is he ‘present’, ‘prominent’, or ‘pre-eminent’?
“If God is hovering over the movement because he’s preparing us for the next chapter, he’s going to be looking for men and women who are not content with ‘present’, not content with ‘prominent’, but are all-in with the pre-eminence of the King in their lives.”
He said he sees evidence that The Salvation Army is entering a new chapter of mission and ministry.
“God the Holy Spirit is on the move, within the movement. There’s a hovering, there’s a stirring, there’s a dissatisfaction, there’s a hunger for a new wave, and that’s a beautiful thing. And there’s a sense in which God is calling us as his people to position ourselves to be ready for what it is that he needs us to be and to do in the world in these days.”
Earlier, during the rally hosted by the South Australia/Northern Territory Division, Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham said that the world needed people of God who opened themselves to the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“He speaks to us because he needs us to be his hands and feet and his voice in this world … there is no other plan; it is us, and that’s why he speaks to us, and that’s why we must be open to hearing from him.”
The Adelaide Rally was filled with joyous and heartfelt worship, led by the Rev Church Worship Group and the Adelaide Congress Hall Brass Band, with the locally produced song Our Redeemer from Revolution Worship a congregation favourite.
Cutmore Award recipients
Another rally highlight was the presentation of Cutmore Awards to Territorial Envoy Nathan Casey and Major Darren Dwyer.
The award is named in honour of Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore to recognise their pioneering work in establishing The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea, which they did alongside Majors Keith and Edna Baker.
Nathan has been involved in the youth and young adult space for more than 20 years, creating safe and welcoming spaces for people to discover Jesus. In recent years, the Rev Church congregation has grown into a multi-generational congregation under Nathan’s leadership.
Darren took over South Australia’s Gawler Corps in 2012, working out of a thrift shop and holding worship in a side room. Fast-forward to today and Riverside-Gawler is an intergenerational church with three congregations.
“We want this [pioneering spirit] to spread all around our nation, and it’s starting to. There’s a new day ahead!” – Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
After the rally, Nathan was surprised and delighted to be acknowledged for “what I think is just being faithful,” he said. He urged other Salvos, with a calling from Jesus, to start new expressions of faith, or ways of being church, not to wait for permission.
“We have leadership at the moment who are saying, ‘permission is given, just step out and try, and do’… we just have to step out. That takes faith, and it takes courage, but we have a God who provides, and he’s already gone ahead.”
He also said he believed the General’s message about a new chapter for The Salvation Army is one for the worldwide church: “I believe that the Holy Spirit is doing something new across the world and that we are going to see the renewal of the church. It’s going to look different; it will look very different.”
Darren said he was blown away when he was called to the platform to accept his award, and he was greeted with a huge cheer from his Riverside Corps leadership team, whom he didn’t know were in attendance!
“This really belongs to my team,” he said afterwards. “They are just incredible, godly people … I love the privilege I’ve got of being part of the team at Riverside.”
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