Salvation Army officers who traveled to the Holy Land in 2023 said the trip changed their lives and opened their spiritual eyes in a new way to the major events surrounding the life of Jesus, particularly the final week of His earthly life. Now when they speak from the pulpit, they do so with the authority of people who truly walked where Jesus walked in Israel and felt His presence.
Holy Week is a special time at The Salvation Army in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Captains Irseris and Ismael Ortiz make sure everyone learns the significance of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The past five years have featured reenactments of the Last Supper and Jesus’ last seven words. This year, the corps is adding Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and Mary Magdalene going to the tomb the morning of the Resurrection. Read how the events have changed the lives of those taking part.
Watching sports can be an enjoyable pastime and a good alternative to often-carnal movies, but when does it become too much? When does it infringe on our spiritual growth? It’s easy to let sports become an idol when God should be the top priority in our lives. Don’t let sporting events, which are often forgotten with the next news cycle, keep you from reading your Bible, praying, and meditating on God’s Word.
Attending church and a midweek Bible study are keys to spiritual growth, but one-on-one discipleship is where new believers can ask questions and discuss spiritual pitfalls with a trusted mentor. It involves a commitment between mentor and mentee to explore Scripture together and allow the Holy Spirit to chip away at the rough edges. Read about a few examples in the USA Eastern Territory.
Jewel Caquias has touched many lives at The Salvation Army in Poughkeepsie over the last 70 years. She exemplifies everything a Salvation Army soldier should be and is an example not only in her corps, but in the community she serves. She is at the corps day after day, year after year, ready with a smile, welcoming strangers who become family and pitching in wherever there’s a need. She also has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
Dealing with grief from the loss of loved ones or broken dreams. The pulpits of Salvation Army churches are not silent on the subject. They thunder the words of 1 Thessalonians 4:13, urging parishioners to grieve with hope of the eternal life to come in Heaven. See what other Bible verses and advice are shared by officers throughout the USA Eastern Territory at this time of year.
Christians should make a statement not only in the way they live, but also in how they die. That was the case for Alba Talavera, who was sure she was headed to Heaven but made it her business to tell others about Christ so they could join her. A former single mother with a heart for youth ministries, this longtime Salvation Army officer inspired her family and everyone around her with her steadfast faith and the way she handled her battle with cancer.
The Salvation Army helped Mark Shapp’s family when he was young, and he never forgot that generosity. Today, donning a penguin costume, he stands kettles for The Salvation Army and helps many other organizations with his time and talent. His story dovetails nicely with The Salvation Army’s “Give with Joy” campaign based on 2 Corinthians 9:7, which teaches Christian believers that “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Brendy Best thought she had beaten breast cancer in 2007, but the disease returned in 2024 and got everyone she knows praying. The treatment has been exhausting, but she continues to show up to help feed the least of these at the Bushwick Corps in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she serves in the soup kitchen. Her steadfast faith and Christian example in battling cancer a second time inspires everyone, including her officers.
The Christian faith mixes as easy as paint at this after-school arts program at The Salvation Army in Pottsville, Pa. It might never have happened without a chance meeting between Captain BettyEllen Barrett and Shelby Van Cleef, who leads the program, at a Pennsylvania street fair. The area is a rough one, and The Salvation Army provides a safe space every Thursday for kids ages 6 to high school to express their artistic sides and learn about the love of Jesus Christ.
The Salvation Army Mission Statement
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Headquarters
Serving communities in Connecticut, Delaware, Northeast Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
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