Being Called to Love

Captain Kendall Stout, corps officer of The Salvation Army Lock Haven Corps in eastern Pennsylvania, talks about Bible sword drills, welcoming people who are homeless to the church, and how becoming a married partner in ministry will change the way she serves.

Two years ago, a large number of homeless people started coming to the Lock Haven Corps. We had made connections with local shelters, and their residents learned that here at the corps, they could receive daily meals and fresh coffee in the mornings. Also, the local shelter didn’t open for them until 6 p.m. So, I let the residents know that, any day they wanted to, they could stay here until we closed the building at 5 p.m. Serving people who are forgotten by the community is my No. 1 ministry. So many of them are just simply down on their luck, and they’re all people who have lived interesting lives. We have TVs for them to watch, they can take trips to the thrift store for clothing, and we even want to see about installing a shower for them at the corps. I prepare their favorite meals, take their clothing home to wash, and even give them haircuts at the corps. I didn’t know how to cut hair before, but ministry and taking care of others comes in different ways, so I bought some clippers and taught myself. It was another way to serve.

After years of being away from the church, I came back to lead youth programs at my corps. That ministry was what drew me into The Salvation Army, and working with children has been part of each of my appointments. The Lock Haven Corps has an after-school program that transitions to a day camp in the summer. Many of the children come from broken homes or are without parents in their lives. But here, they can learn what love is. Being around kids keeps me young too. It’s the only time I can completely let go and be childish right along with them.

I remember not being great at school. Even while training to be an officer, I didn’t learn with complicated words and lofty ideas. Instead, I broke things down to a very general, digestible sense and learned from there. That’s how I teach others today, by taking Scripture and breaking it down in such a way that it is easily digestible and applicable to the people I’m teaching. I teach kids and adults, and sometimes those lessons can be very similar. For example, all ages enjoy doing “sword drills”—competitions to see who can find a verse in the Bible the fastest and read it aloud. It’s fast-paced and interactive, and it makes the Bible accessible down to the books, the chapters, and the verses. I don’t ever want the Word of God to be dull or hard to understand for anyone.

My husband, Richard, was just commissioned as a Salvation Army lieutenant this June. Being partners in ministry is a big adjustment. We’re two very different people! He grew up in India and came to the United States to become an officer; I’ve been a single corps officer in Pennsylvania for seven years. Richard has incredible book smarts. I’m more of a commonsense, street-smarts person. Splitting the responsibilities of running a corps is new for me. If the corps had holes in the walls or needed a new kitchen floor, I’d fix it myself. Having Richard by my side to share the work and make decisions (along with being newly married and possibly starting a family) is very exciting. We’ve both hit the reset button as pastors, and it’s going to be interesting to see what our ministry will look like in a few months.

I don’t think I was specifically called to be a teacher and a preacher, although I am both of those today. But my calling is much simpler than that: God has called me to love others. That’s the overarching theme of everything I do, and it’s the very basis of all our ministries. Is it easy? Not always. But it is always a privilege to be in a position to show God’s love.