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National Commander rallies team in keynote speech

May 15, 2007
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National Advisory Organizations Conference 2007

Advisory organizations and Salvation Army personnel a “team of champions.”

 

National Commander, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither

“We are a team of champions!” declared the National Commander, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, during the keynote address at the general session of the NAOC in Dallas. “This team of Army champions is on duty all across America—24/7. In fact, the sun never sets on the work of this champion Army.”

Gaither went on to define the gathering in Dallas as a time for the recommitting of heart and hand and feet to the vision, power, purpose and promise of the manifesto: Doing the Most Good. “We must return to our mission stations with a new passion for the transformation of people and places all across America,” said Gaither. “It’s time for the rising of fresh hope for every citizen. It’s time to recapture spiritual and moral values. This manifesto drives us to act for a higher purpose and for a larger public good. We must pursue the doing of the ‘most good,’ for if we don’t do it, who will?”

Gaither spelled out the mission purpose of the Army—“to undertake redemptive activity and serve as a model—without apology—of what it means to live godly in a culture abstaining from faith. It is to not just ‘serve’ the poor and marginalized—it is to rescue the lost and hurting from their spiritual, physical and intellectual impoverishment…[it] is a battle for the body, mind, heart and soul of a people—and our nation,” he said. “So let our coming together deepen our resolve to improve our serve—for the sake of those at the edge of hope.”

Those assembled came from across America and around the globe. They are not an army of volunteers “behind” the Army, he noted; they are an army “within” the Army. As an advisory board chairman said to him a few months ago, “Commissioner, I’m a soldier too!”

“So we’ve come to ‘skill up’ and ‘sharpen up,’” he challenged. “We’re here to receive and give; to think the future; to recommit to a huge task. We can’t leave on Sunday to re-engage the places of our service as though it were business as usual. That will never be good enough.”

Gaither summarized the work of the Army, stating that 37 million people are defined as living in poverty in this nation, and the Army has touched well over 35 million in each of the past two years. Americans love and trust The Salvation Army. They contributed $113 million to the 2006 Red Kettle Campaign—an indication of their trust as well as the belief that the Army can really do something about alleviating the conditions of an impoverished people living in a troubled culture.

But there is the challenge for our service to become deeper, wider and broader. “We must be a safety net for the underserved. But we must also speak more clearly and on their behalf—to structures and systems that keep the poor—poor; the marginalized—at the margins,” he continued. “I hear this Army of champions being summoned to a higher call.”

When The Salvation Army physically rescues a person, Gaither explained, that’s just part of the victory. “‘Doing the Most Good’ is a call to also alleviate the cause distressing the person—resulting in a disturbing culture.”

Continuing, he stated: “We serve to fight the cause and effect by protecting, rescuing, advocating, speaking. We must find new ways to promote a culture of positive relationships. It’s up to us to re-introduce biblical values into a disbelieving society.

“Together we can do more to bring the threatened marginalized to the center of this great society. After all, this is a gathering of an Army of Champions. And we must narrow the gap.

“I also pray that we shall resolve to narrow the gap of faith. Faith and social policy intersect in the mission of the Army.”

Finally, the National Commander asked, “So what does faith have to do with human trafficking; kids and pornography; a family at risk; the loss of community; inadequate health care—all of this in a country to which the tired and poor arrive on our shores seeking the dream of a better life? It has everything to do with that which makes life less that God intended. “We are a team of champions!” declared the National Commander, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, during the keynote address at the general session of the NAOC in Dallas. “This team of Army champions is on duty all across America—24/7. In fact, the sun never sets on the work of this champion Army.”

Gaither went on to define the gathering in Dallas as a time for the recommitting of heart and hand and feet to the vision, power, purpose and promise of the manifesto: Doing the Most Good. “We must return to our mission stations with a new passion for the transformation of people and places all across America,” said Gaither. “It’s time for the rising of fresh hope for every citizen. It’s time to recapture spiritual and moral values. This manifesto drives us to act for a higher purpose and for a larger public good. We must pursue the doing of the ‘most good,’ for if we don’t do it, who will?”

Gaither spelled out the mission purpose of the Army—“to undertake redemptive activity and serve as a model—without apology—of what it means to live godly in a culture abstaining from faith. It is to not just ‘serve’ the poor and marginalized—it is to rescue the lost and hurting from their spiritual, physical and intellectual impoverishment…[it] is a battle for the body, mind, heart and soul of a people—and our nation,” he said. “So let our coming together deepen our resolve to improve our serve—for the sake of those at the edge of hope.”

Those assembled came from across America and around the globe. They are not an army of volunteers “behind” the Army, he noted; they are an army “within” the Army. As an advisory board chairman said to him a few months ago, “Commissioner, I’m a soldier too!”

“So we’ve come to ‘skill up’ and ‘sharpen up,’” he challenged. “We’re here to receive and give; to think the future; to recommit to a huge task. We can’t leave on Sunday to re-engage the places of our service as though it were business as usual. That will never be good enough.”

Gaither summarized the work of the Army, stating that 37 million people are defined as living in poverty in this nation, and the Army has touched well over 35 million in each of the past two years. Americans love and trust The Salvation Army. They contributed $113 million to the 2006 Red Kettle Campaign—an indication of their trust as well as the belief that the Army can really do something about alleviating the conditions of an impoverished people living in a troubled culture.

But there is the challenge for our service to become deeper, wider and broader. “We must be a safety net for the underserved. But we must also speak more clearly and on their behalf—to structures and systems that keep the poor—poor; the marginalized—at the margins,” he continued. “I hear this Army of champions being summoned to a higher call.”

When The Salvation Army physically rescues a person, Gaither explained, that’s just part of the victory. “‘Doing the Most Good’ is a call to also alleviate the cause distressing the person—resulting in a disturbing culture.”

Continuing, he stated: “We serve to fight the cause and effect by protecting, rescuing, advocating, speaking. We must find new ways to promote a culture of positive relationships. It’s up to us to re-introduce biblical values into a disbelieving society.

“Together we can do more to bring the threatened marginalized to the center of this great society. After all, this is a gathering of an Army of Champions. And we must narrow the gap.

“I also pray that we shall resolve to narrow the gap of faith. Faith and social policy intersect in the mission of the Army.”

Finally, the National Commander asked, “So what does faith have to do with human trafficking; kids and pornography; a family at risk; the loss of community; inadequate health care—all of this in a country to which the tired and poor arrive on our shores seeking the dream of a better life? It has everything to do with that which makes life less that God intended.

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