Worldwide Prayer Meeting

Oct 2, 2024 | by Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee

Prayer Focus: New Zealand, Fiji,

Tonga & Samoa Territory

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name;
make known among the nations what He has done.
Sing to Him, sing praise to Him;
tell of all His wonderful acts.

Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

I Chronicles 16:8-10

Prayer

Dear God, You are all wise and holy. All power and majesty is Yours. Thank You for allowing us to know You and that You seek to dwell within us. You call us to live rightly with You and with each other. Center me today in You and bring to mind in my life the world that needs You. Help me be aware of people who are treated unjustly, of those who are ignored or cast aside, those who are suffering in body or mind, those who are in economic need, for leaders in all levels. May I, as one of Your people on earth, reflect Your love and care for all with whom I come in contact and embody Your righteousness and love. Because I remember You loved me when I was poor and needy and had nothing. And You still do. Thank You, my precious Lord and Savior. I pray this in Your holiest of names. Amen.

Background of the

New Zealand, Tonga & Samoa Territory

New Zealand was a long time British colony and remains a part of the British commonwealth. Its original aboriginal people known as the Māori’s signed treaties with the British but as often happened, these agreements were quickly set aside in favor of the colonists. In more recent years, attempts have been made for more equitable treatment of the Māori’s and to show greater appreciation for their culture and heritage.

Fiji was also part of the British Empire. Resentment was created when the British imported indentured servants from India, often making Fijians a minority within their own country. That racial tension persists to the present time. Fijians were quick to embrace the gospel, but this resentment has hampered evangelism to the Indian population.

Tonga has a rich Christian heritage, almost to the point of an oversaturation of churches, generating competition between the churches. Sadly, this has contributed to some spiritual decline and schisms among some of the denominations. A diaspora of Tongans around the world has resulted in more Tongans living outside of the country than in.

Samoa has also had a rich Christian heritage for over a hundred years, although there is widespread nominalism. There has been a recent growth among evangelicals which has been encouraging. And Samoan missionaries have been wonderful in reaching out across the Pacific region.

The Salvation Army opened in New Zealand in Dunedin in April 1883 when Captain George Pollard and Lt. Edward Wright commenced the work. Social work began the next year with a home for ex-prisoners. Work in Fiji was started in November 1973 by Captain Brian and Mrs. Beverly McStay. In Tonga, work began on January 9, 1986, by Captain Tifare and Mrs. Rebecca Inia. Samoa saw its work started officially by Lt. Colonels Roderick and Jennifer Carey on August 1, 2018.

Facts, Stats and Leadership of the

New Zealand, Tonga & Samoa Territory

• Total population to fish and disciple: 6,442,803
• 258 officers, 4 auxiliary-captains, 8 envoys, 21 cadets and 1,954 employees
• 266 retired officers
• 90 corps, 18 outposts
• 4,595 senior soldiers
• 1,427 adherents
• 679 junior soldiers

Leadership

Commissioner Mark Campbell - Territorial Commander

Commissioner Julie Campbell - Territorial President of Women's Ministries

Colonel Gerald Walker - Chief Secretary

Lt. Colonel Elsi Sarimin - Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries

Prayer Requests for the

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga & Samoa Territory

Whole Territory

Praise – We give thanks that God is doing a good work in our Recovery Churches which are flourishing and seeing people connect deeper in their faith. There has also been an upturn in attendance at worship services across the territory.

Prayer – For guidance and wisdom as the territory continues to work through its Sustainability Roadmap. Ensuring that we are being good stewards of our resources to fulfil our vision and mission and to see greater mission impact for the Kingdom of God

New Zealand

Praise – We give thanks to God for the relatively smooth transition to our new Local Mission Delivery and Connected Support Network Model that has been rolled out in New Zealand this year.

Prayer – For more candidates for 2025. We desire to see more people respond to the call of God on their lives for fulltime service.

Fiji

Praise – For the increase in discipleship, soldiership and community impact since the 50^th Anniversary Celebrations in December 2023.

Prayer – Discernment and funding for an appropriate response to the ever-growing drug use, trafficking problem and homelessness issues particularly for children in Fiji.

Tonga

Praise – For the lives changed and enriched at the recent Amplify Creative Arts Camp. Over 60 young people gathered to deepen in their faith and to learn new ways to express their worship and love for God.

Prayer – For new premises for the Regional Headquarters and ADAC (Alcohol & Drug Awareness Centre). Their rental agreement is coming to an end shortly so new premises are required urgently.

Samoa

Praise - for our recent Women’s Ministry Market Day. This was a great opportunity of outreach to our neighbours and surrounding community.

• Territorial Youth Institute and Territorial Music Institute

Prayer – For CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) being held in Samoa in October. This event will bring a boost to Samoa’s economy but will also be a time of challenge for families in the community with schools closed and many services reduced including within The Salvation Army.

USA Southern Territory

Prayer Requests

• Victims and emergency responders to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene
• Commissioner Kelly Igleheart, Territorial Commander
• Investments Department
• Bob Li, Investment Management Specialist, Investments
• Aisha Reed, Human Resource Generalist, Human Resources
• Roberta Simmons-Smith, Director of Special Events, Events Management
• Captain Nathan Bridges, Director of Curriculum, Evangeline Booth College
• Cadet Francisco Romero
• Captain Elyse Doborwicz, Divisional Candidates’ Secretary, Arkansas/Oklahoma Division
• Colonel Tom Louden, Chief Secretary, USA Central Territory
• Lt. Colonel George Baker, National Secretary for the World Services Office (SAWSO), NHQ
• Majors Algerome & Teresa Newsome, officers, soldiers, employees, and volunteers of the Kentucky/Tennessee Division
• Territorial Youth Institute and Territorial Music Institute

Something to Consider

A Good Salvationist

Commissioner Willis Howell

Let’s start off with a few questions:

• What makes a regular, everyday, ordinary cook a good cook?
• Would you rather be treated by a doctor with a so-so reputation for patient care, or a physician with a good reputation?
• What’s the difference between an average, run-of-the-mill musician, and a good one?

In each of these cases, and so many other examples we could come up with, it has little or nothing to do with concerns such as age, whether the person happens to be a man or a woman, what state or country they hail from, or a long list of other external, uncontrollable aspects. Rather, in the final analysis, it comes down to performance and results. How well they do what they do. 

People who are good at what they do, work to improve their results, right? That’s the difference that, more times than not, sets them apart from the rest of the pack. Where others would stop, throw in the towel, or call it “close enough,” the good keep going. Adding the extra touch, going the extra mile, doing the extra work. They keep standards, performance, and results high. They avoid compromise and corner cutting. They don’t just settle. Often, those who are good at what they do search out new ways and techniques to better their performance and outcomes.

Wouldn’t you agree?

So, with that piece of information in hand, let me toss another question your way: If we were to make a side-by-side listing comparing the behaviors, views, and attitudes of a good church member and a good Salvationist, what difference (or differences) – if any – would there be? For the record, I’m not thinking about flags, uniform wearing, and speaking in military terminology. 

The lists would likely agree that both the good church member and the good Salvationist would be generally active in their respective places of worship, dependable in their attendance and support of the scheduled meetings and programs, knowledgeable about biblical doctrine, willing volunteers, and faithful tithers, right? But is that all there is? Does the comparison stop there? Are the results, views, behaviors of good church members and good Salvationists essentially interchangeable?

General Bramwell Booth didn’t think so. In fact, out of all the differences that might be listed he saw one major difference that set the good Salvationist apart from the good church attender. Here’s how he described it in one of his articles:

“A [person can] be a good Catholic, or a good Presbyterian, or a good Methodist without being in any way pledged or bound to devote [themselves] to the salvation of [others]. But without that ambition, no [one] can be a good Salvationist.”

To Bramwell’s thinking, the one and only difference that set the good Salvationist apart from the good church member was the evangelistic drive. Not uniforms. Not attendance. Not Sunday involvement. But the strong desire to see others come into a life-changing relationship with Jesus. 

These days, membership in the “Good Salvationist Club” is too often measured solely by uniform wearing, meeting attendance, tithing, and the rest of the list of generally expected “church behaviors.” While none of those – individually or collectively – are bad, the problem in Bramwell’s view comes when those behaviors and practices are all we do.

Bramwell clearly held the position that despite everything else a Salvation Army soldier might do, without active devotion and regular intentional effort toward the saving of souls, no one could truly be considered a good Salvationist. In fact, if I could extrapolate Bramwell’s idea out a bit further, I believe the case could be made that the Salvationist who is not devoted to the salvation of others around them is effectively telling them to go to hell.

You certainly don’t need me to point out the fact that in recent years, due to factors such as the ever-widening culture wars, the COVID pandemic, the complete redefining of our societal ideologies and values, etc., there have been shifts of tectonic proportions taking place in our country. Race relations, gender issues, politics…the gaps between us seem to grow wider and more contentious. Fewer things in life appear certain anymore. For better or worse, the world around us is in a constant state of change!

Let me tell you something that is certain and will never change: Everyone you know, everyone you will ever meet – rich or poor, old or young, privileged or not – is an eternal being and will live forever…somewhere. Either in heaven or in hell.

You and I have been tasked to do our best to influence that eventuality in the direction of heaven. As believers, and certainly as Salvationists, we have a responsibility to bring people to a crossroads moment of decision and point them toward Jesus.

In writing the foreword to a recently published Army book on evangelism, General Paul Rader, with great wisdom and Salvation Army is many things with a broad agenda in mission and ministry. We may have long insight, dusts off his prophet’s hat and reminds his readers, “The since been about more than a seeker kneeling at an Army drum in an open-air meeting with our Blood and Fire banner fluttering in the breeze overhead. We may be seen by the public as about more urgent business than kneeling beside a weeping penitent at an Army Mercy Seat. We have more to do than just helping children and young people at Army summer camps to open their hearts to Jesus. We concern ourselves with much that may seem distant from a one-on-one encounter with a hungry heart seeking the assurance of sins forgiven through faith in Christ. We may be about much more, but we must not be about less(emphasis added)….  Whatever else we are intended to do, we must be about winning souls. We have a world to win!”

That’s the result Salvationists are called to produce. It’s the reason God raised us up. It’s what makes a run-of-the-mill attender a good Salvationist.

Benediction

Dear Lord, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Amen. (Psalm 17: 8)