William Booth wasn’t your stereotypical pastor. He abandoned the pulpit and traditional sanctuary for the streets of London, where, beginning in 1852, he preached Christianity to “the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the destitute,” according to the official history of The Salvation Army.
Booth’s methods didn’t make him popular with more conventional church leaders or congregants, but by 1874, about 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists were helping him spread his message. Booth became known as the general superintendent of this loose-knit organization, then called the Christian Mission or Hallelujah Army. It was formally named The Salvation Army in 1878.
Salvationists, as Salvation Army church members are called today, “remember what William Booth believed: Feed their stomachs, then their souls,” says Capt. Angela Repass of Aiken, S.C. “The people to whom God has called us to minister have needs; we need to meet their physical and spiritual needs, but doing one without doing the other is useless.”
Through 1885, about 250,000 people were converted to Christianity through Booth’s ministry. His intention was to connect these new believers to existing churches, but some churches hesitated to embrace the converts, many of whom had been thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and drunks. Booth therefore provided continued spiritual guidance to the Salvationists and challenged them to join him in his mission of evangelism.
In 1880 a Salvation Army contingent arrived in New York City to a decidedly chilly reception: They were mocked, arrested and attacked; several Salvationists were killed. Over the next three years, however, they expanded into much of the eastern United States as well as parts of the Midwest and California. President Grover Cleveland gave the group his personal endorsement in 1886.
Today, while the number of committed Salvation Army church members in the United States stands at about 450,000, most people are more familiar with the group’s charitable and humanitarian work than with its identity as a Protestant Christian denomination. Volunteer workers, as opposed to members, are not required to adhere to The Salvation Army’s religious doctrines. “We are aware that many help who do not profess any Christian faith,” says Gen. Shaw Clifton, the international leader of The Salvation Army. “Kindness and helpfulness are not the monopoly of religious people.”
The Salvation Army is widely known for the more than 1,300 thrift stores and 119 homeless shelters, known as adult rehabilitation centers, it operates in the United States. The group’s kettle bell ringers are a fixture of the Christmas season. And its extensive efforts to fight human trafficking – helping shape public policy in Washington, D.C., while advocating for victims – have received an increasing amount of publicity in recent years.
Deronda Metz, director of social services for The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, N.C., says the economic climate means many of these services are needed more than ever. “As the economy weakens, more people are turning against those in deepest need. Compassion has given way to blame: If you are down and out, it must be your fault,” she says. “… We do not have the luxury of judging these people, for if the Center of Hope [Charlotte’s shelter for homeless women and children] does not take them in, they are out of luck.”
The Charlotte center’s goal is to provide shelter while equipping the residents with skills to become self-sufficient. It and other Salvation Army shelters offer participants resources such as job training, treatment programs, health care, financial planning and spiritual development.
“I grew up with my father in the home and an assortment of aunts, uncles, family friends and teachers who supported me through childhood, school, college and a master’s degree,” says Metz, who has worked for The Salvation Army for 19 years. “Contrast that with our clients: Many of them experienced abandonment, abuse, extreme poverty and violence. I have a toolbox of knowledge and life skills; most of these women are lucky to have a small hammer.”
The Salvation Army’s “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,” according to the official mission statement. Rather than replacing the religious emphasis that marked The Salvation Army’s early years, the many outreach and support programs reflect the group’s roots by displaying the gospel in action, leaders say.
“All the humanitarian international groups actually have a charter. What’s prohibited is proselytizing, because that’s not the time – when people are in crisis,” says John Berglund, national disaster services coordinator for The Salvation Army. “But we do believe in providing a ministry of presence. We do believe that just being there can provide that emotional and spiritual care that is needed at the time.”
When disaster strikes, Salvation Army volunteers are often among the first on the scene. They are not, Berglund emphasizes, truly a “first responder.” “The [Salvation] Army is known for its canteen services and our relationship with first responders. Historically, we have been chaplains with police, we’ve been chaplains with firemen … we’ve always been on the front lines as a support agency, providing hot meals to first responders and hot meals to survivors,” Berglund says. “But we’re not mandated to do this. This is a support service. … For us, disaster services isn’t even a core mission – it’s a service that we provide.”
The Salvation Army has a presence in 118 countries and worldwide is the second-largest provider of social services, after the United Nations. Many services of The Salvation Army, whose motto is “Doing the most good,” are performed outside of the spotlight. A missing-persons service helps reunite family members. Community centers provide care for veterans, enrichment for senior citizens and mentoring for youth. Salvation Army-initiated church services, counseling and job training take place within jails and prisons.
“We do not decide who is worthy of help and apportion help accordingly. In keeping with the mission of The Salvation Army, our role is to love unconditionally and work to restore hope,” Metz says. “There will be a time to talk about making better choices and accepting responsibility, but that time isn’t when a family is in crisis. It comes when they are clean and safe and can focus on the future.”
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