A CONNECTED CORPS
The first word is ‘connected’
In The
Salvation Army our local churches are called ‘corps’. The word is from the Latin
‘corpus’, which means ‘body’. The dictionary defines a corps as ‘a body of
troops for special service’ or ‘a body of persons engaged in the same activity’.
That’s a good description of a congregation of Salvationists, but we need to be
clear about what the special service or activity is!
Once
upon a time you could walk into any Salvation Army corps and find almost
exactly the same things. It was as if there was a blueprint that everyone had
to follow. Nowadays a better image is of the fingerprint – each corps with its
own individual identity. Of course there are similarities and there are ‘non-negotiables’,
such as our doctrines and our basic mission purpose, but in many ways each
corps is distinctive.
What
makes a corps distinctive? According to Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Bishop of
Rochester, ‘Two things shape the church and its mission: its own inner dynamic
and the world in which it finds itself’. Let’s look at these two things:
1.
The inner dynamic
The
inner dynamic of a corps includes the gifts and abilities of its members. These
are not random, but purposeful. If the Spirit ‘gives them to each one, just as
he determines’ (1 Corinthians 12:11), then the gift-mix of a corps says something
about the kind of ministry and mission that corps should have. The size of a
corps is also part of its inner dynamic. A small corps is just as important as
a large corps. It needn’t try to be a large corps in miniature – it should work
according to its own dynamics in terms of leadership, worship-style and relationships.
Similarly a large corps shouldn’t try and operate like a small or medium-sized
corps. Its particular inner dynamics might mean, for example, that the corps
officer is assisted by a pastoral team. So, don’t neglect the inner dynamic –
be connected to it.
2.
The world around
The life
of a corps should also be influenced by the world around – not in the sense of
adopting all the values of society, but in the way it responds to and serves
local people. Although a corps sometimes needs to challenge the assumptions of
its community (for example, where injustice exists) and must sometimes counter
the prevailing mood (for example, by being a beacon of hope where there is the
despair of unemployment or family breakdown), it should also reflect something
of the community’s culture, aspirations and outlook. By connecting with its
community the mission of a corps is more effective.
Bill
Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago says, ‘The local church is
the hope of the world’. That’s only true if it’s connected with its inner dynamic
and connected with its local community.
Lieut-Colonel Jonathan Roberts
Assistant to the Secretary for Scotland
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