In 1865, William and Catherine Booth founded a mission post in the London slums: the Christian Mission. The poor and alcoholics can go there for Soup, Soap and the Gospel. A few years later this was called the Salvation Army, the Salvation Army. Due to their practical way of working, the Army became known worldwide and the Salvation Army also came to the Netherlands in 1887. The most famous part of the Army is its social assistance department, but it is also a religious community.
Service on Sunday morning
One of the many Protestant churches in the Netherlands is The Salvation Army. They call themselves a church society or corps. Every Sunday there is a meeting in the corps hall, where, in addition to singing the songs of salvation, people have the opportunity to pray. There is also an opportunity to give a testimony in almost every meeting: someone from the audience can tell what faith in God means to him/her. The Bible is central to the services and everyone is welcome. The social involvement is great.
The leadership of a corps is not a minister or pastor, but a corps officer, often a married couple, but also just a man or woman. Since the Salvation Army’s inception, it has never been a problem that women also serve as officers, lead services and preach.
The singing is accompanied by a brass band, a music corps of Salvationists. Many corps also have a singing brigade, which is a choir that also sings one or more songs every Sunday service. The Salvation Army has its own songbook, which was completely renewed and modernized in 2007. It contains many contemporary songs.
The children are in the service for the first half hour and it is no problem if the children cry, laugh or talk. After half an hour the children go to another room led by the Sunday school management and have their own children’s service there with a Bible story and singing. There is a creche for the little ones.
The organization of a corps
The corps officer has completed a 3-year theological education at the Center for Training and Equipment. They have had a theological and pastoral training there, as well as social work. They have completed an internship in various corps. Officers work full-time at the Salvation Army and receive a salary. An officer then wears a uniform with red epaulettes and the red S.
Salvation soldiers are members of the religious community who have taken a vow. They are consciously Christian and promise to commit themselves to God and their neighbor under the leadership of the Salvation Army . They also promise not to smoke, use drugs or alcohol. To be recognizable, the Salvationists also wear a uniform. Their epaulettes and the S are blue. The letter S stands for Salvation, salvation, well-being. The uniform immediately provides clarity and often also confidence. One knows who one is dealing with during an evangelism campaign. Battle Cries are sold by the corps at shops or markets.
Children can also make a vow. After this vow the child is a Young Soldier.
If one does not want to become a Salvation soldier, one can still become a member of the Salvation Army. Then one does not have to make a vow, but one does endorse the objective. One is then an adherent (follower) or guest member.