Members of the Salvation Army, Rivers and Bayelsa division have been charged to emulate and model themselves after its founder, William Booth, especially in the area of evangelism.
The Divisional Commander, Salvation Army, Rivers and Bayelsa, Major Samuel Edung, gave the charge in a message he delivered at its 2025 founder’s day celebration with the theme: ” Growing Deep And Wide”, held on Sunday, at the church’s auditorium along Aggrey road in Port Harcourt.
He said, ” As we honour the legacy of our founders, William and Catherine Booth, we must not only admire their vision but actively embody it in our own time and context”.
While lamenting that most Salvationists of today choose to serve God only in convenience, the divisional commander noted that the founder went through serious persecutions just so people could hear the gospel.
” William Booth went to shops, hotels and hubs as part of his strategies to win souls. He was beaten but persisted.
“I am tired of seeing Salvationists remaining in the barracks. Time has come for us to pull out of our comfort zones to go out there to liberate men from captivity like in the time of Booth.
“We have to go out and look for souls. We have to go out and revive the societies in Rivers and Bayelsa division.
“Right since this edifice in Port Harcourt was built, there is no other project that we can boast of. We don’t have any legacy. We still remain where we were twenty, thirty, forty years ago. There is need for us to put up new strategies we can use to win the souls of men.
“Just as the founder reached out to the marginalised, untouched people in slums, we as followers of his vision must have to come up with good and workable strategies to disconnect those the devil has held captive and bring them back to the kingdom of God.
“We have neglected the marginalised enough. We must do something to connect them to the Christian fold like Peter and John in Acts of the apostles chapter 7.
“We must find a new pathway for ministering in today’s urban and rural or digital settings. We can’t remain in one place and succeed in expanding the Salvation Army throughout Rivers and Bayelsa division.
” Today, as we remember our founder, I challenge you to break out from your comfort zone like Booth who left his home and travelled all along to the East End of London to reach out to the perishing souls there and led them to the kingdom of God”, he said.
Speaking further, Edung urged the congregation to adopt the method used by the founder in attracting, drawing and winning souls into the kingdom of God.
He called on salvationists in the division to carry on the legacy of Booth in the manner that honours his impact and memory as well as ensure the continuation of what he established for future generations.
” We must stand on the shoulder of heroes of the faith who laid down their lives for the cause of the Salvation Army. Growing deep in legacy requires preserving our spiritual identity, doctrine, and culture of sacrificial service,; and growing wide in legacy means innovating with boldness, contextualising the Army’s work to meet today’s realities, and preparing the next generation to carry the torch. The legacy we leave tomorrow will build on the commitment we show today.
“Finally, as we gather to celebrate 2025 founder’s day, I call on us all to prepare our hearts ready to worship, serve, to learn and to be renewed. Let us make Port Harcourt not just a host city, but a Holy ground where revival begins and where Heaven takes notice of an Army fully alive”.
He reiterated that the Salvation Army was firmly rooted in the truth of the gospel, salvation of souls, holiness and service to others in the days of Booth.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the Programme Committee, Engr. Obina Joel, said the occasion was put together to commemorate the founding of the church and honour its founder.
He thanked everyone for coming to celebrate with the church.
He said, “The 160th founder’s Day celebration programme started from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th. During these three days, we reflected on the church’s history, core values, achievements and contributions of the founder.
“We held variety of activities such as; Spiritual Reformation/ Revival Hour on the theme: ” Repositioning Salvationist to return back to their position in glory and medical outreach on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Today, is the grand finale. It featured, high praise, worship, prayers, the word, enrolment of junior/ senior soldiers and march of witness to round up the programme””.
