An audacious and disturbing Idea

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When I first came to The Salvation Army eight years ago, I remember commenting to a friend that the Sallies were the most unassuming bunch of radicals I had ever met. Behind the uniform and traditions, people were dedicated to justice and changing the world. That was why I fell in love with the Army, and stayed, and became one of you. (Now I even have my own uniform!)  

William and Catherine Booth were probably more ‘radical’ than ‘unassuming’ … but even today we carry with us their DNA. We preach the gospel by changing the lives of the hurt and heartbroken. These changed lives help heal society. As Lieutenant Jordan Westrupp says (p. 18), the Army is about ‘audacious ideas’.

At our heart, we are creative, we are innovative, we are game-changers.

That’s why I’m so excited that in this edition, War Cry is announcing a brand new ‘audacious idea’ that is set to become part of our heritage of radical change. The Good Shop, launched last week, is a viable alternative to the shopping trucks that prey on our poorest neighbourhoods. It will help make necessary products accessible to people, but without the crippling interest rates charged by other third-tier lenders.

Ronji Tanielu (see p. 6–9) talks about ‘disrupting’ the lending industry, which very much reminds me of Catherine’s famous imperative to ‘disturb the present’. May we will always be ‘disturbing’ people—in the best possible way!

Ingrid Barratt
Editor

Bible verse

2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

2 Teharonika 3:5
Mā te Ariki hoki e whakatika ō koutou ngākau ki te aroha o te Atua, ki te ngākau āta tatari o te Karaiti.