Mission Scotland may be a new concept to you or perhaps you’ve heard of it before. Either way, I’ve thought of some questions which may come to your mind about Mission Scotland and hopefully, in trying to answer them, I’ll give a clear understanding of its purpose and place in The Salvation Army in Scotland.
Question 1: Mission Scotland – What is it?
Mission Scotland is a focus on The Salvation Army in Scotland; it’s a strategic approach to develop the Army’s effectiveness in delivering God’s mission by
Importantly it takes a view of Scotland as a whole and aims to deliver mission together, understanding that there are some things we can do better together, that we are stronger together.
Mission Scotland is delivering God’s mission as outlined in The SA’s purpose statement: ‘To save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity’ together.
The Scotland Office, THQ, Scottish divisions, corps, social centres, other churches and denominations – working together for God’s sake.
Question 2: Mission Scotland – Why do we need it?
Christopher Wright states ( in his book, ‘The Mission of God’s People’
‘It is not so much the case that God has a mission for His Church in the world as that God has a church for His Mission in the world.’
That being the case, there will always be work for God’s Church and the need for us to work more effectively to deliver the outcomes God desires. The Salvation Army in Scotland, in common with The Salvation Army in the rest of the UK and Ireland, has declined in the past years and withdrawn from some areas of Scotland. There are today people getting saved, Christians becoming disciples and impacting their communities where they live and people being served, cared for, encouraged and supported in The Salvation Army and we thank God for that. There are however many, many people who have not yet come home to God, people who need the Lord so we need to be increasingly effective, for their sake and for God’s sake.
Question 3: Mission Scotland – What difference is it going to make?
To focus in on something means bringing all our resources, expertise and concentration to bear on a particular subject or object – Mission Scotland has already borne fruit through the focus on how we might better help people with drug and alcohol addictions.
Three support workers employed in Greenock, Stirling and Falkirk to work in conjunction with Floating Support Services based at Greenock and led by Brian Murphy with a fourth worker planned for North Scotland soon is an outcome of the focus Mission Scotland has given; a centre of excellence dealing with alcohol and drug addictions is the next planned step.
We all are aware of the havoc that addictions can wreak in the lives of those gripped by them and in the lives of those around them. A concentrated focus on this area of work and a willingness to work together to make a difference has resulted in people being rescued and released from the grip of their addiction and given new hope for a decent life – Mission Scotland can make a difference and it needs to!
Question 4: What can I do?
Mission Scotland has the same aims, works for the same outcomes as each division and corps in Scotland.
And don’t forget to give us your feedback and ideas on God’s mission being accomplished in Scotland:
All suggestions, questions and constructive observations are welcome – It’s God’s Mission!
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