Here are 12 reasons why I believed that every Corps should be promoting Junior Soldiers. I have recently embarked on an analysis of the 10 courses over 5 years and have become absolutely convinced that if every Corps invested in Junior Soldiers, that this could change the world!
Here are some of my reasons:
1. It grounds our kids in biblical knowledge.
2. It lays the foundation of sound doctrine into their lives
3. It connects kids to the historic Salvation Army - familiarizing them with our history, key personalities, structures and symbols
4. It relates all of this to the challenges of childhood and early adolescence
5. It approaches kids from a theology of childhood that emphasizes agency - believing children can be saved, sanctified, discipled, engaged in ministry... and that they can even suffer if needs be for their faith.
6. It focuses on a covenantal pledge (promise) that is a sacred rite of passage that helps a child confirm their faith.
7. It prepares our kids at an early age to sharpen their minds - thinking about their faith as they navigate through the pressures of today's child/youth cultures.
8. It is standardized (the curriculum in the American territories is nationally standardized) so that wherever a child were to move, they would be able to continue their training.
9. Research has shown that if a person puts 10,000 hours of practice into something, this can really define the impact they will have later in life. Junior Soldiers starts the discipleship journey on at a very young age - allowing them early on to put in the time, gain this knowledge and engage in discipleship and ministry experiences.
10. Junior Soldiers leads the child towards ACTIVE faith. It breaks the misunderstood perception that kids need to be passively kept at bay until they are 'old enough' to engage in ministry.
11. The uniform and the promise unite our kids with a historic and worldwide movement of peers who are covenanted to a similar standard.
12. Hey... It's a load of fun!
What would The Salvation Army look like in eighteen years if we all committed to this?
Who are the leaders we are entrusting this sacred trust to? How are we training them?
At Railton School for Youth Worker Training, we are covenanting to do our best to train youth workers who will thoroughly understand this material and will be able to use it for the glory of God and the salvation of the world!
