I am thinking of joining SA

[Daddy-Boy]

Hi all,

I think that God has a calling for me in the Salvation Army and for a long time I have neglected that calling

My dad was in and out of booth with alcohol addiction; he was a violent man and I grew up sort of associating him with the Salvos. He only lived with us occasionally as my mum was a gambling addict (and I still can't work her out? allowing us to be abused and neglected while she had so many boy friends etc

I went to a big Pentecostal Church when I left home at 17 and traveled the world doing missionary work. The church never seemed right to me but because I spent my time looking at the homeless and destitute and saw the huge gap between them and my church people.

I have been a member of other denominations and the same problem I am faced with. I was even told at the last church I attended that 'It's up to the Holy Spirit' to do these things (therefor if we don't have the gift don't worry about them) Hyper Calvinism

Anyway along the way from 17 to now 33 I have been addicted to drugs and alcohol, suffered mental illness, then got married, suffered heart failure and recovered (rather healed awesomely by Jesus) and now just at a lost as to what church and why?

Whenever I pray Salvation Army keeps coming to me but the uniform and dad and also being taught by other churches that SA is more a 'cult' it's just overwhelming to find peace.

I know SA is no cult! But maybe the uniform scares me?

 

[Daddy-Boy]

Oh the reason for joining now is more than just seeing that the SA reaches those who need 'a doctor' (as Jesus said)

the reason is I have become one of those destitute who need 'Our Doctor'

I just don't think I will get His service in other denoms (as I need to get well); but I do know I can get well from my anxiety with proper support and I know I have so much to give back in return.

I think The Salvation Army can support me in this?

 

[stephanieamber]

Don't let the uniform scare you off. Nobody will ever pressure you to wear a uniform. I've been a soldier in the Salvation Army since I was 15, and rarely go anywhere in uniform.. and even if I do, it's not full uniform. When I do, it's a stirring of the Holy Spirit and it has become immediately clear to me why he wanted me in the uniform.

I'm not really sure of what you mean by The Salvation Army being able to help you get well, and I don't want to give you false expectations of what comes from being a member of the church. There's the church aspect of it and then there's the charity organization of it. While sometimes the two are very intertwined, in other cities they can be lightyears apart.

 

[Daddy-Boy]

My being well really is affected by being accepted as who I am;while other churches accept me it's still a pressure to keep up appearances instead of being able to feel comfortable with being 'real'.

I know the SA has wonderful resources as part of it's charity team and I suppose through the local church I could be directed in the proper direction to find the right resources

 

[meowmix]

You should join!