4
The War Cry | AUGUST 2014
E
ight year�old Debbie asked her six year�old brother
David, "Do you know about Jesus?" David replied,
"No." Debbie said, "Sit still because this is really scary."
After explaining the gospel as only an eight year�old could,
she popped the question. "Now, David, when you die, do
you want to go to Heaven to be with Jesus, God, Mommy
and Daddy, and big sister, or do you want to go to the
lake of fi re to be with the devil and bank robbers? "
David thought a moment, then replied, "I want to stay right here."
Maybe little Debbie was not the best evangelist, but her heart was in the right
place. It's a wonderful thing to help people fi nd Jesus.
The theologian Karl Barth had a painting of the crucifi xion on the wall of his
study that showed John the Baptist pointing his fi nger to the cross of Jesus.
When Barth would talk with a visitor about his work, he would point out John
the Baptist and say, "I want to be that fi nger."
Evangelism is pointing others to Jesus. It is our important task as a follower of Jesus.
German evangelist Reinhard Bonnke says, "I actually believe with all of my heart
that the ministry of evangelism is the most important [ministry] of all because
[God] is out to rescue the perishing and to save the drowning. This is the heart of
God. Salvation cost Him everything--His only begotten Son. When God created
the world, He didn't sweat--not one drop of perspiration. But God was sweating
blood at the cross. That's what it cost Him to save us. That's not a small thing.
So proclaiming the cross is not a side thought, an afterthought. It's not on the
back burner; it must be the front burner... "
Rev. Bonnke is right. Jesus calls His followers to be evangelists.
MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL COMMANDER
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
W
ILLIAM
B
OOTH
FOUNDER
A
NDR�
C
OX
GENERAL
D
AVID
J
EFFREY
NATIONAL COMMANDER
The Salvation Army Territorial Commanders
P
AUL
R. S
EILER
Central Territorial Commander
B
ARRY
S
WANSON
Eastern Territorial Commander
D
ONALD
B
ELL
Southern Territorial Commander
J
AMES
M. K
NAGGS
Western Territorial Commander
The Salvation Army National Publications Department
Allen Satterlee
Editor�in�Chief
Frank Duracher
Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Jeffrey McDonald
Managing Editor
Roger O. Selvage Jr. Art Director
Gloria A. Hull
Design & Production Editor
Ashley H. Clarke
Graphic Designer
Andrea K. Ricker
Graphic Designer
Cynthia A. Edelen
Publications Marketing Manager
Charles Piercey
Electronic Communications Co ordinator
Judith L. Brown
Editorial Assistant
Esther M. Satterlee Circulation Man ager
Elizabeth Duracher Publications Outreach Officer
Melissa Hollinger
Administrative Specialist
Subscribe
By Credit Card � Call: 1�800�725�2769
Send Check to:
Circulation Manager
Salvation Army Publications
615 Slaters Ln., Alexandria, VA 22314
Advertise
Inquire by email at:
Contact The Salvation Army National Publications Dept.:
Follow us on:
facebook.com/SAWarCry
twitter.com/SAWarCry
Member of the Evangelical Press Association.
Now in its 134th year, the
"War Cry" prints
on average 180,000 copies monthly, 1,700,000
at Christmas and 750,000 at Easter.
O U R M I S S I O N
The Salvation Army, an international
movement, is an evangelical part of
the universal Christian church.
Its message is based on the Bible.
Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.
Its mission is to preach the gospel of
Jesus Christ and to meet human needs
in His name without discrimination.
National Publication of
T H E S A L V A T I O N A R M Y
AUGUST 2O14
Volume 134 | Number 9
Printed on recycled paper produced by
industry leader that has achieved carbon
neutral status. www.futuremarkpaper.com
The War Cry (ISSN 1550�5286) is published 14 times a year at
615 Slaters Lane, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22313. Single
copies $1.50. Subscriptions $15 a year USA, $15.50 Canada,
$16.50 overseas (U.S. currency). Periodical postage paid
at Alexandria, VA 22314 and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The War Cry,
615 Slaters Lane, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22313.
�2014 The Salvation Army
I
n describing the effects of the gospel upon different
individuals, Jesus told the story of the seed and the sower
(Matthew 13:1�23). While most of the seed failed to grow as
hoped, there was some that did, producing an increase of 30,
60, 100 fold. Because in the parable there are four different
results of the seed, the assumption can be that the outcomes
were evenly divided, i.e., 25% each. With even a 3:1 failure rate,
the Christian world could rejoice. The 30, 60, 100 fold
increase would eventually swallow up the failure rate of the seed that did not take
root. Those not ready the fi rst time might be ready a second, third or forth time.
In North America, a more dismal harvest has resulted. We are told that only 4%
of believers ever lead another person to Christ in their lifetime. That means that
96% of those who accept Christ as Savior, while they rejoice in their salvation, then
keep it to themselves, perhaps assuming that someone else will share the good
news with the lost world. The Holy Spirit convicts a person of both their sin and
their need of a Savior, but He continues to use the children of God as the means
to spread the good news. The problem is there is too much enjoying the benefi ts
of salvation and too little effort to bring others in.
God's plan to win the world has always relied on people like us who love Him
and want others to love Him. It takes only one generation to abdicate its
responsibility for Christianity to cease to exist.