together above his head
as he told his audience,
tell the two apart."
tury. Certainly his appointment as U.S.
National Commander from 1986 to 1989 and his
service in three territories expanded his influence.
Still, I suspect he would have gained recogni-
tion regardless of rank, thanks to his talent for
mobilizing The Salvation Army for God's pur-
poses. He powerfully connected the Gospel to in-
ternal and external audiences alike through the
vehicle of the Army. He knew how Salvationists
thought of themselves and their mission, and he
grasped the way others understood and loved
the Army. This balance enabled him to bring
the two groups together in a unique way.
honor guard at Bobby Kennedy's funeral, collab-
orated with pontiffs and cardinals and capti-
promise he made to God as a Salvation Army
cadet to witness to someone new every day.
He knew a balanced ministry was possible. He
knew that any given person could draw closer to
God, and that God was calling people to be sol-
tions shouldn't and wouldn't be afraid of our
ecclesial identity. He knew that his leadership
was a temporary stewardship and he needed to
leverage it for the Kingdom, as every second at
the altar mattered. If he were still alive today,
he would humbly stoop with you at the mercy
seat and lead you where you need to go. His rank
and appointments were a part of his influence,
but his legacy is firmly planted in American
Salvationism because he led our movement
closer to Jesus.
and he wanted the same thing for everyone in
the world.