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Since its inception The Salvation Army has brought value and dignity to the poor, accepting individuals unconditionally and seeking to specifically address their broad needs. It was called into existence and blessed by God to save and serve the poor. Early experience in ministry revealed that a broad variety of social, health, character development and spiritual formation services would be needed to augment evangelism and worship activities. Its goals have embraced both spiritual and social redemption. The modus operandi of Salvation Army clergy, employers and volunteers has been rooted in the affirmation that: · Everyone possesses the potential of being a new creature in Christ; · Everyone is worthy of personal development, social uplift or rehabilitation according to need; · Everyone is worthy of inclusion into the body of Christ; and that · The church shares in the responsibilities of civil society. The full breadth of The Salvation Army ministry is offered according to need without discrimination, judgment or quid pro quo expectations. The ministry of the Holy Spirit plays a very important role in Army ministry. Our goals for success have always been high and dependent on the support of societal norms that reflect human worth and dignity. Alcohol: Cause or Result Alcohol, its use and abuse, will usually be found at the center of a poverty culture. Alcohol, along with other addictive drugs, will be found at the root of serious community social, health and spiritual problems: intolerance to circumstances and/or people; violence; injuries; AIDS and other chronic health problems; disease; child and spouse abuse; rape; murder; car crashes; low school and work productivity; debilitating social lags; homelessness and anomie (community and individual normlessness). The problems associated with alcohol abuse rapidly ripple far beyond the consumer, costing society inestimable millions of dollars and leaving innumerable scars. Free of alcohol and drug abuse, societal energies and resources could more appropriately focus on other issues. On the other hand, however, destitution, political corruption, fractured economic and political systems and their resultant hopelessness can cause those despairing to seek transcendence by getting drunk. Today over one billion people live in absolute poverty, earning less than a dollar a day. Nearly one billion people go hungry and 40,000 people die from hunger every day. Global estimates indicate that a total of 300 million people are disabled. Many of them severely impaired and awaiting the relief of death. Much of the world is desperate for immediate, short-term relief. Long-term thinking eludes those who suffer. Alcohol can be therapeutic, at least temporarily. Salvation Army founder, William Booth, and his staff found the streets of London in the 1860s teeming with hopeless masses of people, who were totally unprepared for city life. The city that drew them in the Industrial Revolution was unprepared for the bulge of humanity. Social, health and employment systems were lacking in strategy to cope. Further, society set its philosophical back against the poor assuming their plight to be personal failure. Government help would only supply some relief, not solutions. Sewage was discharged directly into the Thames River. Cholera and smallpox were epidemic. Other diseases and ailments were simply not addressed. Starvation, drunkenness and child slavery were ever-present realities. Government workhouses were filled. Tenement houses were over-crowded, filthy and unsafe because of kerosene heat. So, after long grueling hours of work or tramping the streets looking for work, people spent precious leisure hours still on the streets or drowning their despair in a pub with the few pennies they had earned. The abuse of alcohol was quite an understandable response. The cause notwithstanding, the early Army leaders knew that allowing this social anomie to continue would eventually destroy multiple thousands of individuals and families. (Anomie is the old social work concept that describes the breakdown—or absence—of social norms to a state of normlessness.) Normlessness would seek lower levels toward the eventual eradication of a large spectrum of society. Followers of Charles Darwin saw it as the necessary culling of the weakest members. The Army saw the situation as an incubator for hope. They introduced the light of Jesus and the hope of the gospel. They fought against systemic abuses, struggled to assist the government and found ways to begin personal, social and spiritual rehabilitation. While Booth had not been a "teetotaler," the influence of his wife, Catherine, and the reality with which the early Army was dealing encouraged him to change his stance and set policy for his organization. Alcohol: An Insidious Enemy Alcohol then and now is an enigmatic enemy. Most governments take stands for the welfare of their citizenry. Most societies' mores are anchored in virtues that would elevate humanity. However, social acceptability allows alcohol consumption to plunder and destroy the welfare of the people. Alcohol is portrayed as essential to the good life. It is not a stretch to assume that even health care, law enforcement and political officials, those entrusted with our welfare, use and abuse alcohol. Research and experience reveals that abusing alcohol will cause in individuals the destruction of discipline and the deterioration of determination. It will severely impair an individual's ability to function as a responsible adult. It will polarize personalities, compounding aimlessness and destitution. Worse, even moderate drinking can result in cognitive impairment (mental activities that involve acquiring, storing, retrieving and using information). Long-term drinking can result in brain damage. Its affects and addictive nature are multi-dimensional. Alcohol will grab and trap some people because of their physical, emotional and/or behavioral predisposition. Others will eventually succumb to the addictive state only because of abusing the enhancement they sought to their personality or the recreation they enjoyed. In short, some can handle it and others cannot. Still others will seek it deliberately because they suffer severe stress, long for acceptance and affiliation, or maybe want to forget about life for awhile. It will temporarily soothe, numb and mask physical and emotional trauma and pain. A pub/bar or "happy-hour" establishment will provide an inclusive, un-inhibitive atmosphere where a drinker can get understanding, sympathy and pity. In the non-judgmental atmosphere, one can drop the walls of self-protection and seek the counsel of the crowd. World famous composer, singer and former piano-bar entertainer, Billy Joel, describes it this way in a verse of song: "And the waitress is practicing politics, Societal disturbances can encourage some to increase drinking. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York and Washington, D.C., while many sought solace in faith and family, many with addiction problems discarded their recovery regimen to spend, eat or drink. Some sought the emotional support from the activity proven before to be deceptive. Others wondered what's the point of being good when life can end tomorrow. The consequences of such activity, when reality affirms their time on earth to be not so short-term, will present new challenges and may be severely costly. So alcohol can be a poisonous curse on those who hope for a rich and meaningful life, a deceptive blessing for the many whom hope has eluded and a prescriptive illusion for those in terminal pain and destitution. The reality is that the early use and dependence on alcohol (or other drugs) can veil the need for disciplined attention to the development of skill and responsibility for successful adulthood, no matter what kind of challenges lie ahead. Its use and abuse for strength, comfort or to take advantage of its faithful crowd of non-judgmental comrades only vitiates hope as it deceptively advances dependence. Scripture Speaks From our evangelical tradition, we have focused on scripture portions that warn against the negative effects of alcohol or that condemn those who abuse it. Most scripture puts the use of alcohol in a bad light. For example:
Scripture recognizes, however, that alcohol will accompany happy occasions (weddings-John 2), and solemn spiritual occasions (The Lord's Supper - I Corinthians 11:23-26). Further, there seems to be in scripture genuine understanding and sympathy for those whose lives are low on hope. While leaders and rulers are admonished not to depend on or abuse alcohol, understanding seems apparent for its use by people who are dying, depressed or who want "to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more." Proverbs 31:4-7 (NLT) Scripture upholds the idea that abusing alcohol and other drugs is unhealthy, destructive to the leadership position of parents, clergy and lay persons, and poor stewardship of the responsibility entrusted to us. While the inability to function due to alcohol addiction is multi-dimensional, the fact remains that freedom from social, emotional and physical dominance and freedom to spiritual victory is the only acceptable goal. To accept anything less is to disrespect the worth and dignity God has conferred on His children. Wherever addiction to alcohol and other drugs is causing human pain and limiting achievement, rehabilitation ministry is warranted. Rehabilitation Brings Hope The Salvation Army in hundreds of settings, and other faith-based ministries, are making an indelible impact on the lives of addicted individuals and their families. We are also preparing many with developmental and spiritual skills to "say no" to involvement with drugs and alcohol. It is a major role of The Salvation Army throughout the world. Also, emergency service in the way of food, clothing, shelter and guidance mitigates the disastrous plunge of many poor and marginalized into despairing destitution and drunken despondence. William Booth was ahead of his time when he declared alcoholism a disease. (Not until 1956 did the American Medical Association do so. The American Psychiatric Association followed suit in 1965.) He realized that the grip of alcohol was debilitating and that those affected were most often powerless to control their behavior, much less attempt to break the bonds enslaving them. Regardless of the causal factors, he saw that recovery must begin at a personal level. Even if economic, social and political realities had changed, the ones addicted would need rehabilitation to accept the challenge of recovery. He soon resolved to bring the power of Christ and a program commensurate to the need to impact lives so hopelessly addicted to alcohol. He saw the hope for personal triumph. The Salvation Army discovered one of its niches. The Army world responded to a challenge that over the years has enabled the transformation of multiple thousands of lives from fettering addictions to disciplined freedom. It is of interest to many that The Salvation Army recognizes the validity of the claim that alcoholism is a disease. Some are critical of this concept since it can allow the alcoholic to treat himself as a helpless victim rather than as a willful agent with control over his own behavior and destiny. (Similar criticism is mounted against putting too much faith in genetic research, "neuro-genetic determinism," which argues at its simplest a direct causal relationship between gene and behavior. Such determination, opponents contend, serves to relocate social problems to the individual rather than exploring the societal roots and determinants.) It is puzzling also to many that we are paradoxical in believing that individuals are powerless to reformation, yet we believe in personal triumph and conquering. It is crystal clear to us: The power of Christ is vital to personal triumph. St. Paul, who in II Corinthians 12, prayed repeatedly for God to heal his physical handicap, records God's explanation that is efficacious for us today: "My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely." (Phillips) Our Role In Community Development Is the faith-based sector as influential in its public role as it was in earlier days as it sought to shape a comprehensive attack on societal problems? Addictions, despair, homelessness, and other social problems demand a focused response from the church. This is a sector of our ministry that can use renewal of vigor. It appears that in our quest to develop viable response, treatment, and renewal for individuals caught in the shackles of addiction and indigence, we have left the pursuit of addressing inner-city squalor, poor wages, unemployment, the extremes of wealth and poverty to others. Perhaps an analysis might find that those advocating for society and governments to address such issues are not focusing as we are on treatment, and that we are simply disconnected. In addition to our God-given mandate for advocacy in the public square, the association with others of like concern gives visibility and influence for effective systemic change. (Failure to so act lends credence to criticism that our posture in essence places need solely in the decisions and response of the individual. Treatment based on such then embraces Darwin's postulations, and issues like a set minimum wage, job training, and underage drinking laws are, for example, irrelevant.) Indeed, community development must be a key focus. There are many reasons that caused the increase in the separation or disconnection of the poor. Many organizations and governments (local, county, state, federal) responded as the crisis developed. Too little attention over the years has been focused, however, toward a system-wide mitigation and prevention response. Interdiction and individual enabling/equipping certainly has been the focus of a significant number of service providers. But have we institutionalized social maladies almost to the point of acceptance as part of the normal "warp and woof" of a society? Policymakers in the United States have begun to notice the quality of services rendered by faith-based organizations and seek to involve them, to a greater degree, in addressing systemic problems and strengthening communities. The research found that faith-based organizations generally were doing a good job in crisis intervention but very little around developmental efforts and capacity building, such as job training to prepare residents for more productive lives. The strong service response without adequate societal response enables institutionalization of problems. While relatively few faith-based organizations participate in community development activities, the potential seems great because of their caring approach and the role pastors and parishioners play in communities. Individual and community capacity development is key to the reduction of poverty and its associated symptoms. The church is pretty well equipped to expand its role of helping. It can best be done through partnership in working together with other providers of service ministries to ensure: 1) a continuum of care and individual capacity building for each client, and 2) to press local government, commerce, and industry to focus on economic and social development as productive. The greater the degree of individual functioning and independence, the greater the ability of societies to flourish. Serving and Enabling is Ministry Serving people in need affirms our belief in the creation of humankind in the image and likeness of God and in the dignity all deserve on this basis. Service nurtures sensitivity to the nature of the compassionate God who cares for our spiritual, physical, and social needs and who gave to the world his Son: a Son whose life was both an example of consecrated, holistic living and the means of our atonement. The Salvationist affirms that we are not "saved" simply to enjoy our new life and to talk about it, but to do something with the new power and the benefits received: in word and deed to emulate Jesus. Involvement in social ministry is as important in the discipling plan of a new convert as learning to articulate and share his or her newfound faith. Indeed, it is through a perspective of seeing beyond ourselves that we fulfill the plan of salvation by extending unconditionally to those in need a hand of service, fellowship, inclusion, and capacity building. At the very heart of the gospel stands the manifesto of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 in which the gospel is defined in terms of proclaiming release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, liberating the oppressed, and the proclamation of the jubilee. Compassionate meeting of human need and social action are gospel fundamentals and ministry. Isaiah emphasizes that a heart that is pure toward God cannot be indifferent toward other human beings. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus indicates that judgment will turn on service to those in need done in his name (Matthew 25:31-46). James declares that faith, to be saving faith, must be accompanied by action (James 2:14-17). Saints are admonished in I John 3:18 to not only love with words, but with actions and in truth. Conclusion The abuse of alcohol and drugs can bring on the myriad problems associated with uncontrollable addiction, including the multi-dimensional culture of poverty. The despair, alienation and hopelessness of poverty can often give rise to fatalist abandonment, aimlessness, homelessness, and dependence on alcohol and drugs. The church, God’s people, has much to offer individuals in need in our community. We have untapped influence and power that can help our community address the problems of poverty and the issue itself. Serving is necessary for us as well as for others. This is why our Poet-General, Albert Orsborn, penned in a hymn, "Except I am moved with compassion, how dwelleth thy Spirit in me?" Let’s invite God the Holy Spirit to direct our contemplation and action. |
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