Not only can we fill these roles, but we are also encouraged and equipped to do so!

“…no part of the Church has so consistently encouraged the public ministry of women, both married and single, as has The Salvation Army. Their right to respond to God’s call and to assume whatever ministry tasks or leadership roles for which they were equipped was written into the foundation documents of the movement.” – General Paul Rader

That’s right – it’s completely within the realm of possibility that any one of us could rise through the ranks of The Salvation Army all the way to the top, to become General. In a time when a woman hasn’t even held the highest seat of power in our country, three women have already paved the way to Generalship in the Army: Evangeline Booth, Eva Burrows and Linda Bond.

No matter where you are in the Army world, you will always find women gathered together! Whether it’s for weekly Women’s Ministries meetings, Divisional Women’s Camps or Scrapbook Retreats (which no one else pulls off quite like we do!), or simply time spent together around a table, there is sweet fellowship amongst women in our corps.

There’s a million easy jokes we could make about Salvation Army uniforms but you have to admit, the uniforms are recognized and respected by our communities, opening doors and opportunities for us we might not have access to any other way.

And come on, some days aren’t you just glad you don’t have to think about what to wear??

It probably doesn’t need to be said, but not every church worships the way we do. Praise bands? Maybe. But the brass bands, Songsters, creative arts and the timbrel brigades are pretty unique to the Army. Out of the strong emphasis on music, too, comes opportunities to conduct groups and arrange and compose music!

There’s a multitude of ways we can support and empower women through the work of the Army. In the States, opportunities lie within our Social Services and Anti-Human Trafficking programs, and we can provide aid overseas through initiatives like the Worth Project and OTHERS Trade for Hope.

It’s an amazing thing to be able to look back and see that women have been blazing a trail in the Army for all 154 years of its existence. Because of Catherine Booth, women have preached behind pulpits since the beginning. General Evangeline Booth opened the door for us to serve in unique positions, most famously at the war front. General Eva Burrows started a commission that looked at the place given to women in ministry and led the charge to effect several changes. The list goes on…

“Now that woman has come into her own, what are we going to do with the sacred legacy some women have laid down their lives to leave us? The bars have been withdrawn; the gates are flung wide; woman has now to choose between the virtue of an opportunity used and the sin of an opportunity wasted – a kingdom of glorious realization or a kingdom of empty disillusionment.” – Evangeline Booth

Don’t laugh – you know it’s true!