Table Of Content"BEWARE OF THE MACHINERY"
THE SABBATH & THE SALVATIONIST
A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
TIMOTHY FOLEY
MAY 2015
Copyright © 2015 byTimothyFoley. All Rights Reserved.
To mypartnerinministry andmarriage forthepastthirtyyears, mywife Cindy. Thank
you for yourunending support and constant encouragementthroughthis process of
studying sabbathrest.
To mychildren Laura, Alex and Victoriawho had to endurebeing sermon fodder at times
while they grew up and allowing me space awayto think instead ofcoming outto play. I
love you all.
To mymentors ofbothpast and current: Dr. StephenMacchia, Dr. Fred Ross (deceased),
Lt. Colonel Rich Love, Colonel Dave Hudson and Mark Morton. Ihave learnedmore
than I can sayfrom these men ofGod.
To members ofmy D.Min. cohort, Dr. David Currie and the support staffofGordon
Conwell Theological SeminaryDoctor ofMinistryoffice. You are too wonderful. Thank
you forjourneyingwith me.
To my administrative assistant Celeste Skinner for her unending support ofkeepingmy
professional life in order and this project ontask.
And finally to all ofmystudents and friends with whom Ihave vented and attempted to
teachorspeak aboutthethings Ihaveleamed onthis pathofstudythese past several years.
Even ifpeople fail to observethe sabbath, it remains holy.
-Abraham Joshua Heschel
CONTENTS
PREFACE VI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Vll
GLOSSARY Vlll
ABSTRACT x
Chapter 1. BEWARE OF THE MACHINERY 1
Chapter2. SPIRITUAL FORMATION- A PERSONAL THEOLOGY 18
Chapter 3. LITERATURE REVIEW 56
Chapter4. RESEARCH PROJECT 86
Chapter 5. CONCLUDINGTHOUGHTS 114
Appendices
A. THE SABBATH&THE SALVATIONIST-DOCTORALSURVEYE-MAIL 128
ND
B. THE SABBATH&THE SALVATIONISTSURVEY-2 REQUESTE-MAIL 129
C. THE SABBATH &THE SALVATIONISTSURVEYMONKEYQUESTIONS 130
BIBLIOGRAPHY 139
VITA 144
V
PREFACE
Recently at an OpenHouse event at our collegehereinRancho Palos Verdes a
prospective candidate asked a simple question in apacked room: "When do the students
here get to practice sabbath?" The question arose after a longpresentation about the
detailed and grueling schedule that a cadet (student) must attend to in the training
programhere at the College for OfficerTraining.
Itwas apenetrating question thatbrought some pondering silenceto the crowded
room. The answeris that sabbathtime is built into the curriculum schedule yet itremains
an individual choice as to when to practice it and to engage in.
The following topic is onethat is not familiar with most Salvationists that Imeet.
Many confuse sabbathwith a day offorresult to somelegalisticinterpretationofwhat it
means and how itis to be entered into.
This topic ofsabbath cameto me quickly as a growing need to understand and to
educate individuals within myministrycontext. The following is asimplebut focused
attempt to get the concept into the stream ofdiscussion and to clearup any
misunderstandings ofwhat sabbathis.
VI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Itis with deep appreciation that Iwish to thank the following individuals for their
workinhelping me with this project:
Formy proofreaders and editors before sending it offfor final reads and redos:
Dr. James Hartman, Dr. Brian Saunders, Dr. Brian Jones, Sheila Chatterjee and Laura
Fyn.
Formyadministrative assistant who helped me to assemble the project and helped
to keep order: Celeste Skinner.
Forthe countless Salvation Armyofficers, soldiers and employees worldwide,
who dedicate themselves to selfless serviceto God and to humanityon a dailybasis.
There are too manyvoices to personallythank for their encouragement and curious
interest about this project. Their eagerdesire to learnmore, engagement and abiding
interesthas beenmotivation enough to get this topic out in the opento discuss within the
beautiful ministryknown as The SalvationArmy.
Lastly, to Dr. Stephen Macchia and Dr. David Currie, for being excellent
teachers, mentors and friends formembers ofmy cohort and myself. Your
encouragement and examples ofChrist likeness havebeenbrilliant. Mylife is not the
samebecause ofyour influence.
VB
GLOSSARY
Cadet: A Salvationist who is in training for officership.
Candidate: A soldierwho has been accepted for officertraining.
CFOT: College for OfficerTraining.
Commission: A document presented publically, authorizing an officer, orlocal officerto
fulfill aspecifiedministry.
Corps: A SalvationArmyunit established for the preaching ofthe gospel, worship,
teaching and fellowship and to provide Christianmotivated service in the community.
DHQ: Divisional Headquarters.
Division: A numberofcorps grouped together underthe direction ofa divisional
commander (this mayinclude social service centers or programs) operating within a
territoryor command.
General: The officer elected to be supreme commanderoftheArmythroughout the
world. All appointments are made, and all regulations issued, are under the General's
authority.
International Headquarters (IHQ): The officers in which thebusiness connected with the
command ofthe world wide SalvationArmyis conducted.
Local Officer: A soldier appointed to aposition ofresponsibility and authorityin the
corps; carries outthe duties ofthe appointment withoutbeing separated from regular
employment orreceiving remuneration from The SalvationArmy.
Officer: A Salvationist who has beentrained, commissioned and ordained to service and
leadership, in response to God's call. An officeris arecognized minister ofreligion.
Vlll
Ranks ofOfficers: Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel,
Commissioner, General.
Soldier: A convertedperson at least 14 years ofage who has been enrolled as amember
ofThe Salvation Armyafter signingthe soldier's covenant.
Soldier's Covenant: The statement ofbeliefs and promises which everyintending soldier
is required to signbefore enrollment.
Territorial Commander: The officerin command ofThe SalvationArmyin aterritory.
Territory: A country, partofa countryor several communities combined, in which
SalvationArmywork is organizedunderaterritorial commander.
IX
ABSTRACT
This thesis project explores the problem ofhow sabbath is somethingnot in the
consistentpractice within the life ofmost SalvationArmyofficers. Through a survey
conducted among 750 active officers ofthe WesternTerritory ofthe United States, the
reasons for the problem are identified. Engagementwith the information gathered occurs
within this project offeringpragmatic solutions to quell the problem and to suggest steps
for implementationthat are realistic and reachable.
x
