5 Principles for a Successful Red Shield Appeal

Around this time of year Salvation Army Officers all over Australia are either engaging or avoiding the mammoth task of organising the annual Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Doorknock in their local community, which is held at the end of May each year.  While the Red Shield Appeal is still widely supported by very generous Australians it tends to evoke a love/hate relationship from those tasked with the responsibility to recruit and mobilise an army of volunteer collectors. This is largely due to competing demands on the Officer's time, complacency by a growing number of Salvationists and community fatigue from a continuous stream of fundraising events by other worthy charities.

Still, the necessity of the Red Shield Appeal to funding the mission of The Salvation Army is inescapable and deserves the very best effort from ALL who consider themselves as "Salvos".

As somebody who shadowed my parents from my earliest memory as a collector, who graduated to an area captain at age 14 and as a colleague who has coordinated the Red Shield Appeal as a Corps Officer for the past 20 years in four very different communities, I offer these five principles to recalibrate our collective attitude and approach to the Red Shield Appeal...

1. The Red Shield Appeal is EVERYBODY'S responsibility.
   Irrespective of rank, appointment or position in The Salvation Army we all have a vital part to play. Even if you do not have a direct role in organising the appeal you need to ask yourself, "Am I a servant or steward of the mission of The Salvation Army?"  A servant of the mission will do their bit to participate in a good cause but a steward of the mission will take ownership of the same cause. The difference between the two is the degree of resolve you have to do whatever it takes for the mission to succeed!  As a servant, the overall success of the appeal is not my responsibility, but as a steward I am a stakeholder in its success.
   
   
2. The Red Shield Appeal is an OPPORTUNITY not a distraction.
   I don't know of any Salvation Army Officer who doesn't want to engage their community to advance the kingdom of God through their respective appointments. The Red Shield Appeal provides a powerful platform for this type of engagement with community groups, local businesses and other organisations. Despite recent challenges for The Salvation Army we are still blessed with a high level of community acceptance that provides an open door to build relationships and invite the public to participate in our mission.  Once people step through that door, we have an opportunity to cast a 'grander vision' of the 'why' behind the 'what', which can provide life changing pathways for further dialogue and volunteerism beyond the Red Shield Appeal.
   
   
3. The Red Shield Appeal begins BEFORE it starts!
   I cannot overstate the importance of networking and nurturing community relationships ALL year round. Waiting until these relationships are needed diminishes the level of engagement that comes from more reciprocal relationships formed before they are necessary. Also, there is a significant difference between approaching warm contacts for assistance than cold canvassing strangers. The energy you invest in this space before the Red Shield Appeal will pay dividends during and after the appeal.  You indeed 'reap what you sow' when it comes to building community relationships.
   
   
4. The Red Shield Appeal MOBILISES an army.
   There is no other time of year when large numbers of Salvationists and supporters are united around a common cause and mobilised to saturate the community of a local Corps, with the backing of a PR driven media campaign.  Even though the goal of the Red Shield Appeal is to collect money the motivation is to resource mission; and our mission is ultimately to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  The Red Shield Appeal gets us out of our Corps buildings and into the community with an extraordinary message of hope that is manifested through our social programs that serve the most vulnerable people in Australia.  Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?!
   
   
5. The Red Shield Appeal rises and falls on YOU.
   Leadership expert John Maxwell is often quoted as saying, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."  A brief overview of biblical and church history, corporate successes and failures, and social and political revolutions, prove this statement to be true! The uncomfortable truth is your attitude towards the Red Shield Appeal will set the tone for the engagement of others. While there is much about the Red Shield Appeal you cannot control, your attitude is on you. It is a choice.  It's a choice that will influence the participation of your congregation and community.

I get the tiredness that comes from coordinating such a large fundraising campaign and I understand the frustration of not having enough collectors. But I cannot help to remain optimistic about the possibilities! It is my genuine hope that these five principles will serve as a challenge and motivator to harness all the opportunities that come with organising and participating in the Red Shield Appeal. 

An Open Letter To Officer Kids...

Dear Officer Kids (OK's),

During and after the Red Shield Appeal a lot of people will be thanked for volunteering their time to collect for The Salvation Army.  While we appreciate and value the contribution of Corps and Community members, I want you to know how much we appreciate and value YOU!

I am a Corps Officer and have two children, now 16 years old, who have helped us with the Red Shield Appeal for as long as they were able to walk.  While they have mostly done this willingly, there have been times that it has been out of a sense of obligation because mum and dad are Officers.  Not only have they contributed long hours after school and on weekends but they have had to put up with mum and dad being absent for long hours.  The word 'volunteer' for Officer Kids often feels more like being 'conscripted' (ask mum and dad what that means).

I see your photos on Facebook out collecting with mum and dad and with other teams.  I see how many days you are at shopping centres, how many kilometres you walk (or are pushed in a pram), and how many hours you spend on intersections.  

I see how tired you look at the end of the Red Shield Appeal weekend with the knowledge you have to do it all again the following week.  

I want you to know that you are the real heroes of the Red Shield Appeal!  

Because of your patience, your parents are able to organise and coordinate the whole Red Shield Appeal.

Because of your presence, your parents are able to give the hours they do throughout the entire Red Shield Appeal.

Because of your participation, your parents are able to collect the amount of money needed by the Red Shield Appeal.

While everyone else is being rightfully thanked for their efforts, I want to personally thank YOU!  On behalf of Salvation Army Officers everywhere who have AWESOME kids just like you, I want you to know we couldn't do it without YOU!  To Officer Kids everywhere...THANK YOU!!

With love and appreciation,

A grateful Dad and Corps Officer

Who Are We?

Which image do you most associate with The Salvation Army?

Do you see The Salvation Army as a movement of prayer who are on their knees "praying in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests"?  (Ephesians 6:18)

 

or

Do you see The Salvation Army as "an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church [whose] message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by love for God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination"?
(International Mission Statement)

or

Do you see The Salvation Army as a charity who "is one of the world's largest Christian social welfare organisations with more than 1,650,000 members working in over 124 countries"?
(http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/Who-We-Are/About-Us)

The truth is, The Salvation Army is all three!  However, the image you see more often will be the image that largely determines how you perceive The Salvation Army.  At this time of year on The Salvation Army calendar in Australia the third image is the one that will most likely shape the way the majority of people see The Salvation Army for the rest of the year, as our collectors saturate the community to collect money for the Red Shield Appeal.  This is indeed a very important activity that partly funds our ability to "meet human needs in [Jesus] name without discrimination."

However, it is only part of the picture.  It only tells part of the story about who we are and why we do what we do.  For a complete image of The Salvation Army the other two images need to become an integrated part of not only how we behave in private but how we engage in public.  Once upon a time it was very common to see The Salvation Army gathered on a street corner preaching the Word of God and praying with people for their salvation.  Today, this image is rarely seen publicly in traditional or contemporary forms.

I believe it is time for Salvationists to rise up and redeem an image of The Salvation Army that clearly communicates in public what we celebrate and worship in private.  

I believe it is time for Salvationists to no longer be "ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

I believe it is time for our Salvation message to be seen in everything we do so "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11).

I believe it is time for Salvationists to realign with our evangelical mission, to rediscover how to engage with our community beyond the collection tin, and to restore a holistic image of God in our neighbourhoods by being an active presence of Jesus Christ!

Imagine If...

A further post Red Shield Appeal reflection...

Last week I reflected on some Leadership Lessons gained from the Red Shield Appeal. Today, my reflection stretches my imagination into the realm of what could be if all the time, energy and resources invested into the Red Shield Appeal were channeled into the salvation mission of The Salvation Army.

While I fully embrace the integration of our social and spiritual mission and recognise the importance of resourcing this mission, I can't help wonder what sort of results we would be celebrating if we organisationally engaged in a salvation campaign with the same intensity as the Red Shield Appeal.

Imagine if we set aside a week on the calendar of every corps and centre for the salvation of the lost!

Imagine if we mobilised every Salvationist to reach their community with the Gospel!

Imagine if we set bold, faith driven goals to see how many people we could win for Christ in that week!

Imagine if we gave to our community instead of taking!

Imagine if "Thank God for the Salvos" became "Thank the Salvos for giving us Jesus"!

Imagine if our PR campaign publicly presented stories of people whose lives have been radically transformed by Jesus Christ!

Imagine if The Salvation Army "will bring [God] renown, joy, praise and honour before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things [God does] for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace [God] provides for it." (Jeremiah 33:9)

Imagine if "the Lord added to [our] number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47)

Imagine if every social media update and status was flooded with reports like: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." (Luke 7:22)

Imagine if The Salvation Army actually fulfilled the Great Commission!!

A Holy Spirit fueled movement of God could easily imagine such a possibility, because the same Spirit who filled the early church at Pentecost, fills His Church today.  Dare to imagine because, "It is [the] Gospel that houses the poor, benefits the working class, promotes temperance and good health, reforms criminals, and transcends politics.  It is Jesus Christ who changes lives and makes all these things possible.  It is Christ only who is the answer to the problems and struggles" (William Booth).

Red Shield Appeal Leadership Lessons

At the end of a very busy Red Shield Appeal weekend, I find myself reflecting on the success of this significant fundraising event from a number of angles beyond the obvious emphasis on raising money.  I can't help but to see the Red Shield Appeal through a leadership lens as an opportunity to evaluate and develop leadership potential and involvement.  Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels provides a useful leadership assessment tool that, when applied to the Red Shield Appeal, can reveal a lot about Corps and community leaders.

Passing the Leadership Test by Bill Hybels presents five tests for leaders which he developed around the calling of the first disciples by Jesus in Luke 5:1-11 (read the story for context).  Since hearing Bill present this tool at a Leadership Summit in 2003, I have used it in a variety of leadership contexts and have found it provides a useful insight into the involvement of leaders in the Red Shield Appeal.

1. "Bias Towards Action" Test:  Anybody who has ever participated in the Red Shield Appeal knows that it doesn't organise itself, nor does the money collect itself.  There is a lot of planning, recruiting, scheduling, mapping, connecting, before you even think about knocking on a door or rattling a tin! As an Area Captain, District Chairman and Corps Officer I've observed four types of responses to the Red Shield Appeal - those who avoid it at all costs; those who participate begrudgingly; those who give their obligatory two hours on Red Shield Sunday out of a sense of duty; and those who will do whatever it takes to ensure the event is a success because they own the vision.  

2. "Can You Follow Directions" Test:  One of the challenges of coordinating a large scale event involving literally hundreds of volunteers, that is dependent upon the good will of the public and subject to legislative and organisational requirements, is getting people to cooperate with the process.  Initiative and enthusiasm that cannot follow direction becomes a liability that can risk the integrity of the event.  This is especially true for the Red Shield Appeal, which has earned the trust and respect of the wider community.

3. "Who Deserves The Credit" Test:  We all love to celebrate the success of our own efforts, but the success of the Red Shield Appeal is an interdependent relationship between God's favour, public generosity and volunteer participation.  The moment we devalue any one of these relationships by an inflated ego, we dishonour the others. 

4. "The Grander Vision" Test:  The Red Shield Appeal invites participation with the broader mission and ministry of The Salvation Army.  It draws us out of the familiarity of our churches by challenging us with a vision of human need that extends beyond our community.  Salvationists need to expand their vision broader than their local Corps to fully embrace the opportunities of the Red Shield Appeal.

5. "Will You Leave It" Test:  Fulfillment of any mission of value requires a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and engage in activities that may not necessarily align with your gifts or personality.  I have met too many leaders who have robbed themselves and the mission of extraordinary experiences by playing it way too safe.  This is often manifested by an aversion to doorknocking in the Red Shield Appeal.

My application of these five leadership tests to the Red Shield Appeal is not to make a judgement against the involvement of leaders, but to provide insight for areas of coaching and development.  For the past few years now I have embraced the Red Shield Appeal as a practical platform to develop existing leaders and to identify and recruit potential leaders.  Using the leadership lens to evaluate the Red Shield Appeal is another positive way of making the most of a very time demanding event in the life of a Corps Officer.