Firecrest is a new initiative by The Salvation Army U.S.A. Southern Territory. Its purpose is to plant mission

Missionary

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...

 teams in urban settings with the goal of building a viable faith community in that neighborhood.

The Firecrest program trains teams of missioners dedicated to living
and working in urban settings. The School for Urban and Global Mission in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

 will provide training and placement of teams who will start grassroots, holistic, relational ministries in their appointed areas.

Aims

From its very beginning, The Salvation Army

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....

 has been known for its holistic, incarnational ministry style. The "Slum Sisters" and "Slum Brothers" of the early Army became poor in order to reach the poor with the Good News of God's Kingdom. Simply put, its model for mission is Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

, who left heaven to live among us. Incarnational ministry means becoming one with the people you serve-attempting to understand their feelings, circumstances, and lifestyles. It is a ministry that equips the recipients to establish their own viable faith community.

Recruitment

The Salvation Army is recruiting those with a passion for inner city work who are able to willing to make a three-year commitment.

Missioners will work to create viable, self-sustaining faith communities in their assigned areas.

The Process

Application for the Firecrest program starts with self-assessment. Prospective missioners will need to be able and willing to make a three-year commitment to The Salvation Army and understand that they are being trained to do battle for souls in an inner city setting. Applicants must be able to embrace incarnational ministry.

This means ministering to people from many cultural and economic backgrounds, with a variety of social and psychological issues, including alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, unemployment, homelessness, and mental illness. After self-assessment and consultation with corps officer or pastor, a Prospective Missioner Application may be submitted to Firecrest for evaluation.

The School for Urban and Global Mission

The School for Urban and Global Mission (SUGM), under the direction of Major John Needham, is located adjacent to the College For Officer Training in Atlanta. The training center will be housed in the Pittsburgh Community in which the College is located. Firecrest missioners will receive education and practical experience in a variety of areas, including Bible study, doctrine, evangelism, multicultural ministry, social awareness, and basic social work skills.

Individual gifts and talents will be evaluated and utilized, thereby allowing each missioner to minister in areas where they are uniquely qualified. SUGM will serve as both a training ground and a resource for missioners in active urban service.

Training Period

Firecrest Missioners will be in training for six months. During that time, missioners will be Students and will receive health benefits which will begin shortly after their arrival into the program. The Firecrest program will provide accommodations furnished with basic necessities. Transportation will be by walking, public transportation, and Salvation Army vehicles when necessary. Upon completion of the training program, missioners will be deployed to their assigned ministry areas, with housing and transportation provided.

Tuition

As participants are regarded as student to the School for Urban and Global Mission they are required to pay US$1,000. The applicant must raise the $1,000 of tuition cost by seeking missionary support from friends, family, churches, the local corps, and other Christian organizations. This amount can also be pledge from supporters and sent in increments during the six months training and paid by the end of your six months prior to deployment. Pledge cards are given to applicants with their welcome package.