I’ve been asked to share with you what I witnessed a couple weeks ago of Bill’s ministry in Great Britain. Dr. Bill Ury has been a valued and sought after speaker around the world for nearly 40 years. I’ve heard many prominent scholars refer to him as one of the world’s leading communicators of traditional, orthodox Christian belief. His own personal commitment resides in the Wesleyan or Methodist tradition, and he is a leading scholar in this area of theology. The Salvation Army is a Wesleyan Holiness denomination. It’s a church. And it is a mighty force in the earth, as both an agency of compassion toward physical needs and a source of spiritual life.
The Queen of England herself understands the moral strength this group provides in the overall health of her nation’s culture. The Salvation Army territory of the United Kingdom has been under duress of unusual measure for some time. They’ve been handling a structural change that has brought severe consternation and disruption.
Dr. Bill Ury was called in by the Territorial Commander, Clive Adams, for help. Bill has studied the history and theology of the Salvation Army for decades. Territories across the world rely on him to come in to remind the Army of their original calling and purpose. Because of Bill’s devoted training and Spirit-filled heart and mind, over a thousand officers in the Army in the UK were restored to the duty that God Himself has called them to in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England. I witnessed hundreds of officers on their faces before God, their hearts and souls restored and strengthened in Jesus. There was transparent confession of sin by these pastors, repentance, reconciliation to God and to one another.
This is what the Territorial Commander said,
With such tensions pervading the Councils, it was important for us that we had a speaker who was not part of the territory, but who knew The Salvation Army well enough to speak into our situation. From the opening session, Bill’s anointed ministry lifted our collective gaze from that which threatened to divide, to Jesus. His Bible teaching informed, challenged and inspired us as individuals, and our altar was lined over and over again at the conclusion of his ministry. In fact, I cannot recall witnessing a stream of seekers at the altar after a lecture, before I experienced it in both gatherings after Bill’s seminar. There was a noticeable difference in the atmosphere as we approached the closing session when delegates prepared to return to their respective responsibilities in ministry. My wife and I were challenged and changed over the course of the Councils, and we are grateful for the impact his visit has had on us personally.
Subsequent to our return to the office, we have been inundated with messages of appreciation, and with testimonies of God working in the lives of many of our leaders. We are deeply grateful to God for an inspirational time of learning and blessing through the ministry of your pastor, and I want to register my thanks that he was able to come and minister to us. It has had an impact that will continue to affect us for a long time.
An entire nation, one of America’s greatest allies, was impacted by your pastor. I’ve never been more proud of him. I know you are too.
- Unleashed for God’s Holy Purposes - November 12, 2015
