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• 1 2020-11-09T21:03:20+00:00 Adapting Methods to a Changing Society 37 How do faith based organizations keep members engaged and foster a new base of members despite the decrease in religious conviction? See how The Salvation Army has overcame this challenge. image_header 2020-11-19T05:03:52+00:00

  Pictured above are The Salvation Army locations in the Cleveland area. 

  
  The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church and an international organization that aims to bring salvation to the poor and needy by meeting their “physical and spiritual needs.” The message of The Salvation Army is based on The Bible and they are motivated by the love of God. The Salvationists, the name given to the soldiers and officers, currently span over 131 countries with over 1.7 million members. Their mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. They organize churches, thrift stores, adult rehabilitation centers, and even a farm colony to help the needy in the area and help end the prison, poverty, and drug cycles.
  
  
  As most faith based organizations began to realize the decline in religious beliefs in the US, they began to wonder what they could do to reverse these trends. A lot of Christian evangelism is based on an energetic and directed outreach that in turn results in personal devotion to the faith. By having an energetic and direct approach, they can create a cycle of people that have benefited by their services and remain indebted to the organization and their faith.  The Salvation Army takes on a similar approach; by helping improve hundreds of thousands of lives in an effective and targeted approach, the community members develop deeper devotion to Christianity, and often return to help the community through the Salvation Army. Additionally, the Salvation Army tries to ensure that they have life long impacts on the people they help. Finally, The Army embraces untrained, non religious,  volunteers working alongside dedicated members. The Army’s hope is that if these young, untrained, non religious volunteers can see the impact that The Salvation Army has on families, the volunteers will gain a sense of faith and continue on with The Army. 
  
  These programs can be seen in our own neighborhood with the Harbor Light Complex in Cleveland. The Harbor Light Complex provides services to the homeless, those with alcohol or drug addictions, and felons. Their services not only offer temporary fixes but ensure that these disenfranchised members of society can establish themselves and do not fall back into poverty, addiction, or jail. Their various programs have proven successful when compared to national averages. The community members they help stay loyal to the Salvation Army and subsequently their faith, thus The Army gains members and support for many generations. Some of these services and their respective success rates can be found off The Salvation Army website and include:

  • Alcohol Drug Addiction Services - 75% of clients move on to the next level of care. The national average is 50%.
  • P.A.S.S. Program - More than 73% of men obtain permanent housing, about 50% secure jobs as well. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expectations for transitional housing is 71%.
  • Community Corrections Program - 70% of the clients secure employment, 79% successfully complete the program. The average for successful completions in Ohio is 69%.
  • Electronic Monitoring - 70% of clients complete the program. The Ohio state average is 58%.
  • Zelma George Family Emergency Shelter - 72% of families achieve residential stability. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expectations for transitional housing is 61%. 
  • Community Corrections Program - Approximately 88% of the clients successfully complete the program.

  Learn more about the Harbor Light Complex and what programs they have implemented in the Cleveland area here.
  
  Watch this video about the Harbor Light Complex to learn more about how they rehabilitate members and set them up for a successful future. Beau Hills, the director of the Harbor Light Complex, elaborates on how they use their faith to benefit members of their community, and hopefully entice new members to join.