1. What do we believe?
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church (In India, it is a member church of NCCI). Our message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by the love of God. Our mission is to make known the good news about Jesus Christ and to invite others to become his followers too. The confidence we have in a loving and caring God finds outward expression in our love for humanity and our practical response to human need. For more details, refer to this link. (https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/faith)
2. What is the Salvation Army?
To provide a comprehensive overview of the Salvation Army, please refer to the IHQ-approved document titled "THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST - AN ECCLESIOLOGICAL STATEMENT." This book thoroughly addresses fundamental questions and includes sections such as the Summary Statement, Amplified Statement, The Salvation Army’s Articles of Faith, Junior Soldier’s Promise, Soldier’s Covenant, and Officer’s Covenant. For more details, you can access the document here. (https://s3.amazonaws.com/cache.salvationarmy.org/d0154610-4552-43ab-b107-fd05010635e3_EccStat-English.pdf)
3: What is the history of The Salvation Army in India?
The Salvation Army has been serving in India since 1882, started by Major Tucker (later Commissioner Booth-Tucker, IPS officer), took the Indian name of Fakir Singh and commenced the Army's work in Bombay on 19th September 1882. The Salvation Army established its presence through community service, education, health, disaster management, and social reform initiatives. Our work has evolved to meet changing community needs without discrimination and adhering to our core mission.
The six Territories and the National office in India are:
- India Central Territory
- India Eastern Territory
- India Northern Territory
- India South Eastern Territory
- India South Western Territory
- India Western Territory
- and the India National Office.
4: Why do we wear uniforms?
A: Our uniforms symbolise our commitment to service and make us part of witness and our word a sign of calling, in the community. They stand as a testament to our dedication to helping others, emphasising our mission to "save to save others" ("S" - "S"). and it is a symbol of our beliefs and commitment to God, and our promise to serve and love others.
5: Who are the Soldiers in the Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army encourages a covenantal relationship with God, which promotes growth in faith and spiritual life. The Salvation Army refers to its committed individuals as "Soldiers," who affirm a spiritual covenant. The Salvation Army Soldiers shall:
- Publicly declare their Christian faith
- Commit to the organisation's spiritual principles
- Sign the "Soldier's Covenant"
- Actively engage in the overall activities and ministry of the Salvation Army
6: Why does the Salvation Army use military-like ranks?
The Salvation Army follows quasi-military-style ranks to reflect its foundational principles. An officer of The Salvation Army is a Salvationist who is, in essence, a minister of the Christian faith, but who fulfils many other roles not usually fulfilled by clergy of other denominations. They do so having been trained and commissioned to service and leadership and given a quasi-military rank.
These ranks symbolise:
- A spiritual "battle" against social injustice
- A clear organisational hierarchy
- The progression of leadership roles
- From Soldier to General, these ranks highlight both practical leadership and spiritual dedication to serving communities.
7: Who are the Soldiers in the Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army encourages a covenantal relationship with God, which promotes growth in faith and spiritual life. The Salvation Army refers to its committed individuals as "Soldiers," who affirm a spiritual covenant. The Salvation Army Soldiers shall:
- Publicly declare their Christian faith
- Commit to the organisation's spiritual principles
- Sign the "Soldier's Covenant"
- Actively engage in the overall activities and ministry of the Salvation Army
8: Why does the Salvation Army use the term "Officer" instead of "Pastor"?
An officer of The Salvation Army is a Salvationist who is, in essence, a minister of the Christian faith, but who fulfils many other roles not usually fulfilled by clergy of other denominations. They do so having been trained and commissioned to service and leadership and given a quasi-military rank.
9: How can I be a volunteer and support The Salvation Army in India?
You can be a volunteer and support our ministry through our local corps, centres and programs. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds who share our commitment to serving others. Contact your nearest Salvation Army centre to learn about specific opportunities.
10: How can people support The Salvation Army's work in India?
You can support our work through:
- Volunteering
- Partnerships
- Prayer support
- Corporate collaborations (CSR initiatives)
- Planning to give
- Event sponsorship
- Skills and expertise sharing
- In-kind contributions
- Financial donations
11: Is The Salvation Army a registered organisation in India?
The Salvation Army Church community is a religious denomination and functions as part of the global Christian Church. It is a faith-based movement, similar in structure and character to other religious communities such as Roman Catholics, Protestants, or Orthodox Christians. In India, such religious communities or denominations are not required by law to register as legal entities. Their legitimacy and continuity stem from their religious identity, shared doctrines, and ecclesiastical governance, rather than from statutory incorporation. As such, the Church community of The Salvation Army, led internationally by "The General" and comprised of followers called Salvationists, operates as a spiritual body without the need for legal registration.
In contrast, a Section 8 Company was incorporated in India in 1953 under the name “The Salvation Army “as a registered legal entity to promote the religious and charitable objectives of the international religious and charitable movement founded in England by William Booth, known as The Salvation Army, an international Church community. (Since the Church community and company shares a common name, it often creates confusion among the general public but a deeper understanding of the legal, structural and functional features of the two will go to show that they are very different, independent entities with one being a religious movement/international church community having presence in 134 countries and the other a legal person with a distinct existence, compliant to the provisions of the Companies Act.) The activities of the Company include establishing and managing hospitals, schools, vocational training institutes, skill development centres, and implementing programs related to poverty alleviation, women empowerment, child protection and so on. Hence, the Salvation Army Section 8 Company acts as a special purpose vehicle to carry out its activities in an organised, accountable, and compliant manner.
In short, The Salvation Army, as an international Church community, does not require legal registration in India. However, to carry out the activities of the said community and to hold its assets, a charitable company was registered in India, by the name “The Salvation Army”. Additionally, The Salvation Army Property Company Private Limited also holds the assets.
12: Why is The Salvation Army registered as a Company and not as a Society or Trust despite being involved in religious and charitable activities?
As stated in Question No.11, after the inception of the Republic of India in 1950, a registered entity was incorporated/registered in India by name “The Salvation Army”, under the Companies Act as an association not for profit. It is understood that the decision to register as a charitable company rather than registering it as a trust or society was primarily influenced by the legal and operational considerations prevalent at the time of post-independence. During that time, the Salvation Army Community had already established a substantial presence across various states in India, actively engaged in charitable, religious, and philanthropic activities. Given its extensive geographical outreach, the organisation required a legal structure that could accommodate and support its national functioning under a single umbrella. Since the legal governance of trusts and societies in India was largely decentralised and subject to the jurisdiction of individual states in India. Each State Government had its own set of rules, regulations, and compliance requirements for the registration and administration of trusts and societies. This fragmented regulatory environment posed significant challenges for a multi-state entity like The Salvation Army, wherein, as a charitable company, they were provided a centralized and uniform legal structure, which allowed them to operate across all states under a single legal entity, with standardized regulations and reporting requirements which ensures better governance and transparency.
13: How does The Salvation Army ensure transparency in its operations?
We maintain transparency through:
We operate through various Boards & Councils and committees with the participation of stakeholders.
- Regular financial audits
- Compliance with legal requirements
- Professional governance mechanisms
- Clear and regular reporting practices
- Technology-enabled administrative processes
- Public annual reports
- Impact assessment studies
- Stakeholder consultations
- Digital transparency initiatives
14: How does The Salvation Army measure its impact?
We measure impact through:
- Regular monitoring and evaluation
- Community feedback systems
- Success story documentation
- Beneficiary tracking
- Social audit processes
- Third-party evaluations
15: What is the relationship between The Salvation Army's religious activities and social services?
The faith in Lord Jesus Christ enables us to demonstrate God's love through practical action while respecting all faiths and beliefs. While The Salvation Army is founded on Christian principles, our social services are provided without any discrimination.
16: What spiritual services does The Salvation Army offer?
We provide:
- Worship services
- Prayer meetings
- Biblical teaching
- Pastoral care
- Youth Ministry
- Children's programs
- Spiritual Guidance & Counselling
- Community fellowships
- Sunday school
- Women ministries
17: What are the Pastoral Care Council and Corps Council in the Salvation Army?
The Pastoral Care Council and the Corps Council are both important governing bodies within the Salvation Army, each with distinct roles and responsibilities:
- Pastoral Care Council
The Pastoral Care Council supports the corps leaders and is made up of members of the corps who are tasked with caring for the general well-being of the people associated with the Corps. This council promotes the mission and vision of the corps, accepts enrolling new soldiers, advises on the appointment of local officers, and takes a pastoral interest in the extended membership of the corps. They typically meet three times each year.
- Corps Council
The purpose of a corps council is to advise and assist the commanding officer on matters concerning the progress and well-being of his command, including:
(a) Evangelical outreach and soul-saving endeavours.
(b) Spiritual life and fellowship of the corps, especially reasons for any lack of, or special increase in, soul winning.
(c) Corps growth, with special attention given to the proportion of seekers made into soldiers, losses of soldiers and recruits, and the YP work as a source of new soldiers.
(d) Corps Programs: regular and special events.
(e) Work among young people.
(f) Community service undertaken by the corps.
(g) Budgeting.
(h) Fund-raising, internal and external.
(i) Property matters.
(j) Sharing of information with the corps and community.
- Pastoral Care Council:
The primary purpose of the PCC is to offer and exercise pastoral care towards the whole corps fellowship. This may be done through prayer, visitation and the offer of training/mentoring where appropriate or relevant.
18: How to find the nearest Salvation Army Centre?
- Visit our website: www.salvationarmy.org/india
Having discussed deeply and thoughtfully, the Board "RESOLVED THAT the National Office be and is hereby directed to:
(a) Review and revise the terminology used in various FAQs by The Salvation Army's International Glossary of Terms.
(b) Circulate the revised document to all Directors for their review and additional suggestions.
(c) Present the consolidated document incorporating Directors' feedback at the next Board meeting for review and appropriate action.
