Bible Conference 2025 And The General 'Awaken Hope'

The Salvation Army Southern Territorial Bible Conference has a long tradition of rich fellowship, solid scriptural and theological teaching, and spiritual renewal, all against the breathtaking backdrop of the beautiful Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Salvationists, officers, friends, and family have been making this pilgrimage to the mountains for over sixty years, solidifying its role as a foundational part of generational faith in our territory.

Every year since its inception has been special, and this year was no exception. From the opening night concert, to the Spirit-filled teaching, all the way through the celebration of the new session of cadets entering the Evangeline Booth College, each moment was significant and purposeful, edifying and uplifting.

Before the week even began, GRAMMY award-winning Christian music artist Rebecca St. James set the tone as one of worship and willingness to approach the throne of God with adoration. In addition to singing some of her most popular hits, she included many congregational worship songs, shifting the evening from just a concert to a worship experience full of testimonies of God’s goodness and love.

The theme for the week was “Kingdom Living: Awaken Hope.” This is the final part of a three-year series focusing on what Kingdom living looks like in our everyday lives. Introducing the week’s focus at the first session on Monday morning, Major Anthony Juliana, divisional commander for the Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi Division, pronounced, “Hope’s not a fragile emotion. It’s not wishful thinking. It’s not a vague optimism based on whether or not circumstances are going our way. Hope, real, living hope, is the unshakable confidence that what our Lord has promised, He will fulfill.”

“Hope isn’t born in comfort; it’s born in fire. It grows strongest when it’s tested. It shines brightest when things feel darkest,” he continued. “Over the next few days, we’ll see what Kingdom living looks like in our lives, in our homes, in our corps, in our communities. Communities will wrestle with what it means to live with holy purpose. But more than anything, we pray that this time will awaken in us not just information, but transformation. That hope would rise again.”

Worship was rich and powerful throughout the event, led by special musical guests Karl and Lauren Westwood from International Headquarters and Captain Daniel Buckingham, mission officer for the Wellington City Corps in New Zealand. Their leadership consistently led attendees into the presence of God, placing all in the right frame of mind to receive God’s words through the ensuing teachings.

Throughout the week, attendees delved into the Bible, each guest speaker allowing God to use their voices to speak truths written in His Word.

Jeniffer Dake, an anointed speaker and great friend of The Salvation Army, spent her sessions focusing on the books of 1 and 2 Peter.

She explained that living hope brings perspective that sacrifice is okay and warned against misplacing that hope. “Those who forget God, their hope will perish. This is why God says do not misplace your hope. This is why Peter tells us we have a living hope not to be misplaced. Because when we misplace it, we put something else in the place of God. And when we put something else in the place of God, we have hopelessness.”

She explained that submission does not mean being inferior; submission instead provides an order of authority. “The purpose of submission is always to build trust, which is the currency of hope.”

She also encouraged delegates to take personal responsibility in their faith walk, urging them to continue digging into the Word of God. “At some point God’s job is no longer to rescue you but to equip you to a point of maturity so that you may make every effort to strengthen yourself in the Lord.” Dr. Matt Ayars, the lead pastor of Wellspring Church, spoke on the book of Hebrews as well as several of Paul’s letters.

Diving into the question of what it means to be saved, Dr. Ayars explained that salvation is simple, “because the Holy Spirit communicates it to our heart. But it’s not just simple; it’s infinitely complex, and it’s mysterious. Because it’s a divine thing. This comes from the infinite, holy, incomprehensible mind of God Himself. We’ll never be able to fully wrap our minds around it.”

Dr. Ayars exposed the lie that we will always be sinners. “Every time we face temptation, we have a way out. We have no excuse to continue in rebellion against God. This is the gospel message. We’ve been taught for our whole lives that the heart of the gospel message is you’re forgiven. Oh no, that’s the front porch. I like to say the best of the gospel is the rest of the gospel. You’re not just free from the guilt of sin, you’re free from the power of sin.”

“The good news of the gospel of Jesus is a person,” Dr. Ayars declared. “That means when you just show up and you’re there, that’s the stuff that changes the world.” He continued, “Maybe someone who’s never felt self-giving, self-sacrificing love will see your sacrifice and go, ‘Maybe God does love me.’”

General Lyndon Buckingham, international leader of The Salvation Army, and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, world president for women’s ministries, both spoke on the book of Colossians over the week, the General opening his time Monday morning on Jesus as the foundation of our hope. “When you place your faith and your trust and you surrender the leadership of your life into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are placing your trust, your confidence, and the leadership of your life into the one who can hold the universe together.”

Commissioner Bronwyn spoke on the idea that hope is confident trust with the expectation of fulfillment. “Like physical exercise, our faith muscle grows stronger through use, and every time we choose to trust in the promises of God’s Word and apply them to our life circumstances and allow for His purposes to take shape, our confidence in His faithfulness deepens.”

Speaking on the great mystery of Christ coming to dwell in us, the General said, “He comes to occupy. It’s both beautiful and challenging. He occupies in order to transform, to make new, to heal, to restore, to develop, to orientate, to draw us to a likeness of Christ.”

Commissioner Bronwyn challenged everyone to “put to death” the destructive patterns that can tear relationships apart, focusing instead on the core tenets of compassion, love, and humility. “Hope says that God is creating a new kind of community where the things that threaten to divide us no longer need to define us,” she said. “Hope says that, because of what Christ has done, we can, and we should, live differently.”

Using the illustration of The Salvation Army as a sports team about to enter our second half of gameplay, the General said, “The Master is saying to us, ‘Team, be brave, be honest, be open, be willing to adjust, to adapt, to alter course, to try new stuff, to create, to innovate.’ We need to be brave enough to recognize that that which has helped us to be successful in the past may not be appropriate to our future.” He continued, “It’s not about our organized programs; it’s about me being who He wants me to be and who He needs me to be today. Ready, available, willing, responsive, in tune with the Spirit, ready to give a reason for the hope that is in me and determined to demonstrate it. Because I am an influencer for the Kingdom.”

In addition to the main sessions, there were several other significant events throughout the week. At the International Service Fellowship breakfast, Commissioner Bronwyn encouraged officers involved in overseas ministry, and her daughter, Lieutenant Emma Frunt, associate officer for the Palmerston North Corps in New Zealand, gave her testimony. A special Silver Star coffee break allowed the spiritual mentors and parents of officers to gather and spend special moments with territorial leadership, as well as with the General and Commissioner Bronwyn. During a special dinner, General Buckingham served up plates of food alongside members of the Territorial Executive Council to attendees from Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARCs) from around the territory.

Bible Conference does not forget the importance of Bible teaching for the young people of our territory. A special Youth Conference included programming for all ages from infancy to 17 years old. They capped their week off with a musical on Saturday morning, featuring special presentations from all classes, full of excitement and energy.

Young adult attendees had several additional events, including a night of fellowship and s’mores around the fire pits, a pizza party, and a game night, in addition to many moments of discussing what the Lord was saying to them through the main sessions and personal Bible study.

Friday night featured a program all about the ARC. In a powerful time of testimony, one beneficiary told his story of transformation through God’s grace. After spending most of his life incarcerated, he finally asked God, “If you’re real, change me. Change me from the inside out.” And God was faithful. He ended by declaring, “Who I was in the past does not proclaim who I’ll be in the future.”

During the final morning session, the entire Buckingham family took the stage, the General saying, “We want to take a moment as a family to express something of our gratitude to you as a territory for your blessing us.” After presenting Territorial Leaders Commissioners Kelly and Donna Igleheart with special gifts from New Zealand, Captain Daniel Buckingham prayed in Māori and English, followed by the whole family singing a traditional Māori blessing.

Following Saturday night’s Welcome of Cadets introducing the Proclaimers of Transformation to the territory (see page 12), Lt. Colonels Allan and Fiona Hofer, territorial program secretaries, thanked the Buckinghams for their ministry over the week. Lt. Colonel Fiona then prayed a Celtic blessing over the General and Commissioner Bronwyn and said, “May God’s Spirit enrich you for all your responsibilities and your leadership.”

Bible Conference 2025 was more than an event, it was a spiritual catalyst, leaving the Southern Territory inspired, challenged, and renewed in its mission to bring the awakened hope of Christ to a waiting world.