Centennial Celebration: Territorial Priorities
By Kristin Mudge /
This year, the USA Southern Territory is focusing our ministry efforts under the umbrella “All For Jesus.” This comes after nearly three years engaging with the Territorial Priorities of LOVE, SERVE, and DISCIPLE, all under the overarching theme of All For Jesus and surrounded by the territorial mission statement: “The Salvationists of the Southern Territory are answering God’s call to make radical followers of Jesus Christ who love inclusively, serve helpfully, and disciple effectively in the communities where they live.”
For the past three years, the territory has been intentional in creating resources and leaning into areas of ministry within the yearly focus. Through the DISCIPLE lens, we taught about holy living, prayer, discipleship, and leadership development. Next, we leaned into SERVE, focusing on youth, recruitment, and mission integration and development. Last year, we shifted to LOVE, where we were intentional in evangelism, biblical justice, and community engagement.
Each focus helped us deepen our relationship with God, with our corps, and with our communities. And now, under the banner “All For Jesus,” we are seeing how all three lenses overlap and naturally flow into each other. “When are we not loving, serving, and discipling?” comments Commissioner Kelly Igleheart, territorial commander. “We never stop.”
At the upcoming Centennial Celebration, June 4-6, 2027, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, in addition to celebrating 100 official years of serving as the Southern Territory, we will also rejoice in a full year of “All For Jesus” ministry before launching back through the three main areas of ministry focus.
“We are going to reengage the emphases of LOVE, SERVE, and DISCIPLE again,” Commissioner Igleheart explains. “The more we do something, the more comfortable people get with it. The more resources they have for it. For example, if you are focusing on evangelism, then we can provide more voice, more resources, and the opportunities increase for effective evangelism.”
Continuing to focus on our Territorial Priorities will allow us to have greater impact. The more we lean into loving, serving, and discipling in our corps and communities, the more resources there will be, and the more opportunities we will have to be effective Salvationists while also growing personally in our relationships with our great God.
Visit usscentennial.org for more information on the Centennial Celebration, and visit ministrytoolkit.org for Territorial Priority resources.
