Your Purpose and Calling
by Robert Mitchell and Warren L. Maye
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” —Jeremiah 31:33
At Friday night’s Welcome to Cadets, Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz, territorial commander, quoted Ephesians 1 and reminded the 23 Keepers of the Covenant how the territory’s leadership had “not stopped thanking God for you.” He told them the leadership has been praying for cadets who seek holiness and want to grow into ministry leaders, tell others about Christ, and carry on The Salvation Army legacy.
“I want to remind you that you are an answer to our prayers,” Bukiewicz said, pointing to the cadets. “When we said, ‘God, we need people who are going to fall in love with your Word,’ God sent us you.
“You are an answer to prayer, not just for this moment and this time, but in places that God has chosen for you.”
The Keepers of the Covenant entered the Watson Gym at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) by division before being introduced by Major Keith Maynor, the assistant training principal for administration.
“We greet you in the name of Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith,” Maynor said. “These women and men, they know the author of their lives because Jesus Christ, the divine story maker, has not only written His calling and His purpose in the Lamb’s Book of Life, He has also written it on the tablets of their hearts.”
Maynor said the cadets come from disparate locations around the globe, from South Korea to Guyana to Puerto Rico. Fifteen of the 23 have experienced college life before, and the class includes an appliance technician, HR analyst, retired military, home health aides, food service workers, a school principal, former corps employees, and even a barber.
On the spiritual side, Maynor said 21 are first-generation Salvationists and three came to Christ because of The Salvation Army.
“Your witness and your calling demonstrate that God’s spirit is still using The Salvation Army,” he said. “You’re the evidence of the vitality and the continuity of our ministry and mission, and we thank God for every one of you.”
Hungry and eager to learn
The cadets arrived at the Suffern, N.Y., campus on Aug. 21 already eager to learn. They’ve shown a drive to succeed and are zealous for knowledge, Maynor said. They often stay in their seats even after class has concluded.
“They’re hungry for the Spirit,” Maynor said. “They are hungry for training so they can become effective officers.”
One of those new cadets is Mykaella Morales from Erie, Pa., who shared her long road to the CFOT. She heard God’s call to officership many years ago, but like the prophet Jeremiah quoted throughout the night, she doubted her abilities and felt inadequate. Her family was struggling until she surrendered to Christ’s call, and she had a message for those would-be officers in the audience for Candidates’ Weekend.
“The Lord has rescued me and equipped me to be here today,” she said. “I finally said yes and was obedient. I am obedient to His calling. If you are being called, say yes.
“It’s not about you. It’s about Him and being obedient to His calling. It’s about being faithful. There’s no limit to what the Holy Spirit can do in your life.”
Morales reminded her audience, “I remember sitting where you are today,” feeling scared, but God never stopped pursuing her. “You can run, but God will find you.”
Lt. Colonel James LaBossiere, the CFOT’s training principal, explained that the name of each session of cadets is chosen by the General and shared throughout The Salvation Army. Next year will be the Proclaimers of Transformation. Speaking to a gym full of people considering officership, LaBossiere said, “There may be some in this room who are ready to claim the name Proclaimers of Transformation.”
LaBossiere, in delivering the evening’s message, defined a keeper (something valuable to be cherished) and various covenants (bonds) from Scripture, as well as the promises junior and senior soldiers in The Salvation Army make at the corps level. He referenced the “old covenant” of animal sacrifices from the Old Testament, which “could not take away the sins of the people.” He highlighted the “new covenant” that was Jesus Christ, who saves us by grace and not by good works like tithing, church attendance, or volunteering.
“What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus,” LaBossiere said. “Jesus Christ has mediated this new covenant, which is better than the first.”
One of his many Scripture references came from Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
“If we have unsettled business tonight, it’s time to settle the matter,” LaBossiere said. “Perhaps there’s a call tonight to be free from sin, to be free from hurt, to be free from fear that holds us back and embrace the new life that Christ has come to give us.”
A time of renewal
LaBossiere urged anyone who wanted to start the weekend by beginning or renewing a covenant with God to come forward and pray. The altar was quickly full of seekers, co-prayers, and supporters.
Saturday was a day for would-be officers to explore whether they wanted to dedicate their life to serving Christ as Salvation Army officers. The exploring track offerings included “Embracing Personal Growth” and “Commitment to Service” with an emphasis on what life looks like at the CFOT. There also were classes on spiritual formation and evangelism.
The accepting track included classes on “Building a Supportive Community,” “Accepting Your Strengths and Weaknesses,” and “Preparing for Holiness.” Delegates could also choose classes on the Bible and doctrine.
Among those checking out the CFOT campus and seminar were Javi Romero-Arias and Soriani Gonzalez-Soto of the Boston Central Corps. It was the couple’s first Candidates’ Seminar, but they were close to a decision. She was a definite “yes” and her husband was “90 percent” certain.
“I think we got a really good message from God to this point,” Gonzalez-Soto said. “I am sure about my calling and I’m waiting on [my husband] and hopefully we’ll get a ‘yes’ from him and we can continue. If we want to serve God in this way, we want to make sure we’re both in the same place.”
Another couple, Brice and Jessi Lowry of Marion, Ohio, was still exploring. Brice was born into The Salvation Army and has some officers in his family, but his wife has only been going to the corps about a year and a half and is still learning about The Salvation Army.
“We’re just taking it all in,” Brice said. “We just want to learn more and see what there is to offer and what other experiences there are besides officership.”
Saturday night was an electric event featuring a “Harp and Bowl” service combining several heartfelt public prayers and worship music inspired by Revelation 5:8. UNBOUND, the Singing All-Stars, and MOVE Dance Co. put The Salvation Army’s arts and music in the spotlight.
The audience offered prayers—in both English and Spanish—of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Again, the altar was full at the end with people praying and seeking God.
“Do you want to do this again in eternity?” Captain Jessica Kelly asked while sharing a short reflection.
Answering the call
On Sunday morning, the Watson Gym was transformed into a sanctuary with UNBOUND and the Cadet Chorus, then the MOVE Dance Co., captivating the audience and setting the tone for worship.
Several clips were shown of cadets from the Keepers of the Covenant session sharing heartfelt testimonies in both English and Spanish. In their own unique ways, each cadet expressed excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead. They exuded a sense of purpose and calling to serve others, and humility and willingness to learn, grow, and serve.
“It’s a big responsibility,” said Julio Alberto Pacheco during his thoughtful clip.
Antonio Blackmon, a second-year cadet of the Champions of the Mission session, took the stage to share his journey to becoming an officer in The Salvation Army, which included attending five candidates’ seminars prior to saying “yes” to God.
“I don’t want to say that I know everything that you’re feeling right now, but I know a lot of things,” he said. “And I pray that my story will encourage you.”
Blackmon spoke about questioning his faith, managing his doubts, and maintaining spiritual growth, injecting his story with moments of levity. In 1997, The Salvation Army became his “safe place” from the dangers surrounding him in northern New Jersey. He attended the corps six days a week and even complained when the building was closed.
“I hope you find kids like that,” he said. “They don’t go home and are constantly in your hair. If you don’t know any, find them because they are there.”
Young Antonio faced self-doubt after receiving a call from God at 16. At Youth Councils, he “ended up” on stage, as he put it.
“It was a scary, confusing, and exciting time,” Blackmon recalled. “I did not have plans for officership. I was working really hard at school and wanted to see it through and be the first one in my family to go to college.
“But to be completely honest with you guys, I had a best friend who received that same call. We stood on that stage together. But the evil one told me, ‘There’s no way that two kids from where you guys come from are going to be called on the same day.’ You see, he’s relentless. He does not stop.”
So, faced with the call to officership, Blackmon said, “I ran, I denied it, I ignored it. I did everything else except answer the call. And I became really good at it. The reasons always made sense.”
Blackmon’s lowest point came at the end of 2019. “I felt I had let God down,” he said. But during the COVID-19 quarantine, he found solace in prayer and devotion. This experience reignited his faith, leading him to obey God’s call by moving from New Jersey to Ohio with his wife and children. Despite his fears about the move, he embraced this new chapter in his life.
“Exodus 14:14 is my favorite Scripture, which says ‘The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still,’” said Blackmon. “Don’t run from God. And don’t fight the battles that belong to Him.”
What is your purpose?
Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz delivered a message about responding to God’s call. He emphasized that such a call is about recognizing our unique design and purpose as individuals. With beautifully rendered drawings, paintings, and photos of sleek, high-powered sports cars displayed on a screen, Bukiewicz created a powerful metaphor of a master designer (God) creating “custom vehicles” (cadets and candidates).
“What is your purpose? What has God designed you to do?” he asked. His thought-provoking words encouraged listeners to reflect on how their gifts, passions, and life experiences contribute to their divine purpose.
Bukiewicz’s message culminated in a call for commitment. “My Father, You brought us to this moment. And I pray again that You would give us release to be able to say, yes.” He invited Majors Sheila Williams-Gage and Rohan Gage, territorial candidates’ secretary and assistant secretary, respectively, to join him in making the call.
In response, dozens of soldiers and prospective candidates came forward to pray and stand on the platform. Commissioner Bukiewicz, who was visibly grateful, encouraged everyone to remember the Candidates’ Seminar and Public Welcome to Cadets as a weekend of mentoring, advising, supporting, guiding, and counseling—and he urged them to remember this as the day in which they fully dedicated themselves to God’s plan for their lives.
Mark your calendar now. The next Welcome to Cadets, Proclaimers of Transformation Session, is happening Oct. 3–5, 2025.