Major Ana Guzman

People in our ministry, especially when they meet us for the first time, can be intimidated by hearing the title in our names or seeing us in uniform. We always explain that beneath the rank and uniform, we are imperfect people with flaws and virtues, making mistakes and learning as we go along. Most importantly, we answer to the same God as each of them. We need His grace just as they do. That’s why, although there are women in our ministry who come to me for advice and counseling, I don’t live my own life hidden inside a shell. I, too, have women I turn to for advice and counseling.

No ministry is carried by just human strength. Joshua 1:9 reminds us that God is with us wherever we go. Salvation Army officers often build a well-connected congregation and then must leave right back into the unknown. That is when we need to rely, trust, and depend on God as pastors and as children called by Him. We have been blessed to have been part of the Greater New York Division for 14 years. In that time, we have planted seeds and still get to see and hear from individuals from past appointments who have grown in their relationship with Christ through the seeds planted in the past. Because of how the Army works, we may not see them for a few years, but it does happen.

Major Jose Guzman

Two things make being a pastor very exciting for me. The first is teaching the Word of God. I love seeing the reaction of people having that “Aha!” moment in the Word. Later, we hear how much they enjoyed learning, or how it’s helping them go through a challenge in their life. The second exciting thing is seeing someone’s life change right in front of us. There are two individuals who come to our corps who were raised in a deeply dysfunctional family. They both struggle with deep anxiety because they have experienced rejection, manipulation, and abuse from the very people they were supposed to trust. They started out as volunteers and eventually joined our Sunday congregation. We have seen them slowly come to Christ, find peace in their hearts, and begin learning to deal with the challenges they face. We serve in a community that suffers from mental health struggles, and we see many families come to us with stories like theirs.

Every decision I make is guided by Micah 6:8 — “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Being just, showing mercy, and remembering humility helps with the challenges of being a pastor. Sometimes you need to show tough love and be honest with the people you help. There are days when I ask, “Lord, why am I the one who has to tell them this?” But I know it’s because as pastors, we are bounded by the Word of God. We will always show respect and give you the truth with love, even if we’re the first ones to ever give you that truth.