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Captain Kenneth Hodder, coordinator for the 1997 Great Victory Congress, has announced preliminary plans for the Great Victory Rally, which will be held on the evening of Friday, June 6th, at the Long Beach Convention and Entertain-ment Center.
“Territorial administration has tentatively approved a program that includes a welcome to our international leaders, General and Mrs. Paul A. Rader, an appearance by the Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters, and a salute to officers and soldiers who are serving in overseas appointments.”
In addition, Hodder indicated that the event will feature contemporary music by Ed Pollock and a selection by combined Junior Singing Companies from around the Territory.
Hodder stressed, however, that this rally will have a single focus. “Our primary goal on Friday night is to create spiritual excitement. Obviously, we have much to be grateful for in the West, and the continued development of the Army is certainly cause for celebration. But our emphasis will not be on the Army so much as the faithfulness of God. He is the One who gives the increase, and concentrating upon him rather than ourselves is far more likely to inspire delegates to serve the Kingdom with renewed fervor through the Army. It’s a matter of keeping first things first.”
In this context, the planned enrollment of 1,200 senior soldiers and 1,200 junior soldiers takes on greater meaning. According to Hodder, “new soldiers are not simply new Salvationists. They are spiritual fruit, and their enrollment is an excellent opportunity to thank God for blessing the Army’s evangelistic efforts. Beyond that, however, the enrollment ceremony is an opportunity to charge those new soldiers with the responsibility to go and do the same for someone else. Just as they have been discipled, so must they now disciple others.”
“The Friday night rally will set the tone for the entire weekend,” said Hodder, “and the focus of the meeting must be the Lord. Anything else would be anti-climactic.”