The Evangeline Booth College School for Officer Training develops a curriculum of coursework for Cadets according to the following goals and objectives, taken directly from the School for Officer Training Curriculum Statement.

THE SCHOOL FOR OFFICER TRAINING MISSION AND GOALS

  • The “Supreme Aim of Training” is:

Orders and Regulations for Training of Salvation Army Officers (London, 1972): To develop officers possessing such blood and fire spirit that they will be enabled to sustain and advance the interest of The Salvation Army.”

  • The School for Officer Training also endeavors to instill in cadets the importance of ministering to the whole person and every aspect of human life.  This is to be accomplished through the integration of the various programs/services of The Salvation Army; whereby the programs are merely a vehicle to accomplish the singular purpose of ministering the love and healing of our Lord Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world.
  • At Commissioning, a cadet will be functional at the entry level of officership.

 

In order to train and commission persons who will become this kind of officer, The School for Officer Training has established the following objectives to develop in our future officers:

  • Single-minded devotion to doing the will of God in every aspect of life by honest self-evaluation and pursuit of spiritual, personal, and professional growth;
  • Likeness to Jesus Christ (holiness), genuine humility, and a mind-set of compassionate service;
  • Wholesome habits, attitudes, and relationships leading to a health of body, mind, and spirit;
  • Commitment to the Salvationist mission;
  • A basic foundation in biblical study and scholarship;
  • The ability to exercise compassion in ways that truly help, that neither require nor beg reciprocation, and that are blind to status, physical presentation, race, creed, or culture;
  • Leadership characterized by courage, competence, and compassion;
  • The ability to envision God’s future, communicate it to soldiery, and motivate them to pursue it;
  • The capacity to be responsible, effective stewards of all the resources with which the Lord has entrusted them for the growth of the Kingdom of God;
  • The skills and information needed to administer a corps operation effectively;
  • A practical plan for evangelizing and disciplining in the corps;
  • Competence and conviction in preaching.

 

The School for Officer Training will provide Cadets with:

  • A disciplined Christian environment designed to foster personal growth and maturity, self-discipline, and acceptance of authority.
  • A program intended to promote the spiritual development of cadets.
  • The evaluation of the development in cadets of basic leadership characteristics, self-motivation, positive self-esteem, and a clear sense of identity as Salvation Army officers.
  • Teaching in scriptural truth and academic instruction in accordance with the approved National Curriculum Statement with a view to bringing cadets to an acceptable level of academic achievement, providing a foundation of understanding and tools for learning.
  • Practical experience in order to develop the skills necessary for effective work as Salvation Army officers.

 

This program should produce Salvation Army officers who:

KNOW GOD

  • Evidenced by holiness of heart, purity of life, prayer, witness, service, sacrifice,  nobility of character, and quality of living.

KNOW THEMSELVES

  • Their strengths and how to direct them
  • Their weaknesses and how to overcome them
  • Their potentials and how to develop them.

KNOW THEIR MISSION

  • Understanding the implications of God’s call to officership,
  • Understanding their commitment to it and their place within it, both men and women together, sharing the burden of the world’s sin and suffering, desiring above self, comfort, recognition, and all else the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

 

 

Overview of Curriculum

The Curriculum of the SFOT is taught in three areas:

  • The Classroom,
  • The field, and
  • Campus Life
Educational Studies How to engage a variety of learners in a variety of settings
Theological Studies
Bible & Doctrine / How to preach them
Old Testament Survey
New Testament Survey
Homiletics
Salvation Army Doctrines & Theology
Comparative Beliefs and Evangelism
Skills in Old Testament Study
Skills in New Testament Study
Theological Issues & Ethics
Western Civilization (Includes Salvation Amy History)
Pastoral Studies
Shepherding the Flock
Leadership Theory & Practice of Leading Others
Personal Development
Ongoing growth of Officers in various aspects of life
Community Outreach Studies
Knowing and applying programs of The Salvation Army
Today’s Culture and Salvation Army Programming
Social Work & Services
Dynamics of Spiritual Life (Spiritual Formation)
Health Science Nutrition
Sacred Arts Classes
Advanced Computer Software (Including LABORA)