When we are perceived to be chasing after members (soldiers) for the sake of it, and hold them up as the ultimate prize we simultaneously assign value to the level of engagement that a person has to the movement - we create an in-group and therefore by (unconscious and unintended) design we banish others to an out-group.
'Jesus didn't want to create an in-group which could banish others to an
out-group; Jesus wanted to create a come-on-in group, one that sought and
welcomed everyone' (Nigel Livingstone).
I did not covenant with God to enrol Soldiers! My Calling and my Covenant with God is "to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life". My Covenant is to create "a come-on-in group" where all people belong and are valued and accepted equally.
I'm not saying we don't celebrate people willing to commit their lives to being Soldiers, and that we don't challenge people to become Soldiers: but we don't do it to the exclusion of other members of our churches, and we don't do it in a way that makes others feel second class at best and out-siders at worst. (Soldiers are just one part of the body of Christ!)
