Self Denial 2026 | Motivated by Love
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do EVERYTHING in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NIV).
Our God is a God of love. He calls us to stand firm in our faith, to be courageous and to live each day with strength and confidence in His promises. No matter what challenges we face, we can trust that God’s love is the foundation for our hope, our joy and our peace. As we hold onto Him, we are reminded that everything we do should flow from love — because love is at the heart of who God is and how He calls us to live.
The Self Denial Appeal challenges us — as followers of Jesus — to apply this truth to our giving and, as we are generous to others, see God’s hope revealed in their lives and our own.
For many, this means setting aside the equivalent of one week’s salary — a bold, sacrificial act, motivated by love, that will leave a lasting impact. Whatever amount you give, let it be a reflection of faith and gratitude.
This Self Denial Appeal, be courageous and stand firm in your faith, doing everything motivated by love.
As you consider your gift, I encourage you to seek God’s heart, reflect on your blessings and give generously.
Devotional
This year’s devotional readings have been prepared by Auxiliary Lieutenant Rosy Keane (Secretary for Spiritual Life Development) from the Australia Territory. Each week, Rosy draws on Scripture and poetry to pose questions that help us reflect on the love of God and how it motivates us to love others, serve selflessly and live with compassion and courage.
Read devotional
What you helped us achieve in 2025
Thanks to the continued support of the Self Denial Appeal in corps around the country, and the generosity of people just like you, the 2025 Appeal raised $3.1 million across Australia. This incredible result directly translates to lives transformed — through the love of Jesus and the selfless work of The Salvation Army in low-income communities. We are deeply grateful for everyone who responded with generosity, giving sacrificially and showing love in action. Thank you for being part of this mission, motivated by love.
Give to make an impact too!History
The Self Denial Appeal began in 1886 as The Salvation Army began to spread its mission around the world.
In 1894, in the appeal’s eighth year, General William Booth wrote, “During this week, every good Salvationist will deny himself of some pleasant or necessary things, and devote the money saved to the extension of the Kingdom of God and the benefit of the suffering” (letter dated 15 October 1894, from The Salvation Army archives, United Kingdom and Ireland Territory).
Today, over 130 years later, the call is the same to every Salvation Army territory around the world. Salvationists from all walks of life and with all levels of income accept the challenge of self-denial and generously choose to support The Salvation Army's mission of “[extending] the Kingdom of God and [benefiting] the suffering”.
In the past, the message ‘One Weeks Salary On Missionary Sunday’ or ‘OWSOMS’ was often used to speak about the act of denying self and giving sacrificially. That same generosity prevails today as Salvationists and friends prayerfully consider their response to what sacrificial giving looks like – do they have capacity to give one week’s salary, or can they stretch their giving?
We invite you to join us on this journey of sacrifice and generosity for the sake of people in need of physical support and spiritual hope.
About your gift
The Self Denial Appeal supports countries or territories where corps may be unable to self-fund their mission work, there is limited government support or restricted abilities to fundraise among the community.
We encourage you to give to Evangelical Mission Support projects as they enable the Kingdom of God to grow through activities that are ineligible for other forms of international aid. But, if you require a tax-deductible receipt, you can choose to give to Community Development initiatives.
Evangelical Mission Support
Your gift towards Evangelical Mission Support builds the strength of The Salvation Army and supports clear evangelical ministry work. Examples include:
- Buying Bibles or computers for churches
- Funding church halls
- Running community programs such as discipleship classes
- Supporting the needs for officers such as residences
- Funding training courses for officers, staff and volunteers
These gifts are non tax-deductible.
Community Development
Your gift towards Community Development initiatives may support:
- Clean water and sanitation projects
- Livelihood training programs
- Empowerment of entire communities
These gifts are tax-deductible.
Planned giving
Did you know that it is possible to commit to ongoing giving towards the Self Denial Appeal? You could actively participate in God’s Kingdom work throughout the year, helping to transform lives and spread God’s love through your regular giving. You will be helping teams around the world respond to the greatest need, when and where it is needed most to bring about maximum change.
You can be part of a community of givers who are helping work towards the goal of a world restored by the love of Christ, with people living with dignity and filled with hope.