He went briefly to continue his theological studies at International Headquarters (IHQ) in October 1973, before being appointed in January 1975 with his wife, Helen, to Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), initially to the Mazowe Secondary School and then to Bulawayo as corps officers.

[citation needed] Clifton returned to the United Kingdom in 1979 to take charge of Enfield Corps, North London.

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed Divisional Commander in the Massachusetts Division of the USA Eastern Territory for two years.

[citation needed] In 2004, he was returned to the United Kingdom territory this time as Territorial Commander until, at the Army's 16th High Council held at Sunbury Court, Sunbury-on-Thames, London, he became General-elect of The Salvation Army on 28 January 2006, taking office in succession to General John Larsson on 2 April 2006.

He helped to shape current Salvationist positional statements on issues such as abortion, war, race and ethnicity, gender, marriage and family life, euthanasia, human sexuality and pornography.

He emphasised the use of modern communication techniques in Christian ministry and encouraged a book publishing programme by The Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London and around the world.

He was known for writing and speaking on the practical possibility of living a pure and holy life in the secular world, by divine indwelling and grace.