When we first embarked on our officership journey—37 and 35 years ago—we had no idea what ministry opportunities awaited us. But being confident in God’s calling, we knew that he would use us wherever he placed us.  

Following a brief stint as single officers and our marriage in 1990, we have primarily worked together in a ministry partnership that has encompassed leadership in six churches, in two countries and two provinces. We feel privileged to have served in the social mission department as correctional services chaplains and community and family services directors. While we now find ourselves in separate appointments, with Wendy serving as an area commander and Dan as a corps officer, our partnership continues as we work to support and encourage one another in our respective areas of responsibilities.

As we reflect on this journey, we feel blessed as an officer couple to have been given appointments that allowed us to work together, with the mutual goal of sharing the gospel message.   

Working as a team, we have been able to use our unique gifts and abilities to further enhance our ministry. Where Dan really enjoys the preaching, teaching and administrative side of ministry, Wendy has poured herself into pastoral ministry, problem solving and crisis intervention, mentoring and coaching leaders, and program planning. She prides herself in being extremely organized and a good listener.

As we look at our present-day reality, we are grateful to our current leadership who have seen fit to assign us to our current appointments where, after almost 32 years of shared leadership, we can use our individual interests and gifts in separate appointments and feel we are being used effectively. 

As a corps officer, Dan can preach, teach and perform administrative tasks, while at the same time stepping outside his comfort zone as a pastor.

As an area commander, Wendy can use her gifts to support ministry unit leaders in her region. This new role continues to stretch her not only in her areas of giftedness, but also in areas that she would not have considered strengths in her ministry.

We have always strongly believed that everyone has distinct gifts—traits, skills and abilities—that make them unique. Identifying these gifts is the first step towards leveraging them for inspirational leadership. The Salvation Army has always been at the forefront of recognizing how we as individuals can use our unique gifts and strengths to balance each other out in ways that truly benefit the ministry to which we have been appointed.

Long before gender equity was even a thing, William and Catherine Booth, co-Founders of The Salvation Army, saw value in using the unique gifts of both male and female officers, married or single, to enhance the mission of The Salvation Army. 

Willam was deeply influenced by his wife, Catherine, who believed that women were equal to men, and it was only inadequate education and the social norms of their day that made them men’s intellectual inferiors.

She was an inspirational speaker who helped to promote the idea of women preachers. The Salvation Army gave women equal responsibility with men for preaching and social work, and on one occasion, William remarked that: "My best men are women!"

Thanks to their vison and innovative leadership, The Salvation Army continues to set the example for how effective ministry can be fulfilled by recognizing the unique gifts and abilities of everyone who has been called by God into full-time service.

We consider it a privilege to serve God in this way. We are grateful for our leaders who have recognized our individual gifts that help us fulfil the Army’s mission wherever God has placed us.