Meet Captain Andrew Webb

1. What is your current appointment and what do you find most satisfying about it?

I’m the Corps Officer at Ulverstone Corps and Burnie Corps in north-west Tasmania. Both corps are growing in number and in depth of faith; new ministries are starting and there’s a strong missional intent behind all we do. We are seeing new faces nearly every week at Ulverstone, which is very exciting as they commence their faith pathway with us. At Burnie, there’s a lot of co-located mission expressions who are keen to work together to provide holistic outreach to our community.

2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?

I go to the beach or play games with the family, and I play trombone with the City of Burnie Brass Band. Also, north-west Tasmania is a beautiful place to explore with mountains, caves and beaches.

3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?

I have many favourites, but one I keep coming back to is Wesley’s And can it be. It has such amazing lines like, ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free – for O, my God, it found out me’ and ‘My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee’ – it is as if Wesley wrote of my own conversion! Christ’s love sought me, liberated me, transforms and compels me.

4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Moses – although I expect I’d be mostly listening. What a life! The burning bush, his encounters with Pharaoh, leadership through wilderness, Mt Sinai, mentoring Joshua – I’d love to hear his take on what happened and his reflections on God.

5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?

Absolutely – but know why you are doing it. Officership is a covenant-with-God lifestyle, and The Salvation Army is the ‘vehicle’ by which you are enabled to do it. Sure, the vehicle might look like a banged-up Holden Commodore at times (!) but officers really are immensely privileged to be paid to live out God’s calling. We are with people in their best and worst moments; we speak truth and life to those who need to hear it most; we point them to Jesus and witness the joy come flooding in when they are saved. Sure, every believer can and should do that, but officers are supported to make it their number one priority in life. The Army’s flaws are trivial next to the realised power of the Spirit at work through us.