Meet the Officer – Captain Marika Haupt

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

I am currently a Corps Officer/Team Member for Greater Ballarat Salvos. My husband, Zane, and I are responsible for Ballarat Community Church. Within the centre, we run a café three days a week, and together with our fantastic volunteers, we serve a variety of food and drinks to the local community.

Over the past month or so, we’ve seen a beautiful sense of community emerge – almost like a family. Everyone looks out for one another, while others simply enjoy sitting quietly and soaking in the welcoming atmosphere.

I love the conversations that happen around the café tables. One of our regular community members recently said to someone new, “Oh yes, we know the ministers of the church – they’re just at the next table.” Moments like that remind me what a privilege it is to be part of this unique community. The café provides open invitations for genuine connection and conversations with people who want to know more about God and The Salvation Army.

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

As someone who grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I love listening to music from that era. There’s just something about those songs – great melodies, meaningful lyrics, and a bit of nostalgia – that makes them wonderful to listen to.

Another way I like to relax is by reading. I enjoy spending time in bookshops, second-hand bookstores, and libraries. I especially love autobiographies because I find people’s life stories fascinating. Everyone has a story to tell, and I always learn something new from their experiences. 

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

I have many favourite Christian songs, so it’s hard to choose just one. Recently, however, I’ve been especially drawn to Surrounded (Fight My Battles) written by Elyssa Smith and performed by Upperroom. Some of the lyrics say: This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I'm surrounded, but I'm surrounded by You.

As an officer, I find that the spiritual battle is ongoing. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

When I listen to this song, it soothes my soul. The words provide comfort and remind me that no matter what battle I face, I am always surrounded by God. His presence and strength are all I need as I serve and minister for Him.

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? 

If I could sit down and have a good talk with someone other than a biblical character or Jesus, it would have to be Catherine Booth. And yes, I know that sounds like the ‘obvious’ choice for a Salvation Army officer, since she co-founded the movement alongside William Booth. But honestly, that’s not why.

When I was doing my degree, I had to complete a unit of study on Catherine Booth. To be completely honest, I wasn’t all that excited about it at first. I thought I already knew who she was – the co-founder, the preacher. But as I started reading her letters to William, her diary and her sermons, something inside me changed.

I discovered someone far more real, far more human than I expected. Here was a woman who faced enormous struggles – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She battled illness, opposition and criticism, yet her faith never wavered. She didn’t just believe in Christ; she was compelled by Him. Sharing the gospel wasn’t just something she did – it was who she was.

Catherine Booth’s story inspires me because it reminds me that faith isn’t meant to be comfortable. It’s meant to move us, stretch us and push us beyond ourselves. And like Catherine, I want to be someone whose faith compels me to tell others about Jesus, no matter what season I’m in.

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

When I first felt God calling me to officership, I didn’t see it as a ‘career move’. In fact, I still don’t. Officership isn’t a job to me; it’s a lifestyle. It’s who I am, not just what I do. I live and breathe it every single day, whether I’m wearing The Salvation Army uniform or not.

The Salvation Army, for me, is simply the vehicle that allows me to live out my personal relationship with Christ. It’s the way God has chosen for me to serve Him – to be His hands and feet in the world.

“Would you recommend officership?” And honestly, that’s a hard question to answer. Because it’s not about my recommendation – it’s about God’s calling on your life. This is something only you can wrestle through with Him. Officership isn’t something you choose like a career path; it’s something you respond to in obedience and trust.

I’ll be honest, I wrestle with that call all the time. I have to come back to God time and time again and say, “Here I am again, Lord. Use me today.” I often tell people, “God has called me to serve as an officer today, and I’ll honour that call. But don’t ask me about tomorrow.” That might sound strange, but for me, it’s freeing. It allows me to live in the present, to focus on what God is doing right now, in this moment, and to simply enjoy the journey.