Meet the Officer – Captain Sean Li

May 29
3 min read

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

Hornsby Gateway Corps in the NSW/ACT Division is where my wife, Captain Lydia Hong, and I currently serve. This is our sixth year here. Alongside our church, we’re involved in several community ministries, including local welfare support, a Family Store, a Community Café, Employee Plus (EPlus), and a Youth STEM Club. We really enjoy serving here.

What brings me the most joy is building different faith pathways in Hornsby – creating opportunities for people in the community to encounter God and His truth. For example, we partner with TAFE (work skills training program) and EPlus. They sometimes refer clients – people who are looking for jobs – to our Community Café or Family Store. These clients can serve as volunteers to gain some initial or renewed work experience. We are always happy to support them. We want them to feel welcomed and valued. At the same time, they get to see the love and patience of Christ through us as a church. Some people in the community first come just to gain work experience, but over time, their hearts begin to change. Some have become Christians and started coming to church.

Building these kinds of faith pathways is very meaningful to me. It gives me a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment – it feels like I’m living out my calling. I really enjoy collaborating with other departments and community organisations to help bring people closer to God. There’s something truly special about that.

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

Outside of ministry, I like to relax in different ways. I’m quite flexible about it. The main goal for me is to focus on something simple and not think about ministry for a while. That helps me rest both physically and mentally. For example, I might go to the gym, play PC games, or read while listening to music. I also enjoy having coffee with my wife or catching up with friends. Sometimes, I like to learn something new as well. It really depends on how much free time I have and how I’m feeling at the time.

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

One of my favourite songs is ‘Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord’. I love it not only because the melody is calm and gentle, but also because the meaning is very deep.

The lyrics paint a beautiful picture of worship, from being still, to becoming aware of God’s presence, to seeing His holiness and glory, to experiencing His power, and then responding in faith. This journey really reminds me that when we come before God, we need both a sense of reverence for who He is, and trust in His power and grace.

I especially like to listen to this song after I’ve finished preparing a Sunday sermon, or at the end of my quiet time with God. It helps me pause and reminds me not to just keep doing things, but to be still in His presence.

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?

One day, when I get to heaven, it might feel so holy and overwhelming that I may not even feel ready to go straight to Jesus right away. But I would definitely love to visit Peter, one of His disciples, and sit down with him over a cup of coffee. I’d love to hear him share about his life journey. Peter feels very real to me. He was passionate, but he also had his failures. I would really want to ask him how he faced Jesus again after denying Him three times. Because I have my own weaknesses too – actually, quite often – and I would really like to know how he walked through that difficult season. I think that turning point in Peter’s life is something I can learn a lot from.

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

If you ask me whether I would recommend officership, I wouldn’t quickly say ‘yes’, because this path is not easy. Officership is very different from a career in business or industry. But if you are clear that this is God’s calling for you, then I would say it is a challenging but very worthwhile journey. I can honestly say that I am still being shaped through it.