Meet the Officer – Major Bronwyn Barkmeyer

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

My husband, Ashley, and I serve as Corps Officers at Brisbane City Temple (BCT). What I love most is seeing what God is doing in people’s lives – the beauty of seeing so many active in ministry, coming to us with fresh ideas of doing ministry in the city, corps people sharing their faith and praying with those in the community, and using their gifts to serve others.

It’s also been a joy to see young people, including some with no Salvation Army background, finding a place to belong at BCT, embracing the band, songsters, and being so welcomed and encouraged by the wider corps family. I love the people; I love seeing traditional expressions of worship used in new ways, and I count it a privilege to have a front-row seat to God at work in this place. And the great cafés nearby are a nice bonus!

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

When I’m not at the corps, you’ll usually find me at home relaxing, maybe with a book, writing, drawing, or dreaming up ideas that may or may not be practical! I’ve written a couple of short stories and would love to write a novel one day. I also enjoy a good TV binge. My genres of choice are Hallmark movies, especially Christmas movies, and crime dramas such as Criminal Minds, NCIS, Bones and Midsomer Murders. I’m not entirely sure what that combination says about me!

I love anything old – antiques, old houses (we had an old house in Sydney that we renovated before we became officers), history, and discovering the stories behind them. My favourite authors are Jane Austen and Daphne du Maurier, which probably explains a lot. I also love travelling, but my favourite thing is spending time with my family. When we’re all together, it’s wonderfully chaotic, full of laughter, and usually quite loud. Combine family and travel, and you’ve pretty much described my happy place.

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

A favourite Christian song of mine for quite some time has been ‘There Will Be God’ by Joy Webb. I love the way it speaks into the world we’re living in right now – the pain, the doubt, the loneliness and the confusion. I think every one of us has experienced those things at some point. The message is beautifully simple: no matter what is happening in your life, no matter what is happening in the world, there will be hope, there will be love, there will be God. What greater message could we share?

I also love the drama in the music. It somehow reaches down deep and gives voice to those emotions and the intensity of them. For me, the music and lyrics work together beautifully, creating space for the Holy Spirit to move. It’s a song that reminds me that God is present, God is at work, and God can always be trusted.

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? 

It was a very close race between Peter, Abigail and Barnabas, but Barnabas just won by a nose! I’d love to sit down with him over a chai latte and hear his stories of the early church. But more than that, I’d love to know how he became so good at seeing potential in people that others missed. He seemed to recognise what God could do in someone’s life before they could see it themselves. I’d love to learn how to become more like that. Barnabas reminds me that some of the most important ministry isn’t done in the spotlight. Often, it’s simply walking alongside people, encouraging them, believing in them, and helping them become all that God intends them to be.

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

If God is calling you to officership, then my advice would be simple: do it. It won’t always be easy. There have certainly been some very tough seasons, but I can honestly say I have never regretted following God’s call. Don’t go into officership because of what you think you can do. Go because of what God can do in and through you. Time and again, I’ve found that He provides, He sustains, He places the right people around you, and He teaches you what it means to depend on Him. For me, being in the centre of God’s will is the best place to be, whether the season is difficult or joy-filled. There is nothing else I can imagine doing. So, if He’s calling you, trust Him and say yes.