Salvation Army leadership seeking to hear younger voices
BY LAUREN MARTIN AND ROSY KEANE
Grace Hall says she’s “not that important”, but the 26-year-old Queensland senior soldier and Salvation Army employee has this year taken up a unique position as the youngest member of The Salvation Army’s national Spiritual Life Committee (SLC).
The Salvation Army’s Spiritual Life Committee is a leadership committee to improve the depth and breadth of the spiritual life of Australia and to guide the movement so it operates in accordance with its God-given mission – to “share the love of Jesus by caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities and working for justice”.
Earlier this year, the committee held a number of ‘Divisional Listening Visits’ to gauge the spiritual heartbeat of the movement. These listening forums were established after observing the purpose and egalitarianism of Aboriginal First Nations yarning circles in gaining community voice.
Grace, an executive assistant at Divisional Headquarters in Queensland and soldier at North Brisbane Corps, attended. “We were asked some really challenging questions about the spiritual life of the Army from our divisional perspective,” she said.
Following the meeting, she was asked to join the national committee.
“I was very honoured to be asked,” she said. “I’ve never been given a seat of responsibility like this before … I am a soldier, I am an employee and I am a young adult in The Salvation Army. I am trying to be a good voice for my generation, a good voice for soldiers, and employees as well.”
The Committee meets regularly, receiving feedback from the Divisional Spiritual Life Forums (DSLF) that sit underneath it, and also giving feedback into The Salvation Army board on different things.
“We are a church and we are a business, and so how does this cross over, how does this coincide because it doesn’t feel natural sometimes,” she said. “The SLC is a key component in helping us work together seamlessly, in making sure we keep Jesus in the focus in everything.”
Fellow SLC member and Secretary for Spiritual Life Development Auxiliary-Lieutenant Rosy Keane said she’s thrilled to sit beside Grace on the Committee.
“Grace has been chosen to be on the Spiritual Life Committee not only as a young adult, but as a committed disciple of Jesus who brings a unique voice from her generation and helps us respond and listen,” she said. “I admire Grace greatly, and it’s a privilege to serve alongside her. I learn so much from her humility and spiritual authority.”
Rosy said it’s important to have different voices represented on the committee, from young to old, and of all different diversities. Grace has been assisting Rosy to expand the divisional Spiritual Life Forums to include more voices from young people.
“Gone are the days when we only listen to people in positions of ‘power’. We know it is an upside-down Kingdom, and the Holy Spirit speaks to all of us and we need to be listening to whomever God will speak through. That is the power of God at work in the Body of Christ.
“Will The Salvation Army move because of the words of children? Will we respond to the gifts of the Spirit through people on the fringes of our movement? That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what we want to do. We are led by Jesus,” Rosy said.
Now, Youth and Young Adults Spiritual Life Forums (YAYA SLF) are being established. The divisional forums quickly highlighted that younger adults, particularly those under 30, were often unable to attend because of work or study, and could sometimes feel the pressure of speaking for an entire generation.
“For the last two years, we’ve been building the groundwork, praying, and developing the framework,” said Rosy. “Each division has been asked to identify around 12 young people who are faithful followers of Jesus, committed to their Salvation Army community, and willing to listen to other voices.”
The forums, which will launch in September, will be a two-way conversation. Young people will pray and discern what God is saying to them, while also providing input and leadership ideas to the national Spiritual Life Committee.
“We see this as a really exciting way of shifting the axis of agency for the movement back into the hands of youth and young adults, Rosy said.
Reverse mentoring
A key part of the initiative will be reverse mentoring, where young people intentionally mentor older or senior leaders. Young people will share their leadership experiences, perspectives and the ways they see God speaking, while senior leaders take a posture of listening and learning from them instead.
The YAYA SLF will also contribute to a new 365-day devotional, bringing back the A Year of Prayer resources with a twist. Each Youth and Young Adult Spiritual Life Forum member will contribute at least one devotion, creating a resource written by young people for everyone. It will be available through the Bible App (YouVersion App), as well as in hard copy and and Year of Prayer cards. The planned release date is Pentecost Sunday, 2027. Grace Hall is contributing a special 17-day doxology to the devotional.
“It’s really about mainstreaming the voice of this generation and saying, ‘You matter, we see you, and we listen to you,’” said Rosy.
WATCH MORE: God-defining moment with Grace Hall
