Couple initially resisted officership – then came a pivotal moment
Michellie and Sam Higginbottom are a young, dynamic couple whose zest for life is truly inspiring and infectious. They love God, people and life in all its diversity. The couple thrives on serving and supporting others and is unwaveringly committed to positively impacting people’s lives. When it’s time to unwind, Sam loves to hit the tennis court, while Michellie delights in roller-skating and bonding with her pet snake, Calliope! With their ordination and commissioning as Salvation Army officers fast approaching, the Champions of the Mission cadets took a moment to speak with Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH about the upcoming special occasion and their anticipation of the exciting journey ahead.
As momentum builds for Sunday’s Commissioning, Michellie and Sam are filled with excitement, eagerly anticipating the significant moment in their lives.
“We are both really excited,” the couple admitted.
“To take the time and have the opportunity to affirm and acknowledge the commitment we have made to serve in God’s mission, but also acknowledge the work he has done in each of our lives as we step into full-time ministry again.”
But the road to officership almost didn’t happen.
Michellie recalls resisting the idea of officership when it first surfaced at the age of 11. Terrified of public speaking, she steered clear of ministry discussions in high school and dismissed any comments suggesting she would make a great officer.
Similarly, Sam initially resisted the idea of officership, hoping to pursue other careers after earning a Certificate IV in Ministry and working in student leadership and youth services.
However, a pivotal moment soon arrived.
After being accepted into several university courses, Michellie realised none felt right. When her parents moved to the Northern Territory, she and then-fiancée Sam decided to follow. There, she worked at a drug and alcohol centre, a domestic violence service and Doorways until a successful Expression of Interest led to a ministry role offer.
Their new appointment was life-changing.
Passion, purpose and partnership After marrying, they spent more than two years as leaders of Katherine Corps (NT), “learning on the fly.” They led a team and oversaw a large government budget in a tough and challenging role before starting their officer formation training at Eva Burrows College.
If you chat with the couple, it’s immediately apparent that they are a shining example of passion, purpose and partnership.
Their journey together is marked by valuable lessons learned and obstacles overcome. As they prepare for their first official posting to Canberra, they are hopeful and optimistic about the many opportunities to come.
“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Michellie remarked.
“I want to continue to be open to how God can use me. We are moving again to a place where we have never been and know nobody. I hope that I can continue to be willing to just stay open to how God can use me because I continue to be shown things about myself that I didn’t know I could do otherwise. I really hope that continues throughout our ministry so we can keep serving in that way. I am also more comfortable with preaching I’ve done on and off for the past five years. It’s just second-hand now.”
Sam’s thoughts are similar. He, too, is looking forward to seeing what God wants and has in store for him when he and Michellie begin their officership journey as the Corps Officers at Tuggeranong in Canberra.
“My expectations are not really too high because I’m excited to see whatever comes and whatever happens next,” he explained.
“We are going in a little bit blind. We have never been to Canberra, so it will be all new. I don’t really know if I have a whole lot of expectations just other than to continue to grow my own capacity and hopefully to take along people for the ride.”
The couple’s desire to dedicate their lives to the corps officer role is driven by powerful motivations.
A big motivator for Sam is having seen the church ebb and flow, flourish and struggle. He believes he has something to offer in this space, bringing a bunch of new ideas and perspectives. He loves journeying with people as they discover or deepen their understanding of God, as it has been so impactful in his own journey.
“Being able to take other people on that ride as well is my main motivator,” Sam said.
“If I can go through a bit of a rough patch, which means I get to go through rough patches with other people, too, that’s just life. So, that is a huge motivator for me.”
Investing in people Michellie’s motivation has stemmed from her experience of many and varied churches serving both middle-class people and those who are struggling and broken.
“Just being able to, regardless of what it looks like, to see people and find a way to connect with God in a way that works best for them is something I really like to watch people do,” she reflected.
“To empower people to find ways to do that for themselves in all different types of ways. It’s such a privilege to be in a space where we just get to do that kind of journey with people all the time. We get to just fully invest in that part of people’s journeys. And that’s such a privilege and is a big part of why we keep doing it.”
Valuable lessons for their vocation have come from many sources, including Michellie’s upbringing with corps-officer parents, where she witnessed the realities of the role firsthand and had a “transparent look” at what ministry was like early on in her life. Their college studies have also been impactful.
Some key learnings have included having permission and time to invest in themselves to better serve others and having the space to develop themselves to give themselves the best tools going forward. They have also learned that any ministry success and fruit is God’s work through them, which has deepened their reliance on God and solidified their purpose as a vessel for God’s purposes.
The cadets have also benefited from having strong mentors and corps officers who invested time in guiding, befriending and supporting them, providing valuable insights into ministry life.
Additionally, they have valued the opportunity to contribute to the ministry of others while in their training capacity, which they describe as a “gift”. This has allowed them to develop a mutual relationship with their mentors.
Outside of ministry, Michellie and Sam have hobbies that help them recharge, knowing that the ministry role is 24/7 and of importance is balancing people’s expectations with the realities of living a life. Sam loves to play video games, particularly online with friends, while Michellie loves the outdoors, including hiking. They also share a parrot named Link and two cats, Momo and Mazikeen, along with Calliope.
Being a listening ear Looking to the future, the couple anticipates both rewards and challenges in their lifelong vocation. There’s also great joy as they prepare to welcome their first child next year and become a family of three.
Michelle is focused on embracing new opportunities in their next ministry phase and staying open to how God will use her. Sam aims to grow in his role and advocate for those who lack a voice and ways to express their needs and wants.
“Even a listening ear can actually just change someone’s day,” he said.
“I think that’s actually probably more important than anything physically we can offer them or any massive social reform that we push for. I honestly think being a listening ear and someone for those lonely people to feel heard and valued.”
Echoing his sentiment, Michellie added that loneliness was a major issue for people who walked into church and often was at the core of social and physical needs. In their new role at Tuggeranong, they look forward to serving and helping people, including those who are lonely and isolated, and empowering them through their Salvation Army missional work and the power of friendship, fellowship, and connection.
Watch the Commissioning service at Camberwell live here
