William Booth quote inspires new Divisional Commander for WA
- deansimpson7
- 58 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Major Darrell Wilson was recently installed as the Divisional Commander for Western Australia. Salvos Online journalist ANTHONY CASTLE caught up with Darrell to gather his thoughts on the new appointment.
Firstly, Darrell, congratulations on the new appointment.
Thank you! There’s really been some excitement about the appointment. I wondered about it, perhaps being in WA for so long. People really welcomed the appointment, so it helped me feel that it was right heading into it.
What’s your background? You were born in Ballarat, but you mostly grew up in Western Australia, is that right?
I have been in WA since I was 12. My parents were officers, and we moved when I was young ... and I’ve been here ever since. Most of my appointments have been here. I came to officership in an envoy appointment in 2008.
I had studied music when I was younger but became a youth worker at Morley Salvos. In 2004, I became part of the Divisional Youth team, and as an envoy, I was appointed as Mission Development Director. I worked with corps officers in a consultative role to understand the health and work of corps. I’ve managed responses to bushfires as well and was appointed to Rockingham Corps as an officer in 2011 with my wife Chelsea, where I served for 14 years.
I never really had the aim of being in a corporate leadership role, but my heart is in this role to champion the local mission. I’ve done that at Rockingham for 14 years. I didn’t have a desire to leave the corps but felt a challenge to offer more. Coming fresh off the ground at Rockingham will be a plus in this role.
For some in The Salvation Army, it may seem like an interesting pathway to the role of Divisional Commander. What leadership values do you see as meaningful, coming from youthwork and corps to your new appointment?
The first is about Christian character. I think character, Christian character, is important. We’re followers of Jesus before we’re leaders. It’s important to keep it all in perspective.
The second is about following, seeing where God is at work and partnering with him. I learned something early on at Rockingham: to follow God’s lead. I wanted to develop strategies and methodologies, but that doesn’t always mean the same thing as what God wants. Our role is to see what God is doing. To follow in that, I think that’s a humble way to lead. We look for what God is doing and get involved. I really believe that ... and try to live that way.
What opportunities and challenges do you see in this work? Not just in Western Australia but in the world today?
I think we need to see opportunities in the world, not just in The Salvation Army. There are needs in the community, and the world is really complex. Society is quite often suspicious of the church and of institutions. I think we need to be aware of that, that the suspicion can be for good reasons too.
I do think the Australian public recognises that we are Christians in action. It may sound cliché, but when I think about where to start in this role, I think about following Jesus. If we follow Jesus and centre our lives on him, the strategies and methodologies will come. I love that inspiring quote from William Booth: “Making heaven on earth is our business.” That’s our job.
