Behind the Shield: Captain Joshua Stansbury, Officer
Captain Joshua Stansbury has been an Officer with The Salvation Army for 11 years. He is currently located at the Marinette Worship and Community Center. Learn more about Captain Stansbury below.
Q. How did you first learn about The Salvation Army?
A. I was what we call “born into The Salvation Army.” Meaning my family was involved in The Salvation Army since before I was born. My parents were lay-leaders in The Salvation Army Church and my mom worked for The Salvation Army for many years in various positions.
Q. Where did you hear your calling to be an Officer?
A. I was eight-years-old and at a worship meeting and I felt the overwhelming presence of the Lord tugging at my heart saying this is what I want for you. Of course at eight years of age I didn’t know what that 
or what it meant and so I went on about my life for many years.
My preteen years and teen years this thought of being a Salvation Army Officer was a thought in the back of my head and every once and a while surfacing. As a young adult, there came a time that I rededicated my life to the Lord and said “OK God, what you want, I will follow.” He opened up career opportunities for me for many years in a row. I worked my way up to management in several jobs including fast food and human service careers.
My girlfriend (now wife) who I knew since we were 10 attended a Salvation Army conference. She attended a class entitled “How to Know If You Are Called to be a Salvation Army Officer” She was going to college in the town that I lived in and grew up in and she came back and we were hanging out one night and she told me she was called. At this time, were around 19 or 20 and I had a good thing going with work and I was enjoying leading the youth at The Corps and I told her: “I think you will make a great officer.”
Once again running from my calling and breaking my promise to God of “whatever you want.” This was definitely not my finest moment, but God remained faithful even when I tried to run away, He was still there. God tends to do that with us, even when we try escape he is still present. His presence was definitely felt by me the day I visited my Mom at the Corps and I went in just to say hello to my Corps Officer. I recall he had pictures of all his “adventures” as an officer and I started thinking about all the cool things you get to do as a Salvation Army Officer and I have always like the idea of “adventure.” I had always been an Adventure Corps member (Adventure Corps is a Character Building program similar to Boys Scouts but with a strong faith emphasis and unique to The Salvation Army). The motto of the program is “Adventure with Christ.” It was that day, in my Corps officer’s office, that God called me to Adventure with Christ. I didn’t think much of it and so I went home and all I could think about was what it would be like to be a Salvation Army Officer. The adventures, the feeling that I get when I had led people to a relationship with Jesus, the adrenaline that comes with knowing you have just introduced someone to something greater than where they currently are, no matter where they are; knowing that you have just made an eternal difference in someone’s life.
Anyone can make an earthly difference, but when you make an eternal difference that is something that words can cannot describe. All of these emotions and thoughts and feelings just consumed my mind, my heart, my soul. I had so much adrenaline like I had just been in a sparring tournament, I felt so much strength and weakness at the same time and all I could think about was being a Salvation Army Officer and being a Salvation Army officer with my ex-girlfriend at that time. Remember, my girlfriend and I had broken up because I was running from my calling to full time ministry with The Salvation Army, however we she was still in college and we still were friends. Now all of a sudden, I am willing to admit that I am called. I am interested still in this girl, we will call her Rhegan (because that’s her name). The same night I felt the overwhelming sense of emotions to adventure with Christ, we were hanging out and I told her that I was called to Officership as well. She said nothing but kissed me and we got back together, got engaged later, been married now for 14 years, officers together for 11 years and parents of three beautiful children for 10 years.
Q. What is your favorite part about being an officer at The Salvation Army?
A. The adventure of not knowing from day to day what God has planned for that day and who God will allow me to be in company with to tell them about the great news of Jesus Christ either through words or though my actions.
Q. What has been your favorite experience with The Salvation Army?
A. Being an Officer in the US and overseas and seeing how the Holy Spirit moves all over the world. Also, being allowed to learn and grow as God desires.
Q. What is one thing you believe the world should know about The Salvation Army?
A. It is not a cookie cut shaped ministry. EVERYWHERE you go the Army’s ministry is different. I have helped build classrooms for Salvation Army ran schools and served medicine for clinics overseas. I have seen great need and great greed in different cities and even though the landscape of places may change or the economics one thing remains is that The Army is close by to provide hope, help and healing.
Q. What are three words you'd use to describe The Salvation Army?
A. Hope, Help, Healing
Q. Is there anything you'd like to add?
A. Please understand that The Salvation Army is not perfect and periodically people are called to serve/support other ministries, regardless of your situation and your bias towards The Salvation Army please remember to PRAY FOR OUR ARMY. Nothing can change, nothing can grow, and nothing can strengthen without prayer. Nothing can – Without prayer.
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