General Lyndon Buckingham: ‘Our greatest asset is our people’

As Together 2025 welcomes special guests international leaders General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, the General talks to Major Julian Watchorn.

As you travel around the Salvation Army world, what do you see that would encourage Salvationists in this territory?

People. Our greatest asset is our people. We have people in 134 countries endeavouring to proclaim the good news of the gospel. The reality of the Kingdom now and the Kingdom to come is made possible because of people pointing the way to Jesus. People are doing that everywhere our flag flies – that stuff’s going on! It’s going on through the hands, the feet and the voices of our people, and that’s a beautiful thing. I celebrate that and I’m meeting people from all over the globe who are passionate and committed to the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ and meeting human need in his name in the best way they can.

As you travel the Army world, what do you see God reviving?

Again, it’s people! He’s reviving people. I see a renewed confidence in the power of the gospel to transform people’s lives. That’s where we’re seeing real growth – where people are confident to tell the Jesus story unapologetically and where there is a renewed appetite for prayer. It is going back to basics.

We have to guard against mission drift. God has commissioned this Army to demonstrate his love in both word and deed, and we must ensure that our focus and our priorities remain true to that mandate. We can’t be so busy painting the boat that we forget the passengers that might want to get on board.

So, where we are seeing innovative programming, growth and strength, we need to endorse it, equip it, promote it, celebrate it. Is it possible for dry bones to live again? Absolutely, but we’ve got to go deeper. We’ve got to create and reach out; we’ve got to make disciples.

If our corps are not vibrant and flourishing places, we’ll miss the wave of the Holy Spirit, because young people want to go where it’s happening – and I think we’ve got work to do.

I truly believe that if we can engage with Gen Z now, we will secure The Salvation Army for the next 50 years. That’s the vision we need to capture. We need to have young people falling in love with Jesus. Have them fall in love with the gospel, with God’s mission to redeem, to restore, to renew that which belongs to him. You want to end wars? You want to bring peace? You want to solve hunger? Capture the hearts of 18 to 30-year-olds with the love of Jesus and they’ll turn the world upside down.

In 30 years’ time, what would you love to see as the Army’s legacy? What hopes do you have for future generations of Salvationists?

God is doing something with our youth, so we have a duty to invest in them. They will be our legacy. But we have to be convinced about it ourselves. We are shepherds. Peter tells us to set an example to the flock. So how we carry ourselves, what we get excited about, what we get into, what we pursue now – that’s what we need to communicate.

In a turbulent world impacted by war, geopolitical tension, poverty and the climate crisis, how can we speak Jesus into situations on a local, national and international level?

I think The Salvation Army’s best contribution, in terms of a global response, is the way we conduct ourselves – the way that people experience us when they encounter us. They need to see that we are peacemakers, demonstrators of love, people who pursue grace and forgiveness and hope. Wherever anybody encounters The Salvation Army, they should experience people who are living differently for the Kingdom, being salt and light. It’s time for us to be really salty. It’s time for us to be bright lights. Scripture says you’ll ‘shine like stars’ (Philippians 2:15 International Standard Version).

We have a good story to tell. If we’re going to be disciples of Jesus, we want to do what Jesus did, because when we do, we become salt and light – a healing balm and hope for a hopeless world. I want an Army that’s doing that.

The theme of Together 2025 is Mission 160: From Generation to Generation. As we mark the Movement’s 160th anniversary, is there something that encourages you about how God is still using his Army?

Once again, it’s people! I am encouraged that we have people who are passionate about the Kingdom and the King. We’ve got lots of people who are bringing their passions and their talents and their skills to serve the mission of the Army. That’s a beautiful thing.

I come to Together 2025 celebrating that. Across the UK and Ireland and the world, there are thousands of people who are stepping up. People who believe that we are a vehicle that enables them to live out the calling of God on their life as Jesus people. We’ve got to value them, we’ve got to encourage them and we’ve got to release them – to let them do their thing.

I want us to be a Movement that tells the story of God’s love manifested in the vision of Jesus Christ and to do so in innovative, creative ways.

What are you and Commissioner Bronwyn most looking forward to at Together 2025?

Celebrating people. Seeing Jesus in the faces of the people who gather. We’re looking forward to the movement of the Spirit that we know is going to come as we gather in his name over the weekend.

At the Welcome to the High Council, you wrote four words on a prayer card: grace, peace, wisdom and courage. What would you write on a prayer card now? Have those four words changed?

I think those words would stay the same. If I was going to add to them at all, it would be stamina! The office of the General is demanding. I am blessed with tons of energy and passion, but I would ask that God would continue to renew that daily.

And, if I could add anything else, I think it would be prayer for our families. They are a long way away and, although very supportive and pleased to release me and Commissioner Bronwyn to our callings, we know that our office and commitment come at a price.

As part of Together 2025, people are sharing songs or hymns that inspire them. Is there a song that inspires you in your Christian journey?

‘My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,/ For thee all the pleasures of sin I resign;/ My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou,/ If ever I loved thee, my Jesus’, ’tis now’ (SASB 878).

If you had to give your testimony in one word, what would it be?

Grace. It’s all about grace.