Wearing Their Witness: Luke and Mickey Bhatnagar
Two young men in the Potomac Division literally “wear” their faith by regularly donning Salvation Army t-shirts to attend their high school. Brothers Luke and Mickey Bhatnagar have amassed an impressive collection of camp shirts and gospel-themed apparel—many with the familiar Red Shield and/or a verse of scripture.
“They heard a challenge at last year’s Youth Councils about not being afraid or ashamed to proclaim their faith in Christ,” explains Major Srikant Bhatnagar, the boys’ dad.
Mickey was the first to think of wearing the shirts to school, but Luke quickly followed. With their collection of 12-15 shirts for each of the boys, they joke that they can go two weeks of schooldays without having to go back to the beginning of the cycle.
“Our friends often ask about The Salvation Army,” Mickey says. “One day I wore a shirt with a big Red Shield on the front, and a kid even asked me if I got it at the thrift store.”
“Also, people often compliment us, or thank us, when we’re in a supermarket or somewhere for wearing something that glorifies God,” Luke adds.
“One friend even checked [the Army] out by following our performances online on our division’s website,” Mickey chimes in.
To an extent, some of their fellow students look for them every morning to see which of the gospel t-shirts they are wearing. They don’t seem to mind the attention, especially if it is for the cause of Christ.
Besides being “walking billboards for Christ,” the Bhatnagar brothers are immersed in developing their musical skills at their West Potomac High School, as well as in the Potomac Division and the Sherman Avenue Corps, where their parents serve as corps officers.
With Luke on cornet and Mickey on trombone, the boys play in the National Capital Band and the division’s Potomac Brass. They hope to be chosen to join other Salvationist musicians from all four USA territories in an upcoming Rose Bowl Parade. They also add their voices to the Potomac Choir.
At Potomac High, these “Wolverines” perform with the school’s marching band in the fall and the concert band in the spring. They also enjoy playing in the jazz ensemble.
Luke and Mickey love golf, while Mickey is branching off into lacrosse.
“Here at the corps, they are so supportive of the Army’s mission and ministry,” says their mother, Major Indrani Bhatnagar. “They work with us at the shelter, conduct our praise and worship band, and even teach music to young people in the corps and in the division.”
With graduation only a couple of years away for both brothers, they already have a pretty good idea what they want to do and where they want to serve the Lord within the Army. Mickey is looking at either Penn State or Virginia Tech for a career as a veterinarian. Luke hasn’t decided on a school but is setting a goal toward a master’s degree in finance. Regardless, both boys will return to the Potomac Division to serve as local officers in whichever corps is nearby.
Mickey also plans to teach music to youth in his future corps, similar to what David Delaney, a mentor of sorts to both boys, does as divisional music director (DMD).
“David and the divisional music department always keep us on track when it comes to music and our devotion to the Lord,” Luke says. “They’re always telling us, ‘Music is good, but our relationship with God and glorifying Him in all we do is most important!’”
Other influential adults who have invested in their lives include Assistant DMD David Mersiovsky, Mickey’s trombone instructor Kevin Downing, and Lieutenant Kate Combs, currently serving as a corps officer in the Western Territory.
Ironically, it was because of COVID that Mickey received a newfound closeness to Christ. “It was at my first music conservatory [at Camp Rappahannock]. We were confined to the camp, and so much of our time was spent in small groups studying God’s Word. It was that summer that I grew very close to the Lord.”
In addition, a May 2024 mission trip by the Potomac youth to the Bahamas profoundly affected Mickey. “Serving the people there and telling them about Jesus made me very grateful for the many blessings God has given to me.”
For Luke, the Commissioning weekend of 2022 struck home, helping him realize “the importance of being a soldier for Christ.”
Like brothers everywhere, there are a few similarities, but certainly many differences that make each of their characteristics unique. Mickey is by far the more talkative of the two. Luke is quiet, even perhaps cerebral.
“I’m the brains of the outfit,” he jokes, which gets a great reaction from Mickey.
The boys each hold a special scripture verse as their favorite.
Luke: “I like Proverbs 16:33—’Every decision is from the Lord.’”
Mickey: “My verse is Titus 3:5—’He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.’”
It’s obvious that Majors Srikant and Indrani are doing something right in their parenting skills. So, what is their secret?
Mom is quick to answer: “We tell them God is always watching you, so always do what is right in the sight of the Lord!”