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Virginia – NRO, Chantilly

[…]the podcast, listen at home or during a commute, and read the associated Scripture. This group’s prayer is that this Biblical methodology will lead us into a deeper relationship with God, His Word, and one another. Day & Time: Thursdays, 0700-0755 ET, at the NRO Café Loft (staircase between Starbucks & food services). We also host quarterly lunch meetings and semi-annual […]

Families should develop a support system

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Finding certainty in an uncertain world

[…]face and countenance will show it. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (vv. 6–7). Guard your heart. Have you placed the cause of your uncertainty at the Lord’s feet? Are you thankful for where He has you and what He’s allowing you to experience? When you do this, the overwhelming sense of peace will pour over you and your heart will be free of worries. Finally, […]

Making the ‘no greater love’ sacrifice

[…]is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Chaplain Poling, a Reformed church pastor, was reciting the Lord’s Prayer while Chaplain Washington, a former New Jersey gang-member-turned Catholic priest, sang hymns of comfort. The strongest human instinct is for survival. Why didn’t these four men immediately head to the lifeboats and save themselves? Chaplain Fox, a Methodist minister, told his wife when the war broke out, “I’ve got to go. I know from experience what our boys are about to face. They need me.” In a letter to his dad Chaplain Poling wrote, “Just pray I shall do my duty… that I shall never […]

Time, Talent, Treasure: Academies

[…]frequently met with each one outside of class. She would listen to their plebe year woes, record prayer requests, share Scripture, and bring them treats. And she’s continued, even sending them encouraging cards and packages from Afghanistan while deployed. That core group is now leading plebe studies, excited about doing for these girls what this lieutenant did for them   Your advice for getting involved in the ministry of OCF? Burt: Look around, see where God is at work, and join Him there. Conduct your own Pray, Discover and Obey, and be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit shows you […]

Time, Talent, Treasure: OCF small group fellowships

[…]lunch, OCFers come together in Christ’s to support and encourage each through Bible study and prayer.   Navy submarine lieutenant Mark Treen believes God has given him a rare opportunity to be a missionary to those he lives, works and eats with in the ocean depths, an environment where the difficulties crew members face are more acute. The challenge, he says, is “letting Christ’s light shine when you feel like you’re surrounded by darkness,” and instead trusting in Christ’s promise that, “the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:12). And just as submariners […]
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Time, Talent, Treasure: ROTC

[…]with their walk with God, and marriage.”  Rob, Chandra and staff all meet for Bible study, prayer and community time before mentoring the students, who in turn lead Bible studies or disciple others—and often initiate weekend events for outreach or just plain fun. We love the chance to be a part of those events with our family,” said Rob, who relishes the “forever friendships” that have been forged. Seeing a cadet sharing the Word with his roommate at breakfast, or the “aha moment” look on a cadets’ faces they begin to understand God’s love and grace are among the pinnacle […]

A day in the life of OCF

[…]Partnerships/National Capital Region. Starting his day with the Lord at 0400, followed by a prayer breakfast and an intercessory prayer meeting, OCF’s rep for developing strategic partnerships with others passionate about ministry to the military society. He’s now at a meeting with other team members finalizing the logistics for the NCR Military Ministry Summit. Then it’s off to walk the dog of a wounded warriors family he’s helping.  The day is ending as it began for Dean Millard, with the untouched budget still on his desk. It does get done, but he will need to leave on time tonight. The […]

Members: Cast your vote now for OCF Council

[…]lay leader; Seacoast Community Church youth group leader (weekly Bible studies, special events, prayer meetings); street evangelism with the church.  Personal testimony: I trusted the Lord at a young age, but it was not until high school that I realized the radically selfless life that Jesus calls us to. At that time, I began to truly seek the Lord, and since have been blessed with godly mentors who have taught me and encouraged me to follow the Lord with all my heart.  What is the biggest challenge you see currently facing OCF right now? OCF faces social and political pressure […]

From Mid to Married to Mom

[…]God through this—His plan for our lives.  It doesn’t mean I won’t struggle with fear. A prayer poem I wrote from searching the Bible for God’s truth and promises helps me stay focused on Him concerning my husband. It’s only in Him that we truly have nothing to fear.   Dear God, I come to you this day,To keep my husband safe I pray.Please protect him day and night,And bless him with the coming light. Be his rock, and shield, and strength,Deliver him at any length.And when he’s tired, tried, and weary,Help him see Your love so clearly. Lord, I […]

With the Love of a Clanging Cymbal

[…]make clear the error of his ways and with any luck I would soon be leading him in the sinner’s prayer. I eased back in my office chair with a sense of pride at my work for the cause of Christ. Looking for additional opportunities to “help,” I asked why he was getting a divorce in the first place. His response included a detailing of his wife’s two one-night-stands, the second one resulting in a pregnancy with baby due any day.   My self-righteousness abated and my soul began to ache at the realization of my sin, completely jumping to […]

Getting Intentional in Your Marriage

by Col Larry & Bobbie Simpson, USAF (Ret.) A close look at thriving Christian marriages reveals intentionality–a purposeful plan and pursuit of spiritual growth, revealing its depth in increasing relational service and contentment. At Puget Sound’s recent Climb On! Regional Training Conference for equipping OCF members, we challenged couples to resist going through the motions of marriage and lukewarm service to one another. Christian military marriages thrive when couples purposely: Open the dialogue box-and keep it open Seek to understand your wife or husband’s need, goal, or point of view Commit to caring for the other’s concerns Catch, pray for, […]

Leaving a legacy of faith

[…]a centurion, a leader of leaders, and a soldier is memorialized in Scripture for his consistent prayers and good deeds. An angel spoke to Cornelius and said: “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” The Spirit of God used Cornelius to intervene in the life of Peter the Apostle and to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:34-48). Cornelius’ devout life and reverence for God influenced his entire household and left an enduring spiritual legacy for generations.  Conscientious leaders strive to establish a positive legacy, and when it is time to move on, they usually […]

Will you embrace the Christ of Christmas?

[…]Officers’ Christian Fellowship statement of faith serves as a simple, yet eternally profound prayer to use: Inasmuch as I am a sinner and deserve the wrath of God, and since Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and has been bodily resurrected, according to the Scriptures, I have accepted Him as my personal Lord and Savior and am saved by His grace alone. Seek out other believers and a Bible-based church to help you grow in your faith.   OCF, which can be found at many installations across the nation, encourages small-group fellowship and Bible studies among its military members and families. Find a small group […]

Let His Light Shine!

[…]us with brothers and sisters to hold up our hands and protect us from outside evil influences.  Prayer acts as spiritual anti-virus protection, culling out evil thoughts and evoking the Holy Spirit to keep the “hard drive” of our inner man unpolluted.  And by feasting on the Word, we password-protect our heart and mind with Scripture, locking and protecting our thoughts. As you continue to serve our nation, know that OCF was tailor-made to come alongside and provide you with the defense-in-depth measures needed to keep your light shining brightly–the light of Christ so desperately needed in these dark days.  […]

The Heartbeat of OCF

[…]lives are changed and love and service to one another are practiced. You gather for fellowship, prayer, and to hear the Gospel. The Bible is read, studied, and applied. And mutual compassion and support through the many trials and heartaches of military life is rendered with love, understanding, and compassion. Starting and Becoming an Effective Group The important thing is getting a group started so there is a safe place where you can encourage one another to acts of love, service and Christian maturity.  As commissioned officers and Christians in the Armed Forces of the USA, most every one of […]

OCF Groups and You

[…]using DVD, inductive, or topical Bible studies. Deployed group—an ad hoc group who meets for prayer/Bible study, often ending when deployment ends. Lunchtime workplace—a mixed group of AD, reserve, guard and civilian contractors meeting at lunch for Bible study. Pair/Spiritual Battle Buddies—two people praying/studying the Bible together; great discipleship opportunity. Church affiliated—varied people meeting for fellowship/prayer study as a formal ministry of a local church, cooperatively with OCF Specialty group—any of the models above but created specially for singles, women, senior officers, or whatever salient demographic at that location. Since you are OCF, your group will be what you make […]

My Early Christmas Gift

[…]Heavenly Father and the birth of His Son! During this season of giving and celebration, we say a prayer of thanksgiving for you and your families and praise the Lord for men and women like you who have willingly answered the call to serve our nation and our Lord.  As we give thanks to our Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He would sacrifice His one and only Son for us, we also give thanks to you for your sacrificial gift of service!  May the Lord put a shield of protection around you and your families. We pray […]

It Didn’t Surprise God

[…]poured in. People cooked meals for us. Most important was prayer. We were especially covered by prayer the day of Heather’s surgery. It was an experience of peace, even when Heather was rushed from post-op back into surgery to close a bleeding artery that swelled her neck with blood. But it was far more than just peace in the hospital. Many people have prayed for us and continue to pray for us today. Which brings me to the third blessing. God heard and responded to the prayers in very tangible ways. We had been warned of a multitude of potential […]

Operation Iraqi Freedom

[…]Army troops and Marines lived. So, like many of you, we supported them the best way we could–in prayer. It really meant a lot to me to see the picture of a group of people–arms around each other–gathered in prayer. God really is everywhere. How amazing to meet in a chapel on a multinational base in Saudi Arabia to celebrate Easter, play Australian songs in a praise band led by a Scotsman, hear the sermon from an American while sitting next to a Brit, and write about it from Japan to friends in Colorado. It was the beginning of some […]

Staying Up Late

[…]I start to feel my age then! Towards the end of our time together, I asked if I could say a quick prayer for them. “Sure, sir,” the guard said. “Always love it when you pray for us.” I put my arms around their shoulders and prayed for them. I asked that God would be with them throughout the night and help them stay awake and alert. I prayed for their families. And as always, I prayed that all of us would make it through this deployment safely and return home to the ones we love. We all said, “Amen” […]

Leadership Q&A

[…]Christian officer needs a friend in the faith to hold him/her accountable, hear confession, offer prayer cover, and encourage us through the struggle. Even Moses couldn’t do it alone (Exodus 17:10-13). He had Aaron and Hur help him in the midst of a desperate battle against the Amalekites. We also need such support. There are a lot of temptations to compromise your testimony. Your wing-man in the struggle will help you overcome these. For me, this faithful partner has been, and remains, my wife, Rebecca. She is my confidant, advisor, friend, and accountability partner in the fight. I could not […]

We Honor Them

[…]We then entered the plane, moved to the flag-draped transfer cases, and the chaplain offered a prayer. The Commander and I then returned, in step, to the tarmac where the Army Honor Guard was waiting. As we all stood at attention, the Honor Guard moved to lift each case. At this time the Commander and I saluted (ceremoniously-a slow, three-second move) as they moved the case to the open doors of the hearse. We did this for each soldier being honored. Then one last salute as the hearse started to drive away. We all then followed, in step, the slow […]

Walk in the Spirit

by Karen L. Martin May Jehovah, the great God of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, bless you with His LOVE-and with each of these attributes that will strengthen you and touch the lives of everyone you meet. JOY… when emails or phone calls are late in coming, and when birthdays or anniversaries are forgotten. PEACE… in the midst of complaining children and crashing computers.  PATIENCE… when people let you down. KINDNESS… when your husband gets promoted, but your friends do not. GOODNESS… when the commander’s spouse calls at the last minute for help with a […]

Lead Your Child to Christ

[…]Urge him to come and talk to you again when he does feel that he has sinned. You may want to have prayer first, however, thanking God “for this young child who is willing to do what is right.” Make it easy for him to talk to you again, but do not continue. Do no say, “Oh, yes, you have sinned!” and then name some. With children, wait for God’s conviction. If the answer is yes, continue. He may even give a personal illustration of some sin he has done recently or one that has bothered him. Tell him what […]

The Chaplain’s Role

[…]discussions. These soldiers must perform a fast discussion on a verse or topic, then end in prayer. Sometimes while on patrol, as the soldiers keep a vigilant watch, they ask questions about the Lord. I have learned something very valuable: This ministry is not about me as the chaplain. Yes, I go on as many patrols as is safe for my men, and I share the Word, but I cannot meet the spiritual needs of all the patrols that proceed out our gates. I must equip my soldiers with the weapons to fight the spiritual enemy, then I must trust […]

War Eagle, Iraq

[…](Psalm 91:5). b) It’s always a good thing to pray with the knowledge that the Lord hears the prayers of the righteous, casting all our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16). c) Always wear your Kevlar with the Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17). P.S. The soldier recovered well and attended the next chapel […]

First Bible Studies

[…]step would be to schedule a “Pray and Obey” where you would draw aside for a “season” of prayer to ask God to show you how He sees your installation (the walls of Jerusalem), and in prayer, discern His leading as you progress from a concern for others in the military, to a burden, then to a vision and finally to a plan. Leader’s Preparation In preparation for a group Bible Study, the leader should first proceed as though studying the passage just for him or herself. Then, when you have studied the passage adequately, you must decide what information […]

Child Evangelism

[…]Urge him to come and talk to you again when he does feel that he has sinned. You may want to have prayer first, however, thanking God “for this young child who is willing to do what is right.” Make it easy for him to talk to you again, but do not continue. Do no say, “Oh, yes, you have sinned!” and then name some. With children, wait for God’s conviction. If the answer is yes, continue. He may even give a personal illustration of some sin he has done recently or one that has bothered him. Tell him what […]

For All Leaders

[…]and women in the defense of our nation. The following TTPs are humbly offered with the hope and prayer that something included might help you bring glory to our Lord as you serve. Pray for wisdom. Your leadership will affect lives. The Bible tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Don’t miss out on this indispensable asset for your kit bag. We all need it! Make quiet reflection alone each day a priority. It allows you time to […]

The Jungles of War

[…]and moved into a dimension quite different from any I’d imagined. I launched a quick “arrow prayer” to remind God I was in big trouble, and then I accepted this new status as gracefully as possible. Without dragging this narrative out needlessly, let me simply say I wasn’t a prisoner for long. God indeed delivered me. In the process, He also made it possible for several hundred men to surrender to the U.S. Marines in the Danang area without a shot being fired. The details of that incident will be dealt with in another article at another time. But the […]

Unity of Command

[…]2:1-2 the apostle Paul exhorts us to pray for those in authority over us. Through intercessory prayer for our leaders, believers unify with God and with each other against both military and spiritual forces. Here’s one last example to illustrate spiritual UOC. In a joint military environment, one commander commands bombers, tanks, and ships. One of those components is no better or worse than any other. They follow and trust the leadership of their one commander. So, too, the church: believers must be loyal to Jesus as the one Commander of His Body. The Body of Christ has many different […]

War on Spiritual Terrorism

[…]and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” To survive in this battle, our prayer orders become just as important as our operations orders. Major General Ellis W. Williamson, the commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam noted, “Combat is a horrible experience. No commander that is close to it could ever enjoy it. However, all is not on the negative side. A man who has faced death, faced his God and lived properly with his fellow soldiers comes out of combat experience a better man.” The platoon leader mentioned earlier who prayed for his men […]

Professional Excellence (Durfey)

[…]on a bike, one will see things never seen from a car. Leaders must force themselves to slow down. Prayer is designed by God to do just that! Prayer also puts things into perspective-God’s perspective! The Lord does not over-schedule our days. He does not demand so much of us that we do not have time to pray-slow down! In all things we are to turn to the Lord of lords and acknowledge His lordship. He does have some very strong opinions about how things should and should not be done. Some of His strongest feelings have to do with […]

Professional Perspectives for Senior Officers

[…]wrote from Saudi Arabia about the ways God was working in his division. He recalled his initial prayers when he had received orders to the division in the states: “I had asked God for 20 studies, and believed He could make 30, so I could send words of encouragement. I never thought the Lord would do it this way, as we have now discovered a new meaning for ‘divide and multiply’.” God may not give you a vision for your entire military service, or even for your entire unit, but if you pray and ask, He will give you vision […]
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Six Generations: 1

[…] also learn another prayer, which all first-year cadets had to memorize–the Cadet Prayer. The Cadet Prayer is a powerful summation of a cadet’s intention to live according to a “higher standard.” One poignant phrase in that prayer is a petition for strength to “choose the harder right instead of the easier, and never to be content with the half-truth when the whole can be won.” Jon Shine lived that part of the Cadet Prayer to the fullest. His life as a cadet, and later as an Army officer, epitomized choosing “the harder right” over the easier wrong. Attracting attention […]

Six Generations: 2

[…]talked about the role of the Word of God in our lives and ended up having a very meaningful prayer time together.” Paul also remembered a Scripture verse that Jon sent him in a letter from Vietnam in which Jon shared what became Jon and Gail’s favorite verse–Romans chapter 8, verse 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (the verse on the plaque at Fort Shine). “I remember as if it were yesterday,” Paul recalled. “I felt the power and significance of […]

Six Generations: 3

[…]feed, and house a group of thirteen soldiers, but through some amazing answers to their prayers, it all worked out and they experienced a life-changing time together. Timothy concluded his testimony this way: “We made it back to Germany and, returning to our community, began to share with others our adventure in Christ, including those brothers of ours who had remained behind to accomplish other missions. I knew then, however, that our fellowship–not just those who made the journey–but all fifty of our men, had achieved that which God had purposed for us to accomplish. I knew that it was […]

Follow Me

[…]gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Second, we should seek God and His will every day. Daily prayer and meditation is key to remaining in God’s will for us. This can be done through the use of a “quiet time” or other method of prayer and scriptural meditation. Finally, by focusing on Jesus as our leadership example, we too can disregard the world’s idea of leadership and, like Him, have a clear, focused vision of what God would have us do. While we may never have to give our lives as a ransom for many, we should be prepared to do […]

Spiritual Success

[…]on your ship. Post updates on the Internet. Consider journaling your walk with God. Include prayer requests and answers. Remember that God selected you to serve in the exact position you are in so that you might learn to speak the military “language” to communicate about God and His love for those in the service. You may be the only person to whom a soldier or sailor will listen to about Christ. Be the “aroma of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14-6). Never do anything to cover up that aroma in an effort not to offend anyone. Ultimately, you will be the […]

Walking

[…]we honestly have done all we can, but are stuck–we cannot even know what to say or how to say in prayer the right thing–well, it is then that the Spirit steps in just at the right time and along with us, from His end He takes hold of the situation or problem and lifts it up to God in a very able, clear, definite and acceptable way. Meanwhile all we can do during that time is to groan in response to his burden upon our hearts. God understands and answers! Therefore, if we respond properly to God, nothing is […]

What Works for New Officers?

[…]avoid controversial issues, and focus on simple truths for effective Christian living. Include prayer and praise. TIP: You can facilitate a study with those who are of higher rank than you. Just stay disciplined, and keep it professional (2 Tim 3:16, 17). 5. Set a GOOD EXAMPLE morally. Live in a way that is right. Treat people fairly, give respect to everyone, and listen to all ranks carefully. TIP: Improper language doesn’t cut it. What we say is what we are. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 12:34-37. Unless someone holds you accountable, you will pick up words you wish […]

Situational Awareness

[…]and opportunities. My intent is to arm you with information regarding your unique situation. My prayer is that this will expand your understanding and increase your effectiveness as military leaders, spouses, and ambassadors for Christ. Others may want to read along to increase their knowledge of this gap.The Gap Described Culturally you are a pivotal element in our society. By chance of birth you live in the gap between the modern and post-modern eras. The modern era existed from 1500 a.d. until about the time you were born. The industrial age reigned supreme. Truth was determined by the scientific method. […]

Spiritual Battle Plans

[…]Word. Prayer Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Also, make your prayer list realistic: split it into multiple parts and pray over one section per day. Ask God questions about your military leadership and everything on your heart; it reminds us to listen. When He answers it enables us to see His relevance in the practical aspects of our life. Journaling Capture God’s answers to prayer and His revelations of truth (Proverbs 29:18). This is how we actively listen, pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), grow, and demonstrate to God that we can be trusted as faithful stewards of His […]

How Shall We Pray?

[…]from the culture in which we live. Each day in the OCF Home Office we have devotions and a time of prayer to honor the requests from OCF members and families living and serving around the world. This is our most important work of the day and we are committed to honor each request. Because our prayer ministry is so important and foundational to what we do in OCF, I have asked myself, how should we pray? There is not an easy answer simply because so many people are stressed, attacked, wounded, separated, or discouraged. My first inclination is to […]

Implicit Trust

[…]and died, the people repented and called for mercy. Moses interceded for them and god heard his prayer. God told Moses to prepare a brass serpent and raise it upon a pole. He promised Moses that all who looked upon that brass serpent in simple faith would live. Those who refused to take the Lord at his word, died. In the New Testament, John 3:14-15 (KJV), we’re told, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” […]

Preparing for Active Duty

[…]outstanding Christian role models, wonderful fellowship and worship, solid Bible study and prayer times, meaningful one-on-one discipleship, inspiring retreats at Spring Canyon, strong Christian relationships, great food, and Rocky Mountain High. Clearly, these cadets had a great first experience with OCF! Then I asked them the same two questions I ask each new class of students at Maxwell: 1) What would happen if every flight commander, every squadron commander, every wing commander were “on fire” for the Lord Jesus? What would your Air Force look like? 2) How are you going to make a Kingdom difference during your career? OCF […]

Share this spiritual gift with your teen

[…]tempted? He found His Father’s reassurance there. And we find Him here, too. Praise You, Father! Prayer atop the mountain. My son has the most beautiful smile. Why didn’t I realize this before. I did…I just…didn’t. Brian steers most of the way down, he’s pretty good. We splash through a stream. The ATV floods out. Rick talks us through re-starting it. Everyone is laughing. No problems. So beautiful a location. Everyone is covered in dirt and dust. We look AWESOME! Picture time. Tonight’s lesson: reject social and spiritual passivity. “Chicago” (John) gets the chicken! Later that night it rains and […]

Soldiers of Faith: Washington

[…]he carried strong faith into his public life. This is evident from the following entries in his prayer journal: Let my heart, therefore, gracious God, be so affected with the glory and majesty of (Thine honor) that I may not do my own works, but wait on Thee, and discharge those weighty duties which thou requirest of me. . .Thou gavest thy Son to die for me; and hast given me assurance of salvation, upon my repentance and sincere endeavor to conform my life to His holy precepts and example. These are not the words of a deist. These are […]

Mortal Enemies

[…]I read this book eagerly, I came to the climatic drama—the crucifixion. I read in Luke 23:34 the prayer of Jesus Christ at His death: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” At that moment I seemed to meet Jesus for the first time. I understood the meaning of His death as a substitute for my wickedness and so in prayer, I requested Him to forgive my sins and change me from a bitter, disillusioned ex-pilot into a well-balanced Christian with purpose in living. On that day I became a new person. My complete view […]

Service Separations

[…]or chapel. You need the close intimate fellowship that only comes from a small group. It may be a prayer and fellowship group from church or chapel, such as your local chapter of Protestant Women of the Chapel (contact your chaplain’s office for PWOC information). It may be from the local Officers’ Christian Fellowship (OCF) group, or Christian Military Fellowship (CMF) group. It may be from some Christian friends on the same street. In my case, OCF was the one place I could go by myself and not feel like a fifth wheel! If I was discouraged and frustrated (and […]

The Line Officer and the Chaplain

[…]members of the congregation need your spiritual vision, commitment, experience, involvement, and prayers. Join them and contribute to the Christian ministry in your command. Together you will mature in Christ (Ephesians 4:16). Chapel congregations contain military people who need to know more of a personal walk with the Lord Jesus. Some have never made a faith commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Others have never clarified and developed their faith so as to grow into mature disciples. In combat many will be open to the chaplains’ ministry who would otherwise be uninterested. In overseas duty stations a number […]

The Role of Faith

[…]wholly and unreservedly to God and leave them in his hands, transforming our anxiety for them into prayers on their behalf” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Tegel Prison, Berlin, Christmas Eve, 1944).1 The emptiness you feel when your spouse is gone can become a reminder to pray. Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and Swiss psychiatrist, maintains that one can face any crisis if the person grasps some meaning or purpose in it.2 Many couples find meaning or purpose during times of separation by thinking more deeply about their spiritual lives, individually and on the family level. Being separated from the ones they love may […]

Leadership without Coercion

[…]As a member of the staff, he attended our weekly meetings, and he asked if he could open them with prayer. I first asked the others who attended if any would be offended. After all, this was an official mandatory meeting. No one objected, so I told the chaplain that he could do that. The one time that I prayed publicly while I commanded that battalion was on Thanksgiving Day. Our battalion cadre traditionally gathered with their families in the classroom before crossing the street to the dining facility together for the big meal. Traditionally the chaplain prayed with the […]

Three Words

[…]be, what you will be.” Duty, honor, country. These are indeed words to live by. It is my hope, prayer, and expectation that they will mark your character throughout your life. But on this very special occasion of your spiritual commissioning, I would like to suggest to you three other words which should affect the direction and quality of your lives: Jesus is Lord. For Christians, these three words–even more than duty, honor, country–dictate what we should be, what we can be and–by God’s grace and our persistence–what we will be. “Jesus is Lord” will be reflected in the integrity […]
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