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Rescue on the High Seas

[…]reading a novel. Nonetheless, God spoke to me in my sluggishness, catching my attention with the book of Joshua, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong […]

Waging Another War

[…]purity is straightforward, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity”(Ephesians 5:3). Once the books arrived, via donations from my church, I began a weekly study at the FOB chapel. With only about three months left in theater, I wanted to help the soldiers prepare to be able to meet their wives with pure hearts. We discussed the previous week’s reading assignment and corresponding questions from the book’s study guide. Four other Every Man’s Battle study groups also started up at nearby Patrol Bases (PBs). This was the first […]

Letter to My Sergeant

[…]mercy through the pain and sadness. I don’t know where you are in the cycle of sin we see in the book of Judges (sin, suffering, seeking, salvation), but hopefully you noticed the witness of the Christians in your chain of command. We didn’t put you in a box. Rather, we encouraged and supported you and your family. We treated you with respect, since in America, you are innocent until found guilty. Your battery commander, who wasn’t required to attend the trial, was there all week. You need to know — it took a toll on him too. You asked […]

With the Love of a Clanging Cymbal

[…]conscience, no doubt under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, drew me to the first verse of that chapter, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Clanging cymbal—that was a perfect description of my actions as I “clanged” away about a friend’s moral failure without any concern for the how or why. I had no love for him, and it was the one thing that, unfortunately, came through loud and clear. I wanted to show I was morally […]

War on Spiritual Terrorism

[…]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 each day personally led five of them to Christ after a horrific fire-fight in Iraq, where many had their equipment […]

What Are You Reading?

[…]to me is the topic of leadership. I have an entire bookshelf devoted to the subject. Many of the books are dog-eared, highlighted, and well worn from frequent review. All have influenced my understanding and practice of the art and science of leadership. In more recent years I have become increasingly interested in the topic of Christian servant leadership. I believe there are at least three reasons why few servant leaders exist. First, most leaders do not spend sufficient time studying leadership — and many still subscribe to the concept of being born as a leader (or not). Second, servant […]

Leadership Moments: Are You Leading?

[…]of power are not always effective at accomplishing the mission. His leadership style was that of influence and not the use of “shock and awe.”  Faith and leadership are more appropriately modeled through keeping sight of how to achieve God’s purposes through godly influence, using softer tones, quieter approaches and direct resolve to see the mission through. Simply acting or reacting is not necessarily an effective leadership quality. Leading entails helping people see the bigger picture when “it must happen this way.”   3 Points to Ponder How do you respond to inaccurate or injurious comments? Do you fire back […]

Making the ‘no greater love’ sacrifice

[…]that, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Four WWII chaplains, who had studied and served together, put into practice one February morning in 1943 what they preached. They gave their lives so others might live. The USAT Dorchester was a converted troop ship taking 902 souls from New York to war in Europe via Greenland. Anyone who’s ever been aboard a troop ship as a passenger, with troops huddled in every nook and cranny of the ship, knows it’s not a Princess Cruises excursion! The sights and smells of huddled […]

Satisfaction

[…]who stays true to the task ultimately helps others become better people. From a close reading of John 4 Jesus models leadership that bridges cultural divides and does not quit at signs of rejection. The Samaritan woman received salvation, a regenerated life, and a chance to point others to Jesus. There is much we can learn from this encounter! The leader keeps in the forefront why he is doing what he is called to do. Jesus responded to the woman’s initial rejection with a persistent offer. Not offended, nor hardened by rejection, the leader keeps to the task. The leader […]

Six Generations: 1

[…]all other necessary and needful things in life are generously provided (see John 16:33). But when other things push God and His priorities aside, then one’s perspective becomes temporal and shallow–well-meaning as it may be. When compared to an eternal perspective on life, all other perspectives simply pale and fade into insignificance. Jon Shine’s perspective on life was eternal. He surely thought and felt earthly, temporal, and physical thoughts and emotions. But the thrust of his life was eternal–how could he please the Lord and help others see their need for the Lord. This outlook was shaped for sure by […]

The Line Officer and the Chaplain

[…]when Christians focus on their oneness in Christ and strive to get along with one another (Psalm 133:1). When Christians are eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), the chapel offers opportunities for exciting Christian ministries in growth and outreach. In such a congregation, few are concerned about the denominational background of the others. Their focus (praise God) is on the Lord Jesus Christ and on being His church! As you advance in your career, you will one day be a military commander. One or more chaplains will be on your unit’s staff. If you’ve served Christ […]

Why We Serve

[…]to reach those who have yet to accept Him as Lord and Savior. As Jesus spoke in the Gospel of John. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him (John […]

Christian Leadership for the Junior Officer

[…]the Battalion XO of my mistake, I immediately informed my Battalion Commander (now a General Officer) of my error and my plan to fix the problem. In return for a few minutes of discomfort, I gained the trust of my Commander–and I determined not to mess up again. I cannot guarantee that following these simple principles will bring you career success. But following them will allow you to serve effectively while preserving your good name. Who knows, maybe your good name will open doors for you to share your faith from time to time (I Peter […]

Fervent Desire for Peace

[…]for war. God changes them into tools of peace. That is at the heart of this promise in the Book of Isaiah. “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD– He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths…’ They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:3-4). Today the world finds itself in the midst of a global war against terrorism. The enemy’s cowardly […]

Getting Intentional in Your Marriage

[…]Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Think the best of your spouse’s motives and intentions. In the Book of Acts, we are introduced to a married couple that moved in tandem, seamlessly serving others with humility and excellence-Priscilla and Aquila. “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). They worshipped, studied, encouraged others, and even taught together. How exciting that on any given day God could use them individually or together for His purposes. In essence, this couple hosted an OCF fellowship in their home […]

How Shall We Pray?

[…]by taking them as from God, and asking ourselves what reactions to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us; and second, by seeking God’s face specifically about them.” The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh which the Lord addressed by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” J. I. Packer frames our challenges in similar terms when he says, “They will have been sent us to make and keep us humble, and to give us a new opportunity of showing forth the power of Christ in […]

Operation Iraqi Freedom

[…]and pray openly from the middle of a Muslim country (Saudi Arabia). A group of us read through the book of Matthew and just discussed whatever stood out to us. It added a new perspective being this close to where all the events we were reading about happened. For example, it’s cold at night in the middle of winter there. I’d always wondered if it were really cold when Jesus was born, being so near a desert and fairly far south. If He really were born around Christmastime as we celebrate it, yes, it would have been cold in that […]

Professional Excellence (Durfey)

[…]to completion. In other words, He will lead us in the way we are to go. King Solomon wrote in the book of Proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path “(3:5-6). Trust God by acknowledging Him for who He is and following Him. The key to successful leadership is found in the person of Jesus Christ. His example of servant leadership is the model all Christian leaders should use. Ingredients that must be present for a servant leader to […]

Speak my language

[…]marriage as any couple could be. Compatibility testing: check. Premarital mentoring: done. Stack of books on Christian marriage: read. Somehow, however, The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman was not on the list. We wish it had been. Though we never questioned each other’s faithfulness, between the separations and daily high-stress of Rob’s new position, we had a much harder time both showing and feeling love. The fact that I co-authored The 5 Love Languages Military Edition book with Dr. Chapman doesn’t mean I’ve always known how to express love effectively. Here are two things Rob and I wish […]

Starting an OCF Small Group Fellowship

[…]some other potentially helpful resources. Once Established 1. Connect. Let the OCF Home Office (303-761-1984) know you have a new group started. 2. Continuity. Train your wingman or someone else to take over when you are absent or you move away. 3. Be flexible. Our military Christian community has many needs, especially now with a very high OPTEMPO. Be sensitive to the needs within your group–especially those participants with a family member deployed. Find practical ways to support each […]

The Chaplaincy

[…]them about the God who died for them. I think of our work much like the ministry of Phillip in the book of Acts. He was called to leave the comfort zone of fruitful ministry in Samaria. The Angel of the Lord told him, “Take a walk on a deserted dusty road” (my paraphrase). Phillip obeys the angel’s voice and he is vectored to an Ethiopian government official ready to hear the words of salvation. In much the same way, as chaplains walk among the tents, eat in the chow halls, and ride in the convoys, the Lord vectors them […]

Through A Glass Darkly

[…]they learn at this age, but later when they get older they’ll get to know him. As a result of this thinking, many of God’s delightful toddlers begin their framework of life without the security and knowledge of a God who’s bigger than any thunderstorm or imagined monster in a closet. Parents wait until they’re older, but no one is really sure when that time is. Suddenly they find out that when Jason or Jessie is older, he’s far too cool to be interested in our Father. As mothers and dads, we have a wonderful opportunity to begin introducing our […]
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