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Do you have a PCS sponsor—to heaven?

[…]into the next—will one day stand to welcome and greet us at death before the Commander in Chief of the universe and in the communion of saints. Today is the time to make sure Jesus is your spiritual sponsor for that coming day.   Marine Corps: As a sponsor…you provide initial important contact [and] first impression of our unit. Jesus provides the connection between God and us, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). Navy: […]

I Only See Green

[…]you can’t battle racism with more racism. The Bible repeatedly says that Christ is the head of the church and we are the body. When I picture this body I don’t see a black arm, a brown leg and a white chest. I see a united group of believers praising their Lord Jesus Christ. We Christians need to set an example for non-believers to follow. It’s been said that the most segregated time in America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning. We, as the faithful body of Christ, need to realize the ramifications of this. In the military we’re spoiled […]

Leadership Moments: Are You Leading?

[…]Father and the thousands of angels standing by for Jesus’ use. Instead, He identified Himself as the one they sought (John 18:5).  A good leader leads best with actions reflecting decisions arrived at through calm, calculated, inspired thought rather than reckless displays of power. Jesus command to Peter reveals that leaders who use overwhelming displays 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 […]

Making the ‘no greater love’ sacrifice

[…]of battle, those of valiant warriors risking their own safety and survival to come to the aid of their “battle buddies,” are at the very heart of Jesus’ proclamation 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 […]

On The Rock

[…]“What should I do?” but “How will I choose to respond?” Will you succumb to the demands of the event or will your response come from the foundation of your spiritual life? Jesus said that everyone who hears and acts on His words is wise. That wise one will be the person all eyes turn to in the midst of tragedy and need. When I was a child, we played a game called Follow the Leader. As an adult, it is not a game. The world is watching, and those in our sphere of influence will follow our lead. The […]
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Preparing for Active Duty

[…]cadets by asking them to describe their OCF experience at the Academy. What were the key elements of the ministry? Their responses included 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 […]
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Professional Perspectives for Senior Officers

[…]term. We have chosen to define it starting at the rank of lieutenant colonel or commander because of the command opportunities and decision-making positions available to officers of such rank. We expect your new experiences will be similar to all those who have gone before you. The increased expectations placed upon you will be manifested in more independent decision making and in broader and deeper organizational or command responsibilities. The issues you will identify and address will be increasingly complex and difficult. The environment in which you work will become increasingly ambiguous, and you will have a greater opportunity and […]
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Some Thoughts for Christians

[…]is the relationship between Christians and politics? What are our duties as citizens, first of the Kingdom of God, and secondarily, but not unimportantly, as representatives of that Kingdom to and among the kingdoms of men? After studying Scripture, history, and current events, my conclusion is that God is neither Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative. I believe that in most elections and issues of political policy there is no clear-cut biblically Christian position, and to assume that there is: Divides the church along lines for which we have no biblical mandate, Closes our minds to viewpoints on those issues […]
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Spiritual Battle Plans

[…]walk with the Lord suffered. I saw that God truly made us to be relational creatures. Hence, one of the natural effects of time spent with other Christians (whether realized at the time or not) is an increased ability to withstand temptation and walk victoriously in the Christian life. Because a robust Christian support network is often not available on deployments, godly ambassadorship during these times requires intentional vision and endurance. There are also other factors that cause godly ambassadorship on deployment to be more difficult: an increased operational tempo, less sleep, irregular eating habits, more demands/stress, and less alone […]

The Heartbeat of OCF

[…]service and Christian maturity.  As commissioned officers and Christians in the Armed Forces of the USA, most every one of us can find a wingman to pray with about starting an OCF group.  Once you have a meeting day/time set up, you’re ready for the next step. If the group consists mostly of peers (age/rank/job location, etc.) or specific demographics (sex/marital status/retired, etc.), you should be well attuned to needs and preferences.  Check the OCF website home page for Small Group Resources and click on Leading Small Groups for an article with excellent advice by Jon Harris. Topics include prayer, […]

Ways to Give

[…]to the Home Office in Englewood, to Spring Canyon or White Sulphur Springs, or to one of the Field Staff. Subsequently, for many members the receipt letter acts as a regular reminder for their next contribution. Military Allotment SystemAs a former Financial Management Officer in the Marine Crops, I know the advantages of this option. First, its perfectly fine under today’s regulations. Second, the money is taken out of your pay account before your paycheck is produced, so you don’t really miss it. Third, to participate there are no extra costs to you or fees that need to be paid […]
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What Works for New Officers?

[…]are you in the military? Have you ever thought of yourself as a highly paid missionary? TIP: Be the thermostat and not the thermometer. Effect your environment-don’t let it affect you. 4. If you get to your unit and can’t find a BIBLE STUDY, start one! See whom the Lord sends your way. Get support from your chaplains. Ask for their advice; they may even be able to buy study guides for your group. Start with an interesting study in which all can participate, like Luke or Philippians. Ask others for help. Make it fun, avoid controversial issues, and focus […]
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Christian Leadership for the Junior Officer

[…]unit, there are core elements you might want to think about before you arrive. You will need each of these, and I have listed them in increasing order of priority, from least to most important. Hard Work. The first element you will need to be successful is the ability to work hard. It is amazing how many officers, including some Christian officers, will not or cannot work the required hours. I remember the United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who spoke to my then-new freshman class at The Citadel on this subject. He articulated the familiar “Look to your left […]

Fervent Desire for Peace

[…]of other faithful Christians who battled and bled on both sides. Monday, May 1, 1865 News of the surrender of General Johnston and his army–and also all the posts in his department, comprising the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida… Soon again with the blessing of our Heavenly Father we will be at home among friends, our swords beaten into plough shares and our spears into pruning hooks, never, I trust, to learn war again. Thank God for peace; may it be lasting and righteous, the evil cause of it being entirely blotted out. Alley’s devout hopes were common to the soldiers of his […]

How Shall We Pray?

[…]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 ask, “Is this from you Lord? Is it fair? Why? and, Would you lift the burdens from the shoulders of my friends who are hurting?” My […]

Letter to My Sergeant

[…]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 your First Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and me to be character witnesses. Did you notice how we responded? Despite the […]

Operation Iraqi Freedom

[…]Sultan Air Base, where I was living. Shortly after we arrived, someone questioned why this part of the world never seemed to calm down from all these wars and skirmishes. I don’t know how to describe the feeling we had that there was a spiritual element to what we were doing. I did a double take when I looked at the maps in the back of my Bible and recognized cities we were flying over–Ur is now An Nasariyah; Dur-Kurigalzu became Sippar which became Baghdad; Tekrit is Tikrit; Babylon is near Al Musayyib, just north of Karbala. And I was […]
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Professional Excellence (Durfey)

[…]those who serve. Those most effective in that role are those who put others’ interests ahead of their own and put their trust in the Lord. By doing so, they exemplify the service’s core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to duty, and become true servant leaders. The Coast Guard core values cited above are simple yet godly. Honor and high integrity should be considered synonymous. Integrity is a critical ingredient in any leader. The dictionary defines integrity as soundness or completeness. Christian leaders know they can only be complete in Christ; they must keep their eyes on Him whom […]

Starting an OCF Small Group Fellowship

[…]maybe a “brown bag” study during the lunch hour will help. Most often, studying a book of the Bible works best. You can quickly learn (as a group) how to conduct an inductive study of one of the books of the Bible. Start with an easy one that is not too theologically challenging or too long-like one of the Gospels. Sometimes there is a topic of immediate interest that warrants searching the Scriptures to see what the Bible says. Here are some other potentially helpful resources. Once Established 1. Connect. Let the OCF Home Office (303-761-1984) know you have a […]

Superhero’s Faith

[…]like him, but I always dreamed of being as strong and bold and fast and cool as Superman was. Most of the time, I felt like the dorky Clark Kent instead, but the boy in me longed to be Superman. For the majority of my childhood, I felt like a weak little pip-squeak with nerdy glasses, but sometimes I would put my “blanky” around my neck and run around the house like Superman. I loved having fun like that. But then I got older. I stopped using my imagination. I let the pressures of “maturity” form me into who “they” […]

Through A Glass Darkly

[…]Laura was almost three and Beki was then nine month old. Other mothers had shared with me some of the pitfalls they’d been through. Their advice was to prepare for the fact that our baby wouldn’t even know her daddy when he returned. She’s just too young to remember, they warned. Don’t expect too much, another said. It’ll take time, but they’ll start all over again. With that advice, I purposed in my heart to be different. I would do all I could to give my girls a sense of having a father, even if he wasn’t with them for […]

Unity of Command

[…]of war apply to Christian living? When I learned these principles in Air War College, I found all of them in the Bible. Later I applied them to Christian living. The military definition of Unity of Command (UOC) is: “For every objective, one person is responsible for war-fighting decisions.” 1 Our military has a Commander-In-Chief (CINC), the President of the United States. As CINC, he is ultimately responsible for war-fighting decisions. However, he does not personally make all war-fighting decisions. He delegates decision-making down through the chain of command; this is called centralized control with de-centralized execution. The theory is […]

War on Spiritual Terrorism

[…]officer training program, and for those he recently commissioned who are serving in combat zones of the war on terrorism. An infantry platoon leader fighting in Iraq devotes his daily devotions to pray for the men in his platoon that they may have divine protection and be spared from injury or death. Both pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to the hearts of those they mentor and lead to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Common Ground Both of these leaders recognize that they are fighting both a physical foe and a spiritual enemy. As one officer […]

What Are You Reading?

by Col James R. Downey, USAFR (Ret.) When I was on the faculty of the Army War College one of my favorite questions to ask of visiting senior leaders, especially general officers, was “What are you reading right now?” That open-ended inquiry was usually quite telling as to how engaged those leaders were in their own continuing growth and professional development. Those who said they were too busy to read had let the tyranny of the urgent capture them. The ones who were engaged impressed me with the breadth and depth of what they were reading. Some even suggested that […]
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What is Required of Me?

[…]is required of a man or woman who is called to enter fully into the turmoil and agony of the times and speak a word of hope?”[i] Ambassadorship 101 Become a person of influence; establish your credentials. Begin immediately to seek out leadership positions among your peers and subordinates in your workplace and neighborhood. You are a Christian with a Christian set of values, virtues, and obligations. You are called to live out your faith in a glorifying and obedient way. God’s Word outlines for us a personal morality in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, and […]

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OCF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our CFC number is 10531. OCF is also a member of these organizations:

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Our Connected Monthly email will keep you connected with OCF ministry news, events, and more. Subscribe or re-subscribe below.

View our email archives

* indicates required

Our Address

OCF logo
OCF Home Office
4050 Lee Vance Drive, Suite 330
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Phone: 303-761-1984

OCF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our CFC number is 10531. OCF is also a member of these organizations:

Copyright © 2000-2023 Officers’ Christian Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.

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