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Predicting the Future

[…]king and ruler from the Babylonian era who developed a code to live by. This code of 282 laws was one of the earliest examples of a ruler publicly proclaiming to his people an entire body of laws, arranged in orderly groups, so that all subjects might read and know what was required of them. The code was carved on a black stone monument eight feet high; it was discovered in 1901. The code then regulated in clear and definite strokes how society should be organized. Yet, Hammurabi’s code is not really the earliest. There are some indications that another […]

Service Separations

[…]bent back until our grip is broken, and that involves pain. But if we gladly, freely hold that person on the open palm of our hand, surrendering him up to God, then even though God might still take that one, we could rest in the peace of knowing He is in control. Finally, with God’s help and strength, I loosened my grip. I was able to hold my husband, my children, all that were dear to me, on the opened palm of my hand–for God to take or leave as He deemed best. And then the peace–His wonderful peace flooded […]

The Role of Faith

[…]if the spouse didn’t come back, especially if the spouse is in harm’s way. The complete lack of control over the situation produces feelings of anxiety. David Paap says that “The only practical escape from this vicious cycle of anxiety is a spiritual one: trust in God. . . . Faith and trust differ from human optimism or self-confidence in that they are not the result of human effort or reliance upon anything within ourselves.”3 Paap is convinced that faith is the most important factor that determines how a family facing the crisis of deployment or war will deal with […]

TTP – Character

[…]if he or she possesses strong character. The reverse is not usually true. Integrity is the foundation of our character; those around us must see it in both our personal and professional walk. In his book Taking Charge, author P.M. Smith tells the story of Babe Didrikson-Zaharias, a professional golfer who, during the middle of a golf tournament, noticed that she had accidentally played the wrong ball. No one else was aware of the mistake. When the round was over, in accordance with the rules, she penalized herself two strokes. When asked why she did it, she replied, “Because I […]

Strong to the Finish

[…]the one with perseverance is at his or her best. Perseverance reveals itself in one more day of responsibility, one more week of faithfulness, and one more deployment. But if you’ve ever asked, “How long?” you’re in good company. This question was asked more than 50 times by Old Testament heroes. In Psalm 13 David asks, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” David seems […]

What Are You Reading?

[…]to be truly successful as a servant leader requires deep humility and the intentional suppression of ego and pride. This is particularly difficult for senior leaders who are afforded significant privileges, deference, and accolades–especially in our results-driven culture. I believe it would be well worth your time to grab at least a few of the following recommended books and study them carefully. You will certainly see things in them that you already know, but I suspect you will find a new perspective, informed by Scripture, and modeled in Jesus’ life that will allow you to grow as a Christian leader. […]
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Mortal Enemies

[…]DeShazer had been on K.P. duty in an Army camp in California. When the radio announced the demolition of Pearl Harbor he shouted, “Jap, just wait and see what we’ll do to you!” One month later he volunteered for a secret mission with the Jimmy Doolittle Squadron—a surprise raid on Tokyo from the carrier Hornet. On April 18, 1942, DeShazer was one of the bombardiers filled with elation at getting his own revenge. After the bombing raid, they flew on towards China but ran out of fuel and were forced to parachute into Japanese-held territory. The next morning, DeShazer found […]

Rescue on the High Seas

[…]had been serving as the gunnery officer on the Bainbridge, responsible for maintenance and operation of the ship’s guns. Already deployed for two months off the coast of Somalia, we were now in the slack period that inevitably comes after the initial thrill of heading overseas. The long, uneventful watches were catching up with the crew. Memories of home grew rosier as the weeks dragged by. Modern-Day Jonah It was my first deployment–far different than merely venturing away from home as I’d done before. Key among the differences was the absence of a “real church,” the kind that I grew […]

Six Generations: 3

[…]very cognizant of Jon Shine’s life and death and impact on my life. He was killed in action only three years earlier in combat in Vietnam. My memory of his brief but inspired life and my own changed outlook on life–feeling a strong need to work with men as a spiritual mentor, as God led me to those men–convinced me that I needed to share my Christian testimony with my platoon of about 40 soldiers. I called them together one day, shortly after the alert, and sat them on the steps to our barracks. I spent about ten minutes sharing […]

Waging Another War

[…]adultery, sex outside of marriage, or masturbation.  The battle of sexual integrity is won only by achieving sexual purity. As defined in Every Man’s Battle, sexual purity is “when no sexual gratification comes from anyone or anything but your wife.”i God’s standard for sexual 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 […]

Follow Me

[…]today, I need only look to Jesus for the example to follow. Jesus provides the premier lesson on leadership by focusing on three areas: serving others, doing the will of His Father, and forsaking the world’s view of leadership. Serve Others Serving others may sound like an odd way to lead. If we’re appointed as leaders, people are supposed to obey our orders and follow us. Servant leadership is not new to this age, but can be traced back to first-century Judea. In Mark’s Gospel account, Jesus redefined leadership for His disciples. This redefinition came on the heels of a […]
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For All Leaders

[…]day, no matter how busy you are. Be competent in your profession and give God the glory. David, one of the greatest warrior-leaders of all time, provides us an outstanding example in Psalm 144:1, “Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” David demonstrated excellence as a warrior and glorified God in the process. Let those you lead know early on that you are a Christian. You can do this in several ways. Symbols in your office can reflect your faith, but your words and actions will make your Christian character […]

Leadership Came Naturally

[…]to salute anything that moved, and I was still in that mode. I’d developed a certain fear of officers, some of whom were certainly deserving of such fear. Not Tom. It was Tom Hemingway that I met, not LIEUTENANT Hemingway. I wanted to know why a robust, confident and clearly capable person like Tom chose to hang out at a Christian bookstore on a Saturday afternoon. Weren’t there more interesting things to do? When he told me the bookstore was an interesting place for a committed Christian I wanted to know more about that too. He had a magnetic personality […]

Leadership Moments: Are You Leading?

[…]Him. Man’s natural inclination is to think: He who carries the biggest stick wins. Instead of condoning Peter’s protective gesture, Jesus healed the servant’s injury and told Peter to put away his weapon (John 18:10-11). Jesus could have responded to the arresting entourage with a show of His mighty power or through a simple appeal to his 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 […]

Soldiers of Faith: Washington

[…]walked and lived to honor God. Washington had an impact upon his men immediately upon his assumption of command. He knew that his men must have the inner faith of God to sustain them in the perilous times ahead. The day after assuming command, he issued the following order: The General most earnestly requires and expects a due observance of those articles of war established for the government of the army which forbid profane cursing, swearing and drunkenness. And in like manner, he requires and expects of all officers and soldiers not engaged in actual duty, a punctual attendance of […]

The Chaplain’s Role

[…]together at one time. Patrols go out on the hour. Thirty plus soldiers go “outside the wire” on one shift while the other soldiers are sleeping. Because of the patrol rotations, a chaplain may find himself preaching at multiple services to accommodate his soldiers. This is the life of a field chaplain. Juggling Time, Resources, & Opportunities Because of this awkward schedule, a chaplain must utilize his resources, the soldier’s time, and every opportunity. This is where small Bible studies excel. As a chaplain I have a burning desire to teach my soldiers the Word of God. I want to […]

The Space Between

[…]maturity as a Christian believer. The model is used by some Christians to emphasize the process of conversion, and the various decision-making steps that a person goes through before they become a Christian.” (A. Scott Moreau, Harold A. Netland, Charles Edward van Engen, David Burnett Evangelical Dictionary of World Mission, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engel_Scale) In my first active duty unit, the 68th Corps Support Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colorado, the space was shortened by several things. The Lord let me lead a family conference, which helped people get closer to each other and to Christ. Provider and Prussman Chapels were where the Lord […]
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Time, Talent, Treasure: OCF small group fellowships

[…]and chasing each other. The adults enjoy the meal while chatting, laughing, and catching up on one another’s lives, relishing the chance to finally rest from work or taking care of kids all day. Then they settle down to learn from God’s Word and pray together. They are also putting to feet the exhortation from a recent Bible study, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). Group leaders LT Flip and Christie Johnson opened Purpose Boutique, a women’s clothing store ministering to both local and global physical needs. The “how you shop can […]
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Undivided Heart

[…]resembling those guided by the Holy Spirit? At the heart of these queries is the consideration of the root of one’s conscious choices (actions). Our options are to allow the “spiritual self” or the “old nature” to dictate our decisions. David asked that he would know God’s ways and walk in His truth. Is it possible to discern right judgment without knowing the truth? James 1:8 says: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Surely, as Christian leaders, our desire is to show compassion with an undivided heart–one that rightly discerns truth with reverence and awe of the […]

War Eagle, Iraq

[…]prayed and thanked the Lord for His sovereign grace. Intercession was voiced aloud. At the conclusion of the service, staff officers arrived and informed us that one of our soldiers had just been shot outside of Ur — the very place Abraham left in obedience to follow the living God. The soldier who was shot was on a humanitarian mission — passing out soccer equipment to neighborhood children. While doing this, a sniper took aim and fired. The bullet penetrated the Kevlar helmet of the unaware soldier from the back of his head. The helmet exploded by the impact of […]

Will you embrace the Christ of Christmas?

[…]for a savior, that heaven and hell exist. But He also requires a personal response—from every one of us-to the gift of eternal salvation He extends. A gift that only He could purchase—with His blood at the Cross of Calvary. Now that cooing infant lying in the manger has gone from preaching to meddling. But what to do about Him? Nearly two millennia have passed since His brief life on Earth, and all the attempts to silence Him or His message of salvation have failed—and always will. As the late Dr. S.M. Lockridge said in his renowned “He’s My King” sermon: “I’m trying to tell […]

Louisiana – Barksdale AFB

[…]& Time: We are blessed to enjoy a senior officer fellowship on a Sunday evening once a month. We share a meal, a short study, and a time of prayer. We rotate to meet in each other’s homes. Our focus is encouraging each other, growing in Christ, and praying for the base. Please contact me for location and other […]
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Christian Leadership for the Junior Officer

[…]Competence. When you arrive at your first unit, you should focus your attention on learning your responsibilities and the technical systems you will use. Communications systems alone will require reading and hands-on practice. For a time, put away the books on Generals Patton and Lee and the “bulletproof superhero” novels and focus on the technical aspects of your new job. Every type of unit will have high expectations of you. An airborne unit will expect you to attend Jumpmaster School. An artillery unit will expect you to pass the Gunnery Safety Exam. An Air Assault Unit will want you to […]

Fervent Desire for Peace

[…]defense. The good news is that God has promised His children that we will one day see the realization of the miracle longed for by Alley. Occasionally, particular weapons become so closely associated with the military that their very image evokes a strong connection. The crossed sabers of the cavalry, for instance, were not used only during the eighteenth century. They retain their significance for Army “cavalry” units today, long after the retirement of horses from military ranks. To students of military history, the weapon most closely associated with the Marine Corps is the kabar. “Kabar”is the familiar name of […]

Getting Intentional in Your Marriage

[…]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, and cooperate with God’s vision Serve each other with proper motives Following an interactive session, a young spouse asked us, “So how do you grow together spiritually?” Our response was to start with these basics of good communication: Routine spiritual pulse […]

How Shall We Pray?

[…]Our challenges are likewise thorns in the flesh and they are uncomfortable. But my conclusion concerning “How then shall we pray?” is that we pray for the strength to obey the Lord’s will, to fulfill His purposes, and to bring honor and glory to His holy name. Yes I want victory in the GWOT, safe keeping for those fighting this war, families reunited, the sick healed, peace for those who grieve, and relationships reconciled. But as I pray for those things, I pray first and foremost that the purposes of God be fulfilled and that glory be brought to our […]

Letter to My Sergeant

[…]my heart to see you through the filter of His love and to respond to you with the love and compassion of Christ. An ageless military axiom comes to mind — soldiers never leave their wounded or dead on the battlefield. These words apply here, and they have added urgency on the spiritual battlefield. You should know that your soul is just as precious to God as anyone’s, even after all you have done. It may be difficult to see now, but God is working His plan of justice and mercy through the pain and sadness. I don’t know where […]

Operation Iraqi Freedom

[…]that stable! And if the restrictive way they treat women in Saudi is anything close to the traditions of Jesus’ day, then it really did go blatantly against the culture when He honored women (such as Mary, the Samaritan at the well, and the woman who touched Him in the crowd). I wish I could describe the feeling of flying across what we called the TE Line in the months prior to “Night 1” of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The TE Line was just south of the Euphrates River and marked the edge of the settled area. South of that is […]
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Professional Excellence (Durfey)

[…]Food shared at the wardroom table with friends in conversation is much more of a meal; an inspection of the spaces interspersed with small talk with those who did the cleaning is much more productive. Commuting 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 […]

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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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