The Purpose of OCF

Colonel Jim Hougnon, United States Army (Ret.) OCF Director of Field Outreach

For any organization to be successful, its members must have a clear understanding of why that organization exists and must commit to helping the organization attain that purpose. The purpose of Officers' Christian Fellowship has remained virtually the same since our inception in 1943, but the statement was codified in its current form by the Council in 1997.

The Purpose of OCF

"To glorify God by uniting Christian officers for biblical fellowship and outreach, equipping and encouraging them to minister effectively in the military society."

To glorify God…

Do you remember the answer to the catechism question from your youth, "What is the chief and highest end of man?" Answer: "Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever."

The Psalmist prays, "May the whole earth be filled with his glory" (Ps. 72:19) and instructs us to "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Ps. 96:3).

For all of us, corporately and individually, our chief and highest purpose ought to be to glorify God. Jesus exemplified this for us. "…Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began" (John 17:1-5).

…by uniting Christian officers…

How can we, as military officers, glorify God? "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 15:5-6). We are to unite with one heart. God designed His church to function as a body. As a group in the military, Christians should stand out as a rock of unity. Do we?

Too often, as with Christians in general, we focus on our doctrinal differences with each other rather than our oneness in the Gospel. We refuse to fellowship with someone who holds a different view or practice on baptism, on spiritual gifts, on worship style, on chronology of creation or the end times, on the language of salvation, on personal habits. Yet the one thing that we have in common is what defines us as Christians: a faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If we are to glorify God, let us seek to unite in one heart. With whom are you united?

…for biblical fellowship and outreach…

Paul exhorts us to "…consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25). One of OCF's Spiritual Pillars (our core values) concerns uniting for fellowship: "We consider authentic biblical fellowship essential for individual growth and for the advancement of God's Kingdom within the military." This fellowship occurs in many contexts: one-on-one before or after work, during lunch hour, or while deployed together; in small groups like the weekly Bible study or wives' study group; during conferences or at OCF's conference centers; as part of the chapel parish council or the local ministry leadership team. As a relational ministry, we believe the inevitable outgrowth of such deep and meaningful fellowship with the Lord Jesus and with one another will be visible, dynamic works of service and witness that glorify Him. Fellowship means a very close relationship. God calls us into fellowship with His Son (1 Cor. 1:9). That means we share with Him both new life (Rom. 6:4) and His sufferings (Phil. 3:10).

Since we are in fellowship with Him, we then come into fellowship with one another. What should that look like? One way to see it is to look at the many ways the New Testament tells us we should behave toward "one another." Here is just a short sampling:

• Love one another-John 15:17
• Wash one another's feet-John 13:14
• Show affection for and honor one another-Rom. 12:10
• Be in agreement with one another-Rom. 12:16
• Build up one another-Rom. 14:19

It is obvious that true fellowship is more than meeting together once a week. It is a close relationship that should result in a community that glorifies God. The result should be outreach to our fellow Christian officers, to those who are not yet Christians, and to the military society as a whole. Are you in a true fellowship with other Christian officers and their families?

…encouraging and equipping them…

Outreach is a scary word to many of us. It conjures images of going door-to-door with tracts in hand, confronting strangers with the Gospel. That technique is effective for some people, but for most of us in the military our primary outreach is going to be relational. We will be effective by the way we integrate our faith into our profession and model godly lives before our seniors, peers, subordinates, and neighbors, being ready always to answer those who ask about the hope of glory that they see in us. (1 Pet. 3:15)

The aim of the local fellowship, then, must be to encourage and equip each other for effective outreach. We do that through Bible study; praying together; meeting individually throughout the week to encourage one another; sharing hurdles and frustrations, victories and joys; holding each other accountable. How do you encourage and equip those in your fellowship?

…to minister effectively in the military society.

A misperception of OCF is that we are a ministry to military officers. We are not. We are a ministry of (primarily) officers to the entire military.

Military leaders establish a climate for their organizations. Christian leaders should establish a climate that is distinctly Christ-like. Now, I did not use the word "Christian" here because we do not have the right to establish a Christian climate. But through lifestyle, leadership, and policy, we can and should bring about an atmosphere where our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coastguardsmen see right behavior as a good thing, Christ-like values taught and upheld, standards of behavior set and enforced, and the chaplain as a valued and accepted member of the leadership team.

This is the end result of the purpose that God has given this organization: that we minister effectively in the military society. If this is being done, then we should see a spiritually transformed military. How do you minister in the military society?

Ministering with Purpose

Saddleback Community Church in California has developed a ministry that teaches churches how to be "purpose-driven." Saddleback's pastor, Rick Warren, says, "Nothing precedes purpose. The starting point for every church (or Christian ministry) should be the question, 'Why do we exist?' Until you know what your church exists for you have no foundation, no motivation, and no direction for ministry."

We believe that God has established Officers' Christian Fellowship for a specific purpose. Let's covenant together to be guided and directed in our ministry by that purpose. Then we will be Christian officers exercising biblical leadership to raise up a godly military.