The Vision of OCF

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

The purpose of an organization describes why the organization exists. The vision statement describes what success looks like. All members of an organization should understand and embrace the vision if it is to be attained. The current vision statement for OCF was approved by the council in 1998 and forms the foundation for our strategic planning.

The Vision of OCF

A spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform, empowered by the Holy Spirit, living with a passion for God and compassion for the entire military society.

A spiritually transformed military…

In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded us to "…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…" (Matt 28:19-20). Some have suggested that a vision of transforming the entire military society-a secular institution-for the glory of God is an unrealistic goal. Yet the vision that Jesus gave us is even larger: to transform the entire world.

Do we realistically expect to see every member of every military service of the United States a Christian? Most of us probably do not, but we certainly can put our sights on that goal. Jesus told us to "go and make disciples of all nations." Certainly, a spiritually transformed military is only a small part of God's larger vision. Even if the vast majority of the military population never become Christians, we can still be transforming agents in the military. We are called to be salt-to season everything around us. As we live, serve and lead "Christianly," the military environment around us should be affected, even if they do not embrace Christ. But godly traits, such as excellence and compassion can still flow through us and into and through others. Paul says, "…we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing" (2 Cor. 2:15, NAS). Can you envision a spiritually transformed military?

…with ambassadors for Christ in uniform…

In his work on finding our true calling, Os Guinness, says that each Christian has two calls. "Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by Him, to Him, and for Him… Our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, and in everything should think, speak, live, and act entirely for Him. We can therefore properly say as a matter of secondary calling that we are called to homemaking or to the practice of law or to art history."

Guinness uses the examples of being called to homemaking, law, or art history, but he could just as easily have used the military calling. Paul admonishes frequently that we serve God in all that we do. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col. 3:17). Wherever God has called us, we are to glorify Him by our actions and our words. For those of us who are Christians in the military, that makes us His representatives-His ambassadors-in uniform. An ambassador is the official representative of one nation to another. In his official capacity, the ambassador represents not his personal opinion or authority, but that of the nation that appoints him.

In Acts 1:8, we are told to take the gospel first to Jerusalem, then to Judea, then to the uttermost parts of the earth. In other words, we start where we are and move outward from there. For us, that means we should begin with our unit, department, or housing area, and move outward from there to our base or ship, and then to the military community as a whole. If we influence others along the way, that is fine, but our calling is to the military. Are you fulfilling your call to be an ambassador for Christ in uniform?

…empowered by the Holy Spirit…

Acts 1:8 is clear: "…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you…" It is only after we receive this power that we can minister effectively. As military leaders we tend to trust in our own competencies. Peter, Paul, and the other disciples of the new Church demonstrated over and over again that it is in our weakness, when we rely on the power of God through the Holy Spirit, that He accomplishes much through us. To tap into this power, it is essential that we live in the will of God. In OCF, we believe that one way to do this effectively is to consistently use what we call the "Pray and Obey" process to seek God's will. It is a simple, yet useful tool that puts us in a position to hear God speaking His will before we make decisions and move out. Are you empowered by the Holy Spirit?

…living with a passion for God…

When you hear the word passion, whom do you think of as an example? Many recall professional athletes. Their lives are totally consumed by their sport. Paul is a great example of one man who was passionate for God. Read Phil. 3:7-11. Here is a man who could be found blameless in man's eyes, but before his God he saw his own accomplishments as nothing but manure. After years of service to God, enduring stonings, shipwrecks, a "thorn in the flesh," arrest, torture, appearances before kings, and imprisonment, his great desire was "…to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…" That describes the kind of passion each of us ought to have for God. Where does your passion lie? …and compassion for the entire military society.

Paul said, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved" (Rom. 10:1). Why the Israelites? Because he was one. That was his roots, his community, his society. If we are to be effective ambassadors for Christ, we must have that kind of compassion for the entire military society. We must have a heart's desire and we must pray to God that they may be saved.

OCF is not a ministry to officers. That is one of the greatest misconceptions we face. We are a ministry of (primarily) officers to the entire military society. If our local fellowship consists totally of a Bible study among officers and their families with no outreach and service in the community, then we have failed our purpose and will not achieve our vision.

The first and most important part of any officer's ministry is what is done in the performance of duty and how it reflects Christ in his or her life. The love of God and the lordship of Jesus Christ should be evident in every Christian officer in everything every day. This testimony will have an enormous impact on everyone around. OCF members should be visibly ministering in the military community: leading in chapel programs, teaching in the base Sunday school, helping chaplains lead all-ranks Bible studies, taking part in the local ministry to the detention facility, leading AWANA, supporting MCYM, actively participating in PMOC and PWOC, leading a military ministry in the local church, helping recruit and train-or serving as-lay leaders on ships, praying for and supporting chaplains. What is your heart's desire?

Capturing the Vision

The format for military orders has been modified during the last two decades to include the commander's intent-the commander's vision for the end state. When all members of the unit share the vision, they can execute the plan with flexibility and agility to achieve the desired end state.

When all OCF members see the vision of a spiritually transformed military and commit to be ambassadors for Christ in uniform who are empowered by the Holy Spirit and living with a passion for God and a compassion for the entire military society, then we will start to see that vision become a reality. Then we will be Christian officers exercising biblical leadership to raise up a godly military