We Remain Cutting Edge

Major Eric Wesley, United States Army

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3: 17-18).

Many leaders in Officers’ Christian Fellowship are asking the question, "Is OCF positioned for the twenty-first century?"

The question implies a need to assess our role as a ministry in light of current and emergent technology and thinking. Do we need to adjust our means for conveying our faith relevant to the current culture and that of the next decade?

OCF is more relevant today than it ever has been, and lay ministry in general is more relevant in this era than ever before in our nation’s history. The fact that we know the answer, however, is less important to the vision than an understanding as to why this is true.

Mr. Charles W. Colson, founder, and chairman of the board of Prison Fellowship International, has picked up the banner from the late well-known Christian philosopher, Francis Schaefer, by arguing that the Western World is in a post-Christian Society. Our culture, he argues, has all but lost a Christian worldview. This contrasts with the first 200-plus years of our nation’s history when, regardless of the integrity of their relationship with the Lord, men and women accepted and understood the precepts of the Christian faith and, by and large, accepted them as true.

In a 1995 article, Mr. Colson cited the dramatic siege and ultimate loss of Dunkirk. He related, "As the British people waited anxiously, a three-word message was transmitted from the besieged army (in the doomed city): ‘And if not.’ The British recognized instantly what the message meant: ‘Even if we are not rescued from Hitler's army, we will stand strong and unbowed.’

The message galvanized the British people. Thousands of boats set out across the Channel in a gallant bid to rescue their army. And they succeeded. Nearly 350,000 British and Allied soldiers were saved from the advancing Germans.

‘But if not’ is found in the book of Daniel, where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defied Nebuchadnezzar, putting their trust in God. The point here is that these few words from Daniel were not only recognized, but, more importantly, they communicated with clarity a scripturally based message that cemented the British resolve.

Would such a message communicate and "galvanize" our culture today? I think not. The fact that some of those who have held the highest offices of our land can lead citizens to question the simplest of understandings, from marital fidelity to the definition of infanticide, affirms this claim. You see, we have a generation now entering (and into) middle age which does not accept basic Christian principles. Furthermore, many in this generation not only deny them, they are many times unaware of them—they are basically unchurched. They may have never opened a Bible. This contrasts even with the first-century church in Jerusalem, which at least had the roots of the Jewish faith to which it could appeal.

So what does this mean for ministry today? We in the Christian community do not have the luxury of communicating our faith as we may have in the past. Appealing to "our Christian roots" as a culture is no longer effective. Research shows that institutional ministry is no longer relevant to many people. We cannot rely on those to whom we communicate to have an understanding of the basic premises of faith because they may have never been exposed to it.

Now this may seem discouraging. But in the context of OCF, I would argue a contrary view. You see, although the fundamentals of our faith may seem irrelevant to the culture, people are always relevant. You and I are relevant. The captain with whom you work may never have set foot in a church in his life. But he works with you everyday. The soldier you are leading may never have flipped through the pages of God’s Word, but he is intimately aware of who you are as his commander. The religious leader they see in the media or even in the local church (if they get that far) is just that—a religious leader. The door-to-door evangelist carrying tracts is no more relevant than the salesman who dropped by the previous week. But the leader who leads with honor, poise, confidence, and with a servant’s style will be recognized as living out the truths of Jesus Christ. The neighbor who loves unconditionally and invests in the community becomes a beacon for Jesus Christ. You may be the only Jesus your friend, co-worker, or neighbor ever sees.

And should we find this surprising? God, in His wisdom, uses us. "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. . ." (2 Cor. 5:20). Paul, throughout many of the Epistles, describes the challenges of, and provides the truths associated with, evangelizing the Gentiles—the unchurched sector of the first-century church. He passionately makes the case for relevant relational evangelism.

So I go back to the original question. Are we positioned for the twenty-first century? I would argue that there is no more relevant military ministry than that of one led by, executed by, and carried out for those who wear the uniform of our nation’s military. OCF, by virtue of the fact that it was created to be a lay ministry, (providentially incorporated well over 50 years ago) is, in fact, cutting edge as it moves into the next century. Every officer and family member who has a passion for God should understand that their means for evangelism are manifested in who they are to their co-workers, subordinates, commanders, and neighbors. We do not rely on institutional solutions for ministry. We are the ministry.

Major Eric Wesley, his wife Cindy, boys Tyler (9) and Austin (5), and daughter Meredith (2) are currently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where he serves with the Second Brigade, Third Infantry Division. An active member of OCF, he is Area Coordinator at Fort Stewart and serves on the Spring Canyon Advisory Board. He has been twice elected an OCF Council Member and currently serves as Treasurer.