The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry: Ordained by God to Serve & Protect

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Ordained by God to Serve & Protect

Dear Fellow Knights:

Just wanted to say thanks to all the local LEOs who showed for the church safety seminar at Calvary South Denver last Saturday. Great training not only for church safety but a great primer for other types of large gatherings as well. Anyone interested in having a copy of Manny’s handout to use as a training guide for your church can contact him at hays58@msn.com. The gist? As sheepdogs (LEOs) ordained (yes – ORDAINED) by God (Romans 13) to protect the sheep we serve from the wolves that would prey on them (yes, ESPECIALLY in church and large public gatherings), we need to take our call seriously and always be ready to respond. Folks, it is high time we realized that places of worship are prime targets for those trying to make a point and we need to do our part to prepare/train for any eventuality (while of course asking God to place a hedge of protection over them). I’ll recap this Saturday for those who missed it.

MEETING THIS SATURDAY!

We’re back on track for our regular law enforcement Bible study this Saturday (February 7th) from 0900-1000+ at Calvary South Denver, 9052 Ken Caryl Ave. in Littleton . Given last Sunday’s events, this week’s study will have a very distinct Super Bowl/law enforcement connection. Huh? We’ll dig into it together on Saturday. Don’t forget to ask your friends and colleagues to join us!

PLANNING CALENDAR

(1) I am working with Calvary Aurora to host a Centurion Fellowship meeting there on February 14th. Stay tuned for details. One of our 2009 goals is to proactively move the study locations to different metro-area locations once every 4-6 weeks or so.
(2) We will have a Thursday evening study on Feb. 19th in place of our normal Saturday meeting. Again, our goal is to reach as many as possible and not everyone can get away on a Saturday morning.

NEWS & VIEWS

(1) Grant Wolf (FCPO) sent a very interesting short piece that is worth a close look: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090203.html.
(2) 10-4 Ministries has a new blog site called, interestingly enough, the Centurion Fellowship. No relation to us other than being another great LEO resource. I’ve linked them to our site but you can check it out at http://www.centurionfellowship.com/.
(3) Fireproof is out on DVD! If you didn’t see it at the theater, rent or buy a copy and watch it with your spouse. Not great “art” but truly life-changing stuff that is RIGHT on target for those of us in law enforcement.
(4) New Christian book for cops BY a cop: http://www.shiftchangeproject.com/. Check it out and let me know what you think.

PRAYER REQUESTS (We exist, in part, to pray with one another.)

(1) It is beginning folks!! Please pray for our elected representatives along with our President (write, call, etc.) regarding gun control bill H.R. 45 that is now being proposed in Congress. This is the beginning of a series of very dangerous socialist bills being introduced now that the new administration is in place. This attack on the 2nd Amendment MUST be defeated.

(2) Rochester NY Officer Anthony DiPonzio is fighting for his life after being shot in the head a few days ago. Please keep our brother, as well as his colleagues and family, in your prayers.
http://www.policelink.com/news/articles/92432-rookie-shot-in-back-of-head-in-critical-condition.

(3) Please pray for an Albuquerque (NM) detective who, like many others in our profession, is the subject of a personal attack for having the audacity to do her job and do it with integrity. We are truly targets in this overtly litigious society (open season) and we need to be asking for God’s covering and protection not just for our personal safety but also as a hedge against those who would harm our families and future with unjust law suits.

(4) Ralph Gallegos, Jefferson County S.O. Investigator and Colorado FOP Chaplain, has asked that we be in prayer for Las Animas County Sheriff James Casias who suffered a stroke and is in a chemically induced coma at Swedish Hospital in Denver (3rd floor ICU). I hope to get over there to visit and pray for him. Please ask God to heal and take care of our brother and his family.

See ya Sat!

Our Core Verses

COPS -- God's ministers for good and a terror against evil. We do not bear the sword in vain.

(Paraphrase...for full text, see the Bible in Romans 13:1-4)

Psalm 82:3-4

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.ressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.he widow.

Colorado Law Enforcement Ministry Meeting Schedules

The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (FCPO-Denver)

On the local front (meaning Colorado Front Range) we typically meet for iron sharpens iron fellowship and Bible study every 2nd and 4th Tuesday evening of each month at Calvary Castle Rock. Email me for details at thecenturionministry@gmail.com or give me a shout at 720-371-1022

Men of Courage Law Enforcement Ministry

Buena Vista (CO) PD Sgt. Dean Morgan is leading a law enforcement fellowship/Bible study in Chaffee County and the surrounding area. Contact Dean at interceptor@policeone.com for more info.

_______________

TCLEM Mission Statement

The mission of The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (TCLEM), is to educate law enforcement officers (police, deputies, troopers, investigators, parole/probation, corrections, military, etc.) about God's unique call on their lives as outlined in God's word (Bible) and to lead officers and their families to a saving knowledge of and close personal relationship with our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Through same, we also seek to positively impact our profession by raising up Christian servant-leaders and reduce our historically high rates of divorce, alcoholism, depression, suicide and related issues.

Law enforcement is a God-ordained ministry of service and protection for our society as outlined in the Bible in Romans 13. Inasmuch as our very authority as peace officers is given to us by God, TCLEM seeks to affirm our calling as servant-warriors ("sheepdogs") and leaders while at the same time developing the our spiritual, family and personal lives through Bible study, peer fellowship, and group accountability along with active involvement in a solid Christ-centered/Bible-based church. We also seek to infuse our profession with godly leaders who will in fact LEAD (serve) from a biblical world view.

What We Believe (Statement of Faith)

(1) WE BELIEVE the only true basis of Christian fellowship is Christ's sacrificial agape love, which is greater than any secondary differences we possess, and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.

(2) WE BELIEVE in all the fundamental doctrines of orthodox evangelical Christianity as detailed in God's word (Bible).

(3) WE BELIEVE the sixty-six books of the Bible (i.e. Old and New Testament) comprise the totality of Holy Scripture and is inerrant in the original text, and remains God-breathed/God-inspired and infallible in all its substance, and therefore, it is the supreme and final authority in faith, theology, and life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105.

(4) WE BELIEVE that our Lord has called us to share the Word of God in such a way that its message can be applied to an individual's life and, in particular as it relates to our service in the God-ordained calling of law enforcement. We also believe that it is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek to make growing disciples. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8.

(5) WE BELIEVE there is only One true, eternally existent God. He exists in three co-equal persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The triune God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and is worthy of worship and obedience. Deut. 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31, Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 28:18-20, Rev. 4:11.

(6) WE BELIEVE in one God who is Creator of heaven and earth, Spirit, personal, transcendent, sovereign, life, love, truth, almighty, simple (i.e. one without parts), timelessly eternal, unchangeable, wise, just, holy, relational, dynamic and infallible in all things.

(7) WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, possessing two distinct natures which are co-joined in one person, that He was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless and miraculous life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious substitutionary death on the Cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, physically ascended back to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and lives to make intercession for us. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, He poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His command to preach the gospel to the entire world, an obligation shared by all believers today. John 1:1-3,14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Acts 1:11.

(8) WE BELIEVE that all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered as a gift by the Lord Jesus Christ to all based on His grace alone. When a person sincerely repents of their sin and enters into a life-saving/life-changing personal relationsship (not "religion") with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they are immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all their sins are forgiven, and they become a child of God -- changed, and destined to spend eternity with Him. John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21.

(9) WE BELIEVE in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures, and that they are valid for today, and should be exercised within scriptural guidelines, seeking to exercise them in love that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. John 14:16-19; 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 8:9,11; Titus 3:5.

(10) WE BELIEVE in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, and we believe that the physical second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on the earth will be personal, premillennial, and visible. This motivates us to holy living, heart-felt worship, committed service, diligent study of God's Word, regular fellowship, and participation in the two ordinances the Lord gave the church - adult baptism by immersion and Holy Communion. Revelation 3:10, Thessalonians 5:9.

(11) WE BELIEVE there is a real personal devil of great evil, cunning, and power, who seeks to tempt, kill, steal, and destroy, yet his power is limited by God to only what God permits him to do; that the devil has been defeated positionally at the cross of Christ, and will be defeated practically at Christ's glorious second coming which will ultimately eventuate in the quarantine and punishment of the Satan (aka the Devil, Beast, and False Prophet, etc.) in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone where they will be tormented day and night forever (what has been traditionally called "Hell"). Luke 10:18; Matthew 4:10; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11, etc.

(12) WE BELIEVE that our Lord is clear that there is ONLY ONE WAY to Christ and that is through a life-changing personal relationship with the Risen Savior. Jesus told his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He did not merely point the way to God. He himself claimed to be the only way to the Father and the source of eternal truth and life. The way to God is through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Intellectual acceptance of Christ is not enough. You must come to him determined to turn from what displeases him, with a total trust in Christ's saving power for you.

Are you ready to receive Christ today? If so, scroll up towards the top of this page to the links under How Can I be Saved (AKA True "Officer Safety"). Please feel free to contact me if you need help in this area -- it would be my honour to lead you "home" to Christ!

If you sincerely put your faith in Christ, God promises not only to forgive you, but also to receive you into his family. It's the greatest discovery you will ever make!

Donate to the Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry

We do accept donations to support our ministry and outreach, including but not limited to leading officers to Christ, support for wounded officers; "officer down" outreach; chaplain and counseling services; speaking engagements; website expenses; ministry apparel, etc. Donations can be made out to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry and mailed to

P.O. Box 630854
Littleton, CO 80163

That said, support your church first...and then donate if the Holy Spirit inspires you to do so. Thanks in advance for your support.