Christ our FTO

Dear Fellow Servant-Warriors:

We had a great “tactical” Bible study last week and I have to send out kudos to fellow Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (FCPO) national board member Lt. Chuck Urgo (Chicago PD, retired). I had been struggling in my preparation for last Thursday’s study and the Holy Spirit responded by having Chuck send me a completely unsolicited copy of his “Roll Call” teaching from some years ago. Chuck’s study was an outstanding aid to “Part 1” of my current 10-8 with Christ series. See my RECAP below for complete details. This week I’ll present Part 2: “Christ our FTO” (for our non-LEO readers, “FTO” stands for “Field Training Officer”) with a full RECAP to follow in next week’s newsletter.

Last week’s e-newsletter solicited a number of responses both pro and con (including a couple of folks asking to be removed from the mailing list). Accordingly, let me again be perfectly clear: We will NOT be "politically correct" (oxymoron) and I will not compromise on God’s word -- the Bible – EVER. It is our standard, our perfect “policy and procedure manual,” and our “love letter” from God. Further, it is my goal to not spout “opinions” but to rather present only the inerrant truth presented in the Bible. Our wholly biblical argument for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is totally consistent with that position and we will stay the course regarding same. Know further that I will always strive to present God’s word in the way our Lord has directed us to do it – in LOVE. That said, the real issue at hand is SIN. Sadly, there will be those who refuse to acknowledge that sin and some will also do what is commonly referred to as “church hopping” in an effort to find someone – anyone -- who will tell them that their behavior is “OK.” Again, God’s position is clear: 2+2 will always equal “4” no mater how much others may argue that the “tolerant” answer must now be “5.” Bottom line here is that we can’t decide for ourselves what is sin and what is not. God presents the standard and real repentance means acknowledging that what God says is sin is in fact just that – sin. Know too that our loving Father provided a way – the ONLY way – to escape the just penalty for our sin (Hell): a life-saving, life-changing personal relationship (not “religion”) with His Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, early Christians were rightfully called "the people of the Way." Read on for more!

Speaking of the my mailings/newsletters, please be sure to add fullarmor911@yahoo.com and thecenturionministry@yahoo.com to your address books and check your SPAM filter. I’m also in the process of subscribing to a service to send out the newsletter rather than having to send it via 11 separate emails (and growing) to cover the 1100+ addresses on my list. However, I always post a copy here on our website in case you miss the emailed version. With that, please read on…


Message RECAP:

Part 1 of being “10-8 with Christ” centers on Lt. Chuck Urgo’s five basic elements of a biblical police Roll Call:

(1) Calling the roll:
(Luke 5:32 NIV) “ I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

God has called each of us to repentance and after repentance we have been called to serve. At many roll calls, there are officers who show up late and in some rare occasions don’t show up at all. The excuses are infinite: flat tire; alarm didn’t go off; wife didn’t wash my uniform; traffic was terrible. Jesus is calling the roll. Will we answer or attempt to give Him an excuse?

(2) Inspection:
(1 Cor 11:28 NIV) “A man ought to examine himself...”

In each roll call room of the Chicago Police Department there is a full length mirror with a sign above it that reads, “Does your appearance command respect?” The mirror is there for uniformed officers to check themselves prior to the formal inspection by the watch commander. The mirror serves as a reminder that we need to “examine ourselves” regularly to see if our lives are “measuring up” to God’s standard.

(1 Cor. 2:10 NIV) “…The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

When we overlook something in our self-examination, the Holy Spirit will be there to remind us that we must strive to be more and more like Christ. I have seen just about everything while inspecting the watch: inoperative weapons, uniforms that were worn beyond repair, non-uniform garments, missing equipment, an absence of body armor, etc. In the realm of the Spirit, God has given us an equipment checklist that we frequently need to refer to -- Ephesians 6:10-17.

(3) Issuing Assignments:
At any roll call there will be a variety of tasks assigned. Some may be assigned to traffic enforcement, some to narcotics enforcement, working a burglary or robbery pattern, etc. The watch commander may select certain officers for each assignment based on their particular skills, interests and experience.

(1 Cor. 12:27,28 NIV) “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.”

God does the same with us. Each one of us has skills and abilities that God can use to further His work in the world. Let Him use you in the way He sees fit and don’t be envious of a brother or sister who has a different assignment.

(4) Disseminating Information (INTEL):
(Prov. 11:9 NIV)”... through knowledge the righteous escape.”

A lot of important information is given out at roll calls: descriptions of wanted persons, plate numbers of stolen cars, safety bulletins that affect the officer on the street, etc. I attended a roll call on one occasion where an officer was reading the Wall Street Journal (fill in texting, checking your email, etc.) while the watch commander was providing vital, potentially life-saving information. Are we really listening to that sermon at church, paying attention to a Bible study leader or daydreaming while we are reading the Bible? Are we putting ourselves in spiritual jeopardy by not paying close attention to what God is trying to say to us?

(5) Dismissal (going 10-8):
(Mark 16:15 NIV) “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

Most roll calls that I have attended have closed with the watch commander telling the “troops” to “hit the street.” As Jesus left His last earthly roll call, He gave his disciples a challenge to “hit the streets” and spread the “good news.” That admonition is the same for us today as it was for them two thousand years ago.

Some of you may remember the television series, Hill Street Blues. At the end of each roll call, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus would dismiss the watch by saying: “Be careful. It’s a jungle out there.” For the Christian cop, Peter said much the same thing:
(1 Pet 5:8 NIV) “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion (you could also fill-in “wolf”) looking for someone to devour.”

Thanks Chuck – and “Thank You Lord!” for your always perfect and loving instruction.

What about you? Have you made a decision to follow Christ as your Lord and Savior – the true “Captain” of your life? Do you already know Him as Savior but have fallen away in sin and compromise? Know that you can be made right with our Lord today. How? Scroll down the left side of this site and go to the “Are you a true Christian? How to be right with God” links. Don’t wait folks – tomorrow may very well be too late.

This Thursday (March 10th) I’ll take us through the next step of being 10-8 with Christ with the concept of Christ as our FTO. Please join us if you’re in the Denver metro area (and invite a friend/colleague). If not, stay tuned for next week’s e-newsletter for a full recap!


NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

(1) The latest PRAYER REQUESTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS and local MEETING SCHEDULE have been posted here on our website -- check back frequently for the latest updates, changes and announcements. Also on the subject of our meetings, Calvary Aurora Pastor Ed Taylor has strongly suggested that we move our new once-monthly meetings in Aurora from Thursdays to Fridays. Accordingly, our next meeting in Aurora will now be Friday, March 18th. Details are posted here on our website (next post) but please pass the word and note it on your calendars.

(2) My friend, colleague, and fellow law enforcement ministry leader Capt. Travis Yates (Tulsa PD) has sent out his latest Centurion Papers newsletter and I’m being strongly led to share it with you in this forum: Evangelism & Law Enforcement. Travis writes, On last week's episode of Centurion Radio, I interviewed Officer Jason Bahm. If you think that God will not present evangelism opportunities on your job, then listen to this amazing story. I highly recommend it…

(3) Noted author and speaker Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ and many others) will be speaking March 19 and 20 at Calvary South Denver in Littleton (all 3 services -- see http://www.calvarycsd.org/ for details).

(4) I will be teaching for Pastro Mike Montgomery at Remedy Church in Stapleton on Sunday, 3/20, starting at 0930. Would love to see you!

More here the website – check it out!

That’s it for this week…let’s stay the course with Christ as our Lord, Savior and Captain.