Fellow Servant-Warriors:
It has been another crazy week so please bear with me as I share what God has placed on my heart over the last few days.
I had the honor of attending Limon (CO) Officer Jay Sheridan’s funeral on Tuesday (3/15). The way we (LEOs) and the community Jay served came out to support his wife, child and colleagues was incredible. Please keep them in prayer.
Jay's tragic death serves as yet another reminder that we MUST have a sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel and message of salvation with our brother and sister officers. Clearly, Jay was a character, a good cop, and a loving husband and father. In short, he was certainly what most might call a “good” man. However (and as I’ve pointed out many times in the past), God has a very different standard and, in the end, His standard is rightfully the ONLY one that counts. His word is clear – that without repenting (confessing, turning/forsaking) from our sin and asking Christ into a life-changing/life-saving relationship (NOT “religion”) – a spiritual rebirth – being “good” by the world’s standard just won’t cut it. It is only after we are "born again" that good works -- the "evidence" of a transformed life -- have a real impact. The rash of LOD deaths in the last few days (CO, NY, VA, FL, etc.) are yet more reminders -- more "2nd chances" if you will -- that we MUST have a sense of urgency about both getting right with God by HIS standard and then responding to our Lord's mandate that we share the “Good News” with others. It does not matter how "safe" we are or how many lives we save if we do not place our trust in Jesus and live for Him in this life. I would again encourage the doubters and skeptics out there to go to http://www.fcpo.org/, click on the “About You” link, and then “Are you a Good Person?” Are you a good person according to God’s standards? You can be -- take the test and find out how -- and do it now! Please join me in praying for our slain brothers' families and colleagues.
Speaking of prayer…the latest PRAYER REQUESTS and MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS are posted here on our website (next post) and are updated on an a near-daily basis. Please check back frequently. Reference our meetings, see below…
_______________
FCPO-DENVER/Colorado Front Range-area News and Announcements
(1) As announced in last week’s newsletter, meeting and here on the website, we are NOT meeting at Calvary South Denver tonight but we ARE meeting tomorrow (Friday, March 18th) for our once-monthly "cop church" fellowship at Calvary Chapel Aurora (see http://www.calvaryaurora.org/ for directions) in Room 144 (new room) starting at 7:00 PM. If you show tonight or at Calvary South Denver, then you were not paying attention and are out of luck:)!
(2) Also for the skeptics out there, noted author and apologetics expert Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ and many others) will be speaking this coming Saturday and Sunday (March 19 and 20) at Calvary South Denver in Littleton. Lee’s topic will be “Investigating the Evidence for Belief.” I will be in attendance Saturday night starting at 1800 hours and I’m encouraging the sheepdogs under my care to attend (be sure you are carrying your life-saving, anti-wolf equipment) on whatever day/time bests fits your schedule. See http://www.calvarycsd.org/ for details.
(3) I will be teaching for Pastor Mike Montgomery at Remedy Church this coming Sunday (3/20) at 9:30 AM. See http://www.remedychurchdenver.com/ for more. Please keep me in prayer as I share with his flock.
_________________
Lt. Col. Dave GROSSMAN Event!
Tulsa PD Captain and Ten-Four Ministries Director Travis Yates is hosting Dave for a unique Bulletproof Mind presentation in the Tulsa (OK) area on Thursday, April 7th. I’ll be there to represent The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry as we see this as both great warrior-training AND a law enforcement ministry op. Please join us if you can. Spaces are filling fast and the price is right if you register now. Hope to see you there! See http://warriormissions.org/training/bulletproofmind for details and registration information.
_______________
Courageous is Coming Soon! Check out the new trailer at http://www.courageousthemovie.com/.
_______________
Christ our FTO: Message RECAP!
Last Thursday I concluded our look at what it means to be “10-8 with Christ” with a presentation I entitled Christ our FTO. Except for the most grizzled old war horse, most of us serving in law enforcement have been through a field training program under the direction of a Field Training Officer (FTO). Unlike the police world, a Christian’s “field training” never really completely ends (or shouldn’t). However, there are a number of parallels to our walk as Christians with law enforcement field training. Stay with me…
(1) Christ’s Apostles were in “field training” with our Lord for three years (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) before they were sent out (graduated) in the Book of Acts. Likewise, Paul served as a FTO to the Ephesian church for three years as detailed in Acts 20:31. Under both Christ’s and Paul’s leadership we see a biblical term for field training – discipleship.
(2) Paul describes his heart attitude towards those he was “field training” in 1 Thessalonians 2:3-13:
(a) v. 3-6: Paul was single-minded in purpose as he discipled (trained) those under his care.
(b) v. 7-8: Paul cared for his "trainees" in the same way a parent cares for their child.
(c) v. 9-10: Paul the FTO was a role model for those he was training.
(d) v. 11-12: Paul the FTO provided individual attention and instruction (see also Acts 20:31 and Col. 1:28-29).
(e) v. 13: Paul stressed God’s word as the perfect and essential “policy and procedure manual.” See also Eph. 4:11-16.
(3) Paul’s concern for the “officers” he was “field training” went well beyond that of a typical FTO in that he was rightfully committed to their spiritual welfare and growth: II Cor. 11:28-29, 12:15; II Timothy 2:10.
(4) Paul the FTO emulated conviction and passion for the job and served as an outstanding role model (he was not a ROD officer): I Cor. 4:15-16, 11:1; Phil. 3:17, 4:9; I Thess. 1:6-7; II Thess. 3:7-9; II Tim. 3:10-11.
Clearly, the Christian life as revealed in the Bible holds many parallels to the police academy, field training, and our overall law enforcement calling. Romans 13:1-7 gives us our authority and Psalm 82:3-4 serves as an example of our marching orders. The Book of Acts even gives us a great picture of godly “police sergeant” in the person of the Roman centurion Cornelius conducting a briefing (“roll call”) and directing the “officers” he trained to go “10-8” on assignment in chapter 10, verse 8: “10-8” -- with Christ (is that COOL or what??!!). That’s our call folks. Are you walking “10-8” with Christ or are you walking your own way? If the latter, turn to Him today as tomorrow is guaranteed to no one and there is no more time to waste.
This week (Friday, March 18, 1900 hours, Calvary Aurora in room 144) I’ll be teaching on the importance of following our Chief’s orders – aka OBEDIENCE – as Christians and as warriors. Please join us if you’re in the area and remember that I’ll have a complete recap for everyone else in next week’s newsletter and on our website – stay tuned (and pass it on).
Time to strap on our armor and get 10-8 with Christ our Captain!
Showing posts with label 10-8 with Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 10-8 with Christ. Show all posts
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
