Happy Memorial Day - Don't Forget Them

Beginning a Military Ministry - Integrating Military Families into Your Church

When military people are saved and discipled they make great church members. They are different than the average church member due to the nature of their work:

• They may not be in your church as long as your average civilian members.
• They must be integrated on purpose.
• There is the possibility that they have been trained in a good military church.
• Don’t treat them as outsiders. Realize their great need and their great potential for the cause of Christ. Below are some pointers on integrating military families into your church.

1. Realize That Their Families Have Unique Needs

• The children—they have moved many times and need to be embraced quickly by members, teachers, and other children.
• The teenagers—the teenagers have made friends and left them on more than one occasion. The best teenagers in the church must reach out to the military teens.
• The wife—she has many special needs. She needs a good Christian friend. One who will be there when troubling news comes (his unit came under attack—or worse). She needs a weekly opportunity for a mother’s day out. Forming a support group for wives of deployed soldiers would be a great blessing. She needs an accessible, loving pastor’s wife. She needs to be offered the opportunity to serve in the church. Many times in a well established church every job is filled by an ‘old timer,’ and the military wife is looked upon as temporary. Make a place for her to serve. Be there for her. Keep in touch with her regularly. Someone should know about the car or any repair that needs to be done at the house. The teens could be led to take care of the yard while her husband is deployed.

2. Remember Deployed Soldiers

• Pray for soldiers privately.
• Pray for soldiers publicly. Call their names in church meetings, Sunday school classes, prayer meetings, and the pulpit.
• Correspond with deployed soldiers.
• Send deployed soldiers gift boxes periodically.
• Lead your people or a class to adopt a deployed soldier and his family.

Are You a Soldier?

I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer, the Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire. I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will either retire in this army or die in this army, but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out of, or be pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable. When my God needs me, I am there. I am a soldier, I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier! No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me, I am a soldier! I am not a wimp, I am in place saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, building His Kingdom. No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to, I am committed! I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside, I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit. When Jesus called me into this army I had nothing, if I end up with nothing, I will come out even. I will WIN! My God will supply all my needs. I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ. Devils cannot defeat me, people cannot disillusion me, weather cannot weary me, sickness cannot stop me, battles cannot beat me, money cannot buy me, government cannot silence me, Hell cannot handle me, I am a soldier! Even death cannot destroy me, for when my Commander calls me from the battlefield He will promote me to Captain. I am a soldier in the army. I am marching, claiming victory! I will not turn around, I am a soldier! Heaven bound, here I stand, will you stand with me? Are you a soldier?

Psalms 119: 73-80

“They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.” (v. 74)

Twice in this passage we see the importance of fellowship with the people of God. We need each other, as well as the guidance of the love of God. To see someone that is serious about serving the Lord is always a blessing to me, and who do you think I ask to pray for special needs? Those who I know walk with the Lord. The prayer of the psalmist is that God’s people will “turn” unto him, and unite with him in the service of the Lord. We have much in common, after all, and ought to act as if we do. Romans 12:10 tells us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” so even Paul tells us to prefer, or desire the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. (Emphasis is mine.)

I am reminded of my army days, and of the camaraderie that is found among soldiers who suffer the same fates. Many times, through suffering together, we “bond” with others who have struggled with us. It seems that there is a closeness, because they understand each others’ fears, and joys, and sorrows. Often, when we were off duty, we sought out those “buddies” who we had been through much tribulation of some sort or another with, and we became good friends. It is the same in the bus ministry, by the way. Bus workers understand the heart of a bus worker, and they all sacrifice together, and “suffer” if you will, the same “afflictions”. This brings them closer together, many times, so that “They that fear thee will be glad when they see me” as our text verse says, and all because we have, together, “hoped in” His Word.

Let’s desire the companionship of one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s “honor” one another, and be kind to one another, and “prefer” the company of one another, and we will please the Lord in that one thing at least.

What About Your Pocket? (copied)

A serviceman once wrote about a moment of comedy he had witnessed in the army. It happened during a company inspection at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. The inspection was being conducted by a full colonel. Everything had gone smoothly until the officer came to a certain soldier, looked him up and down and snapped, “Button that pocket, trooper!” The soldier, more than a little rattled, stammered, “Right now, sir?” “Of course, right now!” was the reply. Whereupon the soldier very carefully reached out and buttoned the flap on the colonel’s shirt pocket. The officer had been quick to note the youngster’s uniform problem, but hadn’t noticed his own.

For some reason, we seem to be the same way. The faults of others stick out like a missing tooth, while our own are often hard to spot. Small specks in other people seem major, while the planks in our own eye seem excusable (Matt. 7:1–5). Let’s quit dwelling on the faults of others all the time. The church needs builders and workers—not a wrecking crew. Work on your own faults, then seek to help others in a spirit of gentleness.

Bro. Harry Shomaker