In this bonus episode, Jay Seegert explains what it means to defend the Christian worldview, the significance of addressing the existential questions, and how the Bible ought to be our key source for these conversations.
This month, Jay Seegert explains what it means to defend the Christian worldview, the significance of addressing the existential questions, and how the Bible ought to be our key source for these conversations.
This month’s special episode enables you to listen to the Global Town Hall, which OCF hosted on 8 February at its Home Office in Colorado Springs, Colo., and over Zoom for members around the world.
Lt Col Scott and Lisa Bedrosian, USAF (Ret.), recount some of their cherished memories made at White Sulphur Springs and share how God has used this special home away from home in their lives.
CAPT Terry Wichert, USN (Ret.), shares a story about the power of persevering prayer; OCF Submarine Community Coordinator Will Parker talks about balancing OCF and local church involvement; and Courtney Burdick shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
In this bonus episode, Josh, Beth, and Corrie explore the challenges of bitterness and resentment in military marriages, highlighting the influence of faith, perspective shifts, and community support.
Beth Runkle and Corrie Reeter talk about how to overcome bitterness and resentment in your military marriage; OCF Director of ROTC Ministry Larry Sherbondy talks about time commitments to starting an OCF ROTC group; and Courtney Burdick shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
Col PK Carlton, USAF (Ret.), talks about how to evangelize while serving in uniform; OCF Assistant Director of Operations Ryan Wainwright talks about OCF membership number trends, how to join OCF, and more; and Josh Jackson shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
In this bonus episode, COL Andy MacLean, USA (Ret.), the coordinator for Latin America at the Association for Christian Conferences, Teaching and Services, discusses the mission of ACCTS and its work in developing Christian leaders in the armed forces worldwide.
COL Andy MacLean, USA (Ret.), talks about global military ministry through ACCTS; OCF Regional Coordinators Steve and Miriam Shambach answers questions about how retirees can get involved with OCF even if they don't live near a military installation; and Courtney Burdick shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
In this bonus episode, get the conversation in its entirety as CH Michael Will talks about why we experience hardship and suffering as believers.
CH Michael Will talks about why we experience hardship and suffering as believers; TSgt Ryan Padgett answers questions about whether OCF is for enlisted; and Courtney Burdick shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
Jeff Hurlbert talks about the importance of biblical humility for Christian military leaders; CH Doug Ball answers questions about challenges faced by Christian military chaplains; and Courtney Taylor shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
Pete Peterson talks about having a Biblical approach to a career transition; Dale Holland answers questions about being an OCF Local Leader; and Courtney Taylor shares a roundup of OCF ministry news.
In this special episode of OCF Crosspoint, you’re going to hear audio from the inaugural OCF Global Town Hall, which was broadcasted live on 10 February from the new Home Office in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Today, you’ll hear audio from the conclusion of a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon’s Aspentime Retreat.
Today, you’ll hear audio from part 2 of a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon’s Aspentime Retreat.
Today, you’ll hear audio from part 1 of a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon’s Aspentime Retreat.
How do you know if you are a good leader? Pulling from decades of experience in enlisted and commissioned roles, Col Jassen Bluto, USAF (Ret.), shares three leadership principles–trust, respect, and caring–that he believes answer that question.
In this episode, Noble Gibbens defines emotional intelligence (EQ), shares experiences with leadership in and out of the military context, talks about David and other biblical examples of emotional intelligence, and more.
So many conversations within the OCF community circle back to this question: How ought Christians in the military integrate their faith and profession? Rich Smith unpacks this question in today's episode.
Ricky Preciado shares what he’s learned about servant leadership via his work with Chick-fil-a and recaps his visit with USS Somerset OCF.
What is resilience? Is there a correlation between resilience and the prevalence of suicide in the military? How do you know if you’ve become resilient? Col Tim Hale, USAF (Ret.), joins Crosspoint to address these and other questions.
What impact does pornography addiction have on the rest of the family? Do kids experience a similar type of trauma when they learn parents struggle with a problematic sexual behavior? How should parents respond if and when they discover their children are viewing pornography?
Dr. Joy Skarka shares her own story with pornography addiction and how God turned a source of brokenness, pain, and trauma into a passion through which she helps other women navigate similar struggles.
In part 4 of this series with Brent and Nicole Breining, we break down the three parts of addiction recovery and address why we can feel so discouraged by the time and effort required to heal, the value of understanding the nature of addiction regardless of personal experience, and the importance of addressing these sin struggles for the purpose of restoration rather than rejection.
In part 3 of this series with Brent and Nicole Breining, we discuss how the symptoms and effects of betrayal trauma present uniquely in different individuals, then Brent and Nicole share their personal experiences with betrayal trauma.
In part 2 of this series with Brent and Nicole Breining, we discuss statistics and real-world case studies regarding the pornography industry that reveal the magnitude of its harmful effects on society and on individuals alike.
Having reached a breaking point in their marriage in 2012 and recovered since then by God’s grace, Brent and Nicole talk about why that addiction placed such a strain on their marriage, how God worked through accountability partners in their healing process, and more.
For the finale of our three-part series on leadership, Scott, Bruce, and Gwyn discuss how to navigate matters of conscience–circumstances where your job and your faith seem to be at odds.
Our panel discusses failure and how to deal with it as a leader in the high-stakes military profession. As my guest Bruce Fister points out, “We’re all going to fail at one point … But you have to deal with it because otherwise no one is going to learn from it.”
Our panel discusses how leaders can approach employing God’s Word effectively, integrating the calling to serve in uniform and the calling to serve the Lord, and leading in times of crisis. The cornerstone of being an effective leader who can do these three things well, they assert, is being a leader of character.
Two Navy lieutenants discuss the challenges of the unique environment aboard a submarine, the challenges of beginning and maintaining a small group Bible study, and practical applications for similarly isolated environments.
His service as a Marine and the years to follow have given Jeremy Stalnecker opportunities to deal with and heal from his own trauma, resulting in a passion for helping others, particularly within the military community, do the same.
A man on a mission in this episode to share how God has healed him from “PTSD, trauma, moral injury, habitual sin,” Carl Crabtree shares about his experiences as a foster-to-adopt kid and onward.
LT Jonathan Gentry, CHC, USN, discusses the seemingly simple concept of trusting God, specifically within the context of Jonathan’s calling to the ministry and to the military.
In this episode of OCF Crosspoint, JB Kump shares what has made small groups so impactful in his own life, practical tips for those interested in leading small groups, how his passion for those local fellowships led to his current post-military career, and more.
Today’s conversation explores a predominant topic of discussion among cadets and college students across the country today: anxiety. CH(COL) Bob Phillips, USA (Ret.), shares how he uses relationships and group Bible studies to address anxiety and point cadets back to Christ.
To say race relations is a complex issue is an understatement, and every facet of this topic cannot be covered in just one episode. So, we started here: How do I minister to the person in front of me who’s hurting from an ethnic or cultural incident?
Capt Ryan McCary, ANG, recounts his own failures to share his faith and how the Lord changed Him through those experiences, then he offers practical steps on how to be bold in your faith today.
What does it look like to integrate faith and profession? For some people, that can perhaps be an ambiguous topic. Maj Chris Reardon, USMC, unpacks what that looks like for him as a Marine and shares some practical application.
“An enduring and faithful pursuit in the face of affliction.” That’s how ENS Nelson Chiaravallotti, USN, defines perseverance. In this episode, Nelson also talks about leadership lessons he learned during his time at A&M Galveston and reflects on the sadness and loss of two classmates, one by suicide.
Liliane talks about the significance of the 9/11 attacks on her Army career, how she struggled with comparing herself to others, and how trauma from a molestation as a child had a profound impact on her life before she followed that gentle nudging from God to get help and healing.
Have you ever been in a situation where it seemed like God was using affliction to draw you to Him? In the face of a chronic illness that seems to have no end, Karis Meier chooses to respond in this way—give thanks.
Some 2,500 years after the time of the prophet Habakkuk, Lt Col Ron Bracy, USAF (Ret.), found himself asking the same question as the Old Testament prophet: “How long, O Lord, will I call and you will not hear me?”
In this episode, Amanda concludes her story by sharing how God began to radically heal her heart and change her life through a series of events.
Capt Amanda Yashack, USAFR, talks about how her life spiraled out of control when she was in ROTC, largely as a result of the trauma she experienced after a sexual assault, and then how that led to burnout, compartmentalizing her pain, and as she calls it…rock bottom.
LT Sam Alexander, USN, gives a peek into submarine culture, how isolation can have an impact on one's faith, and the importance of developing a spiritual support system or a mentoring relationship.
Today you're going to hear from LT Hannah Johnson, USN, as she talks about her struggles with spiritual perfectionism, and as she says, the fear of being a fraud or being found out.
As we continue this multi-episode focus on the topic of identity, you’re going to hear from LT Grant Johnson, USN, as he shares his story of dreaming to be a jet pilot, only to come up short.
Lynda Johnson's identity was shaken after she was told she couldn’t run anymore unless she wanted to risk more damage to her health. Today, she shares her story of military life at the intersection of faith, family, and profession.
Christian athlete and Marine aviator are two things first lieutenant Aaron Zimmerman wanted to be known for. However, a medical diagnosis would ground his aspirations of being a Marine aviator and raise questions about where he was placing his identity.
Chris shares her story of military life at the intersection of faith, family, and profession by telling the story of her daughter, Betsy, and offering insights on life as a Gold Star Mother.
Capt Rico Lane, USAF, shares his story, which includes three primary themes: fatherhood, faith, and family—specifically how God used the Bible verse text messages of a grandfather to begin changing Rico’s life.
Becky’s story is one of battling through anxiety and self-worth. It’s a story that tells of her journey to be in a right relationship with her Heavenly Father even when it seems like life sometimes has more valleys than mountaintops, even when it seems like God just doesn’t care.
(Season 2, Episode 1) In this episode, you’ll hear the story
Today, you’re going to hear the story of Midshipman Isaiah Walker, he’s a senior in the ROTC program at Ole Miss who has struggled with isolation and the challenges of integrating faith and profession.
Today you're going to hear the story of Joshua and Lindsey Bowen, both captains in the Army. And, while their story contains a few themes, such as mentoring, leadership, and spiritual growth, the one common thread throughout their story is the small group fellowship and the importance that fellowship has played in their lives...going all the way back to when they first met.
Have you ever been invited to do something only to wonder…why did I agree to that? My guest today went through something like that, and ultimately, it might have saved her life and the lives of her children.
Have you ever known anyone who’s been passed over for promotion? Maybe it’s your name that wasn’t on the promotion list. COL McRae talks about identity, motives, and what success looks like in the eyes of God.
Col Darren Duke, USMC, talks about personal transformation and what a life transformed by God might look like for believers serving in the military.
The third and final encore episode comes from episode 27, with LTC Todd Plotner, USA (Ret.), who talks about leadership lessons for young warriors. The conversation was based on an article he wrote for Command magazine back in 2013 when he was the Army ROTC Professor of Military Science at Washington State University.
This encore episode harkens back to episode 9, with guest LT Ryan Menicucci, USA. There were three things we talked about: first, we must have faith in something that is worthy of our faith; second, we must know who we are in Christ; and third, we must be prepared to fight the good fight, as we engage in spiritual warfare.
In this special encore episode, we're going all the way back to episode 2 and the story of Coast Guard Lieutenant James Rader. Sometimes the storms of life can be metaphorical, such as a difficult deployment, move, or career transition. However, there are those times when the storms of life refer to literal storms. Such was the case for James Rader as he took part in search-and-rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey.
What do you think of when I say, “Military Sisterhood”? That was the question Kristin Goodrich posed to about 50 women at the beginning of a weekend retreat last March at OCF's White Sulphur Springs Conference Center. One West Point cadet’s response stood out amid the varied responses, "Sisterhood? What sisterhood?" We'll answer those questions and more.
May a Christian serve in the military? When it comes to taking the life of an enemy combatant, how does someone reconcile that with Jesus’s command to love your enemy and to pray for him? COL Chet Arnold, USMC (Ret.), joins me to answer those questions and more, coming up on episode 46.
Episode 45 show notes The story of Captain Nick Koza, USMC,
First Class Cadet Brigit Jogan, a senior at the United States Coast Guard Academy, hiked the summit of Mount Antero in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks during her time at Rocky Mountain High this past summer, and it was during that physical climb to the mountaintop that she experienced the Spirit of God moving in a mighty way. Today, Brigit is going to talk about that experience as she shares her story.
Have you ever thought about what it means to be a good steward of your time? Maybe you can recall getting to the end of a day and thinking, “Why did I waste so much time?” Joining me on the show to talk about time stewardship is LTC Gil Jacobs, USA (Ret.).
Jeff Struecker's book, "The Road to Unafraid," is the centerpiece for today's conversation. Although several perspectives or themes can be found in the book, Jeff and I focused on trusting in God. In the face of fear and uncertainty at certain times throughout his life, I asked Jeff to talk about how God asked Jeff to trust Him and what that looked like in his life, particularly his military career.
Michelle Qureshi's story of military life at the intersection of faith, family, and profession is one that deals with such topics as stress, hardship, and discouragement, but more importantly, it’s a story of how she has experienced what she calls “incredible hope amidst suffering.”
November 23, 2014. Does that date ring any bells for you? For my guest this episode— Col Rich Tatem, USAF (Ret.)—that date will forever be etched into his memory as the day his son, Brennan, committed suicide.
My guest today is Pastor Keith Peck. He has over 40 years of pastoral ministry experience, and recently retired as pastor emeritus of Broadneck Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Maryland, where he served for 27 years. Keith offers his insights on the application of wisdom.
In this episode, Crosspoint host Josh Jackson chats with pastor and author Chris Plekenpol, who recounts an incident with a suicide bomber in Iraq and also talks about God's word, God's spirit, God's people... finding God's will.
In this episode, pastor and author Dr. Gary Phillips discusses a topic he has titled “Basic Training for the Family: Biblical Principles for Navigating Cultural Minefields.”
Whether you’re in the group who has never heard of the Great Commission, or if you know the Great Commission backwards and forwards—while reading it in Greek—stick with us today as our guest, CH LTC Dan Holcomb, USA (Ret.), talks about how the Great Commission relates to what he calls “Disciplines of a Warrior.”
Today, we’re talking about spiritual warfare, and our guest is MG Kurt Fuller, USA (Ret.). MG Fuller served 26 years as a paratrooper, 12 years in the Ranger Regiment, and 6 years in combat, including Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Haiti, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
In this episode, Chaplain Bill Appleton is going to focus on the life of Nehemiah and the leadership qualities we need to pay attention to today, and he'll also share the story of how he became a Christian.
Today, you’re going to hear from Major Tim and Kimberly Tormey, USMC (Ret.), as they share a story of God’s goodness and kindness to them. Their story centers around part of Tim’s difficult deployment to Iraq in 2014 that ultimately ended in tragedy.
In this episode, we chat with Commander Brian Haggerty, USN, and he’s going to talk about biblical leadership using the analogy of tools you might find in a toolbox. These tools are based on an article Commander Haggerty wrote for Command magazine a few years ago.
Major Will MacKenzie and Major Derek Brown, USA, discuss several topics during their conversation with LTC Colin Wooten, USA.—friendship, being a Christian in the military and killing an enemy combatant, serving in the military as Christians, and what it means to actively live out your faith and integrate your faith in all areas of life.
In this episode, we’re going to talk about worldview as we continue our conversation with Dr. Bill Brown, senior fellow of worldview and culture at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. How would you define your worldview? Would you say that you have a biblical worldview? How do you know?
If I were to tell you that as a follower of Christ, it’s important for you to engage with the culture, what would engaging the culture look like to you? Dr. Bill Brown of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview says Christians typically will fall into one of three patterns when it comes to engaging with the culture.
CH Darren and Heather Turner share the details of their struggles surrounding deployment individually, spiritually, and as a couple. It’s a compelling story— especially if you or a loved one have been deployed.
Today's guest is LTC Todd Plotner, USA (Ret.), who wrote an article titled “Four Lessons In Leadership for Young Warriors” back in 2013. We'll take a deeper dive into the points he made in that article.
Here to discuss OCF's 75 years are a special round-table panel of guests: Brigadier General David Warner, USAF (Ret.), Lieutenant Colonel Kate Toms, USAF, Lieutenant Colonel Colin Wooten, USA (Ret.), and Captain Dan Abney, USMC.
In this episode of Crosspoint, we talk with Planting Roots Director Kori Yates about deployment and tactics for dealing with this season of life when your spouse is deployed.
Anne Borcherding talks about what it means for a military spouse to embrace the calling of the spouse who is serving in uniform, and she candidly shares the struggles she and her husband faced in the early years of their marriage.
What does scripture say about addiction? Can a Christian have an addiction? What does a biblical approach to recovery look like? Isn't Jesus enough? Our guest is Dr. John Thorington—a licensed professional counselor and is also certified as a Sexual Recovery Therapist by the American Association of Sex Addiction Therapy.
In this episode, we chat with Dr. David Kim, a physician, founder, and current CEO of Beacon Christian Community Health Center in New York, and discuss the emotion-fueled train vs. the truth-fueled train; the effects of social media on both of these trains; 3 questions every Christian should able to answer, as well as learning more about how Dr. Kim’s ministry model at Beacon Health relates to integrating faith in all areas of your life as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
CH(COL) Marc Gauthier, USA (Ret.), shares his story of how God called him into the military to serve as a chaplain, how to encourage chaplains outside the Christian faith, a story of what it looks like when a leader integrates his faith and profession, and his thoughts on who the two loneliest people are in the military, and why.
In this episode, COL Doug Mastriano, USA (Ret.), and his wife, Rebbie, share their story of prayers that changed the course of history, which takes place during his deployment to the Middle East during the first Gulf War in the early 1990s.
Recently, Crosspoint hit the road to interview COL Doug Mastriano, USA (Ret.), for a two-part episode. In part 1, COL Mastriano and his son, Josiah, talk about “Men God Used to change the Course of History” during World War I.
There is no greater example of a transformational leader than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In this episode, LTC Gil Jacobs, PhD, USA (Ret.), walks us through six ways to be a transformational leader like Jesus.
Col Waring unpacks each one of these three characters—the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer—and tells us what we can learn from them and apply to our lives.
What comes to mind when you hear “Acts of Service?” How about “Words of Affirmation” or “Quality Time?” You might recognize them as 3 of the 5 love languages from the popular book first written by Dr. Gary Chapman back in 1995. In this episode, OCF managing editor Karen Fliedner chats with Jocelyn Green about Finding Your Love Language…at the intersection of faith, family, and profession.
This episode focuses on coping with transition, not just from the perspective of military families, but specifically, from the perspective of military kids, or third-culture kids. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Dave Sanders—a Christian Ministries Professor at Judson University.
Former OCF director of field operations LTC Tom Schmidt, US Army (Ret.), sat down with COL Dave Batchelor, USA (Ret.), in the faculty lounge of the US Army Command and General Staff College, where COL Batchelor shared the candid story of his personal struggle with moral injury.
When the pressures of the military life and life in general seem overwhelming, who's your support system? Do you have a person or group that, like you, is running this most difficult of races, that you can rely on, and who in turn can depend on you when times get tough?
The story of Army Master Sergeant William Crawford, a Medal of Honor recipient whose job as squadron janitor at the Air Force Academy, inspired Col James Moschgat to pen 10 lessons in leadership.
OCF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our CFC number is 10531. OCF is also a member of these organizations:
Copyright © 2000-2023 Officers’ Christian Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.
OCF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our CFC number is 10531. OCF is also a member of these organizations:
Copyright © 2000-2023 Officers’ Christian Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.
"Leader, Draw Near" copies are now available!
![A Rocky Mountain ROTC Retreat recap from OCF Director of ROTC Ministry Larry Sherbondy: "[The same weekend as the Midwest ROTC Retreat,] at Spring Canyon, 23 cadets met to consider 'Spiritual Fitness.' Like all these retreats, this one was a great example of how we are learning to partner together with our fellow ROTC ministries.
"Speakers included CH(1LT) Christian Rainbolt, USAR, Valor Regional Director Bobby Rainbolt, and OCF Colorado Springs Area Coordinator Tom Falconer. Devotions were led by Tyler Williams, team leader of Cru in Northern Colorado.
"Of particular interest to the cadets was a talk given by CH Rainbolt on the role of chaplains and the path to becoming a chaplain in our military.
"The cadets had ample time for reflection, interaction, prayer, and seeking God in His Word, as well as for taking in the incredible beauty and all that Spring Canyon has to offer!"
#ocfusa #ocffellowshipfriday #militaryministry #militaryfaith](https://scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/487402867_18489896728045938_2035760014457411986_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=ZeGL70cDaWQQ7kNvwE81q1R&_nc_oc=Adk5a6VFoo9bTUT8hKtM2LN2tvGEahNnkdrMu-RnLh811O4QsCBz1tOMVRPCgIn6YVMS6aRX7SVff1Esdb9TR1If&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=f3kVCENIhNR-iLB9S3ZOxg&oh=00_AfGgX-t30-HV9NoiL3y9d4dxYhA4Bt0Jh_kLSL2OujSYVw&oe=67F8DBDF)
Facility management experts needed! 