Articles
Grounded in the Word. Ready for the Mission. Christian Military Fellowship provides Scripture-centered Bible studies that invite people to know Christ, grow as disciples, and lead with integrity in every season of military life.
SGM Daniel Cartwright, USA (Ret)
Dan has been with CMF since 1982. He has served as a Local Leader, Regional Representative, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Dan served 28 years with the United States Army Special Forces. He and his wife, Dee, live near Fort Carson, Colorado.
Living Behind Enemy Lines – Understanding the Mission
In the first part of this series, Behind Enemy Lines: Situational Awareness, we presented the premise that we, as Christians, are living ‘behind enemy lines.’ We are no longer citizens of this world, but we are members of God’s household, new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We discussed the clear teaching of Scripture that the world in which we live is hostile territory. We then concluded with the question, “Why are we Still Here?” Where do we go to find the answer?
Well, we can walk into just about any Christian bookstore, listen to any number of teachers, preachers, televangelists, television or radio ministries and get all sorts of answers! We can come away easily with the impression that the Christian life is mostly about things on an individual/personal level, such as relationships, abundant/victorious living, success in this world, receiving all of God's blessings, etc.
While the above might be ‘benefits’ of being part of the household of God and citizens of His Kingdom, are they to be the primary focus of the Christian life? If they aren't, what is?
I submit to you that God didn’t send His own Son to die so we could have an abundant life here on earth. Rather, He came because we are lawbreakers, born on death row, in order to save us from the certain judgment that MUST come if God is true to His word—“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
When we become believers and citizens of the Kingdom of God, we must still live here (behind enemy lines) in a world corrupted by sin, among people trapped in their sin. We remain here by God’s design, for His purpose, as part of His strategic plan to save others from the certain judgment that is to come.
Chapter 17 of he Gospel of John records our Lord’s prayer to His Father shortly before he went to the cross to fulfill God’ plan for our salvation. Concerning his disciples and, by extension, all believers to come, Jesus prayed:
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (vv 16-21a)
Jesus asked for their protection, NOT their removal, because as he had been sent into the world for the salvation of the lost, He (Jesus) was now sending his followers into the world as part of a divine plan!
Furthermore, this ‘sending’ into the world was no secret to the disciples! Earlier, the Lord himself told them:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 15:16)
Also, it was no secret to the disciples what they would face from the world during their ‘fruit bearing’ mission. Read the entire chapter of John 15 for the rest of the story. They knew they would be operating in hostile territory, but they went anyway!
The remaining piece to the puzzle is to define the ‘fruit.’ We know from the above verse that it is to be ‘fruit that will last’—eternal fruit. So what is this eternal fruit? There is a two-part answer here. The first thing that should come to mind is that we are to show others the only way to escape coming judgment—the path to eternal life. The second part of the answer is not quite so obvious. We are to help other believers grow in their faith walk so that they, in turn, will show still others the path to eternal life and help them grow! If you aren’t convinced, listen to Jesus’ command to his disciples.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
The ‘Great Commission’ Christ gave to the disciples then and to us now is NOT about all the ‘benefits of belonging to the corporation’ mentioned at the beginning of this article, but ALL about growing the Kingdom of God on earth! ALL about the Kingdom.
What drives this old soldier to his knees is the fact that God could save anyone he chooses, anytime he chooses, in any circumstance he chooses—and yet he has chosen mortal human beings, with all their ‘sin’ baggage to be his ambassadors! Knowing we would mess up repeatedly, knowing that often we would be poor examples of Christ, God has chosen us—you and me! That, my friends is God’s master vision—His ‘strategic’ plan!
You might ask, “Isn’t this ambassador thing—preaching the Gospel and helping others grow in Christ the job of people with a special calling to full-time ministry and who have gone to Bible college or seminary?
What sort of training do you need for the task at hand? Let’s look at a couple of guys who did some street preaching a couple thousand years ago.
When they (Jewish religious leaders and the Roman ‘feds’) saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
Our Lord chose unschooled, ordinary men, not religious leaders, for the enormous task of spreading the Good News to the rest of their world. Job qualification—just one— they had been with Jesus. He chooses us for the same task in our world—in our homes and workplaces, in our barracks and squad rooms, on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.
You and I have been ‘sent where we are,’ right now in our lives, on a mission from God! If we ‘have been with Jesus’ we have a responsibility. Have you accepted the challenge?
Pastor Bob Bingham
In 1962 Bob and his wife Dorothy were appointed as missionaries with the Overseas Christian Servicemen's Centers (now Cadence International), and served with them for 21 years, 17 of those years serving at three different military bases in the Philippines. Hospitality and discipleship training became the focus of those years with hundreds of lives being touched for eternity.
A change of ministry came in September of 1982 when he joined Scope Ministries (a biblical counseling ministry headquartered in Oklahoma City). This led to Bob's present ministry, CUPbearers, a discipleship ministry centered on the Lord Jesus Christ located in Englewood, Colorado.
For more than 25 years Bob has pastored the Rocky Mountain Evangelical Free Church in Black Hawk, Colorado, in tandem with his discipling ministry.
Bob has ministered in the Philippines (1962-1979, 1995, 1998) and a number of other countries in Asia and Europe with OCSC (1962-82), Panama (1996) and in Trinidad (1998). His additional ministry opportunities have been to Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong (2001), and Nepal (2001), China (2006).
Bob also served as Chairman on the CMF Board of Directors for many years.
Christian Unity
This writer is often asked “Why are there so many church divisions and denominations?” there is no easy answer to this honest question.
The lack of unity is based upon the diversity of mankind and the desire to be independent and in control as Adam and Eve chose.
The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:4-5 NASB)
Additional confusion has developed when Christian leaders fail to look to Jesus Christ, the Head of the church for His will and direction as in Israel and the time of the Judges.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25 NASB)
Christian leaders and their followers tend to be prideful over their unique and “true” interpretation of the Scripture, traditions, lifestyle and goals. Because of these distinctives they look down on those who do not hold them and separate from associating with them. They warn their followers not to associate with others who do not hold to the same teaching for fear of losing them.
Attempts for Organizational Unity
Over the years some denominations and church organizations have sought to join together, but were unable to reconcile practices regarding the Lord’s Supper (Communion) and the meaning, time and mode of Baptism. Differences of church government (Pastor led, elder rule or congregational) at times were also divisive. Jesus said regarding Biblical salvation:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 NASB)
Most Christian churches and organizations believe that there is only one way to gain salvation and that is through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. However, even understanding the biblical nature of salvation divides. Must a Christian be a member of a certain church to be saved? Can one loose their salvation and then regain it by repentance? Or is a Christian’s salvation secure in Christ and cannot be lost? Jesus prayed:
The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. (John 17:22-23 NASB)
Even in the early church there were divisions regarding leaders.
For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1Corinthians 1:11-13 NASB)
The Apostle Paul expresses his understanding of Christian unity.
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB)
Examples of Unity Among Individual Christians
This writer was a missionary to the US military stationed in the Philippines. We ministered to men and women from about 50 different church backgrounds plus many who were unchurched or unsaved. Our focus was upon Jesus Christ, salvation, bible study and the Christian’s daily life in Christ Jesus.
Rarely were the various church differences brought up or condemned because of our oneness and focus on Christ.
Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Rom 14:4 NASB)
Daily Life and Christian Unity
Jesus promised that wherever you go He will always be with you.
For He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b NASB)
Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. (John 16:24 NASB)
Since the Lord Jesus Christ dwells within you by His Holy Spirit, it is fitting while talking with other Christians indwelt with Him, to give credit and praise to Jesus for all of the factors of your life and whatever your circumstances may be.
It is always appropriate to pray with other believers. You may pray for Christ’s provision for whatever their needs may be. You can praise Him for His grace, provision and protection. You can thank Him for His love and care.
“Making” a Disciple Takes Time
To make a disciple-making disciple requires that someone pours their life with Jesus into another person, until that person looks only to Jesus.
Modern life in the developed world has changed much from the first century but the principle that Jesus illustrates is still the same. Those who are called to love and serve God must be disciples by others who have gone before them. New believers must see what it looks like when someone puts God first. They must watch others as they strive to put God first in all things. They must observe what it ooks like when another man lives by and obeys the Holy Scriptures. And they must be in a relationship of trust such that they can ask honest questions.
My first real encounter with this discipling pattern of Jesus, in an intentional way, came when I was taken under the wing of a wise old pastor who lives thousands of miles away form me. He suggested we talk each week for an hour by phone. At first we just got to know one another, and he answered some of my pressing questions. But as time went on I realized that he and I were in a different relationship than any I had had before. He wanted me to only seek for Jesus’ affirmation. He only wanted for me what God wanted for me.
My life in the institutional church had not been like that. Though many in authority would have said otherwise, the general relationship I had with my ecclesiastical superiors was all about organizational accountability and performance. ...In my forty-four years of ordained ministry, I was never called to talk for an hour about my life and ministry as a disciple of Jesus.
A disciple-making disciple cares about those he is discipling. He prays for them, and loves them, and gives himself to them. All he knows of the Lord he shares with them. And perhaps the most important thing he gives them is time. Jon Shuler, NAMS Network, September 27, 2016 (excerpted) Used by permission.
Robert W. Flynn
Bob has been with the Christian Military Fellowship since 1981. He has served as a Local Leader, Coordinator of Ministries, Chief Operating Officer, President/CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. After a short retirement he returned as Chief Information Officer. His ministry area has been one-on-one mentoring and discipleship. He now also leads the the Remote Access Discipleship Program creating opportunities for our members to engage in Bible study where ever they happen to be standing.
Bob enlisted in the United States Navy in 1968 and served on active duty until 1991 when he joined the CMF Staff. He and his wife, Nancy, live near Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado.
Blow Up Your T.V.
Back in ancient times (BC — Before Computers) in a land far away in the midst of a horrible war, I was looking through the resident collection of albums (the round plastic platters with a hole in the middle) when I spied one by some guy named John Denver (released before he was famous). There was a song on the album whose first line lyric caught my ear, “Blow up your TV, try to find Jesus on your own.” I don’t remember much about the song itself but the lyric has remained with me all of these years.
Having reached the age where my children have become adults, I now look back on the earlier years and see that life had some spots that were a blur of activity. Being involved, because of my children, in little league, Boy Scouts, soccer, Sunday School, youth group and also being a full-time sailor didn’t leave much time for anything else. Life seemed pretty full. There are indeed so many activities in our lives! Yet how many are profitable? How many are profitable for the kingdom? How much time do I devote to those things that are important to my health and wellbeing as a believer? Sometimes I think that the world does a better job of conforming me into its mold than I do allowing the Holy Spirit to transform me by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2 paraphrase mine). I think in my case that the blur of activity was motivated more by my flesh (not wanting my children to miss out) than by the Spirit (wanting to draw me into a closer walk with Him). This doesn’t mean I couldn’t have done both. It means that my attitude wasn’t right.
As I was meditating upon Hebrews, chapter twelve, I was struck by the idea of “throwing off everything that hinders.” (NIV) As I looked up from my easy chair I found myself looking full on at one thing in particular that took up a great deal of my time, the huge one-eyed monster we call Television. My heart was shaken at its foundations. The Holy Spirit was showing me in a very clear way that I would rather spend time watching the political talk shows than be with Him. Busted! So I got up out of my chair walked across the room and pulled the plug! I would like to say that the angels of heaven broke out in song (However, what really broke out was beads of sweat upon my brow. Several times that evening, as I was trying to read, I found my hand reaching for the ol’ remote control. I thought to myself, how many other things are in my life that have become a hindrance to fellowship with the Father. Am I really trying to work out my faith with “fear and trembling” or am I just busy? C.S. Lewis, in “Mere Christianity,” mentions that one of the “cardinal virtues” is temperance. The first word that the dictionary (my copy was of course printed in the last century) uses to define this is moderation, “bringing within bounds, avoidance of excesses.”
If you find yourselves breathing hard at the end of the day, might I suggest in all humility (because I promise you that I am NOT the fount of all knowledge and wisdom) that you take stock of your activities and see if there isn’t some time that could be better used in your relationship with the Savior. “Blow up your TV (hyperbole mine) and try to find Jesus on your own!”
“As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses round us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right-hand side of God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-2 TEV