OCF Crosspoint Podcast

Hi friends! We're putting the finishing touches on the next season of the podcast, which should be ready to go by the week of May 8.

For at least the first 6 episodes, we're going to be discussing the topic of pornography, sexual addictions, and problematic sexual behaviors. We'll spend time discussing this topic from the perspective of men, women, married couples, families, and singles (in particular, single women).

Yes—it's a really heavy dose of a really heavy topic. But this is an issue that affects everyone, both inside and outside the church, regardless of relationship status or gender. These sorts of problematic behaviors have also ended up destroying the careers of some very successful military leaders.

Also, this might be an issue affecting you. Right now.

Here are a few questions to challenge you and make you think a little deeper on this topic between now and when we start the next season in a couple of weeks:

· Is pornography addiction just a guy's problem?

· What should the church's role be when discussing sexuality and these sorts of topics?

· If you're single and have a porn or sexual addiction, OR if you are dating someone and find out they are struggling with this issue, what should you do? Break up? Continue the relationship?

· If you're a parent, and you find out your child or teen is looking at porn, what should you do?

As always, if you have ideas for guests, topics, or stories you think we should consider on a future episode of the show, you can send an email to [email protected] or fill out our short podcast guest form located online at https://www.ocfusa.org/podcastguest.

Thanks for listening, and we'll be back in a couple of weeks.

Show Notes:

For the finale of our three-part series on leadership, Brig Gen Robert "Gwyn" Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.) discuss how to navigate matters of conscience–circumstances where your job and your faith seem to be at odds.

Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott begin this conversation by referencing scripture to shape the way we approach such circumstances, serving as a "biblical blueprint" of sorts. Speaking from personal experiences and conversations with friends of all ages, they remind us not be surprised by the tensions we see around us today, but rather to look back and learn from past examples regarding matters of conscience. Above all and in all things, these leaders exhort us to keep Christ at the center of the challenging choices that are sure to come.

In today's episode, Scott mentions OCF's Pray-Discover-Obey model, which we invite you to use as a means to be still before God and ask Him for wisdom and direction before future actions are planned out. For an additional resource on the topics we covered throughout this three-part series, consider ordering Gwyn and Bruce's recently released book, Lead to Serve and Serve to Lead: Leading Well in Turbulent Times.

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. When was a time you found your job to be at odds with your faith, and how did you handle it?
2. Scott quotes John Stonestreet: "Too many believers right now are interested in making a point rather than making an influence." How might that quote shape how you navigate tensions between your job and your faith?
3. Bruce then refers to Matthew 22:37-38. What practical ways can you weave Jesus' commands into your service in uniform?
4. What other Bible passages come to mind when Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott discuss verses that can shape our framework for navigating tensions like the ones described?
5. What can we learn from Daniel's example of serving in environments where we might be asked to do things that don't align with our faith?

Show Notes:

Today's episode is the second in a 3-part series on leadership, featuring guests Brig Gen Robert "Gwyn" Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.). The topic that'll be discussed is 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."

Some of the aspects of failure that Bruce, Gwynn, and Scott touch upon include how leaders can create a culture of trust by "being real" about their failures, the importance of setting up those you lead for success—and the space to fail, how smart leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses and rely on others for help, and what can happen when you act too quickly in decision-making without taking it to prayer.

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

Here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. What keeps us from facing our failures—let alone dealing with and learning from them? How can honesty about failures as a leader create a culture of trust with those you lead?
2. Do you believe that you could never rise up to the level of your leaders because they have never failed, and you have? Examine the lives of King David, the Apostle Peter, and others in the Bible who have failed, but were used by God as leaders. Still true of you? Why?
3. The panelists underscore that young leaders learn how to make good decisions because someone allowed them to make bad decisions and learn from them. Do you do that as a leader? What steps could you take to create space for others to fail and learn from it?
4. The Book of James instructs us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (1:19). Think of a time when those attributes were absent either from another leader or in your own leadership. How would you handle that situation now?
5. How does communicating with God in prayer and developing a biblical eternal perspective and spiritual resilience make it possible to learn from and move on in the military profession when it comes to injury and death?
6. "Listen to God, seek what He would have us do, and obey whatever that is." Why are those so often regarded as last resort when it comes to decisions in life, and especially so as Christian leaders?

Show Notes:

This episode begins a three-part series featuring Brig Gen Robert "Gwyn" Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.). Speaking from nearly 90 years of combined service in the Air Force, these three leaders share their personal stories as followers of Christ and as military officers.

On this first installment, Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott discuss 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.

Gwyn and Bruce's recently released book, Lead to Serve and Serve to Lead: Leading Well in Turbulent Times, inspired today's roundtable conversation and the two to come. Gwyn describes his and Bruce's book as a "discipling guide on how to lead things and get things done in a way that honors Christ with a tactical-level implementation," written for people of all ages and walks of life.

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. Scott described character as the "cornerstone of an effective leader." What examples, biblical or personal, prove that concept?
2. For biblical principles of effective leadership, Gwyn references Philippians 2:3-4, and Bruce references Proverbs 12. Read those passages for yourself and consider what you can apply to your own leadership roles.
3. Throughout your military career, you'll likely find yourself in conversations about leadership where you can incorporate biblical principles. What verses can you incorporate into those conversations?
4. As a uniformed service member, how can you share your faith in a wise and understanding way?
5. Bruce says people won't remember a crisis, but they'll remember how a leader performed during a crisis. What crisis response comes to mind when you hear Bruce's point, and what can you learn from the leader's or leaders' response to said crisis.

Show Notes:

Today's episode takes us back to the topic of small groups. If you've listened to some of the more recent episodes of this podcast, you might be asking, "Haven't you guys said enough about small groups already?"

In this episode, however, we're going to hit that topic from a slightly different angle as LT Will Parker, USN, and LT Sam Alexander, USN, sit down to talk about their experiences while serving aboard submarines. They discuss the challenges of such a unique environment, the challenges of beginning and maintaining a small group Bible study aboard a submarine, and practical applications for similarly isolated environments.

They also get into the importance of seeking out fellowship with others wherever you can, whether that's through an OCF small group, a local church body, or with a few peers at work.

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Will and Sam, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. Will and Sam talk about the unique schedules, or lack thereof, of service aboard a submarine and the challenge such irregularity presents in many aspects of life. How do you make time for investing in relationships with God and with others when you can't control your own schedule?
2. Recall a time when you had an atypical fellowship group. What made those relationships most impactful despite your unique life circumstances?
3. Sam mentions a "grab bag" of pre-structured Bible study resources that helped him lead a small group when he didn't have much time to prepare between gatherings. What resources could you place in your own "grab bag" for future use?
4. How can you use technology as a tool for pouring into others and receiving encouragement even as you're away from in-person fellowship?
5. What practical, realistic goal can you set in your own walk with the Lord? Don't set a goal for the sake of setting a goal and checking something off your to-do list, but let this goal serve as a reminder to factor its objective into your everyday life.

Show Notes:

Today we're going to talk about a topic that pops up from time to time on the podcast, and that topic is trauma. In this episode, we're going to consider this overarching question: What's a biblical approach to dealing with or healing from trauma?

Here to help me answer that question is Jeremy Stalnecker, who served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. He currently serves as the executive director of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping America's military warriors and their families suffering from the unseen wounds of combat such as post-traumatic stress.

Raised in southern California as a pastor's kid, Jeremy watched his parents serve in the church and was convinced the Lord would ever call him to serve in ministry. Nonetheless, Jeremy's parents taught him the importance of service, prompting him to pursue a future as a Marine. Commissioning in 1999 and serving in Kuwait and Iraq, Jeremy returned to the States, left the Marine Corps, and, despite his earlier assertions he'd never go into ministry, joined a church staff shortly thereafter.

His service as a Marine and the years to follow have given Jeremy 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. In our conversation, he unpacks a functional definition of "trauma," its relationship with identity, the impact of spiritual resilience, and next steps to take when you or a loved one are dealing with trauma.

Check out the various resources mentioned throughout this episode:

• Mighty Oaks Foundation
• March or Die (book)
• March or Die (podcast)
• The Anatomy of Courage: The Classic WWI Study of the Psychological Effects of War by Lord Moran

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Jeremy, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. Jeremy talks about feeling lost and alone when he quickly left the Marine Corps and joined a church staff. Have you ever had a similar experience when the course of your life changed quickly and unexpectedly? How did you feel during that season?
2. When have you had to choose to take a faith-filled step forward?
3. How would you describe the role of identity in trauma or healing from trauma?
4. If you haven't yet, what spiritual disciplines can you cultivate to develop spiritual resilience?
5. Jeremy reminds us that "isolation kills." Who can you ask for help when dealing with and healing from trauma? How can you help others when they're experiencing trauma?
6. Thinking of Jeremy's earlier statement that trauma pervades the Bible, what scripture comes to mind as you listen to this conversation?

This episode of OCF Crosspoint is a chance to hear from CDR Carl Crabtree, USN (Ret.), who currently serves with his wife, Christy, as the OCF Field Staff Representative at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

A man on a mission in this episode to share how God has healed him from "PTSD, trauma, moral injury, habitual sin," Carl shares about his experiences as a foster-to-adopt kid and onward. While the conversation doesn't get overly detailed or specific, please be advised to listen with care or listen to a different episode altogether if you are still healing from your own past trauma.

Carl pulls from countless personal experiences as an officer in the Navy, a leader in his local church, a husband to his wife, and others, reflecting on how God worked through hardship in all those circumstances to deepen his relationship with Him.

Along the way, the Lord redefined and brought to life some commonly used Christian terms like forgiveness, grace, and trust for Carl. In addition to biblical passages and relationships with friends and family, Carl mentions a few resources that aided his walk with the Lord, linked below:

• Victory Over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson of Freedom in Christ Ministries
• How People Change by Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp
• The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning

If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Carl, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. What do you turn to as a means of escape from difficult life circumstances?
2. How would you describe the tone of your conversations with God when He brings hardship your way?
3. Why is it vital to read Ephesians in its entirety rather than focus on one half of the book?
4. Carl talks about approaching his military career and his walk with the Lord with a "performer" mentality. In what area of your own life do you find yourself being a performer?
5. Despite the distractions of the world, how do you stay focused on your own identity in Christ?
6. When have you seen the Lord use your vulnerability to impact others?

Show Notes:

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. Since December 2020, Jonathan has been serving as a chaplain at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, but the Navy chaplaincy was not always on his radar.

A Georgia native and pastor's kid, Jonathan wrestled with the same questions many high school graduates face: What should I do next? Where should I go? What career should I pursue? Based on his own love for theatre in high school, Jonathan chose to pursue a degree in theatre at the University of Memphis while also growing spiritually through leadership roles with his church and Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM).

Later in college, Jonathan realized the Lord was pulling him away from theatre studies toward ministry instead, leading him to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The years to follow were ones of trusting God and waiting on Him with decisions about education, vocation, and relationships. He reflects on past experiences where he can now retroactively see God's hand at work and encourages other Christians in the military to trust Him in all things from job assignments to work dynamics to personal relationships.

Jonathan answered the call for podcast guests by completing the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage, and you are invited to do the same if you would like to share your own story. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic that should be considered for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with Jonathan, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. Describe a time when you wrestled with discerning God's calling for your life.
2. What did you learn about God's character through that experience?
3. Where can you look back retroactively to see the Lord's hand at work in circumstances you didn't understand at the time?
4. Jonathan describes a hard experience with a church that he "wouldn't trade" because he can see how that prepared him for the Navy chaplaincy. What challenging but growing experience would you not trade?
5. What does trusting God look like in a practical sense?
6. What spiritual disciplines help you trust the Lord in all things?

Show Notes:

After commissioning through the ROTC program at the University of Missouri, Lt Col JB Kump, USAF (Ret.), spent just over 20 years serving wherever the Air Force sent him. Along the way, he and his wife quickly connected with various OCF and church small groups. The "home-away-from-home" fellowship he and his young family found during an early assignment in Germany provided the prayer and support they needed while stationed overseas, and JB has been an avid advocate for small groups ever since.

In this episode of OCF Crosspoint, JB shares what made those small groups so impactful in his own life, practical tips for those currently interested in leading small groups, how his passion for those local fellowships led to his current post-military career, and more.

JB now serves as Minister of Small Groups, Retreats, & Visitation at Great Outdoors Community Church in Titusville, Fla. He additionally holds roles on the boards of directors for both the American Evangelical Christian Churches and Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association.

JB answered the call for podcast guests by completing the form on our "Be a Guest" webpage, and we invite you to do the same if you would like to share your own story. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].

As you listen to this conversation with JB, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. What factors have made a small group impactful in your own life?
2. Do you view small groups primarily as a chance to study the Word or to build relationships with other believers? How do you find the balance in your own group?
3. How can we as members of the military community effectively invest in relationships despite the frequent turnover that comes with the military lifestyle?
4. Have you felt the Lord calling you to lead and/or participate in a small group? What next steps might you take to follow the Lord's calling?
5. In what ways has the Lord grown you through an experience in which you were reluctant to participate?
6. What Scripture comes to mind when you think about what a biblical small group ought to look like?
7. How does Ecclesiastes 4:12 apply to small groups?

Show Notes:

CH(COL) Bob Phillips, USA (Ret.), joins us on the podcast today to speak from his 26 years of military service and his ongoing work as the chaplain to the Corps of Cadets at his own alma mater, Virginia Military Institute.

Bob shares his stories of coming to faith with his parents, "straddling the fence" in high school and in college, and meeting his wife Tracy, before diving into what his current ministry looks like at VMI. He observes that one of the predominant topics of discussion among cadets and college students across the country today is anxiety.

While anxiety can often seem unavoidable and unbeatable, Bob shares how he and Tracy use relationships and group Bible studies to address anxiety and point cadets back to Christ.

Bob also serves on the OCF Council, this ministry's governing body, where he provides perspectives and input to shape OCF's strategic goals, ministry-wide decisions, and more.

Interested in learning more about generation-specific ministry? Check out the following resources Bob mentioned throughout this episode:

• College Ministry 101: A Guide to Working with 18-25 Year Olds by Chuck Bomar
• Generation iY: Secrets to Connecting With Today's Teens & Young Adults in the Digital Age by Tim Elmore
• Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population by Tim Elmore
• Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World by James Emery White

If you have an idea for a guest, topic, or story that I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected] or visit OCF's new "Be a Guest" webpage.

As you listen to this conversation with Bob, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. Bob shares that his family's dining room table is their "greatest resource for evangelism… and discipleship." How could you similarly use a seemingly everyday item to make an impact for the Kingdom?
2. What topic seems to "come to the surface" often in your own local community, and how can you engage with that topic biblically?
3. How does Christ address the anxiety many face today, such as the VMI cadets Bob serves?
4. How have you seen the power of relationships with other believers impact your own life?
5. Do you have a mentor?
   • If you do, how can you start preparing to mentor others in the future?
   • If you don't, who in your local community could you ask to pour into you spiritually in that capacity?