Onward Christian Soldiers

As I have reflected on what has happened in the last two weeks, I have been encouraged by how the Christians in Indiana and Illinois formed a single line to minister to the Mattern and McMillan extended families in a time of need.

When I left Northern Indiana in the 80's, the Lengachers and the Andrews were inspiring the community to greatness on the gridiron. As I watched the single line and the people that worked behind the scenes to allow the viewing to occur, I was very thankful to witness those same families move from the gridiron to the kingdom. I am sure the community has appreciated that change for years without my knowledge.

In that line, I also saw Steve Hunsberger, who understands loss in the last few years perhaps as much as he understands how creativity, music and hard work can inspire a church and a community.

I watched Russ McMillan tell people in that line about his daughter's childhood. As the people listened to him, they also shared of how Heather had helped them medically, physically and spiritually. I don't know if I have seen anyone willingly take on anything more difficult than what Russ did that day. His brother-in-law told me that Tish's dad was a tough and powerful man. Russ picked up some of that and added some salt.

Jon Andrews challenged me at the funeral to keep writing. He later provoked me by quoting statistics about the inefficiency of the average Christian to reach a lost world. During this past week, he himself had thoughts of his mother in the hospital approaching the end of her life of service as a mother, wife, friend and pastor.

Jon, I offer you this hope. While the church of America may not be reaching our own nation in dire need of Christ, it does have a purpose. A purpose that you and your mother have carried well.

After seeing the mark that Heather and your mother both left on a community, I am even more convinced that the purpose of the American Christian is to pray, encourage and equip the saints and to send out and support soldiers to the furthermost parts of the earth. There are pockets of people in American cities and public schools, and public universities that are open to hearing what Jesus taught about the Kingdom today, but the evangelistic opportunities are in the battlefields where Christians are persecuted, discounted or misunderstood on a daily basis. It is there that people are most open to hearing about the peace and love that God has to offer.

War is tough and the losses are many and sudden. Those very losses transform civilians into soldiers in a battle that is not about sod, grain, grass, goallines, flesh or blood.

I am especially grateful to the families that have lost loved ones in this good fight, and I applaud our Lord and Savior as they press onward in prayer and service, adding to their number the Matterns, McMillans and the Andrews.