Chaplain1

Article Submitted by Curt Adams, Retired Police Chief.

“The F.B.I. reported November 8^th 2004 that 132 police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2003, with guns and traffic accidents claiming the most lives. Of the total, which is 8 deaths more than 2002, 49 were killed in traffic accidents and 45 slain with firearms. 31 of those killed with guns were wearing body armor at the time. In all cases, the average age of the officer killed was about 37 with an average level of experience of 10 years. The totals translate into one officer death every 2.8 days nationally, the F.B.I. estimated. The authorities solved all the cases in 2003 of officers who were shot to death or otherwise intentionally killed. Thirty-eight suspects were arrested, 14 were killed by police and 6 committed suicide, according to the F.B.I.”

In 1983 I retired after 13 years in law enforcement with eight and one half years as chief of my department. During those years there were many situations that placed me in harms way. But God is faithful even while we are enemies He orders our steps.

One of the things that I noticed as I dealt with the training of my officers was that the more tenure the officer had the less caution he would demonstrate in a seemingly non-crises situation, and being in a small community where everyone basically knew everyone, he became too “mechanical” in the dispatch of his duties.

This “ritualistic” approach to the job has caused many an officer to get hurt. A traffic stop late at night, the vehicle is familiar, no reason to suspect foul play, as the officer approaches the vehicle the door flies open and the driver fires point blank, the officer is down. As the vehicle speeds away the dispatcher comes on the air with warning that the vehicle you just stopped has just been reported stolen.

So it is in our walk with the Lord, we become so “ritualistic”, so “mechanical”, and so familiar in our worship, in our service, and in our daily routines. As the saying goes “three songs, a poem, a joke, and a message and we are out of here.”

I think this is what the Lord was addressing in Revelation chapter 2, speaking to the church at Emphasis Jesus says “thou hast left thy first love… Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;” (emphasis added). This is not speaking of getting saved again; rather, reviving that cautious, conscientious walk you had with Him in the beginning. What were the “first works”? Dwelling in the Word of God, careful to apply the teachings of the Word. The Word is like the officers weapon. I well remember the sinking heart when, after a full shift, I started putting my weapon away and finding that I had worked a full shift with an empty weapon. What could have happened because I was not prepared? I had not only jeopardized myself but other officers and the public. It is the same with the Christian; we need to have the Word of God ready to help when the Lord sends a person in need, or when we have the need of strength or wisdom. Your mind should be “loaded” and ready to give an answer for the hope that you have in the Lord.

Diligent in prayer, led by the Holy Spirit. Prayer is your connection to the “dispatcher” just as the radio is to the policeman. Does God know what you are getting into? Sure, but He also tells us to ask to receive.

One of my rules for my dispatchers was that they had to ride with the street officers’ one shift a month. This allowed them to experience what the officers had to experience, better enabling them to perform their duties. However, as every situation is different in many aspects, the dispatcher must be told specifically what is needed.

God is the same way, He wants us to be specific in our prayers …… what is it that you really need, is it within the purview of His Word? The situation my be the same but the need may be different, James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.”

Faithfully attending the House of God. All my officers were required to attend roll-call before each shift. This is where there was an exchange of information about the goings-on during the previous shift; training was held on new laws and departmental policy affecting the officer.

The child of God, first of all, is commanded to “forsake not the assembling of your selves together” Hebrews 10:25. But aside from the command, attending the House of God is not only for the individual Christian’s benefit, though he/she will benefit, it is for the benefit of all those that he/she will come in contact with, discerning need you may be able to fill, being an encouragement to a brother or sister in need, and many other areas of service the Lord may open up to you as you are faithful.

There is also an accountability factor within the House of God. Each of us has been given the “Ministry of Reconciliation”, the responsibility to “look-out” for our brethren. Just as policemen are a family so we in the church are a family and when one hurts all hurt, when one rejoices we all rejoice, and when one falls each of us share the grief… Because we are family.

There is something that I learned as a department head; my officers for the most part mimicked my behavior. They were strong in the areas that I was strong in and very weak in the areas that I was weak in.

Church leaders… Did you know that it is the same in the church? The areas that the pastor is strong in his people will be strong in and the weak areas the same. For example if the pastor is a strong supporter of missions the church’s focus will be on missions. If the pastor is a strong believer in evangelism there will be an emphasis on evangelism, etc.

This is not all bad, unless the emphasis is to the exclusion of the rest of the ministry opportunities. Far too often everything except the leaderships “golden calf” is set aside and all resources are concentrated on one or two areas of ministry.

As a policeman my “golden calf” was vice, especially drugs. I had to learn, however, that there were more than just drug problems in my jurisdiction, and, that by spreading my resources over the whole department we increased our effectiveness on all fronts. We had many a drug arrest stemming from a simple traffic stop, or a domestic dispute.

Another part of my job was to recognize leadership traits and develop the future leaders of the department, and you know, I found out that some of those officers had some good ideas. Of course… I had to let them try their innovations. Did they always work? No, but the officer always learned from the experience and was better the next time.

Too many preachers today vainly think that they are the only one with a word from the Lord, do we need to be careful? Certainly, but to fail to train your successor is to doom your people to the wiles of the New-Paths Theology of today.

So in my tenure as a police officer and as a child of God I have found much that is compatible. I have also found that everything that I had learned before my conversion the Lord has used in some way for His glory. May He be praised for it is only by His grace that an old derelict sinner like me could be used by a righteous Savior like Him.

What is your profession? Can you see how the Lord, in His wisdom, placed you there?

Pastor do you have a “golden calf” ministry? Are you training your men to preach? Is it “your pulpit” or God’s? Dear saint are you serving where God planted you, or hiding?