The Christian Soldier
Basic Training for Leadership

I am an Army Captain. In the military, we labor under more doctrine then any officer could read in a career. This is published in Army Regulations, Technical Manuals, Field Manuals, and other minor formats. It is the Field Manuals (FMs) that have something we can actually use when an unseen enemy surprises our position. Veteran leaders have an uncanny way of cutting through these tomes to the truth, because they know the realities of war. What follows is the stuff of a Field Manual; combat effective Basic Training for the Christian leader.
In God s Army, the recruit and the inveterate warrior alike are rooted in the same Word, and quickened by the same Spirit. Rank is not a function of how long you have been a Christian, nor how closely you follow the regulations and dogma of any particular church (Hebrews 5:14). The only absolutes in this war (and in this world) are God and His Word. Your relationship to these absolutes is the core concern for a leader.
Great leaders, both formal and informal, meet the routines of life in routinely excellent ways. The foundation born of rigorous and ongoing basic training in the faith leads to victory, in conflicts where eternal lives are at stake. Faithfulness (not a 100% success rate) in your missions leads to increased rank and intimacy with Christ. It is leadership through the dense fog of the spiritual battle field that will meet our commander s intention: to bind up the broken-hearted and set the captives free.
Our prayer? Lord, give us your heart, show us your will; help us to lead! Leaders needed inquire within. -DC

Basic Leadership Training

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Hear from God first.
In my book Shake the World, the entire first chapter is dedicated to the prayer life of the Christian soldier. Once distilled, the message of Isaiah 50:10-11 is warning enough; do not create your own plans and paths out of the darkness. The waiting upon God of Isaiah 40:31 is the greatest precursor to leadership success. Understand that anything less is not leadership, it is the spirit of anti-Christ. Whoever is not for Christ is against Him, and we cannot properly call pointing out a path Christ hasn t endorsed leadership Join God in what He is already doing, and await your orders. Once in place, faithfully stand your God-assigned post until fresh orders arrive.
In combat, it is the RTO, the radio/telephone operator that stands next to the commander. He is a bigger target and carries extra weight into combat, by virtue of the man-packed radio on his back.The leader who is a prayer warrior and intercessor risks being a high pay-off target, because he becomes privileged to know what is going on, what to do next, and can call in Kingdom reinforcements. Leaders are desirable targets for the enemy of our soul; the enemy has no need to attack someone leading God s people in their own wisdom.

2. Learn God s Chain of Command

BLUF: Scripture tells us that God places people in authority (Romans13: 1-7).

Any private three weeks into Basic Training can tell you the rank structure of the Army from memory. That enlistee is an E-1 (enlisted grade 1), and has twenty or so enlisted, warrant, and commissioned officers, and the President (Commander in Chief) in authority over him, and yet, understands how to function within his place in the chain of command. Jumping the chain is a new soldiers mistake, and is not tolerated, in peacetime or war. Similarly, you won t become a leader in God s army if you think your way of getting things done is better than His. A now infamous angel of light lost his position in just that way. Hmm... so what is God s chain of command?
The authority of God flows as follows (See figure):

I ll take the Army as an example of authority within an organization. God is 100% sovereign and in authority over all leaders. In turn, America is founded upon the precept of one nation, under God. In his role as Commander-in-Chief (CINC) of the armed forces, the President exercises authority through what we in the military call his span of control - the leaders through which he gets the job done. He will utilize written and verbal guidance to accomplish this, as God does. Identically the general officers, commissioned officers, warrant officers, and non-commissioned officers (sergeants) exercise authority over subordinates and resources right down the chain of command.
The Church:
The authority or head of the church is Jesus Christ. The biblical organization of the church flows from Christ to the elders (as a governing body) to individual pastors and teachers. Where submission and organizational issues arise, the standard is prayerful consideration of God s Word, approaching all involved in love and with bowed hearts. Not the leader s way or the follower s way: God s way. Having a heart of love will cover a multitude of human errors (1 Peter 4:8, Galatians 6:2) in executing His guidance in tricky situations.
The Family:
Married men and women are equal in value and ability. One reading of the description of the Proverbial Wife (Proverbs 31:10) should quickly settle any arguments there. Men and women do differ in function in God s plan, however, and we will succeed and fail (as in all areas of life) largely to the degree we hold to our Father s wisdom for the institution He created. God disqualifies men who do not have their family in good order from leadership positions. Any quality leader will attest that we are all less effective when family/personal issues are looming.
God is the authority over the Husband/Father and the Wife/Mother. Do not disobey God for any person.
The Husband/Father is to love his wife as Christ Loved the Church even unto death as a servant/leader. He is accountable to God for everything his family does or fails to do. The woman is not his subordinate, created rather to be his partner in life. She is a keeper of wisdom he needs, and the happiness and fulfillment of the wife is a direct reflection upon the Christ-likeness of her husband. (Eph 5:28-32)
The Wife/Mother though equal - is to respect and submit to the authority of her husband. The more Christ-like he is, obviously, the easier this is to do. (Eph 5:22; 5:32)
Children are to obey their parents. Parents are to raise children in the way that they should go, and fathers are not to create frustration and anger in their children. (Eph 6:4)
As Christians, children are their siblings/parents keepers. Further, they are to be active in building up of others in the spirit of Eph 4:29.

3. Get in Shape for God s Glory

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): I mean this literally.

When we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, our bodies became the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17), and therefore sacred.
Like the soldier, Christians are apt to be assigned to many physically challenging missions. We get and stay fit to be of service to God, and to fill our roles as husbands and wives in being appealing, strong, and capable partners. As parents, we are to model good stewardship of the Lord s house, be ready to lead, support, and to protect our children.
How often do we call on Jesus to provide that which He has already planted in our lives? We know from the parable of the talents that leadership is for those who steward well. This is not to condemn - guilt trips are not of the Lord (John 3:17), but rather to convict.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Eph 2:10, Psalms 139:14). If blessed to own a Mercedes Benz, what care would you have for it? A single cell of your body is fantastically more complex, elegant, and mechanically efficient than any automobile, yet many believers shrug at the loss of thousands of lung cells to smoking.
It is beyond the scope of this article to provide exercise routines and diets. The appendix of Shake the World cites excellent resources for learning God s guidance for temple maintenance.

4. First Aid

BLUF: The triage priority for spiritual casualties is Belief, Bleeding, and Brotherhood.

Every soldier and leader in the army is trained to administer first aid. The soldier who gets you through the golden hour is the one right beside you. Further care can be given by the CLS (Combat Life Saver), and so on up through Combat Medics, Forward Surgical Teams, and successively better-equipped field hospitals as you move farther from the fighting. The three B s of combat triage are Breathing, Bleeding, and Broken Bones; if the bleeding is arterial, then you control that first. End every first aid treatment by treating for shock. It s real, simple, and effective.
In Eph 6:12 we learn that spiritual warfare is not against the flesh (though having the heart and charity to minister to real needs is vital to the church), but against the enemy of our souls. Leaders administer spiritualfirst aid as well as meeting physical needs in obedience to the call to seek the lost ( 2 Cor 4:3-6, Luke 19:10) Learning literal, medical first aid is not to be discounted.
Belief: a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Know how to share the gospel effectively, and simply, and with scriptural authority. We can t help an MIA (Missing in Action) until they re found.
Bleeding: really listen, and find out where their injuries are; physical, provisional, emotional, and spiritual. Our Lord meets people where they are. As with arterial bleeding, it may be necessary to stop (or stem) the blood loss from natural wounds before the person can be ready for the blood loss (the shed blood of Christ Jesus) that will heal them forever. If you can t personally help, become someone who personally knows where help can be found in a hurry.
Brotherhood: gently and lovingly encourage them, individually and corporately as brothers and sisters in Christ. Love them in grace, and join God in the work He does in that saved and healing life.

5. Marksmanship

BLUF: In combat, your marksmanship saves lives.

Armies fill their ranks with men and women from all walks of life, some completely at home around firearms. Most, however, will find shooting an M16 assault rifle with regular accuracy challenging, particularly in battle. Yet, our soldiers become deadly marksman in just a few weeks. This is accomplished by focusing on a few fundamentals of good shooting, and regularly applying them. The acronym new soldiers repeat as they engage each target is BRASS (Breathe, Relax, Aim, Slack <take up trigger slack>, Squeeze<rather than pull the trigger>).
You ll recall (Eph 6:17) that the weapon that Christians wield is the Word of God. Scripture, like a firearm, in the wrong hands or careless hands, can be a source of danger to self and others. Scripture has the full authority of God (2 Tim 3:16-17). Just as firing weapons for some soldiers is the ultimate thrill of military life, many are those who feel closest to God when drinking in and wielding the Living Word.

• Breathe: Reading scripture is an encounter with God. Each time you handle God s Word, pray for the Holy Spirit to breathe His influence into the moment. When reading to yourself, seek for His truth to take deep root in your life. When reading to others, pray for God to open the spiritual ears of the listeners. Satan and his horde know scripture well, and stand ready to twist it and wound listeners with friendly fire.
• Relax: Reading your Bible is not a chore, and mastery of the scripture is not a race! It is God-breathed refreshment for your spirit, soul, and body. It will make you wiser, younger, and prosperous! (Psalms 119:105, Psalm 1:1, Psalm 103:5). Pray and then trust the Lord to lead you through His Word, with the pace and emphasis most pleasing to Him! It is rebellious and prideful to take the reigns in any encounter with God.
• Aim: Aim for the understanding God would have for you. When reading scripture, receive it as from the mouth of God. If unclear, ask God and listen to what He says. In the early church, this was called Lectivo Divina Divine Lecture. Further, discuss it with your brothers and sisters in the Lord. God is not a God of confusion; however, we are finite minds trying to grasp the infinite character and mind of God. When we ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding, we are becoming qualified to lead.
• Slack: No slack; do not give ground on regular scripture reading (Psalm 1). One of the blights on the church is the lack of time leaders spend meditating on God s Word; even great prayer warriors can trip this landmine. Do not be one of those blown about by every stray dogmatic breeze (Eph 4:14).
• Squeeze: Squeeze every drop of truth you can out of the Bible. The Bible is the Living Word of God. Think of the amazing need it satisfies: it speaks God s Truth to the hearts of men, crosses all time and all cultures, delivering the precise message needed to human hearts and minds, for all circumstances. A single verse committed to memory will minister in myriad ways on multiple levels.

Christian Leadership Summary: Five basics; it s that simple and that difficult. Leaders - embrace the Lord with abandon; yet treat the lives you touch as if they will end today. Lead submitted, follow submitted, and watch in awe as God honors His promises without fail.
Basic Training
Communicate (Get the Commander s Guidance First)
Learn God s Chain of Command
Get in Shape for God
Learn First Aid (Belief, Bleeding, Brotherhood)
Marksmanship (Breathe, Relax, Aim, Slack, Squeeze)