josh whitehead

I was grilling this afternoon and the thought hit me: Memorial day is about remembering but it is also about learning.

We should obviously honor and remember the sacrifice that so many have made for the freedom of others. Throughout the ages, people have given their lives so that others could live theirs. It’s really amazing to think that people are called to protect us – to protect people that they do not even know – so that we can live in a great country. The thought is overwhelming. A huge shout out to our troops and those who have gone before us to pave the way.

The other part of my thought was learning. Think about the amount of strategic leadership decisions that have been made throughout the years to keep our country free. There have been strategies created since George Washington to win battles in wars. Some of those strategies didn’t work, but people did not quit fighting – they fought even harder, with a new strategy. Leadership led to improved technology that made strategies even more effective. And at times, leadership was questioned about the battles that we engaged in.

Then the thought hit me: the Church is the place that should have the greatest leadership, the greatest technology, the greatest strategy – because we are led by the Holy Spirit.

But, the church is one of the only places where those fighting take more pride in in shooting their own than shooting the enemy.

Just recently a soldier did just that – he opened fire on his battalion. People were outraged – how could this happen? Not in the church – there, that is normal behavior.

So it lead me to ask: Why can’t we get together and create strategies that will reach across denominational lines? How can we get church members at traditional, liturgical, contemporary or whatever churches to buy into them?

Imagine if the military still used muzzleloaders – how many battles would we win? The Church is still using muzzleloaders – it has to stop!