Two veteran Southern Baptist officers stationed at Fort Leonard
Wood say they can sense a spiritual awakening among soldiers at the nations
largest military training base.
“Its something I have noticed recently,” says
Col. Chester White, a 30-year Army engineer. “I have seen a real Christian
movement among the military here.”
Two veteran Southern Baptist officers stationed at Fort Leonard
Wood say they can sense a spiritual awakening among soldiers at the nations
largest military training base.
“Its something I have noticed recently,” says
Col. Chester White, a 30-year Army engineer. “I have seen a real Christian
movement among the military here.”
White says he thinks the revival is a result of the growing
number of Christians in leadership positions and the knowledge of soldiers that
they could be facing danger.
“Everybody has a tendency, I think, to stop and pray a
little longer – especially if theres a chance theyll be going
into harms way,” White explains.
Major Jeffrey Bruns is a Southern Baptist military chaplain.
He says he saw something similar in the Gulf War 12 years ago.
“I also saw it when I went into Bosnia,” Bruns says.
“When those situations come along and when soldiers are confronted with
the possibility of death and the unknown of what will happen to us after death,
it causes people to reflect on the spiritual side.
“I, too, am seeing some kind of movement back to God,”
he adds. “And Im also seeing it among family members who are looking
for another lifeline to hold on to.”
It is not a matter of pushing the soldiers into a relationship
with God, Bruns notes.
“We dont have to push,” he says. “They
are searching. Theyre hungry for some kind of hope. Many of them are turning
to God because they know there is someone who has a greater power than what
man has.”
White says the change started happening even before getting
into Iraq.
“Soldiers today are much brighter, much quicker, better
trained and better equipped. I dont see some of the abhorrent behavior
I saw 25 years ago. Im confident its an outpouring of the Holy Sprit.
“And the leaders here at Fort Wood are not afraid to come
out and say, Im a born-again Christian, …” White notes.
“Theyre setting tremendous examples for the soldiers. … (And) Soldiers
are always hungry for good leaders and positive role models.
“If we have to send young men and women to war, I think
we all want those Christian beliefs embedded for obvious reasons,” White
emphasizes.
Indeed, Christian beliefs separate the American army from many
other armies in the world, he notes. “Conflict can bring out the best and
the worst,” he says. “When Christian morals or ideals are embedded,
you will not see the atrocities that are committed by other armies in the world.”
Bruns says information reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer
recently is indicative of what is happening at Fort Leonard Wood. The newspaper
reported 40 U.S. Marines were baptized by two chaplains in a makeshift baptistery
fashioned from sandbags, a plastic liner and 130 gallons of water.
The baptisms were held outside a mess tent that had doubled
as a revival hall beforehand. More than 200 Marines had attended the earlier
service.
“I thought to myself, no matter how many sandbags you
have, no matter how many bunkers you have, theres always going to be a
weapon you cant stop,” Pfc. Jason Trehan told the newspaper.
“The Lords weapon will.” (BP)