Peace Officers for Christ International Peacemakers Journal - Summer 2001 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

All around the USA and, in fact, the world, summertime is a time for Peace Officers to double their workload. Detectives see their caseloads pile up. Jail Deputies see more prisoners come through the door; Park Rangers deal with more crime in our parks. It is as though, for several months out of the year, the doors to the cage are thrown wide open! We will really be depending on our partner officers to help us through.

As you 'gear up' for this summer, I want to offer you an opportunity to choose a 'partner' that will never let you down. He knows the streets better than anyone. He can handle any call. He is both a warrior and a comforter. He has a lot of wisdom to share. He will be there when you start your shift, during your lunch break, at the end of watch, and when you work out. He will be there with you and for you!

He has seen the best and worst man has done to man. He is the greatest counselor to speak with after handling the call of an abused child, horrible traffic collision, domestic violence, suicide, etc...

In this issue, we hope to introduce you to the ultimate Peace Officer: Jesus Christ.

In His Service, Steve Ahearn - Editor

RESURRECTION OR "U-TURN"

A few months ago, I arrived to work at the Orange County Sheriff Stanton Sub-Station and I noticed a hand written note in my mailbox. The note was from a drunk driver that I had arrested six months prior. The note read: "Dear Deputy Hart, I want to thank you for arresting me six months ago, it was a wake up call for me, I have not drank beer since the arrest."

A week ago I was getting a big steaming cup of coffee at a local high-dollar coffee shop that will go unnamed, but while I stood in front of Quasarstag Coffee Shop I heard someone call my name. "Deputy Hart, is that you, (I obviously had gotten better looking as the years wear on). My name is John Doe and you use to patrol the City of Stanton's gang area and arrest me for being under the influence of Heroin. Well, I left the neighborhood so I would not get arrested and since then I have cleaned up. I now have a wife and two kids and I want to thank you for being tough on me, I straightened up."

I look back on these two incidents and I can see God's redeeming hand at work. No, the two men did not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but they are marching on the path toward resurrection. Jesus Christ came to have men "repent" or make a U-turn from the direction they were walking, which was toward death and destruction. Both men had soul destroying "Isms" in their lives, but they made a change.

As peace officers you see too much, feel too much, and experience too much. Right now there are "isms" in your life, which will destroy you and your family if you don't repent or turn around from the direction that you were going. The drinking, drugs, pornography, sex with another who is not your spouse; the lying on reports, the extra judicial punishment you give out are all items you must bring to God and leave them with Him. God promises you a new soul, if you want one. Please, give Jesus Christ a chance, and let His resurrection power, which raised Jesus from the dead, comfort and yes, change you.

In His Name, Terry Hart - POFCI Outreach Director

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CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

Hello, and welcome to the Chaplain's Corner.

Recently I took a chance and ventured for the first time into the world of Internet Christian chat rooms. I wouldn't recommend it to the easily offended, but it's been, for the most part, an interesting experience. As in police work, you encounter some nice folks and some that are only bent on talking ugly and causing trouble. (The advantage in the chat room is that you have an "ignore button" that allows you to "silence" the troublemakers.)

The login ID I use for the chat rooms is "ipray4cops." And as you might expect, the question comes up from time to time: "Why do you pray for cops?" That's a perfectly valid question and one you might ask me yourself. I sometimes respond simply: "Because I'm a police chaplain." But perhaps this answer is a bit too simple because praying isn't just something that I do just because it's something that goes with "the job."

Well then, why do chaplains pray for their officers? The number one job of the peace officer is to go home to his or her family at the end of the shift. So surely, part of our "job" is to pray that our officers are able to do just that.

But a better answer to the question is that you - the peace officer - are important to God. And because you are important to Him, He doesn't want you to have to face the hard parts of your calling by yourself. So after He called peace officers to a special task. He called chaplains to serve them.

Chaplains have a special God-given concern deep within for the men and women who take up the badge, those who support them on the job, and the families of law enforcement personnel. Praying with and for our officers is one way we express that concern.

We believe that law enforcement is a God-ordained task, and we seek to serve those who serve; or to put it another way, we try to be the servants' servants. Prayer support is one important way we can serve you.

For the most part, chaplains have a much better idea than the general public does of what you go through out there. You may well encounter more tragedy in one shift than most people encounter in a lifetime, and you shouldn't have to deal with it alone. Sometimes there are things you just can't take home to the family. The chaplain tries to be there, as friend with friend, to help you carry that load. Praying with you is a way that your chaplain can help carry your load. And the chaplain is going to carry it to the One who invites us to cast all our cares on Him. (Psalms 55:22,1 Peter 5:7)

In the writings of the prophet Ezekiel, God spoke these words: "I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for them." While this verse in context doesn't speak about peace officers, I believe that it does express God's concern for those whom He has called. The men and women who serve in law enforcement chaplaincy have stepped up before God and said to Him: "We will stand in that gap." Prayer is the way we stand in that gap.

When we lived in San Antonio, a young lady shared a song in church that really touched me. Six little words from that song still stay with me today and I close with them because they are so true and answers the question of why I pray for cops: "It matters to God about you."

Hey, thanks for spending some time with me. Talk with you next "shift."

Blessings to you and yours.
Chaplain Bill Wolfe
Llano County Sheriff's Department
chaplainscorner@hotmail.com

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APRIL 1, 1990 - THE CALL TO ARMS

Dear readers,
The following is the first in a series of articles written as "journal entries" from a soldier in the Army of God who writes about the battles, victories and defeats, common to all who walk with Jesus. As police officers, we are soldiers in every sense of the word, fighting the enemies of law and order. As Christian police officers, the scope of our battles increases as the Lord opens our eyes to the real reasons we fight. He makes us to understand what motivates those who walk in the darkness. - PMJ Editor

I've done it. I've accepted Jesus as my Commander and have enlisted in His service. Though the journey that's brought me here hasn't been pleasant. A year ago, if you'd told me I'd be here on the front line of God's Army, I'd have laughed you to scorn. If you'd told me that our Lord would call me into His service as a lowly "grunt". I'd have called the happy wagon to take you away.

I was at the top of my game, putting baby-rapers away right and left. Enjoying a 97% conviction rate, the best on the department. These perverts didn't stand a chance when I got the case and I certainly didn't need any help from Jesus. In fact, if Jesus was so great, why was He letting this happen in the first place? Who needed Him? I alone became the Avenging Angel for the little victims. I alone would rescue the little ones from the hell they were living in. But at what price? With each interview, each terrible story pulled from reluctant, innocent lips, each report drawing the grotesque word pictures of a crime to hideous to contemplate, a piece of my heart was being ripped away. Only the thoughts of what might happen to these animals in prison would appease the anger raging in my brain. I was a full-fledged member of the walking wounded. My heart had grown cold and lifeless. Only by accepting Christ as my Savior and Commander have I come to realize how lost in the darkness of this world I'd become. I know now that Jesus, with His divine patience was waiting for me, softly and tenderly calling for me, calling this lost sinner to come home, to come and join His army of light He knew once my ammunition was spent, my pride depleted. I'd find myself alone in the darkness with nothing to comfort me. Alone and wounded by the enemy's weapons of hatred and cynicism. That's when He sent His scouts to find me and bring me into His camp.

So, here I am, born again into the Army of Jesus Christ. A "grunt" on the front line. Fighting an enemy that knows no surrender, in a war for nothing less than the souls of men and women. An enemy whose tactics are as subtle and insidious as any enemy ever encountered. I suppose Satan sees me as a sort of traitor now, considering I slept in his camp a few short months ago. That's why he's stepped up his attacks against me. He's lost me and desperately wants me back. I it's true that misery loves company. Not that I worshipped him or anything like that, but I did devour every lie he threw at me, like a ravenous dog devours a scrap of meat. The devil tells me daily, sometimes hourly just how great a sinner I am, and how Jesus could never love someone as foul and insignificant as me. More lies! The Lord tells me that the devil is the father of all lies and that I'm forgiven. Praise God Almighty, I have hope! By the wondrous grace of our Redeemer, I now stand to quarters in the Way, the Truth and the Life. My eyes opened for the first time, I stand my ground face to face with the legions of darkness. I fight with the army whose Commander, by a single act of incredible love and sacrifice, has already won the war. He leads me in battles that temper roe into an instrument of His love, battles that prove my devotion and my witness to Him and my comrades. Love, forgiveness, selflessness, truth, kindness, humility and an incredible soul armor are but a few of the weapons in my warbag. Weapons the devil or his soldiers have no defense against. Though these weapons are new to me and I've been beaten pretty badly, I keep my eyes on His standard and He strengthens my heart to fight again, stronger than before. I need back-up though, so until my comrades arrive I'll follow my Commander and His marching orders. Ephesians 6: 11-13, (NKJV)""Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ~For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand".

The Lord willing I'll continue to record entries into my journal with the hope that it will comfort and strengthen my brothers and sisters joining me on the line. That they will know, as their vision is obscured by the smoke of battle, they are not alone. So until He commands the last roll call, I urge you all to keep your heads down, your faith high and your powder dry.
Randy Ricard, Chief/Buffalo Police Department, Buffalo Wyoming,
Wyoming Regional Representative Peace Officers for Christ

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THE ABC's of Salvation

Knowing your sins are forgiven and you are ready for heaven is as simple as following these steps:

Admit you have sinned.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

Believe in Jesus.
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Confess and leave your sin.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

If you would like someone to pray for you concerning your decision to follow Jesus Christ, please contact Peace Officers for Christ International - (714) 426-7632 or email us at info@pofci.org

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CALLING ALL CARS…

One of the best ways to keep hearing the Word of God being taught, and listening to either worship music or contemporary Christian music is to keep the radio tuned to a good station. Now, with the Internet, you can even listen over your computer. If you know of a solid Christian teaching station and/or a great Christian contemporary music station in your area, drop us a line and let us know. Even better, if you know of similar station that broadcasts on the web, we want to know that too so we can share it our readers around the globe.
The following radio stations are accessible in southern
California and on the web:
KWVE (The Wave of living water).
Teaching and Inspirational music.
FM-107.9
Web - www.kwve.org
KFSH (The Fish)
Great contemporary Christian music.
FM - 95.9
Web - www.thefish959.com
KKLA
Christian Talk Radio
FM - 99.5
Web - www.kkla.com
KFSG
Teaching and some music too!
FM-93.5
Web - www.kfsg.com

P.S. Remind me to tell you sometime about the parolee I was transporting in my patrol car. He was 'mad-doggin' me something awful at first. I just kept quiet and turned up the volume of my radio that happened to be tuned into an evangelical speaker... by the time I dropped this guy off at the jail, he was weeping and asking me to pray with him. You just never know when an opportunity will come your way.
Steve Ahearn

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THANKS FOR BEING THERE

April 17,2001, seemed to be just another day in my life. My son was 13 months old and my wife and I had splurged on a grand birthday party for him just the month before (St. Patrick's Day). The party was special not only because of my son's birthday, but this would be the first time my entire family would be together in 16 years. My brother had flown down from Northern California, all my cousins and their families, all of my wife's family...70 people in all. It was truly a wonderful time and at the end of the day my aunt mentioned getting the family together again in the summer.

I was still thinking of my aunt's words at 5:30 in the afternoon on April 17. I was home from work enjoying my backyard with my wife and son when the phone rang. When I answered the phone I realized it was my cousin's husband, a retired LAPD Sergeant. His voice was low and shaky and I could barely understand him. He finally broke the news that my cousin had died and had used his service weapon to complete her death. Because of his instability and shock, the duty of notifying the rest of the family fell upon my shoulders.

As I drove up the 1-5 to the San Fernando Valley that afternoon, so many thoughts and questions ran through my mind. How would my aunt take the news? Would my father be able to contact my other cousins to meet us? How was I, the youngest of all the cousins, going to tell my aunt that her only daughter had killed herself?

Sometime during my drive, I forced these thoughts and questions from my mind and began to pray. I asked Jesus to be with my family and to give me the strength to bear their burdens during their grieving. Where before I was dazed by the events of the day, after praying I became focused and alert to the tasks that lay before me. Needless to say, my aunt and cousins were devastated by the news and we comforted each other as best as we could. I drove home late that night to be with my wife and son and finally lay my head down after a long 20-hour day. Before falling asleep, I prayed as I do every night and again felt a calmness come over me. The spirit of Jesus had again carried me during my time of stress and frustration as it had before.

The next morning I awoke and began to face the day. I had much more work to do for my departed cousin and her family. I was kept busy all day and well into the afternoon, when my wife asked if I could take my nephew to his Little League practice. At first I thought I did not have the time or patience to sit on a cold metal bleacher seat and watch my nephew's practice, and reluctantly set off with my nephew to the baseball field. Once at the field I tried not to think of the events of the past 24 hours and the remaining frustrations I felt over my cousin's death. I had been preparing myself for a Sergeant's promotional oral board at work, and had recently had to spend the weekend before Easter away from my family on a recruiting trip out of state. The worries of the world began to cloud over my eyes and this forced me into a feeling of anxiousness and anticipation. My mood matched the sky that afternoon; dark, gloomy and blustery. I finally looked out to the baseball diamond and saw my nephew playing second base. He was back peddling for a 'blooper' infield fly ball when he tripped over the grass separating the infield from right field. His reaction was of genuine surprise when he hit the ground on his backside and the ball landed not three feet from his glove.

My nephew promptly got up, dusted himself off with his glove, hands and ball cap and went back to his position at second base, and his face beamed with a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Suddenly, all of my troubles vanished with the smile of a 10-year-old playing baseball. The weather cleared and the wind slowed. I hung my head down and asked Jesus for his continued strength and guidance in my life. I apologized for not leaning on him more in my past when my life was moving too quickly. Just then I felt the wind upon my face and began to feel my body warm. I thanked Jesus for being in my life and being my Savior, my rock to lean on whenever I am confronted by troubles too great for me to handle alone.

As my nephew and I walked back to my truck at the end of his practice, I thanked him for letting me drive him to his practice. He just smiled and said, "Thanks for being there." I said the same words to Jesus that night in my prayers; "Thanks for being there."
Officer Matt Hermans
Santa Ana Police Department

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THE BATTLE RAGES

"It's over, I've won!" I remember thinking these words to myself seven years ago. Having just survived a major attack on my marriage, and having been reconciled to my wife and family, I thought the war was indeed over.

How foolish we mortals be! What I thought was the war was only one battle. I have come to realize, many times the hard way, that my enemy - satan will never cease in his attempts to destroy me, to destroy my family and to destroy my ability to speak about Jesus to others.

I must now think in a more tactical way. In a way a soldier would that is in the battlefield, not behind the lines. Or, in a way a peace officer would that is on the streets. Here, if I make the wrong choice or choose the wrong path, the consequences are dire, immediate and painful. The battle rages all around me and I must have my weapons and defenses in excellent condition if I am to survive the next assault.

Only a fool would go into a fight with a gun that he hasn't trained with, tested, cleaned and checked to make sure it was loaded. I need to do this everyday, not just once in awhile and believe all is well. Also, I need to make sure my bulletproof vest is in good condition, my radio is functioning properly, and all the other gadgets, bells and whistles are good to go. Again, this is not something a veteran warrior does only once and then hopes this will carry him through a long, drawn out war.

Likewise my 'armor', spoken of in Ephesians 6, must be checked each day before I venture out my front door. Is my 'helmet of salvation' secured properly? Is my 'breastplate of righteousness' and 'shield of faith' clean, polished, and free of any holes that the enemy might exploit? Does my 'belt of truth' fit or has it become loosened by any lies that would cause it to fall from my waist and with it, my armor? Is my 'sword of the spirit' sharpened and it's scabbard free of debris or other damage that might cause a delay in my drawing it to fight? Are my shoes laced up so that I might be able to move from place to place, spreading the 'gospel of peace'? Finally, is my communication equipment (unceasing prayer) turned on so that I might receive orders from my Commander?

My enemy is a strong and battle-tested foe. He will not only use the frontal attacks, but will also use subversion, deception, and psychology. Earlier I said I must check my armor before I go out the door. Why? Because, if my armor is not also ready inside my home, the enemy can strike a heavy blow right at the heart of my camp. What enemy would not want to be able to destroy the headquarters of the opposing army and therefore declare a substantial victory before the battle even begins?

Satan directs his vicious generals - Hate, Lust, Envy, Idolatry, Pride and Fear to come from different directions. Sometimes they come individually, sometimes corporately. But they do come!

He will, at times, attack with all the fury of a raging lion, and other times quietly whisper words to deceive, discourage and disarm. In either instance, he has only one goal in mind. He wants to kill me - spiritually, so I cannot spread the Good News; emotionally, so I will lose the will to fight; physically, so I would be taken from the battleground once and for all.

Let me make this clear. I know that the Lord has already conquered the enemy and my salvation is secured by my faith in Jesus Christ. I cannot take one more breath without my Lord's permission. I need to know every waking moment that my Father loves me. Armed with that, I am able to carry on this fight.

What I am trying to pass on to you is that just because you have accepted the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus Christ, do not think that all will be smooth from here on out. The moment you accept Jesus, you also declare war on satan. He has lost the claim to your soul, so he will try his best to prevent you from ever gaining any more ground or influencing anyone around you. You've been drafted! So, you might as well get into the fight
and cause him as much damage as possible.

For whatever time I have left on earth, I realize that this great-unseen war must be fought day to day. As long as I am on the front lines, I must fight to win or risk being wounded (or worse, having others wounded because of me). I must make time to go back from the fight to rest, heal, restore and check my weapons again. No warrior can fight forever; he must also rest when he can. Just don't rest so long that you become lazy, over-confident, or afraid to get back into the fight!

Finally, what happens when I do sustain a wound? Once again, I believe in looking at this from a tactical point of view. I am determined that I will survive a gunfight on the street, no matter how badly I may be wounded. I will fight as hard as I possibly can, for as long as I can, and will use any means to overcome my assailant. If I am wounded, I will fight that much harder to win the battle. Then, when the battle is over, I will seek immediate assistance. I will accurately identify the nature and extent of my wounds and seek prompt medical attention. I will maintain a will to survive. I will follow the doctor's orders so that I may heal completely. This might take some time, but I will do whatever it takes in order for
me to return the to battlefield.

Why then should I think any differently when it comes to spiritual warfare? I am determined to win this fight as well. With the Lord as my strength and my shield, I know the battle is already won indeed. However, being human, I also know I am nowhere near perfect. I am a sinner saved by grace, and will remain so until the last roll call! Sometimes I blow it! Sometimes I sin! When I do, I have sustained a wound. What then? Shall I give up? Shall I roll over and allow my enemy to finish me off? No! I will accurately identify the nature and extent of my sin (by confessing it) and seek prompt medical attention (from the Great Physician). I will follow His directions in order to heal completely. This also might take some time, but I will do whatever it takes in order for me to return the to battlefield. Will you join me?
Officer Steve Ahearn

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GOD'S RESURRECTION POWER
IN THE LIFE OF A POLICE CHAPLAIN

I was backed into a comer, my back against one cold wall and my head laid over against the other wall. A tear ran down my face as I watched the mother rock back and forth on the hospital bed as she clutched the lifeless body of her baby against her breast and cried, "No, no, no!" An hour before she had been busy at work and her child asleep at the baby setter. Then 911call from the frantic setter that the child was blue and not breathing changed everything. Emergency responded and rushed the child to the hospital. Then came the pronouncement, "The baby is dead." That is where I came in. I am a Police Chaplain.

It is one of my many jobs; to break the devastating news to someone that a loved one is dead. They call it a death notice, but in a few moments I take a person from a routine normal day and drop their world like a fragile crystal ball and shatter it never to be put back whole again. As I watched this mother I found myself praying a prayer that caused me to gasp. "Thank you Lord for letting me be here to share in the horror and sorrow with these people I never knew before." Only the Holy Spirit could have breathed that prayer because I was not aware of what I was saying at the time. In that moment God showed me a gift he had given me that I did not know I had. The gift to take a strangers hand and lead them through the dark valley of death and sorrow. To pull together the support of friends and family that will carry them in the days to come. To guide them through the host of immediate forms and decisions that must be completed. To begin the healing that will be long in coming for those left.

I did not always do this kind of ministry but through a dark valley of my own making and the miracle of love I am today ministering again. For eleven years I had been a Minister of Youth and Education in Baptist churches. For nine years I had served in one church. Then around 1989 I began to loose the desire to be a minister. I began the slow disastrous slip into burnout.

Deep within me I wanted to talk to someone, to share the pain and fear. But I didn't. Real or imagined, I had no one to confide in, so I burned. By 1991, I was the picture of self-destruction. Physically I had developed migraines, restricted esophagus, hyedial hernia, dermatitis, and spastic colon to name a few things. Mentally I could not concentrate, remember or think through things. Emotionally I had no feelings of happiness or sadness, and spiritually I was dead. I didn't read my Bible, pray or in any way experience worship. I had gone through two manic depressions and had begun thinking suicidal thoughts. Facing a third spell of depression on the horizon, I turned in desperation to my wife and said, "I have to do something. I won't survive another one." The decision was made and on the first Sunday in June of 1991, I resigned my church with nowhere to go. I had completed a classic burnout and the flame smoldered and went out.

God is gracious and the week I left the church my wife started work at her old job. Not only did he provide he did so in abundance. I stayed home with our four-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. It is amazing what the hugs and kisses of children who don't care if their daddy isn't the CEO or President can do. Unconditional love covers a multitude of faults and is one of the greatest miracles God gives his children. God placed us in a hospital on the north side of town. A small church filled with people who love people and serve an awesome God. No questions were asked, no whispers heard. Just neck breaking hugs and the feeling that we really were wanted, warts and all.

I can still remember the Sunday I was sitting in class and heard the strangest sound. At first it frightened me. It was a sound I had not heard in over four years. It came from deep inside me and rolled out against my will. It was a belly laugh and the signal that healing was underway.

Not content to leave it alone I began to search to find what had happened to me so as to avoid it in the future. I discovered it had a name: Burnout. But what really came as a surprise to me was that it is caused by resentment. It is not from over work or pressure from outside. It is what happens when discontent and resentment toward situations, supervisors or co-workers creep in and begin to fester and grow in the mind. Like the word says, you burn from inside out.

At first I refused to accept that. I still wanted to blame the church, the staff I worked with. Anything but admit it was my fault. But the more I read and researched, the more God convinced me that it was sin and acknowledging it as sin was the only way I would ever overcome it. When I finally submitted. He then led me in the path of restitution. I had to apologize to the church I had left, to people I had resented and to my family. With each confession came cleansing and healing. I also began to build in checks to prevent any future resentment from creeping into my life. I had to bring people into the inner part of my life that can hold me accountable for not only my actions but also my thinking. I had to learn to focus on Jesus and not on what others were doing around me. I had to learn to give thanks for his blessings and not what I thought I should be getting. I had to trust Him for direction instead of comparing myself to other ministers. I had to learn to live with limitations and depend on Him to do what I could not do. Yes it was painful, but just as a surgeon must inflict pain to cure, God had to lead me along the path of confession and humility to cure me of the sin I had so embraced.

In 1993 the church had a staff change and I was asked if I would help the pastor. I agreed and began a part time position. Shortly after that I was talking to a fellow minister about his involvement in the local police department. He had been asked to start a chaplaincy program. I remarked, "That sounds interesting" and a couple weeks later I was standing before the chief as a new chaplain. Never on that day would I have dreamed that in 1996 I would take a five-month leave of absence from my part time job and go through Basic Law Enforcement Training. But God works in mysterious ways and in June of 1996 I was sworn in as a reserve officer with the rank of Chaplain. Yes, I still serve as part time Minster of Education at my church, but God has enlarged my ministry to include the Police Department and the city of Lenoir at large.

Not only did He call me to Chaplaincy but he also equipped me to do the work of ministry there. He gave me the gift to work in crisis and emergency situations. He carried me through the physical training at age 40 so I could become one of them in order to minister to them. For over seven years now I have ridden with officers on duty, counseled with staff and citizens, delivered death notices, visited the hospitals and sweated through in service training every year along side officers and staff.

My story is the story of a gracious and compassionate God who does not give up on his children. It is about a God who chose to give a rebellious servant a second chance and equip him to minister where others cannot go. It is about a benevolent God who provided all my needs in abundance when he would have had every right to let me starve. It is about the great physician who prepared a hospital equipped with saints to put this humpty dumpty burned out minister back together and make him laugh again.

During this entire journey I have been lead by two verses that He gave me to cling to. When I was struggling about resigning He led me to Romans 11:29, "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable - He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call. " (Amplified Bible) He called me to Ministry when I was sixteen and that call has never been changed. He would again someday place me back in ministry; I just never dream it would be as a Police Chaplain. The second verse was one he gave my wife and I as we faced uncertain days following the resignation. Little did Jeremiah know that when he penned the words, " For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope," that a burned out minister in the 21 century would find comfort and hope in them.

To this day he has been faithful. I do not think God ever intends for one of his children to go through burnout. But the good news is that if one does, he is faithful and just like the greatest miracle that ever happened, when Jesus got up out of the tomb and became the first fruit of the resurrection, He can resurrect burned out Christians and give them a new ministry and hope. I know because I am living proof.
Terry Barnes
1908 Blowing Rock Blvd.
Lenoir, NC 28645
828-758-8888 (work)
crestview4jesus@twave.net (work)
chaplainb@juno.com (Home)

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SWAT OUTREACH

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. " Ephesians 6:12

"Artillery can be appropriately called King of the Battle."
Lt. Col. Lawrence P. Crocker 47th edition Army Officer Guide

On February 8, 2001, a team of four United States police officers had finished three days of training 1,400 Guatemala police recruits in defense tactics techniques, baton, handgun, and rifle takeaways, and handcuffing. These techniques will help the officers stay alive in the coming months and years of as they confront the growing crime problem in their country.

Moments later, (Latin America POFCI office General Manager) Sonja Blea arrived with a pickup loaded with eighty cases of Spanish Bibles. Eighty recruits in a long blue line carried the cases into the auditorium and stacked the Bibles in front of the stage where we stood.

I had the recruits stand in five lines facing the stage in front of the cases of Bibles and a corresponding instructor. For 20 minutes we gave out Gospel tracts and Bibles to these lines of blue. As I would finish one box of Bibles I would throw the empty box into a growing stack of empty boxes nearby. Soon I had a stack of fifteen empty Bible boxes to my left. I looked over to the rest of the instructors and each had a similar stack of empty boxes next to them. This scene reminded me of artillery battles I have read about in WWII and the Vietnam War. One incident in 1965 was in the Vietnam Na Drang valley. US Army soldiers were engaged with the enemy of North Vietnamese Regular army and things were not looking up for the good guys. An Army captain radioed for help and a few artillery batteries of 105mm Howitzers started pounding the enemy with high explosives to break up the attack. Each battery had five Howitzers, and the artillerymen knew their partners were in trouble. One battery unit fired so fast and for so long that two of their Howitzers overheated and broke down. Witnesses said that the empty artillery shells boxes were in great heaps around the soldiers. These hard working artillerymen were able to break the back of the attack on the US soldiers in the valley. All around the Howitzers were stacks of empty wood boxes which had been throwing quickly into a pile, so the solder; could keep fighting and firing at the enemy. These empty shell boxes were a mute testimony of the fighting spirit and love that the artillerymen had for their brothers in trouble in that Vietnam valley.

Likewise, as I looked at the stacks of empty Bible boxes near me and the other police officers, all I could see was the pounding that the enemy of our souls would get as God uses those Spanish Bibles to open the hearts and minds of the Guatemalan peace officers.

There are many types of artillery. One type is the spiritual artillery, and that is called prayer. Without your prayers, POFCI SWAT outreaches would not be possible. We ask, no, we need every reader of this Peacemakers Journal to actively pray for this ministry and it's outreaches. Your prayers are the long-range artillery, which pounds the enemy of our souls and keeps the enemy off our backs, so God can work. We are weak vessels, but God is mighty in, bringing down the strongholds of the enemy. Our desire is to put a Peacemakers Journal in every cop's hand in the United States and the World. Your effectual fervent prayer will help us complete this task.

There is one other thing, I realized that the Bibles we gave out were not only spiritual artillery rounds, but also spiritual landmines. Wherever that Spanish Bible lies, God's Spirit will draw someone to it. An evangelistic organization once wrote that a person is witnessed to an average of seven times before they accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. I pray that each Bible will be a spiritual landmine to other family members and peace officers in Guatemala, that once a man or women opens and reads God's Word a spiritual healing will occur. I thank God for the opportunity to bring physical assistance, and now spiritual help to Guatemalan cops.
Terry Hart
POFCI Outreach Director

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THE BLOOD SHED

"Man down, possible assault victim." We were first on scene. I saw him lying in the shade of a tree, near the edge of an open field. A small group of people were at his feet. A pool of blood was under his head. The people waved frantically at us, as we turned into our first orbit overhead. All of their effort was directed toward us, none toward the man in the shade. I requested paramedics and directed patrol cars across the field. The paramedics were close behind, but there was nothing for them to do. The head wound was self-inflicted.

Radio traffic returned to normal. Yellow crime scene tape was stretched between patrol cars to secure the scene. Detectives were notified. Witnesses were interviewed and released. Then the only activity was the shadow growing longer across the field, as the officers waited for the coroner.

During a communion service, the Pastor stood with a lamb in his arms. He reminded us of the instructions recorded in Exodus 12, concerning the Passover Lamb. Each man was to take a lamb for his family, one year old and without defect. The family cared for the lamb. As the Pastor talked,
he gently walked back and forth, the lamb relaxing in his arms. He described how the lamb became part of the family. The lamb in his arms was now almost asleep. On the fourteenth day of the month the lamb was to be slaughtered at twilight. Blood from the lamb was placed on both sides and
above door into the home, where the lamb was eaten.

The Pastor walked to a table. The table held a large silver bowl, a sharp knife, And a space to lay the lamb. He removed the knife from its sheath and placed it to the lambs throat. "The blood will be a sign for you...and when I see the blood, I will pass over you."

The lamb lay passively in his arms. My stomach tied itself into a knot. This visual effect was good, but shedding this lamb's blood wasn't necessary! Was he really going to slit this sleeping lamb's throat, just to illustrate a lesson? As if he was reading my mind, the Pastor laid down the knife, and
continued the lesson.

The life of the creature is in the blood. It is the blood that makes atonement, provides reconciliation, [Leviticus. 17:11] but the blood of this lamb can never take away sin.[Hebrews 10:11] My blood, your blood, can't take away sin. [Ephesians 2:8,9] But, the blood of Jesus can. [1 John 1:7] He was the perfect Lamb. By trusting Him to have done for me what I could never accomplish, I can be freed from the bondage and consequence of my sins.[1 Peter 1:19; Revelation. 1:5] It is through His blood that I am saved from God's wrath.[Romans 5:9]

I don't know anything about the man who died in the shade. I know nothing of his relationship with God, past or present. I am convinced, however, that his bloodshed accomplished only one thing. It moved his soul from here into eternity, the same place you and I, are headed. Whose blood
are you trusting in for eternity? Will you stand before God covered in your own blood, or beneath the blood of His Son, Jesus-the Blood Shed.
By His grace,
Rob Departee
Rob is assigned to the Air Bureau with the
Anaheim (CA) Police Department

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PEACE OFFICERS FOR CHRIST PURPOSE

Dear friend:
Many people ask, "What does POFCI do?' Well, I thought about that and basically the ad that we have placed in a number of police magazines says it all.

The ad reads, "POFCI is an international organization of peer support and we offer free police training to police departments: domestic and foreign." That's it. Now, of course there is a little more involved. Upon request, we offer the Peacemakers Journal, our POFCI magazine, which is written by peace officers for peace officers. We ask officers to look through our WEB page for current information about our ministry and to look for other Christian police organizations and dates of different Christian meetings.

We are an information-clearing house where peace officers can read about other Christian officers in our magazine, WEB page, and newsletter. We encourage Christian peace officers to meet other officers at breakfasts, retreats, and finally for coffee over the hood of a police unit. Here they can share their frustrations about the job, the media, the joys of the chase and joys of their family.

It is our desire to show the world and the law enforcement community that a peace officer can do the job and still be a Christian the Bible teaches. The basic principle that "Jesus loves me this I know," is a start of a growing relation with the living God, not a one-time membership. This is a growing, living relationship that continues to grow daily. Graduating from the academy did not make you a police officer. That was just the start. Everyday you are becoming a better cop: there are bad days; there are good days, and sometimes even marvelous days. The Christian officer realizes that each day, good or bad, in another day to serve the Lord.

So what is a Christian law enforcement officer to do? I will give you a few simple basic nuts and bolts principles on how to serve God:
1. Read or hear the Bible daily.
The closer to God you get, the more Christ-like you become.

2. Talk to God throughout the day.
Tell him your cares, worries and needs.

3. Worship God for who He is the giver of your every breath.
Thank him for giving you life.

4. Talk about Him with others.
Pick your battles, but standup for Moral and Ethical issues in conversations with co-workers at your department.

5. Stand up for what is right.
Be courageous and compassionate!

The POFCI board and I want to thank you for your interest in Peace Officers for Christ International. Please feel free to contact us with comments, questions, and inquiries.
In His Service,
Terry Hart
POFCI Outreach Director

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