By Capt. Robert W. “Bill” Johnson
If yes, how may we maintain contact with you?
Home address:
Home phone:
Home / work email:
How can we pray for you?
If you are deploying and have any family member(s) staying behind, may we contact them and offer support as needed? Yes / no
Contact info:______________________
I have yet to attend any church that has this or any thing similar handed out to the military visitor. Recently I visited a megachurch in a large metropolitan city that has a sizable military installation on its doorstep, and there was no military welcome whatsoever, either verbally or by card. I was shocked! If your church incorporates the military into your welcome or through a visitor card, then you are a forward-leaning church and you are to be commended!
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Once the military visitor realizes that your church is broad in reaching out to all who enter its doors, you probably have their attention at this point. Allow me to share two crucial areas of your ministry that are extremely important for military members, that of prayer and preaching.
Praying for military families
Prayer is vital to the military family in many ways. First and foremost is that they covet our prayers of protection, support and safety. When you do pray, begin your prayer with those military families in your church, then extend it to the community of military members, and then to all our military families worldwide. Pray specifically for troops who are deployed and those who are in harms way, and pray for those families who have lost loved ones, even if no one in your congregation has experienced this. Just the hearing of these words will instantly bond military families and your prayer may have a greater impact then your sermon! Intentionally pray for military families, especially during this day and time. Read carefully the words of King Hezekiah as found in 2 Chronicles 32:5-8:
And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Pastors, this is what our military families need, an encouraging welcome and prayer targeted just for them! Hezekiah was one of the best kings who ever sat upon the throne of Judah, and if a king prays for the troops, more so should we pastors. Military families stay on the edge because they do not know when a son, a daughter, dad, or even a close friend will be called to arms, so your prayers on their behalf are crucial. Tell them to be strong and courageous, and to not be dismayed! In addition, reassure them that the Lord our God will help them to fight their battles.