The Strong Blue Line
What a busy summer it has been—both in ministry and with the family! Immediately following the chaplains’ training in Lexington last month, I drove from Kentucky to Arkansas where I met up with Sherry. Her family is from Arkansas and we spent time catching up with them, some of which I hadn’t seen for 25 years. One of the places we stopped was Springdale. Springdale is home to the Northwest Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy. Earlier this year, I contacted instructor Greg Harrison, and asked if the academy would host a Winning a Gunfight Seminar. I was hoping to teach a seminar while I was there in July—the dates didn’t work out—but Greg scheduled a seminar for early December. The Springdale seminar is just one of four scheduled for this fall/winter (you can see where they are scheduled by going to the “Seminars” tab on the website). The seminars provide law enforcement officers with eight-hours of continuing education and each student receives a copy of Winning a Gunfight. Please keep these seminars in prayer. If you are interested in a seminar coming to your area, please contact me.
While in Springdale, I stopped by the academy, met Greg in person, and was given a tour of the facilities. At the shooting range, cadets were learning how to shoot from a vehicle. The training was timely, as just the night before, a Las Vegas Metro officer was involved in a shooting with two bad guys. The Las Vegas officer successfully used the same tactics the cadets were being taught—shooting through the front windshield. Click here for the video of the Las Vegas officer.
Last month I mentioned my latest book, Winning is More than Surviving, a clergy’s guide to Winning a Gunfight. It is a chaplain’s handbook to Winning a Gunfight. While much of the information mirrors the content of Winning a Gunfight, the new book specifically targets those ministering to law enforcement officers and combat veterans. Although the target audience is police and military chaplains, the short book is beneficial to clergy and all others who minister to law enforcement officers or combat veterans.
Dave K. from Belgrade, MT, ordered five copies of Winning a Gunfight. Dave wrote this email:
Good book; everybody that has a concealed permit should read it. I intend to give one to our former pastor who is on his church security team in South Carolina and one to our son’s father-in-law, a Gallatin County, Montana chaplain who teaches at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. The others will go to some that have concealed permits. Pray for the book ministry’s continued impact.
Cop Church
Thank you, Pastor Ty! Last month, our worship leader moved to northern Idaho and Pastor Ty Orr from Watersprings Church in Idaho Falls volunteered to lead worship for us. Pastor Ty has a heart for police officers. Before coming to Idaho Falls last year, he pastored Calvary Chapel in Salmon, ID where he also served as chaplain for the sheriff’s office. Further, Pastor Ty’s brother is an Idaho State Trooper, so law enforcement officers are understandably close to his heart.
On Saturday, August 18th, we had a Cop Church picnic. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the time outside, cooking (and eating) hotdogs, hamburgers, watermelon, cookies…and getting to know some of our local officers.
Our September Cop Church service is going to be special. Not only is it our first anniversary service, it falls on the 11th, so we decided to hold a special 9-11 service to remember the attack on our country and to honor and pray for our local First Responders. We sent out invitations to several fire and police agencies as well as our local elected officials. Please keep this special service in prayer!
Pray for your police.
