Show Notes

Our guest today, Brigadier General David Warner USAF (Ret) had many leadership roles in the Air Force. His retiring position was as Director, Communication and Information, and Chief Information Officer, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. Following his time in the Air Force he spent 10 years as the Executive Director at Officers Christian Fellowship, whose purpose is to engage military leaders in Biblical fellowship and growth to equip them for Christlike service at the intersection of faith, family, and profession.

As we a fast approaching Independence day here in the United States, we invited General Warner to share some insights from his military and Christian perspective.

Questions General Warner addresses in this episode regarding memories that Independence Day conjures up.

I think back to when I was on Active Duty and was invited into my wife Lori’s 4th-grade classroom to talk with them about what it meant to serve our Nation. To capture their attention, I offered to show my GO coin to whomever asked me the toughest question. After my quick talk, a young girl raised her hand. Her question: “Gen Warner, when you look at the American Flag, what do you think of?” (She got the coin!) After some quick searching I replied that I think of three things… I have come to now call these the most important “4 letter words:”

Duty

• I’ll tie this to our calling, reflecting on those who had answered the call to pay their ultimate sacrifice.

Home

• As I think of home, I think of the freedom we have to worship openly and freely.
• We get to declare what we believe… I think of Joshua 24:15 — As for me and my house we will worship the Lord!

Love

• The last 4-letter word that matters is one that is also the most powerful — LOVE
• Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jn 15:13. I had a chance to speak to a POW, Gen (ret) Chuck Boyd (Ret). I’ll never forget his answer when asked what his greatest lesson as a POW was: He said, that in that life and death situation, it wasn’t politics, possessions, or apple pie that got him and his fellow POWs through each day…it was the love and cohesion of his brother on his right and left whom you know will and have given their all for you that gets you through and who in turn you can encourage. As you ponder this idea of freedom, is there anything else that comes to mind?

While we think about the cost of freedom as I mentioned above, I can’t help but think about what this cost of freedom has afforded us… in other words, we have been given freedom from many things… for instance, we are freed from:

• Slavery to sin
• Shame
• Fear

We mustn’t stop there… this freedom from means we are freed to:

• Love
• Choose
• Be Intentional
• Forgive
• Live where and how we wish
• Belong
• Proclaim the Good News of Christ

Final Challenge from our guest today:

• I’d ask that each of us take time to take inventory of those freedoms we cherish and celebrate them while remembering those who gave their last full measure so that we can continue to be free to fulfill our duty, protect our home, and love unconditionally.

Questions for reflection:

• Name one freedom that you value the most in your life.
• Name one freedom you take for granted the most often.

Highlighted Resource

The Great Shepherd, by Jim Grassi

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About Wendell Morton

Rev. Morton graduated from Western Evangelical Seminary with a BA in Religious Education and a Master of Counseling Psychology, Rev. Morton was in full-time ministry for 17 years with both small and large churches. He spent four of those ministry years with Promise Keepers. He was the the US representative to PK Canada – serving on the PK Canada Board.

Wendell also spent 23 years in Corporate America. He built and led sales teams that worked with very small businesses and other groups that worked with Fortune 500 companies. He is gifted at helping identifying the next generation of leaders as well as helping those around him being successful.

Rev. Morton has a passion to help pastors and church leaders build growing churches. Having men come alongside the vision of the pastor, build a dynamic team, create a plan, and execute the model of “each one brings one” has been proven effective for more than 2,000 years. This approach is a great way for every local church in North America to grow while helping men better understand biblical manhood.