Leadership in the Air Force

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to spend three months studying and practicing leadership in the Air Force culture.

The Air Force prides itself on being on the forefront of leadership theory and practice, and it most certainly is! When many companies and organizations simply spout off leadership rhetoric and progressive lip-service, the Air Force actually applies it across all levels, 360degrees. From a "lowly" E-1 (Airman) to the "esteemed" 0-8 (Major General), every person in the Air Force is expected to follow and lead. The Air Force develops leaders and I am so excited to be a part of this amazing organization. Furthermore, the two primary functions of my job as a chaplain is to (1) provide spiritual care and (2) advise commanders on ethical leadership. The Air Force is paying me to practice my two favorite activities: serve people spiritually and teach leadership. Go Air Force!

Below are some of my top leadership lessons I learned this summer as a new officer:
1. Integrity first. Effective leaders never compromise their core values.
2. Service before self. Great leaders look to serve rather than being served.
3. Excellence in everything. Never lower your standards or settle for mediocrity.
4. Mission comes first. The end goal takes precedence over individual agendas.
5. Teamwork. The synergy of the team is always greater than any one individual.

Love Wins - Rob Bell's Newest Book

Looking forward to reading this book. So far, people are really divided over Bell's newest book. After I read this book, I'll post a brief review of it.

Hot and Heavy: A Critique of Four Views on Hell

In Four Views on Hell, General Editor William Crockett masterfully mediated a written debate between four different perspectives on the doctrine of hell.

The major debate between the four contributors is whether or not hell is literal, metaphorical, purgatorial, or conditional. Each contributor is articulate, credentialed, and persuasive in their arguments. John F. Walvoord is chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary and he argues from the “literalist” position. William Crockett argues for the “metaphorical” position, stating that the language of hell should be taken seriously and symbolically rather than literally. Crockett is credentialed himself, being a professor of New Testament at Alliance Theological Seminary. Zachary Hayes writes from the Catholic viewpoint of “purgatory,” and he too teaches at the seminary level at Catholic Theological Union. The fourth and final position is made by Clark Pinnock, as he defends the conditional view of “annihilationism.” Pinnock was schooled under F.F. Bruce at the University of Manchester and was also a professor of theology at McMaster Divinity College.

The primary purpose of this book was to offer four unique and authoritative perspectives on the hot topic of hell. Each other writes with their own presuppositions, therefore the reader must critically consume each viewpoint and then formulate their own theological positions from there. Ultimately, after carefully considering each viewpoint on hell, I found Pinnock’s position of hell being conditional and sinners being annihilated or destroyed, the most logical and biblical. However, there are strengths and weaknesses to all four views, thus it is imperative that Christians cut each other some slack when discussing this hot and heavy topic.

CLICK HERE to read the critique of Four Views on Hell.