July 2024: Modeling biblical humility; Christian chaplain challenges; and OCF ministry news
Release Date: 07/09/2024
Bridges instead of islands: The state of the military sisterhood / September 2025
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Check out and attend any of these local events: Aspentime Retreat: 26-28 September at Spring Canyon (Buena Vista, Colo.) BBQ Bonanza: 3-4 October at Fort Leavenworth (Kan.) OCF Hampton Roads Region Annual Fall Picnic: 4 October at Fort Monroe, Va. USNA Fall Retreat: 10-13 October at White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.) OCF Mid-Atlantic Fall Retreat: 14-16 November at White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.) Start an OCF small group: Read Rich's...
info_outline
Military Brats React: What makes the difference in raising military kids
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
Show Notes In this second part of “Military Brats React,” host Courtney Burdick continues the roundtable conversation with 2LT Dani Volle, USA, ENS Mary Ann Leonard, USN, and Matt Taylor as they reflect on their experiences growing up in military families. While the first part of the discussion centered on the challenges and mental health struggles faced by military kids, this episode shifts to the “strengths-based perspective”—seeing the good that can come out of a hard, transient lifestyle—. Have thoughts or want to share your own experience? Reach out to...
info_outline
Military Brats React: Mental health, faith, and finding strength
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
In a recent Crosspoint episode, In this follow-up conversation, Courtney Burdick hosts three fellow military kids—2LT Dani Volle, USA, ENS Mary Ann Leonard, USN, and Matt Taylor—for a roundtable-style reaction episode. Having met at they discuss stories from their respective military kid experiences, thoughts on Claire’s research, and more. Have thoughts or want to share your own experience? Reach out to Courtney at [email protected]. If you would like to share your own story, Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a...
info_outline
Faithful Leadership: You won’t get this perfect—and that’s OK
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
The July episode of Crosspoint served as Part 1 of a conversation with LTC Lee Robinson, USA, director of the U.S. Military Academy’s American Politics Program and an academy professor in the Department of Social Sciences. We began answering this overarching question—"What does it look like to follow Christ in uniform, when your faith is personal, your authority is public, and the Constitution sets the boundaries?” In Part 2 we continue this timely discussion on how Christian military leaders can live out their faith with integrity, while respecting the pluralism of today’s armed...
info_outline
“Just see God at work”: Prioritizing Biblical mentorship / August 2025
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Become findable on the OCF Directory: to add or update your group’s information on our online directory of Bible studies. Apply for Spring Canyon’s Deputy Center Director opening: and apply NLT 15 August. Check out our new Widowed Ministry webpage: helpful resources, invitations to fellowship, and scholarship funding for summer programs at the Conference Centers. GUEST SPOTLIGHT Why is mentoring important to the Christian in the military? Answering that question and others in this episode are COL Jim Brown, USA (Ret.), and...
info_outline
How do you balance free exercise and non-establishment as a leader? / Crosspoint Highlights
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
Guest: LTC Lee Robinson, USA In this Crosspoint Highlight from July 2025, LTC Lee Robinson explores the delicate balance military leaders must strike between free exercise of religion and non-establishment under the First Amendment. He emphasizes that the amendment’s brevity—and its ambiguity—stem from the compromises between Federalists and Anti-Federalists at the time of America’s founding. Lee explains how the language evolved, rejecting broader proposals like prohibiting any laws “touching religion” to avoid overly limiting the federal government. He encourages military leaders...
info_outline
Was America founded as a Christian nation? / Crosspoint Highlights
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
Guest: LTC Lee Robinson, USA In this Crosspoint Highlight from July 2025, LTC Lee Robinson tackles the complex question: Was America founded as a Christian nation? Lee draws a distinction between the first founding (e.g., Puritan colonies with explicitly religious laws) and the constitutional founding rooted in liberty and freedom of conscience. He explains that while America’s early cultural fabric was deeply influenced by Christianity, the U.S. Constitution intentionally avoided establishing a state religion—rejecting even a proposed religious test in Article VI. Citing Alexis de...
info_outline
Christ & the Constitution: Navigating the “wall of separation between church and state” / July 2025
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Sign up for summer programs at the Conference Centers: Visit ocfusa.org/CCexperience to find the right program and week for you at Spring Canyon (Buena Vista, Colo.) or White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.). Consider your next steps at the Caleb Challenge Career Transition Strategies Workshop (12-14 September): Visit White Sulphur Springs’ website to learn more about and sign up for this impactful weekend. Update your information and stay connected: Whether it's your address, military status, rank, contact...
info_outline
Special announcement: Leadership workshop with LtGen Clint Hinote, USAF (Ret.)
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
Information about Summer R&R 7 at White Sulphur Springs, and speaker LtGen Clint Hinote, USAF (Ret.): About the Topic: Wherever we are, God calls us to lead. He calls us to lead ourselves, our families, our units, our communities, and our culture. The Bible contains many accounts of leaders, including stories about their successes and failures. In this session, we will examine Biblical leaders and learn from their experiences. We will celebrate the good and be honest about the bad. In doing so, we will seek practical truths we can apply to our lives because we can always learn and grow as...
info_outline
The “hidden epidemic” among military children / June 2025
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Sign up for summer programs at the Conference Centers: Visit ocfusa.org/CCexperience to find the right program and week for you at Spring Canyon (Buena Vista, Colo.) or White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.). Connect with OCFers at USNA and USAFA: OCF at USAFA: Pre-Inprocessing Day Reception (Class of 2029), 24 June, Monument, Colo. USNA OCF: Class of 2029 Open House, 25 June, Annapolis, Md. Volunteer as a Local Leader at one of these locations: Columbus AFB, Fort Campbell, Fort Drum, Fort...
info_outlineShow Notes
OCF MINISTRY NEWS
- OCF purchased a new staff home at Spring Canyon: To contribute to OCF's purchase of this house, make an online donation to the Refreshing the Canyon Fund.
- OCF is expanding efforts in ROTC ministry with a new job opening at The Citadel: To learn more about the Council’s approval of this opportunity and/or find the link to apply, click here.
- July marks the halfway point of OCF’s conference center ministry: Visit our conference center webpage to learn more about programs and opportunities available later this summer and fall.
- The AMCF World Conference 2024 in Brazil is coming up: This transformative opportunity to connect with other military communities around the world is scheduled for 16-20 October. Click here to learn more and register. Can't attend? Donate to this fund that will provide financial scholarships to other attendees.
- OCF small group spotlight: OCF Field Staffer Paul Homan shared one of several questions posed during the OCF at USAFA spring retreat and spiritual commissioning. What’s your small group studying? What questions are you wrestling with? Let Courtney know by emailing her at [email protected].
ASK OCF
CH(COL) Douglas H. Ball, USA answered the FAQ: What are the challenges that our Christian Military Chaplains are facing? His three-part answer mentions busy schedules, role expansion, and cultural change.
Interested in learning more about resources for chaplains and ways to support your chaplains? Check out Chapter 17 of the OCF Handbook.
If you have a question that you want us to consider for a future “Ask OCF” segment, send an email to [email protected].
GUEST SPOTLIGHT
This month, Josh sat down with Brig Gen Jeff H. Hurlbert, USAF (Ret.), who retired from the Air Force in 2023 after 32 years of service. He's currently the chief security officer for Applied Materials, a global leader in the semiconductor, display, and solar panel industries.
Jeff is also a longtime OCF member and current member of the OCF Council. This month, Jeff is speaking at Spring Canyon during the sixth week of Summer Celebration on the topic of humility, and he discusses that same topic here in today’s episode of Crosspoint.
Inspired by an OCF Bible study he participated in 15 years ago in Germany and having seen the impact of humility in his own life and career, Jeff addresses several questions such as why humility matters to the military leader, what it is and what it isn’t, and more.
If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF’s “Be a Guest” webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [email protected].
POINTS TO PONDER
As you listen to this conversation with Jeff, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:
- How would you define humility?
- What’s a personal example of humility making a difference, whether you were the one displaying humility or observing someone observing humility?
- How does Christ’s example encourage you to lead and live humbly?
- What gifts has God given you that you can use to serve others for His glory?