Bonus episode: Seeing the five fingerprints of God in your life
Release Date: 09/18/2024
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_outlineIn this episode, COL Andy MacLean, USA (Ret.), the coordinator for Latin America at the Association for Christian Conferences, Teaching and Services (ACCTS (https://accts.org/)), discusses the mission of ACCTS and its work in developing Christian leaders in the armed forces worldwide.
He shares his experiences working with military communities in Latin America and the challenges and opportunities he encounters. Andy also highlights the upcoming AMCF World Conference and the need for financial support and prayer for the conference's success.
Andy then shares his testimony and the five fingerprints of God in his life. He discusses his journey from being a missionary kid to a military officer and the unexpected opportunities and doors that God opened for him. He emphasizes the importance of being a good steward of what God has entrusted to us and thinking strategically about where God has placed us.
He encourages Christians in the military to use their credentials and experiences to make an impact for the kingdom of God and to be mindful of the bigger picture in their actions and decisions.
Andy mentions a few resources in this interview: OCF small groups (https://www.ocfusa.org/directory/), Rocky Mountain High (https://www.springcanyon.org/rocky-mountain-high/), and the AMCF World Conference (https://www.worldconferenceamcf.com/en).
Takeaways
-
ACCTS' mission is to assist in the development of Christian leaders in the armed forces worldwide and establish military Christian fellowships.
-
Andy works as the coordinator for Latin America, supporting military Christian fellowships in 20 countries.
-
The AMCF World Conference aims to encourage and equip military Christians from around the world and provide a vision for their mission.
-
Financial support and prayer are needed for the success of the conference and the ongoing work of ACCTS.
-
There is a need for more people to get involved in ACCTS and support military Christian communities globally.
-
Be a good steward of what God has entrusted to you.
-
Think strategically about where God has placed you.
-
Use your credentials and experiences to make an impact for the kingdom of God.
-
Be mindful of the bigger picture in your actions and decisions.
Points to Ponder
-
Andy talks about the Lord using his military career to prepare him for his role with ACCTS. How have you seen God use an experience in your life for another?
-
When have you seen hardship bear fruit?
-
Andy shares about connections and networking being a way to further the gospel elsewhere. What do his anecdotes remind us of when it comes to the Lord and His church?
-
Thinking of the theme for this year’s AMCF World Conference, what does it mean to you to “arise and shine” (Isaiah 60:1)?
-
How are you stewarding what God has given you?