Ocf Crosspoint Podcast

Show Notes:  CAPT Brent & Nicole Breining, USN (Ret.), return to the podcast today to continue our series on pornography and sexuality. If you haven’t listened to the first two episodes in this series, I encourage you to check out those episodes first, get to know Brent and Nicole’s story, then return to hear today’s episode as we explore the concept of betrayal trauma in the context of marriage and romantic relationships.  In this episode, we discuss how the symptoms and effects of betrayal trauma present uniquely in different individuals, then Brent and Nicole share their personal experiences with betrayal trauma. The Breinings remind us that this betrayal trauma falls under the category of inevitable struggles Jesus promised we’d face in this life, but they remind us of our hope we have in Him.   Check out the various resources mentioned throughout this episode:  Your Sexually Addicted Spouse: How Partners Can Cope and Heal by Dr. Barbara Steffens  Struggle Well by Ken Falke and Jos

Got an idea for a guest or topic? 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 I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org.   Show Notes: CAPT Brent & Nicole Breining, USN (Ret.), return to the podcast today to continue our series on pornography and sexuality. If you haven’t listened to the first episode in this series, I encourage you to check out that episode first, get to know Brent and Nicole’s story, then return to hear today’s episode as we dive into the nature of addiction.  We discuss statistics and real-world case studies regarding the pornography industry that reveal the magnitude of its harmful effects on society and on individuals alike. Brent and Nicole then unpack terms and concepts such as the cyclone of addiction, the shame cycle, and neurochemistry of the brain that all point to God’s intricate design for His creation. Check out the various

Got an idea for a guest or topic? 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 I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org.   Show Notes: In January 2023, Pensacola OCF hosted a one-day workshop to discuss sexual brokenness and unwanted sexual behaviors like pornography addiction and to introduce solutions for healing and wholeness. CAPT Brent & Nicole Breining, USN (Ret.), led sessions throughout that one-day workshop, and they join me today on the podcast as we begin a series of episodes focusing on similar topics. Brent and Nicole share their story and the impact that porn had on their marriage in this episode, and their remaining three Crosspoint episodes will cover topics such as the nature of addiction, the shame cycle, and the neurochemistry of the brain. Having reached a breaking point in their marriage in 2012 and recovered since then by God’s grac

Hi friends! We’re putting the finishing touches on the next season of the podcast, which should be ready to go by the week of May 8.    For at least the first 6 episodes, we’re going to be discussing the topic of pornography, sexual addictions, and problematic sexual behaviors. We’ll spend time discussing this topic from the perspective of men, women, married couples, families, and singles (in particular, single women).   Yes—it’s a really heavy dose of a really heavy topic. But this is an issue that affects everyone, both inside and outside the church, regardless of relationship status or gender. These sorts of problematic behaviors have also ended up destroying the careers of some very successful military leaders.   Also, this might be an issue affecting you. Right now.   Here are a few questions to challenge you and make you think a little deeper on this topic between now and when we start the next season in a couple of weeks:   ·      Is pornography addiction just a guy’s problem? ·      What

Show Notes: For the finale of our three-part series on leadership, Brig Gen Robert “Gwyn” Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.) discuss how to navigate matters of conscience–circumstances where your job and your faith seem to be at odds. Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott begin this conversation by referencing scripture to shape the way we approach such circumstances, serving as a “biblical blueprint” of sorts. Speaking from personal experiences and conversations with friends of all ages, they remind us not be surprised by the tensions we see around us today, but rather to look back and learn from past examples regarding matters of conscience. Above all and in all things, these leaders exhort us to keep Christ at the center of the challenging choices that are sure to come. In today’s episode, Scott mentions OCF’s Pray-Discover-Obey model, which we invite you to use as a means to be still before God and ask Hi

Show Notes: Today’s episode is the second in a 3-part series on leadership, featuring guests Brig Gen Robert “Gwyn” Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.). The topic that’ll be discussed is failure and how to deal with it as a leader in the high-stakes military profession. As my guest Bruce Fister points out, “We’re all going to fail at one point … But you have to deal with it because otherwise no one is going to learn from it.” Some of the aspects of failure that Bruce, Gwynn, and Scott touch upon include how leaders can create a culture of trust by “being real” about their failures, the importance of setting up those you lead for success—and the space to fail, how smart leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses and rely on others for help, and what can happen when you act too quickly in decision-making without taking it to prayer. If you would like to share your own story, complete the fo

Show Notes: This episode begins a three-part series featuring Brig Gen Robert “Gwyn” Armfield, USAF (Ret.), former OCF executive director Lt Gen Bruce Fister, USAF (Ret.), and current OCF executive director Col Scott Fisher, USAF (Ret.). Speaking from nearly 90 years of combined service in the Air Force, these three leaders share their personal stories as followers of Christ and as military officers. On this first installment, Gwyn, Bruce, and Scott discuss how leaders can approach employing God’s Word effectively, integrating the calling to serve in uniform and the calling to serve the Lord, and leading in times of crisis. The cornerstone of being an effective leader who can do these three things well, they assert, is being a leader of character. Gwyn and Bruce’s recently released book, Lead to Serve and Serve to Lead: Leading Well in Turbulent Times, inspired today’s roundtable conversation and the two to come. Gwyn describes his and Bruce’s book as a “discipling guide on how to lead things and get things d

Show Notes: Today’s episode takes us back to the topic of small groups. If you've listened to some of the more recent episodes of this podcast, you might be asking, “Haven't you guys said enough about small groups already?” In this episode, however, we're going to hit that topic from a slightly different angle as LT Will Parker, USN, and LT Sam Alexander, USN, sit down to talk about their experiences while serving aboard submarines. They discuss the challenges of such a unique environment, the challenges of beginning and maintaining a small group Bible study aboard a submarine, and practical applications for similarly isolated environments. They also get into the importance of seeking out fellowship with others wherever you can, whether that’s through an OCF small group, a local church body, or with a few peers at work. 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 I should consider for a future episode of th

Show Notes: Today we're going to talk about a topic that pops up from time to time on the podcast, and that topic is trauma. In this episode, we're going to consider this overarching question: What's a biblical approach to dealing with or healing from trauma? Here to help me answer that question is Jeremy Stalnecker, who served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. He currently serves as the executive director of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping America's military warriors and their families suffering from the unseen wounds of combat such as post-traumatic stress. Raised in southern California as a pastor’s kid, Jeremy watched his parents serve in the church and was convinced the Lord would ever call him to serve in ministry. Nonetheless, Jeremy’s parents taught him the importance of service, prompting him to pursue a future as a Marine. Commissioning in 1999 and serving in Kuwait and Iraq, Jeremy returned to the States, left the Marine Corps, and,

This episode of OCF Crosspoint is a chance to hear from CDR Carl Crabtree, USN (Ret.), who currently serves with his wife, Christy, as the OCF Field Staff Representative at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. A man on a mission in this episode to share how God has healed him from “PTSD, trauma, moral injury, habitual sin,” Carl shares about his experiences as a foster-to-adopt kid and onward. While the conversation doesn’t get overly detailed or specific, please be advised to listen with care or listen to a different episode altogether if you are still healing from your own past trauma. Carl pulls from countless personal experiences as an officer in the Navy, a leader in his local church, a husband to his wife, and others, reflecting on how God worked through hardship in all those circumstances to deepen his relationship with Him. Along the way, the Lord redefined and brought to life some commonly used Christian terms like forgiveness, grace, and trust for Carl. In addition to biblical passages and relationships wi

Show Notes: LT Jonathan Gentry, CHC, USN, discusses the seemingly simple concept of trusting God, specifically within the context of Jonathan’s calling to the ministry and to the military. Since December 2020, Jonathan has been serving as a chaplain at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, but the Navy chaplaincy was not always on his radar. A Georgia native and pastor’s kid, Jonathan wrestled with the same questions many high school graduates face: What should I do next? Where should I go? What career should I pursue? Based on his own love for theatre in high school, Jonathan chose to pursue a degree in theatre at the University of Memphis while also growing spiritually through leadership roles with his church and Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM). Later in college, Jonathan realized the Lord was pulling him away from theatre studies toward ministry instead, leading him to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The years to follow were ones of trusting God and waiting on Him with decisions about education, voc

Show Notes: After commissioning through the ROTC program at the University of Missouri, Lt Col JB Kump, USAF (Ret.), spent just over 20 years serving wherever the Air Force sent him. Along the way, he and his wife quickly connected with various OCF and church small groups. The “home-away-from-home” fellowship he and his young family found during an early assignment in Germany provided the prayer and support they needed while stationed overseas, and JB has been an avid advocate for small groups ever since. In this episode of OCF Crosspoint, JB shares what made those small groups so impactful in his own life, practical tips for those currently interested in leading small groups, how his passion for those local fellowships led to his current post-military career, and more. JB now serves as Minister of Small Groups, Retreats, & Visitation at Great Outdoors Community Church in Titusville, Fla. He additionally holds roles on the boards of directors for both the American Evangelical Christian Churches and Berlin

Show Notes: CH(COL) Bob Phillips, USA (Ret.), joins us on the podcast today to speak from his 26 years of military service and his ongoing work as the chaplain to the Corps of Cadets at his own alma mater, Virginia Military Institute. Bob shares his stories of coming to faith with his parents, “straddling the fence” in high school and in college, and meeting his wife Tracy, before diving into what his current ministry looks like at VMI. He observes that one of the predominant topics of discussion among cadets and college students across the country today is anxiety. While anxiety can often seem unavoidable and unbeatable, Bob shares how he and Tracy use relationships and group Bible studies to address anxiety and point cadets back to Christ. Bob also serves on the OCF Council, this ministry’s governing body, where he provides perspectives and input to shape OCF’s strategic goals, ministry-wide decisions, and more.  Interested in learning more about generation-specific ministry? Check out the following resourc

Show Notes: Jesus follower, wife, mother, military veteran, USAFA ’97 graduate, counselor, nutritional healing-foods lover, author. These phrases all describe today’s guest, Aurelia Smith. Aurelia served as an active-duty Air Force officer both in the United States and abroad and separated from the military in 2002 as a Captain, and she’s been involved with OCF in many capacities since her cadet years. GRACE: God’s Reconciliation At Christ’s Expense. To say race relations is a complex issue is an understatement, and every facet of this topic cannot be covered in this one episode. Aurelia and I simply sat down to start the conversation, talk through Aurelia’s experiences in the military community, and her passion for helping other believers answer the question: How do I minister to the person in front of me who’s hurting from an ethnic or cultural incident? Aurelia and I are both members of OCF’s R7:9 Project (Revelation 7:9) committee, which examines the critical subject of race relations and explores how bel

What keeps you from sharing your faith with others? I sat down with Capt Ryan McCary, ANG, to talk about this question and others. Ryan shares his own story of growing up in a missionary family, joining AFROTC at the University of Central Florida, and debating between military service and vocational ministry. He recounts his own failures to share his faith and how the Lord changed Him through those experiences, then he offers practical steps on how to be bold in your faith today. Ryan also hosts his own podcast. Check out his MIL SPEC Believer podcast and follow him on Instagram (@mil_spec_believer) to stay connected with Ryan as he continues the conversation about being a Christian in the military. If you have an idea for a guest, topic, or story that I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org or visit OCF’s new “Be a Guest” webpage. As you listen to this conversation with Ryan, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time or with a small group or ment

I interviewed Maj Chris Reardon, USMC, who shares his testimony as well as his experiences with integrating faith and profession. For some people, that can perhaps be an ambiguous topic. What exactly does it mean to integrate faith and profession? Chris unpacks what that looks like for him as a Marine and shares some practical application. In the spirit of the topic, Chris also talks about his nonprofit called Freedom Fitness America, a fusion of fitness and faith, as a means of integrating his faith and profession and helping others do the same. This conversation with Chris kicks off the third season of OCF Crosspoint, and don’t miss the episodes to come in the months ahead. If you have an idea for a guest, topic, or story that I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org or visit OCF’s new “Be a Guest” webpage. Places to find FFA online: Website: https://freedomfitnessamerica.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freedomfitnessamerica Instagram: https://www.insta

This episode marks the end of season 2 of OCF Crosspoint. Thank you to each of our listeners, whether you’re tuning in for the first time or you’re a longtime listener. If you haven’t heard each episode this season, be sure to go back to episode 1 and catch up on some amazing stories. Was there an episode that really stood out to you this season? Maybe one that you could relate to on some level or that had some other significance? If so, I’d really like to hear from you. Share your favorite episode with me at podcast@ocfusa.org. Likewise, a big thank-you to all of my guests this season. I appreciate the willingness of each guest to share some deep and personal parts of their life stories. As we head into this break between podcast seasons and start working on interviews for season 3 in April, here are three ways you can help the podcast: First, if you have an idea for a guest, topic, or story that should be considered for the podcast, send an email to me at podcast@ocfusa.org and let me know. At least a coup

My guest this episode is MAJ Liliane Delva, USA. Liliane was initially interviewed for an article on Christian Mentoring that appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of COMMAND magazine. In this episode, Liliane talks about the significance of the 9/11 attacks on her Army career, how her parents immigrated from Haiti and made it a point to keep the family away from some of the voodoo practices they saw while living there, and she also talks about how trauma from a molestation as a child had a profound impact on her life, creating much fear and anxiety, before she followed that gentle nudging from God to get help and healing. As a reminder: If you have an idea for a guest, topic, or story that I should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org or to josh.jackson@ocfusa.org. As you listen to Liliane’s story, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time or with a small group or mentor. Liliane discusses joining the military at a time when a military career was “markete

Have you ever been in a situation where it seemed like God was using affliction to draw you to Him? Or maybe you’re in that situation now. How do you respond in those circumstances? In the face of a chronic illness that seems to have no end, Karis Meier chooses to respond in this way—give thanks. In this episode, Karis is joined by her husband, LTC Ben Meier, USA, and throughout my conversation with them, you’ll hear at least three themes in their story: First, marriage. Both Karis and Ben talk about the difficult aspects of marriage that often come along with the commitment to that marriage. Second, patience in suffering. Karis talks about contentment and endurance as she daily battles a disease and continually asks for healing. And Ben shares how not being able to help Karis with her physical health has taught him to be more compassionate. And third, sustainability. As a couple and as individuals, Karis and Ben talk about practical applications that have helped them on their marriage journey. Click here to

Some 2,500 years after the time of the prophet Habakkuk, Lt Col Ron Bracy, USAF (Ret.), found himself asking the same question as the Old Testament prophet: “How long, O Lord, will I call and you will not hear me?” I first met Ron back in 2019, and soon after, interviewed him for this podcast. We had a great conversation as Ron unpacked how God used Habakkuk to help him through some very dark days after the death of his son, Todd. However, I recently learned that on August 11, 2021, Lt Col Bracy had died. Ron graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and served 42 years in the Active, Reserve, and Guard components of the United States Air Force. Ron is a veteran of Vietnam with 183 combat reconnaissance missions, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, 15 Air Medals, and other medals for outstanding military service. Ron also was an Air Force chaplain and was deployed throughout the "hotspots of the world" as he called them. His last active-duty assignment was at the Pentagon, where he was on du