My Captain

I met him at a concert many, many years ago.

Something was going on in the heart of this teenager. His karate friend, Brian invited him to a concert that I took my youth group to. He was ready for more than music. He was ready for a serious life change...and later that night...that transformation happened.

Just a few months before he decided that he was never going to take another beat down and be stuffed in a trash can again. That literally happened as he became the prey for the campus 'tough guys' who liked to put a beat down on the lesser of stature and short on street brawling experience. After yet another time of tasting his own blood, Rodney decided that he would take up karate...and use it as needed. He never took another 'beat down'...but he did put a few on those who asked for one!

At the concert that night, he was impacted by the message of hope in Christ that was being communicated and spoken of through Dallas Holm. From the balcony, his spirit deeply moved, Rodney Thomas gave his life to Christ. I did not know him much before that night, but I stayed glued to him for years after that night! He was absolutely transformed. He had become a 'new creation' in Christ for sure. No doubt about it. Without hesitation, he lived for Christ 24/7. He was the real deal. Never pushy, but always convincing. God's hand was on this young man.

Time went by and Rodney completed Undergraduate and Graduate degree programs in his journey of becoming an accomplished and effective Youth Pastor and Lead Pastor in small communities in southwest Texas. He even worked for me as a Summer Intern three times. Once I offered him a the Student Minister position at a large church that I served on the Executive Staff of. To my absolute shock, he turned me down. "God is calling me to something different than this...I don't know what that is just yet, but I know it isn't here." God's Spirit was all over this man...I wanted him on my Ministry Team...he would not let our strong bond keep him from a calling that was yet to be revealed. And it was...

Rodney later became a Captain in the Army. He was compelled by the Spirit to minister to the young people of the Armed Forces. His Duty Station began in Fort Hood, Texas, the largest Army Installation in the United States. He knew beyond any doubt that this was his life calling. Years before the fateful 9-11 attacks, Rodney ministered blessing, hope and the Good News to soldiers from the States, to Korea to Europe. When it was time to go to Iraq, Rodney was there with the men he ministered to...on the battlefield and in the middle of combat. He would call me before going out on 'missions' and would ask to pray for ME!

"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak as the Spirit enabled them." Acts 2:4

I have known precious few who have lived with the constant and obvious presence of God's Spirit upon them. Captain Thomas was the most consistently yielded person to Christ that I knew very, very well. He had the God-given gifts that enabled him to break through the crusty resistance of men turned warriors. He spoke truth that convinced and comforted soldiers and families...as he did in the earlier years when he interned for me. The anointing and power of God never changed...just the context.

"How is it that each of us hears them in our own native language?" Acts 2:8

On the Day of Pentecost, the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Jesus' apostles enabled and empowered them to communicate through language barriers so that thousands could hear the message of the Good News clearly. Rodney could speak in that kind of way. He was gifted by the Spirit to speak boldly, directly and convincingly to literally thousands of America's finest. No wonder that at one battlefield worship service, Captain Thomas baptized 104 new Christ followers.

As Charlette and I trembled for our Marine Son, Sam...ready to engage in the initial ground assault into Iraq, my Captain prayed and raced along the Kuwaiti border looking for my son...a literal 'needle in a haystack'. He promised me that he would do all that he could to locate our boy and to affirm our love to him and to minister blessing to him...AND HE DID! Among the thousands positioned to advance into Iraq, ready for combat, my Captain found my son! He sent us the picture of Sam he took on that day...and from that day until Sam's discharge, that picture stayed on our fridge door...a constant reminder to pray for our son...and to thank God for my Captain.

Tell me that God is not awesome and powerful! Tell me that God will not use any person who is abandoned to Him! That is the power of the Spirit active in the lives of those who belong to Him.

A couple of years ago, my Captain was getting ready for yet another Tour of Duty to Iraq, (this would have been his 5th or 6th...)went to his car after a run at Ft. Hood. It was there that he collapsed and died instantly. When news of his passing on reached me, devastation soaked my bones. I was rocked. I lost my breath and could not stop the flow of grieving tears. At his funeral in Uvalde, Texas, my Captain was eulogized in the way that I knew him to be...Spirit filled and completely yielded. As one soldier put it, (his personal bodyguard), "He wore out ministering to us on the battlefield. There was no more respected or greater man among us than was our Chaplain."

"Everyone was filled with awe." Acts 2:42

Not even 42, my Captain passed from this life to eternal life. I am still 'in awe' of what God can do in a Spirit filled, empowered person who comes out of a trashcan and leaves a lasting mark for His glory in this world and upon my heart.

I long to be that kind of man.