Faith Is A MarathonSOON AFTER joining a Connecticut fire department I encountered the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters. Slowly, cautiously, we launched a very small branch in our town. It ...
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Reverend Wayne Detzler, PhD, Chaplain (Retired) – Charlotte, NC, Fire Department; Fellowship of Christian Firefighters Regional DirectorFAITH IS A MARATHONLet us “run with patience”SOON AFTER joining a Connecticut fire department I encountered the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters. Slowly, cautiously, we launched a very small branch in our town. It linked us with a larger circle of fellow believers in the Lord and gave courage to believers in their witness for the Lord. When I was appointed to the Charlotte Fire Department I met two heroes, brave men of God in the fire service. The first is Donny, who had served in the high pressure world of Washington, DC. There he held the torch of faith high and others gathered around him. Together they built a powerful witness among the responders in our nation’s capital. Upon retirement Donny moved to Charlotte, but he didn’t lose his vision. His calm confidence in the Lord led many firefighters to stand up for Jesus. Soon he was helping the Charlotte Fire Department launch a branch of the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters. He gathered around him committed firefighters and officers, most of whom were significantly younger than Donny. Not only did Donny organize a fellowship, he also invested in the lives of these young men and women, especially one young officer named Keith. When Donny and I first met Keith, he was a newly minted captain. Keith grasped the leadership in Charlotte and began to surround himself with a cadre of Christians. Under the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters banner, Keith organized three early-morning prayer breakfasts—one for each of the department’s three shifts. Out of this fellowship came the appointment of the first fire chaplain for the Charlotte Fire Department. This role multiplied into a firefighter support team, a group available to strengthen their comrades in good times and bad. Donny and Keith are true heroes of the faith. Despite retirement, Donny still leads the charge in praying and participating with the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters. Keith is now a battalion chief and has a tight network of believers throughout the ever-growing department. Donny and Keith are faithful men. Around them are dozens of others who have learned from their example. From the vision and faithfulness of these two “heroes,” many in the fire service have learned of God’s love and truth and in turn shared it with others. God wants to use each and every one of us, and as we respond, he will be there to keep us strong. “He [the Lord Jesus Christ] will keep you strong to the end.” (1 Corinthians 1:8)
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