What I learned about God while serving in the Army

By Russell Gehrlein

In the spring of 1978, I sensed a clear call to professional ministry. I was leaning towards Christian education or youth ministry. I knew I wanted to do something with my life that would have eternal value. 

After graduating from college, I interned in junior high youth ministry for two years. My wife graduated in 1982, and we moved to Portland, Oregon, for me to start seminary. The following spring, I found a position as a church youth director. 

I enjoyed it immensely — until it came abruptly to an end in the summer of 1985. My youth ministry position was terminated when the church decided to hire a full-time Christian education director.

I worked a couple of odd jobs after that, but none provided for my wife and infant daughter. I decided to drop out of seminary in December 1985 to take care of my young family. After much prayer, soul-searching, seeking counsel from family and friends, and weighing the pros and cons, I felt God leading me to enlist in the U.S. Army in February 1986. 

It really was an answer to prayer, and yet I felt guilty.

I knew God had led me to join the Army, but I felt it was a humbling step backward. 

I had done all that I could to pursue my dream of becoming a youth minister, but God had closed that door. I had to find a “secular” job, and I falsely believed I was a second-class Christian. 

I never lost faith in God; I knew He was with me.

But I felt a combination of disappointment in myself, doubt in my ability to sense God’s direction and anxiety of what the future would hold.

A breakthrough

Much of what I had heard in my late teens and early 20s from teachers and speakers at campus ministry events affected my thinking about secular work in a negative way. 

With a heavy emphasis on evangelism and discipleship, I was exposed to a view that the earth was going to burn when Jesus returned, and that going into vocational ministry like missions, or church work was strongly encouraged over “worldly” careers.

The doubt it created followed me into my Army career. During my first assignment at Fort Stewart, I did not believe my work as a soldier had any direct impact on the kingdom of God. It was frustrating to not use my spiritual gifts on a full-time basis as I would be if I was a minister.

In March 1988, I was sent to Korea for a one-year unaccompanied tour, while my wife, three-year-old daughter, and two-month-old son stayed with family. 

As the year went on, I found myself becoming more confident in my role as a sergeant and continued to see glimpses of God’s blessing in my work. For example, I competed for and was selected as the noncommissioned officer of the quarter for all of Korea. 

In my last few months there, I read an amazing book that would change my life: “Your Work Matters to God,” by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks. 

They tore apart the myth of “sacred” vs. “secular,” and clearly explained to me the intrinsic and instrumental value of everyday work. One particular quote grabbed my heart and opened my eyes. 

Sherman and Hendricks wrote: ”(I)n addition to salvation – obviously a need with eternal implications – mankind has many other needs. Just because many of them are temporal needs does not diminish their importance to God, nor does it diminish the value of the work done to meet those needs.” 

What I understood for the first time was that God could use me -- a U.S. Army nuclear, biological, and chemical specialist — to meet the needs of my fellow soldiers that He loved enough to die for. 

I found that I could use my technical expertise to maintain protective masks and train soldiers on how to properly wear and use their equipment, which would better prepare them to survive on a battlefield.

I realized I wasn’t wasting my time. In fact, I was doing the Lord’s work. 

I began to have peace about my decision to join the military. The decision to reenlist was easy, and I committed to serve six more years.

My understanding deepened

Wherever I was stationed, I met Christians who did not see how God could use them as a soldier. I knew God was guiding me and wanted others to see it as clearly as I did. And he was using my spiritual gifts of teaching and encouraging others.

I began teaching Sunday school classes and Bible studies with other military families and studied verses and theology of work. 

I believe God is a worker — which means all work has value — and that He has called us to work with Him to expand and care for His creation. And I believe God is present with us, whatever the title or position may be.

I served on active duty for 20 years before retiring as a master sergeant in October 2006 and currently work for the Department of the Army as a civilian employee at the school where we train soldiers in my same specialty. 

I go to work every day knowing that God is with me and is working in me and through me to continue His work in this world. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord every day, knowing that my work has eternal value.

Russell E. Gehrlein is a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Army and is a Christian, husband, father, grandfather, blogger, and author of "Immanuel Labor - God's Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work”, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping others experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. You can read more of his work on his blog, “Reflections on Theological Topics of Interest”, www.regehrlein.wordpress.com, and can follow him on Twitter @RussellGehrlein.