Passion Friendly Rules Of Engagement

In warfare Rules of Engagement are important. In military or police operations, the rules of engagement (ROE) determine when, where, and how force shall be used. Such rules are both general and specific, and there have been large variations between cultures throughout history. The rules may be made public, as in a martial law or curfew situation, but are typically only fully known to the force that intends to use them.

Paul casts the Christian life in terms of participating in cosmic warfare when he says,

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities” Eph 6: 12

When the coalition forces invaded Iraq in 2003 they were under orders to follow internationally accepted Rules of Engagement for warfare. In one case an Iraqi unit retreated into a cemetery for a safe haven. American forces did not fire on them because international rules of engagement forbid armies from firing on graveyard and thereby desecrating the dead. But once the Iraqi soldiers made the mistake of firing on American troops from the grave yard the next part of the rule of engagement kicked in, “don’t fire on troops in graveyard, unless they the fire at you.” If they do fire at you, the rules of engagement change.

Here is a current lesson:

Soldiers fighting in Afghanistan believe their rules of engagement are too restrictive and hand the enemy an unfair advantage, a retired US Marine Corps general says.

General Anthony Zinni, a former commander of US central command and now US head of defence company BAE Systems, said he believed concerns about restrictive rules were coalition-wide.

This is an issue touched on by an unnamed Australian soldier in an email complaining about the adequacy of support provided to troops in a major fight with insurgents on August 24 which claimed the life of one digger.

“Everyone is too scared about collateral damage,” he wrote.

General Zinni, in Australia for a strategic leadership forum, said concerns about the rules had been conveyed by coalition and US soldiers, including his own son, a marines (sic) officer in Afghanistan.

“There is a strong sense in on the ground by the company commanders and platoon commanders that the rules of engagement are too restrictive,” he told reporters.

“They result in more casualties. They don’t allow for the kind of immediate engagement. The enemy understands these rules of engagement and manipulates them.”

What parallels do you draw with the local church?

The challenge for church leaders is to do a better job at teaching their “foot soldiers” the Kingdom’s rules of engagement.