RU SWAT- Part I

So, my name is Richard Wallace. I'm a Pastor's kid. To be honest, as I was growing up in the church I never really found "church work" that exciting. I mean, dad's job always seemed fairly cool, but beyond that "Christian service" seemed a little dull. I remember often feeling disappointed by the men that were called to serve God. I don't just mean because some of the them were snared by the Devil... I mean, the ones who truly seemed to love God seemed "soft" (and by "soft" I don't mean effeminate... I mean... Passionless, and seemingly lacking intensity.) Then there were the men who I perceived to be intense, driven, alpha-males; but it seemed as though most of them were not too interested in spiritual things beyond men's basketball leagues, and some church attendance.

Then, I met my football coach. Coach Hale. I guess, I'd consider (if only for half of a second) calling him, "Chris", today... Men like him will always be "Coach Hale"! He was intensity personified! On and off the football field! In his Walk, in his ministry, and in his devotion to his fellas! I still remember those bear crawls... SCREAMING at the top of our lungs, "'I CAN' MAKES A GREAT MAN!!! 'I CAN' MAKES A GREAT MAN!!!". I still remember the fire in his eyes when, with his gnarled-up fingers, he'd grab both sides of my helmet- covering the ear holes- look me straight in the eyes, and say, "When I became a man... I put away childish things!" I saw him at his best, I saw him at his worst. But I NEVER saw him passionless!

And, of course, you know my dad... Passion personified!

As I got late in my high school career I began to drift. The military began to look very exciting. A lot of what I had begun to see in ministry turned me off. It seemed to be a lot of egotistical men devouring one another for a larger platform. Seemingly, personality had run over propriety. By my senior year I had all but decided I would take a path that led to Esprit de Corps, brotherhood against all odds, and intensity... I WOULD JOIN THE MARINES! And, join the Marines I did!

Fast forward ten years. I've served in, and left the Marines. I'm now surrounded by another set of alpha males... Phone salesmen! These guys are less about the Esprit de Corps and a little more like sharks, but they are passionate... ABOUT MONEY! Little does anyone know I'm drowning, at this point, in addiction. Things that once were a toehold, have become a stronghold, and are very quickly becoming a choke-hold! Once a "functioning addict" I was ceasing to function more and more each day.

Fast forward a few months. I trust Christ. By the way, no greater passionate Man, than Jesus Christ! He was intense in His teaching, intense in His living, intense in His dying, and intense in His raising! He was fearless against the patterns of religion and government. He was careless of the opinions of man about whom He associated Himself with... He was a man's man! He was the God Man!

In March of 2007 I was introduced to a red-headed fire ball! Steve Curington, to me, was the embodiment of everything I had been searching for since those days in high school. He was fiery in his preaching... But, I had seen that for twenty-seven years. He was fanatical in his ministry service... Again, I had seen that for twenty-seven years. What literally took my breath away about this man was that he was fiercely loyal. Though he was sharp in his dress I saw him more as a "special operator" in the spiritual warfare I was beginning to learn about. I heard about fallen preachers- wounded warriors- limping to Jesus through him. I began to hear tales about Steve- conference preacher- showing up on seedy sides of towns greasing the palms of people just to buy his friends back, and pay off drug debts. Literally, meeting the enemy and POWs behind enemy lines... Rescuing many a fallen comrade, and even seeing the "enemy" joining the fight against paradigms of their past. Prostitutes, and gang-bangers, and drug dealers and users are getting saved and setting fire to churches all across America. Even a few worn out Believers begin to catch the zeal that they once had, and miss so badly...

My heart began to burn as tears began to streak their way down my cheeks! I thought within myself... I may never preach on a large conference ticket. But, I can go get a fallen friend! I mean, it was bred in me! All that time in the Marine Corps. it was our mantra... You NEVER leave ANYONE behind! You carry 'em out! You risk your own life that they might live, or be laid to rest on American soil! The names we learned about and studied in Marine Corps. lore weren't the names of the highest ranking men, we didn't even learn the names of the men who served the longest! The names that were "worshiped" were the names of those men who put their brother to their right and to their left ahead of their own lives.

So, for nearly five years now I've been involved in this special team of "spiritual operators". There are more than eight hundred of these teams now across the Globe. They are groups of men and women who are specialized in their training, their tactics, their armory, and their camaraderie. In tomorrow's blog I will explain the Passages that drive us into enemy territory, time and time again. The Brotherhood that keeps us safe while we're there... The weapons and tactics that we use to gain victory once we arrive on scene... Lastly, the MASH unit and triage centers of Scripture that we use to heal our wounded warriors! Prepare yourself for "RU SWAT" indoctrination!

From a full heart after searching the under belly of Dallas for a friend...
-R