In 1935, on the cusp of World War 2, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor and teacher in Germany, started an underground seminary. There he taught his students how to live a life of radical obedience to Jesus and His way of life. So radical, in fact, that a friend came to visit him one day, asking why he felt the need to go to such extremes.
So one morning, Bonhoeffer took his friend on a short journey away from the secret seminary to a clearing that overlooked another sort of training facility. This one was a Nazi military training camp. Bonhoeffer then said, “What we’re doing at the seminary has to be stronger than what Hitler’s doing in forming his army. This (Biblical training) has to be more powerful than that (military indoctrination).”
This quote and this idea are a constant challenge to me in my life for several reasons, and as I think about this quote and the time period in which it was said, I often think about the similarities between now and then.
The Echoes of Conflict
Many of the ideologies that the church fights today echo the evils of Bonhoeffer’s day. The belief that “might makes right,” the destructive “us versus them” mentality, the intense pressure to compromise core beliefs, and the church’s temptation to capitulate to ruling political powers—are all present. All of these are antithetical to the radical, self-sacrificing Way of Jesus.
Now, just like in 1935 and many other times in history, we as the church are in a time of intense pressure. Everywhere we look, the world is seeking to entice us away from the Way of Jesus. We are at war.
Identifying the Enemy and Training the Army
The Bible is clear. We have an enemy. We are at war, and we must identify who the real enemy is and prepare for the battle. Paul in Ephesians 6:12 says that, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
However, identifying who the enemy is can never be enough to win. We have to gather the army and train. Paul, in 1 Timothy 4, says that we are called to “train yourself for godliness.” We are called to be faithful to the call that God has on our lives, following His way even when it is hard! Paul later tells Timothy to “persevere” in his way of life and doctrine so that he may grow in maturity.
The Power of Unity
We are called to a mature life with God, but this cannot happen alone. While Paul challenges the individual to “train yourself for godliness,” he makes it clear elsewhere, in Ephesians, that individual effort will not suffice to bring us to full maturity. The true goal—maturity in Christ Jesus—is only achieved through the unity of the body, coming together for mutual equipping.
In short, to stand up before the spiritual enemy of our day, we have to both identify where our true fight is and then stand firm in the faith with other believers! We must seek out ways to build each other up, equipping each other for “every good work.” Otherwise, we will fall.
Just like in Bonhoeffer’s day, standing alone and unprepared will not bring us through the day. This can be especially true for those working in the often isolating world of the airline industry. Only when we stand together, relentlessly training in godliness, will we, as the body of Christ, not just survive the present age, but prevail over the enemy. As Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it.”
