Dear men of VBC,

I want to invite you to the kick-off BBQ of our Men’s Leadership Initiative. This event is Friday, Sept. 29, at 6 pm. Please sign up at spokanevbc.org/events and RSVP under “Men’s Leadership Initiative Kick-Off.”

We are inviting all men to the Leadership Initiative. You might think, “But I’m not a leader, so I guess this isn’t for me.” But we ask you to come and hear what we have to say and then decide. Which brings us to the “Tooth-to-Tail Ratio.” What is it? This military term refers to the relationship between combat and support troops. In the military, there are “trigger pullers,” or combat troops at the “pointy end of the spear.” The “Tooth" is the pointy end of the spear, and the “Tail" is the shaft.

Many people erroneously think that everyone in the military goes into combat to shoot the enemy. I’ve had people ask me many times, “Did you ever have to kill anyone?” I just laugh and say, “Of course not. I was a Chaplain, and my role was to support those who were combat troops.”

Combat troops are the soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors who pull the trigger, launch the missiles, fly the fighter jets, drive the tanks, and are gunners on attack helicopters, etc. These combat troops are the ones we send into the battle. But for each of them, a much larger number of personnel provide support. Someone has to provide logistics, food, gas, ammunition, drive vehicles, and clean and maintain equipment. How does that work out in real life? In Iraq, in 2005, the Tail-to-Tooth Ratio for the U.S. Army was 1:8.1. Only 11% were in a combat role, and the rest were support.

With this in mind, are you at the pointy end of the spear in the Christian life? Are you a trigger-puller? You might say, “No, I’m not going to be a pastor, elder, missionary, or life group leader. I’m just going to be a husband and father.” I won’t be a leader, so this isn’t for me.

But you might be wrong. Every man is a leader. Every man is at the pointy end of the spear. Yes, you might support other leaders, and the Men’s Leadership Initiative might not be for you now, but each man is a leader in his own right.

The 29th Commandant of the US Marine Corps, Gen. Alfred Gray, coined the phrase, “Every Marine a Rifleman.” It means that every marine is a war-fighter and must first and foremost be trained for combat, whether they are infantry, clerks, cooks, or computer specialists—they all must understand the combat role they support.

We believe that “every man is a leader.” Every Christian man has a leading role, and leading at home is fundamental.

You are at the tip of the spear, and we’d like to help you develop your leadership skills. Now may be the time for you.