But their bliss was cut short by new duty station assignments and rapid training cycles.
Then they met ABWE missionaries Jenny and Rich Culp. Rich was serving as an assistant pastor at the time. They asked the Culps questions about marriage, life, and Christianity. The Culps, also a military family, counseled Dan and Amy on how to strengthen their marriage and pursue Christ despite being worlds apart on future deployments.
The rubber hit the road when the deployments came—two of them at once. Amy deployed to a small country in Africa, while Dan was assigned to a non-tactical executive staff in the Middle East. While Amy dealt with the friction and distrust of local leaders, Dan monitored the movements of highly trained teams patrolling through some of the most dangerous settings in the world.
But when a bomb killed a respected Marine team leader, Dan was reassigned to lead the grieving unit—an assignment no one wanted. The tight-knit group received Dan coldly, suspicious of an outsider.
When their deployments ended, Amy returned from Africa physically tired, and Dan came back from the Middle East feeling utterly defeated. The emotional and spiritual strain, coupled with a long period of separation, was taking a heavy toll on their marriage.
Rich connected Dan with a retired veteran from the Middle East who could disciple him. They soon formed a trusting relationship, and Dan was renewed as a warrior and husband.
Rich and Jenny were inspired by Dan’s turnaround, but also concerned by how his situation and marriage might have played out without access to a Christian support system.
“We wanted to see churches around Fort Bragg working together to strengthen and disciple military leaders,” Rich explained.
So, Rich and Jenny founded the Centurion Project, now a ministry of ABWE’s EveryEthne, to train servicemen like Dan. Working with 100 churches, the Centurion Project is equipping military laborers who desire to carry out the Great Commission wherever their duties take them.
Editor’s Note: Learn more how the Centurion Project is discipling and equipping servicemen and women to carry out the Great Commission here.
