How it all started...
Formation of Firefighters For Christ
Like the early church, Firefighters For Christ ministry began in a prayer meeting. Beginning in 1973, two firefighters from different denominations met to pray each morning on their shift. They were assigned to Fire Station 3, which was also the headquarters of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. A vacant upstairs room was available for their use and before long their prayer meeting spread to all three shifts.
Like the early church, Firefighters For Christ ministry began in a prayer meeting. Beginning in 1973, two firefighters from different denominations met to pray each morning on their shift. They were assigned to Fire Station 3, which was also the headquarters of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. A vacant upstairs room was available for their use and before long their prayer meeting spread to all three shifts.
A few months after these identical twins began their petitions, Bob Gray, a Fire Chief from Auckland, New Zealand came to Los Angeles. His mission was to study the Los Angeles City Fire Department communication system. The morning after his arrival, he found John and Tony praying in his upper floor guest room at Headquarters. I can't believe this, said Bob. The last thing my wife and I prayed before I left Auckland was that I would have Christian fellowship, but I didn't expect them to be praying in my room. Years later, the Lord used Bob, then second in command of Auckland Fire Service, to give Firefighters For Christ International free reign to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through cassette tapes at the First World Fire Games in Auckland in 1990.
In 1974, twin sisters asked John White how they could pray for a ministry to firefighters. He started to say, Pray that our fire station prayer meetings will spread throughout the nation, but found himself saying, Pray that our prayer meetings will be spread throughout the world.
As time went on, though, the Lord made it clear that membership was needed so the firefighter, who worked in a remote area and thought he was the only Christian firefighter in the world, would be encouraged to know that there were other firefighters living their lives for Jesus Christ.
Instead of asking guys in various areas to pray about starting a chapter, the Lord made it clear that through prayer, He alone would call men He had chosen to be chapter leaders. He desires men of God that are seeking His direction through prayer and are following His Holy Spirit lead in their individual lives and ministry.
Instead of asking guys in various areas to pray about starting a chapter, the Lord made it clear that through prayer, He alone would call men He had chosen to be chapter leaders. He desires men of God that are seeking His direction through prayer and are following His Holy Spirit lead in their individual lives and ministry.
In 1975, the firefighters, who had been praying at Station 3, agreed to have a breakfast meeting and invite firefighters from many different departments. In January of 1976, their first breakfast was held at the Holiday Inn in Hollywood, California. They expected twenty to forty guests but to their surprise, one hundred forty firefighters showed up. After breakfast, Roger Lawless (Aptos FD) and John Charcho (San Jose FD) from Northern California met with Southern California firefighters from LAFD, LA CO FD, Santa Ana FD and Long Beach FD. Roger and John came to the meeting with the suggestion of the name of Firefighters For Christ. Since there were already one hundred and forty interested firefighters in Southern California, the idea of coming together under the name of Firefighters For Christ was decided.
The idea of formal membership or formation of individual chapters was not on the minds of FFC first leaders.
The idea of formal membership or formation of individual chapters was not on the minds of FFC first leaders.
What is Firefighters For Christ?
In June 1978, Firefighters For Christ was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization with the mission statement, To encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ It comes from Hebrews 10:24-25 where the Word of God
says, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV
In June 1978, Firefighters For Christ was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization with the mission statement, To encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ It comes from Hebrews 10:24-25 where the Word of God
says, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV
That encompasses a pretty large field, but there are three types of firefighters we minister to. One is the person who has never before invited Jesus into his heart, so we encourage him to do that. The second is a guy who maybe drives a bus for the Billy Graham crusade and goes to church with his wife, but when he gets to the station, he intimidated by the guys he works with and nobody really knows that he like an undercover Christian. We want to encourage that guy to be the man God has called him to be. And the third guy is the one who is living fully for the Lord, and we just want him to go more for it. John White
Expanding the vision...
There are many Chapters in various parts of the world, local chapters are the heartbeat of this International ministry with a common Vision and Goals, reaching and encouraging Firefighters For Christ. If you would like to be part of this network or considering the possibility of a Chapter in your area complete the form below in "Be part of our story"
Where we are headed...
Our desire is for every Firefighter to be connected locally with likeminded, Christ following, Bible believing group of people who will encourage them to lives their lives for Jesus Christ and reach Firefighters with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For every chapter to be connected internationally as a collective network for support, encouragement, prayer, mentoring, teaching, equipping, providing opportunities for service through Missions and Emergency Relief.
For every chapter to be connected internationally as a collective network for support, encouragement, prayer, mentoring, teaching, equipping, providing opportunities for service through Missions and Emergency Relief.
