It’s Out There Somewhere

Tim came in again last night.  A young man, professing believer, he comes just about every evening that he is in the camp.  Sometimes before he showers and eats, the oily grime from a hard work day clinging to him like mud underneath the rig platforms.  Although his body is weary from his labors he still moves with the energy of one who is physically fit.  It is the weariness in his eyes that is the most noticeable, the most poignant.  Tim is typical of the Christian men who are finding the chapel a place of respite from the pressures, not of hard work, but of the world, and the flesh, and the devil.  The energy industry culture has a reputation, glamorized by society and the media, for being a “Roughneck” workforce dominated by alcohol, perversion, thievery, and drugs.  Like children on the verge of puberty, the men in the camps are both intriqued by, and resentful of the reputation they find themselves branded with.  Frustrated by “rules” that are only followed when OSHA, the BLM, or some other governing entity is on site, most of the men struggle with maintaining personal integrity, finding it easier to turn their heads to theft, drugs, and immorality, than to take a stand against those things contrary to their own convictions.  Certainly this is not just a problem within the energy industry, it is societal.  However, we are mostly free to walk away from these things in our daily lives, but these men and few women, in the oil field work are by the nature of their jobs, confined for weeks at a time within the strictures of their environment with little to no support.  Their companies don’t support them, they are treated worse than worker bees in a hive.  If they are injured or ill and can’t work, they have to leave.  They are away from their homes and families for weeks at a time and when they do have their down time, they travel hundreds (sometimes thousands) of miles home for a brief uniting with children, wives, girlfriends, friends, family who must adjust quickly to them being home, and quickly again to their leaving.

When asked how we can pray for them, what needs they would identify for themselves, the responses vary of course, but they all have some things in common.  They want some kind of respite from the pressures of their jobs, and the demands that society puts on them to live up to their ‘reputation’.  They want to know that they are appreciated for something other than the money they spend.  Like any of us, they want to know that somebody cares. 

This is where the Oilfield Christian Fellowship, Big Piney Chapel comes in.  By God’s grace, we are able to “be here” when their felt needs become so great that they spill over into a seeking.  Slowly, the Chapel is becoming known as a place where the love of God is offered with no strings attached.  We aren’t a church that takes up a collection.  We aren’t a store selling something.  We are simply here to offer whatever succor they will receive, and to offer it in the Name above all Names, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

As I am sitting here typing, its “before hours” but someone rushes in on the way to the his Company trailer.  He’s bringing a sack full of Christian books that his grandma sent with him from home.  He tells us he’s returning from time off and has a friend who is “about to turn the corner” in life.  He wants us to witness to him, he wants us to lead him to Christ.  Kevin could lead his friend to Christ on his own, but it took all the courage he could muster just to bring us the Bibles and ask his friend to come to ‘church’ with him on Sunday.  The devotional services we have ready every Sunday are brief, and seldom attended.  Sunday is just another work day here–but between shifts, when the night shift is getting up, and the day shift hasn’t arrived there is a brief time when a service can be sandwiched between the coming and the going.  So far, the Lord has reaped 100% from these devotionals–every person who has ever attended has come wanting a personal relationship with Him.  God wants to work here.  We want to be used by Him here.  What prevents these men and women from coming to Him, or those who know Him from becoming intimately involved with Him on a visible, and daily basis?  Here are some things from the men themselves.

The companies they work for do not, in any way promote healthy lifestyles.  The “Company men” warn when the drug tests are coming up; turn the other way when the prostitutes come on site; and participate in, encourage, and/or tolerate behavior that is morally reprehensible.  In the small, closed society of the rig, it is extremely difficult to stand up to a rig boss or company man whose behavior is oftentimes worse than any of the hands.  If there are Christian men in management positions of these companies (Exon, Shell, BP–whatever) they don’t make themselves known by their demands on or provision for other Believers in the field.  If there were company sponsored chapels in every man camp, or site, would they all utilize it?  Perhaps not, but at least the behaviorial expectations would be presented differently, and there would be somewhere to go when the need became great.  The EnSign Camp next door provides every amenity for their workers.  It’s like a huge motel with food service onsight.  Their beds are changed, their meals are prepared for them.  They are bussed to their work site.  They have dining, living, and exercise areas provided for them.  Until a month or so ago, they also had a computer room and phone service.  It’s closed now because of viruses and so much pornography on them that they all crashed, and/or became unuseable to those who chose not to be exposed to what came up every time a computer was turned on.  Peer support is negligible.

Their “home” churches don’t expect it.  If they do go to church, or are aware of one, most don’t live any differently than the culture they face while at work.  God’s expectations, for the most part, really have no place in the lives of most of the churches with which they are affiliated.  To them, it is a small leap from ‘living together’ to taking advantage of prostitution while they are away from home.  What’s the difference?  If one thing the Bible calls ’sin’ is OK today, then why isn’t everything else?  [The previous is one statement often repeated.]   Peer pressure is devasting.

What does all of the above have to do with you?  Nothing, if you don’t want it to–everything if you want to, by God’s grace and movement in your life, impact Godly change in your world:  And we can, because He wants none to perish, but for all to come to Him.  Every human being, ever born, has the knowledge of God written into their heart.  They are born, “looking for something” to fill the space that is reserved for God alone.  Whenever we allow substitutes in our own lives, we set the standard for someone else, and they set it for someone else, and on it goes.  Sometimes I look around and the ‘problem’ becomes overwhelming…how can we impact our world when all we are is just one aging couple, longing to spread the love of God.  The whole of the world, and much of the church thinks its none of our business.  It’s only one opinion…and people who are supposed to know what is “right” are so involved in idol worship (money, power, materialism, diversity, apathy to name a few) they are afraid to take a stand and say, “Stop, this is God’s world-and we will live that truth.”

I heard a testimony recently at a Prayer and Renewal Conference, from Richard Blackaby, whose organization witnesses to and disciples men and women who are owners, CEO’s, Executive Management, in Fortune 100, and 500 companies around the world.  He told of a CEO, and majority shareholder of a company with worldwide market influence.  This man came to Christ and faithfully grew in His knowledge of the Word and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.  While watching TV one rare evening at home, he came across (he was “flipping channels of course–he’s a guy) an ad for his company.  Curious to see what show his company was sponsoring, he watched through the commercials and began watching the remainder of the show.  Mr. Blackaby didn’t mention what show was being watched, it could have been almost anything currently on television, but the man was so horrified by what he was sponsoring that he immediately called the advertising agency his company retained and told them to pull all the ads sponsoring that show.  Despite losing a huge amount of money to cancel the contract, he could not abide knowing that what God provided to him, was being used to blaspheme His Name, ridicule God’s standards and promote such purient, destructive, material.  The show was cancelled the following week.  Just one man, convicted by God, taking a stand.  (I wonder how many of us would even turn the channel.)  But, I digress.  What can you do for these men and women in the energy industry to whom you have sent us? 

Pray for the CEO’s, the Executives, the owners and managers (all in authority) that they would begin to see the benefit of having spiritual and emotional support “in the field.”  Pray that they would follow through and provide “Company Chapels” onsight, wherever they set up camp.  Pray for partnerships between Godly organizations (like NAMB, Corporate Chaplains of America, Oilfield Fellowship) and the energy companies so that the spiritual support that is provided, points to God through Jesus Christ. 

Pray for the families, for the churches in the places where the men make their homes.  Pray that the churches would respond to their needs with Godly support and encouragement and not be negligent to pray themselves.

Pray for yourselves.  Pray that you would let no opportunity pass you by to take a stand for Jesus Christ.  That doesn’t mean self-righteous, stay inside the doors of my church and point fingers–it means the kind of loving, confrontive, compassion that Jesus Christ Himself showed to everyone (even including the religous hypocrites of His acquaintance.)  It doesn’t mean acceptance of sin–it does mean loving the sinner with the love of God.  (Don’t you want to be loved with that love?  Isn’t that what brought you to Him in the first place?)  Jesus never told anyone, “anything goes”; He did however, say, “Go and sin no more.”      

This has been a mish-mash hasn’t it?  Forgive me, but understand our hearts. I am thinking about John Bird, President of Oilfield Christian Fellowship who will be speaking to Company men this weekend in Canada, and then again at the big prayer breakfast in May; men who have influence and have the ability, by God’s grace to impact the energy industry in a big way, for Christ.  Pray that God will give him a voice to share what is on God’s heart, with power and conviction.

I am thinking about the notes we receive from families of the men who come in here.

 ”Thank you for being there for my husband, and for us.” 

“You have a special place in our hearts for bringing God to the camp.” 

“I just thought you should know how much the families appreciate you being there in the chapel.” 

“We aren’t Christians, but I’m so glad there is a good place that supports families.” 

“We are all so grateful that you are there for our husbands.” 

“My husband is such a different man since he can come over there to the chapel instead of going to the bar every night.” 

It goes on, and on.  And to whom do the “thanks” belong?  Oh first, and always, to God.  To those who pray.  To the men He has chosen to use.  To the Company He chose to provide the chapel.  To the churches who support the work, and the workers.  To those who have found what all these men and women are really looking for, and having found Him, tell others.  To you, our heart– our family.

Come visit me again here soon…let me know you prayed.  And having done all, stand…in the nurture and admonition of the Lord of Glory.  Love one another, with pure hearts, fervently.  Remember us.  We love you.

Your ’sifted ones” in Wyoming,

Gary and Roberta