Preaching in the Pentagon

Christopher H. Wisdom


Remembering the 184 people who were killed in the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon in 2001 remains very important to all who are assigned here. When the damaged portion of the Pentagon was rebuilt, the Department of Defense erected a 9-11 Memorial to honor them and built a Pentagon Memorial Chapel adjacent to it.

Since July 2004 on Sunday evenings at the Chapel, I have had the privilege of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ as I lead worship services of prayers and praise, Scripture and singing. A small group of workers from different branches of government service have begun to attend.

Christ as Risen Lord

The text of Matthew 28:16�20, on which I preached at the Chapel recently, serves as a useful summary of our ministry at these services. "Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted" (vs. 16). So it is at our worship services. Some people come to the Pentagon Chapel out of obedience to Christ's word, and they worship him. Others seeking comfort may doubt, but all who attend hear of Christ's power as he is proclaimed.

Christ as King, Prophet, and Priest

In verse 18, Matthew writes, "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.' " This rule of the risen Christ over the nations for his church is acknowledged corporately each Sunday evening in our singing, our prayers, and our praise at the Pentagon Chapel.

In verses 19 and 20, Jesus says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Jesus claims that everything that he has commanded is worthy of obedience by every person in every nation. In this regard, Jesus also instructs us here as our divine Prophet concerning the nature of our God as triune. He says that God is Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus makes himself coequally divine as the Son with the Father and the Spirit. So we proclaim this and confess it as we worship God together.

In verse 20, Jesus promises, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." His personal presence is promised perpetually to those who faithfully proclaim his name. We who believe and are baptized and discipled in the triune God's name are never alone as we obey this commission. Only God could make such a promise. And that promise is our great comfort as we worship God together as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Pentagon Chapel.

In this humble chapel at the site of this heinous attack, thousands of years since the earthly days of Jesus, and thousands of miles from the place where he ascended to heaven, we are comforted with the sure promise of his risen presence at the Pentagon as we worship and bear witness to his resurrection, his reign, and his sure return.

Response to the Ministry

One Air Force officer expressed his gratitude for the service in this way: "Just wanted you to know what a blessing it is to be able to have a service offered here at the Pentagon on the weekend for those of us who have to do shift work and who are not able to make it to the services at our home churches."

This is our ministry to the people who must work at the Pentagon each Lord's Day. Please remember to pray for us when you also gather to worship God in Christ's name.


The author is the associate pastor of Grace OPC in San Antonio, Tex., serving as a chaplain (lieutenant colonel) on the staff of the U.S. Army chief of chaplains. Reprinted from New Horizons, January 2005.