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Words of Wisdom from the Past - Jack Kistler

June 20, 2026

Jack Kistler, a retired California Highway Patrol Sergeant, was one of the "founding fathers" of FCPO. He faithfully served the ministry in a number of capacities in its earlier years, including as president of the organization. Jack stayed in touch with the National Office until he passed away in April 2021, maintaining a keen interest in the growth of FCPO and the latest updates. He was a tremendous source of encouragement to the National Office staff.

 

We recently looked through some of the old newsletters in our archives from Jack's tenure as FCPO President. Jack wrote a number of short articles during that time and these thoughts, reprinted from the June 1978 issue of The Christian Peace Officer, are still wise, godly counsel for us, as FCPO members, and show that we face many of the same issues today.


Do you ever feel like the whole world's against you? You just can't do anything right? And even when you finally get a job done to your own satisfaction, someone will drop by and criticize the way it was done.


Maybe it's the world we live in, the "adversary" role of a police officer that comprises our workday existence, which sets the mood for this feeling - being critical of people's driving habits if you're working traffic, suspicious of everyone if you're in vice or a robbery detail, and just plain discouraged should you be verbally vilified as a result of the adversary system under which our courts are functioning.


Well, cheer up! There's a principle involved here that bears looking into. Paul spoke about it in 1 Corinthians 16:9: "A wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."


As God's special ministers (Romans 13:4), we have provided for us the greatest possible opportunities for "effective service". Who comes into contact with more people in the course of an average day than a police officer? Who has to have more discernment into human nature than an officer on the beat? Who has more people with emotional, physical, and spiritual needs come to him/her than a police officer? Not many!!


As we in the FCPO see door after door being opened, we have to stand back in awe at the opportunities afforded us. We receive invitations from all over the nation to speak, or to explain this ministry to law enforcement officers. Our mailbox contains applications for individual memberships or for forming a Chapter. How we continually rejoice in this ministry God has given us!


On the other hand, "there are many adversaries." We recognize the primary source of opposition from Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."


These supernatural forces of evil are showing a greater degree of viciousness in their attacks on us personally and collectively as an organization than ever before. The greater the victories we see won, the greater the intensity of the attacks. Our integrity is challenged, our motives are impugned, and every step of growth and forward momentum is beset by roadblocks.


Brothers and sisters, pray for us! Stand by us in these days of transition and flux. Many hard decisions for the future of the FCPO need to be made very soon. Share with us the mission of reaching peace officers for Christ, seeing them mature and grow through sound Bible teaching, and bringing them into strong fellowship of Christian peace officers.