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by Jeff Bayard
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
In a time when the Pentagon has often been a symbol of bureaucratic coldness and secular rigidity, something truly remarkable happened on May 21, 2025. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a devout Christian and combat veteran, hosted the first Christian Prayer and Worship Service inside the Pentagon auditorium — not after hours, not hidden, but during the workday, with full visibility.
“This is precisely where I need to be, and exactly where we need to be as a nation: in prayer on bended knee.”
Those were Hegseth’s words as he stood before a packed room of military and civilian personnel, many of whom joined him not only in prayer, but in praise of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Watch the full service above and linked here: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Prayer Service – YouTube
The 25-minute service, complete with Scripture, intercession, and worship, is archived publicly. The transcript reveals not just a spiritual event — but a theological stand against the tide of godlessness sweeping through our nation’s institutions.
A Bold Declaration Behind Enemy Lines
In a culture gripped by secularism, humanism, and spiritual compromise, to proclaim Christ openly in the nation’s most strategic military building is a profound act of obedience to God over man. As Hegseth acknowledged, leading the Department of Defense cannot be done in his own strength.
“Knowing there’s an Author in heaven overseeing all of this… gives me the strength to proceed.”
This prayer service didn’t merely nod to tradition. It exalted Jesus Christ’s preeminence and raised a holy banner in the face of spiritual warfare. The enemy of God—the deceiver, the dragon, the ancient serpent who prowls like a roaring lion—was put on notice.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray…” (2 Chronicles 7:14) — this wasn’t a slogan. It was the very heartbeat of the gathering.
A Monthly Offensive Against Darkness
The service, led by Pastor Brooks Potteiger of Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, was more than ceremonial. It was deeply spiritual and doctrinally sound. The message from Psalm 46 was a call to courageous stillness — not passive silence, but confidence in God’s sovereignty amid war, conflict, and national pressure.
Pastor Potteiger reminded the assembled warfighters that “the Lord of Hosts is with us… the God of Jacob is our fortress.” He honored President Trump as a divinely appointed leader, a man used by God to bring moral clarity in turbulent times. But the glory and authority were always returned to Christ.
“We are not in control. And what a relief.” That truth, spoken in the heart of the defense apparatus of the free world, is nothing short of revolutionary.
Obedience in a Time of Apostasy
This act of worship stood in stark contrast to the apostate drift in so many corners of American government and culture. In a Pentagon that has seen diversity briefings and drag shows, this was a declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord — even here.
In a nation increasingly shaped by the lies of the enemy — humanism, materialism, relativism — the presence of a Christ-centered service signals the spiritual resistance beginning to rise. Just as the VCA document on Obedience to God declares, “Will we show people the way to salvation or sit back and allow sin to overrun God’s good earth?” This was a resounding decision to act.
“Let goods and kindred go… God’s truth abideth still. His Kingdom is forever.”
That final hymn — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God — was not merely nostalgic. It was warfare. It was the sound of saints on the battlefield refusing to bow to Caesar, to culture, or to cowardice.
Praise the Lord!