Does your Jesus drop bombs?

By Atlantic Northeast District moderator David Sollenberger

How does it change our perspective when we “fix our eyes on Jesus” as our 2026 Atlantic Northeast District Conference theme suggests?

I was reminded the other day that not everyone is familiar with the video segments that I have shared with the church over the years. I was referring to a story by popular evangelist Tony Campolo at the 1986 Annual Conference during his sermon at that conference. He recalled how he explained to his draft board the reason for his request for conscientious objector status; he told the colonel who was hearing his case that he read the book In His Steps, which advised readers to ask themselves in all situations, “What would Jesus do?” in that situation.

Tony Campolo explained that the government could teach him to fly an airplane with bombs aboard, even over enemy territory. But when it was time to release the bombs, he would ask, “Jesus, if you were in my place, would you drop these bombs?” He recalled that the colonel yelled at him, “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. Everybody knows Jesus would never drop bombs!” Tony shared with the Brethren audience that that general knew more Brethren theology than most Brethren he knew.