Hoist the Colors

BO KILGORE

Across centuries of warfare, militaries have carried into battle what is known as “the colors” — banners that embody the identity and history of the unit. They are more than fabric; they are the visible soul of a unit.

That is why Marines treat their unit’s colors as sacred. In May of 1942, when the 4th Marine Regiment was forced to surrender on Corregidor under the command of U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright, they burned their colors rather than let them fall into enemy hands. Marine Colonel Samuel Howard wept as he realized he would be the first Marine officer to surrender a regiment. He knew the weight of command. To lose the colors was to lose everything.

Pastoral leadership carries the same kind of burden. The church finds itself in an ideological battlefield. False banners are being raised everywhere — philosophies that promise freedom but deliver bondage. Some preach individualism: “live your truth.” Others redefine sexuality, gender, and marriage. Some treat unborn life as disposable. Others worship greed and possessions.

Our spiritual enemy has succeeded in creating a “non-linear battlespace” — unlike traditional concepts of war with clear frontlines and rear areas, the entire battlespace is contested simultaneously. There is no safe zone. Threats can come from any direction, at any time.

In this chaos, pastors must hoist the colors. We must lift high the banner of God’s Word — clearly and unapologetically. If we drop it, the flock will scatter and confusion will reign.

The pastor’s primary calling is shepherding — to feed, protect, and lead the flock with patience and humility (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2). A shepherd never drives the sheep into exhaustion or despair; he walks with them, cares for them, and defends them from danger. But shepherding in today’s world also requires what I would call a prophetic function.

The prophets of the Old Testament declared God’s Word to kings and commoners alike, mostly in times of rebellion and idolatry. Pastors today must carry that prophetic function — proclaiming Scripture with clarity and courage in a culture that despises it.

This prophetic function must be used with wisdom. It is not a license to berate the sheep… It is aimed at dismantling false ideologies — the wolves at the gate. Paul said, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor 10:5). Jude wrote, “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

This is what it means to hoist the colors. To rally the flock around God’s Word. To expose the lies that seek to devour them. To stand boldly, even if it provokes resistance from the world.

Now, you might be thinking, “Duh. This is what we do as pastors. We preach the Word of God.” I want to give you context as to why I feel such an urgency about this…

The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University recently conducted a series of studies aimed at determining the dominant worldview of Americans. This included identifying the percentage of Americans that hold a truly biblical worldview, which was qualified by seven cornerstones: belief in God as Creator and Ruler; humanity’s sinful nature; salvation through Jesus alone; the Bible as true and reliable; the reality of absolute moral truth; life’s purpose as knowing and serving God; and true success as consistent obedience to Him.

These might seem elementary to you and I — they are basic, core doctrines of the Christian faith. However, while the study revealed 68% of Americans self-identify as Christian, only 4% affirm belief in all seven of these cornerstones of faith. At 57%, the majority of Americans polled only affirmed believing one to three of these statements, while 20% reject all seven. Even more alarming, the research also concluded that only 37% of American pastors qualify as holding a truly biblical worldview.

Of course, we’ve been watching this play out in culture, especially over the last decade. Entire streams and denominations of Christianity have adopted syncretistic theology, trading the authority of God’s Word for the affirmation of culture. They bless what God has called sin — whether in matters of gender, sexuality, marriage, abortion, or in what is considered truth itself. They reinterpret Scripture until it agrees with the spirit of the age.

In doing so, these churches no longer function as faithful witnesses to Christ, but more like the false prophet of Revelation — lending religious language to the ideologies of the beast. And because these false teachings sound compassionate, inclusive, and affirming, they satisfy the “itching ears” of the foolish and draw them into a false gospel (2 Tim 4:3–4). What looks like love is, in fact, deception. What sounds like freedom is bondage.

This is exactly what we must confront. Pastors — If we do not have a plan for how to systematically help people build a biblical worldview, we are sending them into the trenches of spiritual warfare with no ammunition. One 40-minute sermon a week cannot compete with six hours a day on a smartphone.

Your voice needs to be in that space for your people through the week, between Sunday sermons. We need to get innovative at building systems to provide for this generation what the Sunday School model provided for previous generations — helping people know and understand the Bible. Leverage digital media, small groups, and Bible studies to reinforce these truths. Publish a weekly podcast or record short videos to extend Sunday’s teaching. Develop curriculum that tackles those seven cornerstones of faith head-on. Integrate all of the content that flows across these platforms so that people can be deeply formed in one area before moving on to something else.

But again, I will say this: it needs to be your voice. Gen Z is in the middle of what some researchers are calling a “quiet revival.” Beneath the noise, many of them are praying, opening Scripture, and asking big questions about life and truth. They are hungry — but they are also confused. They lack biblical clarity. And because too many pastors have gone silent on the hard issues, young people are turning elsewhere. That is why so many young men are flocking to figures like Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, and Andrew Tate. They’re naming the battles Gen Z already knows they’re fighting. And while some of what they say resonates with a deep hunger for meaning, their answers fall painfully short.

That’s where you come in. People need to hear these things from their pastor. They need to know what God says about identity, about purpose, about truth. They need shepherds who will bring biblical clarity. This cannot be outsourced to a Christian author, a TikTok preacher, or a parachurch ministry. Those can be helpful tools, but they are not you — the pastor and shepherd of the flock.

When Israel defeated Amalek, Moses built an altar and named it Jehovah Nissi — “The Lord is my banner” (Ex 17:15). Psalm 60:4 says, “You have set up a banner for those who fear you.” Isaiah spoke of the Messiah as a banner for the nations (Isa 11:12). The Song of Solomon declares, “His banner over me was love” (Song 2:4).

This is what pastors lift when they hoist the colors. Not our own opinions. Not our own brand. Not a political flag. We lift the Lord Himself — His truth, His Word, His love, His victory.

Today, the church needs pastors who will hoist the colors of God’s Word amid the banners of false ideologies. To make it visible. To rally the faithful. To declare truth in love, even when it offends.

There is a generation hungry for transcendent purpose and love, and they are full of questions. The call is clear: 

Hoist the colors.

Bo Kilgore is the Lead Pastor of Life Church in League City and Pasadena, Texas, a former Marine, and an ordained minister with Destiny Ministries. He is a graduate of Destiny Leadership Institute and holds a B.S. in Ministerial Leadership from Southeastern University, where he is also completing his M.A. in Ministerial Leadership.