Barnabas File

A Bridge Too Far is an epic 1977 film based on the book by historian Cornelius Ryan.     It depicts the failed Operation Market Garden in World War II.     The operation seemed clear to those on the command level, but Allied troops (Brits, Americans, and Poles) found themselves in a terrible tactical position.     Despite their best efforts, the mission failed.     Operation Market Garden is a good illustration of the difference between strategic planning and tactical planning.  It is a reminder that, as one military leader said, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.”     Thinking about this from another perspective, pastor Carey Nieuwhof observes , “In non-crisis conditions, your methods may have a 6 month to five-year shelf life.  In a crisis, your methods can expire in minutes or days.”  When aspirations meet reality, everything changes.   Not every mission is like the failed Operation Market Ga...