I am often asked the meaning behind the various symbols on our coat of arms. The
following explanation is presented here in the hope that it will sufficiently explain all the symbols used.
The Shield as described in Ephesians 6:16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
The Coat of Arms of this Ministry is depicted by two shields. The first being
overlayed by a second, down and to the right of the first. The first shield being of a unpolished iron that represents
the Covenants of the Old Testament and its people, full of tenasity and courage in its raw form. The second shield,
the covenant of the New Testament, overlaying the first shield in importance and relation to the new covenant of our Lord,
Jesus Christ. The second shield being black in color representing the serious nature of our calling, a conservative, humble
attitude and a sophistication in approach and bearing. The strands of barbs on the shield represent the woven strands
of the crown of thorns worn by Christ during His crucifixion. The Sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God, also symbolizes honor, distinction, bravery and courage. The sword yielded by the knight also reminds us
of the martyrs of our faith, as the sword is the traditional symbol of martyrdom.
I hope this answers any questions regarding our Ministry's coat of arms. As
you can see, our coat of arms is very rich in symbolism, and for those who know the meaning of the colors and the symbols,
they serve to remind us graphically of Our Lord Jesus Christ and our faith in His Salvation. One final note - the design is
copyright protected, and not to be used without permission. I have created several graphics incorporating our coat of arms
for use by our members, chaplains, and alumni with full permission. Thank you, and God bless.