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Chuck's Corner (Commentary on Faith, Scripture and Select Current Events)
KEEPING GOVERNMENT OUT OF CHURCH - NOT CHURCH OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT!
By Chuck Akeley
On July 4, 2025, the Christian Broadcasting Network (“CBN”) published an article HERE about America’s Founders’ fear of what so many of the Old World countries had: a religion established by the state as its one true religion, that would tyrannically rule over the faith and conscience of every citizen.
The issue, at least in part, is how one views the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the concept of the Establishment Clause – including how much weight and legal precedent should be afforded to Thomas Jefferson’s letter which discussed separation between church and state.
Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter from them written in October 1801. In Jefferson’s reply, he did not address the association’s concerns about problems with state-level establishment of religion, but the establishment of religion on the national level. The letter contained the phrase “wall of separation between church and state,” which led to what we now call the ‘Establishment Clause’.
As a reminder, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads as follows: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The amendment does not ban all connection between the church and civil government, but rather, it prohibits the state from establishing (mandating) an official state religion or infringing upon a citizen’s right to invoke his or her faith and to worship freely.
If eternal souls are at stake (and they are), then filling our civil governments with elected or appointed officials and civil servants who disavow Jesus or simply find it best to ‘leave their faith at the door’ when they report for work, is the deceit and trickery of Satan!
The best thing that could happen in the United States is for persons of the Christian faith to fill civil government roles — not to ‘establish an official religion’ or infringe upon the civic rights of nonbelievers — but to encourage in the workplace and society in general, through our witness and our governments’ laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and policies, the truth and love of Christ.
If a professing Christian claims to not allow his or her faith affect how they perform their job duties and personal interactions with others, then it is hard to believe that such a person really knows Jesus! What about those who are ‘on the fence’ and are perishing (meaning not yet believing upon the name of Jesus unto salvation)? Worse yet, what about professing believers (including, perhaps, some Christian pastors) who may be lukewarm in this regard, preferring to live a life with fewer spiritual confrontations by subscribing to the ideology of ‘I don’t bother the devil, so he doesn’t bother me’? How does this convince those who are perishing of the truth of the scriptures and the absolute need for all to be born again through faith in Christ?
As the Bible tells us in Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7, we are to have “no other gods before Me” (God Almighty). Putting God in second place to assure favor in society or the workplace is idolic and violates God’s will for our lives, as expressed in the Ten Commandments!
This writer makes no apology that the Truth is a Person and His name is Jesus! According to the word of God, the only way to the Father (salvation) is through Jesus. This is not relative or dependent upon human circumstances, but is the absolute truth and bottom line of the Christian faith. God will never share His glory with the evil one!
John 14:6 (NKJV)
“Jesus said to [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Isaiah 48:11 (NLT)
“I will rescue you for [M]y sake—yes, for [M]y own sake! I will not let [M]y reputation be tarnished, and I will not share [M]y glory with idols!”
We are Fields of Rhema!
Healing Our Community
Fields of Rhema is a God-driven, Christian-based organization called to heal our community. We are a ministry that reaches out to our homeless population. We assist in their physical and spiritual needs. We also meet with those in need on the street or in shelters once a week.
Fields of Rhema also has a music team which meets regularly, and brings praise and worship to our homeless shelters, nursing homes and for special events.
Core Scripture
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
PSALM 92:13
Meet Our Staff
Rachel Buckler President of the Fields of Rhema
Rachel is a semi-retired registered nurse of 35 years in the industry. She has a fearless zeal and dreams for God’s kingdom, and puts into action special events for her community.
She is the founder, CEO and visionary of the Fields of Rhema. She brings order and nurturing everywhere she goes. A snack is usually found in her purse for the hungry! The mother of many is who they call her. They call her 'mama' on the streets, where she and her curbside projects can often be found on the streets of Albuquerque, NM.
Rachel is also a licensed and trained chaplain with the IFOC.
Tim Buckler Vice President of the Fields of Rhema
Tim loves people; His presence helps to bring healing to the broken-hearted.
Tim has been employed with Sandia National Labs for over 16 years and is now retired.
Tim mentors and trains others in the art of music and sound tech. For more than 40 years he has used his keyboard for the Kingdom of God and for special community events.
God has blessed Tim with his beautiful wife, Rachel, and he has inherited four grown children and nine grandchildren. He is the co-founder of the Fields of Rhema.
Tim is also a licensed and trained chaplain with the IFOC.
Wendy Pittman Project Manager of the Fields of Rhema
Wendy was born in Albuquerque, NM, and raised in Montezuma, NM.
As a community Chaplain with the International Fellowship of Chaplains for the last seven years and a Chaplain for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team for the last six years, her involvement has been with assisting in natural disasters throughout the country and our local schools.
Wendy also volunteers with the Bernalillo County Fire Department/Sheriff’s Office as an on-call chaplain.
Wendy is our Project Manager for Fields of Rhema Ministry. Wendy states that “it is a blessing to see how much God loves people and wants us to help them learn to make good choices so that they can have better lives.”
Jackie Morgan Treasurer of the Fields of Rhema
Bio and photograph coming soon!
Pam Wildenstein Board Member of the Fields of Rhema
Pam Wildenstein is a chaplain in Region 6 and assigned to the ABQ Community Chaplain Corps. As a volunteer chaplain, she regularly helps at food distribution centers in greater Albuquerque, NM.
Pam is actively involved in the Community International District Ministry Mission. She attends Calvary Chapel ABQ Church and serves in the church’s Prayer Ministry. She also attends the International District New Creation Church to stay engaged with the families in the community. Pam loves to read and apply God’s word (the Bible) to her life every day. She looks to the Lord for strength and direction.
As a board member with the Fields of Rhema, Pam works as a table designer for holiday celebrations at local shelter(s) in Albuquerque, and provides sage and prayerful advice to the ministry.
Pam is also a military veteran, who retired from service with the United States Air Force.
Chuck Akeley Secretary of the Fields of Rhema
Born and raised in northern Maine, Chuck Akeley is a lifelong musician. He graduated from the University of North Texas in 1985 with a degree in Jazz Studies and subsequently served in the USAF for 11 1/2 years, first as a musician and later as a criminal investigator with the USAF Office of Special Investigations. He retired in 2021 from the New Mexico Environment Department, where for 23 1/2 years he performed inspections and managed the Solid Waste Bureau's civil enforcement program.
Most of all, Chuck loves Jesus and has served since 1998 in several Albuquerque-area churches as a worship team drummer, leader or music director. He is a board member of For God's Glory Alone Ministries ("FGGAM"), and serves as a writer and editor for FGGAM’s website.
Chuck is honored to be the secretary of Fields of Rhema, working closely with Rachel and Tim Buckler, the entire board, and serves as the music team's drummer.
Chuck's heart is that all would come to know and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior!
Giving to Fields of Rhema
Thank you for giving
We collect donations year round. We seek all sizes of new or good-condition clothing for men, women, children and infants.
Here are some of the needed items:
- socks
- shoes
- coats
- t-shirts
- pants
- blouses
- dresses
- sweaters
- jackets
- caps, gloves and scarfs
- hand and foot warmers
- blankets
- umbrellas
- dog and cat food
Get in touch
Do you want to know more? We’d love to hear from you!
Fields of Rhema
- Fields of Rhema, Albuquerque , NM 87110
- (505) 440-5388
- fieldsofrhema@gmail.com
