So, just what is chaplaincy? Chaplaincy is a very specialized
ministry where the minister serves in a church ministry, hospital, nursing
home, or institutional setting; better described as a "para-church"
ministry. Chaplains works with the public. The people who make up this
community may wear military uniforms, hospital gowns, hard hats, and badges.
Like the Apostle Paul, chaplains are generally "bi-vocational": they
usually have institutional administrative and staff jobs in addition to their
ministries. But that is acceptable to Chaplains, for serving in such
"non-ministry" roles puts them in places where people with needs who
ordinarily would never darken the doors of a church (much less talk to a minister)
will come to talk and interact with the Chaplain.
The Chaplain is there to listen, care, and respond
appropriately to the agenda of the client. Chaplaincy is a ministry of presence
and availability. There are various types of Chaplaincy. The following is a
brief description of some of the more common chaplaincies and their
requirements.
Military Chaplaincy
People preparing for and going to war need Pastoral Care!
There are Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard Chaplains in the Army, Air
Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Requirements are a Bachelor's degree and
a Master of Divinity degree, usually earned before the fortieth birthday. The
Air Force and Navy also sponsor volunteer Chaplaincy in the Civil Air Patrol
and Sea Cadet programs.
Healthcare
Veterans' Affairs and civilian hospitals, as well as hospices, hire
professional Chaplains. Who better to reach the hopeless, hurting, and dying of
society than caring well-trained Chaplains? To be a healthcare Chaplain
generally requires a Bachelor's degree, a Master of Divinity degree, and one
year of Clinical Pastoral Training (better known as Clinical Pastoral Education
CPE) in a healthcare context.
Correctional
God has seen to it that the felon
has a chance to contemplate his/her crimes against society. Who better to reach
out to the lost, hopeless, desperate, and forgotten of society with a message
of deliverance, and hope than a dedicated Chaplain? There are professional and
volunteer opportunities in our nation's Federal, state, and local facilities
for Chaplains. Correctional facilities are presently the fastest growing
industry in America.
Could God be calling you to minister to those who have known
nothing but bondage? Or, could he be calling you to support Chaplains who do?
Requirements vary according to the correctional facility; for professional
Chaplains at least a Bachelor's degree is required. Volunteer positions are
plentiful and do not require degrees.
Workplace
Business and industrial chaplaincy is a new and growing field. Employees not
distracted by marriage and family crises, alcohol, drugs, and other addictions,
as well as a myriad of personal and spiritual problems are safer, more
productive employees. Studies indicate that for every dollar spent on workplace
chaplaincy results in a $4 to $7 saving for business due to absenteeism,
accidents, medical and counseling intervention and treatment, etc.
Specializations in the field of workplace chaplaincy include union, truck stop,
airport, seaport, fire department, police department, racetrack, and college
chaplaincies. Requirements for these chaplaincies vary considerably.
Educational
Public School Chaplaincy for America
is the only organization that equips clergy for ministry to students, faculty,
and administrators in public schools in the US. A quick glance of the top
tragedies of the last several years makes the mandate for this new genre of
Pastoral Care painfully clear! Requirements are appropriate specialized
training, criminal background check, and Ecclesiastical Endorsement.
Professional
Counseling
While Professional Pastoral Counseling is not
chaplaincy, but a necessary part of Chaplaincy and it is an endorsable ministry
that desperately needs Spirit-filled representation. Professional Counselors
hold state licensure(s) and/or secular certification(s) as marriage and family
therapists, alcohol and drug rehabilitation counselors, psychologists, etc.
Requirements for professional counselors are generally a Bachelor's degree, a
graduate degree in psychology or counseling, and a number of hours in a
supervised counseling practicum. While these requisites may seem
"stiff," think of the impact that pastoral counselors would have on
the lives of those who has lost their way, as well as the people of faith who
may need a little extra help in life!
