Church of God Chaplains Commission

Weekly Update
12 August 2007

Choice Christian greetings!

Over the last 30 years, the key to our success has been that of "training." We knew we had to find a way to integrate our chaplaincy ministries into the mainstream of the Church. We simply could not continue to be an "island to ourselves." About 20 years ago, our first Community Service Basic Chaplains Course was developed. This 40-hour course was designed to teach pastors how to "pastor a community rather than just their local church." This course has been taught to more than 5,000 pastors/students and benefits the Church in several areas. First, it gives tools to pastors and other ministers in order for them to be professional caregivers within the wider community of where their churches are located; secondly, by giving pastors chaplaincy skills training, they feel confident to deal with church members and others within their community experiencing domestic violence, unexplainable deep grief, trauma, suicide and all other emotional struggles within a modern society; thirdly, it gives pastors endorsement to become a community service chaplain to law enforcement agencies, hospitals, hospice, jails/prisons, college campuses and the list goes on. We often say that chaplaincy is more than simply a placement in ministry; it is a way of looking at one’s ministry within the larger context. It helps pastors understand that pluralism is not a problem, simply an opportunity. It breaks down racial barriers, prejudice towards women and, most importantly, sends the pastor to the very center of community pain. One pastor expressed it well: "By volunteering my services to our local sheriff’s department, whereby I spend 24 hours in a ride along with law enforcement personnel, my life is changed. Suddenly, I see the world for what it is. All those petty things I thought were so important are blurred when compared with a tragic accident with devastating results, a family who has just experienced a 15-year-old son’s suicide or counseling with a 21-year-old woman who has been raped and brought to our local rape crisis intervention center. My life has been changed as a pastor through chaplaincy ministries."

There you have it; the key is training. Today, we are happy to report that, in addition to hundreds of full-time chaplains, we now have over 2,000 volunteer chaplains serving in 69 countries around the world. I know you will be praying for these chaplains and their families.

COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAPLAINS-VOLUNTEERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

The reason we call our volunteer chaplains "Community Service Chaplains" is because the word "volunteer" simply does not adequately describe their vast ministries. Many of these chaplains work 40+ hours per week in some of the most critical ministries imaginable. Let me give you a few of the testimonies that came in with this week’s reports from our Community Service Chaplains:

1. Chaplain Shelia Unthank, Knoxville, Tennessee, reports: "At our female detention facility during the month of June, I had the privilege of conducting classes which dealt with self-esteem, walking with the Lord and life skills training. These classes are bringing about change in broken lives."
2. Law Enforcement Chaplain Sam Saylor, Bismarck, North Dakota, who is also a Certified Chaplains Commission trainer, recently conducted a one-week Community Service Chaplains Basic Course at the Southwest Indian Ministries Center. During the class, Reverend Douglas Cline, Director of the Southwest Indian Ministries, was injured when the oven he was lighting had a gas explosion. The class assisted with first aid; and following the incident, was given a demonstration of critical incident stress debriefing.
3. Nursing Home Chaplain Garth Hauger, Fredericksburg, Virginia, reports: "Our residents struggle with depression and other emotional instabilities. In addition to our regular visitation ministry, we provide gift cards for the residents. We also take them to various Sunday evening worship services. This is our way of getting them out of the nursing home and treating them with dignity."
4. Prison Chaplain Russell Lawley, Cordova, Alabama, reports: "We have organized 12 chaplaincy teams for four jails in our county. Last month, we had 20 services with 349 inmates in attendance. Twenty of these inmates gave their hearts to the Lord."
5. Law Enforcement Chaplain Ronald Countryman, Big Timber, Montana, states that within the last couple weeks, he dealt with the situation of a vehicle roll-over, resulting in the death of a 20-year-old local man. Chaplain Countryman’s responsibility was to deliver the death notification, assist with the funeral and give follow-up ministry to the family.
6. Prison Chaplain Richard Munson, McDonough, Georgia, reports that during July he conducted six prison services, three Bible studies, and many counseling sessions. Through these meetings, several came to the Lord. He also worked with one of the local court systems in getting an inmate assigned to rehabilitation rather than going back to prison.
7. Dr. Betty Standifer, a college Professor and volunteer chaplain to a women’s prison, reports: "Talking with women in lockdown is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many of them are screaming, tormented by present and past sins. During our Bible study, we held hands and prayed together. Finishing my prayer, one of the women starting praying aloud, God, thank you that someone comes to visit with us! My prayer is that God would send us more chaplains to deal with these desperate individuals."
8. Chaplain Sheila Johnson, Father’s Heart Ministries Center, New York, New York, reports: "In our center, I am dealing with 15 parents representing 40 children in foster care who are taking our parenting skills and anger management classes. Through this effort, we have been able to get 11 of our children returned to their homes. This is a vital ministry that touches the very heart of our community."

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Dr. Darrell Waller, our Board Chairman and pastor of the Winchester, Virginia, Church of God, along with his wife, Pauline, are proud grandparents of Josiah William Miller, 8 pounds, 21 ½ inches, born August 4, 2007. Jennifer, the new mother, while at Lee University, worked in our Chaplains Commission offices. She is now a Physician’s Assistant. Her husband, Jeremy Miller, is preparing to become a hospital chaplain. Our congratulations go to the grandparents, parents and the Winchester Church that celebrated this new member of our "chaplaincy family."

OTHER CHAPLAINCY REPORTS:

1. Army Retired Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor Randy Imhoff, Syracuse, New York, gives this report on his daughter, Sheena: "Thank you for your weeks of praying for Sheena. She is now home with us from the hospital, gaining weight; and we are so thankful for this progress. She is beginning to move her left arm a little more; this is the arm that was broken in three places. We continue to believe God for her complete healing. With our natural eyes, we look at the setbacks that have occurred during the hospitalizations and wonder how this will happen. With our spiritual eyes, we believe in seeing her healing as already accomplished. We continue to believe someday she will be alert, walk and talk, and take care of her children." (Continue to pray for Sheena; and her family who gives her unconditional love and care.)
2. Air Force (CPT) Jonathan Hurt, Okinawa, reports: "Amy, my wife, just returned from a mission to Thailand where she assisted in ministries to two orphanages. The team poured concrete for a new walkway and driveway for one orphanage; provided games and worship opportunities for the children, and stocked a local pool with fish. All this brought attention from the Buddhist community leaders, who came to thank us personally. Also, the ministry team travelled nine hours in the back of a pick-up truck to visit a remote tribe and a refugee camp of roughly 10,000 people. They gave gifts, put on a show for several hundred kids and visited in some of the homes, including the home of the village witch doctor. The witch doctor was not home, but his wife gave her heart to the Lord. Quite a trip!"

FINALLY:

As you can see, our chaplains’ ministries are the heart and soul of this office. We are simply a conduit by which we report the wonderful ministries of our chaplains and their family members to the Church at large. Even after all these years in chaplaincy ministries, my heart is still strangely warmed by the good news that comes from the field of our chaplains’ endeavors. I cannot imagine a Church without those who take seriously their calling for "ministry beyond the gates." As I have stated above, this model of ministry is becoming a fixture within the Church of God. Who would ever envision a ministry that simply serves itself; detached from the pain of those who need most the good news of the Gospel? It is all about unconditional care, without regard as to who gets the credit. Thank God for Church of God chaplains!

Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Crick
Director, Chaplains Commission