Discussion Board 1 CHPL 500 (Turabian Format Citing)

The following excerpt comes from the book For God and Country: Considering the Call to Military Chaplaincy

by Brian L. Bohlman © 2015

The Center for Chaplaincy at Liberty University is granted permission to use this excerpt with students enrolled in any Chaplaincy course offered by Liberty University. It must not be

altered, posted or shared with other non-Liberty students. Permission is strictly granted for academic use purposes. Use for any commercial means is strictly forbidden.

For God and Country: Considering the Call to Military Chaplaincy is available in its entirety

as an e-book or paperback using the links below:

For God and Country e-book: http://amzn.to/1QHzuFD

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To learn more about Brian Bohlman’s other publications, please visit: http://www.amazon.com/author/brianbohlman

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CHAPTER 3

BIBLICAL INSIGHTS INTO THE CALL TO MILITARY CHAPLAINCY

Introduction

It is a sad commentary against humanity that only about 268 years of over 3,350 years of recorded history have been free of war. The existence of war is a complex moral problem that must be confronted by churches and society alike. As revealed in James 4:1-2, the source of war is sin: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war …”(NKJV, emphasis mine).

While all of creation yearns for a world free from war, Jesus promised that war would be an earthly reality until His return. “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:7-8, NKJV, emphasis mine).

The reality is that war exists and is here to stay as history has well documented throughout the centuries. As

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philosophers, theologians, and politicians have discovered over time, there are no easy answers to war.

However, the focus of this chapter is not to survey the various positions on “just war theory” or “conscientious objections” to military service. Rather the author will draw out several passages that provide Biblical insights into the call to military chaplaincy. The author writes from a Christian perspective and holds the premise that the vocation of military chaplaincy is a high and honorable calling from God to provide pastoral care to U.S. service members who have the constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. As a result, the author views Christian chaplains who serve in the military as an extension of Christ’s ministry to all people. The following Biblical texts relate to the various aspects of the call to military chaplaincy and provide a Biblical basis for ministry.

A Call to Lifestyle Evangelism

(Matthew 5:13-16)

God leads many Christians to join the military—not just as chaplains—but in other occupations in order to live their lives in such as way that they serve as a witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. Scripture provides insights into the concept of lifestyle evangelism. According to the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. When his disciples came to him, he began to teach them by saying:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to

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everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16, NIV)

The military environment provides Christians with

countless opportunities to be “salt” and “light” to people who have never heard the gospel or may have never previously attended church. As someone once said, your life may be the only ‘Bible’ that someone will ever read. In commenting on the principle of lifestyle evangelism in this passage, Joseph Aldrich says, “I think it is fair to say that the majority of Christians have lost their ability to relate significantly to non-Christians. By no stretch of the imagination can the Christian community be called the ‘salt of the earth.’

For salt to be effective, it must get out of its container and into the world of hurting, dying, suffering, sinning people.” He goes on to say, “Christians are to be the good news before they share the good news. The words of the gospel are to be incarnated before they are verbalized.”1 The insights of Aldrich parallel the words of Saint Francis of Assisi when he said, “Preach the gospel always, and if necessary use words.” Overall, the military offers a fitting environment where a Christian chaplain can practice lifestyle evangelism.

A Call to Missionary Service (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)

The U.S. military comprises one of the largest—but often overlooked—mission fields in the world. In many ways, military people serve in a culture that is foreign to civilians as Rick Bereit explains in a guidebook for Christians serving in the military.

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The military has its own rules, values, and language. It demands more order, structure, and conformity than civilian life. The military, unlike other jobs, is not something you show up to periodically. You don’t work for the military; you’re in it! It is a way of life that envelopes you. It makes demands on your abilities, time, and, unlike most professions, your life! When you join the military, you swear to surrender your life, if necessary, in defense of your country. Life-and-death responsibilities accompany the privilege of serving in the military, making it a profession like no other.2

It is within this unique context of military life that

civilians consider joining the U.S. Armed Forces as a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman. For example, the following story depicts the inspiring journey of a young man called to military service—not as a chaplain—but as a Marine who happened to be a Christian:

On a charcoal-black April night, with his future weighing heavily on him, Rano Mariotti sought solitude at the historic battlefield of Gettysburg—the same place in Pennsylvania where thousands of brave soldiers gave their lives 144 years ago. He could almost hear their voices and the thunder of cannons as he stood on the open field, not far from Little Round Top. Though the place was eerie at night, Rano hoped the hallowed spot would help him make a big decision. He was on a retreat with Military Ministry [of Campus Crusade for Christ], and they had been studying the battle of Gettysburg. Rano admired the valor of the more than 7,000 soldiers who gave their lives over a three- day period. ‘All men want to be courageous,’ he says. ‘It’s

what every man hopes he would be.’ While Rano sat at the

memorial spot, the place spoke to his heart. His future started to become clear. He decided to go for it—to

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become a Marine. Believing it was God’s plan for him but not knowing exactly how God would use him, he knew that he could no longer fight this desire.3

In the same way, seminary students and civilian clergy

have considered the call to the military chaplaincy as a unique vocation. In many respects, the call to military chaplaincy is a call to missionary service. Bereit provides the following missional insights for Christians considering serving in the military as chaplains:

God has called men and women in every walk of life to live obedient lives among our peers. When we do this, we reflect the life of Jesus, a shining light in a dark world. Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19). His command requires going into every nation, but it also implies reaching into every walk of life. That includes the military.4

Furthermore, Christians serving in the military can fulfill the mandate of Jesus stated in Acts 1:8 as they receive power to be His witnesses wherever they are sent to serve.

While a seminary student at CIU, I enjoyed discussing my call to ministry with a fellow seminarian who had previously served as a foreign missionary but now desired to serve as a military chaplain. He graduated a few years before I did and joined the Army prior to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He recently took the time to reflect on his call to the military chaplaincy as he shared his personal journey in the CIU Alumni magazine. The following quotations provide key insights into the relationship between missionary service and military service:

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During an intense season of prayer and fasting while serving as a missionary in Albania, I received God’s call to the chaplaincy. Although I had prior military service, this call came as a complete shock as I had never considered that the chaplaincy might be a legitimate fulfillment of a boyhood calling to serve Christ as a cross-cultural missionary. In fact, previously, I had never felt more out of place than during my period of active service with the U.S. Army. For that reason, I initially dismissed the call altogether, and then when the call began to crystallize, made the decision to apply for the Air Force chaplaincy which I felt was culturally a better fit for me in terms of disposition and gifting. However, hours before submitting my Air Force application, I heard God’s voice challenging me, “David, do you think your lifelong preparation has been to prepare you to enjoy an easy life? Get back in the Army.” I knew from that moment on, that God was calling me to the challenges of Army culture and ministry. I mention the circumstances of my original calling as a chaplain because that call has made all the ensuing challenges so much easier to handle. [As a result] I have spent three of the last five years entirely separated from my wife, and my four young children. Over the past five years I have grown to be a huge advocate of chaplain ministry in the Army. At U.S. government expense, the Army asks me to serve its soldiers by providing spiritual direction, life coaching, and moral and ethical guidance. I have unrestricted access to some of our society’s most broken members, as well as its future leaders. I am an insider in this ministry. Sharing the daily drudgery, danger, and joy, I live among the lost and the faithful with a matchless opportunity to speak into their lives and love them in Christ’s name. Additionally, the high profile that the war has received has been a catalyst for the vast numbers of Christians to take an invaluable prayer interest in the ministry. I imagine that only eternity will reveal the movements and grace that this prayer [has produced].5

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Accordingly, the military chaplaincy relates to missionary service because ministry is conducted within a diversity of cultures that need to be crossed in order be effective.

A Call to be a Friend of Sinners (Matthew 11:19) and Minister to the Needy (Matthew 25:31-46)

Throughout the Gospels, we learn how Jesus went out

of His way to cultivate relationships with the outcasts of society such as tax collectors, drunkards, prostitutes, and lepers. Because Jesus shared meals and socialized with such outcasts, religious leaders labeled him as a ‘friend of sinners’ (Matthew 11:19). The military chaplaincy offers ministry to people who may never again darken the doors of a church because they once had a unpleasant experience with a minister or someone within the church.

Brennan Manning once said that, “The single greatest cause for atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”6 However, people who have witnessed religious hypocrisy in society still have a need for a friend to care for their soul. Consequently, the military chaplain can become such a friend to lost souls by bringing God to people where they are at, whether it is in a hospital, a foxhole, on a flight line, or at Fort Leavenworth military prison.

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus states that ministry provided to the “least of these” includes those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, unclothed, sick, and imprisoned. As a result, when clergy leave their comfort zones within the church building and provide ministry to people often located outside of the church context, such ministry is performed as if one is serving Jesus Himself. The

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importance of being a “friend to sinners” and providing ministry to “the least of these” is the Biblical example for taking ministry to where people “are” instead of waiting for them to come inside the church for help.

Commenting on the Matthew 25 passage, Chaplains Naomi Paget and Janet McCormack explain how the text speaks to the chaplain of “the innate worth of all persons, not just those who agree with their religion, share their culture, or look like them. Because we are all ‘created in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27), we are all entitled to, and worthy of, compassionate ministry and respect. No one is outside of the love or concern of God (John 3:16). Chaplains follow God’s example by loving and caring for each person.”7

A Call to a Ministry of Presence (Luke 24:13-35)

The cornerstone of the military chaplaincy is the ministry of presence. Military chaplains often provide ministry by walking around, visiting military personnel in their workplace. In my own experience as a military chaplain, a primary function during my National Guard training weekend is to build strong relationships with the members of my unit so that I can serve them in their time of need. While spending time with airmen on the flight line, in maintenance back shops, and in administrative offices I get to know them personally, as well as learn of their struggles.

One of the differences of providing ministry outside the context of the four walls of the institutional church is the opportunity to build strong bonds with the troops over time. Commenting on this unique aspect of the chaplaincy, an Army chaplain said, “Because [active duty] chaplains are ministering to the same people seven days a week, spiritual

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bonds grow more quickly. In a regular [civilian] congregation, one might see parishioners once or twice a week. But during [military] deployments, there are often dozens of services for different denominations during the weekends, as well as Bible studies and counseling services weekly.”8

As military chaplains build friendships with troops in their unit, they become better prepared to serve them in time of need. The Gospel of Luke records the ministry of presence that Jesus provided when He spent hours walking with two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). In the same way, military chaplains are called to be with and walk alongside those dealing with pain, suffering, and grief as they provide a ministry of presence in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Luke 24:15 records how “Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.” Likewise, military chaplains are called to walk with and alongside troops on the journey of life. Luke 24:17 states that Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” Again, military chaplains can take the time to ask the right questions and then just listen to military personnel share from their pain. According to federal law and military regulations, the military chaplain is the only person granted absolute confidentiality in matters discussed with military members.

The phrase “tell it to the chaplain” is a popular way to explain the provision for military members to talk openly about a personal problem without it getting out to the chain of command. The ministry of presence in just listening to others, is of vital importance to the emotional health and mental stability of military personnel in times of peace and war.

Finally, in Luke 24:27 it is recorded that, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He [Jesus] explained to

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them the Scriptures.” In the same way, military chaplains have an opportunity to open up God’s Word as a source of strength and comfort to warriors. As a result, the example of Jesus in Luke 24 provides a model for military chaplains as they offer a ministry of presence among military personnel. In his personal memoir on serving as a Catholic Chaplain during the Vietnam War, Father Joseph O’Donnell made the following reflections:

Being a chaplain in the military is not all about war, blood, and guts. Much of the chaplain’s work is the same as that of any parish priest. Not every minister, priest, or rabbi is suited to be in institutional ministry, especially in ministry where there can be Violence. If I were choosing chaplains, I would look for three qualities. The first is that he or she should have the ability to listen, to listen not only to words, but to, and with, both heart and soul. The ability to listen includes the willingness to accept people where they are in their own understanding of life and faith, not where the chaplain would like them to be. The second requirement is that the chaplain be credible. I have to live what I believe. I have to be a person of faith, and hope, and love—yes, love—in the midst of war. Credibility is not a given in the military, as it may be in civilian churches or denominational institutions. One earns his or her place by being there, by listening, by keeping secrets, by speaking when it is time to speak, and not speaking when it is not. The third requirement is that a chaplain understands the nature of confidentiality, or Rule of Privilege, as it is called in the Manual for Courts Martial, the operative, judicial portion of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As a chaplain, I have to know when to keep my mouth shut.9

O’Donnell’s insights into the requirements of

prospective chaplains closely parallel the ministry model of

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Jesus found in Luke 24. In summary, a chaplain’s ministry of presence can never be undervalued.

Perhaps this is why some of my own unit members often tell me that while they may forget the content of my sermons, they will never forget the times that I was present with them in their workplace, in a crisis-counseling situation, in a hospital room, at a funeral, and during a wartime deployment.

A Call to Prophetic Ministry

(Isaiah 6:8, Jeremiah 1:5, Philippians 1:12-14) Isaiah 6 records the dramatic commissioning of the

prophet Isaiah. After receiving cleansing and atonement for sin, Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah replies, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8, NIV, emphasis mine). Without hesitation, Isaiah steps forward with boldness to carry forth a prophetic ministry to wherever the Lord sends him. Likewise, Jeremiah 1 records the global nature of the prophet’s call to ministry. In this case, the Lord knew Jeremiah before he was formed in his mother’s womb and set him apart and appointed him as a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV, emphasis mine).

The mobile nature of military service often requires chaplains to be sent forth into the corners of the earth to provide ministry wherever there are military personnel. While providing for the free exercise of religion for military personnel, the gospel has also been carried into countries where Christian missionaries were once banned. A recent article stated, “While soldiers, sailors, and airmen are lauded each July 4th for defending freedom on a daily basis, military chaplains daily offer spiritual freedom to personnel who serve in the armed forces domestically and abroad. ‘As

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chaplains, we deal in relationships,’ Army Chaplain Brandon Denning said. ‘I never thought God would call me to be a missionary.’ But ministry to military personnel is a missionary opportunity among a distinct people group, he noted. ‘The military is often a culture that is overlooked as far as missions is concerned, and yet it is one of the biggest missionary fields we’ve got out there,’ Denning said. ‘We’ve got soldiers who need the Lord.’ ”10

One of the first official acts of civilian clergy who become military chaplains is to swear or affirm the military oath of office.11 The military oath is a binding document that requires obedience to the legal military orders of superior officers. In essence, military members under orders can be sent wherever the military needs them. This could mean a one-year remote tour in Korea or Iceland. As a result, like Abraham, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jonah, military chaplains are called to global locations where they can function within their prophetic call to ministry. God often works in and through the military assignment and deployment process. After all, God is always at work behind the scenes whether one is aware of it or not.

In the life of the Apostle Paul, God used his imprisonment to spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. Gary Sanders of the Military Missions Network made the following observations about God’s work in and through the ministry of Paul:

The apostle Paul, during a significant portion of his missionary career, did military missions and ministry as he was with and under the Roman military and government as a prisoner. During his fourth missionary journey, he testified, taught, and ministered to many soldiers, commanders, government officials, kings, prisoners, Jews, Gentiles, and fellow believers. His own testimony of this

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time period and corresponding experience is found in Philippians 1:12-13 (NIV), where he said, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me (i.e., all his experiences while being with and under the military as a prisoner) has really served to advance the gospel (i.e., missions and ministry). As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard (i.e., military and their social networks) and to everyone else (i.e., others in the same setting) that I am in chains for Christ.” Here he is speaking of military missions and ministry. In his letter to the Philippians, he was seeking to encourage them about the situation regarding his imprisonment. It is also possible that he was indirectly encouraging them about involvement in military missions and ministry (Phil. 1:14).12

The call to prophetic ministry involves being sent to

specific people and places of God’s choosing. Therefore, when military chaplains focus their attention on God’s call instead of the assignment location, they will see Him accomplish His work through them.

A Call to be a Shepherd

(Matthew 9:35-38)

Military chaplains are called to become shepherds to a highly mobile flock that is culturally diverse and religiously pluralistic. Using the shepherd motif as a Biblical insight into the work of military chaplains, the Gospel of Matthew records the following account of those who came to Jesus for ministry:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom

and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were

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harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’ (Matthew 9:35-38, NIV, emphasis mine)

Today, people in society in general and in the military in

particular are like these lost sheep. As a result, they need shepherds to lead them. Prospective military chaplains must have compassion for the lost, harassed, and helpless souls in the military. Without a shepherd’s heart that is full of compassion for the lost, chaplains can begin to stray away from their divine call to ministry and dig themselves into a pit of selfish careerism and alienation from their flock.

As they minister, chaplains need to guard themselves against apathy and disillusionment so they can remain true to their calling, convictions, and covenant with God in a pluralistic setting. Military chaplains must be authentic, lest they lose their focus and sense of calling to serve as a chaplain.

When chaplains lose their pastoral and denominational identity, it affects the entire chaplaincy and often causes service members to look “off base” for churches that will meet their spiritual needs. Chaplains who compromise their faith often get labeled as “vanilla” or “plain” from having uprooted themselves from their denominational roots. Former Air Force Chief of Chaplains, Major General William Dendinger explained the importance of maintaining a priestly identity and shepherd’s heart as a military chaplain as follows:

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Chaplains come from a variety of religious traditions, but there is a common ground for identity. All chaplains have some religious identity based in a religious conviction. This identity is not the result of doing a variety of ministries. No, we minister because of our specific vocation, calling, appointment, and ordination. There is a divine calling and a human response to that call which is at the core and center of any chaplain. Each chaplain needs to nourish that identity with frequent reflection and prayer to avoid reducing our ministry to outcomes and results only. We are motivated and appreciated in many ways in the military chaplaincy, but we must not make awards [and promotions] the primary source of our motivation. The ultimate rationale for our ministry must be rooted in our divine calling and identity. To live on the level of praise and appreciation only will eventually diminish our ministry. Whether we call it priestly identity, divine imprint, or a unique calling from God, chaplains must begin and end with that foundation or motivation.13

Chaplains must always be on guard for the tendency to

drift away from their religious traditions and therefore spiritually wither away. As a visual reminder, the Army Chaplain Corps Regimental Crest depicts a shepherd’s staff that symbolizes the pastoral ministry that Army chaplains are called to provide. On the seal of the Air Force Chaplain Corps are the words “Freedom,” “Faith,” and “Ministry” that form the foundation of the seal.

There are many different ways that men and women receive their call to ministry in the military chaplaincy. One survey conducted by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command indicated that nine out of ten Army Chaplains believe their divine call to serve as religious leaders in the Army is supported by the organization and its mission.

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According to the survey, “a spiritual calling and a strong relationship with the Divine are the primary forces behind a career in ministry.”14 As chaplains reconnect with their calling, they are reminded that they are ultimately servants of God and Country.

A Call to be a Servant of God, Country, Community (Matthew 20:26-28; John 15:12-13; Philippians 2:3-7) As military chaplains serve the members of their

assigned military community, they are ultimately serving both God and Country. All military chaplains, regardless of their rank, service branch and denomination are called to be servants in the midst of warriors. It discredits the call to a ministry of servant hood when chaplains solely focus on their military rank over their religious insignia (cross, tablets, crescent) on their uniform.

God calls military chaplains to serve others—not to be served by others. In regard to serving others, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28, NIV, emphasis mine). Chaplains must be willing to go into harm’s way to serve those on the front lines who are facing death in a war zone.

It is a dangerous job but God has called men and women to stand in the gap for the sake of the gospel. Therefore, military chaplains must be motivated by their love for those entrusted to their care. In this regard, Jesus is the prime example of service and unselfish love when he stated, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13, emphasis mine).

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Christian chaplains are called to imitate Christ in their servant approach to ministry as the Apostle Paul explained as follows: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature

of a servant.” (Philippians 2:3-7, emphasis mine). As chaplains fulfill their Biblical calling in the context of

the military, many will find that their ministry revolves around the following three basic functions: 1) To nurture the living, 2) To care for the wounded, and 3) To honor the dead. From the American Revolution to the present War on Terror, military chaplains have focused on these three ministry skills as they serve God and Country.15 In my own experience, my service to God and Country as a chaplain in the Air National Guard has been the most challenging and rewarding ministry in which I have ever been involved. In explaining his ministry role to a civilian clergy member, I once heard a military chaplain state that he was a chaplain in general to all members in his unit, but a pastor in particular to the Christians within his unit. What this means is that chaplains from all faiths are to serve those of any or no faith at all. In this respect, the Code of Ethics of the National Council on Ministry to the Armed Forces provides the following guidelines:

As a chaplain in the United States Armed Forces, I will function in a pluralistic environment with chaplains of other religious bodies to provide for ministry to all military personnel and their families entrusted to my care. I will seek to provide for pastoral care and ministry to persons of religious bodies other than my own within my area of

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responsibility with the same investment of myself as I give to members of my own religious body.16

In the nurturing role, Rick Silveira says, “Chaplains

nurture a warrior’s spirituality by providing religious services for those who desire them, facilitating the spirituality of those with differing beliefs, and caring for all, regardless of their beliefs. At the heart of the chaplaincy is the free exercise of religion, including the right to hold no belief.”17

As Chaplain Silveira further reflected on his role as a chaplain to Marines, sailors, and their families at Camp Pendleton he said, “It is clear that in an all-volunteer military, every individual who signs up comes in looking for meaning and purpose [in life]. My role is to try to understand how I can affirm that sense of calling [in life] regardless of the individual’s religious beliefs.”18 As persons of faith, military chaplains have a unique, spiritual role to play as they serve in the midst of warriors. A divine calling and mission requires that chaplains be visible reminders of the Holy and abide by the tenets of their faith group and endorsers’ expectations.

A Call to be a Visible Reminder of God

(Deuteronomy 20:1-4; Joshua 6:2-5; John 1:14; Philippians 2:7)

As chaplains serve as non-combatants in the midst of combatant warriors, they become a visible reminder of the invisible God. In short, it has been said that chaplains are “visible reminders of the Holy.” Several Old Testament passages refer to priests accompanying armies into battle. For example, the Book of Deuteronomy records the following instructions about war:

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When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory’ (Deuteronomy 20:1-4, NIV, emphasis mine).

Another example, found in the Book of Joshua, provide details for the battle of Jericho.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in. (Joshua 6:2-5, NIV, emphasis mine).

These Biblical accounts provide insights into the role of

priests in the military operations of ancient Israel. These passages also depict the non-combatant role of the priest as a visible reminder of God and His strength to deliver Israel from her enemies.19 Today, chaplains still serve as a visible reminder of the One who is greater than modern day weaponry and in Whom we can place our trust (Psalm 20:7).

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Another Biblical insight for military chaplaincy involves the doctrine of the incarnation. The incarnation of Jesus provides insights into using a servant-based approach as a model for military chaplaincy. The fact that God became a man and dwelt among us (John 1:14) shows how Jesus entered our world, taking on the nature of a servant (Phil. 2:7). Civilian chaplains serving in the corporate sector also see the incarnation as a Biblical image of the servant approach to ministry as a chaplain. Leaders within the growing field of corporate chaplaincy have stated the following:

A chaplain is called to be a servant to people. The approach of Jesus that worked over two thousand years ago is an approach that will still work today. People in the workplace need people who care. They need chaplains who care enough to become servants to those around them. They need chaplains who are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to meet them at their individual point of need. That need could arise at the hospital, when their marriage faces difficulty, or when their teenager rebels. Whatever the need, people respond to those willing to serve and put the needs of others ahead of their own.20

The doctrine of the incarnation provides another model of ministry for chaplains as they enter the culture of the military in order to live out their faith as they serve God’s people.

A Call to Provide Pastoral Care and Counseling

(John 3:1-21)

A final Biblical insight involves how Jesus dealt with those seeking answers to spiritual questions. In John 3:1- 21, we find that Nicodemus secretly approaches Jesus at

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night to discuss a spiritual matter. In the same way, military members will observe a chaplain to see if he or she is “real” and would offer them a safe place to discuss their spiritual questions. Like Nicodemus, they also will watch the chaplain and wait for the right time to make their approach, often in secret to discuss a personal crisis. The matter under discussion will often involve a spiritual solution to the crisis as hand. As a result, offering pastoral care and counseling is a key ministry of the military chaplain.

In taking the servant approach as a model of ministry, military chaplains are focused on reaching out to offer spiritual care to people located outside of the institutional church setting. Chaplains can best serve others by offering themselves as a minister of presence, care, and hope. This is much different from the standard “ministry of doing” which often focuses on the minister’s ability to “fix” people or try to “solve” their problems.

The concept of a “ministry of presence” is vital for those involved in ministering to grief stricken families. A ministry of presence is best described as watching out for those suffering a loss of any sort. The minister has to be attentive to the children and adults suffering the loss. All too often, ministers “drive by,” offer some official rhetoric, verse of ritual, and then leave. Ministry of presence is about listening, waiting, respecting the silences, and, as the family (or individual) moves with the minister in that journey, to do prayer, communion, confession, rituals, etc. There are times that a person does not need us to say anything or do anything other than let them cry on our shoulders. Many people have reported how, in an attempt to fill the gap of silence, others have said things that were inappropriate or hurtful and would have been better left unspoken.21

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After my first few years in military ministry, I came to the realization that most people only seem to want God’s help when they are facing a crisis. Therefore, my primary goal is to build a long-term relationship on National Guard training weekends through purposeful visitation in various work centers, such as the back-shop maintenance areas and on the flight line. The original purpose for establishing the American military chaplaincy was to have members of the clergy serving in the midst of warriors facing all kinds of crisis, such as loneliness, hardship, grief, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and relationship issues. My belief is that every member of my unit is either in the midst of a crisis, or has just come out of a crisis situation, or is about to enter a crisis. If I have taken the time to establish a relationship with them, the door will be open to serve them by offering pastoral care and counseling when they face the next crisis.

Conclusion

The Bible provides many insights into the various roles of those called to military chaplaincy. Serving in the midst of warriors as a minister of God’s presence, care, and hope is all about being a spiritual guidepost to a lost and hurting world in need of salvation. The vocation of military chaplaincy is a high and honorable calling from God that must be answered by those He has chosen. One chaplain summed it as follows:

For over two hundred years, brave and dedicated civilians have been answering two callings to their God and to their County. From the birth of this nation, to the modern conflicts of the twenty-first century, the U.S. Army Chaplaincy has been performing its ministry of presence, in the battlefield or on the post, walking side-by-side with

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Soldier’s souls. The U.S. Army Chaplaincy [offers] a glorious past, a powerful present, and now more than ever, a challenging future. There are reasons to ask some hard questions. Who will be there to walk side-by-side with our sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, husbands, wives, the souls of our soldiers? Do we want to send our loved ones into battle, without the solace, the comfort, the spirituality, the heroism that is the United States Army Chaplaincy? The vacancies are great, the need is ever- present, the service unparalleled. It is time once again to hear the call. Not just hear it, but answer it. As the prophet Isaiah said, ‘Hear am I, send me.’ Pro deo et patria. For God and Country.22

With our nation presently engaged in a War on Terror,

military chaplains are needed now more than ever before! I can think of no higher calling today than to serve our God and Country in the military chaplaincy. Serving others through the various Biblical ministry roles discussed in this chapter will constitute meaningful ministry for many military chaplains. When military chaplains fully understand their divine call to ministry, they can best weather the unique challenges of military life.

In the next chapter, I will examine the call to military chaplaincy with a group of fifteen seminary students who participated in a vocational discernment workshop as prospective military chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The following excerpt comes from the book For God and Country: Considering the Call to Military Chaplaincy

by Brian L. Bohlman © 2015

The Center for Chaplaincy at Liberty University is granted permission to use this excerpt with students enrolled in any Chaplaincy course offered by Liberty University. It must not be

altered, posted or shared with other non-Liberty students. Permission is strictly granted for academic use purposes. Use for any commercial means is strictly forbidden.

For God and Country: Considering the Call to Military Chaplaincy is available in its entirety

as an e-book or paperback using the links below:

For God and Country e-book: http://amzn.to/1QHzuFD

For God and Country paperback: http://amzn.to/1QHzMwf

To learn more about Brian Bohlman’s other publications, please visit: http://www.amazon.com/author/brianbohlman