Chaplain Interview Assignment
Olivia M. Morgan
CHPL 500: Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry
March 2023
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Summary........................................................................................................................................1
Critical Evaluation.........................................................................................................................2
Strengths......................................................................................................................................2
Weakness.....................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................8
ii
1
Introduction
Chaplain Minister Terry Morgan has been in the ministry for over 30 years. He has
served as a law enforcement chaplain for over two decades. In addition to his roles as Senior
Chaplain/Executive Director of Gold Country Chaplaincy and Press4hope, he is also the Pastor
of the Church of the Indwelling in Redding, California.1 Morgan is an International Critical
Incident Stress Foundation member who completed the Master Chaplain Level of the
International Conference of law enforcement Chaplains. Trinity Biblical University granted
Chaplain Morgan a Master of Arts in Ministry in Public Safety, while Pacific Coast Bible
College awarded him a Bachelor of Arts in Theology.2 The Chaplain's Role, How Clergy can
Work with Law Enforcement, Life Celebrations a Guide for Funeral and Memorial Services,
What to Do When Grief Kidnaps Your Soul, and Starting with God are all books he has written.3
This book review shows how a dedicated chaplain's presence can transform law enforcement
families' lives by ministering to their physical, psychological, and spiritual needs, which can be
met only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Summary
Beginning with Romans 13:1–6, Terry Morgan explains that the book's central theme—
that all authority on Earth imposed by God must be respected—comes from Paul's letter to the
church in Rome.4 When God chooses someone to serve as a leader in this world, whether a
police officer, a pastor or a chaplain, He chooses them because they all perform a vital role that
1 Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012), 189.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid., 199.
4 Ibid.
2
deserves our trust and utmost respect.5 This book guides the fundamental idea of being a police
officer, providing the chaplain with all the resources they need to understand their role better.
Although it is the police officers' responsibility to maintain law and order, it is clear that the
chaplain's responsibility is to be a reliable representative of God's kingdom in the lives of police
officers. When responding to an urgent call, police officers constantly face various challenges.
Police officers face many challenges in their daily work, including stress, paranoia,
discrimination, long shifts, and fatigue.6
Being under constant stress in a law enforcement role can have negative psychological,
physiological, and even spiritual consequences. The effects of stress on a law enforcement
officer's work, home life, and employer are far-reaching.7 Chaplains play a crucial role in the
lives of police officers because they provide emotional, spiritual, and even physical support
during trying times on the job. We, chaplains, are often compared to God, but with flesh and
blood. We are God's representatives, sent to walk alongside those in their darkest hour and be
like Jesus. The storm may be raging outside, but we bring peace and calm inside.8
Critical Evaluation
Strengths
The author's use of F. F. Bruce, a leading scholar in biblical criticism and interpretation,
strengthens the book. It is clear from the progression of Romans 13 that Christians are to submit
to the governing authorities on Earth because God has appointed them to do so as His ministers.9
5 Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012).
6
Ibid.
7 Ibid., 189.
8
Ibid., 131.
9
Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012).
3
The government is an institution that God has ordained and set up to establish law and order, and
God enjoins all people to submit to it. Referring to Romans 13, he says, "But it is clear that Paul
has in mind two very different kinds of "service" to God."10
Many modern Christians struggle to make sense of the biblical endorsement of violent
restraint of evil in this and other places, seeing it at odds with Christ's way of love and His
commandment that we should not resist evil.11 The job of a police officer is dangerous, and they
often witness horrific acts that leave permanent scars on them even before they arrive at the
crime scenes. After receiving adequate training, the police officer is prepared to put his life on
the line to protect the public. Our police officers are tasked with doing work that only some of us
would volunteer to do. We are asking them to risk their lives to keep us safe. They are expected
to put their lives in danger, interact with hostile people, and mediate conflicts, all while missing
quality family time.12
The book's portrayal of the chaplain as a divinely sent messenger of solace to a police
officer's troubled soul is another high point. Chaplain's vocation is one of the most extraordinary
and uncommon in the world. The chaplain crosses the crime scene tape and goes where the
church cannot. Chaplains will visit people whose lives are in the midst of a storm.13 This book
describes the chaplain's work in the context of the police officer's existential crisis in the face of
the evil he must confront daily. One of the book's most vital points is how it frames the
10 Ibid.
11
Ibid., 6.
12
Ibid., 11.
13
Ibid.
4
chaplain's assistance to the police officer during the crisis as a formative experience that can alter
the officer's home life.14
Suicide, marital problems (including divorce and extramarital affairs), and police officer
deaths in the line of duty are just topics covered to help prospective chaplains prepare for the
inevitable demanding situations they will face.15C A crisis is usually something that happens out
of the blue. Whenever things are out of control, people look to the chaplain for some semblance
of calm, hope, and serenity.16 One learns that the lives of police officers and chaplains are
frequently not given the necessary and required value, given the hardship of their long workdays,
without taking into account the potential effects of the psychological and mental illnesses that
they may experience as unique people facing the problem of God's call on their lives.17CIt is the
chaplain's divine mission to assist law enforcement. The chaplain’s presence can help shape and
develop the officer's character, like sharpening an iron using it on another piece of iron.18
Weakness
The book has not had many problems because it is well-written, and the detective work is
real because the author has done it before as chaplain Morgan. The officer's moral compass can
be said to be pointed North by the chaplain. The chaplain encourages them to stay the course and
not let themselves get derailed but act morally and ethically in all aspects of their lives and jobs.
9 It has been pointed out that the long hours' police officers are expected to work can lead to
14 Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012).
15 Ibid.
16
Ibid., 145.
17
Ibid., 99.
18
Ibid., 100.
5
severe psychological and physical health problems, which has been cited as a weakness. The
police force operates in an unsupportive environment.
Like any other worker, a police officer or chaplain's performance suffers when their shifts
last longer than expected. It is easy to tell that they are just as exhausted as everyone else
because nothing is done to improve their situation. Over time, an officer's body and mind will
react differently to the chronic stress they experience on the job. The average person regresses
under pressure, and it lasts for a while. Immaturity and childish behavior are likely to increase
them.19 When a police officer first enters the force, his primary motivation is to do an
outstanding job. However, as he gains experience, he is exposed to increasingly unpleasant
situations, and his heart begins to harden.
Police officers receive extensive training to deal with and observe situations that would
make most people cringe. They are not supposed to show any signs of vulnerability due to their
activity. They will actively try to separate themselves from their feelings to handle a problem
better.20 Another intriguing weakness is that chaplains may be susceptible to developing Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), also known as Compassion Fatigue, because they are not
taught in training how to deal with this issue, despite its prevalence among police officers.21 This
is due to their work requiring them to witness the traumatic events that those in first response,
emergency care, and spiritual care witness daily. It is characterized by extreme fatigue across all
19 Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012), 68.
20 Ibid., 76.
21
Ibid.
6
levels of being and is frequently accompanied by severe emotional suffering.22 Being constantly
exposed to such cruelty leaves an indelible mark on people (police officers and chaplains).23
An effective chaplain who gains the police officer's trust will be able to help him through
any difficulty he encounters during his daily duties. If someone becomes a Chaplain, he will
have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of police officers and the department's culture.
Their ability to make a difference will be significantly influenced by their actions, including their
willingness to put in the necessary time and effort, their level of visibility within the department,
and their level of concern for the officers under their charge.24 The chaplain faces a formidable
task: guiding police officers in the right direction by sharing the gospel of the kingdom of heaven
through his exemplary testimony every day. The chaplain's greatest vulnerability is that he must
act quickly whenever an officer exhibits signs of developing a negative attitude that could
compromise their ability to carry out their duties as a law enforcement official.
Conclusion
Providing spiritual guidance to law enforcement personnel is the primary responsibility
of a Chaplain. Therefore, the chaplain must be a devout believer. A person of faith can discern
when God calls them to the chaplain's vocation.25 The final thought is that when one walks by
faith and in faith, others will want to walk alongside a chaplain who reflects the true love of
Christ, as described in Romans 10:17, and that this understanding leads one to reflect the
character of Christ as they chaplain around those who work in our professional environment. The
chaplain has the responsibility and power to be a beacon of hope for his fellow service members
22 Terry Morgan. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. (Seattle: CreateSpace
Independent Publishing Platform. 2012), 82.
23
Ibid.
24
Ibid., 124.
25
Ibid., 104.
7
by living out the gospel daily. The chaplain is God's primary tool to accomplish this
extraordinary mission of protecting others through his grace and leading them to the path of faith
that leads to salvation.
8
Bibliography
Morgan, Terry. The Chaplain's Role. How Clergy can Work with Law Enforcement. Seattle:
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2012.
