LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Types of Chaplains
Submitted to Dr. Keith,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
CHPL 500_001
Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry
by
John Smith
September 27, 2021
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Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Chaplain Ministry as a Whole........................................................................................................1
Military Chaplain...........................................................................................................................2
Health-Care Chaplains...................................................................................................................3
Workplace Chaplains.....................................................................................................................3
Correctional and Prison Chaplains.................................................................................................4
Sport Chaplains..............................................................................................................................4
First Responder Chaplains.............................................................................................................5
College Campus Chaplains............................................................................................................5
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................7
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Introduction
Chaplaincy includes a wide variety of different ministries. Each chaplain ministry seeks
to focus support on the similarities of a particular group of individuals. Understanding the unique
particulars of a group can assist in understanding the chaplain ministry associated with the group;
therefore, this paper seeks to explain the following ministries associated with chaplaincy in order
to better understand the opportunities for ministry among these groups: military chaplaincy,
health-care chaplaincy, workplace chaplaincy, correctional/ prison chaplaincy, sports chaplaincy,
first responder chaplaincy, and college campus chaplaincy.
Chaplain Ministry as a Whole
In this ministry of chaplaincy there are many opportunities to minister to men and woman
that would not be seen in a church building outside of a wedding or funeral. However, as a
chaplain one has the opportunity to engage with all kinds of people and religious back grounds as
he/ she ministers outside the church. In his book “Outside the Gates”, Crick says, “An
unfortunate mistake that is often made by believers and some ministers is the separation of “us”
and “them”; “our” domain and “theirs. ” Crick goes on to explain that the “they” are the lost and
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the “we” are the Christians or church goers.
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Chaplains often function like a pastor; however, there are some main differences. The
first difference that will be discussed is a chaplain does not work out of a church. A chaplain in
similar to a missionary in that they are sent outside of the church walls. Chaplains, like
missionaries go to the people that he/ she ministers to, instead of having a church that people
come a visit a pastor. Another main difference between chaplains and pastors being that
1 Robert Crick. Outside the Gates : Theology, History, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries. HigherLife
Publishing, 2012. Accessed August 31, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central. Pg. 25.
2 Ibid Pg. 25
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chaplains work in a pluralistic environment, while pastors work within their denominations. A
chaplain is often working with people from other religions, and he/ she will even have to ensure
that said person has the opportunity to worship their god as his/ her religion directs. While this
seems unbiblical, in the United States everyone has the freedom of religion, which gives
Christians the right to worship God. This unfortunately falls on the chaplain to ensure everyone
has that opportunity. In doing so, prayerfully, God will open doors for the gospel to be shared
with those who worship idols and not the creator God.
Military Chaplain
Military chaplains have an important role in the ministry of the Lord as they are salt and
light to the men and woman of the armed forces, he/ she serves. As noted above this is gone in a
pluralistic environment. Many time the chaplain will be speaking one on one with these men and
woman counseling, encouraging, and otherwise serving them as the unit does its part in
protecting the United States or the country they belong to. The chaplain’s role is to help ensure
the men and woman in their units are prepared spiritually to their job as an airman, marine,
sailor, soldier, or coast guardsman. As noted above, this will also include ensuring that other
religions outside of his/ her own are able to worship in that person’s religious manner.
Crick states that the “chaplains conduct general worship services, categorized under three
major Christian groups (Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox) in a general worship environment. ”
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He goes on to say that this means that the chaplain needs to be aware of the other denominations
in the run besides his/ her own. Crick reminds the reader that this does not mean that one should
water down the message, rather stick to the principles of the faith that are comment across all the
faith groups represented.
3 Robert Crick. Outside the Gates: Theology, History, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries. HigherLife
Publishing, 2012. Accessed August 31, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central. Pg. 197.
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Health-Care Chaplains
Health care chaplains are trained professional clergy member who support the patient and
staff through his/ her spiritual and emotional needs. The chaplain has the privilege to be with the
family as they are losing their family member or as he/ she pulls through his/ her illness.
Chaplain Douglas told the class during her presentation, that health care chaplains “connect to
the patient by the patient request on arrival, formal consults (palliative care), responding to codes
or traumas, staff referrals formal/ informal, proactive rounding, outside phone calls from clergy
or family.” Through these avenues a health care chaplain will have opportunities to walk
alongside those that enter the hospital or medical center.
There are different levels of care that a health care chaplain gets to work with. He/ she
may be at a rural area that does not see many traumas as those would go to a trauma center, or
they could work in the large city that has a level one trauma center that ministers to the people
that have just been stabbed. Chaplains work with patients that are in the hospital; however, there
are many times that the patient will not be in a good mental space. In this case the chaplain will
often work with the patient’s family, friend, and his/ her clergy. Chaplain Miller said in class that
a chaplain provides a non-anxious presence as there is already a lot of anxiety in a health care
setting. Chaplains will do this by preparing the family for what he/ she will see when he/ she
walks in the room to see his/ her family members.
Workplace Chaplains
Workplace chaplain are those men and women that business brings in
to provide a spiritual door that an employ may need to work though. Crick
points out that “As health care continues to be a growing concern for both
businesses and workers, companies have been forced to find alternative
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ways to deal with the mental health issues that can lead to costly absences,
poor production, and growing health care costs. ” While this could be seen a
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way to help the employer spend less money on the employees, there are
many Christian employees that see this as a way for someone to come in
and help their employees in a way that the employee would not get at a
secular councilor. However, workplace chaplains have show to save money
for both the employee and the employer. This also helps the employee to be
better prepared to do a job well done.
Correctional and Prison Chaplains
Correctional and prison chaplains are men and woman who go into the jails and prisons
and minister to the inmates and the staff of those institutions. Like many other forms of
chaplaincy this is the prime time for these men and woman to seek spiritual healing for the things
that are weighing heavily on these men and women that lead them into prison in the first place.
Crick says, “ministry has been so prevalent in these settings that prison chaplaincy has come to
be seen by the state and wardens as a regular part of the rehabilitation process. ” This is however
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not mandatory for the inmate, rather another avenue for those that wish to can take. Even if this
is a positive thing for those who participate in it because the United States demands freedom of
religion, the warden can not make it mandatory. However, this is an option that many take
advantage of.
Sport Chaplains
Sports chaplains work with all types of sports teams to help them stay focused on the
spiritual relationship while they work hard at their given sport. Sport chaplaincy is helpful to a
4 Robert Crick. Outside the Gates: Theology, History, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries. HigherLife
Publishing, 2012. Accessed August 31, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central. Pg. 255.
5 Ibid. Pg. 231.
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lot of men and women in the United States because sports can easier become an idol in his/ her
life. By introducing the chaplain and therefore a reminder that sports are not going to get them
into Heaven. Like the health care chaplain, the sports chaplain can work with different levels of
athletes. They work with high school, colligate, professional, and international athletes. Take a
look at a colligate sports athlete. These athletes are having to juggle a full-time school load as
well as a nearly full-time work schedule with practice, workouts, and team meetings. Then one
has to look at the stage of live they are in, the hormones and trying to find his/ her place in this
life, these can add up to an overwhelmed young person that could benefit from some that can
lesson to them and speak truth in his/ her life. All levels of athletes could benefit from a chaplain,
especially if he/ she is away from his/ her home church and do not have that spiritual shoulder to
lean on.
First Responder Chaplains
First responder chaplains have to opportunity to come along side of the heroes of a
community. The men and women that have to see painful things or even live through them his/
herself. These chaplains are there for the first responder to talk to and with about something that
is going on the job, whether it was a domestic situation that he/ she knows is not good, but he/
she does not have enough evidence to intervene. There may be a firefighter/ Emergency Medical
Technician that had someone die that he/ she blames him/ herself for not saving. These are heavy
burdens that can be helped by a chaplain stepping in and walking him/ her through.
College Campus Chaplains
College campus chaplains are employed by the colleges and universities in order to
provide a connection between school and home life. As noted for the collegiate athlete college is
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6 Robert Crick. Outside the Gates: Theology, History, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries. HigherLife
Publishing, 2012. Accessed August 31, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central. Pg. 266.
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a difficult time for young people. These studies are having to navigate life with more freedom as
well as more responsibilities. Crick says that these students “need strong foundational support
amid the turbulent transitions and temptations of campus life.” Therefore, the chaplain can help
provide spiritual direction for the students.
Conclusion
Since chaplaincy includes a wide variety of different ministries and each chaplain
ministry seeks to focus support on the similarities and needs of a particular group of individuals,
understanding the unique particulars of a group can assist in understanding the chaplain ministry
associated with the group. This paper defined various ministries associated with chaplaincy, so
that the reader could better understand the opportunities for ministry among the following
groups: military chaplaincy, health-care chaplaincy, workplace chaplaincy, correctional/ prison
chaplaincy, sports chaplaincy, first responder chaplaincy, and college campus chaplaincy.
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Bibliography
Crick, Robert. Outside the Gates: Theology, History, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries.
HigherLife Publishing, 2012. Accessed August 31, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central.
