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Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
Preparation................................................................................................................................... 1
Ministry Opportunities................................................................................................................2
Ministry Evaluation..................................................................................................................... 3
Bibliography................................................................................................................................. 5
1
Introduction
This interview was conducted with Chaplain Brian Harris on 28 January 2025 at
10:00am. Chaplain Harris serves as one of the installation chaplains for the protestant
community at Minot AFB, he is also the senior chaplain responsible for mentoring junior
chaplains as the in-process the organization. His primary function is to be the unit chaplain for
the 5th Operation Group, as well as the lead Protestant Chaplain. In these areas of responsibility,
he serves as counselor and advisor to the commander as well as the members of the 5th
Operations Group, and he is responsible for overseeing the Protestant contemporary services as
well. He has served as an active-duty chaplain for 7 years.
Preparation
Chaplain Harris spoke of his preparation as “a long journey,” emphasizing his 20 years of
ministry experience prior to becoming an active-duty chaplain. He mentioned having gone
through seminary in 2005 and seeking out mentors to help guide him as he discovered God’s call
on his life into ministry. As he discussed further preparation to be a chaplain, he was intentional
to mention “tangible” qualifications, such as seminary (i.e., MDiv) and being endorsed, as well
as few other qualifications as well that are visible or could be proven through documentation.
But he also spoke of the “intangible” qualifications, as he put it, such as the call on one’s life to
be a chaplain. These intangibles he seemed to place a greater weight on, as they were the
“driving force” behind the successful accomplishment and accession into the chaplaincy.
When asked about what Spiritual Disciplines he’s applied to help his development, he
emphasized daily quiet time that involved bible intake, prayer, and meditation. He was also
quick to add journaling to the list, and different reading plans that prompted deeper study and
application. He spoke of the importance of prayer and how it is our avenue to bring our concerns
2
before God and request aid in the warfare against the devil and evil forces, which is further
affirmed by Donald Whitney when he makes mention of prayer being like a “walkie-talkie.”1
Chaplain Harris further emphasized the importance of partnering with his wife in prayer, which
strengthened their bond and home life as well as enhancing their support of one another.
Ministry Opportunities
Chaplain Harris, when asked about the ministry opportunities he has had in his time as a
chaplain, said that they are “vast.” He said that there are a great number of opportunities to serve
and minister as a chaplain. One of the opportunities he is most excited about, he said, were the
opportunities to evangelize. As Dr. Keith mentioned in the video “Evangelism in Pluralistic
Settings,” every chaplain is expected to share his or her beliefs with those who are willing to
hear.2 This is something that Chaplain Harris said he loves to do when given the opportunity,
which he says happens quite often. The opportunity to evangelize the lost is one tat cannot be
missed by a chaplain, as the field in which they serve is ripe to harvest (Jhn 4:35).
Another ministry that Chaplain Harris mentioned was that of the ministry of presence,
which he explained as being always ready for the question, “chaplain, can we talk.” He further
explained that this is accomplished by building a rapport with the members of the unit so that
they know that the chaplain is always there, and always ready to have that conversation. His
view of it was that he must keep himself present with them so that they see his readiness to and
care for them, that they know he is willing to meet them where they are and tend to their needs
on their terms.
1 Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress
Tyndale House Publishers, 2014), 82.
2 Steve Keith, “Evangelism in Pluralistic Settings” (lecture video),
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/764900/pages/watch-evangelism-in-pluralistic-settings?
module_item_id=78184207. 5:15.
3
Ministry Evaluation
As we transitioned to questions centered on evaluating Chaplain Harris’ ministry efforts,
he was quick to state that his belief is that his effectiveness directly correlates with his
willingness to be led by Jesus. He emphasized “keeping the main thing, the main thing,” which is
to say to keep his focus on what God has called him to do. He said that, when he is doing that, he
feels like he is serving effectively. His measure, he said, must always be measured against God’s
standard and His calling. One way that Chaplain Harris said he ensures that he is operating
effectively is to align all plans and programs with God’s will, everything he does in his ministry,
whether as the unit chaplain for the 5th Operations Group or in chapel services, he wants to keep
Christ at the center of all his efforts.
In regard to his family life and how his ministry affected them, he mentioned that it often
put his family in a position of having to trust God. That because of the nature of military
chaplain ministry, they would need to depend on God for everything, but in ways they had not
considered before. He called it an “adventure of faith,” and likened it to Abraham and Sarah as
they left family and friends behind to go follow God’s plan for their life. He mentioned the
difficulty in maintaining friends, but that it helped him grow to learn how to build, what he
called “core friendships, that is friendships that would outlast the frequent moves associated with
active-duty lifestyles. He also mentioned that it became obvious that they needed to learn to be
more open with their struggles, which became more needful when his daughter struggled with
health concerns as a direct result of not being able to appropriately cope with frequent changes.
Fortunately, as he tells it, God gave the grace they needed to get her the help needed to heal, and
now they have a stronger dependence on God for the grace to endure difficulties and on each
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Bibliography
Whitney, Donald S., Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. NavPress Tyndale House
Publishers: Colorado Springs, CO, 2014.
Keith, Steve. “Evangelism in Pluralistic Settings” (lecture video),
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/764900/pages/watch-evangelism-in-pluralistic-settings?
module_item_id=78184207.
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