Introduction

This book will hopefully inspire anyone who is called to the unique office of Chaplaincy. I passionately believe that very few ministers genuinely understand the role of the Chaplain or have come to accept this office as being part of the five-fold ministry, hence, the goal for this book - to educate all who are interested in this calling and to validate the position as a unique facet of the five-fold ministry.

The Role of the Five-Fold Ministry

As most astute Christians have realized through scripture, and by the obvious design of the church, the five-fold "gift ministers" are a vital part of the Church (i.e., an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher), and are instrumental in fulfilling the mission of the church today.

The Importance of Chaplains

Chaplains who fulfill the above roles in such places as hospitals, prisons, military installations, corporations, and vessels are a critical part of their assigned stations. They merit respect. The Bible never explicitly describes the role of the Chaplain or the vital purpose of Chaplaincy; nevertheless, the office is equivalent to that of a pastor and is an essential part of the body of Christ—they play a vital role in society.

Challenges and Education

Unfortunately, it is rather annoying to see a fair amount of folks that minimize the role of a chaplain or who are merely ignorant of this critical office until they become incarcerated, hospitalized, or experience a crisis while in an academic or military setting. Church leadership has not made an adequate effort to educate their congregations about the valuable role of the local Chaplain who toils tirelessly with little acknowledgment or gratitude from the local church.

Purpose of the Book

Thus, this book was written to educate and instruct those who are interested in pursuing the office of chaplaincy—to teach the more exceptional subtleties of Chaplaincy from an individual who has been involved in Chaplaincy for over 30 years and secondly provide an inside view of the very practical day-to-day functions of hospital chaplaincy. Although there are several different kinds of chaplains (i.e., military, prison, and academic), the chief focus of this book will be on hospital chaplaincy from my personal experiences as both a chaplain and therapist.