For the past twenty-four hours we have been host to Chaplain Blake Bowers. It was a great visit as he shared with us. Our son has been his pen pal for about two years. Pam and I often call chaplains missionaries. Here are a couple of things to think about. Do chaplains qualify as missionaries? They don’t “raise” missionary support? How are chaplains like missionaries? I believe they do. Why?
- They minister to a largely untouched segment of our society.
- They minister in a cross-cultural setting with its own unique challenges and needs that civilian clergy (like myself) cannot reach.
- There are thousands of lost souls who need the Gospel shared with them. As God asked, “Who will go?” “So send me Lord!”
- Chaplains minister in a very isolated setting from other ministers (like many missionaries do). They may be the only minister within thousands of miles of another church. What’s the difference of being in the dark jungles or in the middle of the Pacific alone sharing the Gospel?
- Chaplains need the prayers and encouragement from the church. They face a unique set of challenges and dangers. (We heard about some of these today.) Some of our missionaries have the challenge of ministering in cultures that are outright anti-Christian. Chaplains must minister in similar situations.
I challenge you this week to pray for our chaplains. They are a vital part of sharing the good news around the world. The Wesleyan Church‘s Department of Education and the Ministry has even more information regarding chaplains.
