The Ministry of Chaplain

Although the word chaplain does not appear in the Bible, we do find its function in the Holy Scriptures. A chaplain is a person who may well have a calling to be a Pastor or evangelist, as well as a missionary of God who goes out into the midst of society to serve the integral spiritual, psychic and physical needs of human beings. The Christian chaplain is a minister who does not wait for people to come to where he or she is, but goes out in search of who he or she can help in the name of Jesus Christ. This ministry operates in prisons, nursing homes, universities, hospitals, private institutions as well as public ones.

It also serves to reach out to lives such as athletes, military personnel, police, firefighters and public officials. The chaplain can usually reach where other ministers have closed doors. If he or she knows how to carry out his or her ministry in the love of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he or she can find much satisfaction in his or her work and much respect among the people. Chaplaincy is also a very useful means when establishing outreach programs within the church. For example, a chaplain can be in charge of helping abused women, abandoned children, rehabilitation of addicts, people with incurable diseases, the elderly, among others. Although he is the minister who is most involved in social functions, his main purpose is to show the love of God and through that love reveal that Jesus is the answer to every need of the human being.

This ministry requires a person with spiritual maturity and a servant’s heart. He cannot be an inconstant person nor a person who is afraid of making a commitment. The chaplain is a true ambassador of the Lord who reflects to the world the Salvation of God through his Son.