May 2005 chaplain's corner
The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.
Chaplain's Corner - May 27, 2005
Rev. Rich Hines
Christian Chaplains Need To Oversee All Christian Ministry In The Facility
This message is prepared especially for those in the United States who call
upon the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve
as a chaplain in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue
mission.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV),
copyright 1979,1980,1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by
permission.All rights reserved. When
quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is within parenthesis signs (
). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting, to help
apply the text to today's culture. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to
emphasize a text, or to make a comment about the text.
This month I want you chaplains to consider two texts of Scripture. I want to
lay before you the biblical standard for your leadership role in Christian
ministry at the facility. The texts are:
1 Peter 5:1-4, where God through the Apostle Peter said:
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be
revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, SERVING AS OVERSEERS, not by
compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the
flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that
does not fade away.
And Acts 20:27-31a, where God through the Apostle Paul said:
27 "I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
28 Therefore TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES AND TO ALL THE FLOCK, among which the Holy
Spirit has made you OVERSEERS, to shepherd the
29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among
you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to
draw away the disciples after themselves.
31 Therefore WATCH,"
From these two texts and some other Bible passages, I want to remind you about
FOUR THINGS THAT RELATE TO YOUR ROLE AS A CHRISTIAN CHAPLAIN.
1. YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN FIRST, THEN A CHAPLAIN
That point is assumed by these texts. Before they
instruct the leaders on what to do, WHO THEY ARE is the basis for what they are
expected TO DO.
1 Peter 5:1 addresses "elders," who are appealed to by a "fellow
elder," the Apostle Peter, who serves as a witness of "Christ."
These same men are said in verse 4, to be awaiting "the Chief
Shepherd" which is a New Testament title for Christ Jesus. They are also
expected to receive crowns from Him. Crowns are not given to non-Christians,
but to faithful believers in Christ.
In Acts 20:28 the elders (compare Acts 20: 17 and following) who are leaders
over that "which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers," must be
assumed to be those that claim to be true Christians.
The "Chaplain's Corner" is always addressed to those who are defined
by the Bible as Christian. When you arrive at the facility remember: it's
always first, preeminently, to represent Christ and His gospel. You don't leave
Christ as Lord at the gate. You take Him in with you.
Recently, I heard an account of an evangelist that had been invited to put on a
program at a large, well known Federal prison. When he arrived, the Protestant
Chaplain pulled him aside and said: "Just give a very general, uplifting
message. Most importantly, be as vague as you can be about Christianity."
I don't know the Chaplain that said this, or his heart. God does. God knows
where each of us stand.
If he's a true follower of Christ, somehow during his tenure as Chaplain, he's
gradually let others define the role of Chaplain to the point that his reason
for being there is only to facilitate religion. A worse scenario would be that
he's now there only to facilitate the institutional religion, which is - in
more and more facilities, becoming polytheism. In doing so, he leaves Christ at
the gate.
Closely connected to your identity as a CHRISTIAN is a SECONG
THING that relates to your role as a Chaplain.
2. REMEMBER WHAT A CHAPLAIN SHOULD BE - LIVE OUT A BIBLICAL DEFINITION.
The word "chaplain" does not appear in the Bible. But that doesn't
mean that we can't have a biblical definition to put with the word.
When I began my ministry as a correctional chaplain, I heard a Director of
Chaplains tell a group of Chaplains that the title "Chaplain" meant
"The keeper of the Chapel." He was historically wrong.
The word "Chaplain" did not come from the word "Chapel."
Rather, it came from a Latin word "Capellanus,"
meaning "
Growing out of this example, many early Christian ministers took special pity
on those in danger of death or deprivation and offered them Christ's love in
tangible ways. The idea grew to a point that those who ministered God's word
and hope to those in imminent peril (the sick, the soldiers, the suffering
prisoners and those on skid row) were called "Chaplains." The most
basic idea relating back to the cape incident was that of SHOWING OUR LORD'S
COMPASSION.
Is there a biblical example of this role for a minister of the true gospel?
YES! It is seen in Jesus Himself. It can also be seen in His Apostle, Paul.
Jesus as a Chaplain (minister of compassion) - Mark 6:34
"and Jesus, when He came out (of the boat) saw a great multitude and was
MOVED WITH COMPASSION FOR THEM, because they were like sheep not having a
shepherd. SO HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM many things."
Among the things He taught them was the only way they'd ever find forgiveness
of sin and peace with God, would be through faith in His coming substitutionary death. (See John 6:22-51, given to
basically the same crowd, the day after Mark 6:34).
THAT'S BIBLICAL CHAPLAINCY. In mercy and compassion, Jesus saw the SPIRITUAL
PERIL the multitudes of people were in BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND
GOD'S TRUTH. So, IN COMPASSION FOR THEIR ETERNAL PERIL, He began to TEACH them
many things (He gave them ultimate spiritual answers).
Paul as a Chaplain (minister of compassion to a lawbreaking fugitive from
justice) - Philemon 10-21
I won't exposit these verses now (you can see that in the archives - July,
October and December 2000) but I would point out that in these verses we see
that Paul with Christ's compassion, gave the runaway slave and thief Onesimus, God's gospel of forgiveness and correction. He
even taught him to make things right with the victim of his crime.
That's the biblical role of a chaplain, in compassion to reach out to the
erring, and help them BY BIBLICAL INPUT, to see the right way to go with Christ
as Savior from sin and Lord over their conduct.
Next, considering our texts in 1 Peter 5 and Acts 20, realize as Christ's
servant you're called to SHEPHERD and OVERSEE His flock.
1 Peter 5:2 says: "SHEPHERD the flock of God
which is among you, SERVING AS OVERSEERS." Acts 20:28-31 says: "TAKE
HEED TO YOURSELVES AND TO ALL THE FLOCK, among which the Holy Spirit has made
you OVERSEERS, to SHEPHERD the
A SHEPHERD must PROTECT the flock from danger. The inmate flock is always in
spiritual danger. This danger comes from within the inmate population and from
the religious world without. So the THIRD thing Christian chaplains must
realize from these texts is:
3. SPIRITUAL DANGERS ARE ALL AROUND.
Therefore, if God has called you into this ministry, realize He has equipped
you and expects you to PROTECT those under your pastoral care with the word of
God. Along with protecting the flock, a shepherd feeds the flock so they can
grow strong. A Bible TEACHING ministry is mandatory for the believing inmates spiritual growth.
In review remember, you're a Christian first, then a Chaplain. Remember to
follow the Bible for a definition of a Chaplain's job description. Remember
spiritual danger is swirling all about the flock of God that you're to
shepherd. These three things that relate to your role as a Christian chaplain
at the facility are support for the MAIN POINT I want to make this month.
Realize God has also called you as a shepherd, to OVERSEE the flock. Again,
Acts 20:28 says, "TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES AND TO
ALL THE FLOCK, among which the Holy Spirit has made you OVERSEERS." Among
other things that means:
4. Christian Chaplains Need To watch over and guide All Christian Ministry In The Facility. That's the fourth thing and the main point
of this message.
The word translated "oversee" as a verb, and "overseer" or
"bishop" as a noun in our English translation comes from two words:
to "look", and "upon". As a verb it is an intensive looking
after. As a noun it refers to the looker-after-er.
Overseeing includes that part of shepherding that looks down the road to see
which direction things are taking. The overseer does that to see if there might
be any future dangers to steer the flock away from or if there are any good
opportunities to pursue for helping them. Directing the flock is a main part of
overseeing them.
Applied to ministry leadership, this means you need to be guiding the whole
Christian program. That's a biblical chaplain's responsibility. This involves
real planning, not just "scheduling." Therefore, in regard to
volunteers and to all ministry in the name of Christ that goes on in your
facility YOU NEED TO LEAD THE TEAM(S), NOT JUST PICK UP AFTER IT (THEM).
Remember, you're not there to just let people in and lock up after them. Those
that do any form of Christian ministry at the facility need to come under your
direction. CHRISTIAN VOLUNTEERS SHOULD SERVE YOUR PROGRAM, NOT THEIR OWN
INDEPENDENT PROGRAM.
I know from personal experience, and I've seen it in many correctional ministry
settings, this can be difficult and intimidating for the Chaplain. Some church
and parachurch ministries that have been doing
whatever they want for a long time, get very upset
when a Chaplain tries to "rein them in."
The best answer you can give anyone that has a problem with your spiritual
direction and control is that YOU MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO CHRIST, WHO PUT YOU
IN THIS POSITION.
Hebrews 13:17 says to Christians, and by application to those believers coming
in under your supervision: "Obey those who rule over you, and be
submissive, for they watch out for your souls (and yes there's an application
to volunteers here), AS THOSE WHO MUST GIVE ACCOUNT."
So chaplains, take and exercise oversight on all ministry in the name of Christ
at your facility. Remember, one day you will stand before the Lord Jesus and
hear Him say either "Well done, good and faithful servant," or not.
SO LEAD WELL.
Rich Hines, Minister To Chaplains for
"For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Rev.
1:9c)