June 2006 chaplain's corner
The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.
Chaplain’s Corner – June 19, 2006
Rev. Rich Hines
Inmates, Residents and Staff Need Biblical Chaplains
This message is primarily for those who call on 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 – in the United States.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the
Bible, 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 placed 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 words in a text, or to make
a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.
This month I want to speak frankly about what it means to be a BIBLICAL
CHAPLAIN.
We should all be very upset whenever God is misrepresented. To misrepresent the
true God is in fact to take His name in vain! Whenever spiritual leaders are
unbiblical, they inevitably end up misrepresenting God. That’s the greatest
reason we need to be biblical.
Another reason I’m so concerned about this issue is the fact that inmates and
residents and staff, desperately need BIBLICAL CHAPLAINS today.
Over the years I have used the word “biblical” in about 80% of these Chaplain’s
Corner messages. Since July, 2000, 67 messages have been posted to our web
site. For reasons unknown to me, only 57 of those messages are sometimes
accessible when you click on “archives.” Yet in 48 of those 57 messages I
checked, I’ve use the word “biblical” (in addition to the introductory
statement). So you see, the issue of being biblical in
ministry is a MAJOR THEME that I want to communicate.
The basic dictionary definition of the word “biblical,” is: “Pertaining to the
Bible.”
Basically, I have used the word “biblical” in four ways (which various
dictionaries also include):
1. Related to the Bible
2. Out of the Bible
3. As defined by the Bible
And, most commonly:
4. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, which also means according to what the Bible really
teaches. In that sense, to be BIBLICAL then ALSO INCLUDES the correct
interpretation of what any given passage means by what it says. I have more to
say about that later.
As we shall see from a passage in Mark’s Gospel, JUST BECAUSE someone alludes
to a Bible passage, or even quotes a verse or part of a verse, it DOES NOT MEAN
THEY ARE TRULY BIBLICAL. They have to rightly interpret it to be biblical.
In addition to the four basic meanings of “biblical” above, a biblical Chaplain
is a truly regenerated and Holy Spirit indwelt Christian. This kind of Chaplain
is a “Christian” AS DEFINED BY THE BIBLE (a true disciple of Christ, compare
Acts 11:26). This kind of Chaplain - as a result of a supernatural birth from
God – should be a man or woman that is BIBLE-BASED IN ALL THEY SAY AND DO.
However, far too many people think ministers and ministries that conduct
services and programs within institutions are biblical, when in fact they are
not. Why not? Because, to misuse the Bible, is to be unbiblical.
I realize we’re all guilty at times missing the right interpretation of a text.
In those instances we were unbiblical. But what I’m mainly addressing is those
that deliberately don’t make it their aim to correctly study and interpret and
communicate the Bible.
Here’s one example of what I’m talking about. Often, printed material for new
life education or “life learning” has man-based and man made principles that
are actually the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Yet, this printed material
often has Scripture addresses placed next to its humanistic points, or even
Scripture quotes TAKEN OUT OF THEIR BIBLICAL CONTEXT. Therefore, that material
is in fact, UNBIBLICAL!
A biblical ministry - at its very heart, is a ministry that rightly divides the
word of God. It does the hard work of opening up the texts of Scripture to see
what the real meaning and teaching is. This is one reason we need to be
committed to Bible exposition and exegesis.
About five years ago, Dr. John MacArthur quoted a theologian who said: “The
MEANING of the Scripture - IS THE SCRIPTURE.” That’s a tremendous truth-filled
statement.
If you’re a biblical Chaplain, your duty is always to understand the true
meaning of the God-breathed-out words of any Bible text. Then you must rightly
apply that meaning to yourself and to those you are sent to care for
spiritually. If that isn’t your current focus, then there’s no way you can
consistently be a biblical Chaplain, or have a truly Bible-based ministry.
Now, I want to take you to a text where Jesus exposed some ancient liberal
theologians. They certainly have counterparts in our 21st century. In the first
century they were called “the Sadducees.”
They were in reality, anti-supernaturalists. They had
an outward form of godliness, but inwardly they denied its power. They were
into religion, but didn’t really have a relationship with the true God. When it
suited them, they quoted Scriptures, but they were not Bible-based leaders of
the people. They were unbiblical men that loved human politics and position.
Too many like them are in Chaplaincy and professed “Christian” ministry today.
Look at them with me now in Mark 12:18-27.
18 Then some Sadducees, who say (continually say) there is no resurrection,
came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:
19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his
wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise
up offspring for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no
offspring.
21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any
offspring. And the third did likewise.
22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all
the woman died also.
23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For
all seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken (literally
‘constantly being lead astray,’ and by implication it was because of wrong
presuppositions), BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW THE SCRIPTURES (They hadn’t learned
the Bible) nor the power of God?
25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in
marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, (He was correcting their wrong
theology) have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage,
(Exodus 3:2-6) how God spoke to him, saying ‘I AM (notice the present tense, ‘I
am’ rather than a past tense, ‘I was’) the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?’
So Jesus made the point, rightly expositing that Scripture -
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. YOU ARE THEREFORE
GREATLY MISTAKEN (same verb, ‘to constantly be lead
astray,’ as in verse 24, with an adverb meaning very, very much.”).
The first century Sadducees were totally unlike Ezra
the Scribe and his fellow ministers from about 475 years earlier. Note these
earlier men in Nehemiah 8:
3 Then he (Ezra, from verse 2) read from it (the Bible, the ‘Book of the Law of
Moses’ from verse 1) in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate
from morning until midday,
Verses 6 and 7 describe the worship and teaching Ezra and his associates led.
At the end of verse 7 it says they:
7 …helped the people to UNDERSTAND the Law (a term for the Bible); and the
people stood in their place. (verse 8, then sums it
all up)
8 So THEY READ DISTINCTLY from the book, in the Law of God; and THEY GAVE THE
SENSE, and HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND the reading.
In other words, they helped the people by intelligently explaining to them the
specific meaning of each text they read. God communicates with sinful mankind
through His word TO THEIR MINDS. This same model is to be a pattern for all New
Testament ministers, including Chaplains, as Paul instructed young Timothy
about his ministry to the church of the Ephesians, around 63 AD.
1 Timothy 4:13
13 Till I come, give attention to reading (the PUBLIC READING OF SCRIPTURE) to
EXHORTATION (the whole process of aiding people to understand the Scripture
that was read), to DOCTRINE (teaching the application of the meaning of the
text).
You could paraphrase this verse, “Read the Bible text, explain the text and
apply the text to the hearers in the church service.” In your
case, in the Chapel service.
Earlier I started to say, too many in correctional Chaplaincy and volunteer
correctional ministry today - are like the Sadducees rather than like Ezra and
his band of faithful Bible teachers, or as Paul told young Timothy to be. I
want to develop that a little.
Many in ministry today are likely unsaved. They show no evidence of a true
spiritual birth from God. Others, who might be saved and claim a real
relationship with God, are like the ancient Galatians. By that I mean,
Galatians 3:3 applies to them.
That verse says: "Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect
(lit. “highly-completed,” i.e. in your faith) by the
flesh?" They might have been born of the Spirit, but in their life
and ministry they were not Holy Spirit-based, which is to say they were not
Bible-based in their ministry.
There are many reasons for this same kind of error today. Near the top of the
list are poor examples of leadership in many local churches. The current
popular church-growth movement produces both unsaved religionists and fleshy Christians.
That’s so because the main central focus in that movement is on man, and not on
the true God. We frankly have too many Sadducee-like and Galatians-like people
in the ministry today.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.
Earlier this month, after one of our three-day Chaplain Enrichment Seminars, I
was having a continental breakfast in a hotel lobby in
After a few minutes, I realized they were all young associate pastors from
various large, growing in numbers, "churches." I listened to their
various loud conversations for about fifteen minutes. Although the words,
"church," "pastor," and "ministry" were used, NOT
ONCE were the words "God," "Jesus," Christ," or
"Bible" ever mentioned! No biblical passages or theology were even
discussed.
Their entire conversation was about their "careers" and what they
were doing to pack in more people! Their methods were the methods of the
business world - not the methods taught in God’s word, the Bible.
I could only think two thoughts. How TRAGIC, and what a BAD TESTIMONY for the
real church of the living God that Jesus said, He would build. I was saddened
to think of any unsaved hotel staff that may have overheard their conversation.
Now I’ll add a third thought, those “pastors” were acting like UNBIBLICAL
servants of a people movement, not the servants of the gospel of God. We
certainly don’t need that kind of person in any Christian ministry, especially
in jails, prisons or rescue mission work.
What really counts for eternity, is not what SEEMS TO WORK in ministry -
especially to bring the crowds, but rather WHAT IS TRULY BIBLICAL. Don’t get
caught up in the numbers game. It’s better to have fewer inmates that are truly
responding to the Spirit through the word He breathed into the human writers of
the Bible, than a large crowd of unconverted sinners that are comfortable in a
religious setting!
In God’s time and sovereign plan, there yet may be a true work of His Spirit IN
MASS, as in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, (445 BC) when “the ears of all the
people were attentive to the Book of the Law.” … “And they bowed their heads
and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” And … “all the people
wept, when they heard the words of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:3,6,9).
BUT WE CAN’T PROGRAM THAT KIND OF RESPONSE. That’s up to a totally sovereign
God who does WHAT He wants, HOW He wants, and WHEN He wants to do it.
Your responsibility is to pray for individuals and be faithful to rightly
divide the word of God, first for yourself, and then for those you’ve prayed
for. You need to model what you teach through your living. Pray, and open up
and explain the Bible to a lost society and especially to the people in the
facility where God has placed you. That’s truly BIBLICAL!
We who profess to follow Christ in this country have reached a point in history
where someone needs to stand up with a loud voice and call us back to the
Bible.
When the great football coach, Vince Lombardi, arrived in
Where are the Christian team leaders today that will get us back to THE BASIC
of all basics for ministry, by holding up the word of God, and saying:
“Gentlemen, THIS IS A BIBLE - LEARN IT, LIVE IT, PREACH IT, AND TEACH IT! ?”
Rich Hines –
Rev. 1:9