April 25, 2019
“Pastor as Chaplain”
We continue our series about pastoral roles. A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, school, labor union, business, police department, fire department, university, or private ...
One of the best, and easiest, ways to understand the difference between chaplains and pastors is to consider where they are based. Pastors have a church as their base, and the church has a specific Catholic or protestant denomination. Chaplains are based in a community rather than a particular church. Although they apply to be chaplains through their own church, they are trained to minister to all faiths. Chaplains often work in outlying areas or facilities where people cannot attend a church, such as military outposts, prisons and hospitals.
Chaplains are often involved in traumatic situations where they perform crisis intervention. As part of their education, chaplains receive special training in crisis intervention and ministering to people in traumatic situations. A chaplain may sometimes hold an informal worship service, which would be for all faiths, but worship isn't the focus of his or her job.
People come to their church to hear their pastor preach. The pastor speaks to the entire congregation, rather than one-on-one. The audience typically isn't in crisis or experiencing trauma; they just want to worship together with others of the same faith and hear inspiring words from their pastor. When someone in the church does have a crisis or dilemma, he or she may see the pastor individually for guidance, but that's not what the pastor is trained to do. Pastors also go out of the church and into the community or to perform mission work, but their focus is on spreading their faith, even their specific denomination. Although pastors do help individuals experiencing crisis, they don't have the special training for it that chaplains receive.
So you can see that there is some overlap in the job descriptions. While pastors do perform some tasks that chaplains perform, the basic goal of the callings is different. Chaplains are called to provide spiritual care to people of all faiths who are in crisis. Pastors are called to serve the spiritual, religious, and faith-building needs of a specific group of people.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike
“Pastor as Chaplain”
We continue our series about pastoral roles. A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, school, labor union, business, police department, fire department, university, or private ...
One of the best, and easiest, ways to understand the difference between chaplains and pastors is to consider where they are based. Pastors have a church as their base, and the church has a specific Catholic or protestant denomination. Chaplains are based in a community rather than a particular church. Although they apply to be chaplains through their own church, they are trained to minister to all faiths. Chaplains often work in outlying areas or facilities where people cannot attend a church, such as military outposts, prisons and hospitals.
Chaplains are often involved in traumatic situations where they perform crisis intervention. As part of their education, chaplains receive special training in crisis intervention and ministering to people in traumatic situations. A chaplain may sometimes hold an informal worship service, which would be for all faiths, but worship isn't the focus of his or her job.
People come to their church to hear their pastor preach. The pastor speaks to the entire congregation, rather than one-on-one. The audience typically isn't in crisis or experiencing trauma; they just want to worship together with others of the same faith and hear inspiring words from their pastor. When someone in the church does have a crisis or dilemma, he or she may see the pastor individually for guidance, but that's not what the pastor is trained to do. Pastors also go out of the church and into the community or to perform mission work, but their focus is on spreading their faith, even their specific denomination. Although pastors do help individuals experiencing crisis, they don't have the special training for it that chaplains receive.
So you can see that there is some overlap in the job descriptions. While pastors do perform some tasks that chaplains perform, the basic goal of the callings is different. Chaplains are called to provide spiritual care to people of all faiths who are in crisis. Pastors are called to serve the spiritual, religious, and faith-building needs of a specific group of people.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike
“Earth Day”
So, I asked farmer John how he was celebrating Earth Day.
“Picked up my corn fertilizer,” he quipped sarcastically.
I gave him a disapproving grunt!
“Listen,” he said, “I know people think that us farmers are killing the planet but that just isn’t the case. We have pressures to feed the whole planet with cheap food and to make a small profit for ourselves despite fluctuating markets and increasing costs for fuel, equipment, seed, fertilizer and land. This isn’t an easy job!”
I thanked him for his sincerity and his hard work.
“Besides,” he continued, “I use less chemicals per acre than I did 20 years ago.”
I thanked him again. Then I asked if he could increase my daily ration of corn (I am a pig after all).
He gave me a disapproving grunt!
Keep this in mind,” he continued, “Preserving this planet is the responsibility of everyone…especially the consumers!”
Touché, Farmer John!
I get the point.
May we all do a little more to use a little less.
Happy Earth Day to all…especially to this great planet that God has blessed us with.
Love,
Stewie (aka Pastor Mike)
So, I asked farmer John how he was celebrating Earth Day.
“Picked up my corn fertilizer,” he quipped sarcastically.
I gave him a disapproving grunt!
“Listen,” he said, “I know people think that us farmers are killing the planet but that just isn’t the case. We have pressures to feed the whole planet with cheap food and to make a small profit for ourselves despite fluctuating markets and increasing costs for fuel, equipment, seed, fertilizer and land. This isn’t an easy job!”
I thanked him for his sincerity and his hard work.
“Besides,” he continued, “I use less chemicals per acre than I did 20 years ago.”
I thanked him again. Then I asked if he could increase my daily ration of corn (I am a pig after all).
He gave me a disapproving grunt!
Keep this in mind,” he continued, “Preserving this planet is the responsibility of everyone…especially the consumers!”
Touché, Farmer John!
I get the point.
May we all do a little more to use a little less.
Happy Earth Day to all…especially to this great planet that God has blessed us with.
Love,
Stewie (aka Pastor Mike)