Research project on Chaplaincy assignment

1. Dave Matthews
Research Project
Intro to Chaplaincy
Dave Matthews
Week 8 Exercise 7

2. The work of Chaplaincy in the Rescue Mission setting is important because of
the people that it is intended to reach. There are many fields that a chaplain can
operate in and be successful with,without a doubt. However, I would say that in the
area of the homeless and addicted, there are many that tend to look the other way
when presented with an opportunity to minister to one of “the least of these”(Matthew
25:40).
Is it easier to show the love and compassion for someone who is in a hospital
bed, or someone who has recently lost a loved one, or even someone who is
incarcerated than it is to someone who lives on the street and doesn’t smell of freshly
laundered clothing? Please, don’t get me wrong, there is a need for a chaplain to
minister to these as well. There is such an opportunity to show the love of Christ to
those that are in crisis in any setting. I just think that there can be such a
stereotypical view of the homeless that we tend to miss the opportunities to care for
them as much as they are needing care.
In the book The Work of the Chaplain by Naomi K. Paget and Janet R.
McCormack, it goes into some detail about the Biblical basis for Chaplaincy. It of
course referencesMatthew 25 and the “least of these”, but it gets into some finer
detailsthat we sometimes forget. We are to see the value of all persons, not just the
ones who we think deserve our care and love. They said in the book, “The Matthew
text speaks to the chaplain of the innate worth of all persons, not just those who agree
with their religion, share their culture, or look like them.” Isn’t that what Christ came
here to do in the first place? They also spoke of us going out not so they might get
saved, but that we just “take the initiative and go out and care for “the least of these””.

3. When we are able to go out without an expectation of measuring our success or
what we should be accomplishing, we will come to be those bond-servants of Christ.
There is no greater reward than being used by God for a purpose. When we are able to
see those that He has put on our heartsthrough His eyes,hear their needs through
His ears, and act in love, He is well pleased.
I have had the privilege of working with the homelessfor almost 16 years now
and I must say that my own views have changed immensely over the years. I see the
Scriptures differently now than how I used to read them.I see how Jesus was
“accused” of hanging out with the same people that I have grown to love as family. I
have been able to see what addiction and abuse have caused in so many lives and it
breaks my heart. But, I have also seenthe miraclesthat the Living God has, and
continuesto do in so many lives (me being one).
Over the course that I have just completed on Introduction to Chaplaincy, there
are so many things that I have learned. The readingson how to uniquely minister to
African Americans using a narrative approach is something that interests me
intensely.The book African American Pastoral Care by Edward P. Wimberly really laid
out things that I had no idea about. Using this story telling approach is something
new to me, but it totally makes sense.The readingson ministering to Latino/as in the
book Pastoral Care and Counseling for Latino/as by R. Esteban Montilla and Ferney
Medina was great in looking at the family model being so vitally important to the
success and structure of meeting the needsof the Latino population as well.
I think that the biggest influence in this course for me, was the book The Lost
Art of Listening by Michael P. Nichols, PhD. This book is truly life changing. I know
that we hear that all the time, but really, give it a read. I have read many things on

4. listening and communicating, as that is a big part of my job, but this really is a must
read for anyone who is in any kind of relationshipwith someone else (all of us, lol). It
goes into so many topics on our poor communication skillsand reasons for and ways
to overcome these problems. We shouldn’t just be listening for a chance to respond to
someone, it goes so much deeper into the why’s and how’s.
Some of the issues that come up with ministering to the homeless, is gaining
their trust and allowing them to see that I really do care about them. It isn’t just some
job or a paycheck, it is about building relationships and caring genuinely about them
and what is going on in their lives. It is easy to get “attached”, it can just be difficult to
stay “attached”. These are people that have burned about every bridge that they have
come in contact with. They will more than likely, try to burn our bridge down as well.
How are we to respond in a chaplain role, whenthey offend or don’t do what we would
like them to? I know that can be difficult,but we are respond with care and
compassion. That looks like forgiveness and longsuffering. It looks like what Jesus
does for every one of us every day. Now, I’m definitely not saying that I have “arrived”
at being this person all the time,but I am in process of becoming that person.
I think that “knowing thyself” is vital to becoming a chaplain. There are things
that are going to come out in my when situations come up. I need to be the person
that will honestly assesswhere I am and why. If I can’t be honest with myself and my
character flaws, how am I expected to show someone truth? I am not the one who is
perfect,but by admitting my short-comings and flaws, and being willing to change, I
am better equipped to direct themto the One who can.