military chaplains: serving america's fighting congregation by CH (COL) Richard Anderson Find out more about the ministry of Free Will Home Missions at www.homemissions.net.

The core duty of the Chaplaincy is captured by the following:

…conduct religious observances; provide pastoral care, and model ethical leadership. Religious observances offer military members and their families the opportunity to enhance their relationship with God. Comprehensive religious support includes pastoral acts, ceremonies, ordinances, worship services, and religious education opportunities.

Pastoral care serves the diverse educational, humanitarian, and spiritual needs of the military community. Pastoral care involves counseling, marriage and family ministry, men’s and women’s programs, youth and singles outreach, suicide prevention, critical incident stress management and traumatic stress response ministry, and privileged communication.

Modeling ethical leadership impacts the moral climate within the military and facilitates decision-making based not only on what is legal, but what is right. As special staff members, chaplains advise leadership about the spiritual needs, religious concerns, and ethical issues that influence the unit’s mission and quality of life.

These core duties provide a clear ministry description for chaplains serving around the globe. I want to close this four-part series of articles by challenging all Free Will Baptists to do the following:

• Pray for your FWB chaplains and their families. Throughout the past six years, many FWB chaplains and their families have made tremendous sacrifices to support the war on terror. My family and I have been comforted and encouraged by your cards and e-mails reminding us of your loving prayer support. Please continue to pray for chaplains and their families as they seek to ensure freedom’s future. 

• Promote the military chaplaincy as a viable ministry. Depending on the branch of service, military chaplains receive approximately ten to fifteen days a year to attend denominational conferences and meetings. I strongly encourage all FWB leaders to invite your fellow FWB ministers in uniform to participate in your associational, state, and national meetings—as well as Bible and missions conferences. It was at a Home Missions conference at Free Will Baptist Bible College during the late 1980s when God began dealing with me about ministry in the military. The message was delivered by chaplain Kerry Steedley.

• Invite a FWB chaplain to host a God and country service or a revival. Encourage young people to pray about serving in the Chaplain Corps. Currently, six FWB chaplains serve in the Army, two in the Air Force, and one in the Navy. The need for additional FWB chaplains is tremendous.

• Partner in ministry with your FWB chaplains. For instance, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, New Hope FWB Church in Joelton, Tennessee, sent 60 books to be used in Bible studies, along with 30 pounds of premium coffee. Needless to say, their intentional support inspired troops serving in a dangerous and distant land. I’m grateful my home church partnered with me during my tour of duty. Many opportunities are available for FWB churches to be involved in military ministry. If you’re interested, just contact one of your FWB ministers in uniform.

General George Catlett Marshall (1880-1959), America’s foremost solider during World War II, once stated, “I look upon the spiritual life of the soldier as even more important than his physical equipment…The soldier’s heart, the soldier’s spirit, the soldier’s soul are everything. Unless the soldier’s soul sustains him, he cannot be relied upon and will fail himself and his country in the end.” Free Will Baptist chaplains have the distinct honor of nurturing the spiritual life of America’s fighting congregation. Will you join us in this vital ministry by praying for us and our families, promoting the military chaplaincy as a viable calling, and partnering with us as we seek to glorify God, honor our men and women in uniform, and serve all?
   

Richard Anderson serves in the United States Air Force as a Free Will Baptist Chaplain. Currently, Chaplain Anderson serves as the Senior Protestant Chaplain, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal. He is married to Faith (VanWinkle) Anderson, and they have two sons, Jack and Jon. Chaplain Anderson can be contacted at Richard.Anderson@lajes.af.mil.