The Army is an institution made up of many directives. To provide ministry and impact the lives of those on the front lines of our nation, you must be part of a team. And to be an effective team member requires well-managed relationships.
The same is true for chaplains. If you are going to be an effective missionary in the chaplaincy, you must establish strong and faithful relationships throughout your unit, installation, and the branch of service itself. Competence is measured at every level, forming a reputation that can open or close doors of ministry within your career. To effectively fulfill the Lord’s calling to reach the lost, chaplains must grow three vital relationships.
With the Lord. The strongest of these relationships is with the Lord. Each day presents an opportunity to draw closer to our Redeemer and know Him as a friend. This relationship instills such hope within our hearts it demands to be shared with others. A passion flows from this first love. Soldiers are excellent at picking up on authentic leaders. They appreciate a chaplain whose authenticity and passion speak to a genuine faith, who will walk alongside them through the good and bad experiences of life.
With the Family. Many service members struggle to balance military life and family life. Many younger service members look to their leaders — including their chaplains — for examples of how to prioritize family in a healthy way. Modeling a healthy family life may provide the most natural way of helping those watching transition into a healthy church life.
With their soldiers. Finally, chaplains must develop strong relationships with the soldiers they serve. With gospel faith as the unifying ingredient of fellowship, soldiers who attend chapel services learn and grow from the broader spiritual example of believers from various cultures and ranks.
Chaplains who have their priorities aligned with Christ, their families, and their congregants will develop a reputation for serving others in the secular world. Their activities will make them known far and wide as individuals who care and share with an eternal perspective. This type of ministry is contagious, meaning others will want to share in the experience. As needs arise, leaders at every level will look to support this type of leader, because good leaders know the value of great and authentic hope.
Serving your unit, your chapel, and your local church is all a part of God’s plan for uniting various Christ-centered denominations and leaders to work together in proclaiming the good news and demonstrating the hope of life in Christ to a lost and searching world.
Let’s serve Him together!
About the Writer: CH (LTC) Tracy Kerr is a seasoned Free Will Baptist Army chaplain, currently serving at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Chaplain Kerr is a Welch College graduate and received his M.Div. in Christian counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007. He and his wife Ginger have three children: Sarah, Grace, and Jonathan. Learn more about the chaplaincy.
