Dave Matthews

Research Project

Intro to Chaplaincy Dave Matthews

Week 8 Exercise 7

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 references Matthew 25 and the “least of these”, but it gets into some finer

details that 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””.

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 hearts through 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 homeless for 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 seen the miracles that the Living God has, and

continues to 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 readings on 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 readings on 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 needs of 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

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 relationship with someone else (all of us, lol). It

goes into so many topics on our poor communication skills and 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, when they 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 assess where 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 them to the One who can.