Chaplaincy Endorsement opens ministry opportunities outside the church
Emergency Services
The roles and functions of an emergency services chaplain will vary depending on the specific ministry settings in which they serve; however, the chaplain’s main role is to be a spiritual leader. He/she does this by leading Bible studies, praying with and counseling those who confide in them. To earn the trust and respect of the people they serve, a chaplain must be committed to the ministry. Sometimes they will go out in the middle of the night to assist firefighters or police officers at an emergency call. On other days, a chaplain will serve a death notice to a victim’s family—sometimes the family is that of a law enforcement officer. No matter what his or her duty on a given day, a chaplain becomes a dependable presence ready to serve and assist.Emergency Services, Counseling, Healthcare, and Specialized.
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Educational requirements will vary by jurisdiction.
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Extensive experience in conducting funerals, death notifications, and grief counseling
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Critical Incident Stress Management training
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Levels 1 & 2 of
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Willingness to provide spiritual support for individuals of all faiths
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Law Enforcement chaplains are required to complete the basic courses provided by the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC) within the first two years of service.
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Fire Chaplains are required to complete the basic courses provided by the Federation of Fire Chaplains (FFC) or equivalent within the first two years of service.
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Level of endorsement is determined by the Chaplaincy Ministries and is based upon education, ministerial credentials, and employment status.
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Interview with Chaplaincy Ministries or Chaplaincy representative is dependent upon endorsement level.
Counseling
Counseling chaplains fall under two different areas of classification:
1. Pastoral counselors who minister in a variety of areas and venues. Pastoral counselors minister under the auspices of their ministerial credentials and do not require special licensure by the state. Requirements for pastoral counseling are dependent upon the level of endorsement desired by the individual and the requirements of the entity for which they desire to work.
2. Professional mental health counselors require certification by their state boards and they should meet the following criteria.
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A professional degree from an institution with an accredited graduate level degree program
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Credentialed by the United Pentecostal Church. General licensure or ordination is preferred.
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Professional License as required by the state in which the applicant practices counseling
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Levels 1 & 2 of
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Membership in a professional organization preferred
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Counseling Experience: Advanced Level—500 hours per year for three consecutive years; Specialized Level—500 hours for one year.
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Interview with Chaplaincy Ministries in Weldon Springs, Missouri. Interviews are scheduled in May and November.
Healthcare
The roles and function of healthcare chaplains are diverse and include a variety of ministry settings. For example, chaplains may serve as vital members of interdisciplinary healthcare teams in hospitals, mental health institutions, hospices, nursing homes, or facilities for the severely disabled. They offer critically needed spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families who are facing the most difficult times in their lives. Serving as a bridge between patients, families, and medical staff, chaplains provide counsel on the religious implications of a variety of healthcare options, including end-of-life issues, organ donation, crisis ministry, conflict resolution, and grief counseling.
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Educational requirements will vary by institution, but generally the
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minimum degree requirement is a bachelor’s degree; however, most hospitals will require an MDIV.
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Certification with a professional organization in generally required
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A minimum of 2 units of CPE is generally required
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Copious experience in conducting funerals, death notifications, and grief counseling
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Willingness to provide spiritual support for individuals of all faiths
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Level of endorsement is determined by the Chaplaincy ministry and is based upon education, ministerial credentials, and employment status.
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Levels 1 & 2 of
Specialized
Specialized settings include, but are not limited to, school, aviation, corporate, motorcycle, political, racetrack, rock climbing, rodeo, sports, and trucking chaplains. Chaplains who serve in these and other specialized areas have invested much time in building strong relationships with those they are trying to reach with the gospel. It’s usually not enough to just want to minister to these people; chaplains must become one of them.
Specialized chaplains often, but not always, seek Chaplaincy Ministry Missions appointment (under North American Missions ‘NAM’) in order to raise support for living and ministry expenses. Requirements for appointment as a NAM missionary are explained later in this manual.
Level of endorsement is determined by the Chaplaincy ministry and is based upon education, ministerial credentials, and employment status.
