3. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

CHAPTER ONE

“SO YOU WANT TO BE A CHAPLAIN?”

Dr. Jim Browning

Iturned a corner on my assigned hospital floor and saw Bob, a part-time hospital chaplain, and full-time seminary student, walking with a patient. e patient walked slowly and painfully with her right hand gripping the wall rail. Her left hand punctuated her story. Bob walked to her left, nodding his head and listening. He was not in a hurry and showed his concern and care for her. I had no idea what she was telling him as they were well beyond the range of my hearing. It didn’t matter. e image of Bob walking alongside this woman transformed my approach to chaplain ministry. is image would become central to my understanding and definition of chaplaincy.

I was early in my two years of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) experience and struggled to develop an effective ministry model. My first approach to pastoral care was to brighten the spirits of patients and family, as the hospital can be a rather depressive place. is method did not meet the approval of my CPE supervisors, so my second approach was investigative. Like a detective, I sought information about patients and their condition, intending to include a prayer at the end of my visits. My supervisors disapproved of this approach and quickly told me. We both were frustrated, and they wondered out loud if I would survive this educational experience. en it happened.

As I watched Bob listen intensely and share this moment with a patient, I learned a crucial lesson in my effort to understand what a chaplain is and my model of ministry. As a result, my understanding of chaplain ministry evolved through three self-described stages: my “clown ministry” (to cheer