Chaplaincy Relations annual training encourages chaplains to keep serving and embrace their calling

Adam Landrum, U.S. Army chaplain based in Hawaii, said he was eager to return to the Texas Baptist Chaplaincy Training after being unable to attend while serving overseas.

“It's been a while since I've been here. The last chaplaincy training I came to was about five years ago. I was in Tennessee and went to San Antonio for the training and really enjoyed it… So I'm glad to be here,” Landrum said. “It's always great to see new folks and find out what they're up to, what they're doing and be encouraged and encourage them. I signed up for a leadership course this week, and so I'm looking forward to using [what I learn] with my brigade in Hawaii.”

On Sept. 15-18, Texas Baptist Chaplaincy Relations hosted their annual Chaplaincy Training Event, where 137 chaplains and their spouses from across the nation gathered for ministry training in their respective ministry areas. 

Greg Schanfish, associate endorser for Texas Baptist Chaplaincy Relations, welcomed chaplains and shared that 33 new chaplains have been endorsed through Texas Baptists Chaplaincy Relations so far this year. 

Todd Combee, director of Texas Baptist Chaplaincy Relations, kicked off the Chaplaincy Training Event on Tuesday night with a message on loving the least of these. Drawing from Matthew 25:31-40, he explained that when we love the least of these, we are showing that we love Jesus. 

“I think God is pleased when we put our best effort forward to take care of people,” Combee said. “God has given each one of us talents and gifts and abilities that he expects each of us to use to our greatest ability for building up his kingdom and serving one another. When we become a Christian, it just begins. We may be saved, but then we have to live like we’re saved.” 

Combee encouraged chaplains to let their lives be a living example of Jesus. 

“Jesus stated that the world will know that we are his disciples if we have love for one another. And we prove our love by our actions. When we are willing to lay down our lives and deny our own desires for one another, this is what love is,” Combee said. “[Chaplains] are the church going to where the church can’t go. My encouragement [for you] is to keep doing what you do and keep trusting God.” 

Embracing your God-given task 

Jay Johns, III, leadership consultant at Solutions 21 and retired U.S. Army Colonel chaplain, kicked off the first full day of the event with a session titled “Leadership Behaviors of World Class Performers.” He gave chaplains 9 leadership behaviors: Use performance feedback, turn unconscious tendencies into positive choices, practice energy management, realize that what is required for improvement may be counterintuitive, develop a clear vision, seek out coaches and mentors, develop a tactical and measurable action plan, get over losses quickly and use positive self-talk. 

“Leadership is not the position. Leadership is influence,” Johns said.

Throughout his session, Johns led group discussions for chaplains to consider which of the nine behaviors come easiest to them, which ones they would like to improve and action steps for how to accomplish that. 

He concluded his session by encouraging chaplains to embrace the task that the Lord gave them with confidence. 

Emma Graham, hospital chaplain in St. Louis, Ill., said she appreciated that Johns’ session was very practical and gave her ideas of how to better respond to her patients.

“What I loved about [the session] was how [Johns] gave real scenarios and things that he had actually encountered and how he responded. So it was very practical… The dialogues [he conducted in the room also] really stood out to me,” Graham said. 

Graham said she looks forward to using and applying performance feedback from her peers to grow as a leader.                 

“Chaplains are people of the heart” 

Over the four days, chaplains had the opportunity to attend affinity group workshops and seven unique training courses on topics including Baptist distinctives, clinical ethics, organizational leadership, among others. 

Jim Browning, director of Marsh Institute for Chaplains and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel chaplain, led a workshop titled “Hidden Risks to the Heart of a Chaplain.” He identified and explained risks for chaplains to be cautious of in their ministry, such as having a misinformed identity, which he covered in the first of four sessions in the workshop. 

Browning gave the chaplains three guiding questions to ask themselves: “Who am I? Who am I becoming? Who is this person in front of me whom I am engaging?” 

“Chaplains are people of the heart. The heart of the chaplain must be examined, formed, guarded and sustained. The deepest risks are often hidden before they are visible,” Browning said. 

Throughout the workshop, Browning defined chaplaincy, identified hidden risks and gave chaplains action steps to develop a long-haul ministry plan. He encouraged chaplains that their work imitates Jesus’ ministry. 

“Chaplaincy is one who walks beside another... and what Christ did in the incarnation, he came and lived among us. And in that, he helped us to discover who God is. It's our hope and my hope that I'm truly a visible reminder of [Jesus],” Browning said. 

U.S. Air National Guard Chaplain Cody Bailey said he chose to attend this workshop because it seemed like a healthy way to unpack the burdens he, and those he ministers to, experience. He said he was encouraged by hearing from chaplains serving in other areas. 

“[In this workshop], we have such a dynamic class with all of the areas of chaplaincy, whether it's hospital, military, prison ministry, marketplace ministry. [I was encouraged to hear] how the view of chaplaincy is consistent across [each area] and how we all have this same understanding of what the outside world sees. Yet we are more than what they see,” Bailey said. “So unpacking that today was pretty powerful because it puts us all in one accord and aligned together in the mission.” 

Learn more about Chaplaincy Relations and how it can be a resource to you at txb.org/ministries/chaplaincy-relations.