What The Coalition of Spirit-filled Churches Will Do For Its Chaplains

Rev. 08/07

The CSC will meet or exceed the legal endorsement requirements for Spirit-filled clergy to serve the government as chaplains — local, state, or federal — as well as non-governmental certifying organizations and private healthcare and workplace institutions, by:

• Maintaining a file to continue the endorsement(s) of all chaplains and track their careers. [This can be an involved process. Some military chaplains, for instance, will be Chaplain Candidates, Reserve Chaplains, temporary Active Duty Chaplains, extended Active Duty Chaplains, Guard Chaplains, AGR Chaplains, and may eventually hold "Regular" Chaplain status, as well as "Retired/Recall" Chaplain status until age 60. Each of these categories requires a separate endorsement.]

• Safeguarding chaplains' status: The CSC will maintain essential records in hard copy files and in computer files with backup to be stored in an off-site, secure location.

• Establishing and maintaining membership (organizational and/or personal) and/or professional relationships by actively participating in:
  
  National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces
  Endorsers Conference for Veterans Affairs Chaplaincy
  Association of Professional Chaplains
  Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
  College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy
  COMISS Network
  National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains
  American Correctional Chaplains Association
  American Protestant Correctional Chaplains Association
  American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  Military Chaplains Association
  Military Order of World Wars
  The Journal of Pastoral Care Editorial Committee
  Association of Religious Endorsing Bodies
  
  (With dues and professional expenses annually anticipated to be in excess of $10,000.)

• Maintaining regular liaison with US Chiefs of Chaplains: Army, Navy, Air Force; with the Directors of the: VA Chaplain Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons Chaplains Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Chaplaincy; as well as with the states and agencies where The CSC has chaplains.

• Professionally and pastorally supporting chaplains and other pastoral credential holders with:
  

  • Career guidance and nurturing spiritual mentoring

  • Correspondences regularly

  • Telephone contact as needed

  • Periodic visits and as required for emergency support and advocacy

  • A periodic conference for professional development and spiritual renewal

  • Emergency PTSD and CISD materials by email or fax for chaplains in crisis situations.

• Performing necessary ministry/job referral, as well as screening (spiritual and criminal), interviewing, and recommending for prospective chaplains and professional counselors to be considered for positions and various certifications.

• Assisting chaplains with career transitions and placements.

The CSC will maintain the required contact with our coalition of churches and networks of churches necessary to officially represent "like-faith" Pentecostal, Renewal, and Charismatic church members to the federal, state, and local governments, in addition to civilian chaplaincy institutions and pastoral care organizations.

The CSC will endeavor to promote chaplaincy at every opportunity within both religious and secular contexts. As such, the CSC will also dedicate itself to encouraging and consulting with innovative pastoral caregivers seeking to establish new categories of chaplaincy. Of current special interest is the advocacy, promotion, and growth of public school educational chaplaincy, a new genre of pastoral care in the U.S.