Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
I serve in two primary roles: in a local Baptist denomination as a pastor and in the army reserves as a chaplain (padre). These two roles are not in competition. I am actively seeking to recruit new chaplains and I often hear some variation of: “I want to focus on pastoring my congregation.” This assumes … Read More “Reserve Military Chaplaincy is Not a Distraction From Pastoral Ministry” »
When the pandemic hit, I wasn’t sure how that would affect every area of my life, including my role as a military padre (chaplain). Would it put everything on hold? In terms of my work with the regiment, I’m as busy as ever, even if what I do looks different. Not only am I busy, … Read More “Good News: Being a Padre” »
I recently achieved one of my goals of getting back into military chaplaincy. I actually joined the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in late spring. However, this past Thursday was my first time at the armoury in uniform. It felt good to be back in chaplaincy. There is something unique about military chaplaincy that I just … Read More “Good News: Back in Uniform” »
One of the goals that I have had is to get back into the army reserves, specifically the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. I loved my experience as a chaplain with the Lorne Scots Regiment and have greatly desired to get back involved now that my health has improved. There are a lot of hoops to … Read More “Good News: The Lincoln and Welland Regiment” »
For a number of years, I served as a chaplain (padre) in the army reserves here in Canada. I absolutely loved it. But I eventually released for two reasons: one was that I was starting at a new church which I wanted to focus on and the other was I was having some health issues. … Read More “Why I Want to Return to Military Chaplaincy” »
Today was a big day for me in that I took the first step in closing an important chapter in my life and ministry. Today I started the paperwork for my release from the army reserves. For the last four years, I have had the privilege to be the chaplain with the Lorne Scots. I … Read More “Closing a Chapter” »
I have decided to experiment with a video blog. The basic idea is to video myself on my iPhone wherever I may be. No effort will be put into making it polished. There will be no retakes. If someone comes up to me, that will make it into the video. I look forward to seeing … Read More “Video Blog: What is a Padre?” »
I can almost guarantee that this good news post has nothing to do with what you think. It is true that it is about health and my physical state but it is not about running or pushups. As you may (or may not) know, I have been on a long road of recovery since being … Read More “Getting Some Exercise” »
I have had quite a number of pastors talk to me about a desire to become military chaplains. I am a chaplain (or padre) in the army reserves and I love it. It is one of the most rewarding things that I do. I am always happy to talk to people who are interested in … Read More “Advice for Potential Young Military Chaplains” »
You may be a part of the leadership of a church that has a pastor interested in reserve military chaplaincy. Your pastor may have introduced the subject and you are not sure what to think. Why should the church be willing to support a pastor interested in military chaplaincy? Isn’t it just a distraction from the … Read More “Why Should a Church Support Their Pastor in Military Chaplaincy?” »
My good news for this week (really the last two weeks) is that I am now a qualified military chaplain. While I completed my BMOQ (Basic Military Officer’s Qualification) a couple of years ago, on Friday I graduated from my BOQ (Basic Occupational Qualification). The first course was to train me to be an officer … Read More “Basically I am Qualified For My Occupation” »
When I tell people that I am a military chaplain, there is one concern that is frequently bought up. Am I forced to compromise my Christian faith? I would respond with an emphatic “no” and yet when I describe my duties, some might interpret it as a “yes.” I am only speaking about military chaplaincy … Read More “On Being a Christian Chaplain in a Non-Christian Military” »
One of the most rewarding parts of my life has been my role as a military chaplain (padre). I hear from pastors who are considering joining the army but are not sure if they should. I would like to share why I think it is a good idea. For clarification, I can only speak from my … Read More “7 Reasons Why Pastors Should Consider Military Chaplaincy” »
As a reserve army chaplain, I am interested in both the history and the nature of military chaplaincy. That is why I was looking forward to reading The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century, edited by Doris L. Bergen. This book looks at military chaplaincy from Roman times … Read More “The Sword of the Lord” »
Before I go into this topic I should share two things: 1) I am a Christian, and 2) I am a military chaplain. Based on this you may be able to guess my answer to the above question. Having said that, I have been challenged on this both directly by friends and indirectly in books. … Read More “Should Christians Serve as Military Chaplains?” »
One of the most fulfilling parts of my ministry is my role as an army chaplain (commonly called a padre). I love being a padre and having the opportunity to both get to know the troops and to minister to them. It is a lot of fun and very rewarding. However, I still find that … Read More “The Role of a Military Chaplain” »
It was two years ago this month that I did my basic training at CFB Borden. At the time, I thought it was one of the most difficult things that I had ever experienced. Tonight I started rewatching Band of Brothers (I think for the third time). Part one is their basic training. Looking at … Read More “Basic Training” »
