Video Transcript: Chaplains on the Frontier

 Chaplains on the Frontier — Reclaiming the Parish for the World

A Ministry Sciences Vision

HENRY:
We’re going to conclude this class with three short presentations. Each one explores an important part of the Ministry Sciences vision for chaplaincy.

Let’s start with this one: Chaplains on the Frontier — Reclaiming the Parish for the World.

First, let’s talk about what I like to call an army of presence.

Chaplains aren’t armed with weapons, but with compassion. They carry Christ’s presence to the edges of society—into hospitals, funeral homes, courtrooms, military bases, and beyond.

Now, here’s the problem: church walls and wounded people. Many are not rejecting God. They’re rejecting what they think represents Him.

The traditional model says, “Invite them to a service.”

But what if the service never feels safe?

TOM:
Yeah… not somewhat true—absolutely true.

So many people have had a very negative experience at church—or they’ve heard about one from someone else—and they project that pain onto all churches or all Christians.

They’re not necessarily saying, “I don’t want anything to do with God.”
They’re saying, “I don’t want anything to do with those people who claim to represent Him.”

So, if you invite them to church?
They might come—but often they won’t. Because it doesn’t feel safe. It’s unknown.

HENRY:
Right. Think about it: You and I grew up in church.

TOM:
Oh yeah. Ice cream Sundays, right?

HENRY:
Exactly! We could walk into any church and—even if it was a little different—we could find enough similarities to feel comfortable.

But if you’ve never been?
And your only idea of church comes from a movie, a TV show, or your judgmental neighbors—why would you go?

TOM:
Exactly. So, the idea that we’re going to reach the world just by inviting people to come to church? That works sometimes. But in many cases, the damage is too deep. There’s too much pain from the past.

And that’s why I really love your idea of the “parish.” Because you’re smarter than I am about this, but there was a time when your church was defined by where you lived. That was your parish.

You went to that church because it was in your neighborhood. But those days? They’re gone.

HENRY:
Totally gone. But in chaplaincy, we’re reclaiming that concept.

If I’m the chaplain for the police department, then every officer and staff member becomes part of my parish.
Even if they’re not Christians—I’m their chaplain.

TOM:
Exactly. I love that Greek word: paraokea—it means a soul journeying beside another.

Originally, it referred to a mobile spiritual community, and that’s what the early church was. And today, chaplains reclaim that very idea for modern mission.

So, where’s your parish?
The country club?
The fire department?
The recovery center?

HENRY:
That’s what we kept circling back to as we put this course together—these conversations last fall really stirred me. I went deep into this all winter: What does “parish” mean today?

And when I saw that the parish wasn’t a building but a person in motion, it lit something up. The chaplain becomes the shepherd of dynamic parishes.

Let’s talk about that: a dynamic parish isn’t a fixed zone. It’s not a building. It’s a living zone of presence.

• A hospital unit

• A gym

• A shelter

• A NICU wing

• A team of coworkers

• A struggling teen

Wherever you consistently show up as Christ’s representative—that’s your parish.

TOM:
And that’s such a powerful idea: Hill by hill, chaplains act like spiritual foot soldiers.

Each “hill” is a place where God’s peace is needed:

• A grieving widow

• A courtroom

• A suicide hotline

• A strip club ministry

And let’s be honest—we’re still figuring out how to train for some of these spaces. But these are real impact stories.

HENRY:
Yes—and it’s not a critique of the church. It’s not the church’s fault that it can’t be in all those places. These are specialized spaces.

But when you’re the chaplain in a NICU, for example? That’s your parish now. The staff and patients may still have a pastor—and that’s great!

But chaplains bring a different training and presence. They aren’t competitors to the church. They’re collaborators.

TOM:
Amen. We’re all on the same team.

HENRY:
Churches form disciples.
Chaplains deploy disciples.

Together, we fulfill the Great Commission.

Honestly, I give a lot of credit to my wife and our research team at Christian Leaders Institute—we’ve really dug into this vision of the “mobile parish,” and that’s why having you here is so important.

You’re a seasoned chaplain who’s been around the block.

TOM:
That’s code for old, right?

HENRY:
(Laughs) No, wise!

So here’s the final call:

You may not wear a collar.
But you are trained and credentialed.
You carry the sacred into places where it’s desperately needed.

What is your hill?
Who is in your circle?
What is your parish?

It’s not about a title. It’s not about a platform.
It’s about being present where people meet Jesus through you.

TOM:
Answer the call.
Show up.
Sojourn beside.

HENRY:
And if we have a dream at Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance, it’s this:

An army of chaplains—spirit-filled, humble, present—marked by love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, and joy.

We don’t claim to have all the answers.
But we do know this:

God is alive and well.
And He loves the people you’ll meet out there.