The Core of the Calling

A Ministry of Presence, Humility, and Service

🧭 Introduction: A Return to Calling
We are back, and today we’re going to talk about the core of the calling into being a public school chaplain. In some ways, this session is a reflection on the idea of calling itself.

Now, we often think of chaplains as clergy—and that word clergy appears in the New Testament. Specifically, it shows up during the early church’s discernment in the book of Acts, when Judas had died and they were choosing someone to take his place among the Twelve. The word used there refers to a share, a portion, or an inheritance in ministry—a concept that later became associated with what we now call clergy.

But here’s what’s fascinating:
📜 Over time, clergy shifted from meaning a calling to being a description of a professional class.
Today, we’re seeking to return to the original vision—clergy as a calling, not just a career. You don’t have to be paid, full-time, or have a degree to be called.

🕊️ Historical Foundations: Unmercenary Ministers
This brings to mind the example from early church history. In Acts 21, Paul visits Philip the Evangelist, who had four daughters who prophesied—ministry leaders in their own right. Church historians like Eusebius later wrote about these daughters, one of whom was named Hermione.

Hermione was known as a “holy unmercenary healer”—a spiritual leader who served without pay. The Greek word used was anargyros (ἀνάργυρος), meaning "without silver" or "unmercenary." These were volunteers who ministered in the power of the Spirit, motivated not by money, but by calling.

🎯 Today’s revival of volunteer clergy echoes that tradition. Volunteer chaplains in public schools are modern-day “holy unmercenary ministers,” stepping into broken places—not for money or status, but because they are called.

👣 The Ministry of Presence
Let’s return to our foundation: Presence.

“99% of caring is just showing up.”

That’s the heart of chaplaincy. Not preaching from a platform. Not leading events. But being present. Being consistent. Letting people learn who you are—before they ever open up about what’s going on in their lives.

🕯️ Light doesn’t shout. It shines.

🧭 Discerning the Call: The Heart of a Chaplain
Those who thrive in chaplaincy—especially in military or public settings—don’t just do the job. They live the call. That’s why we want to walk through core character traits of effective chaplains.

1️⃣ Humble Availability

This is the first heart posture. True chaplains are rarely the center of attention. There are teachers teaching, administrators running budgets, coaches leading teams… and then there’s you.

"What am I doing here?"

Sometimes, the answer is: You’re here simply to be present. You’re not here to fix. You’re here to care.

And when someone does approach you, 1 Peter 3:15 says to be ready to give an answer—with gentleness and respect. Sometimes that “answer” looks more like listening carefully and helping them process what they believe.

🗨️ Like the wise therapist who says,

“What do you think?”

You’re not the solution. You’re the servant.

🪖 A Story from the Navy
Some commanding officers don’t know what chaplains do. One even said:

“You’re just taking up air someone else could breathe.”

They knew what a pilot did. They didn’t know what a chaplain was for.

But when that same chaplain humbly served, stayed in the background, showed up consistently—their quiet light began to shine. Eventually, they were not just seen… they were valued.

🤲 "Could You Take a Role and Just Read Books?"
If you’re discerning this calling, ask:

“Am I willing to not be on stage?”
“Could I be a doorman in the house of the Lord?”

Could you spend the first year simply reading to students, wiping down tables, or asking teachers:

“Can I help you with anything today?”

This kind of presence builds credibility and trust. It reflects the servant heart of Jesus.

🧽 Cleaning Bathrooms for the Coast Guard
One chaplain who volunteers with the Coast Guard has a personal ritual:
Every time he visits a base, he finds a mop and bucket and cleans the bathrooms. He’s showing, not telling, that he’s there to serve.

Now—cleaning a school bathroom might not be the right approach for you 😄, but the principle remains: Start by serving.

Ask teachers and administrators:

“How can I help you today?”
“Is there anything I can do that would ease your burden?”

That’s how trust is earned.

💧 Servanthood in Action: Humility That Shocks

“Maybe cleaning the bathroom is not so far off…”

When you're called into the public school setting, you're not just ministering to students—you’re serving the entire staff. And for some of those staff members, their job is cleaning bathrooms.

🚻 Imagine the quiet shock if you, a chaplain, showed up and asked to do that job. That’s the kind of servant-hearted humility that reflects Christ.

👂 2️⃣ Active Listening

Another non-negotiable trait in discerning this call: Are you an active listener?

Chaplaincy is relational. If you are not an active, patient, attentive listener, this role will be difficult.

🔇 “Listen for the silence.”

In any classroom, some kids are loud. Some are invisible. A chaplain must hear both. Listen with your whole heart. Don't interrupt. Don't try to fix. You won’t have power to fix most things—but your presence is powerful.

🗣️ One chaplain shared how Psalm 13 shaped his ministry. David complains,

“God, You don’t see me. You don’t hear me.”

We all long to be seen and heard.
A student realizing, "Wow… this person actually listens to me,” may open a door that no program ever could.

🕊️ 3️⃣ A Non-Anxious Presence

A chaplain isn’t the fixer—they’re the calm presence amid chaos.

Whether it's an emergency room, a military crisis, or a high-stress school day, your job is not to explain suffering or give a lecture on theology. Your job is to be there—a calm, compassionate companion.

👩‍🏫 Teachers face immense pressure. Administrators carry complex burdens. Students face silent battles.

You are a chaplain to all of them—not just students.
Like in hospitals, your ministry reaches the full ecosystem.

✋ Presence doesn’t always need words. Sometimes, stillness is the greatest support.

🛑 4️⃣ Respectful Boundaries

The fastest way to lose trust as a chaplain is to break confidentiality.

🚫 No gossip.
🚫 No sharing others’ struggles.
🚫 No disrespecting school leadership.

Chaplains must honor boundaries. When someone shares something with you, that’s their story. Guard it carefully. Trust is earned slowly and lost quickly.

“Don’t pry. Don’t force. Let them decide when and what to share.”

📌 Pro Tip: Pay attention to hesitation. If someone answers vaguely or closes off, don’t press. Instead, make a mental note and revisit the topic later, if invited.

Even in casual conversation, tailor your engagement:

• One person may love weather talk.

• Another may light up about sports.

• Another may prefer silence.

Your ministry adapts to the person, not the other way around.

🧠 Listening Without Turning the Story Around

So often, we’re tempted to say:

“Oh, you love baseball? Let me tell you about my Little League days…”

But real listening means letting their story shine. It’s not about you. Unless they ask to hear your story, your role is to learn theirs.

🎯 “They need to know: We see them. We hear them. We accept them.”

Even if no one asks about you, that’s okay. You’re not there to be noticed. You’re there to notice.

❤️ 5️⃣ Compassion Without Judgment

Perhaps the most sensitive trait in this calling:
Can you show compassion… without judgment?

It’s not easy. But it’s Christlike.

You will encounter students, staff, and parents whose beliefs or behaviors conflict with your convictions. But chaplaincy is not about correcting them—it’s about caring for them.

🚫 Don’t launch into why they’re wrong.
✅ Lean in with empathy.

“I need to show them that I accept them.”

Acceptance doesn’t mean agreement. It means:

• You are made in God’s image.

• You are worthy of love.

• I am here to walk with you.

🌈 One chaplain shared a story about a young military woman who mentioned her wife during counseling—just to test him.
She wanted to see if his posture, face, or tone would change. She was ready to shut down if he rejected her.

When he didn’t—when he simply kept listening—she opened up more deeply.

That’s the power of unshockable compassion.

People are thinking: “If you really knew me, you wouldn’t like me.”
Prove them wrong—by reflecting the acceptance of Christ.

🌱 6️⃣ Prayerful Discernment

Discerning the call to chaplaincy is not merely a logistical decision—it’s a spiritual surrender.

🛐 Every meeting, every moment, every encounter can be an opportunity for prayer:

“Lord, if there’s something in this meeting I’m supposed to pick up, see, note, or respond to, show me. And if there’s not, let it be rest.”

This chaplain never began a counseling session without praying first.
Even when students or staff declined prayer, he prayed for them afterward—because every interaction was spiritually significant.

📖 “Open their eyes, Lord, so they can see.”
Like Elisha’s prayer for his servant to see the hosts of heaven, chaplains must intercede—quietly, constantly, and faithfully.

🕯️ 7️⃣ A Steady, Long-Term Presence

“Trust the long game.”

One story tells of a teacher who returned for her former students’ high school graduation. She had taught them in second grade. They remembered her by name and recalled specific moments that made an impact.

🎓 That’s what chaplaincy is like. The fruit often comes years later.

Sometimes you'll minister to someone withdrawn and silent. You might never see the result of your presence. But your faithfulness may be the bridge for someone else to reach them later.

🌾 “The fruit may come long after we’re out of the picture… but God will carry it to completion.”

💡 Final Exhortation: Let Your Light Shine

As this session closes, remember the simplicity of Christ’s words:

“You are the light of the world.”

Light doesn’t argue.
Light doesn’t impose.
🌟 Light simply shines.

“Be still. Be present. Spirit-led in every encounter.”

🙏 Personal Testimony: A Calling Confirmed

This chaplain’s journey began not in the military, but as a pastor in Florida. Conversations with Navy families planted a seed. A sailor once wrote him:

“There’s nothing in that chaplain’s life that makes me think he can teach me about God… or that he even cares about me.”

💔 That letter became a turning point.
He stepped into military chaplaincy for “one tour”…
🕊️ Twenty-eight years later, he retired—having walked through the raw, real lives of countless souls.

“As chaplains, we get to see people not all cleaned up… but in their real, messy lives. And we walk with them through it all.”

👥 Who Might Be Called?

Last night's prayer revealed a picture:

• Retired teachers longing for purpose

• Local pastors seeking to serve nearby schools

• Parents with flexible schedules and a heart for kids

• Retired businesspeople with time and compassion

• Grandparents with wisdom and presence to offer

You don’t have to be full-time. You don’t need to proselytize. You just need to care.

If this resonates with you…

Pay attention.
Listen to the voices around you—but listen more to the call within.
Read. Learn. Pray.
Get ready.

And when the door opens, you can step forward and say:

“I’ve been preparing for this. I believe God is calling me to this. And I’m ready.”

✨ It is no secret what God can do… what He’s done for others, He’ll do for you.