Editor: After a recent article discussing bivocational pastoring options, a regular reader, Scott Wells from Ohio, sent this to me.
This was prompted by responses to the recent post “Is the small, single full-time clergy staff church a luxury churches can no longer afford?” I am what I would call a reverse bi-vocational. In addition to serving as a full-time pastor, I also serve part-time as a chaplain in the National Guard. I would like to make a case for why it can be a win-win for smaller churches and their pastors.
An NG chaplain will miss a minimum of two Sundays per year because of military service. In a rare twelve-month period I missed seven. Typical National Guard Soldiers serve twelve weekends a year plus two weeks for annual training (typically in the summer). That adds up to 14 Sundays per year. But in my state (Indiana), our Adjutant General (commander of all national guard forces) recognizes the value of chaplains and issue a directive stating that chaplains who serve churches be allowed to serve a day of the week other than Sunday. I typically do a Fri-Sat. Over four years at my church, I’ve probably averaged missing 4 Sundays annually.
But there are other considerations, such as military schools. The initial school is the longest: three months. Most other schools are two-weeks. And there is always the possibility of a mobilization that will take you overseas for twelve months. In 2008, I would estimate you had a 40-45% chance of it. Today it’s considerably less. Nevertheless, you, your family, and your church must be always be prepared that you may get word that in eight months you’ll be in Kuwait for a year. All of that can be tough on a family and a church.
But there are some great benefits as well. I get my health & life insurance ($400k + spouse coverage) through the military at a very affordable cost, plus dental insurance at an average cost. A pastor friend of mine’s church pays over $17k annually for that for him, whereas I pay less than $4k for it all. Last year the church started reimbursing me for that cost. Also, I have a good retirement awaiting me through the military (retirement requires 20 years of service; you begin receiving it at 60 years of age).
The pay is not bad either. A First Lieutenant (a chaplain comes in as a 1Lt or a Captain, depending on experience) will gross over $500 for a 2-day drill and around $2k for two weeks of annual training. The extra income has made the difference in my wife being able to not work outside the home and be more involved in church life. Additional financial incentives are offered when the military reaches critical shortages of personnel, e.g., bonuses, GI Bill, student loan repayment money. I made it through a private college and SBC seminary paying nothing but sweat equity in the uniform.
Weeks when I have drill are super-busy. But I doubt they are any busier than what my truly bi-vocational brothers out there experience weekly. I have the utmost respect for you—I don’t know how you do it.
NG Soldiers are tested annually to ensure they maintain a certain level of fitness and the appropriate weight to sex/height/age ratio. That accountability has been a long-term blessing to me over the years.
Theologically you need to be rock-solid on core gospel truths and gracious on the things that aren’t. Chaplains can’t be required to do something that violates their conscience, but neither is military chaplaincy a good fit for those with hyper-sensitive consciences. I could provide personal examples, but I don’t want to make this unnecessarily lengthy.
Chaplaincy is not synonymous with pastoring a church. NAMB, the endorsing agent for SBC chaplains, considers chaplains missionaries, and rightly so. There is a reasonable expectation that the members of your church are regenerate. Not so with your fellow Soldiers.
Uncle Sam and Jesus are looking for a few good men. Good, solid, evangelical chaplains have a place in the military and are needed. If you think you have what it takes, if you can sweat and bleed with soldiers and love them despite their foul language and coarse behavior, if you can be thick-skinned and tender-hearted, you might have just discovered the part-time job that could change your life. I would love to try to answer any questions you might have. I am currently at my two-week annual training and may be unable to reply immediately, but will certainly do so as soon as possible.
Scott Wells is pastor of FBC West Carrollton, OH. He is a graduate of William Jennings Bryan College and SBTS. He has served in various roles in the military since 1987. He’s an OK pastor, but his wife is an amazing pastor’s wife.
Pastor Scott, thank you for your service to our Lord Jesus and the United States of America.
Pastor Scott,
I just retired this week as a NAMB-endorsed chaplain after serving for 30 years. The first half of my career was in the National Guard, and the last half was in the Army Reserve. Sandwiched in between was 7 years when I was mobilized on Active Duty. I was a pastor the entire time I wasn’t mobilized. (I’m still serving as Pastor of a SBC church–it will take some getting used to only having one job.)
Amen to everything you said. You can be a pastor and serve in the Guard or Reserves. It takes negotiation between you and the church. I thoroughly enjoyed my 30 years serving God and Country. It made me a better minister. I also would love to talk with anyone who is considering becoming a chaplain. I’ll be happy to get you in touch with our endorsers in the NAMB chaplaincy office who can help you get the process started.
Currently I am a correctional chaplain and bi vocational pastor…just finished the year long process of attempting to board for the TXNG Chaplaincy. Everything was great until I found out I have too much hearing loss in my left ear. During the time I have met a great group of ministers that are our the Chaplain Corps of the United States military. A truly called group of individuals…Pro Deo et Patria!
Could use some prayers for a consultation Monday on if the hearing can be helped!
Scott,
Thank you for your service to our great nation! It shows us all that there is not one “template” for pastoral work.
Blessings in Christ
woody
Scott, is there any truth to the rumor that military chaplains are now prohibited from praying “in Jesus’ name” in public? And is there not an increasing pressure on all military to conform–at least outwardly–to the institutional worldview that homosexuality and gay “marriage” are legitimate?
Ken,
Those are great questions. Thanks for asking. I’ve not had any push-back regarding Christian-specific prayer. I am aware of one incident where someone expressed concern to a chaplain friend of mine about his prayer in Jesus’ name at a public ceremony. I was not at the event, so I don’t know the details. However, this friend could at times be a bit cantankerous in the ways he expressed his right to religious liberty. I sometimes wonder if that was a contributing factor.
There is increasing pressure to accept the legitimacy of aberrant sexuality in the military. But I suspect it’s less pressure than we encounter in society in general; considerably less than what our children and grandchildren encounter in youth culture. “Conform” is too strong of a description of the current state of affairs, in my opinion. For example, the chaplaincy conducts events designed to increase resiliency for Soldiers and their families. If a homosexual couple registers for an event conducted by the chaplaincy, the organizer knows which chaplains will facilitate that event and which won’t. A NAMB-endorsed chaplain cannot be compelled to help facilitate such an event, nor does NAMB allow them to (NAMB is a good endorser that I greatly appreciate).
It dawns on me as I am writing this that I have another thing to be thankful for about the chaplaincy. I’ve been able to have far more biblical conversations with those involved with homosexuality because of the chaplaincy than I ever would be able to have in my role as a pastor. I don’t know that I’ve ever persuaded change in any of those conversations. But we’re striving to hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant,” not “successful servant.”